SUMMERLIN BRIEFS

Advertisement

BUSINESS

Staffer joins NCI development team

The Nevada Cancer Institute announced that Sheri L. Holmen has joined the division of drug development.

Holmen's research focus is on the use of pre-clinical models to define the genes required for tumor initiation, progression and maintenance, with the ultimate goal of identifying novel targets for therapeutic intervention.

She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in biomedical science with cum laude honors from Western Michigan University in 1994 and 1995, respectively, and a Ph.D. with an emphasis in tumor biology from the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in 2000. She was a Pfizer postdoctoral fellow of the Life Sciences Research Foundation at the Van Andel Research Institute from 2000-03 and established her own lab there in 2003.

Top sushi chef named at venue

Sushi Roku, a restaurant at the Forum Shops at Caesars, has named Kiichi Okabe as executive sushi chef and Brett Coleman as assistant general manager.

Okabe joined Innovative Dining Group in 2001 at Katana on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. After preparing Japanese dishes for a high-end clientele for two years, he worked for several months at Sushi Roku in Hollywood before transferring to Las Vegas.

Brett Coleman has more than 10 years of experience in fine restaurants, extending from the United Kingdom to South Africa. With a bachelor's degree in marketing and sales management, he completed seven years as restaurant manager aboard nine of Celebrity Cruises' ships.

Employee becomes loan processor

Silver State Bancorp announced the appointment of Harlyn Ramos to loan processor.

Prior to her employment at Silver State Bank, Ramos worked as a loan assistant for Sumitomo Bank in San Francisco.

Ramos received her bachelor's in business administration from Ateneo University in the Philippines and a master's in business administration from the University of Phoenix.

COMMUNITY

Natural restoration project planned

Volunteers are needed to restore an area of Red Rock Canyon National Recreation Area.

The project is set for March 3, with registration slated for 7:30 to 8 a.m. at the Red Rock Visitors' Center.

Volunteers and staff are going to re-seed an area of the Scenic Loop Drive that burned in September 2006, an incident attributed to lightning. Seeding will be done by hand while walking in the burned area.

Registration is required. Call all the hike line at 515-5367 or Kate Sorom at 515-5353 before Saturday to register.

Short stack giveaway planned for charity

IHOP will flip for charity today with its second National Pancake Day celebration.

IHOP will give away one free short stack of its buttermilk pancakes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. to all guests, and in return, invite them to donate to their local children's hospital through the Children's Miracle Network.

All 1,302 IHOP restaurants will have designated Children's Miracle Network hospitals or other local charities as recipients of funds raised on National Pancake Day. For more information, visit www.ihop.com.

Skywalk set to open in March

Grand Canyon West, a destination owned and operated by the Hualapai Tribe at the Grand Canyon's western rim, announced that The Skywalk will officially open on March 28.

Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, known for making historic first steps on the moon, is expected to lead the first walk on the Grand Canyon Skywalk in a private ceremony the week before. The Skywalk is a cantilever-shaped glass walkway suspended more than 4,000 feet above the canyon's floor and extending 70 feet out from the canyon's rim.

Access to The Skywalk will run from dawn to dusk and will cost $25 per person, in addition to the cost of a Grand Canyon West entrance package. One hundred and twenty people will be allowed on the bridge at a time.

Located at Grand Canyon West's Eagle Point, roughly 120 miles east of Las Vegas, The Skywalk will include a 6,000-square-foot visitors' center with a museum, a movie theater, a VIP lounge, a gift shop and several restaurants and bars, and private indoor and outdoor facilities for meetings, special events and weddings.

For more information, visit www.destinationgrandcanyon.com or call (877) 716-9378.

Books to boost kids' literacy program

The Public Education Foundation's literacy initiative Clark County READS will receive a donation of 5,000 new books over the next 12 months from Cheerios, Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories and First Book programs. The contributions will put books into the hands of children in need.

