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Message from Maggie
Honoring Our Veterans
As we prepare to observe Veterans Day, I want to recognize and thank the members of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs who have served in our nation’s armed forces:
Ali Lawrence
Aylmer Gross
Cedric Arinwine
Charles Nola
Craig Spence
DeJuan Hazel
Edward Nostro
Floyd Dawkins
Jacob Wickett
John Pierce
Jonas Johnson
Joseph Arndt
Keeth Whitley
Lela Vik
Marc Brooks
Michael Beckwith
Quincy Cameron
Terrence McCarthur
Timothy Bovee
Victor Martinez
Veterans Day is an opportunity to reflect on the courage, commitment and sacrifices of those who have served our country. We are proud to have veterans as part of our department, and we are grateful for the leadership, dedication and teamwork they bring to serving our community every day. We also recognize that military service impacts entire families, and we extend our appreciation to the loved ones who have supported our veterans along the way.
In Ward 4, the Nevada State Veterans Memorial has found a new home at Thunderbird Park. The memorial features 18 larger-than-life statues honoring our nation’s military history, from the Revolutionary War through the Global War on Terror. A ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating its new home is planned for Veterans Day, November 11, 2026.
Please join me in expressing our sincere gratitude to our colleagues who have served and to all veterans in our community. Their service and sacrifice deserve our recognition not only on Veterans Day, but throughout the year.
Recognizing Savonta Manor
Savonta Manor began his career at the City of Las Vegas in 1998 as an hourly employee. More than 27 years later, he has built a remarkable career in recreation, leaving a lasting impression on the people and communities he has served.
Savonta became a full-time recreation leader in 2004 and continued to grow professionally, earning a promotion to recreation supervisor in 2022. Throughout the years, he has worked at numerous community centers, helped shape a wide variety of recreation programs, and built relationships with coworkers and community members, which is what makes this work so meaningful.
When I think about what makes a career like Savonta’s so special, it isn’t simply the number of years served. It’s the impact he has made along the way. Throughout his time with PRC, Savonta has been someone that others can count on. He genuinely cares about people, takes the time to help them, and goes out of his way to find solutions when someone needs assistance. That kind of commitment makes a difference, not just to the people we serve, but to the colleagues who have had the pleasure of working alongside him.
Savonta is now beginning a new chapter as a manager overseeing The Courtyard in Neighborhood Services. While we will certainly miss having him on our PRC team, I’m excited for him and for the opportunity he has to bring his experience and heart for service to another important part of our city.
I also wanted to share a few words from the people who know his work best.
A Few Words from His Team
"Thank you Savonta for being one of the best supervisors I have ever had. I am deeply grateful for your invaluable leadership, guidance, and mentorship throughout my professional journey. Though I know this was a very tough decision, leaving behind much comfort and history within the walls of Parks & Recreation, I am extremely proud of you for taking this next step in your career and I can’t wait to see what life has in store for you."
-Andrea Anzalone
"It has been an honor working along side you for the past 10 years. I watched you grow into the leader that you are today! Your calm thoughtful demeanor and unmatched work ethic set a high standard and a positive example for all staff in our department. I’ve always been amazed by your incredible memory, your brain is a steel trap. It is something that your team could always rely on. You are a true community servant! Best of luck to you in your new role."
-Sandy Foley
"Thank you Savonta for all your support and knowledge these past few years. I don’t think there was a time I needed an answer that you did not have! So knowledgeful!! You will be missed!! I know you will continue to take pride in all you do! Congratulations!!!"
-Latonya Lomax
Savonta, thank you for the many years you’ve given to PRC and, more importantly, for the way you’ve given them. Your contributions have been an important part of our department’s story. Your willingness to help others and the relationships you’ve built are a meaningful part of your legacy here and will serve you well in Neighborhood Services. We look forward to seeing the difference you will make in your new role!
Please join me in congratulating Savonta and wishing him continued success!
Maggie
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Congratulations on Your Nomination!
