The 2007-2008 school year for the Clark County School District in southern Nevada begins Monday, August 27. More than 303,000 elementary, middle school and high school students will head back to class at over 330 schools across the valley.

Drivers need to be especially vigilant in and around school locations. Be on the lookout for signs and/or flashing lights that identify school zones, where posted speed limits are either 15 MPH or 25 MPH.

A new law this year expanded the authority of the CCSD Police. Officers can now enforce all traffic laws both on and off campus, including the streets near schools. The law is aimed at keeping children safe as they make their way to and from school.

Fines for speeding in a school zone start from $190 to $303 (depending on the jurisdiction, figures from 2005)for going 1-10 MPH over the posted limit. Both CCSD Police and respective city police departments will be strictly enforcing the school zone speed limits.

Remember to add just a few extra minutes to your driving time beginning on Monday, and be sure to watch for children going to and from schools. Your awareness and patience can have a huge effect on their safety.

With summer winding down, many in the Las Vegas valley look forward to spending more time outdoors in the beautiful fall weather. Henderson, Nevada offers a variety of recreational options and is one of the "Top 10 Fitness Walking Cities in 2007" according to Prevention magazine.

Henderson is well-known for its wonderful master-planned communities with wide landscaped streets, walking trails and community parks. The city's award-winning Parks & Recreation department manages over 40 parks, totaling over 1,200 acres.

So do your mind and body (and the environment) a favor. Leave the car in the garage, and take your family and pets for a walk through some of the great neighborhoods and parks in Henderson. It's a great way to get some exercise, meet your neighbors and enjoy your community - "A Place to Call Home".

One of the perks of living in Las Vegas is the amazing variety of culinary choices. Every major resort has at least one signature restaurant with fabulous cuisine. The exceptional fare from celebrity chefs often comes with a steep price, however, so upscale dining is often limited to special occasions.

From September 2 to 8, Las Vegas Restaurant Week will give diners a chance to experience some of the finest establishments for only $50.07 per person for a three-course meal. Over 50 restaurants will participate. Some of the sample menus include:

• Aureole (Mandalay Bay)
  - Duo of Hudson Valley Foie Gras (Vanilla scented torchon, seared with port glaze)
  - Slow Braised Beef Short Ribs and Hanger Steak (Truffle-celery root puree wilted swiss chard, Cabernet reduction)
  - Citrus Scented Cheesecake with Huckleberry Compote (Creme brulee ice cream, essence of Cassis, maple brown sugar sauce)
  
  
• Emeril's Fish House (MGM Grand)
  - Buffalo Mozzarella, House Cured Bacon Focaccia (with Heirloom Tomatoes and Mixed Baby Greens tossed in a Roasted Shallot Vinaigrette and drizzles of Balsamic Syrup)
  - Grilled Atlantic Salmon (with Sauteed Kale, Roasted Bell Peppers and Linguica Sausage with Flageolet Bean Puree and Creole Tomato Glaze)
  - Emeril's Banana Cream Pie (with Caramel Sauce, Whipped Cream and Shaved Chocolate)
  
  
• T-Bone's Chophouse (Red Rock Resort)
  - Arugula Salad (Fresh Arugula, tear drop tomatoes, crispy prosciutto and parmesan cheese, served with a walnut and white balsamic vinaigrette)
  - Filet Mignon (Six ounces of prime filet mignon grilled over Mesquite wood, topped with melted gorgonzola cheese, served with a red wine demi-glace. Accompanied by grilled asparagus and horseradish mashed potatoes)
  - Chocolate Molten Cake (Warm chocolate molten cake, served with peanut butter ice cream and chocolate sauce)

To see the complete list of restaurants and menus, visit the Three Square website. Three Square, an idea of Eric Hilton, is a southern Nevada partnership involving local restaurants, food distributors, UNLV, the Clark County School District, and many other charities geared toward eliminating hunger. Their motto is "When we work together, we don't just serve food. We serve hope."

We often hear real estate agents say that real estate isn't about the houses, or the big commissions, or 'doing the deal' ... it's about relationships, helping the buyer and seller reach their goals. It's about people.

Think of all of the different people that cross your path each day. Every one of them could lead to a source of future business. Now take a closer look. See how they act and interact, and how you react and interact with them. Think of the hundreds or thousands of chance encounters and the first impressions they leave.

With today's challenging market, foreclosures rising, the subprime meltdown, and digital media bombarding us with information overload (whether we want it or not!), it can be very easy to lose our perspective. All of the 'extraneous noise' pulls our focus from what's really important -- people.

Our team leader shared this video in our office meeting. It is entertaining and thought-provoking with a powerful message. It shows the profound difference between simply looking and really seeing, and reminded me that 'Everybody has a story to tell.' I hope that you will also benefit from its message and share it with others.

Whether you're just starting blogging or are a seasoned veteran, there will always come a time when you're short on ideas or you're looking for a way to take your blog to the next level. One great way to improve your writing is to read other online sites.

I think it's helpful to read a lot of different blogs with a wide variety of topics. Look for both content and style. What topics are popular? Does the author write in-depth or just present an issue and encourage discussion? How do they use graphics, whitespace and formatting to make the post visually appealing and easy to read?

Google Blog Search and Technorati are two sites where you can search for (and find) just about anything. Another source for blogs to read are the award sites. Three prominent ones are the Bloggies, the Webbies, and the Inman News Innovator Awards. Listed below are just a few category winners and some of the nominees from the 2007 season. Enjoy!

UPDATE:
Still looking for more?? Here are some other posts I've written:

• 3 Posts I Think You Should Read
• Top Real Estate Blogs ... How Does ActiveRain Compare?
• 750 Real Estate Blogs
• The ActiveRain Spring Break Blog Tour
• A Reading List of Award-Winning Blogs (2006 edition)