Flagstaff, Arizona

Now that the power company has raised our rates, summer is officially here! Over the next few months, droves of Las Vegans will drive to nearby lakes and mountains in efforts to escape the heat. Flagstaff, Arizona, is about four hours southeast on US93 and I40. Northern Arizona’s biggest city is at a 7,000 foot altitude in the middle of the largest stand of ponderosa pine trees in the U.S. Route 66 passes right through downtown, as do the trains. And they’ve got a lot of trains. If you think the noise from the Right Turn is obnoxious, try listening to train horns all night long. I liked Flagstaff, but I wanted to hurt someone by the time daylight arrived. The city’s historic homes, museums, arboretum, and observatory offer plenty of things to do, but if you’re a light sleeper you might want to find out how close you’re staying to the train tracks (or bring earplugs).

On the day after our sleepless night, we drove through Sedona and never stopped. Back in the prehistoric 1970’s, my family discovered the canyon on a trip back from Texas. My dad took a tip from someone he met at a roadside diner, and we took a detour through Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon. We were rewarded with beautiful, eclectic, and stunning scenery. One roadside stop was an artist who sculpted sandstone. He’d done The Last Supper and shaded it under a green plastic patio cover. The place was amazing and magical, and it’s all gone now. I was surprised we didn’t find a Starbucks.

Jerome, perched on Cleopatra Hill outside Sedona, hasn’t lost an ounce of charm. In fact, the people here have posted plaques everywhere to tell visitors about the original purposes of the restored homes that the artists and merchants converted into shops. Salons and brothels were very popular.

Many people are surprised to find that Arizona contains beautiful mountains. It ain’t all desert, folks! Grab a road atlas and check the country around Flagstaff. Both Prescott and Payson are nearby mountain communities (Prescott is about four hours from Vegas, Payson almost six).

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Photos from top to bottom: Downtown Flagstaff, as seen from the Lowell Observatory's grounds on Mars Hill; Oak Creek Canyon Vista; Jerome Plaque. Double-click on any image to enlarge.

A True Success Story

This might look like every office building you’ve seen, but that’s only the outside. On the inside you’ll find the staff of Summit Restoration, a hard-working team of 20-somethings who struck out on their own to start their own company. Las Vegas is filled with success stories, but this one is special to me because Summit’s staff are pretty much all related to me. Hey, I never said I was unbiased.

The leader of this bunch is William Dellaechaie, the man with the vision. I won’t talk about his former employer, except to say that if you’ve ever been misled and mistreated by an employer’s specious promises, you can appreciate the sweetness of William’s success. Let’s just say that my nephew has a low tolerance for being treated badly, which meant that he and the Former Employer had a falling out. With not much more than moxie, really big you-know-whats, and money he raised by hook and crook, William struck out on his own. He entered the same business as the Former Employer, snagged a bunch of their staff on the way out the door, and has been making steady progress at eroding Former Employer’s client base. For all of us who have smarted at the hands of unscrupulous bosses, we salute you, William!

Of course, part of the reason William snagged all those staff members was because he was related to most of them. His two brothers, Travis and David, and his cousin, Bill, worked pro bono in the beginning. Faithful office manager Colleen took care of the details. Now, it’s reward time, baby! They’ve been adding staff and, just recently, were able to move out of William’s house and into this new warehouse and office. No one has worked pro bono in a while.

If you’ve got water damage or mold in your house, these are the guys who know how to fix it. Yes, of course, I know I’m biased and all, but Summit is the best at what they do – give ‘em a call if you don’t believe me. Tell them Aunt T says hi!

Calico Basin

When I was growing up, Calico Basin was where my family picnicked. Red Rock was just around the corner, but for some reason my dad was never interested in picnicking there. I finally discovered Red Rock as a teenager, when the Loop was still a two-way road. Red Rock was not closed at night in those days, nor was there an entrance fee, which made it a great place to do those up-to-no-good things teenagers like to do. But while Red Rock may make me nostalgic for my teen years, Calico Basin holds my childhood memories. Imagine my shock a couple of weeks ago when I made a detour to Calico Basin and discovered the area had been completely renovated.

