A project is underway to beautify an older part of Las Vegas and the work is being done by a 13-year-old.

The Rancho Springs Neighborhood Association is painting a mural on sound walls on U.S. 95 near Rancho. The person behind it is Josh Godman.

He had the idea of creating southwest paintings after seeing designs along soundwalls throughout the valley.

“We just have a big grey wall so we should put some of that stuff up here to beautify the neighborhood,” Godman said.

“I think it is important for the community to see the kids doing something positive. Sometimes we don't get that message and there are a lot of great kids doing a lot of good things so this is an opportunity for for them to be able to see that,” said Kelly Woods, senior neighborhood services specialist.

The project is partially funded by the city of Las Vegas. The city does have another grant available for a similar project and the deadline is quickly approaching. It is September 12. Click here if you would like more information on how to apply.

Tennis super stars Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf have found ways to keep themselves busy since ending their playing careers. Tuesday, they made an appearance at the World Market Center.

The duo unveiled an update to their successful furniture line which first appeared last year.

“We weren't sure what we were going to think of it once we did do it, but as we look back over the last years and as we've gone through these last few years, it's been something we've truly enjoyed,” said Agassi. 

Agassi and Graf helped design the pieces which are meant to reflect their active lifestyle.

Las Vegas takes center stage in the wholesale furniture world this week, with the annual World Market Center summer event.

Officials are marking the opening of a third building in the complex near the Spaghetti Bowl freeway, but say they're going to delay building a fourth until the economy improves.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

The City of Las Vegas is owed several million dollars in outstanding parking tickets. Because nothing's worked so far to collect that money, officials are trying something new.

Written notices, debt collectors and even the boot are not enough to make some parking violators pay. City Finance Director Mark Vincent says the city is currently owed nearly $10 million in outstanding parking tickets and penalties, going back more than ten years.

“But two-thirds of that $9.8 million is penalties,” he said.

And that's what Las Vegas city officials are willing to forgive during a six day parking ticket amnesty program — but not because the city doesn't need the money, “We view this as money we probably wouldn't get without the amnesty program.”

A simple parking ticket for an expired meter will cost you $20. But if you're caught parking in a fire lane or handicapped spot, that's a $250 fine. Then, late fees can double, even triple that amount.

Vincent says one elderly driver who was ticketed three times for parking in a handicapped spot didn't realize how quickly those penalties can pile up, “She ended up owing $2,250.”

City officials say previous moratoriums on traffic tickets have proven to be successful, so officials want to see if a parking ticket amnesty program will also work to collect on these old debts.

“It's an opportunity for people with old tickets or who lost a ticket to get it taken care of, get the penalties waived and clear up their credit record,” said Vincent.

But just like those parking meters, time is ticking away, and if you don't act soon, your opportunity to save some money and clear up your record will expire.

The amnesty program will be held July 29 to July 31, 2008 and again on August 5 to August 7, 2008. Parking tickets can be paid at 417 North 7th Street in Downtown Las Vegas.

Email your comments to Reporter Alyson McCarthy

With today's sluggish economy and Nevada's unemployment rate the highest in 14 years, finding a job isn't easy. But dozens of businesses from around the valley say they need people and are ready to hire.

The job fair started at 1 p.m. and is scheduled to end at 6 p.m. Eyewitness News saw a steady stream of job seekers coming in all day.

People had different reasons for why they were there, but one thing they all agree on is that these are tough times for many.

It was a line many have no choice but to wait in — some lifelong Las Vegas residents while others were newcomers.

“I actually just moved to Nevada seven days ago from Oregon. I live in Henderson, and I am looking for a job,” said Laura Stevens. She has her bachelors degree, and moved to the valley because of the better job opportunities here.

“It's pretty tough. It was worse in Oregon. The job market is probably every one for 1,000 people,” she said. She came prepared today.

“My resume, my college transcript, proof that I live here now, and all my reference information,” she said. Once inside, she didn't waste any time in filling out applications and talking to potential employers.

Neither did Justin Clark. The 31-year-old says he hopes his years of experience gives him the advantage over the hundreds of others there.

“The economy is bad right now. People are moving to find a second job, a third job, or just that one job that will make things positive to the negative,” he said.

So far so good for him. “Everybody is receptive, handing me cards left and right, applications, resumes – I got three for tomorrow. I'm doing well,” he said.

For both Clark and Stevens, it's now just the waiting the game, and holding out hope for a job soon.

