Jeremy Twitchell

Story Archive

Henderson buys out more than 100 employees: City Council authorizes up to $11 million to fund the program; Thursday, June 18, 2009; Henderson’s offer to buy out veteran employees has had 104 takers with about three weeks to go, and the City Council unanimously authorized up to $11 million to fund the program. The city has spent about $10 million so far, and 63 of the 104 employees who took the buyouts have already left.
Henderson transferring land for teaching clinic, vocational training center: Lili Claire Foundation assists people who suffer from neurogenetic conditions; Thursday, June 18, 2009; The city of Henderson is moving forward with the transfer of five undeveloped acres near Nevada State College to the Lili Claire Foundation, a non-profit organization that assists children with neurogenetic conditions such as Down Syndrome and autism. The Henderson City Council unanimously approved a resolution June 9 to proceed with the transaction and set a sale price of $292.63 — the cost the city paid to acquire the land, as mandated by its charter. Final approval of the sale is scheduled for July 21.
Students' inventions help the disabled: Thursday, June 18, 2009; A glue-gun base became an invaluable welding tool, a pool ladder became a support stand and a wooden disc became new hope for disabled cowboys. Those are just a few examples of the creative responses 25 Touro University students seeking master’s degrees in occupational therapy came up with when charged to invent a product to improve a disabled person’s quality of life. The students unveiled their creations this morning at the Henderson university’s Fourth Annual Assistive Technology Fair.
Henderson day care expansion gets city's approval: Wednesday, June 17, 2009; The Henderson City Council on Tuesday unanimously upheld the Planning Commission’s decision to grant a day care owner in the Mission Hills neighborhood permission to double the size of her facility and to add a 40-bed assisted living facility for seniors.
Henderson City Council briefs: Wednesday, June 17, 2009; The Henderson City Council opened its June 16 meeting with a proclamation designating July as Flash Flood Awareness Month. The proclamation was drawn up in partnership with the Regional Flood Control District. It reminds residents that July through September are traditionally the months with the greatest risk of flash flooding.
Strapped city crosses fingers for tax revenue improvement: As Henderson tax revenue continues decline, officials’ anxiety increases; Wednesday, June 17, 2009; Henderson’s share of consolidated tax revenues declined for the 25th straight month in March, leaving the city waiting for the April numbers expected to be released next week with bated breath. The April numbers could be a major turning point in deciding whether the city is able to ride out the economic storm with the budget cuts and adjustments it has made, or whether deeper cuts will be necessary.
Henderson swears in new mayor, council member: Tuesday, June 16, 2009; Andy Hafen on Tuesday night vacated the Henderson City Council seat he has held for 22 years to be sworn in as mayor, while Kathleen Boutin took her oath of office to represent Ward III. Hafen replaces former Mayor James B. Gibson.
Former Henderson mayor joining The Greenspun Corporation: Tuesday, June 16, 2009; James B. Gibson, who recently completed his 12-year tenure as the City of Henderson's longest-serving mayor, has joined The Greenspun Corporation as senior vice president, it was announced Tuesday.
From upstart to $1 billion behemoth, Zappos marks 10 years: Company hoping for similar growth in the next decade; Tuesday, June 16, 2009; In the lobby of Zappos.com’s corporate office in Henderson, amid plaques, awards and framed magazine articles about the company on display, are a pair of nondescript brown Airwalk shoes and a photo of small San Francisco home. They look out of place, but they represent the company’s humble beginnings.
Anthony's 10-vote win in Ward 4 withstands recount: Monday, June 15, 2009; Stavros Anthony's 10-vote margin of victory in the Las Vegas City Council's Ward 4 race withstood a challenge from opponent Glenn Trowbridge today, as a recount confirmed the election's outcome.
Henderson considers closing city offices on Fridays: Change could save city $1.6 million a year and could begin July 1; Sunday, June 14, 2009; On a Friday morning, Henderson’s cavernous Development Services Center feels particularly empty. Aside from shoes squeaking as the occasional customer or employee walks the freshly cleaned floor, the only thing to punctuate the quiet is the loudspeaker that announces the next number to be served. It’s one reason the Henderson City Council is scheduled to consider a measure Tuesday to close City Hall altogether on Fridays.
UNLV survey aims for insight into sustainability: Friday, June 12, 2009; Sociology professors and graduate students at UNLV have begun a valley-wide study to gauge residents’ perceptions and opinions regarding issues of sustainability.