Now, I have to digress for just a little bit and say that although I like the renovations and believe that the boardwalk and the picnic area and the parking lot are all good additions, even necessary additions, that wasn’t my first reaction when I pulled up. My first reaction was, “What the #@$!# happened? Where’s the Calico Basin I remember? What yodel head came up with this idea??” I imagine many people can sympathize with me because progress tends to wipe out our past, and sprawl has infected every part of our world. No one likes to see her childhood memories tampered with. However, as a native Las Vegan, I must say that the rate at which things are demolished, changed, removed, redesigned, or otherwise altered is kind of hard on a person.

At any rate, Calico Basin is now accessible via a boardwalk that protects the fragile meadow and springs. Three rare species live here – the Spring Mountain Snail, the Mariposa Lily, and the White Bearpoppy. One lichen, the Dermatocarpom Iuridum, may be endemic as it has not been found (yet) at any other location. In order to protect these creature and plants, as well as to protect the springs, the meadow, and the petroglyphs, the boardwalk was created. Interpretative signs and benches invite visitors to take a seat and watch the abundant wildlife.

Sadly, a part of the boardwalk was vandalized and burned. Repairs were in progress when I visited. It seems that not everyone takes such a charitable view of the BLM’s efforts to preserve the area.

Curiously, almost every parcel of land in the residential area had a For Sale sign posted. The Calico Basin residents must know something we don’t.

To visit Calico Basin, head west on Charleston, which will turn into State Route 159. Look for the sign on your right directing you to Calico Basin. Follow the road and you’ll see the parking/picnic area. Hiking trails are also available.

Zion Country: Bring a Camera!

A quick two hour drive north on I15 will transport you to the stunning scenery of Zion National Park in southern Utah. Las Vegans seeking relief from our summer heat will soon swarm the area, filling shuttle buses, campgrounds, and the tiny town of Springdale just outside Zion’s gates. During the summer months, Zion isn’t as scorching as Vegas, but you still get temps in the 90’s (for true relief from the heat, keep driving north on I15 to Cedar City and Cedar Breaks – look for more on that in future blog entries).

We spent a couple of weekends in Zion, Springdale, and the ghost town of Grafton. While Zion is a destination in itself, the surrounding area holds many lesser-known treasures. Springdale and the tiny town of Rockville are chocked full of lodging, from bed and breakfasts to hotels (Google it and you’ll find an abundance of reasonably-priced places – accommodations range from Best Western to B&B’s in renovated historical homes). Springdale’s unusual and quirky shops sell everything from ice cream to beautiful statutes of Quan Yin. If you like tasty homemade burgers, you’ll be in heaven. Family-owned restaurants are common, a real find for those of us who were raised to believe that chain restaurants are evil. And the ghost town of Grafton almost exhausted my digital camera’s storage.

Flying High

Just the ride up the mountain tells you a lot about the Desert Skywalkers, Las Vegas’ only paragliding and hang gliding club. Any time your rendezvous point is “The gas station at exit 12,” you know you’re headed into the boonies. After we passed the biker bar and zig-zagged through the dusty hamlet of Goodsprings, we were officially in open desert. ATV’s were buzzing by in the background as we sped down the remote dirt road. The club members stopped to hoist flags at one point. “You’ll never look at a flag the same way again after you go out with us,” Tony Lang told me. Wind is a critical factor in gliding, and the group members constantly watch the flags, the ravens, and anything else that will help them get a feel for how the thermals are rising. Lang had already pointed out the mountain we were going up, Little Potosi, and after the wind flags were hoisted, we were off again. The twisty power line road to the 6,000 foot top of Little Potosi has never known a guard rail. My hubby’s giant Dodge pickup seemed too big for the tight turns. Once at the top, the view was nothing less than spectacular.

I was researching adventure sports for an article in Southern Nevada Fun and Fit when I met Ron Peck, Tony Lang, and the other members of the Skywalkers. This friendly and generous group went out of their way to show me what they do. On the day they took my family and me out, it was too windy for the paragliders (it’s basically a big kite, as they explain it) but not for hang gliders. We watched Doug Koch for about thirty minutes as he assembled the glider. When the craft was fully assembled, his fellow Skywalkers helped him get turned around to face the open expanse of desert below us; the Strip was faintly visible in the distance, cars crept by like ants on I15. Then Doug took a couple of steps and flew right off the side of the mountain, gliding and banking right, looking for all the world like a giant bird of prey.

