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This article appeared in the Dec. 24 issue of the Progress Times.

The Palmhurst Police Department gave their time to help distribute toys to community children during last Fridays Second Annual Christmas Toy Giveaway.

A toy drive that originally began for a Palmhurst school spread into a Toy Drive that neighboring cities could also partake in.

: (from left to right) Assistant Police Chief Francisco Vasquez, Santa Claus, and Police Chief Michael Vela pose for a photo before the start of the toy giveaway. Photo courtesy of the city of Palmhurst.

Cars lined up at the Shary Chapel to receive some Christmas joy and get a chance to see Santa Claus. White tables stretched out to display colorful toys and fun goodies for the caravan of cars that passed by.

Toy donations were accepted from late November to mid-December, with donation stations laid out across the city: Palmhurst City Hall, Palmhurst Police Department, Sharyland Water Supply Corporation, Chick-fil-A, Walgreens, H-E-B, and Applebees.

Santa Claus greets a child in the drive-thru. Photo courtesy of the city of Palmhurst.

Palmhurst Chief of Police Michael Vela said 600 toys were collected to give out to community members.

The toys were donated by numerous businesses, said Vela, mentioning that Walgreens and Chick-Fil-A were among those who helped with donations.

Vela also stated that the drive is a giving opportunity to show the Palmhurst community some relief from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as they adapted this drive-thru the year prior.

[We want to] bring joy to the children and bring joy to the community, to show them were here for them, said Chief Vela.

Santa helps the volunteer Palmhurst Police Department pass gifts to cars. Photo courtesy of the city of Palmhurst.

Im glad that we did it, said Vela, who thanked the city staff and city council for putting the event together. Our staff have worked hard and diligently for making events like these a success.

The Palmhurst Police Department volunteered their time from 5:30 p.m. to 6:58 p.m. until all the toys were gone.

We would like to thank everyone who had a chance to come by and those who helped make this event possible with their donations, said a public post on the city of Palmhursts Facebook when announcing the closing of the Toy Drive.

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Palmhurst hosts second annual Toy Giveaway Drive-Thru - Progresstimes

CHARLESTON, W.Va. When state Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston looks back on 2021, hes energized.

Wriston noted in a recent podcast produced by the state Division of Highways, the agency has been transformed and is in the best shape in years.

A lot of times in years past you look back and its with a little wistfulness and regret, but now when we look back now our chest starts pumping to see all weve accomplished, but then to think the best is still to come because were looking forward at the same time, he said.

Wriston admitted in a recent edition of On The Dot, that former Transportation Secretary Byrd White was also instrumental in guiding the agency into a position where roads are not only getting built, but the ones already in place are being maintained. According to Wristonat the heart of it all thats what the agencys charge has been since it was formed.

Were a maintenance organization. Thats who we are and what we do best. We have partners to take care of a lot of things, but what we do best every day is maintain the roads, he said.

Roads had fallen into great disrepair before Wriston came on board. That why he and Gov. Jim Justice along with White made maintenance and repair a priority with the funds in the Roads to Prosperity Program approved by voters during the Justice Administrations first term.

Wriston said the key accomplishments in 2021 for the agency were: The complete revitalization of the Department of Transportation, returning to an emphasis on maintenance, providing employees the tools, systems, and support to take pride in their careers, creation of a centralized data collection system for better decision-making and working together with the legislature, other state agencies and the private sector toward common goals.

Everybody gets it, we all want the same thing and now we have a playbook to get us to the same thingto get to where we want to be, Wriston said.

He promised 2021 was just the start of noticeable improvement to the states road system .

Youre going to see a 2022 that is going to be a milestone year for West Virginia, Wriston said. I think thats the year the rocket ship clears the clouds, as the governor would say.

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DOT Secretary touts progress and predicts more to come - West Virginia MetroNews

The year 2021 has seen something of a come-back from the pandemic year of 2020. Yes sometimes it has seemed as if we keep taking one step forward and two steps back. But a careful review of the events of 2021 shows that we have come a long way forward. In any case, here on the final week of the year, it certainly warrants a moment of looking back. What follows is a brief recap of some of the news highlights that have kept The Progress staff busy in the local communities over 2021.

JANUARY

Vaccination clinics beginThe year began with COVID-19 vaccinations becoming widely available in local areas. In mid-January, local first responders and medical workers were receiving the jab. By the end of the month, the first vaccination clinics were being held for the public. On Jan. 25, the first Moapa Valley clinic was held for residents over age 65 at the Overton Senior Center. A long line of cars snaked from the senior center all the way down the main street of Overton with seniors hoping to get the shot. Supplies ran out before everyone got it. But more clinics followed. The City of Mesquite held its first clinic on Feb 5-6 at the Rising Star Field House. With a larger population to serve, this was a logistical challenge which was taken on by a remarkable teaming of public/private entities.

Heavily restricted high school sports beginAfter a year without high school sports, a winter sports season began in mid-January.It was only tentative at first. Girls flag football, being outdoors and designated as only medium contact was allowed to begin a shortened 6 week season.But no spectators were allowed on campus. Family members and fans had to set up chairs on the sidewalk outside of the fence of school grounds to watch the flag football games (see photo).Later on other sports were added including fall sports like volleyball and football. The school year ended with a six week spring sports season.Only schools that had live, in-person instruction taking place on campus were allowed to play sports. Since it had been offering hybrid live classes since August, MVHS was able to participate immediately. But that meant that the Pirates only had private and charter schools to compete against.In March, VVHS came online with a similar hybrid learning program and Bulldog sports were able to resume as well creating a more competitive sports environment.

FEBRUARY

CC Fair cancelled againThe Clark County Fair Board announced that Moapa Valleys biggest annual event would be cancelled for a second year in a row. Because of health restrictions still in place and the large scale of the event, officials decided that holding the April event just wouldnt be possible.Even so, the Clark County Junior Livestock Association board pledged that they would move forward with its youth livestock show and auction, usually coupled with the Fair. Because of its smaller scale and more local appeal, they had determined that it would be do-able.

Heritage Park development approved for downtown MesquiteThe Mesquite City Council enthusiastically approved a downtown improvement project envisioned by developer Dixie Leavitt, a former city resident with ancestral ties to the communitys pioneer history.The project, proposed for a parcel directly across Mesquite Blvd from City Hall, would include greenspace landscaping, a stream of water lined by walking paths, and interpretive panels about the pioneer history of Mesquite. In addition the park area would be surrounded by buildings featuring boutique commercial spaces and residential apartments.A formal development agreement was signed later in the year by Leavitt and Mesquite Mayor Al Litman (see photo above). The project is expected to start construction early in 2022.

MARCH

Virgin Valley students go back to live classesStudents returned to the halls of Virgin Valley High School in March. Kids were able to return to campus with a hybrid model of in-person and online learning. This also allowed Bulldog sports to resume again, just in time for the abbreviated fall sports season including volleyball, football, soccer and cross country.In Moapa Valley, schools opened again, from a similar hybrid setting, which had been in effect since August, back to a regular five-day full academic schedule.

Federal land bill introducedA mammoth public lands bill was filed in Congress that would set aside 2 million acres of newly-designated conservation land throughout Clark County in order to allow for 30,000 acres of new disposal land to be developed in the Las Vegas valley.Much of the new conservation land designations were huge swaths of land surrounding the Moapa Valley communities. This includes a new Special Management Area for the Mesa Milkvetch on the 10,000 acres on the bench lands immediately east of Logandale and Overton.The bill had full support of the Nevada Congressional delegation. But as of this date, it has not been brought to a vote by either house of Congress.

APRIL

Pandemic Hammer GameThere was no home team, no goal posts and no stadium full of spectators. Because the football fields at both Moapa and Virgin Valleys were under construction, the annual rivalry game was played on a soccer pitch at the Mesquite Sports Complex.Only a small group of fans were allowed due to health restrictions. But even that small number of spectators was a first for this strange pandemic season.By the end of the evening, the ceremonial hammer was passed from the Bulldogs, who had won it the year before, to the Pirates who won the game, 18-14.

Small town festivalThe Clark County Junior Livestock Association (CCJLA) held its annual show and auction on April 8-10 at the Logandale Fairgrounds.After the cancellation of the Fair event in February, the CCJLA were determined to still provide a venue this year for youth exhibitors to exhibit and sell their carefully-raised livestock.Clark County Marilyn Kirkpatrick stepped in to help make the show a success. She and her staff planned a scaled-back event featuring three nights of amateur rodeo, a myriad of 4-H exhibits, agriculture exhibits and other activities. The event drew approximately 5,000 rural attendees.

