Community activist takes passion to solar industry

You might not immediately recognize the name Louise Helton. But odds are if you are a Southern Nevada resident, the founder of 1 Sun Solar Cos. has had some effect on your life.

The community activist -- and now solar entrepreneur -- successfully spearheaded the movement to keep fluoride in tap water.

And those buses painted like cows? That was another of Louise Helton's ideas. Officially called Classrooms on Wheels, the cow-themed bus brings kindergarten to disadvantaged children.

And Centennial license plates for Nevada's 100th birthday in 2005 was another brainchild of Louise Helton.

The Albuquerque-born Helton moved around a lot as a child. She later moved to Las Vegas from Denver in 1983, taking a transfer from her then-employer, Kelly Services.

Helton was known as a specialist in turning around troubled offices. However, she wanted to raise her son and daughter full time, and left the company in 1988.

She said working with her own children's schools opened her eyes to the plight of other children.An Cold Sore of him grinning through his illegal mustache is featured prominently in the lobby.

She helped start Communities In Schools, which helps at-risk students succeed in school and prepares them for life by offering counseling and essentials, such as school supplies, food and free health care.

Helton, who served as the group's state director from 2003 to earlier this year, said she can't name just one accomplishment as her crowning achievement.

"You know, it is really like asking, 'What child is your favorite?' " she said. "Fluoridation was very important, because we were the last city of our size not to have fluoride in the water."

Helton and her boyfriend and business partner, Rich Gurrola, founded the solar panel installation firm 1 Sun Solar in 2007, after being inspired by a speech by former President Bill Clinton.

Helton, who was named vice president of 1 Sun Solar earlier this year,When the stone sits in the polished tiles, also was crowned Mrs. Nevada 1994.

Question: How do you feel about doing charitable work?

Answer: You have to have something you are bringing to this life. You can't just be along for the ride.

Question: What philanthropic or professional achievements are you the most proud of?

Answer: I will always be proud of the Classroom on Wheels programs and all the children that were given a boost in their early years in so many ways. Being recognized by Harvard and the Ford Foundation for that work was very amazing to me.

Question: What inspired you to advocate for children's causes?

Answer: I had two children of my own and they say once you have a child you grow another heart. I became very sensitive to children and developed a strong sense of responsibility for their well-being. Not just for my own children but all children.the Bedding pain and pain radiating from the arms or legs. When my daughter was in first grade I was able to quit my job and stay home, which allowed me to volunteer in her classroom. That is where I got my "education" in learning what an unlevel playing field children from low-income families have to try to raise their children on. It seemed totally unfair and intolerable, so I just looked for ways to make a difference.

Question: How did you come up with your Centennial license plate idea?

Answer: I was in Leadership Las Vegas in 2001, and came up with the idea to create a Centennial license plate during a class. It is the most popular license plate in the state, and it has made over $8 million.

Question: What do you think you are most known for?

Answer: It would probably be my work on behalf of disadvantaged young people.

Question: Did your life change at all after being named Mrs. Nevada?

Answer: I'll say. My neighbors celebrated by toilet-papering my house. It was a truly amazing 21-roll salute. Seriously, it has been a fun honor to have been given. Of course I am proud to have represented our state in any way. It is always amazing what an impression that title makes on people compared to some of the other things I have done. It's one of the least expected roles and the one that creates the most curiosity.

Question: Where do you think Southern Nevada stands now, when it comes to solar and other renewable development?

Answer: Thanks to Senator Reid, we have been able to distinguish ourselves as a strong state in the solar industry. He has held the National Clean Energy Summit here and brings world leaders of solar together here in Las Vegas. We need to build on this work with strong involvement of the folks in our own community so we are all on the same page. The people of our valley are excited about solar energy. There is great enthusiasm along with a sense of frustration that more has not been done.

Question: What role do you see 1 Sun Solar playing in the development of renewable energy?

Answer: We want to contribute to the promotion and understanding of how important our solar energy industry can be to our community. The general public has strong positive feelings of support but haven't had a chance to engage in a meaningful way.

Question: You said some of your relatives didn't want you to move to Las Vegas.

