Flu season is just around the corner, and in order to get a head start on it, flu shots will be offered starting Monday. The Southern Nevada Health District will offer flu shots from 8a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at their local centers.

Those centers are located at:

• Ravenholt Public Health Center, 625 Shadow Lane, Las Vegas
• East Las Vegas Public Health Center, 560 N. Nellis Blvd., Suite E12, Las Vegas
• Henderson Public Health Center, 520 E. Lake Mead Parkway, Henderson
• North Las Vegas Public Health Center, 1820 E. Lake Mead Blvd., Suite F, North Las Vegas
• Spring Valley Public Health Center, 6330 W. Spring Mountain Rd., Ste. C, Las Vegas

(All services at Spring Valley, including immunizations, are available by appointment only. Call 759-0701)

Right now there aren't any anticipated vaccine shortages this season. The health district is reminding residents to get the flu shot early. Flu season generally peaks in southern Nevada in January or February.

The health district has scheduled several additional flu shot clinics in November:

• Nov. 5 10 a.m. to noon Arturo Cambero 330 N. 13^th St. Las Vegas
• Nov. 6 Noon-2 p.m. H2U promoted by Southern Hills Hospital 9300 W. Sunset Rd. Las Vegas
• Nov. 12 10 a.m. to noon H2U promoted by Sunrise Hospital 3101 S. Maryland Pkwy. Ste. 100 (next to Denny's across from the hospital) Las Vegas
• Nov. 18 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Doolittle Community Center 1950 N. “J” St. Las Vegas

For the first time, the Southern Nevada Health District will participate in the nationwide Vote & Vax program where flu shot clinics will be held near polling sites. The clinics are scheduled as follows:  

• Oct. 28 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Moapa Valley Comm Center 320 N. Moapa Valley Blvd. Overton
• Oct. 29 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mesquite Campus Old Library 150 N. Yucca Mesquite
• Oct. 30 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Doolittle Community Center 1950 N. “J” St. Las Vegas

The Las Vegas housing market has a long road to recovery. Home values in Nevada have plunged, while foreclosures have skyrocketed. But in a sign of what could be a turnaround for the market, homes in foreclosure are being sold at record levels.

You can find bank-owned properties in every corner of the valley and many say these are signs of opportunity.

Jessica Scheitler is still getting settled into her new home, “It had the greatest amount of space and the kitchen was the largest. I like to cook.”

Scheitler was renting and suddenly got forced out when her landlord went into foreclosure, “Someone came and knocked on the door and asked if we were showing the house, and that's kind of how we found out that we had to leave.”

Scheitler, a victim of the foreclosure crisis, made the best of it. Realtor Nick Nolf helped her find a hot deal in the foreclosure market, “There's a very sad element to the market, but this is the nice part of my job.”

The two-year-old home went for $370,000 in 2006. Last month, someone else's misfortune got Scheitler an unbelievable deal, “I paid $180,000 for the house and the seller contributed the closing costs.”

If that sounds too good to be true, Nolf says it's not out of the ordinary, “The foreclosure market is absolutely hot right now. People are coming in. That's where the investors are. That's where people that are renting are buying these properties because the foreclosures are finally affordable again.”

The Las Vegas valley now has more than 5,000 foreclosed properties on the market, and they are going first at bargain prices. So, has the market finally hit the bottom?

“You never know the bottom of the market the day the bottom hits. You'll find out maybe three to six months down the line when the actual bottom was. You'll be able to look back and say, 'Oh, that's where the bottom was,'” said Nolf.

It may be the best time to buy for everyone, but for Scheitler, this was the perfect opportunity at just the right time.

Not everyone will be able to get in on the deals this time around. Since the housing crisis began, credit has gotten tighter, so you'll need good credit and be prepared to put at least 3-percent down.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded a $365 million contract for construction of a 790,000 square-foot veterans hospital in North Las Vegas.

The contract announced Thursday is the largest ever awarded by the federal department. It went to Clark/Hunt Construction, the firm hired to build the 90-bed hospital and a 120-bed nursing home.

A spokesman for Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley says the total cost for the project is $600 million. It is slated to open in mid-2011.

Berkley spokesman David Cherry says the project is one of two new veterans hospitals approved since 2003, when the veterans department began evaluating its facilities nationwide.

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

The City of North Las Vegas has signed off on plans for a multimillion dollar venture. A large shopping center is set to be built on Las Vegas Boulevard and Hamilton Street, and it's expected to give the city's economy a shot in the arm.

One business owner calls the property an eyesore, but many see potential behind the fence. Even in a tough economy, the plans for well known retail stores and sit-down restaurants are a go.

Pay a visit to Cassandra Black's business on North Las Vegas Boulevard, and you'll notice that mouth-watering smell of barbecue in the air. H&H Barbeque has been here since January, and now Cassandra has a sweet taste in her mouth knowing what's going in next door.

“There's going to be more employees there. They're going to get hungry for lunch and they're going to come right over here, help me out,” she said.

North Las Vegas' largest and first major downtown redevelopment project is proposed for the 33-acre desert lot. A big difference from the endless litter that now scatters the property.

It's been that way for awhile, but change is coming.

“It will revitalize it and the Los Flores project will be the first one and kick it off and make it happen,” Michael Townsend, developer and chief operating officer of Montecito Companies.

The Los Flores Shopping Center has a $110 million price tag. It's expected to create 750 permanent jobs and give North Las Vegas a $35 million annual boost from sales revenue.

The developer is in negotiations with several anchor stores, contracts have already been signed, financing will not be a problem and there's no fear of losing it. Everything's on track.

“This is Santa Monica, Newport Beach kind of project. Really nice stuff,” said North Las Vegas Mayor Michael Montandon.

The North Las Vegas City Council has been working to turn around the area for years. It has momentum at a time when most don't, “To see this one say, ‘We've got our cash, we've got our money, we're able to go forward,' it's very exciting. It's not happening anywhere else.”

For Cassandra, she believes the development is just right for her success, “I live on hope and I'm really happy to see a lot of improvement.”

The developer hopes to break ground by May of 2009. Construction is scheduled to be finished and stores open by July of 2010.

Email your comments to Reporter Aaron Drawhorn