MAY

Farewell to SugarsA downtown Overton mainstay, Sugars Homeplate Restaurant, closed its doors on May 18. The restaurant had been a fixture in the community for more than 30 years.Owners Ray and Judy Metz sold the restaurant to a company owned by celebrity Las Vegas illusionist Criss Angel.Angel went to work immediately on a full renovation of the building. Within about six weeks he opened the all new Cablp restaurant which became an immediate sensation.

Large-scale events return to Mesquite resortsMesquite Gaming opened its Mesquite Motor Mania to the largest turnout ever for the annual event. A total of 975 auto entries rushed for the opportunity to gather at this show.Motor Mania is usually held in the cooler weeks of January. But it was postponed due to health restrictions. Even so, the weather fortunes smiled kindly on the show. Instead of the more usual heat, the weather was mild for that weekend.

Graduation 2021With widespread uncertainty on whether Clark County School District would return to coordinating live graduation ceremonies, parent and community groups in both Moapa Valley and Virgin Valley stepped up again and planned the 2021 Commencement activities for each school.Both communities planned essentially all-day celebrations including parades, processions, ceremonies, photo-ops and safe, sober after-parties for the graduates.

JUNE

Return to summer activitiesThe summer of 2021 saw the return of most of the youth summer events that had been cancelled in 2020.Both the Logandale Stake and the Mesquite Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held summer youth camps for both girls and boys. Vacation Bible School weeks returned to area churches. Parks and Rec programs resumed. The Virgin Valley Theatre Group held a very successful Youth Summer Theatre Camp. Public library programs returned under certain strict health guidelines. And area kids had a few things to do for the summer again.

Public art brightens cityscapeThe Mesquite Public Arts Commission received a state grant to wrap a number of Overton Power District utility boxes in vibrant, colorful artwork. The artworks, donated by Salt Lake City artist Rachelle Knight, depicts various Virgin Valley heritage scenes.The project began with 10 different locations for the artwork, mainly on busy city streets. But the concept quickly gained popularity and leaders of various neighborhoods approached the commission asking to fund additional boxes.

Storm hits M.V.The Moapa Valley communities were slammed by a violent summer thunderstorm on June 29. The tempest included torrential downpours and gale-force winds that knocked out power in some neighborhoods, uprooted trees, and flooded homes and yards.The storm really wreaked havoc at the Logandale Fairgrounds including severe flooding to the grounds and uprooted trees. Worst of all, the whole north bank of bleachers at the rodeo arena, which had just recently been replaced, was picked up and turned over leaving a huge twisted mass of metal.

JULY

Back to The FourthBoth Moapa Valley and Virgin Valley communities returned to their full observance of Independence Day this year.In Mesquite, the Eureka Resort helds its traditional Rockets Over Red Mesa program, complete with Community Vendor Village, the Nevada POPS Orchestra and the full fireworks display.At the Logandale Fairgrounds, there was a full day of festivities. These included the Veteran Flagraising, Rotary Community Breakfast, activities and games for the kids, the Chamber of Commerce community dinner and the Moapa Valley fireworks display paid for by donations from local businesses and individuals.

Mormon Mesa saved from solarA community-wide protest movement finally prevailed to save the Mesa just to the east of Moapa Valley from solar power development. On July 21, the BLM announced that an application for a 9,200-acre solar power generation facility atop the Mormon Mesa had been scrapped by Solar Partners VII, LLC.The announcement caused feelings of victory and elation to many local resident who were adamantly opposed to the project.

AUGUST

The Progress opens Mesquite officeThe Progress news opened a new Mesquite office location to service the communities of the Virgin Valley. The new office is located at 11 W Pioneer Blvd, Suite B on the second floor of the Bank of Nevada building.Working in the new office is The Progress Virgin Valley advertising consultant Tara Schenavar.The Mesquite Chamber of Commerce held a ceremonial ribbon cutting for the new office later on in October after the weather had cooled down enough to hold event on the outdoor patio of the building.