Clark County READS was launched in May 2001 to promote the importance of literacy and provide quality literacy programs to children and families.

Since inception in 1991, the Public Education Foundation has raised $45 million to enhance teaching and learning in Southern Nevada's public schools.

For more information, those who are interested can visit www.ccpef.org or call 799-1042.

Clothing drive to aid women seeking jobs

Residents can donate new or gently used women's suits from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from March 2-9 at The Shade Tree at the corner of West Owens Avenue and Main Street.

The effort, called Give Up Your Suit, will benefit women in need of proper interview attire who graduate from the shelter's job development program.

The drive is being organized by Town Square Las Vegas, a regional lifestyle center under construction on the Strip,

Shade Tree provides safe shelter to homeless and abused women and children in crisis.

"Currently, women who graduate from our job development program can pick from a slim selection of donated items in the shelter's clothing room, most of which are not suits," said Ted Giza, development director of Shade Tree. "The suits collected from this drive will stock the room with proper attire and in turn help our graduates feel more confident when they go on their first job interviews."

CONTEST

Best essayist to win humanitarian trip

Americans for UNFPA, the U.S. support organization for the United Nations Population Fund, announced an essay contest for the Health and Dignity of Women.

The winner will receive a trip to Malawi from July 29-Aug. 4 to travel with Americans for UNFPA staff and increase the recipient's global understanding of the health and rights of women. Malawi ranks among the world's least developed countries.

Applicants must be eligible to vote in the U.S. and must be undergraduate students enrolled full-time at a U.S. institution.

To learn more or to download an application, visit www.americansforunpfa.org or www.myspace.com/ americansforunpfa.

EVENTS

Dog-training seminar scheduled

All dog owners interested in learning techniques and training tips for troublesome canines may attend a free seminar at 7 p.m. on Monday at the Green Valley Public Library, 2797 N. Green Valley Parkway.

The seminar, put on by Las Vegas-based American Canine Training, is meant to reduce the number of dogs turned in at local shelters because of training issues.

Owners should leave their dogs at home for the seminar.

Dog owners interested in registering for the seminar can contact Carol Frisby at 501-0404 or 436-4879, or by e-mailing carolthedogtrainer@cox.net.

Discussions to focus on Zen

Dharma lectures by Jian Liao of the Abbot of Chung Tai Zen Center in Houston are planned this month at various Las Vegas Valley locations.

A program called Zen and Meditation is slated for 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday at UNLV's John S. Wright Hall, Room C148. Another program called Zen is planned for 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, at CCSN, 6375 W. Charleston Blvd., Building B, Room 105. Also, Freedom of Zen is planned for 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday at the Sahara West Library, 9600 W. Sahara Ave., and Zen and Meditation is slated for 4 to 6 p.m. on Saturday at Grace in the Desert, 2002/2006 Spring Gate Lane.

In addition, a half-day retreat is planned for 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday at The Original Bikram's Yoga of Las Vegas, 2753 S. Highland Drive, Suite 1037.

For more information, contact Jim Wallis at 496-1981 or Naomi Wany at 296-7237.

Photographer to give presentation at gallery

Las Vegas' Cultural Affairs Division announced a reception and lecture by photographer Tim Roda on March 1 at Charleston Heights Art Center Gallery, 800 S. Brush St.

The reception begins at 6 p.m., with the lecture set for 7 p.m. The exhibit is titled Family Matters.

Using disposable or re-usable media -- props made of paper, wood, tape and clay -- Roda involves his family as the central role in the photographs.

"Photography ... is the only medium I can use to best depict my vision of life, art and time," he said.

His work is part of permanent collections of the Essl collection, Klosterneuburg, Austria; the Gaia Collection, Busca, Italy; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Houston; the Seattle Art Museum, Seattle; the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, Helena, Mo.; and the Henry Art Museum, Seattle.

The event is free. Those who are interested can call 229-1012 for more information.

