HENDERSON, Nev. – The Henderson Libraries Foundation board of directors has announced the addition of two new members to its ranks. James Green of the Henderson Police Department and Rob McCoy of CenturyLink joined the board Jan. 1.

The Henderson Libraries Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization funded by donations of gifts, grants and bequests, helps Henderson Libraries in its mission to create a literate community by providing financial support over and above the annual operating fund. Henderson Libraries relies on the support of the Foundation to continue to provide funds for the following areas: library collections; outreach services; innovative technology; capital projects; and scholarships.

“James Green and Rob McCoy both have experiences and perspectives that will be invaluable to the board’s continued successful governance of the foundation,” said Tom Fay, executive director for Henderson Libraries Foundation. “Everyone on the board is looking forward to working with them to help the Foundation and the Henderson libraries with their respective missions.”

Green is currently a captain with the Henderson Police Department. He serves as the investigations services division commander and has been with the force since 1993.

Green’s commitment to keeping his home region safe has also led to board positions among many organizations. He’s served as the vice president for the Henderson Community Foundation board of directors and the president and chairman of the same foundation’s board of trustees. Green has also been with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Nevada since 1995, both as a volunteer and as a member of the board.

McCoy serves as CenturyLink Corporation’s director for government affairs, with public policy and local government responsibilities for Nevada and California.

As a native Las Vegan, McCoy’s community commitments have led him to join several boards, including the Boys & Girls Clubs, Salvation Army and the Neon Museum. In addition, he serves as chairman of the City of Las Vegas Arts Commission.

Green and McCoy join seven others on the board, including President Ann Small, Vice President Richard Sarro, Treasurer Keith Huffman, Secretary Chris Larsen, Robert Clark, John Dlouhy and Mary Schramski, Ph. D.

Established in 1943 as a single library in Downtown Henderson, Henderson Libraries operates six locations throughout Henderson. Henderson Libraries cooperates with other public libraries in Southern Nevada, the Nevada System of Higher Education, the Clark County School District and all other libraries around the state to provide quality service for Nevada’s residents.

For additional information on Henderson Libraries, visit www.mypubliclibrary.com or call 702-492-6581.

HENDERSON, Nev. – The advent and popularity of e-readers have brought books, and reading in general, into modern technology. Henderson Libraries offers many digital services and will showcase them with a visit from Digital Bookmobile, a community outreach vehicle for public libraries to help promote downloadable e-books, audiobooks, music and video.

The 74-foot, 18-wheel tractor-trailer will make a stop on its national tour from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 27, at the Galleria Library, located inside the Galleria at Sunset, 1300 W. Sunset Road; and noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 28, at the Gibson Library, 100 W. Lake Mead Drive near downtown Henderson. The event is free and open to the public, but some activities may require a Henderson Libraries card.

Operated by OverDrive, Digital Bookmobile visits libraries in support of campaigns to raise public awareness of burgeoning technology in hometown libraries. The vehicle is equipped with broadband Internet-connected computers, high-definition monitors, premium sound systems and a variety of portable media players. Interactive computer stations give patrons an opportunity to search the district’s digital media collection, use supported mobile devices and sample e-books, audiobooks, music and video.

“During these two days, we hope to show our patrons that public libraries are current in technology and that we offer more services than they might realize,” said Gayle Hornaday, assistant director of Henderson Libraries. “Just as technology has advanced online and in bookstores, it has in the six locations of the Henderson Libraries as well, and this event will allow patrons to really get to know the digital services we offer.”

OverDrive is a leading full-service digital distributor of eBooks, audiobooks, music and video. The technology delivers secure management, digital rights management (DRM) protection and download fulfillment services for thousands of publishers, libraries, schools, retailers and aggregators serving millions of end users.

Established in 1943 as a single library in Downtown Henderson, Henderson Libraries operates six locations throughout Henderson. Henderson Libraries cooperates with other public libraries in Southern Nevada, the Nevada System of Higher Education, the Clark County School District and all other libraries around the state to provide quality service for Nevada’s residents.

For additional information on Henderson Libraries and its many services and resources, visit www.mypubliclibrary.com or call 702-492-6581.

HENDERSON, Nev. – The next topic to be featured in the Roadmap to Success Series – hosted by the Henderson Chamber of Commerce and the Henderson Business Resource Center – will be “I’m in Business … Now What?”

Featuring Irv Kaplan, business counselor with SCORE, Counselors to America’s Small Business, the workshop will take place from 7:30-9:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, at the Henderson Business Resource Center – located at 112 Water St. near West Pacific Avenuein downtown Henderson.

Free to Henderson Chamber members, the Roadmap to Success Series continues through May with a break for the holidays. The series includes 16 workshops covering topics including finance, legal, marketing, and operations and sales.

Kaplan earned his bachelor’s degree from City College of New York and a master’s degree in business administration from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He has spent his career in high technology companies such as Xerox, ROLM, Sun Microsystems, IBM and Dell. He also served as a manager and senior manager in software applications development supporting sales, marketing and service divisions.

During the workshop, he will discuss how to evaluate the current state of a new business and its success and also plan for growth.

All chamber members and the public are invited to attend. There is no cost for Henderson Chamber members. Cost for non-members is $25. The deadline for reservations is Thursday, Jan. 26. To RSVP, call the Henderson Business Resource Centerat 702-992-7200 or email pam@hendersonbizcenter.com.

The Roadmap to Success Workshop Series covers all aspects of business critical for business owners to understand and properly execute to stay afloat, especially when times are tough. 

The workshop series is sponsored by the Henderson Chamber of Commerce, the City of Henderson, Imagine Communications and Mikels Fine Art Photography.

The Henderson Business Resource Center is a nonprofit organization under the Henderson Chamber of Commerce Foundation designed as a business incubator to strengthen and diversify the local economy.

For more information about the Henderson Business Resource Center or the Roadmap to Success Series, visit www.hendersonbizcenter.com.

The party will include cash, concert ticket and drink giveaways, as well as deeply discounted food and drink specials. Specials will include $9.85 beer buckets (while 98.5 is there), $3 draft Miller Lights, $3 cans of Miller Light, $5 well drinks and $20 all-you-can eat specials. Festivities will also feature various games, including beer pong.

Al’s Garage is located in The District at 2235 Village Walk Dr., #147, Henderson, NV 89052.

HENDERSON, Nev. – In celebration of Hawaiian Heritage, Henderson Libraries will host a series of themed events beginning with a Jan. 28 Hawaiian Monarchy and Sovereignty Kickoff at the Green Valley Library. Running through June, the events will focus on Hawaiian culture and have been planned by a committee of library staff and key members of the Hawaiian community. All events are free and open to the public of all ages. The events feature live performances with commentary, displays, hands-on activities and snacks donated by Trader Joe’s.

According to the 2010 U.S. Census, 6,784 native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders live in the Las Vegas Valley, which includes Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Henderson. Four main events, taking place at four of the six library locations, will celebrate the history, culture, music and dance of Hawaii. They include:

• “The Hawaiian Monarchy and Sovereignty,” 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, Green Valley Library, 2797 N. Green Valley Parkway. Participants will create feather crafts, play games, learn hula, discuss, view movie screenings and enjoy live music presenting the history of the Hawaiian royalty and issue of a sovereign Hawaii.
• “Ho’oipoipo ‘o Hawaii: The Romance of Hawaii,” noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, Gibson Library, 100 W. Lake Mead Parkway. Participants will learn about the romance of Hawaii through painting, sculpture, poetry, songs, dance and crafts.
• “The Spirit of Hawaii: Hawai’i’s Religion and Gods and Goddesses,” noon to 4 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 25, Galleria Library, inside the Galleria at Sunset, 1300 W. Sunset Road. Interactive Hawaiian cultural displays, informative history lectures, stories by traditional Hawaiian practitioners and a showcase of ancient and contemporary hula will be available for patrons seeking to capture the essence of Hawaii’s gods.
• “Hawaii is Home,” 1-5 p.m. Saturday, March 24, Paseo Library, 280 S. Green Valley Parkway. The event will celebrate Hawaii as a blend of cultures and people. Participants will be able to see the impact of the various cultures and customs through simple displays, songs and dance by a variety of performers.

Throughout the spring, the library locations will continue to host a variety of additional Hawaiian cultural programs. For a complete event listing of programs, visit the Henderson Libraries event calendar on the website, www.mypubliclibrary.com. The libraries also are seeking donations of quality Hawaiian books, music and movies, which may be dropped off at any Henderson Library location. For additional information on these donations, call 702-207-4274. These events are funded through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services in conjunction with the Nevada State Library.

Established in 1943 as a single library in Downtown Henderson, Henderson Libraries operates six locations throughout Henderson. Henderson Libraries cooperates with other public libraries in Southern Nevada, the Nevada System of Higher Education, the Clark County School District and all other libraries around the state to provide quality service for Nevada’s residents.

For additional information on Henderson Libraries, visit www.mypubliclibrary.com or call 702-492-6581.