New turf for football seasonBoth the Jeff Keel stadium at MVHS, and the Evan Wilson Stadium at VVHS, underwent a major conversion from grass to turf football fields last year.The state-of-the-art surfaces were completed last summer just in time for the fall football season to begin in August.In addition to football, both boys and girls soccer was played on the field during the fall season.

Back to SchoolThe kids in both valley returned to school in August. All schools in both the Virgin Valley and Moapa Valley were open for a full, five-day learning schedule.The kids, teachers and school staffers were all required to wear face masks; and parent access to campus was limited. But the students were happy to be back in class in front of their teachers.

SEPTEMBER

MVCEAB hosts mental health fairObserving the toll being taken on mental health in the community by the pandemic, members of the Moapa Valley Community Education Advisory Board and several other partner organizations organized a community mental health fair that was held at the Logandale Fairgrounds on Sept. 9.The event drew more than 700 people. It included a community dinner, numerous activities for kids and a resource fair with many different vendors and exhibitors focused on mental health resources.The event ended with world-renowned guest speaker and suicide prevention activities Kevin Hines making an appearance and telling his own story about attempted suicide.

Mesquite lands major manufacturing facilityThe City of Mesquite was selected to be the home of a new state-of-the-art aluminum beverage can manufacturing plant. Crown Holdings, Inc., a global Fortune 300 company, announced that its new southwestern U.S. plant would be located in the Mesquite Technology and Commerce Center.The new 355,000 sq ft facility will supply beverage cans for the companys commercial clients throughout the western U.S.The plant, which is expected to begin operations in the second quarter of 2023, will create 126 new jobs in the community.

OCTOBER

Long Drive back in MesquiteHeavy-hitting golfers from around the world came to Mesquite to compete in the Long Drivers Association Championship event in Mesquite which ended on Oct. 1.Bryson DeChambeau attended the contest put up some serious yardage reaching the final eight in the contest.But it was his friend Kyle Berkshire who came out on top of the contest.

Subway opens in OvertonA new Subway restaurant location had its grand opening in downtown Overton in October.A ribbon cutting event was held in the morning on Oct. 6 and by lunchtime the line of customers was out the front door.The new sandwich shop is owned by the Draper family of St. George, Utah; who also owns the two Subway locations in Mesquite.

NOVEMBER

Veterans Day celebrationsBoth valleys came out strong to celebrate veterans in November. The traditional Mesquite Veterans Day Parade returned in all its splendour on Nov. 6. It included grand marshall Brian Cornett as well as a full complement of community organizations and businesses following behind.The 1,000 Flags event was also on the docket during the second week of November. The Exchange Club of Mesquite and its partnering organizations honored veterans and servicemen with a sea of American flags posted on the Rec Center field.

The Moapa Valley honored its veterans in grand style with the traditional parade down the main street of Overton. Nearly 50 entrants participated in the parade which was led by Grand Marshall Bryant Robison, a veteran of the Korean War.After the parade, the crowd convened at Overton Park for a community picnic courtesy of the MV Chamber of Commerce and the local Rotary Club.

Pirates vs Bulldogs at StateThe small town spirit loomed large at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, as the football teams of both VVHS and MVHS faced off this year in the 2021 NIAA One Nevada 3A Division Football State Football Championship.The two hometown teams drew a huge crowd to the stadium with nearly 5,000 fans in the seats for the matchup. Of the three state championship division games played in the stadium that day, the 3A game was by far the best attended. The stadium saw a total of 9,171 attendees over the four games of the day.After the Bulldogs came out strong in the first half, the Pirates came roaring back from behind and won the game, 27-14.

DECEMBER

New security updates at MVHSAfter more than four years of seeking capital funding from the Clark County School District for needed school security measures, the MVHS finally used on-site funding to make the updates.The school paid a contractor to construct a new security wall across the front entrance to the central quad area of the school.

Season of GivingThe Mesquite Parade of Lights, with its annual food drive, kicked off the season of giving on Dec. 2. Since then and throughout the month of December, the spirit of holiday giving has run rampant in both the Virgin Valley and Moapa Valley communities.There have been food drives and toy drives, shopping with cops, kettle drives, angel trees, deliveries from fire departments and on and on.All this has gone to show the quality of communities in which we live and the tremendous benefits to living in Small Town, America.