If you want to learn to fly, these are the people you should be talking to. The descriptions I heard of flying next to eagles and flying above Southwest jets made me want to find out where to sign up. My hubby, for obvious reasons, looked a little perturbed when I said I hadn’t given up yet on getting a tandem ride one day. Although he did admit that watching Doug jump off the side of the mountain was one of the coolest things he’d ever seen.

Look for more information about the Skywalkers in my adventure sports article in the April issue of Southern Nevada Life: Fun and Fit and in my "T About Town" column in the May issue of Elegant Properties.

For more information about the Skywalkers, visit their website at
http://www.desertskywalkers.com/.

Las Vegas Farmer's Market

Not to be confused with recent imitators, the one and only Las Vegas Farmer's Market can be found at The Gardens Park in Summerlin on Tuesdays, at Bruce Trent Park on Wednesdays, and at other locations in Centennial Hills and North Las Vegas (check their web site). Winder Farms, a relatively recent addition, offers home delivery of fresh organic groceries. After talking with Erne Jacobsen, one of the enthusiastic partners in this new venture, I think these folks are on to something big. Check out their website for details on how to sign up (they're currently offering $30 in free groceries).

The Dumont Dunes

If you like your sand dunes with lots of tire tracks, a moving chow hall, and shopping opportunities, then the Dumont Dunes are for you! My husband and son love the thrill of screaming across the sand on an ATV, the smell of high octane gasoline, and the gritty camaraderie of sand camp. I didn’t go out with them for the big President’s Day weekend, but I did get pictures and a full report. My hubby estimated that our son spent a good 8.5 hours out of 10 on the ATV. Don’t you know he slept soundly that night.

The Dumont Dunes are just outside Tecopa. During the summer, the high temperatures keep the sand junkies away. Sand season runs from Nevada Day (October 31) through President’s Day (February). Check their web site for more details.

Bodies: The Exhibit

No, this dynamic plastic model of a heart wasn’t at Bodies: The Exhibit, but since they don’t allow photos it’s the best I can offer.

Before I tell you about this amazing exhibit at the Tropicana, let me just address the Yuck Factor. “Real bodies? They use real bodies? Isn’t that kind of yucky?” These are the first things people say when I start to describe this unusual and fascinating display. It’s not yucky at all – in fact, quite the opposite. The exhibit includes information about how the bodies and body parts were preserved, a process that renders them completely yuck-free.

Each room is dedicated to a different body system: the skeleton, the muscles, the heart and lungs, etc. We took over an hour to walk through the multi-room exhibit. The display of healthy lungs next to smoker’s lungs was the most popular single exhibit, not to mention the creepiest for former smokers. This look inside the human body will change the way you think about your insides – for starters, now you know what they look like.

To find other activities in and around Las Vegas, try these resources:

Neon Arts Page
http://www.reviewjournal.com/neon/showsevents/arts.html

Las Vegas Weekly
http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/

CityLife
http://www.lvcitylife.com/

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Photo courtesy of Tony Byrne, http://www.sxc.hu/profile/Avolore

Bitter Springs Trail

I have an excellent reason why I have not a single picture of anything along Bitter Springs Trail. This 4x4 trail outside of the Valley of Fire is rated as easy and trail guides said it took approximately 2.5 hours to travel its length – almost 30 miles. First, if that is an easy trail, I don’t want to know about difficult trails. We had a flat not even ten miles into our adventure. (Here's a picture of the truck from its very first, flat tire-free outing to the Grand Canyon.)

“This is an easy trail?” I asked my hubby.

“Definitely. There’s nothing technical.”

“Technical? What would technical entail?”

“Winches, rock climbing, stuff like that.”

Well, thank God for small favors.

The bumping, jostling ride wouldn’t allow photos. And even though we stopped several times, every time we stopped I had something else on my mind that crowded out thoughts of photographs. First, of course, there was the flat tire. All my traveling companions with Y chromosomes were on that one like white on rice, leaving me and my friend Merina to begin hiking to a distant cave. Later, when we stopped to admire barrel cacti, I was too busy pouring over maps to think about pictures. We were in the middle of the desert without any indication of a road ahead. Just to our right were wilderness boundary markers. When we got back in the truck and started back down the trail, my hubby began questioning me.