Trowbridge files for recount in Ward 4 race: Thursday, June 11, 2009; After calling his 10-vote loss to Stavros Anthony a "statistical tie" in the June 2 race for the Las Vegas City Council Ward 4 seat, Glenn Trowbridge filed a recount request with the city this morning.
City Council gives final OK to plan to revamp Boulder corridor: Thursday, June 11, 2009; After more than two years of planning, several public meetings and hundreds of comments, Henderson’s plan to reshape Boulder Highway into a sleek corridor of modern, mixed-use developments won final approval from the City Council.
Kirk seeking recount in Henderson mayor's race: Thursday, June 11, 2009; After losing the June 2 Henderson mayoral election to fellow City Councilman Andy Hafen by a scant 45 votes out of 19,355 cast, Steve Kirk has informed the city that he intends to request a recount. Kirk has until Friday — three days after the City Council certified the election Tuesday night — to file the request.
Study: Plenty of options to improve parking on Water Street: Wednesday, June 10, 2009; The $137,000 study the Henderson City Council commissioned last year to come up with ways to meet parking needs in downtown’s Water Street District has been completed.
Henderson City Council briefs: Wednesday, June 10, 2009; On the day that longtime Mayor James B. Gibson and Councilman Jack Clark marked their final City Council meeting as elected officials June 9, the City Council paused to recognize retiring city spokeswoman Cindy Herman. Herman, a lifelong Henderson resident who has worked for the city for 25 years in various capacities, has been Henderson’s public information manager since 2002. She oversees the city’s internal and external communications.
Gibson reflects on 12 years as mayor of Henderson: Mayor has seen city though population boom; Wednesday, June 10, 2009; After 12 years in Henderson’s top office, Mayor James B. Gibson woke up Tuesday to the morning of his last City Council meeting. “I have mixed emotions about it,” he said as he drove to work on June 9. “I look forward to change like most people do. I have a lot of confidence in those who are left behind and the staff we’ve assembled. But, predictably, I have mixed emotions.”
Jack Clark leaves Henderson City Council after 16 years: Wednesday, June 10, 2009; A few days before his final meeting June 9, Henderson City Councilman Jack Clark had his city office stripped bare except for a few odd charts and maps related to the upcoming meeting. Gone were all the souvenirs, trinkets and random odds and ends he had collected over his 16 years in office — the die-cast cars, the Elvis head, the stuffed monkey — things he allowed to accumulate to give the office a homey, welcoming feel.
Henderson, unions approve deals, minus pay hikes: Wednesday, June 10, 2009; Three of the four unions representing Henderson city employees have accepted labor agreements for the upcoming year that eliminate cost-of-living increases.
Henderson narrowly OKs $21 million for museum: Tuesday, June 9, 2009; In a rare split vote, the Henderson City Council awarded $21 million from the city's land fund Tuesday night to the council-appointed board trying to raise funds to build a space and science center.
Henderson City Council adopts conservation plan: Thursday, June 4, 2009; Henderson’s broadly stated goal of improving efficiency and sustainability throughout the city has become a little more specific now that the City Council’s has adopted a new sustainability action plan. The plan includes 21 goals broken down into 48 objectives in areas such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, water conservation, recycling, urban design, open space management, transportation and environmental health.
Late mail ballots won't affect Las Vegas council race: Thursday, June 4, 2009; Two days after Stavros Anthony edged Glenn Trowbridge for the Ward 4 seat on the Las Vegas City Council by just 10 votes, Mayor Oscar Goodman announced this morning that the city found 18 mail ballots Wednesday that weren't counted.
Workshops focus on maintaining home values: Wednesday, June 3, 2009; As home values in the Las Vegas Valley continue their downward slide, the city of Henderson is offering free classes this month to help homeowners preserve what value they can. The initial Maintaining the Value of Your Home Workshop will be offered tonight from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Black Mountain Recreation Center, 599 Greenway Road. It will be repeated at various locations throughout the city on June 8, 17, 23 and July 1.
Hafen victorious in see-saw battle for Henderson mayor: Tuesday, June 2, 2009; Although Steve Kirk led at one time by as many as 82 votes, fellow Henderson City Council member Andy Hafen rallied in the end and won Tuesday’s race for Henderson mayor by only 45 votes out of 19,355 cast.
Polls close amid light municipal election turnout: Voters deciding mayoral, city council races; Tuesday, June 2, 2009; Polls have closed across Southern Nevada as voters decided races in five Clark County municipalities. County Registrar Larry Lomax said turnout was light. By 3 p.m., 8,563 voters had cast a ballot in the five county municipalities, including Mesquite. In Clark County, 277,253 people are eligible to vote in this election.
Henderson planners OK day care expansion: Mission Hills neighbors split over project in rural preservation area; Monday, June 1, 2009; A request to expand a day care and add an assisted living facility within the Mission Hills Rural Preservation Overlay divided neighborhood residents last week at a Planning Commission hearing. Commissioners on May 28 unanimously approved the assisted living facility and approved the day care expansion on a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner George Bochanis in dissent.
Henderson Planning Commission delays vote on power lines: Friday, May 29, 2009; For the second time, the Henderson Planning Commission delayed action Thursday night on a controversial power line proposal in east Henderson. NV Energy has requested a use permit to upgrade a three-line, 69 kilovolt transmission line that runs through the Section 4 and Tuscany neighborhoods to a four-line, 230 kilovolt line. The change would require the utility company to replace the present line’s 36-foot wooden poles with 130-foot metal poles.
Workforce Investment Act debated at public hearing in Henderson: Friday, May 29, 2009; Representatives Dina Titus, D-Nev., and Ruben Hinojosa, D-Texas, were at Nevada State College in Henderson this morning for a field hearing regarding the re-authorization of the Workforce Investment Act. The act, signed into law in 1998, aims to coordinate and consolidate employment, vocational and literacy training programs. But after 11 years of mixed results, representatives tasked with retooling it are holding public hearings in Washington, D.C., and other sites around the country to gather input from the businesses, workers and trainers on the front lines of job training programs.
Grant to restore cancer programs at UMC: Budget cuts forced UMC to cut oncology program last year; Thursday, May 28, 2009; New digs, additional services and a $3 million grant will allow University Medical Center and the Nevada Cancer Institute to restore cancer treatment programs that the hospital lost in November amid state budget cuts. A new partnership announced today will allow the Nevada Cancer Institute to open a satellite treatment center inside UMC early next year.
Henderson mayoral candidates set spending record: Kirk, Hafen spend a combined $769,000 on their campaigns; Wednesday, May 27, 2009; Henderson City Council members Andy Hafen and Steve Kirk are spending record-breaking amounts of money in their quest to become Henderson’s next mayor, shelling out a combined total of nearly $800,000 thus far.
New city manager ready for challenges facing Henderson: Wednesday, May 27, 2009; Sitting in his office on the fourth floor at Henderson City Hall, newly appointed City Manager Mark Calhoun smiled as he talked about a conversation he had with City Attorney Shauna Hughes during contract negotiations. She asked him if he was sure he wanted the job. It was meant as a joke, of course, but if there was ever a time to prove the old adage that there is truth in jest, this could be it.
Car show driving business to plaza: Saturday, May 23, 2009; Since about 7 a.m., the Sansone Park Place shopping center on the east side of Eastern Avenue at Richmar Avenue has had a full parking lot. And it’s not SUVs and minivans, either. Under the morning sun, a dazzling array of painstakingly maintained classic cars, muscle cars and exotics mingle and shine in the sun.
Henderson OKs funds to prepare for moving water, sewer lines: Proposed Boulder City bypass would force neighboring city to dig up pipes; Thursday, May 21, 2009; Boulder City’s hopes for a new bypass to route heavy traffic around the town are having financial ramifications in Henderson. The Henderson City Council unanimously authorized $100,000 Tuesday night for city engineers to plan the relocation of about one mile of city water and sewer lines that would be displaced if the project becomes a reality.
Henderson moving to electronic billing for utilities: Thursday, May 21, 2009; Henderson utility customers will soon have the option of going paperless after the City Council unanimously approved a contract to make the Department of Utility Services’ billing system electronic. Customers can already pay their bills online. The new system will do away with the need for paper statements, which will be able to be delivered via e-mail.
Henderson City Council briefs: Thursday, May 21, 2009; News briefs from Tuesday's Henderson City Council meeting.
Henderson names new city manager: Wednesday, May 20, 2009; The Henderson City Council unanimously voted to take the interim out of Mark Calhoun’s title of interim city manager, appointing him to the city’s top non-elected position for a three-year period Tuesday night.