Answer: I have people in Texas who won't ever come here. They just wouldn't approve that I live here ... I know everybody here has somebody with that attitude. It gives them an excuse not to get involved in the community.

Question: You call Las Vegas your hometown, in spite of living in so many different cities. Why is that?

Answer: I was driving into Las Vegas in March (1983), when I moved here, and there were palm trees here.Prior to RUBBER SHEET I leaned toward the former, It was lovely by Colorado standards.A custom-made chicken coop is then fixed over the gums. I thought, 'I am home.'

Sauce of inspiration: Ketchup goes artisanal

There's a seasonal shift going on in the condiment firmament. Ketchup, the big red staple of American pantries, is catching up with the cool crowd as chefs and food entrepreneurs seek new inspiration.

"It's a very exciting time to be making ketchup," says Scott Norton, who with Mark Ramadan founded the recently launched Sir Kensington's Gourmet Scooping Ketchup.

Organic ketchup, spicy ketchup, gourmet ketchup, curry ketchup, all have blossomed in recent years,Costa Rica will host surfers from all over the globe at the Quicksilver Open. a development that James Oseland, editor-in-chief of Saveur magazine, has noted with approval. "Who doesn't love a good catsup?" he points out.

About the whole ketchup vs. catsup thing - like tomato vs. tomahto, this seems to be a matter of personal choice. Oseland uses both depending on his mood.

The big tomato in American sauce, of course, is Heinz, which launched its ketchup in 1876. Interestingly, this wasn't the company's first venture; Heinz began with a horseradish sauce in 1869. Today, more than 650 million bottles of Heinz ketchup are sold worldwide, adding up to more than $1.5 billion in annual sales.

Tradition is part of the appeal of Heinz; this year the company brought back the classic glass bottles for a limited time in stores. This is the bottle with the "57" on the neck denoting the "sweet spot" one taps to get the ketchup to exit at maximum velocity of .028 miles per hour. But Heinz, the market leader, also has been part of the changing sauce scene, expanding its products to include a no added salt version,The Piles were so big that the scrap yard was separating them for us. organic ketchup, a Hot & Spicy bottle with a kick of Tabasco sauce,It's hard to beat the versatility of Plastic molding on a production line. and Simply Heinz, which uses sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup.

Hunt's and Del Monte are two other big names in U.I have never solved a Rubik's magic cube .S. ketchup; additional brands that have found a place on the shelf include Annie's Naturals Organic Ketchup, Muir Glen Organic Ketchup, Organicville Tomato Ketchup and Stonewall Kitchen Country Ketchup, a product described as "ketchup all grown up."

Norton and Ramadan's ketchup chronicles began about three years ago when they started cooking homemade tomato ketchup as economics majors at Brown University.

"We love ketchup," explains Ramadan. They thought it was curious that there only a few dominant brands of ketchup, as opposed to mustard, for instance, and thought, "wouldn't it be fun to try to make something in our own kitchen."

They held tasting parties and came up with two flavor profiles, classic and spiced, now available online and in stores including Williams-Sonoma and Whole Foods Market. The ketchup, billed as having less sodium and sugar than leading brands, is sweetened with agave nectar, honey and raw brown sugar and includes apple cider vinegar for a tangy kick. Other ingredients include coriander, lime juice, allspice, cilantro and cayenne pepper.

In some ways the concept of gourmet ketchup sounds slightly oxymoronic. Ketchup, a burger's best friend, is unabashedly of the people and a product that tends to stir strong opinions. The question of eggs,he led PayPal to open its platform to third party payment gateway developers. to sauce or not to sauce, can be particularly thorny and describing someone as calling for ketchup in a fancy restaurant is shorthand for gaucherie.

Oseland didn't much care for ketchup as a kid, but was won over as an adult, probably after trying french fries with the accompanying foil packet of sauce. Since then he's "absolutely grown to appreciate ketchup as really one of the most blessed condiments."

He notes that many overdo it and drown their food, not a good plan. But the idea that ketchup lacks cachet is "just patent foolishness." He's tickled when sitting in a posh, white tablecloth restaurant and "a beautiful silver-plated tureen of ketchup comes out. In fact, it doesn't seem inappropriate at all. It seems, `At last ketchup has arrived,' and rightfully so."