“Are you sure this is the right trail?” (Let me just interject that it wasn’t as if we had many options out there.)

“Has to be,” I said, although at that moment I wasn’t 100% sure.

“But we’re supposed to be going southeast.”

“Maybe the road switches direction after that hill.”

“I would think the person with the map would know this.”

“My map isn’t that detailed.”

“Surely a person such as yourself would have a map with better details.”

At this point, I wanted to stuff the map up his nose, but when the road turned southeasterly, we were both relieved.

Five hours later – yes, twice as long as the guides indicated – we were pulling onto the Northshore Road. By the time we stopped for a picnic dinner at the Seven Sisters in the Valley of Fire, not enough light remained for me to take pictures. Besides, I was enjoying watching my son climb over the same rocks I scaled as a child. In Las Vegas, we don’t often get the opportunity to show our children the things we saw as kids. As we ate chicken and watched the stars start to come out, I really wasn’t too concerned about the lack of photos.

Ash Meadows

This amazing desert oasis was almost demolished in the 1970's when water-hungry developers and ranchers wanted to pump its springs dry. Now managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (who worked with the Nature Conservancy to purchase and restore the area), Ash Meadows continues to recover from past abuse. The small preserve is only half an hour from Pahrump. Visitors cannot see its most famous resident, the Devil's Hole Pupfish, both because of the fragility of the species (an April 2006 survey counted only 38) and because the cave in which the pupfish live was fenced off after two divers died in it. Visitors can, however, easily see other types of pupfish -- many endangered -- at any of the other springs. Ash Meadows is home to 24 endangered plants and animals, giving it the distinction of possessing one of the highest densities of endemic species in North America.

Where Route 66 Meets the Wild West

Burros in the street, a haunted hotel, and regularly scheduled gun fights are just a few of Oatman’s many attractions. Tour a gold mine, have a drink in the oldest building in Mojave County, get a tattoo, drive one of old Route 66’s most treacherous portions – but whatever you choose to do, be sure to buy a bag of carrots for the burros. These fat and happy descendants of miners’ burros are now pretty much in charge of things around here.

Oatman is an easy 2.5 hour drive from Las Vegas. For more about Oatman, watch for my article in an upcoming issue of Southern Nevada Life: Fun and Fit. You can also visit Oatman on the web at: http://www.oatmangoldroad.com

Las Vegas Holiday Events

This weekend
Henderson WinterFest
Ice skating, Santa, train rides, ice sculpting, and children’s crafts
200 Green Valley Pkwy.
December 8 and 9, 5-9 p.m.
Admission: Free
267-2171

The Great Santa Run
Benefit for Opportunity Village
5K Fun Run and 1 Mile Walk
December 9, 8 AM
Fremont Street Experience
$45 Early registration
$75 on 12-09-06

The Lakes Festival of Lights
Festival concludes in the evening with a parade of lighted boats
December 9, Noon – 6 PM
Intersection of Lake Sahara Drive and Lake East Drive

Philharmonic Holiday Celebration Concert
Saturday, 8 PM; Sunday 2PM
Tickets: $27, $45, $69
895-2787

Throughout the holiday season
Opportunity Village Magical Forest
6300 W. Oakey Blvd.
5:30 to 10:00 PM daily
$9 General Admission
225-9627 for details

The Gift of Lights
Sunset Park
2601 E. Sunset Road
5-9 p.m., 5-10 weekends
$12 per vehicle/discount with bag of gently used clothing
451-1641 for details

Ethel M. Chocolates
Two Cactus Garden Drive, Henderson
5-10
Santa Visits on the weekend @ 5:00/choir follows

The Grand Canyon Like You’ve Never Seen It

The majestic canyon in my pictures undoubtedly looks familiar to you, even if you’ve never been to northern Arizona. Take a closer look, because there are a few things missing: the crowds, the traffic, and the guard rails. Visit the Hualapai Nation’s West Rim, and you’ll experience the Grand Canyon in a whole new way.

This rugged, untamed portion of the canyon is a sacred place to the Indians who’ve lived there for a thousand years. My family and I were fascinated by the spectacular, unsullied serenity of the West Rim. I kept asking my husband and son, “Can you step back a little?” Acrophobics, be forewarned. We watched eagles drifting on thermals below us. At Guano Point, ravens staked out the restaurant, as common a pigeons but much larger. Four thousand feet below, at the bottom of the canyon, the Colorado River snaked past. I could have spent all day just soaking up the view.

Visit the West Rim’s official site:
http://www.destinationgrandcanyon.com/indexe.html
for more information. You’ve probably heard about the Skywalk Project, certain to be a heart-stopper when its completed, but that’s not all the West Rim has to offer. If you’re dying to put your SUV through its paces, this is the place. Take US93 over Hoover Dam and look for the billboard at Dolan Springs. Follow the signs to find the dirt road that traverses a massive Joshua Tree forest. Bluffs that look like props from a Western supply the background. Before you know it, you’ll be facing the panoramic red cliffs of the Grand Canyon.

Tour packages begin at $29.00; private vehicles are not allowed. Check their web site for more information about accommodations and tour packages.

Leaving Central Las Vegas

Last week a new family moved into my late aunt’s old house. Until October, my mom had been living there. My mom’s been in that downtown neighborhood for over forty years – the house I grew up in is only two blocks away. It took us a month to get her completely moved. She’s still got stuff in boxes.

The last remnants of the Las Vegas I remember from my childhood are disappearing fast. The synagogue moved away and the Methodist church just fixed its broken stained glass window. My old elementary school, Crestwood, is one of the Clark County schools turned over to Edison because of its at-risk status. The streets look like they belong in some other city, some other downtown turned bad. Front yards are used for extra parking. Buildings are boarded up. The signs are all in Spanish. The bank is now a pawn shop, and the shoe repair is a pay day loan place. Still, it’s where I grew up. Some houses, like my aunt’s, remain as solitary testaments to the beautiful neighborhood it once was, full of well-maintained homes and friendly neighbors.

When I grew up there, it was a working class neighborhood. My dad was a bartender, my mother a bookkeeper; my uncle was a machinist and my aunt a secretary. Our street was considered a great location because it was just a few miles from Fremont Street and the Strip, where many people worked. On my street, an Italian upholsterer lived next door. Sometimes his wife made jelly for us from the figs we gave her from our enormous fig tree. The piano player for the Mills Brothers lived across the street. We used to have pool parties at his house. I cleaned house for the lady directly across the street from us. Her daughter had died from brain cancer. We were a small town in those days, and the neighborhood reflected that. I knew that bad behavior on my part would result in direct notification to my parents. When I decided to steal my dad’s tip money and buy a round of goodies for the neighborhood kids from the ice cream truck, the upholsterer’s granddaughter made a beeline to my front door. She was eating her ice cream as she tattled on me. I got double restriction for using the f-word.

Nowadays I know most of my neighbors, some quite well, but the flavor of my street is far more…. Uppity. I live just outside Summerlin, the land of Lexus and Williams Sonoma. My husband and I bought here because we liked the greenery of the area. We were surprised to find our neighbors included an Iranian dentist, an engineer for Boeing, a French wine salesman, a Palestinian professional poker player, and a host of other well-heeled people. We’re governed by a home owner’s association, which is a formalized group of nosy, nit-picking busy bodies who need to get a life. I can’t believe we actually pay to have people nag us about the state of our lawn and the oil spots in our driveway. At any rate, no one is having any pool parties around here, and I’m pretty sure ice cream trucks are prohibited.

The last ice cream truck I saw was at my aunt’s house. I offered to flag it down for my son, who is eight, about the same age I was when the infamous tip theft occurred. He declined – he’s never visited the ice cream truck. He’d rather go to Starbucks. He’s glad that Nana will be living closer to us, but says he will miss the old house. I remember lazy afternoons when he was baby, sitting in the living room with my mom and my aunt as he crawled in the floor. Now he’s helping me pack boxes.

Time marches on, taking all vestiges of Old Las Vegas with it.