Musical planned at Summerlin Library

Jade Productions will present the musical "A New Brain" at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, March 1-3 and March 8-10; and at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Sunday and March 4 at the Summerlin Library Performing Arts Center, 1771 Inner Circle Drive, Summerlin.

Tickets are $10-$20. For more information call 263-6385.

Mardis Gras to be theme of fundraiser

HELP of Southern Nevada announced its annual Mardi Gras fundraiser on March 3 at the South Point.

The group helps individuals attain self-sufficiency through direct services, training and referral to community resources.

The organization plans to honor Janet and Steve Linder at the event.

Ticket prices are $200 each, or $2,000 for a table of 10.

For more information, contact Deena Wier at 369-4357, Ext 222, or e-mail dwier@helpsonv.org.

Free workshops planned for parents

The Las Vegas Department of Leisure Services invites parents to three free workshops designed to educate them about the dangers of Internet use by children and precautions adults can take to protect their families.

The workshops are set for 6 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 28, March 28 and April 25 at Brinley Community School, 6150 Smoke Ranch Road.

The sessions will be held in collaboration with Nevada Child Seekers and the Metropolitan Police Department. Pre-registration is required.

For more information and to register, those who are interested can call 229-2642.

Speaker to discuss journey of adolescence

Parents of teenagers are invited to hear professor, author and educator Robert Sylwester from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. March 6 in the Student Center of Faith Lutheran High School, 2015 S Hualapai Way.

Sylwester will discuss the adolescent odyssey toward maturation and autonomy affecting teachers, parents, family and the community.

Sylwester will suggest that educators, parents and other adults can shift their perspective management to adolescent mentoring, and will explain how to do this in ways meant to enhance the relationship.

Admission is free for parents of Faith Lutheran students and $5 at the door for the general public.

For more information call 804-4400.

Director named for ballet program

The Nevada Ballet Theatre appointed Victoria Stocki-Kim as director of its affiliated school the Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre.

Stocki-Kim will lead the Las Vegas-based academy and oversee 500 students and about 20 faculty members.

"We are very pleased that Victoria will be leading our school -- not only because of her experience as a professional dancer, but her skills in running all aspects of a dance academy: from teaching, to marketing, to wardrobe -- to facilitating scholarships and auditions," said Bruce Steivel, who has served as the Nevada Ballet Theatre's artistic director since 1996. "Her background will blend nicely with the needs of our academy."

Stocki-Kim was executive director of the Metropolitan Ballet Academy and Theatre in Novi, Mich. She also was a faculty member at the Detroit Opera House's Center for Arts and Learning, the Kirov Academy in Washington, D.C., and the Universal Ballet Academy, as well as assistant director and co-owner of the Art Ballet Center.

She danced as a soloist and principal guest artist in the national and international arenas with companies such as the Universal Ballet Company of Seoul, Tulsa Ballet Theatre and the Dayton Ballet Theatre.

EMPLOYMENT

Youth sought for summer job openings

The Clark County Parks and Recreation Department's Aquatics Program is recruiting individuals ages 15  1/2 years and older to work as lifeguards, cashiers and pool management staff for the summer.

The county has 12 pools throughout the valley as well as facilities in Indian Springs, Laughlin, Logandale and Overton. Facilities are open to the public Memorial Day weekend and remain open through Labor Day weekend.

Pay rates for lifeguards begin at $8 per hour, with available work hours ranging up to 30 per week.

Water safety instructor classes are available to those who have successfully completed lifeguard training and are at least 16 years of age.

Prerequisite skills include the ability to swim all competitive and resting strokes prior to enrollment. This class certifies individuals to teach the American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim and Parent/Child Aquatic programs.

The fee is $40 for county employees and $140 for all others. Applicants for cashier positions need no additional training.

There are nine training classes available during March, April and May. For more information, call 455-8508 or visit www.accessclarkcounty.com/parks.