Holiday closings

Friday, Dec. 29, 2000 | 10:09 a.m.

New Year's Day has not always been celebrated on Jan. 1. It has been observed as early as Sept. 21 (autumn equinox) and as late as June 21 (summer solstice), depending on the particular culture. In the Middle Ages, the holiday was observed on March 25 by the Julian calendar and was called Annunciation Day -- the day Mary learned she would give birth to Jesus Christ. With the introduction of the Gregorian calendar in 1582, New Year's Day moved to Jan. 1. However, it took some countries many years to switch observance dates. England, for example, did not observe Jan. 1 as New Year's Day until 1752.

Here's what's open and closed New Year's Day Monday (note: some entities open Sunday will be closed or are closing early:

SAFETY: Police and fire emergency services as usual. Administrative offices closed.

UTILITIES: Closed: Nevada Power Co., Sprint, Las Vegas Valley Water District, Southwest Gas, Cox Communications cable television.

GOVERNMENT: Closed: Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Boulder City, Clark County, state, courts, federal offices, federal courthouse.

SCHOOLS: Closed, no classes: Clark County School District, UNLV, Community College of Southern Nevada.

MAIL: Closed: U.S. Postal Service, United Parcel Service.

NEWSPAPER: Sun offices closed. Sun published in combined morning edition with the Review-Journal.

TRANSIT: Downtown Transportation Center: Open; City trolleys: Not running; Citizen Area Transit: Holiday schedule (fewer buses on fixed routes). Note: from 6 p.m. Sunday to 6 p.m. Monday, CAT bus rides on fixed routes are free, and the DTC will be open four hours longer to 2 a.m. Monday.

LIBRARIES: Closed: Las Vegas-Clark County District, Henderson District, North Las Vegas District, Boulder City Municipal.

GARBAGE: Republic Services of Southern Nevada pickups as usual.

MATRIMONY: Marriage License Bureau open 24 hours, starting at 8 a.m. Friday, closing at midnight Tuesday.

FINANCIAL: Banks: State law now allows banks to determine whether they want to close or remain open on holidays as long as they post a holiday's transactions to the next regular business day. The Nevada Division of Financial Institutions recommends that customers check their local branches for holiday hours. Brokerage firms: Closed.

PARKING: City parking metered spaces free.