Area briefing

EVENT AT ANDRE AGASSI BOYS & GIRLS CLUB TO PROMOTE SAFE DRIVING

UPS Road Code, a national program for teens implemented by Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the UPS Foundation, plans a free event from
4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Andre Agassi Boys & Girls Club, 800 N. Martin Luther King Blvd., to promote driving safely.

The event coincides with UN Global Road Safety Week, which takes though Sunday , and is UPS Road Code’s first stop in a nationwide tour.

UPS volunteers and Boys & Girls Clubs members are set to be on hand to educate valley parents and teens on the importance of safe driving. Teens can participate in fun activities and challenges, including a race against their peers through an obstacle course to promote road safety.

Teens and parents can also interact with UPS Road Code’s virtual driving simulators and experience firsthand the dangers of distracted driving. Participants can take a quiz to test their driving skills and sign a petition to make roads safer by not driving distracted.

While Las Vegas and Nevada have made strides to prevent distracted driving, including banning the use of handheld mobile devices, more than 3,500 distraction-related crashes occur in the state annually, according to the Nevada Department of Transportation.

For more information, visit bgclv.org or call 702-367-2582.

DAY SHELTER FOR HOMELESS MEN
OPENS FOR THE SEASON

Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada’s summer day shelter for men was scheduled to open May 1 with the help of a grant from Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition’s Committee on Homelessness.

The shelter can accommodate 100 occupants at a time. Showers, bathroom facilities and cold water are available, and a meal is provided free at 10 a.m. in Catholic Charities’ St. Vincent Lied Dining Facility, 1502 N. Main St. The shelter’s hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. It is scheduled to close for the season Sept. 30.

The night shelter accommodates 160 men and is open year-round from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily.

Both shelters are part of the Catholic Charities Donald W. Reynolds St. Vincent Plaza, 1501 Las Vegas Blvd. North.

Catholic Charities outreach case managers work with the homeless men who stay in the day and night shelters and with homeless people who are living on the street around the perimeter of the Catholic Charities campus. The case managers provide information about programs available through Catholic Charities to encourage them to end their homelessness.

For more information, visit catholiccharities.com.

COURT CASE INFORMATION
AVAILABLE ONLINE

Those looking for information about Las Vegas Municipal Court cases can now find it at lasvegasnevada.gov/courtsearch.

Site visitors can enter a case number to obtain case history, fines that are owed and upcoming court dates. Available information also includes violations, defendants’ names and a listing of any other open cases a defendant may have in municipal court.

The new feature is the first phase of a plan to make court records and documents more accessible while increasing convenience.

In the past, defendants had to appear in person at the municipal court counter inside the Regional Justice Center, 200 Lewis Ave., to obtain copies of case information.

AMNESTY PROGRAM BEGINS
FOR RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION

Southern Nevada building departments are encouraging homeowners to participate in an amnesty program during May that waives penalties on self-disclosed residential construction conducted without permits.

During the amnesty, which coincides with Building Safety Month, homeowners in Clark County and the cities of Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas will be subject to paying regular fees for permits, inspections and plan reviews but not penalties. Fees for residential-related construction range from $60 to more than $400.

The primary goal of the amnesty is to encourage safety and self-disclosure of nonpermitted work and obtain compliance. The most common residential projects built on residential property without the necessary permits are garage conversions, room additions, patio covers and water heater installations, building officials said.

To apply for the amnesty program, a homeowner must first contact the building department in the jurisdiction where the home is located to obtain the necessary permit forms. The homeowner must also take part in a five-minute educational training session regarding the building permit process.

Government locations are:

n The Clark County Building Department’s Permit Application Center, 4701 W. Russell Road, 702-455-3000 or clarkcountynv.gov.

n The Las Vegas Building and Safety Department in the Development Services Center, 333 N. Rancho Drive, 702-229-6251 or lasvegasnevada.gov.

n The Henderson Community Development and Services Department, Division of Building and Fire Safety in the Development Services Center at Henderson City Hall, 240 S. Water St., 702-267-3600 or cityofhenderson.com.

n The North Las Vegas Permit Application Center at North Las Vegas City Hall, 2250 Las Vegas Blvd. North, 702-633-1577 or cityofnorthlasvegas.com.

