Area briefing
FIFTH-GRADERS' ANTI-GRAFFITI ARTWORK TO BE DISPLAYED ON TRANSIT BUS
The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada honored two local fifth-graders as the grand prize winners of the commission's annual Anti-Graffiti Art Contest.
The students, honored Dec. 1 during a special D.A.R.E. event hosted by the commission, were Carlos Gonzalez of Thomas Elementary School, 1560 E. Cherokee Lane, and Ashtyn Fink of The Meadows School, 8601 Scholar Lane.
The students' winning artwork was unveiled on a 40-foot Regional Transportation Commission vehicle before an audience of friends and family.
The winning artwork will travel the valley's streets on the Regional Transportation Commission bus for one year to promote the anti-graffiti message. The artwork of the other finalists will be displayed on transit shelters and inside various commission transit vehicles, courtesy of Vector Media Las Vegas.
All of the contest artwork was created by local fifth-graders. More than 20 local elementary schools participated in this year's contest, submitting more than 475 entries, which were narrowed down to 10. The winners were selected by an online community poll.
The contest seeks to teach students that the difference between art and graffiti is permission. The theme for the students' artwork was, "You spray, you pay." The goal is to pledge against graffiti and educate the public that graffiti is a crime.
The commission again partnered with the Southern Nevada Graffiti Coalition, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Crime Stoppers of Nevada, Outdoor Promotions and Vector Media Las Vegas to sponsor the art contest and the awards event.
The Southern Nevada Graffiti Coalition was formed in 1997 to reduce graffiti vandalism. The public-private partnership consists of staff members from Clark County, the cities of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson and Boulder City, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, the Clark County School District and interested residents. The coalition meets regularly to discuss methods of reducing graffiti through education, enforcement and eradication.
For more information, visit rtcsnv.com, call 228-7433.
HENDERSON POLICE CITIZENS' ACADEMY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
The Henderson Police Department is accepting applications for its upcoming Citizens' Academy.
The 13-week academy is set to meet from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, Jan. 10 through April 10, to give residents insight into the life and training of a Henderson police officer.
The goal of the academy is to build a bridge between residents and the police department. During the program, participants experience a condensed version of the actual police academy.
Some of the topics covered are radio and communications training, community policing, use of force, gang enforcement, crime scene investigation, detention center procedures, criminal justice overview, domestic violence and criminalistics.
Applicants must live or work in Henderson, be at least 18 years old and have no felony, gross misdemeanor or misdemeanor convictions. The department holds two academies a year, and space is limited.
Applications can be picked up at the main station at 223 Lead St., the Green Valley Substation at 300 S. Green Valley Parkway, the North Community Police Station at 225 E. Sunset Road or the community relations unit at the Galleria at Sunset mall, 1300 W. Sunset Road. Applications also can be obtained via the police department's website at cityofhenderson.com/police.
For more information, contact the Henderson police training unit at 267-4850.
RADKIDS CLASSES TO TEACH KIDS LIFE-SAVING SKILLS
Nevada Child Seekers is offering free radKIDS classes at Karate for Kids, 6020 W. Flamingo Road, Suite 6.
The sessions are set for 9 to 11 a.m. Dec. 27 through 30 for 4- to 8-year-olds and 1 to 3 p.m. the same day for 9- to 12-year-olds.
The program is dedicated to providing life-saving skills for children by teaching them how to resist aggression defensively. Topics include fire, the home, the Internet, bullying and abduction.
The classes are taught by DARE officers who are certified radKIDS instructors.
All children who graduate will receive a T-shirt, a wristband and a graduation certificate bearing their picture. They also will receive a certificate allowing them to attend any radKIDS class in the future, up to age 13, free.
Parents will receive a family manual so they can follow their children's progress at home or during class. Parents are encouraged to sit in on the classes as often as they can.
Residents can register at Karate for Kids or by calling Maria Pinot at 375-5617. For more information, call 458-7009, email carole@nevadachild seekers.org or visit radkids.org.
HOLIDAY LIGHTING TIPS AIM TO HELP RESIDENTS SAVE MONEY, ENHANCE SAFETY
Valley consumers can take certain steps to improve safety and frugality when decorating this holiday season, according to NV Energy.
The company offers the following holiday lighting conservation and safety tips:
Switch to safe, long-lasting, energy-efficient LED (light emitting diode) holiday lights whenever possible.
Use a timer to reliably turn off lights during daylight and other specified times.
Don't overload your electric circuits. Check fuses or circuit breaker panels to see what your home can handle, and stay well within the limits.
Adhere to manufacturer's designations and locations of use (indoor vs. outdoor).
Outdoor lighting should have insulated electrical cords and be plugged into a ground fault interrupter-protected receptacle only.
Don't run extension cords under rugs, around furniture legs or across doorways.
Keep all plugs and connectors off the ground, away from puddles and sprinklers.
Avoid stringing more than three sets of lights together and plugging into a single outlet.
Make sure there's a bulb in each socket of a light string, even if it is burned out.
Keep your natural tree well-watered to prevent bulbs from igniting dry branches. Never use electrical decorations on metal trees.
ANNUAL FILL THE FIRE TRUCK TOY DRIVE UNDER WAY
The Firefighters of Southern Nevada Burn Foundation kicked off its 10th annual Fill the Fire Truck Toy Drive on Dec. 3, collecting toys at select Walmarts across the valley from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday through Sunday.
The 10th annual drive is aimed at brightening the holiday season for families by providing gifts for their children, foundation President Warren Whitney said.
Firefighters and volunteers will be collecting new, unwrapped toys and gift cards at the Walmarts at 7200 Arroyo Crossing Parkway, 8060 W. Tropical Parkway, 6464 N. Decatur Blvd., 4350 N. Nellis Blvd. and 540 Marks St. in Henderson.
Local fire departments are joining together to supply volunteers and firetrucks to help make this year's toy drive a success. Many local businesses also have partnered with the Firefighters of Southern Nevada Burn Foundation to sponsor this year's drive. Local sponsors include Walmart, Storage One, the Vitality Medical & Wellness Center and the Links for Life Foundation. All local fire departments are supplying volunteers and trucks.
Several community service programs and organizations have partnered with the Firefighters of Southern Nevada Burn Foundation to distribute toys to families in need. Participants include the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Urban League, the local chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation, the Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation of Nevada, the Clark County Department of Social Services, Cure 4Kids and many family resource centers and local elementary schools.
The Firefighters of Southern Nevada Burn Foundation is a nonprofit organization that includes the Clark County, city of Las Vegas, city of North Las Vegas, city of Henderson and Nellis Air Force Base fire departments. The foundation reaches out to the Southern Nevada community during catastrophic situations and lends a hand in areas where other organizations are unable to.
For more information, visit theburnfoundation.org or call 485-6820.
CORRECTIONS OFFICER RECRUITS HIRED AT AREA AGENCIES
Eight recruit corrections officers recently joined the ranks of law enforcement in Henderson and Las Vegas after graduating Nov. 9 from the Southern Desert Regional Police Academy.
Six of the officers will work for the Henderson Police Department and two will join the Las Vegas Department of Detention and Enforcement.
The graduation took place at the College of Southern Nevada's Henderson campus.
The recruit officers received academic and practical training on various topics, including ethics, criminal law, defensive tactics, firearms, principles of investigation, community policing and crisis intervention training during the 13-week academy.
The Henderson police recruit correction officers will now complete a 12-week field training program.
The Southern Desert Regional Police Academy is a partnership between the Henderson and North Las Vegas police departments and the College of Southern Nevada.
POLICE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM RECEIVES NATIONAL RECOGNITION
The Metropolitan Police Department's volunteer program was recently recognized by the International Association of Chiefs of Police for Outstanding Achievement in Law Enforcement Volunteer Programs.
The department was the only one in the U.S. to achieve the honor, which was presented Oct. 25 at the association's 118th annual conference and awards banquet in Chicago.
Assistant Sheriff Greg McCurdy and volunteer program manager Sharon Harding accepted the award on behalf of Sheriff Doug Gillespie.
Last year, Metropolitan Police Department volunteers donated about 135,000 hours of community service to Southern Nevada.
The department has about 470 volunteers. They assist with a variety of activities, including at seat belt enforcement checks; helping crime prevention specialists with the distribution of crime prevention materials at McCarran International Airport and at events; staffing community safety fairs; assisting investigators in tracking electronic crimes; searching for missing people; writing handicapped parking citations; installing locks in low-income senior housing; removing graffiti from public areas; assisting with maintenance duties at the department's mounted unit facility; assisting with traffic control at crime scenes and fatal traffic accidents; and staffing the reception desk at the department's headquarters.
Applicants to the volunteer program must be 18 or older and must be able to pass a background check. Training for team members is tailored to the specific task they are volunteering to perform.
For more information, visit lvmpd.com or call 828-3111.
