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Chris G. Suits Up Santa-Style for Good Cause
From left to right, Jana Wright, Valerie Waroway, Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani, Gary Gray.
Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani was among 6,000 people to suit up Santa-style at this year's Las Vegas Great Santa Run.
The annual event is a 5K Fun Run-walk and 1-Mile walk around the Fremont Street Experience for the casual walker or runner. All proceeds from the event go to Opportunity Villiage, a not-for-profit organization that serves people with intellectual disabilities by providing them with vocational training, employment and social recreation services that make their lives more productive and interesting.
The 6,119 Santas started their Santa Run to the theme song "Run Santa Run" by local singer/songwriter George Dare. Attending the event were: Mayor Oscar Goodman (accompanied by the Champagne Showgirls), Senator John Ensign, Siegfried & Roy and of course, Santa Claus.
After the run, participants were greeted at the Fremont Street stage by an assortment of goodies and fun items provided by a number of sponsors.
The event was for a good cause, but the chance to donate to Opportunity Village is not over. Just click here and see how you can help.
1,000 Volunteers Needed to Count Homeless on Jan. 29
Homeless advocates are appealing to the public and asking for volunteers to sign up and help in a wide-scale effort to count the homeless on Wednesday and Thursday, January 28 and 29.
At least 1,000 volunteers are needed to fan out across the county and conduct a head-by-head count of the homeless population. Rural and outlying areas of Clark County will be counted on Jan. 28, while the urban areas of the Las Vegas Valley will be counted on Jan. 29. The count is critical to securing funding to feed and house an increasing number of homeless people.
"Each year, we depend on this count to apply for federal money that will help feed and house the homeless," said Shannon West, regional homeless service coordinator for Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition (SNRPC). "While many people may not be able to give their hard-earned money, they can give their time to help us complete this critical count."
This will be the third countywide effort to conduct a person-by-person head count of the homeless. Census organizers are asking for volunteers who have transportation and preferably a cell phone to participate in the counts. People living in outlying Clark County will be needed on the Jan. 28. Residents in urban areas are needed for the count during the early morning hours of Jan. 29, between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. An orientation session will be held prior to the count to train volunteers and explain logistics.
The last homeless census of this kind occurred in 2007,which estimated the number of homeless at 11,417.
Anyone wishing to volunteer to participate in the homeless census can call (702) 455-0670 or send an email to lemoscg@co.clark.nv.us, or visit www.HelpHopeHome.org.
Clark County Water Reclamation Completes East Flamingo Repairs
The Clark County Water Reclamation District (District) has completed repairs to its sewer pipelines near East Flamingo Road at Nellis Boulevard, behind the Sam’s Town hotel-casino.
District officials said its massive pipeline rehabilitation project, taking place along other sections of East Flamingo Road, is expected to be completed in 2009. The next section of repairs will take place in the area in front of the Stallion Mountain community in mid-October.
Through at least December, westbound and eastbound travel on East Flamingo Road will be narrowed to one lane in each direction from Mountain Vista to Boulder Highway and from Perry Street to Stephanie.
The northbound lanes on Mountain Vista Street between Vegas Valley Drive and Desert Inn Road will be reduced to one lane.
During construction in front of the Stallion Mountain community, 100 feet of Cabana Road at East Flamingo will be closed to all traffic for a two week period. During this time residents of Stallion Mountain will need to use East Flamingo as their primary access.
For more information and traffic updates, drivers can call the project hotline at 853-1333, or visit www.cleanwaterteam.com.
Be Safe in Your Apartment
People living in apartments are often victims of crimes. The Las Vegas Metro Police Department offers the following tips to help you keep safe:
Apartment Safety:
- Know your neighbors.
- Be on the look-out for suspicious activity or individuals.
- Make sure you lock your doors and windows. Two locking devices per door/window is recommended. Check with your apartment manager regarding replacing or upgrading your locks.
- Remember that burglars will take advantage of an open door, window or sliding door. Do not leave valuables visible from your windows so that those passing by can easily see them.
- Consider adding motion detector audible alarms to your windows or doors.
- Check out any home improvement type store and see what inexpensive items are available to upgrade your apartment security. Be sure to check with management before making any modifications
- Always be aware of your surroundings when doing the laundry, getting the mail, putting out the trash, etc.
- Avoid people or situations that make you feel uncomfortable.
- Report any safety concerns you notice to the property management.
- Report any lights that are out or dark areas that need lighting.
- Report any landscaping that creates dark or hiding areas, or needs trimming.
- Work with the landlord to form an Apartment Watch, plan social events for residents, a tenant association, or other changes that make everyone proud of where they live.
Vehicle Theft Prevention:
- Always lock your vehicle when parked.
- Do not lend your vehicle keys to someone else.
- Remove any valuable items and do not use your car for storage.
- Consider adding an anti-theft device to your vehicle. Check with any automotive type store to see what is available.
- If you do not have assigned parking, vary where you park your car so that no pattern can be established.
- Be on the lookout for vehicles that look unattended or abandoned and report them to the property manager.
- Do not leave your car running while you check your mailbox or do other "quick" things requiring you to leave your car unattended.
Winchester Holiday Closures
Due to cost containment, the Winchester Cultural Center will be closed a little more than usual over the coming holidays.
For the Thanksgiving Holiday, the center will be closed four days: Thursday through Sunday, November 27, 28, 29 and 30.
For the end of the year holidays, the center will close Christmas for 12 days: Thursday, December 25, through Monday, January 5, reopening Tuesday, January 6.
Beginning January 1, the center will be closed each Monday.
Cambridge Hosts Senior Health and Wellness Fair
Over 600 seniors attended the Senior Advocates’ annual Senior Expo Winter Wonderland Extravaganza and Holiday dinner at the Cambridge Recreation Center on December 11.