Shout out to these employees who received nominations during September! We’re pleased to recognize the following nominees for their outstanding contributions, teamwork, dedication, and commitment to serving our community.
For ease of reference, nominees are grouped by division and listed in no particular order.
Parks and Grounds Maintenance
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Dale Smith — Dale was nominated for providing exceptional customer service at Kellogg-Zaher Park, demonstrating a positive attitude and going above and beyond to support event guests and the community.
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Russell Duncan — Russell was nominated for going above and beyond as a crew leader, maintaining a positive attitude and motivating his team.
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Michael Overland — Michael was nominated for demonstrating strong leadership while acting as crew leader, working effectively with his team to complete repairs and maintenance.
Recreation
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Bob Murray — Bob was nominated for exemplifying the City’s core values by quickly arranging a loaner wheelchair for a visiting athlete whose wheelchair was damaged during air travel, demonstrating his compassion and commitment to helping others.
Cultural Affairs
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Nikki Foster — Nikki was nominated for her excellent coordination and attention to detail in film permitting, ensuring productions have a positive experience in Las Vegas.
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Charlyn Blair — Charlyn was nominated for going above and beyond to provide engaging, informative City tours through thoughtful preparation and attention to guests’ needs.
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Remember to Nominate a Peer for Kudos to You!
Don’t forget to submit your Kudos to You! forms to recognize a colleague’s great work! All submissions are entered into a monthly prize drawing.
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This month, we’re sending big birthday cheers to some of the amazing people who make our department so special. Join us in wishing a happy birthday to these incredible staff members!
Birthday formatting may look slightly different when viewed on a mobile device.
Note: If we’ve accidentally missed your birthday, please let us know! We want to make sure everyone gets the celebration they deserve.
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Taylor A. Dwillis
Kwiesi D. Davis
Bryan R. Hoffman
Timothy B. Bovee
Gemma M.B. Isola
Jaden K. Isola
Ronald D Tolentino
Evelyn Artiga
Abigail Garcia Cruz
David L. Lund
Steven W. Glimp
Joseph A. Wiss
Evan J. Cabaong
Grant B. Brown
Kelly L. King
Cameron Y. Kemp
Colin J. Kemp
Sandra A. Yacono
Joel A. Jimenez Delgado
Jon M Muncy
Orestes Garcia Maceira
Reginald I. Steward
Shirley S. Dimatulac
Ryan M. Campbell
Alexis M. Mirabal
Shaunie E. Nedros-Oppenheimer
Ricardo Jr. Ortiz
Wayne P. Lacno
Issac Venzor
Kalin E. Sipes
Naomi R. Frey
Eugene J. Gonzalez
Jack W. II Bowman |
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Collaboration Brings Floyd Lamb Park Horse Corrals Back to Life
Through a collaborative effort between the Special Events and Parks and Grounds Maintenance teams, the horse corrals at Floyd Lamb Park were recently revitalized and put back to use, creating a great opportunity for hands-on learning during the Boy Scouts’ annual Camporee, held October 16–18!
Scouts used the corrals as part of their Horsemanship Merit Badge experience, where, under the guidance of a skilled counselor, they learned and practiced a variety of horsemanship skills, including mucking stalls, grooming horses, picking hooves and demonstrating riding skills.
A great example of how teamwork across our department helps enhance park amenities and create meaningful experiences for our community!
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Nevada Shakespeare Festival at Lorenzi Park
From October 22 – 24, we partnered with Nevada Shakespeare Festival to stage three nights of free plays at the Sammy Davis Jr Festival Plaza. The Taming of the Shrew, against all inclement weather odds, drew crowds of 100+ each night, proving that Shakespeare is still cool.
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Fall Festival Season
On Saturday, October 17, we celebrated the 25th annual Las Vegas Book Festival at Historic Fifth Street School with more than 5,000 attendees and approximately 100 authors. The event included a robust children’s area activated by Pop Up Rec and a kid’s zone programmed by our friends at the Centennial Hills Library. Congratulations to the Festivals, Special Events and Production Services work units for a great event!