Email your comments to Reporter Chris Saldana.

It's the first evening rush hour on I-15, and the southbound lanes are squeezed down to just two lanes. Big rigs on the road are leaving some people catching their breath as the construction continues.

It has been a slow process getting through the area all day. There have been a lot of cars. But the trucks in the lanes are more noticeable because it's a tight space and they are very large.

Merging into two lanes on Interstate 15 southbound highlights just how much traffic travels through this area.

“Whether it is a sacrifice or not, it's a needed purpose,” said George Scott. He drives Interstate 15 south to his construction job. He knows the lane widths will not change — just the space on either side.

He also realizes with the truck traffic, the squeeze to two lanes can be frightening. “I personally don't get nervous because I have driven big trucks, but I know it can be scary and confusing with the trucks moving with the wind and the lanes getting small and smaller. It seems the world is getting smaller and smaller but it's not.”

It sure seems like it for Maria Garcia. She lives in North Las Vegas and uses Interstate 15 to get to the City Centre Cafe downtown. “When you went — all the traffic squeeze? Oh Yeah. Yeah. Too much.”

“It is the main lifeline through Las Vegas, especially in that area for points north,” said Nevada Department of Transportation spokesman, Bob McKenzie. He says they reached out to truckers to educate them about the construction.

“North Corridor Constructors, who are putting the project together along with Las Vegas Paving and NDOT – they have a public outreach team that is out talking with truckers and the Las Vegas Visitors and Convention Authority,” said McKenzie.

The team went to truck stops and talked with national trucking organizations. Scott knows trucks and cars will have to navigate these changes together.

“This city is at a point where we need to fix our old infrastructure and add to the new. And it all has to happen at some point,” he said.

So for now — go a little slower and leave extra time to safely navigate the construction. Think about this — if you speed through this area or cut a truck off, 188 trucks a day on the road here are carrying about 2,000 pounds of hazardous materials. So a serious accident here could have far reaching effects.

If you haven't found an alternate route yet or you want to see the details of the project, click here.

Email your comments to Reporter Edward Lawrence.

The Regional Transportation Commission outlined a plan Thursday to improve and speed up bus service around the city. The idea is to capitalize on a spike in ridership since gas prices reached $4 a gallon.

There are new planned express transit stops – most of them two miles from where we live in the valley. Anyone can park for free at the stop and then take an express bus into what they call the core of the valley.

The numbers are staggering. From January until today, there have been one million more riders on public transportation than the same time last year. The RTC believes by adding express transit service from the edges of the valley, even more people will take advantage of public transportation.

How long it takes to get anywhere on the bus is the number one complaint according to the Regional Transportation Commission. So we decided to see exactly how long it would take from the Northwest to Downtown. The journey began at 10:40 a.m. on a bus at Ann Road and Tenaya.

This line goes from the northwest to the downtown transfer station. Ashton Howard takes it every day to work at Wynn Las Vegas.

“I kind of rode it sparingly prior to $4 a gallon — $4 a gallon was my mark,” he said.

The savings for Howard outweighs what can be a grueling bus trip. Today there was not much traffic. It took about 14 minutes to get to Cheyenne and Rancho. The bus stopped about every block down Rancho.

This is where we really started to see more passengers get on. At the light at Lake Mead, it has taken about 24 minutes on the bus. The proposed express transit service would by-pass the local roads using the highway to speed past this stop and go trip.

“For it to take even a shorter amount of time, it would be great,” said Howard.

The bus is right on schedule – approaching Martin Luther King on Bonanza. It has been about 40 minutes. In a car it would half that. The trip is almost over — with a few more stops before the final destination.

It has taken about 50 minutes to get downtown — 13 miles. The bus stopped more than a dozen times, taking on passengers and letting passengers off. The RTC wants to cut this trip down. The new express bus service is designed to do that.

Cutting down trip times from where people live to where most people work is a direct response to the research. The first express bus service will start in the fall of 2009. The buses will use the HOV lane on 95.

The rest of the stops will be created over the next several years.

Email your comments to Reporter Edward Lawrence.

A funeral service will be held tonight for the second victim in the deadly Baskin Park shooting. Chris Luscombe, 19, died last week from his injuries from the June 9 shooting.

Police say 21-year-old Jesse James Cole opened fire in the park, killing 18-year-old David Miramontes and critically wounding Luscombe.

Cole is now facing two murder charges.

Luscombe’s funeral is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the David Funeral Home on Eastern and Patrick.