Health Fair Thursday at the Mesquite Senior Center

Monday, January 03, 2011

Here’s to Good Health” is the theme of the Virgin Valley Health Fair and Education Forum to be held on Thursday (Jan. 6), from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Mesquite Community and Senior Center.

The first-time event, presented by the City of Mesquite and in collaboration with the Commission on Aging and its legislative sub-committee, will include health checkups and educational materials.

There will be a question and answer program at 10 a.m., when residents can address their concerns with County and State elected representatives. A lunch will be served following the program.

“I have served on the Commission on Aging and I am delighted that Mesquite was chosen as the host City for this inaugural health fair for rural communities,” said Mayor Susan Holecheck. “Issues that we will discuss will involve services for older and aging population, transportation and affordable housing for seniors.”

The Mesquite Community and Senior Center is located at 102 W. Old Mill Road in Mesquite.

The Desert Tortoise

Like many desert creatures, desert tortoises spend most of their lives "holed up." In spring and summer, they roam grazing on grasses and wildflowers, then head for their burrows when it gets too hot. In fall and winter, when it is cold and there is not much to eat, they stay burrowed in for six months or more at a time.

If you see a desert tortoise, you are seeing an endangered species. Please watch out for them on the roads. Tortoises live in washes and valleys where the soil is soft enough for them to burrow into, yet stable enough so they do not collapse. Remember, desert tortoises are protected under the Endangered Species Act and may not be handled or removed.

Golf in the Desert

The city of Mesquite combines calm, small-town flavour with big-city attractions and championship golf. The Palms and the Oasis Golf Clubs are only two of the half-dozen challenging courses in the area.

Golf Highlights in Mesquite

Golf built on the dramatic Virgin Foothills of Nevada makes for a unique landscape and golf setting.
Enjoy a spa treatment at the Spa at Casablanca or the Spa at the Oasis.
Mesquite serves as a gateway to the national parks of Southern Utah and Zion National Park, which is less than two hours away.

View more information about golf courses in Mesquite

The Speedy RoadRunner

Called paisano in Mexico, the roadrunner is a well-known desert resident that only superficially resembles its popular cartoon portrayal. The greater roadrunner has adapted to life on the run. Though it can fly well, it prefers to use its strong legs and X- shaped toes to run rapidly over the desert landscape. Active predators, roadrunners aggressively chase insects, lizards, snakes, small birds and mammals.

Tolerant of humans, they sometimes nest in protected eaves and garages when they are not building large stick nests in desert trees. Their vocalizations include bill clicking noises and a mournful cooing made during breeding seasons. They do not meep-meep.