Health screenings were provided at the health & wellness fair and seniors enjoyed entertainment, drawings for door prizes and a catered holiday dinner. The Regional Transportation Center assisted by transporting seniors from centers and apartment complexes to the event through their Para-transit Program. The Honor Guard, Constable Bobby 'G' Gronauer and officers from the Constables office assisted by serving seniors and passing out door prizes.
Special thanks to the Senior Advocates office and Parks and Recreation Center staff for all of their hard work on this successful event.
Constable's Office to Enforce Tow-Away Zones
The Las Vegas Township Constable’s Office will be actively enforcing a no parking/tow-away zone beginning Dec. 2, 2008 every Tuesday from 9-11a.m. on the following streets: Albert Avenue, McKellar Circle, Calcaterra Circle, Kolson Circle, and North Circle. Clark County Public Works will be cleaning the streets during these times and we request that you comply with the no parking/tow-away zone areas.
Vehicles parking in these areas during specified times are subject to being cited and towed. Owners will be responsible for citation in addition to any additional impound fees.
Local Youth Encouraged to Apply for Summer Job Program
Clark County is currently accepting applications for the summer 2009 Summer Business Institute - a summer job program for high school juniors, seniors and college freshman.
This is the 14th year Clark County has sponsored the SBI program, which provides selected teenagers employment opportunities in a variety of fields, including law, medicine, architecture, education, and communications. The program is a partnership between Clark County, the Clark County School District, and more than 80 area businesses.
"Hundreds of our community’s future leaders have received invaluable on-the-job experience through the Summer Business Institute program," Commissioner Lawrence Weekly said. "Thanks to this program and our private-sector partners, SBI continues to open doors for our youth."
Program applications are available through a link on the county Web site at www.accessclarkcounty.com (under New to the Web site), in the Clark County Community Resources Management Division office on the 5th floor of the Clark County Government Center at 500 S. Grand Central Parkway, Las Vegas, at KCEP Radio Station at 330 W. Washington Avenue, and at high school job banks. Applications are due by March 6, 2009. For more information, contact Maurice L. Reid, SBI Coordinator or Kaveida Williams, SBI Assistant Coordinator at 455-2426 or 455-3036.
County staff will select 100 Clark County high school students who will be juniors, seniors, or college freshmen by the fall of 2009 to participate in the program from mid-June through mid-August. Program participants will be selected based on grade point average, volunteer activities and other criteria established by Clark County and the Clark County School District.
Participants are paid $8 an hour to work eight-hour days Monday through Thursday, and learn about money management, life skills and civic engagement through regular seminars. Additionally, all participants are eligible for college scholarships at the close of the program. Clark County launched the SBI program in 1996 in an effort to expose inner-city youth to the variety of career choices around them. Over the years, the program was expanded to serve a more diverse student population.
Las Vegas Justice Court Offers Amnesty for Unpaid Traffic Tickets
Individuals who have unpaid traffic tickets in the Las Vegas Township Justice Court will be offered amnesty until February 6, 2009 to pay an outstanding obligation.
"We are offering amnesty to anyone who wants to come in and clear up an outstanding ticket or warrant with no additional penalties," said Chief Judge Douglas E. Smith. "Once amnesty is over, you risk additional fines, a mark on your credit report, or even arrest if you fail to take advantage of it. Amnesty is your best opportunity to take care of a longstanding obligation with the court."
Amnesty for unpaid traffic obligations will remain in effect until February 6, 2009. Starting February 9, 2009 the court will begin enforcing warrants for all unpaid traffic tickets in the Las Vegas Justice Court. Individuals with outstanding warrants risk arrest for failure to pay an outstanding traffic obligation. The warrants will be enforced by local law enforcement.
"We are pleased to work as a partner of the court and will actively enforce warrants for unpaid tickets once this amnesty ends," said Las Vegas Township Constable Robert (Bobby G.) Gronauer.
Individuals with outstanding traffic obligations with the Las Vegas Township Justice Court are encouraged to resolve them by calling the court’s automated phone system at (702) 671-3444 or (877) 455-1289, visiting the court’s payment website, found in English: www.clarkcountycourts.us/paythefine and in Spanish: www.clarkcountycourts.us/pagarlamulta, or by coming in person to the Traffic Division Office on the First Floor of the Regional Justice Center at 200 Lewis Avenue.
Isolation: A Form of Elder Abuse
Courtesy of the State of Nevada, Division for Aging Service
Most people are familiar with neglect and physical abuse as forms of elder abuse, but there is a third and lesser known form -- isolation.
As people age and become more frail, they are more dependent on the outside world coming to them. Isolation means a caretaker or someone close to an elderly person attempts to control their environment by willfully, maliciously and intentionally preventing them from having contact with another person by:
- Intentionally preventing the older person from receiving visitors, mail or telephone calls, including, without limitation, communicating to a person who comes to visit the older person, or a person who telephones the older person, that the older person is not present or does not want to meet with or talk to the visitor or caller knowing that the statement is false, contrary to the express wishes of the older person, and intended to prevent the older person from having contact with the visitor; or
- Physically restraining the older person to prevent the older person from meeting with a person who comes to visit them.
If you suspect this is happening to someone you know, a report must be made to the local office of the Division for Aging Services during normal business hours, any police department or sheriff's office or Clark County Protective Services.
After normal business hours, the reporter should contact local law enforcement, or the Crisis Call Center at 1-800-992-5757.
If an older person is in immediate danger, the local police, sheriff's office or emergency medical service should be contacted.
Looking for something to do? Click here for a list of events going on in Clark County parks this week.
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