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StumbleConstruction about to begin on veterans clinic
VA building four clinics and a full-service hospital in Southern Nevada
(Left) John Bright, medical center director for the Department of Veterans Affairs, Mayor Oscar Goodman and Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley prepare to shovel Friday, March 5, 2010 at the construction site of Las Vegas’ new veterans’ outpatient clinic.
Friday, March 5, 2010 | 6:55 p.m.
Dirt has been tossed and construction will soon begin on a new outpatient veterans health care clinic in Southern Nevada.
U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley, Mayor Oscar Goodman and Councilman Steven Ross all attended a ground-breaking ceremony Friday at the clinic site at Rancho Drive and Alexander Road.
“It will employ a few hundred people and service thousands of servicemen and women,” Berkley said. “It’s a win-win for all of us.”
Berkley said she fought in Washington, D.C., for the approval of the clinic because so many veterans aren’t receiving proper treatment.
The clinic is one of four VA clinics scheduled to be built in Southern Nevada.
John Bright, medical center director for the Department of Veterans Affairs, said another facility will be built in Laughlin.
The clinic in Laughlin will be a smaller one that will serve about 1,500 veterans, whereas the clinic in Las Vegas will provide health care to about 10,500, he said.
All four clinics and the valley’s first full-service VA hospital near Interstate 215 and Pecos Road are expected to provide about 1,000 new jobs with the VA, Bright said.
Goodman said Las Vegas has a special relationship with its veterans and tries to show appreciation for their service.
“We have the largest Veterans Day parade west of the Mississippi and will probably have the largest one in the U.S. this year,” he said.
After the ceremony, Berkley greeted veterans who said they are thankful for more health care facilities.
World War II veteran Raymond Hansen, 90, said the new clinic’s location on Alexander Road will make it easier for his son-in-law, Lex Anderson, 67, to take him for appointments.
Until the facility is completed, Anderson said, he will take Hansen to the Mike O’Callaghan Federal Hospital at the Nellis Air Force Base.
“It’s long overdue, and it’s great to have in this community,” Anderson said.
The four clinics are expected to open in 2011. The new VA hospital is scheduled to open in 2012.
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Good to see Steve Ross, the Union whore and his buncha' pols at the jobsite. You can be sure this will be a slow motion "don't kill the job, kid" masterpiece. Wonder what it will really cost...
Why don't you organize ned?
Now the New hospital is scheduled for completion in 2012. They have been building this for 5-7 years . Don't hold your breadth re completion in 2012. Most likely when it opens it will be too small!!