With less revenue, Henderson approves slimmer budget: Tuesday, May 19, 2009; The Henderson City Council approved a nearly $548 million budget Tuesday night, marking a $69 million decrease from the budget it approved one year ago.
Career fair draws thousands for CityCenter, other jobs: Out-of-work residents comb through jobs as valley's unemployment rate increases; Tuesday, May 19, 2009; Thousands of job seekers converged on Green Valley Ranch Resort this afternoon for a chance at one of 14,000 job openings represented at the Opportunity Boulevard Summer Career Fair. Event organizers said the majority -- about 12,500 -- of the jobs were at CityCenter, but the other 50 companies and schools that registered to take part represented a broad offering to job seekers. Organizers estimated more than 5,000 people attended the job fair.
Plans taking shape to widen part of Water Street: Saturday, May 16, 2009; The Henderson Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval May 14 of a long-term plan to widen Water Street along the section that runs between the new Lake Mead Crossing shopping center and the so-called Triangle Neighborhood.
Mother of slain Calif. girl gives advice to local officials: Erin Runnion, whose daughter Samantha was murdered in 2002, speaks at volunteer training session; Friday, May 15, 2009; The mother of a young girl who was abducted and murdered in California in 2002 spent this morning in Henderson training local volunteers as part of a nationwide effort to spare other families from her experience.
Henderson City Council candidates stress experience: Boutin, Rosenfield say background is what differentiates, qualifies them; Thursday, May 14, 2009; For the two candidates seeking the Ward III seat on the Henderson City Council, the race isn't a question of how much experience their opponent has, but rather what kind.
Mayoral candidates try to differentiate themselves: Early voting begins Saturday as Andy Hafen, Steve Kirk vie for votes; Wednesday, May 13, 2009; After a few minutes of discussion about eliminating cost-of-living raises for city supervisors and executives, Henderson Mayor James B. Gibson called for a vote.
Declining revenue forces RTC to scale back road projects: Wednesday, May 13, 2009; With tax revenues that support local road projects on the decline, the Regional Transportation Commission and its member jurisdictions are being forced to re-evaluate their construction slates.
St. Rose Dominican Hospitals bans smoking outright: Ban extends to parking lots and any other hospital property; Saturday, May 9, 2009; Beginning July 1, the smoking ban inside St. Rose Dominican Hospitals’ three campuses in Henderson and Las Vegas will extend to hospital grounds as well. The ban will mean that nobody — patient, employee or visitor — will be able to smoke outside the hospitals, in the parking lots or on any other hospital-owned property. It will apply to the hospital system’s other facilities and offices as well.
Chalk it up to ArtFest: Annual festival adds facet to show; Saturday, May 9, 2009; High school students worked alongside professional artists at the 12th annual Henderson ArtFest, which features three days of displays, demonstrations and live entertainment.
Henderson City Council briefs: Wednesday, May 6, 2009; The Henderson City Council last night approved the design standards for a conservation-themed development to be built on 700 acres between Inspirada and the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area. The land is within Henderson but is owned by the Bureau of Land Management and slated for future auction to private developers.
Henderson negotiating to scrap cost-of-living raises: Wednesday, May 6, 2009; The Henderson City Council unanimously voted Tuesday night to scrap an automatic 3.5 percent raise for non-union supervisors and executives, while announcing that it had reached a tentative agreement with its police unions to do the same.
Pueblo Boulevard to be extended: Wednesday, May 6, 2009; A road that figures into major redevelopment plans the city of Henderson has along Boulder Highway is scheduled to be extended using construction funds from the Regional Transportation Commission. Pueblo Boulevard is a two-lane road that runs south from Lake Mead Parkway to Concord Way, two blocks shy of Boulder Highway.
Groups join forces to rally against budget cuts: Advocates ask lawmakers to look elsewhere in balancing the budget; Monday, May 4, 2009; Representatives from labor, education and senior groups, among others, sent out an SOS for concerned citizens to rally against proposed budget cuts Monday evening in the Clark County Commission chambers. Thirteen groups, including the Nevada Parent Teacher Association, Nevada AFL-CIO and Nevada Alliance for Retired Americans formed the Save Our State Coalition to speak out against proposed cuts in education, health care, senior support programs and other areas that they say would create more problems than they would fix.