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A LOOK BACK AT 2021: The News In Review - mvprogress

They arrived without warning on the street corners of Astoria and Lower Manhattan earlier this month: bright orange bins, next to the trash and recycling cans, soliciting food and yard scraps from passing pedestrians.

Unlike their neighboring receptacles, the new bins were sealed shut, snapping open only in response to a key fob or phone app. On a recent morning, most New Yorkers greeted them with a mix of indifference and confusion.

I havent seen anyone use it, said Cesar Bell, a florist whose shop overlooks one of the containers in the Financial District and whose floral detritus would make an ideal deposit for the robot bins.

I dont know what you dispose there, Bell said.

The droid-like containers, dubbed Smart Bins, are part of a first-of-its-kind composting program launched by the Department of Sanitation and the Downtown Alliance, a Lower Manhattan business group.

But for composting enthusiasts, the bins are little more than a bleak reminder of the de Blasio administrations failings in the arena of organic recycling. Despite being a potent emitter of greenhouse gas, Mayor Bill de Blasio was cutting funding for the collection of food and yard scraps even before the pandemic all but guaranteeing the city will fall well short of its goal to cut the waste sent to landfills by 90 percent by 2030.

Youll never get the widespread participation in this program by focusing on bins that city residents have to drag scraps of food to on a regular basis, said Eric Goldstein, the New York City environment director for the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Sensors inside the bins alert the Sanitation Department when theyre full, and Bluetooth technology allows users to open them with an app or, in the Astoria version of the pilot, a key fob obtained by the city a safeguard against naive passersby tossing their trash onto the heaps of decomposing rinds and peels.

Their purpose is to provide a round-the-clock location for New Yorkers to drop off their organic food waste, rather than waiting on the weekly green market. If successful, the program could expand to other neighborhoods by next year, forming a sort of Citi Bike of compost, according to sanitation department spokesperson Joshua Goodman.

According to Goldstein, however, if the goal is to increase participation in composting, the bins arent going to cut it.

These bins arent designed for broad public participation, theyre designed for composting aficionados, he said in an interview.

Like many sustainability experts including the mayors former sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia Goldstein has criticized de Blasio for falling short of his campaign pledge to implement curbside composting pick-up citywide by 2018. According to figures provided by the Department of Sanitation, fewer than 100,000 households are currently receiving regular compost pick-ups. In 2015 the mayor pledged to reach virtually zero waste sent to landfills by 2030.

New Yorkers have a lot on their minds, Goldstein said. We pick up their garbage at the curbside, we ought to be picking up they're separated food waste in the same place.

Experts and city officials agree that de Blasios zero waste pledge is not possible without a mandatory citywide organic recycling program a service currently available in San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland.

Mayor-elect Eric Adams has said he supports a citywide composting program, noting both the environmental benefits and the growing cost of sending trash produced by New York to landfills in other states.

But the program has languished under the current administration. The city suspended plans to expand the curbside pilot program in 2018, then eliminated it entirely in budget cuts at the start of the pandemic. When it was revived this past April, New Yorkers who were previously auto-enrolled in the service were told that their buildings had to opt-in for pick-ups.

At the time, Garcia chastised the mayor she was seeking to replace over the move.

It is going to turn composting into a luxury that is available for New Yorkers that have the resources to organize community support and submit bureaucratic paperwork, she said. Curbside organics should be universal plain and simple.

As it stands, the city is trashing an estimated 4,000 tons per day of compostable material that could be turned into useful soil or biogas. Those food and yard scraps are instead taken to landfills, where they break down without oxygen, emitting methane a greenhouse gas considered 20 times more potent than carbon in the short term.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, rotting organic waste sent to landfills is the third largest source of human-related methane emissions in the country.

Critics accuse the city of failing to mount a public campaign that would inform New Yorkers about composting, leaving many in the dark about the importance of the practice an information gap readily evident this month, as New Yorkers looked askance at the new Smart Bins in Lower Manhattan.

Nobody has said or mentioned anything about it, said Elvis Vicente, the manager at Juice Generation on Pearl Street and Maiden Lane, which shares a corner with one of the new bins.

While his shop typically outsources its hefty compost load to a private company, he said hed gladly use the Smart Bin when the truck couldnt get there. If I knew we were allowed to use it, Id use it.

