Nationally syndicated columnist and CNN political contributor Roland Martin will headline the Las Vegas Urban League's Equal Opportunity Day (EOD) Luncheon, Sunday, February 22, at the Paris Hotel and Casino. The EOD Luncheon will highlight the annual accomplishments of the Las Vegas Urban League and celebrate the National Urban League, which is observing its 100th anniversary this year.

Martin is expected to share his political and social perspectives of American life following the election of U.S. President Barack Obama. He will also discuss the challenging work of social service and community-based non profit organizations during the economic recession.

Martin is host of Washington Watch with Roland Martin, a one-hour Sunday morning news show on TV One Cable Network, and is featured frequently on various CNN news shows including Campbell Brown: No Bias, No Bull, The Situation Room, Anderson Cooper 360 and the Tom Joyner Morning Show where he is senior analyst. He is author of “Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith” and “Speak, Brother! A Black Man's View of America.”

Named by Ebony Magazine in 2008 and 2009 as one of the 150 most influential African Americans in the U.S., Martin was recipient of NAACP Image Awards for interviews he conducted with First Lady Michelle Obama (2009) and the former U.S. Senator Barack Obama (2008).

Martin was recognized as one of the top 50 political pundits by the Daily Telegraph in the United Kingdom and was awarded the 2008 President's Award by the National Association of Black Journalists for his work in multiple media platforms. He has won more than 30 professional awards for journalistic excellence, including a regional Edward R. Murrow Award from the Radio Television News Directors Association. Additionally, he received top reporting honors from the National Association of Black Journalists, National Association of Minorities in Cable and National Associated Press-Managing Editors Conference. In 2008 he was inducted into the Texas A & M University Journalism Hall of Honor.

Widely regarded as an insightful and provocative analyst, Mr. Martin has appeared numerous times on MSNBC, FOX News, Court TV, BET Nightly News, BBC News, The Word Network, America's Black Forum, American Urban Radio Networks, NPR's News and Notes, and on media outlets in Canada, Columbia, Italy, Australia and South Africa.

From October 2005 to October 2008, he served as a radio talk show for WVON-AM in Chicago, where he currently hosts the weekly show, Urban Business Roundtable.

Among his appointments in journalism, Martin is distinguished is the former executive editor and general manager of the Chicago Defender, the nation's most historic Black newspaper. He is the former founding news editor of Savoy Magazine and has written for Ebony and Essence magazines.

Martin holds an undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University and a master's degree in Christian Communications from Louisiana Baptist University.

Proceeds from the EOD Luncheon will support Urban League programs to serve deserving citizens in Southern Nevada. Information about luncheon tickets, tables and event sponsorship is available by phoning (702) 636-3949. The event begins at 1 p.m.

About the Las Vegas Urban League
About the Las Vegas-Clark County Urban League
The Las Vegas-Clark County Urban League (LVCCUL) is an affiliate of the National Urban League, which was founded in 1910. The LVCCUL was established in 2004 and is the largest community action agency in Nevada. Its mission is to empower communities and ensure equal opportunity for low-income people. This mission is achieved through the delivery of social services and economic assistance to individuals and families seeking to attain self-sufficiency. The agency is funded, in part, by the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services. For more information, please visit www.lvccul.org.

Posted February 16, 2010 10:40 PM by Blogging Vegas | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Southern Nevada Public Television (SNPT) and Vegas PBS today announced that Reggie Burton was elected president of the Southern Nevada Public Television Board of Directors, the non-profit organization whose mission is to provide financial support for Vegas PBS.

Other newly elected officers of the SNPT board include Kelly Peterson of Bank of America, vice president, Jim Dionizio of NSTec, treasurer and Lori Lea of Dekker/Perich/Sabatini, secretary.

"I am delighted to be among this group of community leaders committed to securing valuable funding so that we may continue delivering cutting-edge and innovative programming to Southern Nevada,” Burton said.