LAS VEGAS – More than 275 sheet metal contestants and their families will come to Las Vegas March 5-9 to take part in the 40th Annual International Sheet Metal Competition, which allows apprentices and journeymen from throughout the United States and Canada to demonstrate their skills.

The competition will take place at Caesars Palace – located at 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. South – as well as at the Sheet Metal Local #88’s Joint Apprenticeship Training Center – located in Las Vegas at 2540 Marco Street, just off North Nellis Boulevard and East Carey Avenue. The competition is held in conjunction with the 2012 Partners in Progress Conference, which is hosted by a partnership between the Sheet Metal Workers International Association (SMWIA) and the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA).

For the second year, the detailing competition allows journeymen, as well as apprentices, to show their experience and skill as they compete for a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Lo motorcycle provided by Henderson Harley-Davidson.

This year, Sean Edwards, an apprentice from Rock City, Ill., tested and qualified as one of the top 12 finalists. The detailing category is the only category that permits journeymen to enter. Apprentice contestants will compete in five sheet metal disciplines including HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning), industrial/welding, service, architectural, and Testing, Adjusting and Balancing (TAB) in heating and air conditioning. Each competition, no matter the discipline, may consist of a written test, sketching projects, shop project and blueprint reading test.

“It’s exciting to have the detailing category included for the second year and with such diversity. Not only do we have an apprentice competing alongside journeymen, but Amelia Kelsay is the only female to test and become a finalist,” said James Shoulders, executive administrator for ITI. “The competition is a fun way to bring all these different talents from different backgrounds together in one place. It really showcases the talent and skill level of members in our industry.”

Hosted by the ITI, apprentices will compete Tuesday and Wednesday, March 6 and 7, with the detailers contest on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, March 6, 7 and 8. Apprentice Partnership Sessions, hosted by Partners in Progress, are scheduled for Thursday, March 8 with regional and industrial breakout sessions on Friday, March 9. The reception and awards banquet will take place the evening of Friday, March 9.

The Partners in Progress Conference, held every other year, will feature a new program format and emphasize creative collaboration for labor and management through breakout sessions and educational opportunities. This year’s theme is “We Mean Business.”

More than 15,000 apprentices are registered at training facilities in theUnited StatesandCanada. The International Training Institute (best known as ITI) is jointly sponsored by Sheet Metal Worker’s International Association (SMWIA) and the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA). ITI offers apprenticeship and advanced career training for union workers in the sheet metal industry throughout theUnited StatesandCanada. Located inAlexandria,Va., ITI produces a standardized sheet metal curriculum supported by a wide variety of training materials free of charge to sheet metal apprentices and journeymen.

For more information about the contest or ITI, visit www.sheetmetal-iti.org or call 703-739-7200.

HENDERSON, Nev.  – Every morning, Tony May arrives at the Belew home to help Tony Belew get ready for the day. As a caregiver with Visiting Angels, May assists the 51-year-old with everything from a shower to breakfast.

Because Belew is approximately 6 feet tall and 300 pounds, it’s physically impossible for Linda Belew to help her husband with these tasks. Last year, while taking a shower, Belew suffered a stroke and lost consciousness. Although Belew outweighs May by 100 pounds, he was able to gently lower Belew to the floor and begin CPR while Linda Belew called paramedics.

A professional caregiver for five years, this was the first time May had to use his training to save a life.

“I was always afraid if something happened I’d be scared, but my instincts kicked in and I knew what to do,” May said. “I’m really happy what I learned saved his life.”

Linda Belew, shaken and distraught, was amazed May was able to take such gentle care of her husband during a delicate, and slippery, situation.

“That was a super human feat,” she said. “The reason I thought it was so heroic is my husband is a big man. Tony was so calm under pressure. I was pretty much panicking,” she added. “I shudder to think what would’ve happened if he went into that type of seizure and Tony wasn’t here. We were very appreciative of his skills that day.”

Michael DiAsio, co-owner of Visiting Angels in Henderson and Summerlin, said feats like this aren’t common but illustrates the level of skill caregivers possess.

Along with CPR, caregivers undergo additional training when they join the Visiting Angels team, no matter what their medical background may be. Some of the topics covered during the two-day training are household safety, body mechanics and transfer techniques, elder abuse signs, nutrition and hydration, Alzheimer’s disease communication, and fall prevention. Caregivers also learn how to care for themselves as to prevent injury on the job.

“There have been other incidents where the training caregivers received saved lives. They are there to help care for people who need assistance caring for themselves or, like in Mrs. Belew’s case, where family members can’t either,” DiAsio said. “Caregivers are there to make sure their clients are safe and have their activities of daily living met. It allows them to stay at home instead of going to a specialty care facility, as Visiting Angels’ care is typically more affordable and ‘one-on-one.’”