Living History

October 31, 1864, wasn’t a day for trick-or-treaters. On that day in history, our country was coming to the end of the bitterly fought war between the states – a war that claimed more American lives than any other war in our history. Nevada was admitted to union on that date; the Union needed her silver. Thus, our state motto: Battle Born.

Over Nevada Day 2006 weekend, Civil War re-enactors invaded Spring Mountain Ranch State Park. The South still lost, and at the end of the day all the soldiers got to go home (which is how we wish all conflicts ended). This was the first Civil War reenactment in Las Vegas, and Spring Mountain was the perfect place for this living history lesson. It’s one of the few places where our history is preserved and valued.

I noticed students everywhere, taking notes, asking questions, and even interviewing Abe Lincoln. My own son, who had described history as “mostly boring,” was enraptured by the battle and field hospital demonstration.

History buffs who missed the re-enactment will want to head out to the park November 10 through 12, when the park hosts the Mountain Man Rendezvous. If you’ve ever wanted to know how to fire a black powder gun or what on earth you do with an atlatl, now is your chance. Call 875-4141 for more details.

Rare Foresight

In 1991, the Clark County Library District convinced Las Vegas voters to approve a bond issue for new libraries. At that time, Clark County’s population was about 742,000. When construction commenced on the buildings approved by the bond issue, Las Vegans immediately decried the “Taj Mahals” and questioned the wisdom of giving the Library District money. Las Vegas voters haven’t passed any library funding issue presented since – and today our population is 1.7 million. With Las Vegas growing faster than a depressed woman with an unlimited supply of ice cream, those 1991 voters who are still around should congratulate themselves. Today the Las Vegas Art Museum – connected to the Sahara West Library pictured here – hosts internationally recognized work. Our community depends on the amphitheaters, museums, galleries, and story-time rooms funded with those 1991 dollars. Residents looking for off-Strip events can find family movie nights, plays, author readings, and other non-neon activities. Without the foresight of LVCCLD, Las Vegas would be even more culturally challenged – what a scary thought.

Events

Pioneer Days
Spring Mountain Ranch
See demonstrations of blacksmithing, black powder shooting, spinning, weaving, and square dancing.
Saturday 10-14, 10:00 – 4:00
$5 Park Admission

Age of Chivalry Renaissance Festival
Sunset Park
October 13 - 15
Come all ye lords and ladies!
$10 Admission

K9 Trials
Orleans Arena
October 15, event beings at 8:00
If you’d like to see what police dogs do, head to the Orleans for this event. It’s the closest you’ll get to a police dog unless you’re being arrested.
Admission is free

Lake Las Vegas Fine Arts Festival
October 14 and 15, 10:00 to 5:00

Vegas Sunsets

Sidewalk Art

Can you believe these incredible images were created with chalk? I took these pictures on Sunday at Summerlin's La Strada del 'Arte.

Vegas Girl News

Cathy Scott Appearing On Oxygen Network
Vegas author Cathy Scott will appear on the Oxygen Network (Las Vegas Cox Channel 55) on Monday, October 2, in the show Snapped: Sandy Murphy. In her book Death in the Desert, Cathy wrote about the sensational Binion murder, for which Sandy Murphy and Rick Tabish were initially convicted. Cathy spoke to my writing group just as Sandy Murphy’s retrial began. Based on her research, she told us, she predicted Murphy would be acquitted. In November 2004, Murphy and Tabish were acquitted of the Binion murder. Was Murphy a gold digger capable of murder, or a convenient patsy? Read Cathy’ book and see what you think.

Visit Cathy Scott’s website at http://www.cathyscott.com

Red Rock Vandals
On September 16, 2006, the RJ reported that vandals had defaced 100-year-old rock art in a remote cave in Red Rock's Sandstone Quarry. About three weeks prior, my family had discovered this vandalism. I assumed Red Rock already knew that some idiot(s) went to the trouble to scramble into the cave set high in the sandstone. Years before, my husband and I climbed into that same cave and marveled at the art, and we wanted to share it with our son. Sadly, we wound up sharing a lesson about ignorance.

