December 2018 | Jeff Howard's Las Vegas Area Real Estate blog

UNLV and other organizations team up for free Christmas tree recycling

UNLV and community organizations will team up this holiday season to help turn Christmas trees into mulch. This free recycling service will be available at more than 30 locations around the valley beginning Dec. 26 and run through Jan. 15.

The recycled trees are chipped into mulch and used in public gardens and parks across the community, according to a service spokesperson. The trees will help conserve soil moisture, dust control and keep plants healthy.

UNLV recycling manager Tara Pike-Nordstrom stated “Recycling trees is a great way to give back to the community as they stay local and beautify our parks.” More than 15,000 trees were recycled last year into 136 tons of nutrient-rich mulch. Local landfill volume was spared the equivalent of ten school buses.

This community based program was started in 2001 and since then over 227,000 trees have been recycled. The organizers of this event suggest removing all non-organic materials such as lights, wire, tinsel, ornaments, nails, tree stands and any other items that are not part of the tree before recycling it. Also, flocked trees cannot be recycled, and trees more than 5 feet tall should be cut in half.

Las Vegas Cub Scout Pack 219 and Boy Scout Troop 96 will be collecting trees to recycle for residents who want to recycle but are unable to drop off their trees. The scouts earn a conservation badge and raise funds for their organizations.

The Southern Nevada Christmas Tree Recycling Committee is a partnership of local businesses and community agencies, including UNLV’s Rebel Recycling program and the Springs Preserve.

Check here for the closest available locations.

Also, mulch from the trees will be available for free to community members at several valley locations from Dec. 28 to Jan. 14. These spots include Pecos Legacy Park, Acacia Park, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, North Las Vegas Research Center, Demonstration Orchard and its Lifelong Learning Center in Las Vegas.

Pickup times vary, and residents are encouraged to call UNCE’s Clark County office at 702-222-3130.

Are you ready to buy or sell a home? Do you have a need for commercial / industrial / retail space? We can help you with that… just call us at 702 SELL NOW or click on this link to my website http://www.702SellNow.com

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff

Why are you still having packages delivered to your front door?

Do you also still leave your house and car unlocked? Do you leave your purse or wallet on the front porch too? Come on people! There are pirates out there (and I’m not talking the Pirates of Penzance or the Pirates of the Caribbean) Being a porch pirate has become as trendy and cool as the Keto diet and many of you are still hoping you won’t be next, instead of doing something intelligent about it. I regularly see posts on Nextdoor and Facebook about packages being stolen… with a video of the thief! For Pete’s sake, people, stop being a victim!

When it comes to having packages delivered, here are some DO’s and DON’Ts;

DO mail it to a neighbor/friend who is home during the day (make sure you check with them first)

DO use an Amazon Locker [use this link for the words Amazon Locker https://www.amazon.com/primeinsider/tips/amazon-locker-qa.html]

DO mail it to your job (make sure you ask permission first – this will not work for every employer – I’m sure the casinos, for example, do not have the resources to allow for this – but smaller business might).

DO get a mailing address at a local UPS Store or Postnet (you can also get a PO Box, but understand that only the US Postal service can deliver there, so that will eliminate deliveries from FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc.)

DO look for other options – I assure you they exist! I can’t remember where I was recently (I think in a grocery store) – they had an advertisement “Have your packages delivered here… safely” and the reason I don’t remember where I was is because when I read the sign I thought to myself, “I already get my mail at a UPS store, so that is not important for me to remember”

DON’T think your video camera will thwart the attempts – it’s such a low impact crime, the police don’t really have the resources to chase after them and (based on what I see on social media) it’s not slowing anyone down… probably because they know the police do not have the resources. Plus, let’s be honest, if you would just choose a different way to get your packages, the police would have more time to devote to other, less-preventable crimes.

DON’T just build a fence and put a lock on the gate… I have seen many videos of fence-jumping-porch-pirates.

