The student who most accurately guessed the time that Mojave Max would emerge met the desert tortoise, during a visit to his habitat Wednesday.

Fourth-grader Kayla Marshall of Gehring Elementary School was joined by her whole class in the visit to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area Visitor's Center.

Besides meeting Max, the students got T-shirts and a pizza party. She also received a digital camera, a laptop computer and free year-long pass to federally managed lands.

Kayla missed the actual time that the tortoise would emerge from his burrow by only two minutes. Max left his burrow at 1:45 p.m. March 14. He had been in a state known as brumation, which is the reptile version of hibernation, since the fall.

When the weather warms up and there is more daylight, the tortoise makes his way out of his burrow. It is considered one of the most accurate signs of spring in the Mojave Desert.

As the city of Henderson readies to honor its 60th anniversary, officials named five people with ties to the city’s history as grand marshals for its upcoming Heritage Parade.

The choices range from one of the town’s first beauty queens, a family of lifelong teachers and a former Henderson fire chief, among others. The grand marshals will lead the parade at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 6.

The honorees are:

A health insurance company is helping local homeless veterans by collecting clothing for an upcoming charity event.

Humana will be collecting clothing at both of its guidance centers now through March 6. Donations of shirts, pants, socks, undergarments and hats are requested, along with duffel and tote bags.

The clothing will be cleaned, repaired and sorted. It will then be distributed during Veterans Stand Down, a event hosted by U.S. Vets where charities and social services agencies from around southern Nevada gather in one place to provide help to homeless veterans.

During last year's drive, Humana collected more than 400 clothing items to be donated to veterans in need.

This year's Veterans Stand Down is set for March 27 and 28 at Cashman Center.

Donations can be dropped off at: