Memorial for vets, first responders planned

Military veterans, police officers and firefighters will be honored by a memorial under development in North Las Vegas, but it’s still unclear what it will look like.

Several ideas have emerged, including an eternal flame, marble statues and a pair of bright blue lights shooting straight into the sky.

While suggestions are still being sketched out, city officials hope to unveil the memorial by September 2018 on the east side of Craig Ranch Regional Park.

“The sky’s the limit right now with the design, because we’re bouncing around all kind of ideas,” said North Las Vegas City Councilwoman Pamela Goynes-brown, whose Ward 2 includes the park.

The North Las Vegas City Council green-lighted the project on Wednesday, with a formal announcement expected Saturday during the Military and Veterans Appreciation Day event at Craig Ranch Regional Park.

The project will be spearheaded by the nonprofit Armed Forces and Military Veterans Appreciation Inc., which will seek donations to pay for the memorial.

The group started holding the military appreciation event several years ago, but it wanted to find a way to pay lasting tribute to veterans and first responders.

“We want to create something that is consistent with the serene setting at Craig Ranch Regional Park, a place where we can sit, reflect and pay trib-

ute to the people who serve our country,” said North Las Vegas Councilman Richard Cherchio, who also serves as chairman of Armed Forces and Military Veterans Appreciation Inc.

Cherchio said the group is trying to get a piece of the twin towers of New York’s World Trade Center, which collapsed after being struck by jetliners during the 9/11 attacks.

Emblems of every military branch might also adorn the memorial, along with symbols representing police officers and firefighters.

“In this day and age, when so many of our first responders are vilified in the media, it’s nice that appreciation is shown by the city for those first responders who are out there actually saving lives every day,” said Mike Yarter, president of the North Las Vegas Police Officers Association, which represents about 300 law enforcement officers.

Contact Art Marroquin at amarroquin@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0336. Find @Amarroquin_ LV on Twitter.