Singer attracts attention on country music Web site

The country music Web site NewCountryStar.com gives fans the opportunity to vote for favorite male and female vocalist and favorite duo or band every month. At the end of the year, the monthly winners will be in the running to be named the New Country Star of the Year 2007.

Clayton competed against three other singers in April and received 50 percent of 35,500 votes cast.

Clayton receives a full page listing in the artists’ directory and will have a song of her choice played on New Country Star affiliated stations both terrestrial and on Internet radio.

In other news:

* The State Historic Preservation Office, an agency of the Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs, honored Nevada individuals and organizations in May for their contributions toward the preservation of Nevada’s history.

The recipients of Nevada Historic Preservation Awards are: the Junior League of Las Vegas for the restoration of the Morelli House; Alanah Woody and the Nevada Rock Art Foundation for their efforts in documenting and protecting Nevada’s rock art; Ron Reno and the town of Silver City for the retrieval of thousands of artifacts associated with the remains of the historic town schoolhouse; and Bill Watson and Foundation 36 for supporting historic preservation projects throughout the state.

* The Mirage Dolphin Habitat recently received accreditation by the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums for the care of its dolphins.

The habitat, which houses a family of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, was reviewed during a two-day on-site examination and evaluated on training, veterinary care, husbandry, enrichment and food preparation.

The habitat will be evaluated for recertification every five years.

Open to the public daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., the facility offers a “Trainer for a Day” program and an educational program about the planet’s marine ecology for kindergartners through 12th-graders.

Admission to the dolphin habitat is $15 for adults, $10 for ages 4-12, and free for ages 3 and younger.

* The Las Vegas-Clark County Urban League will have its annual fundraising gala “A Tribute to Our Own … Elected Nevada Leadership” at 6 p.m. June 30 at Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South. The gala will feature dinner, an awards ceremony and a “Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald” by Freda Payne.

The fundraiser will benefit the youth, senior and recreational programs at the future Dr. William U. Pearson Community Center operated by the league through collaboration with Clark County. The center is scheduled to open in 2008.

Tickets for the gala are $125 at the Urban League office, 930 W. Owens Ave. For more information, call 636-3949.

* L’Dor V’Dor, the senior outreach program of Temple Beth Sholom, has named Shel Kolner as its new program coordinator. Kolner, who also is secretary of the Jewish Family Service Agency and volunteers at the Food Pantry, will work toward finding homebound seniors living on their own or in assisted living facilities and arranging their participation in communitywide programs.

If you know of a worthy candidate for this column, mail information to Newsmakers, Las Vegas Review-Journal, P.O. Box 70, Las Vegas, NV 89125-0070, or send faxes to 383-4676.