VETERANS DAY CLOSINGS

Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2004 | 8:33 a.m.

Veterans Day started as Armistice Day on Nov. 11, 1918, to commemorate the end of World War I. Nov. 11 was first proclaimed an annual holiday by Congress in 1926. The name was changed to Veterans Day in 1954 to honor all war veterans. Here's information on activities and what is open and closed Thursday:

ACTIVITIES: The Veterans Day parade begins at 10 a.m. on Fourth Street from Gass Avenue to Ogden Avenue. A celebration ceremony at the Gobel-Lowden Veterans Museum starts at 11 a.m. A remembrance ceremony at the Southern Nevada Veterans Cemetery in Boulder City begins at 1:30 p.m.

SAFETY: Police and fire emergency services are open as usual, but the various departments' administrative offices are closed.

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

GOVERNMENT: All local, state and federal government offices are closed.

SCHOOLS: No classes at Clark County public schools, Community College of Southern Nevada, UNLV.

MAIL: The U.S. Postal Service will not be making deliveries and post offices will be closed.

NEWSPAPER: The Sun offices are open and the afternoon newspaper will be published and delivered as usual.

TRANSIT: Downtown Transportation Center: Open. City Ride natural gas buses: Holiday schedule (one less vehicle in operation). Citizens Area Transit buses: Holiday schedule (fewer buses on fixed routes).

LIBRARIES: vAll the public libraries in the valley are closed as are those in Boulder City.

GARBAGE: Republic Services of Southern Nevada trash collection as usual.

MATRIMONY: The Marriage License Bureau will be open .

FINANCIAL: Most banks are closed, but check your local branch because some banks may opt to stay open. Nevada law allows banks to open on holidays as long as transactions are posted to the next regular business day, which in this case is Friday. Brokerage firms are also open.

PARKING: Las Vegas' metered parking spaces are free.