If you feel you MUST have a package delivered to your house when you are not going to be there, at least create some kind of visual barrier for the delivery person to hide the package behind or in… this will at least ensure that the package is not super visible from the street like a neon sign that says “I got this for YOU”. It’s not a great solution, but it will improve your chances, at least slightly. Have you ever heard the saying “locks keep honest people honest”? Do you know what that means? It means, that even a weak lock will protect your items from people who are opportunists, but not career thieves. When the package is visible on your porch, like it or not, you are actually tempting people who might otherwise be reasonably respectable to grab an easy opportunity.

DON’T whine about your missing packages… seriously… if you are not willing to take steps to prevent porch piracy in 2018, then, you’re basically asking for it (I know I’m gonna catch heat for saying that, but), you wouldn’t leave your wallet on the front porch would you? And if you did, you really couldn’t be surprised that someone took it.

One last DON’T… DON’T booby-trap your packages… as much as I completely feel that the porch pirates (and all thieves) should feel consequences, in this country, you can be held civilly & criminally liable for hurting these people… that means they could sue you (and win) and you could end up with jail time. It’s just not worth it!

AND… if you want me to, I will accept your packages safely at my office near Summerlin… just call me in advance so I know to expect them and I can call or email you when they arrive!

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff

Las Vegas Little Theatre will be showing Assassins January 19 through February 3

Assassins is a historical “revusical” with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and the book by John Weidman. The play explores the dark side of the Americas assassins from John Wilkes Booth to Lee Harvey Oswald and others from different periods from our historic past.

This play takes the audience on a scary roller coaster ride where these assassins and would be assassins from different historical periods meet, interact and encourage each other to do disturbing acts in the name of the American Dream. This is a darkly humorous musical review that depicts nine misfit men and women who attempted (four of them successfully) to assassinate American Presidents.

Las Vegas Little Theatre is theatre by the community, for the community. It is an amateur theatre company founded in 1978 by Jack Bell and Jack Nicholson and was launched in a converted storefront with an initial seating capacity of 48.

The Las Vegas Little Theatre’s mission has always been: To increase the awareness of theatre arts in Southern Nevada, provide quality productions, and to offer educational, hands-on opportunities in all facets of theatre production.

The current home was renovated with the help of professional design services, donations from patrons and local businesses, and countless hours of sweat and of dedicated volunteers. The long-range goal is to secure a permanent, LVLT-owned facility in which to stage our productions and offer increased services to the community.

This project is funded in part by a grant from the Nevada Arts Council, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

For tickets go to: http://www.lvlt.org/contact

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff

Concerts at the Encore Theater are more than just a concert!

If you have not seen one of the concerts the Wynn puts on in their intimate little 1,500 seat Encore Theater, you are missing out on a wonderful show. I’ve now seen Garth Brooks, Billy Joel & John Fogarty there… When I saw Billy Joel, I was enthralled by the stories he told between songs. He talked about his journey through music as if he were talking to Barbara Walters… (I thought maybe she was in the audience). Now, I have seen Billy Joel 4 other times in concert, however, I enjoyed this one the most (by far…) but I just thought he was choosing a different approach, and I felt lucky to have experienced it.

A few months later I was invited to see Garth Brooks perform there, and although I’m not a real big fan of his music, I always love a good concert and figured he would be very entertaining. He opened the show talking about the music played in his home growing up, and (again) took the audience through his journey in a way that made me feel like we had become friends. Of course, he played plenty of music, but it was more than a concert; it was like we were in his living room.

And again, a few months later I took the opportunity to go see John Fogarty at the Wynn… I’ve always loved CCR and just never saw him perform previously. It was not until my 3rd show at the same venue that I realized that the Wynn was approaching concerts very differently. Of course I’ve been to a couple of shows where the artist spouted some political point of view about guns or war or Apartheid or whatever was the hot topic at the time, and many artists will pepper their show with brief anecdotes. But John told a captivating tale about his first guitar… and how much it meant to him… and why he gave it to a poor musician who showed promise… He talked about the honor of having certain other musicians “cover” his music, and various other stories, and he was so human… once again I left there feeling like we had really connected.