A few blocks away, Yelina Flider offered her own appraisal of the strange contraption that had arrived outside her Gold Street high-rise.

I thought this was for if youre walking down the street and you finish your lunch but theres some food in it, dont throw it in the other garbage, throw it in this garbage, she said. Okay thats fine, but personally I dont eat lunch on the go.

When told that she could also sort her food and soiled paper from her trash at home, similar to how New Yorkers currently separate their recycling, Flider remained unmoved.

I think if other people want to do that fine, it doesnt bother me, she said. Im not going to leave my house to put the food scraps in there.

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New Smart Bins Show Citys Slow Progress On Composting Goals - Gothamist

By BOBBIE GREEN

The Progress

Fringe has expanded its space by an additional 11,000 sq feet. The Mesquite salon has also brought aboard three new expert technicians including l to r hair stylist Sidney Thomson, esthetician Jamie Juarez and nail care technician Natalie Olson.

The innovative Fringe Beauty Salon has added additional space and additional experts in hair and skin care to its staff.

Jamie Juarez comes to Fringe after seven years of working in Las Vegas. Juarez is an Esthetician focused on skin care and chemical peels. She is licensed in Micro-Blading (semi-permanent eyebrow marker and brow powder.) Juarez is also an instructor at Milan Institute in Las Vegas.

Every time I work on a client and they walk out happy, that is my satisfaction, said Juarez. That makes my day.Juarez works at Fringe on Fridays and Saturdays.

Natalie Olson has worked at Fringe since July. She comes from Austin, Texas.Olsons specialty is nail care, gel products and massage therapy.I always work healthy and use all organic products, Olson said. I always listen to the needs of my clients.Olson works at Fringe Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 6 pm.

Hair stylist Sidney Thomson came from Salt Lake City, Utah with 38 years of experience. She trained in the Vidal Sassoon method. She also cuts mens hair and says she is good with color. She loves dogs and golfing.Thomson works at Fringe Wednesday through Fridays from 9 am to 5 pm.

Fringe Salon has only been in business a little over a year, yet it is growing rapidly. The salon has added 11,000 square feet of new space. That includes another skin care and massage room, a new shampoo bowl, another bathroom, more hair care space, and a new supply room.

We have grown so quickly! said Fringe co-owner Karen Lambert. I want to thank all of our clients who support us and made this happen. We are blessed.

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Salon Expands Both Space And Staff - The Progress - mvprogress

By BOBBIE GREEN

The Progress

Nevada Assemblywoman Annie Black (right) delivers a bundle of Christmas cards to Mesa View Regional Hospital CEO Kelly Adams (left) for patients in the hospital during the Christmas holidays. PHOTO BY BOBBIE GREEN/The Progress

A local group made some special holiday deliveries to brighten up the holidays a bit for veterans spending time recovering in area hospitals.

The group, knowns as Alcohol, Tobacco and Freedom Group, was formed recently by Assembly-woman and Mesquite resident Annie Black. The group has grown into a large organization with about 300 people on its email list and around 100 people regularly attending monthly meetings.

The group assembled earlier this month for its monthly get together in the Oasis Grill Room. Wanting to do something special for the holidays, the members filled out Christmas cards to be given out at area hospitals and nursing homes. It was intended that these notes of encouragement would provide some holiday cheer to veterans and others who are recovering from illnesses.

Assemblywoman Black provided the cards and the idea of making sure hospital patients especially veterans and COVID patients who are in isolation over Christmas time know that someone is thinking of them.

Highland Manor Nursing Home Activities Director Susan Collison (left) accepts Christmas cards for Highland Manor Patients from the local ATF Group. The cards were delivered last week by Nevada Assemblywoman Annie Black (right). PHOTO BY BOBBIE GREEN/The Progress

We have a great group of patriots that meet every month and they love their country and the people in it, Black said of the group. Especially during the holidays, we all wanted to make someones life brighter and make them feel loved. That is what this project is all about.

About 100 people were in attendance at the meeting to help write in the cards. The cards were to be distributed to patients rooms by the staff at each facility.

The cards were delivered by Black on Wednesday, December 22. They went to the Veterans Hospital in Henderson as well as the Mesa View Regional Hospital and Highland Manor in Mesquite.

