Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions nationwide and it’s a problem on the minds of  many parents in Las Vegas and all across the country. As you probably know, First Lady Michelle Obama heads the Childhood Obesity Task Force and was instrumental in launching the “Let’s Move” campaign. Right here in Southern Nevada our own public television station (Vegas PBS) has taken up the challenge to make a real and lasting difference in the health and well being of kids in our community. This is an effort we can all be grateful for.

Vegas PBS Keeping Kids Fit (KKF) is a true community outreach program that connects with partners both locally and nationally to make a dedicated long-term impact on the dietary and physical activity habits of children ages 2 thru 12 in Greater Las Vegas, with a special focus on young people from underprivileged backgrounds. KKF will distribute and promote educational information on the nutritional value of various foods, conduct interactive workshops throughout the Vegas valley and provide guidance and support to parents as they seek to structure a more healthful daily lifestyle for the entire family.

Without question, regular exercise is a key component in the effort to combat childhood obesity in Las Vegas.  You can do your part to help fight this battle by becoming a sponsor for the Inaugural Vegas PBS 5K Run and 1 Mile Walk – benefiting the Keeping Kids Fit Program. The date is Saturday, October 9th at the Vegas PBS Educational Technology Campus and the race and walk begin at 8am. The Michelle Sterling Las Vegas Real Estate Team urges you to come out and support this important new initiative by Vegas PBS to increase the health, fitness and vitality of Southern Nevada’s precious children.

The Black Mountain Institute of Las Vegas, an International Center for Creative Writers and Scholars, holds public symposiums involving the nation’s top names in literature (among it’s many scholarly activities).  This highly significant contribution to literary culture, based right here in Las Vegas, is one of the jewels of our public life. The institute will be presenting “The Death of Old News” at the University of Nevada Las Vegas student union ballroom tonight at 7pm. In attendance will be one of my all time favorites in the news business … Jim Lehrer of the PBS Newshour as well as Alex Jones – director of the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics, and Public Policy at Harvard University. There is no charge to attend this timely and highly relevant discussion and the public is enthusiastically invited. This is a great opportunity to hear the views of leading minds on the subject of where the news business is headed in the 21st century and how cable channels and the Internet influence the information dissemination process. Hope to see you there !!

We hear lots of not so good news in Las Vegas these days. We hear about a lot of Government waste these days. But today, we get some good news on both fronts!  Good news for the citizens and students of Las Vegas and yes, brace yourself, good news about creative, responsible use of public funds and facilities. The Michelle Sterling Las Vegas real estate team is proud to tell this uplifting story of effective collaboration for the public good on our blog.

A new firehouse opened in Las Vegas this week. It is the first of it’s kind in the country. Seems the city couldn’t find affordable land, and the College of Southern Nevada didn’t have enough classrooms for it’s students wanting to study fire sciences. Spearheaded by Las Vegas City Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian, the City and the College entered into a joint effort to house fireman and educate students in the same facility.  The land the firehouse sits on was donated to The City of Las Vegas by the College of Southern Nevada.

Station 6, located on the West Charleston Campus of CSN has three classrooms for CSN fire science students, an exercise room for firefighters, as well as a kitchen and sleeping areas for the firemen.  A glass wall gives students a front row view of the station’s equipment room, as well as a real life glimpse into the day-to-day life of firefighters. Taking it one step further, Bart Mangino, Principal of nearby Bonanza High school worked hard to create a career technical academy for his high school students. Those students will be able to earn college credits through the program. 

And to top it all off: the building came in under budget and includes solar panels to save money on energy. In a time of abundant negativity and mud-slinging, it truly is uplifting to see our community leaders collaborating on solutions that benefit the public, provide education and save money!  Wow !!  It is a good news day for Las Vegas without question. 

Let’s hope none of us ever need the services of Station 6 at our Las Vegas homes. But if we do, isn’t it comforting to know they are there.

The citizens of Nevada lost one of our most dedicated public servants, statesmen and beloved treasures last week. On Thursday, July 22, 2010 former Nevada Governor Kenny C. Guinn passed away at his Las Vegas home while attending to repairs on his own roof. His loss leaves a gaping hole in our state and in our hearts.

His long list of contributions have benefited the citizens of Nevada immeasurably. His brilliant financial aptitude, his natural leadership ability, his fervent, unrelenting passion for education, his genuine compassion for his fellow man and his courage to choose people over politics made him the most effective and productive Governor Nevada has ever had.

Hailing from the very humble beginnings of a share cropper’s family in central California, Guinn always made education his number one priority. He and wife Dema met as children, dated as teenagers, and recently celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary.

Governor Guinn was an intelligent, compassionate man and a fearless leader. He rose to the top of every arena he chose to enter, starting with the one he remained most passionate about, education. After serving in a low end administrative position with the Clark County School District for only 5 years, at the age of 32, Guinn was appointed as Superintendent of the Clark County School District; a post he held from 1969 – 1978. His dedication to the education of Nevada students remained a constant throughout his life and his career. He entered the banking business in 1978 and climbed to the top with two different institutions. In 1993 he became Chairman and CEO of Southwest Gas corporation.

In 1994 he was named interim President of UNLV. He insisted on being paid $1 for his year of service and that his $165,000 salary be credited to scholarship funds. During his one year as interim President he balanced the University’s budget, despite inheriting a $10 million deficit.

Not your typical politician, when Guinn ran for Governor in 1998 he had never previously sought or held public office. He won by a landslide.

He was deeply concerned and troubled by our current economy, the number of foreclosures, the unemployment rate, and the well-being of Nevada’s people. He still regularly met with elected officials and citizens to offer his counsel.

As Governor, he showed time and time again that he wasn’t there to further his own political career, he was there to serve the people of Nevada. I heard former Governor Bob Miller say that Guinn once said, ” I don’t have a “D” on my hat, I don’t have a “R” on my hat; I have a “P” on my hat. “P” for people.

Guinn loved people, he loved regular people. And they loved him. He loved getting out and talking to people. Since his passing there have been thousands of stories of everyday Nevadans whose lives he touched. They all speak of his kindness. Whether it was meeting in an airport, a grocery store, the board room or corner pub, wherever he went, he connected – with kindness and concern. He connected to the common man by being a common man. He connected to leaders, by being a leader. He connected to teachers, by being a teacher. And with all, he connected with compassion. He had a true heart of compassion for the plight of the common man. One account I read recently said that sometimes, after his body guards would drop him off at the Governors mansion in the evening, he would sneak down to the corner pub so he could hang out with the regular folk.

His most significant legacy is The Millennium Scholarship, which thus far has afforded over 60,000 Nevada students the ability to attend college. There is no denying that the ripple effect of 60,000 more college graduates in Nevada is hugely significant to the both human and financial well being of our States future. The scholarship has been renamed in his honor. When elected Guinn said, “Education is not on my agenda, education is my agenda”.

There is not room here to list all of things Governor Guinn accomplished in his lifetime that contributed massively to the betterment of Nevada and it’s citizens. He will be remembered as a man who was an exemplary leader, brilliant with budgetary issues and was genuinely kind, caring and compassionate. One of his greatest talents was being able to bring opposing sides to a consensus. Not everyone agreed with him, but everyone respected him.

The Michelle Sterling Las Vegas Real Estate Team extends our sincerest condolences to his wife and family. At a time when Nevada and our nation is in desperate need of real leaders willing to trade politics for progress, Kenny Guinn is going to be sorely missed.