Yesterday, the RJ reported that fire destroyed a 120-foot portion of the boardwalk at Red Springs in Calico Basin. This area sits just outside the Red Rock most of you are familiar with. When I was growing up, it was where we picnicked. Now that Summerlin is reaching out toward Little Red Rock, how long will it be before morons destroy that, too? Even petroglyphs in the Valley of Fire have been defaced. Don’t we have enough freeways to write on?

Frances Deane – Cub Reporter
The Las Vegas Tribune, a publication I’d never heard of, has hired former County Recorder Frances Deane. Let me see if I understand this…. I can’t get a local publication to call me back, but Frances Deane got a job? I guess I should have mishandled confidential paperwork while I was still with Metro. If only I had known that the media wants more ethically challenged journalists.

Recycle Your Electronics
If you’re like every other technology-addicted person I know, you’ve accumulated a closet full of old computers, cell phones, and other outdated toys. Last week the Sun reported on our growing piles of discarded electronics – most of which contain all kinds of chemicals that don’t belong in a landfill. Before you toss your old brick cell phone, check www.ndep.nv.gov/recycl/recycle.htm for recycling locations.

Events
Summerlin La Strada del’Arte
September 30 and October 1
Summerlin Centre Community Park
Admission and parking are free

Boulder City Art in the Park
October 7 and 8
Drive to Boulder City and follow the signs
Admission is free, but there is a small free for the shuttle

Zion Canyon Art and Flute Festival
October 13 – October 15
http://www.zioncanyonartandflutefestival.com/

National Public Lands Day
September 30
Entrance fees waived for all National Parks/Recreation Areas:
Lake Mead, Death Valley, Zion, etc.

Southern Nevada Railway
Boulder City
Ride antique Pullman coaches
$8
For more information, call 486-5933

Shakespeare in the Park
September 28-October 8 - Free
www.artscouncilhenderson.org

First Friday
October 6
http://www.firstfriday-lasvegas.org/

Third Thursday
October 19
Water Street Art District
5 – 9 p.m.
Free

Sax Sundays
Mount Charleston Hotel
1 p.m. Sundays
Call 872-5500

Jazz at the Lake
Free
Every Friday from 7-10 p.m. at Lake Las Vegas
www.MonteLagoVillage.com

The Fight Against Union Busting

If you’ve seen these protesters on Sahara just west of Durango, or at Charleston and Rampart, you’ve probably wondered who they are and why they’re unhappy with Target and Valley Health Systems. A couple of weeks ago I stopped to ask them just those questions

Carpenters Local 1977 is standing out in the heat every day to tell people that non-union labor used in construction and nursing drives down wages, among other things. They are simply practicing the time-honored tradition of standing with their union brothers – a tradition practiced less and less as unions loose influence. Membership in unions across the country is decreasing, and our once union-strong city (the Culinary and Teamsters built this town – literally, in some cases) now turns a blind eye to protests and strikes. Anyone remember the Frontier?

Judging from local news reports about the quality of both nursing and construction in Las Vegas, Carpenters Local 1977 has a point. On September 13 and 14, the RJ reported that the nursing union gave several local hospital failing grades for poor patient-nurse ratios. Anyone who’s been in a Las Vegas hospital can attest to the poor quality of care offered. In my experience, you’re lucky to find an RN or anyone who speaks English. On the construction side, the proliferation of construction defect lawsuits speaks for itself. And as for wages, anyone trying to make a living as a roofer or framer knows that most wages have dropped to an unlivable level.

Tona Hughes, a volunteer for the Carpenters Local, told me they’d been protesting for eight months. Valley Health Systems has yet to sit down and hear their concerns. Besides getting the cold shoulder from VHS, Tona says motorists can be hostile, throwing things and shouting profanities at them. Their sign has been vandalized and stolen, and all of the volunteers worry about vandalism to their vehicles.

Local media have ignored the protesters. Las Vegas Weekly is the only publication I found that ran anything on these people who have braved summer heat, ignorant motorists, and unresponsive corporations to exercise their freedom of speech.

The next time you’re driving on Sahara or Charleston, show Tona and the other volunteers that some people still respect workers’ rights and freedom of speech. An encouraging honk would be a good start, but if you can't bring yourself to do that, then at least don't act like a jerk.