Kelly Adams, CEO of Mesa View Regional Hospital, accepted the cards from Black on Wednesday and had his staff distribute them among the patients there. There were enough cards to give to patients and the duty nurses.This was a great idea, said Adams during the presentation. It was so thoughtful!

Accepting the cards for Highland Manor was Activities Director Susan Collison. Collison expressed her thoughts in single words, awesome, wonderful, so nice.

Black was pleased with the project and its potential to cheer up patients with health struggles during the holidays. She said that the group had plenty more to do to help in the community.I am sure our group will have many more service projects to come, she said.

For more information about the Alcohol, Tobacco and Freedom Group, visit http://www.ATFHappyHour.com or email annie@electannieblack.com.

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Delivering Christmas Cheer To Hospital Patients - The Progress - mvprogress

WASHINGTON, Dec 22 (Reuters) - The aviation and telecom industries said Wednesday they were making progress to address air safety concerns about potential interference from the planned Jan. 5 5G wireless deployment.

Wireless trade group CTIA, Airlines for America and Aerospace Industries Association said in a joint statement "after productive discussions we will be working together to share the available data from all parties to identify the specific areas of concern for aviation."

Last week, airlines said interference from 5G networks could cause 4% of U.S. flights to be diverted, delayed or canceled.

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"The best technical experts from across both industries will be working collectively to identify a path forward, in coordination" with the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the statement said.

"By working collaboratively in good faith on a data-driven solution, we can achieve our shared goal of deploying 5G while preserving aviation safety," the groups added.

AT&T (T.N) and Verizon Communications (VZ.N) are moving forward with plans to deploy C-Band spectrum 5G wireless in about two weeks that they won in an $80 billion auction.

Both the aviation industry and FAA have raised concerns about potential interference of 5G with sensitive aircraft electronics like radio altimeters.

The FAA said it was encouraged that aviation manufacturers and wireless companies "are taking steps to test how dozens of radio altimeters will perform in the high-powered 5G environment envisioned for the United States."

It added it will work "to make sure the testing provides adequate safety margins and accounts for the variety of safety systems that rely on accurate information from radio altimeters."

The FAA this month issued airworthiness directives warning 5G interference could result in flight diversions.

Hoping to avoid any deployment issues, the groups have been holding talks to share data on U.S. airports, including base station locations, power levels and antenna positioning, as well altimeter data, that could potentially be impacted.

On Monday, Boeing (BA.N) Chief Executive Dave Calhoun and Airbus Americas (AIR.PA) CEO Jeffrey Knittel urged the Biden administration to delay the 5G deployment.

Airlines for America has said if the FAA 5G directive had been in effect in 2019, about 345,000 passenger flights and 5,400 cargo flights would have faced delays, diversions or cancellations.

In November, AT&T and Verizon delayed commercial launch of C-band wireless service by a month until Jan. 5 and adopted precautionary measures to limit interference.

Aviation industry groups said that was insufficient. The aviation industry made a counterproposal that would limit cellular transmissions around airports and other critical areas.

Wireless industry group CTIA said 5G is safe and the spectrum is being used in about 40 other countries. It has previously accused the aviation industry of fearmongering and distorting facts.

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Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Aurora Ellis

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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U.S. aviation, telecom industries report progress over 5G safety talks - Reuters

Among the Biden administrations favorite claims is that it has cut child poverty in half. True, the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan increased the amount of the child tax credit and made advance payments to those who qualify, putting money into the hands of many poorer Americans. But the size of a government check doesnt matter so much as what you can buy with it. Doubling your income is worthless if everything you have to buy is suddenly twice as expensive.

The advance payments to alleviate child poverty were partly or fully eroded by the higher prices caused by President Bidens policy trifecta of increased demand, crimped supply and an accommodative monetary policy. This years resulting 6.8% rise in the consumer-price index isnt likely to slow down, particularly since 40% of core CPI is shelter, composed of rent and owners equivalent rent. This measure lags behind housing prices, which are booming. The 9.6% gain in producer prices will also eventually will be pushed on to consumers.

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Bidens Child-Poverty Progress Isnt Real - The Wall Street Journal

Dec 27 (Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur have stretched their unbeaten Premier League run under new manager Antonio Conte to six games and moved up to fifth but the Italian is reluctant to make any comparisons with the Chelsea side he guided to the 2016-17 Premier League title.