LAS VEGAS FIRE & RESCUE
INTERIM CHIEF REPLACED

Former Clark County Fire Chief Steven Smith has temporarily taken the reins of Las Vegas Fire & Rescue due to interim Fire Chief Scott Fuller’s recent National Guard deployment to Afghanistan.

Fuller became interim chief following the Feb. 7 retirement of Mike Myers.

Smith served as fire chief of the Clark County Fire Department from 2005-10. He is scheduled to head Las Vegas Fire & Rescue through June 30.

The city of Las Vegas is recruiting a new chief, and a candidate is expected to be appointed to the position no later than July 1, with interviews tentatively scheduled for mid-May.

RED CROSS SEEKS VOLUNTEERS
TO HELP TRANSPORT BLOOD

The American Red Cross said it needs volunteers to help transport blood from collection sites to processing centers and local hospitals.

Couriers must drive and be dependable, read and follow maps and work well with others.

The American Red Cross relies on 500,000 volunteers who represent 94 percent of the American Red Cross’ workforce nationwide.

For more information, contact Vickie Morgan at 801-892-4011 or
vickie.morgan@redcross.org.

RESIDENTS ASKED TO BE PROACTIVE
DURING WILDFIRE AWARENESS WEEK

Nevada Wildfire Awareness Week kicked off Saturday, and the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension is asking residents to reduce fuel around homes and other structures to help prevent wildfires.

Three factors come into play during wildfires: weather, including humidity level, wind speeds and air temperature; topography, including steepness and positions of slopes; and fuel.

The factors determine the ease in which a wildfire will start, its direction, how fast it will travel, the length of its flames and how difficult it will be to suppress.

Events are planned across the state by local, state and federal firefighting agencies to raise awareness.

For a list of Wildfire Awareness Week events in Nevada, including one set for 7 a.m. to noon Thursday at the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area visitor center, visit livingwithfire.info and click on the Wildfire Awareness Week link.

WASHINGTON AVENUE CONSTRUCTION
TO CONTINUE THROUGH MAY

City of Las Vegas crews are scheduled to work on median island improvements through May 24 on Washington Avenue between Las Vegas Boulevard and Bruce Street.

The improvements will consist of grading, adding decorative rock and the installation of decorative metal structures.

Work is set to be conducted from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, the city said. During work hours, the inside lanes in both directions will be closed to traffic, according to the city.

Bonanza Road and Owens Avenue are recommended as alternative routes.

HENDERSON POLICE LAUNCH
OPEN HOUSE-STYLE EVENT

The Henderson Police Department has launched a community outreach program called Talk Shop with the Cops to give residents the opportunity to meet officers and discuss safety issues.

The inaugural event took place April 30 at the Henderson Multigenerational Center, 250 S. Green Valley Parkway. The department said it will schedule more events in the coming months.

The community meeting helps residents express any concerns and learn more about what officers are doing to keep the community safe, Police Chief Patrick Moers said.

Event topics are set to include traffic, crime trends and neighborhood safety.

For more information, visit cityofhenderson.com/police/index.php or call 702-267-5000.

ANNUAL FLOAT-LIKE-A-DUCK EVENT
TO PROMOTE DROWNING PREVENTION

Floating lessons for kids and water safety tips will be available during Paragon Pools’ 10th annual Float Like A Duck event, set for 1 to 4 p.m. May 25 at the Bill & Lillie Heinrich YMCA Water Sports Park, 4141 Meadows Lane.

The event is slated to feature exhibits, hands-on activities, floating classes, open swimming and appearances by Las Vegas Mayor Pro Tem Stavros Anthony and local news personalities Ted Pretty, Heidi Hayes and Bryan Scofield.

Las Vegas Fire & Rescue plans to have a firetruck on display. Paragon Pools water safety mascot Duckie and the Metropolitan Police Department’s McGruff the Crime Dog also are scheduled to attend the free event. Participants younger than 18 must be accompanied by a parent.

For more information, visit paragonpoolslv.com/floatlikeaduck
watersafety.htm.