Features

“The Animals Thanksgiving" narrator Vincent Pacheco told his packed classroom at Sierra Vista Elementary that Thanksgiving Day is a happy holiday, filled with good eating and family fun. 

It’s winter again, cold, and there’s snow on the ground.

But I LIKE snow on the ground. 

Every time we get snow on the ground, it is a prime opportunity to go outside and do some basic observation.

Krystle King and Tamara Naranjo are the head coaches of the 2009 varsity cheerleader squads for the East and West school districts. Both have championship rings and great histories in their own right and lead their perspective squads to do what cheerleaders have always done — lead.

“A cheerleader means taking academics seriously, it means making sure when someone is down, you get them up. It is an honor, a responsibility and a privilege to wear that uniform,” King said.

A U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter swept through the blue skies above a crowd of Las Vegans during Veterans Day services.

David Salazar, a veteran and County Commission chairman, reminded the audience of sacrifices made by veterans.

“I have had the opportunity to speak to a variety of audiences, but I have never spoken to an audience that represents those people who have given up more and done more for our country than American veterans. We all know or have heard of the men and women who went off to fight and never returned.”

The lion is still with us; you just can’t see him.

Last month, a construction crew surrounded New Town’s lion fountain statue with a small wooden building, complete with a pitched roof.

This was done after a study found that the statue in Lion’s Park was in poor condition. Officials feared that cold weather would further damage it.

The lion statue, which is at Lincoln and Grand avenues, has taken a beating over the years, its tail broken off and upper lip removed. Graffiti partially covers it.

Civil War Pvt. Chauncey Flower was remembered for his service to his country in a tribute that included the always stirring playing of taps.

Las Vegas veterans representing Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1547, along with Flower’s great grandchildren and a few guests, honored the fallen soldier who is buried in the state hospital’s cemetery.

Enlisting as a private in Company G, 56th Infantry Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Militia of 1863, Flower came forward during a moment of pressing need. But his life was also colorful and at times tragic.

Martha Johnsen says she’s a “hometown girl,” and with the exception of working for NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston for about year and a half, she has always lived in Las Vegas.

“This town has everything. We have history, we have the really fun notoriety, we have the architecture, many natural resources that are accessible and close by, and I just love the people. I love going out and running into somebody I know — I love that feeling and I don’t think it can be equaled,” Johnsen said.

Highlands University’s refurbished engineering building on 11th Street will go a long way in helping students who often struggle with math and science, officials say.

“This is going to be a building that’s really going to help our students learn to some basic math and science skills, and go on to better their lives.,” said Bill Taylor, the university’s vice president for finance and administration.

Ten local dancers got to show off their moves far away from the Meadow City.

In August, the dancers between the ages of 12 and 15 attended a weeklong global dance conference in Kingston, Jamaica. Sponsored by Dance and the Child International and hosted jointly by the University of the West Indies and Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, the conference was open to dancers and dance companies.

The dancers are members of the Las Vegas Children’s Dance Theater under the direction of Kathleen Kingsley.