Burton thanked immediate past president Lisa Dove-Swisher for her enthusiastic leadership. During her tenure as president, Dove-Swisher worked to bring new members to the board, chaired the Vegas PBS 40th Anniversary Gala and conducted a strategic retreat to create a roadmap for positioning Southern Nevada’s public television station as a distributor of programs and services to support the community.

Burton, president of public relations firm Reggie Burton Communications, and a former gaming executive with MGM MIRAGE, was elected in 2006 to serve a three-year term on the Southern Nevada Public Television Board. During this time, he served as the organization’s vice president and chair of the Advocacy Council.

About Vegas PBS

For more than 40 years, Vegas PBS has provided Southern Nevada with quality, commercial-free programming, media and media delivery technology. Vegas PBS provides broadcast TV and cable over seven channels with an additional six educational channels provided directly to the Clark County School District classroom. Vegas PBS local productions include Nevada Week in Review, Inside Education, Recession Rx, Homework Hotline, Varsity Quiz, Remembering the Holocaust: Las Vegas Survivors Tell Their Stories, Building Vegas GREENer, Fit Kids, Active Families, School Matters and election debates. In 2009, Vegas PBS completed construction on its Educational Technology Campus, a model for sustainability and green building practices. The campus will house Vegas PBS studios and offices, Clark County School District’s Virtual High School, Educational Media Services, the Emergency Response Data-casting System, public meeting rooms and training facilities. Visit www.VegasPBS.org for additional information and programming highlights.

Posted February 2, 2010 1:08 PM by Blogging Vegas | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Las Vegas, NV – April 8, 2009 – Ben & Jerry’s, the company that broke the mold for businesses showing you could make a profit while giving back to the community, will commemorate its 31st Annual “Free Cone Day” at the Galleria Mall at Sunset in Henderson with celebrity scoopers to benefit Lied Discovery Children’s Museum and at the District at Green Valley Ranch location to benefit the Nevada Community Learning Centers (formerly Classroom on Wheels). All small cones are FREE with no purchase necessary, but patrons are invited to make a donation to the respective local charity.

Local celebrities will roll up their sleeves and dig in at both locations and work to help raise money by scooping ice cream throughout the day on Tuesday, April 21, 2009, from noon to 8 p.m. Celebrities are being confirmed and will be announced shortly.

“Free Cone Day” was originally launched to thank the community for their loyalty to Ben & Jerry’s and to congratulate the staff on the company’s first anniversary. It was such a huge success; it is now a tradition that is celebrated each year. “Free Cone Day” at Ben & Jerry’s will happen across the globe and all proceeds are donated to local charities. This year, Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shops anticipate to give away more than two million free ice cream cones nationally. While the full flavor line-up is up for grabs on “Free Cone Day” featuring “legend-dairy” palette pleasers like Chunky Monkey, Cherry Garcia and Chubby Hubby, Ben & Jerry’s will debut its newest offerings as part of the celebration:

• Chocolate Macadamia – A Flavor with a Mission! Fair Trade Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Creams Swirled Together with Fudge-Covered Macadamia Nuts

• Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brickle Road – Chocolate Ice Cream, Peanut Butter Cookie Dough, Butter Brickle and White Chocolate Chunks

• Orange & Cream – A Swirly Sorbet of Orange with Vanilla Ice Cream Blended to a Harmonious Summertime Treat

• Triple Caramel Chunk – Caramel Ice Cream with a Swirl of Caramel and Fudge-Covered Caramel Chunks

The Galleria Mall At Sunset is located at 1300 W. Sunset Road at the intersection of Stephanie Street. Ben & Jerry’s is located on the Upper Level, across from the Food Court. For more information, please contact Ben & Jerry’s at 702-435-0330.

The District at Green Valley Ranch is located next to the Green Valley Ranch Casino on I-215 and Green Valley Parkway. For more information, please contact Ben & Jerry’s at 702-437-3300.

Continue reading "LOCAL CELEBRITIES TO SCOOP ICE CREAM FOR CHARITY FOR BEN & JERRY’S 31st ANNUAL “FREE CONE DAY” APRIL 21" »

Posted April 8, 2009 1:55 PM by Blogging Vegas | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Audi’s A4 has been voted "Business Car of the Year" by the readers of BusinessCar Magazine.

The BusinessCar Awards are the only awards in the market that are solely decided by the readership. This makes them the most influential in the business car arena.

Alongside the A4’s win, Audi took six other category wins including Sporting Car with the A5 and Small 4x4 with the Q5.

“The new A4’s win demonstrates how much value business car managers put on strong residual values, prestige branding and low running costs," said Tristan Young, BusinessCar Editor-in-chief.

Jim Diguilio, General Manager at Audi Henderson, believes the business community in Southern Nevada reflects the findings of BusinessCar Magazine poll.

"The Las Vegas business community is a fast-growing segment for us," Diguilio said. "Our lineup is stylish and loaded with the types of features and performance the typical business person is looking for."

The newly redesigned 2009 Audi A4 is available in the Las Vegas Valley at Audi Henderson in the Valley Auto Mall. www.audihenderson.com

Posted February 2, 2009 1:14 PM by Blogging Vegas | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

The Clark County Water Reclamation District (District) will be continuing to repair the collection system on Broadbent Boulevard at Frances Celia Avenue, near Sam Boyd Stadium. Traffic in this area will be impacted through at least the end of the year.

The bypass pumping, that is the cause of traffic impact in this area, works to protect the public and environment from any spills during the critical repair work being done.

Travel advisory for fans attending the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl:

Expect the following traffic impacts on Broadbent Boulevard at Sam Boyd Stadium:

- Prior to the start of the game two lanes will be open traveling into the stadium.
- Once the game has started, lanes will shift so provide two lanes for traffic exiting the stadium.

“We appreciate the patience of the community and of fans attending Saturday’s football game during this project. Rest assured, we are working as quickly as possible to have traffic back to normal in these areas,” said Sam Scire, assistant general manager of the District. “Due to the nature of this work, we are unable to avoid some lane restrictions for events at the stadium this month.”

Scire suggested those attending the Las Vegas Bowl use alternate routes, including Boulder Highway to East Russell Road, which leads directly into the stadium.

For more information and traffic updates, drivers can call the project hotline at 702-853-1333, or visit www.cleanwaterteam.com.

About the CCWRD

The Clark County Water Reclamation District was created in 1954. It services the unincorporated portions of Clark County within the Las Vegas Valley, as well as the communities of Blue Diamond, Indian Springs, Laughlin, Overton and Searchlight. The District collects and treats more than 100 million gallons of wastewater each day utilizing more than 2,000 miles of pipeline and eight treatment facilities.

Posted December 19, 2008 2:49 PM by Blogging Vegas | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Street Teens of Las Vegas, Nevada is seeking donations this holiday season. Do something nice and support an important cause. Watch the video below to find out more.

Street Teens a 501 (c)(3) corporation, founded by Rosario and David Mereaux is a volunteer based, non-profit organization dedicated to assisting homeless, abandoned, and at risk youth, ages 12-21 in the Las Vegas Valley. Street Teens provides basic necessities in a safe and compassionate environment, including access to educational, health care and employment resource services through the drop-in center and in collaboration with community partners.

Click here to donate

Posted December 6, 2007 3:55 PM by Editor | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

The Review Journal reported today that a student at Stewart School near Flamingo and Eastern has been diagnosed with a drug resistant skin infection called Methicillin-resistent Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

MRSA is a type of staph infection in which the bacteria has developed a resistance to methicillin and other antibiotics normally used to treat staph.

Although MRSA can be a serious and has caused the deaths of students across the nation, it is not an uncommon infection and most skin infections are treatable according to the Southern Nevada Health District. Infections are typically visible in the form of pimples or boils.

Continue reading "MRSA strain of staph infects Las Vegas student" »

Posted November 7, 2007 1:17 PM by Kevin Chomintra | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email This

The weather has mellowed out, summer temperatures broken and we’ve officially moved into fall. If you’re eager to take advantage of the cooling weather, Brian Head Vacation Rentals offers residents a vacation away from the bright neon and fast pace of Las Vegas. The website features a simple to use reservation system and makes it easy for people to book lodgings.

Continue reading "Brian Head Vacation Rentals targets Las Vegas market" »

Posted September 24, 2007 11:28 AM by Kevin Chomintra | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

A co-worker of mine has shown a bit of his true-self as I sat down to interview him on Capoeira, a synthesis of dances, fights and musical instruments from different cultures, from different African regions. It is a synthesis created on Brazilian soil. If you don’t know what Capoeira is…well let me tell ya.

Slaves were brought to Brazil, in the sixteenth century, and with them they brought their culture. The slave owners would not allow the slaves any form of fighting or self-defense so they made up Capoeira to hide their fighting techniques within the dance. To this day, when a person is baptized into capoeira at the batizado ceremony, they may be given an apelido.

One theory suggests that capoeira originated from a courtship dance in Angola used by suitors of young women, however, capoeira's origins are often disputed. The exact origin of Capoeira is under dispute, but you get the idea. Each of the ritual dances is done with a ‘band’ playing in the background and the pace of the performers is controlled by the tempo of the band. One of the instruments used in Capoeira is the Berimbau is a single-string percussion instrument, a musical bow, another is the Pandeiro, a type of hand frame drum that differs from a common tambourine in a few ways.

Continue reading "Capoeira going strong in Las Vegas" »

Posted April 26, 2007 11:38 AM by Terry Piper | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Sunday, Feb. 18 is the 56th annual NBA All-Star game. For the first time the game is being played in a non-NBA city. Score for Las Vegas!

If you have procrastinated or just haven’t had the chance to secure your All-Star game tickets, unless you’re unusually, crazy wealthy, you have probably missed your chance to attend the game courtside.

The nosebleed seats are each going for about two-grand.

Nice seats? They’re about $25,000 each. Yep, that’s right. It would set you back $50 Gs for two tickets to the All-Star game. If that’s not crazy, what is? Think of all the good you could do with $50,000.

In a city known for excess, the NBA ought to feel right at home at the Thomas & Mack center with All-Star game tickets costing as much as automobiles.

The NBA All-Star competitions tip off this Friday, Feb. 16, as the League’s top rookies and second-year players square off in the Rookie Challenge.

If you’re looking for the place to be this weekend, even as early as Valentine’s Day, Las Vegas is it, baby!

Posted February 12, 2007 4:50 PM by Pete Codella, APR | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Perhaps you’ve heard that one of our local landline phone providers, Sprint, has changed its name to EMBARQ.

And certainly the folks at EMBARQ would like nothing more than to become the buzzword in telephone communications in the Las Vegas valley.

Here are a couple of tactics they’re using to reach out to their customer base:

On June 6 at the Orleans Arena at 5 p.m. EMBARQ is hosting “This Way to Common Sense,” a business innovation showcase featuring NBA legend-turned-entrepreneur Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson. If you’re interested, you can RSVP online or by calling 800-433-1889.

Also, for the months of June and July Sprint/EMBARQ have made two free Wi-Fi hot-spots in the City of Henderson. If you’re in the downtown Henderson or Green Valley Ranch areas, chances are you can surf the net for free, courtesy of our newly named telecommunications company. For connection instructions visit EMBARQ's website or call 800-280-4292.

Posted June 1, 2006 9:29 AM by Pete Codella, APR | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

A recent study of Las Vegas and Reno casinos has concluded that exposure to secondhand smoke in the workplace may put casino employees at greater risk for heart disease and cancer.

