Is local Boulder City water safe?

Is local water safe? This was a question that 4th Grader Victoria Griess posed to answer for her Grace Christian Academy science fair project. The results may surprise you. On April 7th, Victoria explained to Faculty judges and students that she tested the chemical, mineral and pH levels of six local drinking fountains. Using litmus strips she was able to measure the Chlorine, Iron, p.H., and Copper levels of the drinking fountains at GCA, Albertson's, Hemmingway Park, the park by the City Pool, Von's, and Veterans Memorial Park. While she initially hypothesized that the City Pool Park drinking fountain may have higher concentrations of Chlorine, she found different using the scientific processes that she and other students learned in school. While she determined that all the drinking fountains were safe to drink, she also discovered some other interesting information from her experiments. While both Hemmingway Park and Alberston's have a lower p.H. level then the others, Albertson's also had traces of Iron, which wasn't present in any of her other test fountains. Ultimately, she concluded based on her experiments and measurements that the drinking fountain found at Von's was the safest to drink. This gives a fine example of how unique experiments can be conducted by young scientists and have real results that can tell us something about the world around us.

The Science Fair gave first time students the chance to experience what experimentation was all about. Many great experiments past through the basement of the Grace Community Church. Students answered such questions as, which batteries last the longest, which toilette paper biodegrades better, and even which mouth wash works the best. While many of the projects were excellent, Victoria Griess came out on top. She will be entering her project "Is the Local Water Safe?" in the ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) district Science Fair on May 3, 2010, at Green Valley Christian School in Henderson.

New Years Eve 2010, Vegas Style!

What a night folks, what a night! Nothing like street preacher riots, drunken mishaps, and police take-down and drag-outs to bring in the new year in Vegas!

Arriving at around 6pm, I got onto the strip just in time before they started closing it off from traffic. By this time you had a good number of people walking around. It wasn't until around 7pm that they opened up the street to everyone. It was crazy. Imagine the entire Las Vegas Blvd open to everyone. This early you didn't have a whole lot of people though. Despite the lower crowd, you could imagine people still got drunk.

Walking along the Blvd between Treasure Island and Paris, you would encounter so many different people. Parked along the sidewalks you had people selling the glowing glasses, hats, swords, and of course the massively over-sized beads that could be worn about the neck. For some, perhaps over compensation? Who knows. I suspect the highlight of the evening for many people where the "Street Preachers". These individuals would speak on scripture, damnation, and other aspects of their belief. In my opinion, it is fine as it is their right. But it ended up getting out of hand. They would set up just beyond where the police barricades were. They then began to banter, instigate, insult, and harass a number of men, women, AND children. This was quite uncool. There were a few times a man would take up for his wife or children, as they were just out there to enjoy themselves, and would get in the preachers face defending them. A few guys even got too close in the Damners faces, who were subsequently taken down by the police and pulled into the fenced off area. I appreciate freedom of thought and expression. I do not accept using the police as protection when people insult and instigate fights, over their "Word".

By 10pm it was shoulder to shoulder traffic all along the boulevard. It was a sea of people either trying to get somewhere, or having been "swept" away with the stream. I stood their on the side just watching and capturing the havoc. Quite enjoyable for an on looker.

While there was no grand event during the New Years Eve as there was last year when the son of Evel Keneval did his motorcycle jump, you still had entertainment. You enjoyed watching the either tear or joy of people who specifically went to the Vegas Strip to experience it Vegas Style.

I did not get home until around 6am, safe with not having drunk anything. I have to shoot straight, you know? :) I hope everyone made it home safe, or slept in their car like I know a few had done.

May the new year be great and prosperous!