After a stroke in May 2008, Tony Belew spent 13 months in specialty care centers and a nursing home before he was able to come home in April 2009. Tony May started assisting the family the day after Tony Belew’s 49th birthday. Since then, May has become almost like an extended member of the Belew family.

“His father calls me their other son,” May said. “I’m very close to the family as well.”

There was a time when Linda Belew thought she wouldn’t be able to bring her husband home. Now, with the help of Visiting Angels, she has the help the family needs to stay together.

“I love Visiting Angels. They are so wonderful. We wanted him home, but we weren’t able to afford it at the beginning,” Linda Belew said. “I would never be able to care for my husband if it wasn’t for them.”

Visiting Angels is senior home care with more than 400 franchises across the United States. With two franchises in Southern Nevada, the Green Valley Parkway office – located at1701 N. Green Valley Pkwy.– is owned by the DiAsios and is the largest in Southern Nevada. It serves Henderson, the south, southwest, west and northwest regions ofLas Vegas. Due to an increase in need, the DiAsios have opened a satellite office in Summerlin off Lake Mead Boulevard and Rampart Road. Between its Henderson and Summerlin locations, Visiting Angels now employs more than 225 caregivers like Tony May who assist roughly 400 clients every day.

For more information on Visiting Angels or to apply for a position as a caregiver for the company, visit www.visitingangels.com or call 800-365-4189.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The economy in recent years has been less than desirable, to say the least, and sheet metal contractors are still seeking ways to supplement their profit to create a more stable environment for their businesses.

Fire life safety is an emerging market with a growing demand. Dampers confine fire and smoke to one floor or section of a commercial building, keeping the rest of the building free of smoke, contaminants and particulate matter. The proper maintenance and inspection of these dampers could mean the difference between life and death. After an introduction to fire life safety at the 2008 Annual TABB Conference in Southern California, Jim Larsen, president and owner of Mechanical Test and Balance in Crown Point, Ind., was motivated to bring the service to his company.

After laying the groundwork, and earning his ICB/TABB Fire Life Safety Level I and Level II Technicians certifications, Larsen brought the service on at Mechanical Test and Balance. To start, project managers visited hospitals and schools, and fire life safety information was placed in the company’s newsletter to educate clients old and new on the value of fire life safety.

Every new client – from architects and engineers to building owners – was introduced to the information via a short presentation and packet containing available services.

“That was the key,” Larsen said. “It’s in the best interest of their employees and anyone who comes into the building. It’s fire life safety. It’s a no brainer.”

Mechanical Test and Balance’s first fire life safety client was a hospital in northwest Indiana. Once the company was off and running with the project, they could use the project as a model to show other clients what was possible. A hospital can lead to steady work for multiple employees at a time, because inspection and maintenance takes place in one section of a building at a time. Every damper is inspected and documented with any problems reported back to the client, and instead of hiring out, the company can perform any repairs, as well.

Offering inspection and repair services together is a large benefit and makes the company a one-stop shop for clients. If a hospital can count on a company for detailed documentation that helps them easily pass their safety inspections, the company has a client for life, Larsen said.

“Because of the size of a hospital, by the time you get through the building, it’s almost time to start over,” he added. “Ninety percent of the time the client asks us to come back and make modifications. We do all the repair work.”

In nearly two years, Mechanical Test and Balance is at a comfortable place, largely due to the introduction of fire life safety and Larsen’s forward thinking.

“We don’t have to look for work,” Larsen said. “Our reputation is set on honesty. We give them complete documentation. That’s very important. It’s been very good to us. It keeps us busy during the winter months. For the most part, one good job leads to another, but all my project managers know, if there is an engineer or building owner who doesn’t know what testing and balancing is … we go in and explain.”

Mechanical Test and Balance currently has one branch with 15 employees in Bolingbrook, Ill., in addition to the headquarters in Indiana. But companies don’t have to be of comparable size to make fire life safety work for them, Larsen said.

Since the beginning of 2010, Mechanical Test and Balance has earned $200,000 in business due to fire life safety inspections, maintenance and repairs.

“If smaller companies don’t have a fire life safety component, they’re missing a huge opportunity. For some of these smaller guys with one- to two-man shops, $100,000 a year is a big deal. That’s 1,000 man hours. That keeps a guy busy for half a year,” Larsen said.

Mechanical Test and Balance, Inc., headquartered in Crown Point, Ind., provides services including HVAC system commissioning, total system analysis, air and hydronic testing and balancing, pressure testing of ductwork, sound measurement and analysis, and fire and life safety inspections to clients, from hospitals and schools to high-rise, commercial and industrial buildings.

Since 1995, the company has been committed to providing excellent customer service along with a wide range of services to meet the public’s needs today and in the future.  Mechanical Test and Balance remains at the forefront of its industry through continued education and the employment of trained, certified sheet metal workers and pipe fitters.  The company is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accredited and is a member of the United States Green Building Council, Testing, Adjusting and Balancing Bureau; Indiana Society for Healthcare Engineering, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers, Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association, and the National Fire Protection Association. For more information please call 219-746-1126 or visit www.mechanicaltestandbalance.com.

For more information on emerging market opportunities in the sheet metal and air conditioning industry, contact the National Energy Management Institute (NEMI) at www.nemionline.org or call 703-739-7100.

HENDERSON, Nev. – The Henderson Libraries Foundation has partnered with the Las Vegas Wranglers hockey team in a fundraiser to benefit the Henderson Libraries’ six locations.

The Foundation is selling advance tickets to the Wranglers vs. Alaska Aces game, which will take place at 7:05 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, at the Orleans Arena, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased from the Henderson Libraries Foundation by calling Matt Hortt or Trudy Casey at 702-492-6580 or emailing Matt at mhortt@hdpl.org through Wednesday, Feb. 1. A percentage from each ticket will be awarded to the foundation, the nonprofit, fundraising organization that supports Henderson Libraries.

The Chuck-A-Puck Program allows fans to purchase pucks to throw onto the ice during the game’s intermission at each home game to win Wranglers prizes. The foundation will sell pucks for $2 each or six pucks for $10 at the game and will receive 30 percent of the night’s sales in addition to tickets purchased in advance.

The money raised will go toward the building the book and other library material collections at the six Henderson Libraries locations.

The Henderson Libraries Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization funded by donations of gifts, grants and bequests, helps Henderson Libraries in its mission to create a literate community by providing financial support over and above the annual operating fund. Henderson Libraries relies on the support of the Foundation to continue to provide funds for the following areas: library collections; outreach services; innovative technology; capital projects; and scholarships.

Established in 1943 as a single library in Downtown Henderson, Henderson Libraries operates six locations throughoutHenderson. Henderson Libraries cooperates with other public libraries in Southern Nevada, the Nevada System of Higher Education, theClarkCountySchool Districtand all other libraries around the state to provide quality service forNevada’s residents.

For additional information on Henderson Libraries and its many services and resources, visit www.mypubliclibrary.com or call 702-492-6581.

LAS VEGAS – In a constant effort to continue her education, Maria NeSmith, community manager with Community Management Group, recently earned her Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA) designation, a national certification for community management and general practices of community management professionals.

Since NeSmith has already earned a Supervising Community Manager’s License, which is the top-rated requirement to practice community management in Nevada, obtaining the CMCA designation was purely optional. However, additional certifications are proof of a manager’s commitment to the profession and the communities they serve.

“I felt it was important to further my education for the benefit of the communities and volunteer board of directors to help them in their task of making sound decisions for their communities,” NeSmith said. “Holding more certifications and actively showing examples of educational benefits help encourage board members to consider the advice of the community manager more when making decisions for their community.”

To earn CMCA designation, community managers enroll in a professional management development program course, which studies the essentials of community association management. After completion of the course and the application, students complete an exam.

In addition to CMCA, NeSmith also has completed the requirements for the Associate Management Specialist (AMS) certification, the second level of career development for community association managers, and is currently completing the application process.

“It goes to show our community managers take their careers seriously, and it’s comforting for homeowners to know they have true professionals working for their best interests,” said Courtney Murphy, president and supervising community manager for Community Management Group. “Continuing education also makes me certain our community managers are as up to date on their career field as possible as well as it shows a commitment to quality.”

Established by longtime Las Vegan Courtney Murphy in 2009, Community Management Group is a Nevada-based community association management company serving assorted planned unit developments in the Las Vegas Valley.

Providing top customer service in all facets of its work, CMG works with homeowners, HOA board members and vendors to assist in decisions to maintain communities’ property values and ensure the preservation of associations’ financial health. The company’s services – handled by a team of certified managers – balance fiscal responsibility, cutting edge technology (which is unique in the field), homeowner education and a positive atmosphere for all its clients, from single family and business parks to condominiums and master planned communities.

For more information on Community Management Group, visit www.cmg-hoa.com, call 702-942-2500, or follow the company on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CMGlv.