Funded by a $2.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, the clinical trial followed 125 employees who work on the gambling floors of casinos in both northern and southern Nevada.

The study shows what we already have known for many years, that secondhand smoke is dangerous, even in a well ventilated casino environment.

So what does this mean for the casino industry, reluctant to ban smoking anywhere in their facilities?

Continue reading "Las Vegas casino smoke damaging to employees" »

Posted May 16, 2006 8:21 AM by Editor | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email This

Care to learn what some locals and media moguls think of what’s happening in our desert oasis?

There are a few fun podcasts you can tune-in to.

Check out . . .

Access Vegas’ Podcast

Five Hundy by Midnight

LivingInLV.com

TheStripPodcast.com

The Vegas Minute

Posted March 7, 2006 3:03 PM by Pete Codella, APR | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Are you budget minded? Do you drive around looking for the lowest gas price?

Save yourself some gas by visiting MSN Autos where you can search for the lowest gas price by zip code.

I need a fill-up today and found it’s cheaper (by $.02 a gallon) for me to purchase gas by my office than by my home.

Happy gas shopping!

Posted March 6, 2006 11:07 AM by Pete Codella, APR | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Those of us accustomed to water rationing know that March 1 means we can crank up our sprinklers to turn on three days a week.

March and April account for spring. After that, we’re into summer and regular watering.

So if you’re trying to keep that lawn green, it’s time to adjust your watering times.

Remember to water on the appropriate days. To find out which days are assigned to you, you can contact your water provider or visit the Southern Nevada Water Authority's website.

Posted March 2, 2006 11:54 AM by Pete Codella, APR | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

The Vegas thugs have come up with a new trick. This one involves a crowbar and your neighborhood/business mailbox.

You see, years ago, and still in older neighborhoods, individuals and businesses had the privilege of their own mailbox on their own property.

Nowadays we’re expected to use community boxes the U.S. Postal Service installs at convenient locations (that’s convenient to them, not to us).

Unfortunately, vandals have now targeted your community mailbox. They approach in darkness, jack open the front doors, then take off with all that’s inside.

Say you just completed one of those annoying credit card offers and instead of calling the phone number or logging on to the website decided to send your information the old fashioned way, so it’s safe in the mail. Guess who now has all the information from your credit card application?

Or say you’re a timely bill payer and don’t trust the internet with your sensitive financial information. If you’ve got a bill with a check in that mailbox, you’ll probably be sorry.

Twice in two months our business mailbox has been damaged. Once it just fell over, either due to high winds, a karate chop or one of those pesky desert tortoises. It took a couple weeks for a new foundation to be solidified and the box to be reinstalled.

Then, over President’s Day weekend, our community mailbox suffered at the whim of vandals. Thankfully, as far as we can tell, we didn’t have any mail in the box, either incoming or outgoing.

Both times our postal carrier obliged us with hand deliveries of our mail. Thanks!

Continue reading "Postal depository vandalism" »

Posted February 28, 2006 10:29 AM by Pete Codella, APR | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This

Here’s a quick look at Nevada’s population as reported by the state demographer’s office.

Most populous cities and towns:
1. Las Vegas – 569,838 – a 3.7% increase over 12 months (all percentages reflect an increase)
2. Henderson – 241,134 – 4.8%
3. Reno – 206,735 – 3.8%
4. North Las Vegas – 180,219 – 9.2%
5. Sparks – 85,618 – 4.8%
6. Carson City – 57,104 – 1.7%
7. Pahrump – 33,241 – 9.1%
8. Elko – 17,850 – 4.1%
9. Fernley – 16,357 – 18.7%
10. Boulder City – 15,203 – 1%

City planners estimate that the city of North Las Vegas will reach 517,000 in the year 2025.

Clark County saw an increase of 4.7%, bringing the July 1, 2005 population estimate to 1,796,380.

Posted February 23, 2006 1:01 PM by Pete Codella, APR | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This