What I eventually decided was that these concerts were more than concerts. They were intimate gatherings with real people, who have great stories to tell, and since at least pre-school, I have loved story-time and I have loved great music. John Fogarty is performing there again in April and Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson & Sarah McLaughlan all have 2019 dates there. Go to https://www.wynnlasvegas.com/Entertainment for details and get tickets. I’m betting you’ll have a concert experience unlike any you’ve had before. And you may even run into me in the refreshments line.

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff

Lee Canyon is officially open for the winter season

Grab your skis and snowboards and head to Lee Canyon where you will find a fresh blanket fresh blanket of snow. Who’s ready to go up?

Lee Canyon welcomed skiers and snowboarders Friday morning with around five inches of new snow – how perfect is that? The resort’s daily winter hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Lee Canyon Ski and Snowboard Resort, officially Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort, is located in Lee Canyon, 35 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada, in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and Spring Mountains National Recreation Area. The base lodge is situated at the base of Lee Peak with an elevation of 11,289 feet to the north of Mount Charleston, the eighth highest peak in Nevada at 11,916 feet. The resort can be reached via US 95 to Nevada State Route 156.

Lots of people find it fun to ski and ride during the day and return to the glitz and glamour for night life. My friends and I have gone there on many occasions for a half-day. The Resort averages over 300 days of sunshine and 240 inches of annual snowfall and offers 195 acres of lift served terrain as well as 250 acres of hike-to terrain. Terrain Park also offers a variety of features including table-top jumps and assorted rails. Guest can also visit the Big Horn Grill or Bristlecone Bar for dining and beverage options.

Since the early 1930s, Las Vegas locals and visitors alike have enjoyed the snow on wind protected, north-facing slopes. In the 1940s the Las Vegas Ski Club operated a short rope tow and a warming hut.

The Lee Canyon Ski Area was created in 1964, when the Forest Service issued a Special Use Permit in order to provide winter recreation options in Southern Nevada. During the 1960s, the Las Vegas gaming industry was booming, and winter sports enthusiasts were pleased to find a high alpine environment in the middle of the desert, only one hour away from the Las Vegas Strip. A T-Bar was installed, the A-Frame Chalet was completed, and in 1968 the first chairlift, Chair One, was installed to access higher elevations along with a rope tow on the beginner hill. The main lodge building was completed in February, 1970.

In 1980, Chair Two replaced the T-Bar and the runs were improved for better skiing conditions. In 1982, the beginner slope received Chair Three, replacing the rope tow. In 1987 snowmaking came to Lee Canyon, providing 60% coverage on the main trails. Snowboarding was not allowed until the late 80’s. 1988 saw outdoor lighting to brighten the slopes for the first time, bringing night skiing to the area.

Lee Canyon Ski Area officially became Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort in 1995, just one year after I made my first trek up there. During the 1990s snowboarding forever changed the LVSSR with a freestyle terrain park, half pipe and local competitions.

Big changes occurred in November 2003 when Powdr Corporation, based in Park City, Utah acquired LVSSR. Among the improvements Powdr implemented at LVSSR were improved snowmaking, rental equipment, a Magic Carpet surface lift, expanded terrain park, and improved terrain on the beginner slope.

In 2005 a triple chairlift was installed to replace the yellow double chairlift, Chair One. Further improvements were made to the snowmaking system. The future of LVSSR was submitted to the Forest Service in a new Master Plan proposal.

Lee Canyon’s 2018-19 winter season is expected to run through April 2019, weather permitting.

For information on the opening of additional amenities, and pricing for season passes, lift tickets, and tubing go to https://www.leecanyonlv.com and I’ll see you on the slopes!

