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DJs For PJs® Event Still Accepting Donations
Last month, local DJs from Beasley Broadcast Group gathered near collection sites, dressed in pajamas and went on the air live for the annual DJs for PJs® event.
Celebrities and elected officials stopped by throughout the day to lend support and encourage participation. Individuals and corporations brought donations of new, unworn pajamas to the collection sites. DJs for PJs® volunteers work to size and sort the pajamas for delivery to the benefiting social service agencies.
The annual event is designed to collect new pajamas for children in need throughout Southern Nevada. Last year, the non-profit event collected over 13,000 pairs of brand-new pajamas for local agencies to distribute to abused, neglected and abandoned kids.
Donations for pajamas are still needed. Valley residents can drop off new pajamas from 6:00 in the morning until 7:00 at night at any of the three collection sites. This year, the sites are:
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Boca Park at Charleston and Rampart
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Johnnie Walker RV Center at 4784 Boulder Highway
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Golden Nugget at 129 E. Freemont Street.
This year’s sponsors were the Beasley Broadcast Group, Johnnie Walker RV Center, the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce Leadership Las Vegas Class of 2003 and CIM Marketing Partners. DJs for PJs® is also grateful to many in-kind benefactors that donate printing, posters, boxes, advertising and many other items that make the event a success.
County Celebrates 100th Birthday Bash with Float at Helldorado Parade
Clark County’s centennial-themed entry into the Helldorado Parade held on May 16 featured a three-tiered birthday cake with white and gold frosting and sparkles with small, white LED twinkle lights and a rotating, gold-sparkled “100” figure. The cake sat atop an oversized birthday present wrapped in gold atop an 8-foot circular base covered in gold shimmer rain skirting.
The large birthday present displayed a golden “Clark County Centennial” sign on two sides so that it was visible to guests along the Fourth Street parade route in downtown Las Vegas. A large ribbon banner extended off the gift front and back displaying the “100 Years, from 1909 to 2009, a Century of Service” signage. The long banner display was bordered in colorful, brightly lit rope lights, and ran the entire length of the float.
There were small groupings of assorted-sized boxes, decorated in festive birthday wrapping papers and bows. The lower half of the float sparkled with hundreds of flashing, miniature LED twinkle lights. (See attached rendering of the float.)
Other centennial-themed projects sponsored by the county included a touring history exhibit about rural Clark County, the grand opening of the Candlelight Wedding Chapel and of a 1910 railroad cottage at the Clark County Museum; the placement of historical markers; brochures; a mural at the Winchester Cultural Center; history panel discussions; historical programming on Channel 4; the burial of a time capsule in December and partnerships with the Clark County School District and the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District.
Clark County also has nominated the famous “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign to the National Historic Register. The Strip is located in unincorporated Clark County and is not part of any city. The Centennial Web site also features historical information, a listing of events, a trivia contest, a link to a geocaching project, and a section where residents can share their historical stories. Residents also may add themselves to an electronic mailing list to stay abreast of centennial updates.
Clark County was officially formed on July 1, 1909, out of what had been Lincoln County and is named for railroad baron William Andrews Clark. The city of Las Vegas, which includes downtown and the area north of the Strip, was incorporated two years later in 1911. Those interested in additional information on Clark County’s Centennial celebrations can visit the Web site or call 455-8200.
County Taking Applications to Fill Searchlight Justice Court Vacancy
Clark County is currently accepting applications to fill a vacancy in Searchlight Justice Court created when Judge Wendell Turner died last month.
Applications are due by July 10. Applications are available at the County Manager’s Office, which is on the 6th floor of the County Government Center at 500 S. Grand Central Parkway, Las Vegas, and are also available through the county’s Web site at www.accessclarkcounty.com.
"Justices of the Peace have a demanding job that calls upon them to be well versed in both criminal and civil matters,” said Commissioner Steve Sisolak, whose District A includes Searchlight. “We lost a remarkable jurist in Wendell Turner and I am confident we will find a worthy candidate to fill his seat.”
The County Commissioners will appoint a new Justice of the Peace for Searchlight to serve until January 2011, at which time the position will be filled by whomever wins the November 2010 election for this position.
Appointees to Searchlight Justice Court are not legally required to be attorneys or residents of Searchlight, but there is a residency requirement for candidates running for the position.
Justice Court handles misdemeanors, traffic matters, felony arraignments, civil disputes under $10,000, small claims and landlord-tenant disputes. Turner had served as Searchlight Justice of the Peace since 1995.
Planning Commission to Hear Enterprise Land Use Plan Update
After four public meetings to garner input on the Enterprise Land Use Plan major update, the County Planning Commission will hear the issue on June 18 at the Government Center, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway, in the Commission Chambers.
Land-use plans show residents and businesses what kind of development to expect in their neighborhood. The County Commission typically updates the plans for the different communities in the county every five years, following an extensive vetting of the drafts at public meetings.
The Enterprise planning area is in the southwest corner of the Las Vegas Valley. It is between Sunset Road and Larson Lane with Hualapai Way on the western boundary and Bermuda Road with a portion of Eastern Avenue for the eastern boundary.
Last October more than 250 people attended the first public meeting of the Enterprise plan update. A draft of the plan and other information on the Enterprise area is available online by clicking here.
Community land use plans are designed to protect citizens and businesses from incompatible development. Following a 90-day period to correct errors or omissions, a land use plan may only be amended once a year until the next major plan update. Also, for the first two years after adoption of the major plan update, a non-conforming zone change can only be submitted with concurrence of the commissioner in whose district the request lies; and the commission will only hear non-conforming zone change applications four times a year for each planning area.
Iconic Welcome Sign Listed in National Register of Historic Places
The “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places, a significant milestone in the sign’s 50-year history, county and state officials announced.
Nevada Historic Preservation Officer Ron James, whose office forwarded the county’s application to the National Park Service for consideration, said the Register is the nation’s official list of cultural resources worthy of recognition and preservation.
“This sign is one of the most recognizable images associated with Nevada and its tourism industry,” said James. “This national honor underscores the historic value of the sign.”
The Welcome sign is located on the median of Las Vegas Boulevard in unincorporated Clark County, just south of the Russell Road exit on Interstate 15. It reads, “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada” on the front and “Drive Carefully” and “Come Back Soon” on the back.
The sign is owned by Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO) and leased to Clark County. "As owner of the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign, YESCO is proud to be the stewards of this important cultural resource which has done so much to promote a positive, vibrant image for Las Vegas and Clark County for the past 50 years," said John Williams, the company’s vice president and general manager.
The sign was designed by Betty Whitehead Willis of Western Neon, at the time one of a few women in the nation working as sign designers. In 1959 a group of Strip hotel owners asked the Clark County Commission to fund the design and construction of a sign to welcome visitors to Las Vegas. The winning bid, from Western Neon, was for $4,000. Later, YESCO bought out Western Neon and became the sign’s owner.
The Welcome sign was placed on the old U.S. Highway 91, which was the main route from Southern California. The closest hotel was the Hacienda, located where Mandalay Bay is now. Clark County Commission meeting minutes in May 1959 note that the sign was to be located just north of the old McCarran airport. It is still at that location, although the main route for travelers is now I-15, and the old McCarran airport is now Signature Executive Terminal.
In the 1990s, another group of hotel owners, thinking the sign had outlived its day, commissioned a study to determine whether a new structure should be built. A public outcry followed and the sign remained. Although YESCO owns the trademark, the image of the Welcome sign was never copyrighted, so it has been used freely for commercial and non-commercial purposes for decades. As a result, it is recognizable internationally and the Welcome sign’s popularity as a tourist destination and photo opportunity continues to grow.
In January, Clark County completed work on a parking lot in the median just south of the sign to enable individuals and groups to safely take pictures of the sign without having to park on the side of the road and run across three lanes of traffic to get there. The new lot also provides access to the sign for the disabled for the first time. Access to the sign had been somewhat limited since its creation in 1959. The new lot features 12 parking spots, including two for the disabled, plus space for two buses.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the installation of the Welcome sign, which has marked the southern approach to the Strip since 1959.
The county, in its application for placement in the Register, argued that the sign meets National Park Service criteria for being historically significant in these ways:
“…For its association with the post-World War II entertainment, tourism and advertising industries. The 1950s saw an explosion of casino construction on the Las Vegas Strip, and the 1959 Welcome sign represented the optimism and boosterism of Las Vegas casino owners and civic leaders. The fifties also saw the development of national advertising into a fine art, which made Las Vegas a most desired tourist destination and indeed, a household word across the country and around the world.”
“Designer Betty Whitehead Willis was a Las Vegas native and daughter of a pioneer southern Nevada family. She attended art school in Los Angeles and had a career as a graphic designer before becoming a sign designer in the early fifties. Willis also designed, among others, the locally treasured Blue Angel Motel sign, and the 1955 Moulin Rouge Hotel and Casino sign.”
“…As an excellent example of Exaggerated Modern/Googie architecture (1940s-1960s). The sign utilizes a stretched diamond shape with curved sides, set against an angular double column, outlined with light bulbs to accentuate the unusual shape, which are characteristics of Exaggerated Modern/Googie. The sign has become a cultural icon, known and loved around the world, not just because of its historical value and association with Las Vegas, but also because it is one of the dwindling examples of Exaggerated Modern in the southwest and especially in Las Vegas.”
The National Register provides recognition for properties regarded as historically or architecturally significant. For a current list of properties in the National Register of Historic Places and Nevada State Register of Historic Places, visit the State Historic Preservation Office’s Web site at www.NevadaCulture.org (click on SHPO). For more information, call Ron James at (775) 684-3440.
Census 2010 Coming Soon
Every 10 years, individuals throughout the United States are counted. Census takers are still needed to complete the 2010 count. While most recruiting for 2009 field operations has ended, limited recruiting continues in select areas. Information on these areas will be provided as it becomes available.
To learn about other census jobs in your area, please visit the Census Regional Offices web site, select Nevada on the map provided and then select the "Regional Employment" option. While some temporary census jobs will be available over the next several months, most hiring will occur in the spring of 2010. Efforts to recruit for peak census operations will resume in the fall of 2009.
The U.S. Constitution requires a national census once every 10 years. The census will count everyone residing in all 50 states and includes people of all ages, races, ethnic groups, both citizens and non-citizens.
As a result of the census, more than $300 billion in federal funds is awarded to states and communities each year based on census counts. Census data can guide planning for new hospitals, schools and other services. The information is also used to determine the most need for additional social services, including who receives community development block grants and other grant programs essential to many communities.
The 2010 Census questionnaire asks only a few simple questions of each person--name, relationship, gender, age and date of birth, race and whether the respondent owns or rents his or her home. This simple, short questionnaire takes just a few minutes to complete and return by mail.
The Census Bureau does not release or share information that identifies individual respondents or members in their household.
When you receive your census, please fill it out completely. The funding for our community is in your hands.
Third-Grader Wins Mojave Max Emergence Contest
Brian Garcia, a third-grader at Staton Elementary School , was announced the winner of the 2009 Mojave Max Emergence Contest. He guessed Mojave Max would emerge on April 7 at 3:19 p.m and Mojave Max actually emerged on that same day at 2:37 p.m. Brian’s prediction was better than any of the other 5,200 Clark County students who entered the Mojave Max Emergence Contest this year.
“I have had my students enter the contest almost every year, and this is the first time one of them has even guessed the correct date,” said Brian’s teacher, Polly Jorgenson.
Brian and his classmates received Mojave Max Olympic-style medals and Mojave Max T-shirts before all joining in and singing the “Mojave Max Song.” A giant traveling trophy was also given to Staton Elementary School to display for one year.
Brian won a digital camera and an “America the Beautiful” annual pass to visit any federal public land. Brian and his classmates also received a field trip with the live Mojave Max to Red Springs on May 18. Additionally, Spring Valley Wal-Mart donated two personal laptop computers that will be given to Brian and Ms. Jorgenson.
Mojave Max is a live desert tortoise. Like other Southern Nevada desert tortoises, he enters a burrow to brumate, the reptilian form of hibernation, every winter and emerges every spring. Students are encouraged to study the behavior of Mojave Max, and enter a prediction for his emergence every year. The Contest begins November 1 each year and ends when Mojave Max emerges.
More information is available at www.mojavemax.com or www.accessclarkcounty.com.
Clark County Park Events
Clark County's Department of Parks and Recreation has plenty of things going on around town. To find out what is happening in your area, click here.
District A Map
Click on the map below for a more detailed view:
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