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May. 04, 2009
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

It's official: Vivid dancer damselfly is state's insect

By ED VOGEL
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL CAPITAL BUREAU

The vivid dancing damselfly has been named Nevada's official state insect.
Courtesy of Ray Brunn

CARSON CITY — Gov. Jim Gibbons made a lot of fourth-graders happy today when he signed into law a bill making the vivid dancer damselfly Nevada’s official state insect.

The effort to make the blue and silver insect Nevada’s favorite was led by a Beatty Elementary School class in Las Vegas. The strikingly beautiful insect resembles a dragonfly.

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    • Three of the students in that Beatty class — Megan Anders, Ryan Underwood and Lexie Aranchibia — testified during legislative hearings.

    With Gibbons’ signature on Senate Bill 166, Nevada becomes the 43rd state with an official insect. The bill earlier was approved unanimously by both the Assembly and Senate.

    During hearings, legislators joked that the barfly, the mosquito or the “lobbyist” should have been named the official insect.

    At one hearing, Sen. John Lee, D-North Las Vegas, displayed photos of “older” damselflies that had faces that looked like Sen. Joyce Woodhouse, D-Henderson, and Assemblyman Lynn Stewart, R-Henderson. The two legislators sponsored the bill.

    They had learned last year that Nevada did not have a state insect and decided a contest should be held among schoolchildren to pick one.

    More than 70 nominations and essays were sent in by 57 fourth-grade classes across the state. A group of educators and scientists selected the damselfly.

    At a hearing, Beatty fourth-grade teacher David Slater said he was surprised to find that seven of his students went home and immediately began research on Nevada insects after he told them of the contest.

    The students told legislators they liked the damselfly because its colors are Nevada’s colors and that it is found throughout the state. It also eats mosquitoes.

     

    Contact reporter Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.

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    What a nut case wrote on September 29, 2009 02:04 PM: Judy is a whack job. How can someone have so much hate in their body that they need to blog nastily about a story like this? Judy seems to relish any opportunity to take a cheap shot at our Governor. I'm not a fan of him either, but this was not the story that makes one say, "Hmm, I'll rip Gibbons over this."

    I've seen Judy's style before. Always loves to write ZERO after the word governor.

    Short fat chicks who live with 27 cats in a trailor should stay away from intelligent public comment.

    Fact is, the Governor probably knew nothing about this bill, even as he was signing it.

    Judy. You're cheap. Seek help. If you already get help, seek more help.


    RecallME wrote on May 04, 2009 09:39 PM: Whew-Jim Gibbons has taken care of balancing the budget, adequately funding education, helping the elderly and poor, paying off his text-ing bill, paying off his attorney fees for his Christy Mazzio incident, attorney fees for divorcing Dawn in office, refusal to sign domestic partnership bill,soon to be attorney fees for cutting state employees pay. It's nice to know he can move on to the important stuff, like signing a bill naming a bug the state bug! I'm so proud of Nevada!


    Michael wrote on May 04, 2009 09:07 PM: Are we human, or are we vivid dancer?


    Nevada Mike wrote on May 04, 2009 07:21 PM: I thought Gibbons was the state insect!


    casinocon wrote on May 04, 2009 07:05 PM: God, how lame is this!! We need lower taxes and get business improving! Who cares about a stupid bug!


    homer wrote on May 04, 2009 06:42 PM: You're the joke, Judy. How old are you...about 12?


    Beg to disagree. wrote on May 04, 2009 06:38 PM: @ Judy

    I don't think the Gov hates children,, only their teachers.


    Judy wrote on May 04, 2009 06:30 PM: Wow, Governor ZERO is finally tackling the real tough issues in Nevada. Thank god he signed the DamselFly bill for all the children of Nevada. Those 4th graders better check their backpacks before leaving to see if Governor Zero stole their lunch money.

    He hates Nevada's kids. What a joke.



    vegas dic wrote on May 04, 2009 06:18 PM: Speaking of Vivid Dancer, anyone know what's news at Spearmint Rhino?


    JD wrote on May 04, 2009 06:11 PM: Wow, Jim Gibbons making children happy. Sounds like the perfect political ploy. Yet he can't figure out how to fund education. Those students who got excited, won't be so happy next year when they have 40 other students in the room, a teacher who is a long term sub and does not speak English, and a school that can't keep the air conditioning running all day. If you think this is a crazy scenario, you are not in reality, education is about to hit rock bottom, it's only the beginning. Gibbons must go!


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