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff

Global Winter Wonderland at the Rio Hotel

The Global Winter Wonderland is a 38 day festival that starts on December 14, 2018 and runs thru January 20, 2019. This event celebrates diversity and the holiday season, with music, entertainment and food from around the globe, and there are beautiful Chinese lantern creations that are at the heart of this celebration. Global Winter Wonderland is a family event that gives those who attend an overall experience that satisfies all of the senses! Oh and by the way if you buy your tickets at Walgreens you get 50 % off each ticket!

This year the decorations will push the limits of the imagination and innovation to deliver an event that will set an entirely new standard on what a festival is. The Global Winter Wonderland is great for kids and adults alike.

You can travel the world in one night at Global Winter Wonderland 2018 Las Vegas! Celebrate the holidays by visiting some of the world’s most iconic landmarks, all in one night. You don’t need airline tickets or your suitcase; Global Winter Wonderland is the premiere “Chinese Lantern festival” in the United States and this holiday season we will bring the world to you! The displays go by continent so the following is a little guideline of what to expect – and you will see a lot more.

Europe -Although many people celebrate Christmas on December 25^th, in France the festive season officially begins on December 6^th – St Nicholas Day. It used to be the custom that on this day gifts would be exchanged but now the tradition has been postponed to Christmas Eve when Père Noël (Father Christmas) visits the well-behaved children around France.

Asia –On the mainland, the small percentage of Chinese citizens who consider themselves Christians unofficially as well as many other non-Christian individuals celebrate Christmas-like festivities. Many customs, including sending cards, exchanging gifts, and hanging stockings are very similar to Western celebrations.

North America -Christmas is observed widely on December 25th. Governments recognizing the holiday include those of: the United States, where it is a federal holiday for federal employees and a legal holiday in the respective states; Canada, where it is a nationwide statutory holiday; and Mexico, where it is also a nationwide statutory holiday.

Central America includes some parts of Mexico and Mexican Christmas is filled with over 30 traditions found only within Mexican Christmas. Over nine days, groups of townspeople go from door to door in a fashion of when the parents of the unborn baby Jesus Christ looked for shelter to pass the night when they arrived at Bethlehem, and are periodically called inside homes to participate in the breaking of a candy-filled piñata.

On the continent of Africa Christmas Day is a public holiday in Eritrea that is celebrated on January 7th or on 27th Tahsas of the Ethiopian calendars. Christmas is called Ledet in Eritrea or Gena in Ethiopia. Many people who are Christian in these two countries fast for 40 days (it is called fast of the prophets).

Christmas traditions in Australia and New Zealand have many similarities to British, Irish, American and Canadian traditions, including traditional Christmas symbols featuring winter iconography. This means a red fur-coated Santa Claus riding a sleigh, songs such as Jingle Bells, and various Christmas scenes on Christmas cards and decorations.

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff

Stay safe when decorating your Home for the Holidays

It’s that time of year again to get the holiday ornaments, lights and other decorations to make your home more festive both inside and out.

When putting up the Christmas tree make sure your ladder is sturdy and has good “footing”. Did you know that at this time of year there are typically about 15,000 people that visit the ER? Half of these injuries come from falling off ladders while putting up holiday decorations in high places inside or outside of the home.

Make sure your tree is not too close to heat sources from fireplaces, radiators or candles – the tree can go up in flames pretty quickly. Also, if you have a real tree, keep it well watered so it doesn’t dry out too quickly.

We all love holiday lights however you can easily overload your electrical system with flashing lights. Add up the total amount of amps used by your string lights that are using the same electrical source. Also make sure any extension cord you use you’re your circuit breaker can handle the total amount of amps.

For you outdoor decorations make sure you use GFCI outlets (that’s the one with the reset button on it) – this type of outlet should be installed anywhere there is a risk of electricity mixing with water.

I want you and your loved ones to have a wonderful and safe holiday season so take the extra time to check and double check to make sure your home is safe – it’s really difficult to climb down the chimney as Santa when you are on crutches!! Plus those ER bills really cut into your gift budget!

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff