Southwest and Spring Valley Neighborhood News

Zappos execs set to speak at CSN Charleston campus

Zappos.com Chief Executive Officer Tony Hsieh and fellow Zappos.com executive Fred Mossler are scheduled to speak to the College of Southern Nevada community about Zappos' happiness-driven business philosophy from 9 to 11 a.m. today in Building I, room 108, at the Charleston campus, 6375 W. Charleston Blvd. The presentation will focus on how Zappos.com became one of the country's leading online retailers by incorporating happiness into its business model. The event is free and open to the public.

Red Rock commission meeting planned

Clark County Commissioner Susan Brager has scheduled a community meeting to discuss the waivers developer Jim Rhodes has requested for his planned development in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

The meeting is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday in Blue Diamond's community center, 9 Village Way. For more information, visit saveredrock.com.

Mountain's Edge design proposal meetings planned

Residents living in the southwest part of the county are invited to attend two upcoming open houses to provide input on proposed designs for Mountain's Edge Regional Park/Trail Project.

The first open house is scheduled from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at Reedom Elementary School near Buffalo Drive and Mountain's Edge Parkway. A second open house is planned from 5 to 6 p.m. Feb. 15, prior to the 6 p.m. Enterprise Town Advisory Board meeting at the Enterprise Library, 25 E. Shelbourne Ave.

Preliminary design options for the first phase of the regional park/trail project, located at 7929 Mountain's Edge Parkway between Buffalo and Durango drives, will be on display at the open houses for public review and recommendations. For more information, visit clarkcountynv.gov.

Docs for Socks campaign to run through December

Southwest Medical Associates recently kicked off its Docs for Socks campaign. In partnership with the Clark County School District, the goal is to collect new socks and underwear for students in need in the Las Vegas Valley.

Collection boxes are located at all Clinic at Walmart locations and Southwest Medical Associates locations throughout Las Vegas.

The campaign runs through Dec. 31.

Desert Breeze pool closure scheduled through February

Desert Breeze pool, 8275 Spring Mountain Road, is scheduled to be closed for renovations through Feb. 10.

For more information, visit lasvegasnevada.gov.

Parents encouraged to drop off kids to shop

Parents looking to start or finish last-minute holiday shopping can drop the kids off from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Desert Breeze Community Center, 8275 Spring Mountain Road. Kids ages 6 to 12 can enjoy a day of games, holidays crafts and lunch while supervised by Day Camp staff. Pre-registration is required, and space is limited.

For more information, call 455-8335.

Councilwoman Tarkanian spearheads Blanket drive

Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian kicked off a blanket drive at Bo Ho Furniture Gallery, 4221 W. Charleston Blvd., in early December. The newly formed Las Vegas Historic District Business Group, made up of Ward 1 businesses, is sponsoring the blanket drive through Jan. 14. New and gently used blankets can be dropped off at the furniture gallery and will be given to senior citizens and animal shelters.

For more information, call 229-2299.

Open a business with a click of a mouse

People interested in opening a business in the city of Las Vegas can do so by visiting the city's website, lasvegasnevada.gov.

The city of Las Vegas is the first government agency in Southern Nevada to offer customers the ability to apply for a business license online. Customers also can pay their application fee or renew their current business license online. These new features are part of the city's priority to make it easier to do business with the city of Las Vegas.

Bereavement support available during holiday season

Solari Hospice Care, 5550 S. Jones Blvd., is offering two free weekly ongoing grief support groups from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and from 10 a.m. to noon on Fridays. The purpose of the groups are to help individuals find healthy ways to heal and cope, especially during the holidays. All members of the public are invited to attend. For more information, visit solarihospice.com or call 870-0000.

Area organizations receive grants

The CarMax Foundation awarded $12,500 in grants to Las Vegas organizations to help local youths as part of the foundation's Regional Giving Program. The Las Vegas-area grant recipients include: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Nevada, $5,000; Street Teens, $5,000; and Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada, $2,500 for Troop 83's Light Up the Night program, which is aimed at battling cancer. More than $2.9 million has been donated to local nonprofit organizations across the United States through this program since it was started in 2007. For more information, visit carmaxcares.com.

Donate to blanket and jacket drive

The Nevada chapter of the Community Associations Institute has teamed up with 8-year-old Boulder City resident Blaze Trumble to collect blankets and jackets for the homeless.

The Blanket the Community drive is in its fourth year and runs through Monday. Last year, Blaze spearheaded the effort to collect more than 700 blankets and jackets. This year's goal is 800 blankets and jackets. Blaze regularly celebrates his birthday refusing gifts and instead donating to the less fortunate. To participate, drop off new or gently used blankets and jackets to these locations: the CAI corporate offices at 9171 W. Flamingo Road, Suite 100; the Las Vegas Rescue Mission, 480 W. Bonanza Road; and the Nevada Association Services offices at 6224 W. Desert Inn Road. Many blankets already have been delivered. Another batch is being collected for delivery before Christmas. For more information, call Mary Rendina at 648-8408.

HELP of Southern Nevada launches holiday programs

HELP of Southern Nevada, 1640 E. Flamingo Road, is launching three of its annual programs this holiday season.

The group's Adopt-a-Family program allows people to assist needy families in giving them clothing and toys for the holidays.

Last, the Holiday Assistance/Toy Drive benefits more than 16,000 families with its donations.

To donate, volunteer or for more information, call Lisa Laudadio at 369-4357, ext. 1246, or visit helpsonv.org.

Community Management Group teams with Three Square for food drive

Three Square, along with Community Management Group and other partners, aims to ease the burden of hunger with its holiday food drive. To help in the collection process, CMG has donated space at its main office as a food drive drop-off location from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 3360 W. Sahara Ave., Suite 200.

CMG will collect food on behalf of Three Square through Dec. 20.

Winder Farms to donate turkeys to Three Square

Winder Farms invites its customers to help spread holiday joy to families in need by donating turkeys to Three Square food bank this holiday season via the Winder Farms website. Customers can click on "Donate a Turkey to the Food Bank" then "Add to Next Delivery" during their regular online shopping through Dec. 31.

The cost of the turkey will be added to the customer's next bill, and Winder Farms will deliver the turkey to Three Square. Customers can order by calling 800-946-3371 or at winderfarms.com.

Learn to sell local produce and meat during workshops

The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, 8050 Paradise Road, plans to launch a Beginning Farmers & Ranchers program in 2012 with workshops on field crops, processing and selling locally grown meat products and becoming a produce farmer.

Each workshop is two days long and costs $50, which includes two lunches and snacks.

The program is scheduled to run from March to September 2012. For more information, call Staci Emm at 775-945-3444 or visit unce.unr.edu.