Page 3 - Desert Lightning News, Nellis-Creech AFB Edition, Sept. 29 2017

DeSert lightning newS S. nevaDa news 3September 29, 2017

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Expect traffic delays at base entry gates

Beginning this month, base visitors and employees congestion during peak daytime hours; however, the
can expect delays entering and exiting Nellis Air Force construction will impact traffic lights, and incoming
Base, Nev., due to road construction. and outgoing vehicle traffic at the following base entry
points:
The City of North Las Vegas completed a design and • Simmons gate at the intersection of Gowan Road
awarded a project to Contri Construction Company to
construct the North East Sewer Interceptor that will and Nellis Boulevard
run from the city’s sewage treatment plant located at • Main base gate at the intersection of Craig Road and
the south region of the base.
Las Vegas Boulevard
The project will be executed in two phases. The first • North gate on Las Vegas Boulevard
phase will stop short of the base’s Range Road gate and
is scheduled for completion by May 2018. The second Residents should expect road construction on Betty
phase will be scheduled at a later date. Lane and Cheyenne Avenue, and continue North on
Nellis Boulevard to Las Vegas Boulevard, with a con-
The first phase will be performed on city streets tinuation Northeast on Las Vegas Boulevard to Sloan
off-base during the day with the exception of the work Lane. (See attached key plan).
at the Gowan Road and Nellis Boulevard intersection
which will be performed at night to avoid major traffic For more information, call the 99th Civil Engineer
Squadron at 702-652-3212.

Nellis takes the cake with USAF 70th anniversary celebration

by Master Sgt. Heidi West sive project into three steps: baking, icing pounds of confectioner’s sugar and two-and-a-
and decorating. First, the team baked the half pounds of butter for the frosting,” said Cook.
Nellis AFB, Nev. individual vanilla cakes to create the three
stacked tiers and placing them in the cooler Second, Cook and Markos iced each cake with
The Crosswinds Dining Facility at to chill overnight. A tiered cake for more a few layers of buttercream icing, cooled them
Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., hosted a than 50 people takes more than hard work and wrapped them with red or blue fondant. In
cake-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. Sept. and creativity. addition, they rolled out white fondant to create
18 to celebrate the 70th anniversary stars and stripes for the second layer.
of the U.S. Air Force, with this year’s “For this cake, we used 10 pounds of
theme of Breaking Barriers Since 1947. cake mix, six eggs, 1 ½ cups of oil, five “We chose to make homemade fondant
for better quality,” said Cook. “We used seven
Airmen 1st Class Chelsea Cook, pounds of confectioner’s sugar and two pounds Air Force photograph by Master Sgt. Heidi West
Kendall McGovern and Samuel Mar- of marshmallows.”
kos, chefs assigned to the 99th Force Airman 1st Class Kendall McGovern, 99th
Support Squadron, spent more than 12 Finally, McGovern spent two hours meticu- Force Support Squadron chef, prepares
hours in the dining facility kitchen bak- lously inscribing edible banners to wrap around a layer of fondant on the Air Force’s
ing and decorating the multi-layered the layers of the second tier as well as molded a 70th anniversary celebration cake at
celebratory cake. 70th anniversary topper for the top tier. Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Sept. 17, 2017.
McGovern spent more than two hours
Cook joined Team Nellis just days “There aren’t second chances if I mess up, so creating fondant stars and stripes to
before the Air Force’s 69th anniver- I have to make sure I get it right the first time, place around the multiple layers of cake.
sary. Shortly after arriving, the baker every time,” said McGovern.
position at the dining facility became “I came into the Air Force with the
vacant. As a self-taught baker, Cook Once the layers of cake were stacked, the team intentions of making an impact in my
excitedly jumped at the opportunity to polished the fondant with water to give it a shine. job and in the lives of the people around
showcase her skills. The bakers had created a cake worth devouring. me,” said Cook. “I absolutely love my
job! It makes people’s short time here
“I presented the staff with some of Air Force photograph by Airman 1st Air Force photograph by Airman 1st Class Andrew D. Sarver more enjoyable and – who doesn’t like
my baking goods and asked if I could Class Andrew D. Sarver cake and desserts?”
take the baking role here,” said Cook. Col. Mathew Boschert, 99th Mission Support Group commander,
“Sure enough, I got what I asked for and Airman 1st Class Rebecca and Airman 1st Class Rebecca Johnson, 99th Force Support After a few words, Col. Matthew
couldn’t be more grateful.” Johnson, 99th Force Squadron chef, prepare to cut the Air Force’s 70th anniversary Boschert, 99th Mission Support Group
Support Squadron chef, cake at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Sept. 18, 2017. The cake took commander, began the birthday cel-
Cook reaffirmed her talent baking serves a slice of cake more than three days to prepare, perfect and present before ebration with an Air Force tradition.
the Air Force birthday cake days after during the Air Force’s 70th being served to Airmen at the Crosswinds Inn dining facility. Airman 1st Class Rebecca Johnson, a
arriving in 2016, so, naturally, she was anniversary celebration at chef assigned to the 99th FSS, who was
selected to bake this year’s cake. As team Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., also celebrating her one-year anniver-
lead, Cook felt the pressure of the task, Sept. 18, 2017. Johnson sary in the Air Force was asked to cut
as this baking requirement held a higher also celebrated her one- the first slice of the cake before passing
level of interest than baking desserts for year anniversary in the it out to attendees.
the dining facility serving line. Air Force and was asked
to ceremoniously cut the “There are some bakers out there that
“My normal baking duties don’t first slice of cake. could learn a few things from these Air-
involve this much work,” said Cook. men,” said Airman 1st Class Andrew
“Also, this cake will be shown in front Sarver, photojournalist assigned to
of my leadership and peers, so it adds the 99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
to the pressure and my drive to make and celebration attendee. “That cake
my cake that much more spectacular.” brought tears to my eyes and joy to my
heart.”
Heading into the birthday weekend,
Cook and her team broke up the mas-

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