What’s next?
Día de los Muertos Celebration
Sunday, November 1, 1:00-7:00 p.m.
Las Vegas Civic Center Plaza
Tamales & Mariachi Festival
Saturday, December 5, 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Las Vegas Civic Center Plaza
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New Art Exhibition Space: Veterans Memorial Community Center
Earlier this year, we started work on a new exhibit space at the Veteran’s Memorial Community Center in an effort to bring more art to Ward 2. Laura Machado worked with Ward 2 Art Commissioner Craig Galatti to select artwork appropriate for display and ultimately landed on some beautiful nature photographs by Kent LeFevre. On October 8, we celebrated with an official ribbon-cutting, remarks from all involved and even welcomed a marching band from Palo Verde HS.
Huge thanks to the team at VMCC, especially Nicole, and Laura Machado for getting art into all the wards.
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Summer Camp 2026 was bigger and better than ever!
The results are in, and they are exceptional! Every single camp location saw its average weekly attendance grow compared to last year, with Veterans Memorial averaging an impressive 51 more campers each week. Thanks to everyone’s hard work we delivered fun, memorable experiences across all locations. Financially, we knocked it out of the park with a 119% cost recovery rate and a surplus of $221,168, while supporting more families through Financial Assistance. Kudos to our summer camp coordinators for an amazing season: Ashley Koehlmoos, Nicole Koerwitz, Guillermo Bonnet-Laboy, Linda Lagoy, Kristen Carducci, Latonya Lomax, Andrea Anzalone, and Dillon Ackerman.
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Plumbers Replace Irrigation Pump at Veterans Memorial Community Center
Shout out to our plumbers, Terrance McCarthur and Lou Anghilante, for recently replacing the irrigation pump at Veterans Memorial Community Center!
Maintaining essential equipment is an important part of keeping our parks and facilities in good working order. Thank you to Terrance and Lou for their hard work and continued contributions to PRC!
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Benefit Open Enrollment Continues Through Nov. 17
Employees can enroll online for 2027 benefits through the employee portal. Select "Employee Center," then "Oracle Self-Service," "LV Employee Self Service," "Benefits." Carefully review the information and make your choices.
Important! Active Enrollment Required
Open enrollment is your annual opportunity to review and change benefit coverage. This year is an active enrollment year. Your current city medical, dental and vision elections will NOT roll over into 2027. All employees enrolled in a city healthcare plan must make new selections during open enrollment. If you take no action, you will have no medical, dental, vision or spending account benefits for the 2027 plan year.
Questions? Email HRbenefits@LasVegasNevada.gov.
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Dia de los Muertos Festival
Sunday, November 1, 1-7 p.m.
Las Vegas Civic Center Plaza
Free Event | All Ages
Join us downtown at the Las Vegas Civic Center to celebrate Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) with the city of Las Vegas! This vibrant homage to life is a true community event and one of the most charming and colorful holidays celebrated by Mexican and Latin American cultures. Produced by the city of Las Vegas, this lighthearted and joyful tribute honors the memory of family and friends who’ve passed away, featuring live entertainment by local and guest performers, interactive children’s activities, artisan vendors, food, face painting, special décor and an exhibition of altars created by community organizations.
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Our employees are iconic and the public agrees! See these messages we've received commending staff on a job well done. Names of the public have been omitted to respect privacy. |
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The docent-led tour program continues to receive high praise from all who participate. They received the following message after a group of 18 international delegates recently tour Las Vegas City Hall and Civic Center:
"[After] receiving feedback from the group, I heard continuous praise from all of our guests about the visit. Everyone was truly impressed and grateful for the experience. They really learned a lot during the Las Vegas City Hall tour and visit.
I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for all your hard work and support. Thank you for making this exceptional visit possible. We sincerely appreciate everything you have done for us."
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“My psychiatrist told me I am crazy, and I said I want a second opinion. He said, ‘Okay, you’re ugly too.’” — Rodney Dangerfield |
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