Harry Kane, Lucas Moura and Son Heung-min scored as Spurs beat Crystal Palace 3-0 on Sunday, with the London side looking more settled under Conte, who took over in November after Nuno Espirito Santo was sacked after a poor run of form.

When asked if Spurs were building momentum in a similar fashion to his title-winning Chelsea team, Conte said: "No, I think it's different.

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"I don't like to compare different situations. I remember very well I started the season (2016-17) and when you start the season you have the possibility to work with your players and to also make decisions about your players. This is different."

While there are signs of improvement, Conte said they are far from the finished article.

"For sure we have to continue to improve, to exploit the confidence that is going to improve us. We know very well, I know very well, we have a big job to do.

"It's good to get three points, to score three goals with your three strikers. It's good to keep another clean sheet."

Tottenham are on 29 points, six behind Arsenal in fourth but having played three games fewer.

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Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford

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The year 2021 saw some important developments in the exploration of Mars as well as a rise in American-based space tourism.

In February, the American space agency NASA announced that its Mars explorer, Perseverance, landed successfully on the Red Planet. Perseverance is on a mission to collect Martian soil and rocks as part of a search for signs of ancient life.

Perseverance landed in an area of Mars called Jezero Crater. Scientists believe the area contains a large ancient lakebed. NASA considers the area a promising place to find possible signs of microbial life. Scientists believe if life ever existed on Mars, it would have been present 3 to 4 billion years ago, when water flowed on the planet. Perseverance is NASAs fifth rover to explore Mars.

Perseverance carried to Mars a small experimental helicopter named Ingenuity. In April, NASA announced Ingenuity had successfully completed a takeoff and landing on the planet. It said the flight was historic; it marked the first time any aircraft had performed a powered, controlled flight on another planet.

Ingenuity was meant to demonstrate such flights are possible. NASA says similar helicopters and other aircraft could be used in the future to assist astronauts in search and collection operations.

Only a few test flights were planned, but the Ingenuity team said the first ones were so successful that they decided to extend the number of experimental flights. So far, Ingenuity has completed at least 17 flights, with flights progressing in length and distance.

This year, both China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) sent their first spacecraft to Mars.

In May, China announced that its Tianwen-1 spacecraft had successfully landed on Mars after a seven-month trip. The vehicle landed at Utopia Planitia, a large flat area in the northern half of the planet. The six-wheeled explorer is studying the planets surface soil and atmosphere in search for signs of ancient life.

The UAEs Hope Probe spacecraft was sent to an extremely high orbit to study Mars. The Emirates Mars Mission aims to study atmospheric and weather conditions around Mars. Among other things, it seeks to help scientists understand how hydrogen and oxygen react in the planets upper atmosphere.

In February, scientists announced they had created a new map that aims to identify the best sources of water on Mars. Water is considered a critical resource to support future exploration activities on Mars. The map identifies two specific areas on Mars where subsurface ice could likely be found.

In July, British billionaire Richard Branson launched into space on a rocket plane built by Virgin Galactic, the space tourism company he created. Branson joined two pilots and three other mission specialists on the flight. Virgin Galactic aims to fly private citizens to the edge of space to experience a few minutes of weightlessness and observe Earth.

A little over a week later, American billionaire Jeff Bezos flew to the edge of space on a rocket built by his company, Blue Origin. Three other people took the quick trip with him: Bezos brother, a Dutch teenager and an 82-year-old pilot.

The flights by Branson and Bezos officially launched a new industry that promises any citizen the chance to visit space. Such trips will be costly, however. Virgin Galactics price for a single flight is $250,000. Blue Origin has not publicly announced its price. Both businesses have established operating bases, called spaceports, in rural areas of the U.S.

And earlier this month, Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa arrived for a 12-day stay at the International Space Station (ISS). The businessman arrived along with an assistant aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. The price of that trip has not been made public, but some reports say it cost up to $50 million.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

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mission n. an important project or trip, especially involving space travel

microbial adj. relating to microbes (very small living things)

tourism n. the activity of traveling to a place for pleasure

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2021 Saw Progress on Mars, Rise in Space Tourists - VOA Learning English