funding

RENO, Nev. – An online graduate certificate in renewable energy that provides an opportunity to study the policies and practices in the diverse fields of renewable energy is being offered at the University of Nevada, Reno beginning in the spring 2012 semester.

“With an emphasis on renewable energy by the Governor’s Task Force on Economic Development, this should be a popular program,” Nancy LaTourrette, of the University’s College of Engineering, said. “The program provides a breadth of understanding of the different aspects of renewable energy in a traditional semester-long time frame.”

CARSON CITY – Nevada is one of several states that will not make a Jan. 30 federal deadline to implement a newly mandated safety rule to ensure truck drivers have proof they are medically safe to drive, potentially putting federal highway dollars at risk.

The new rule from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCS) requires state motor vehicle departments across the country to create a new database that will be linked nationally to keep track of the proof truck drivers need to show they are safe to drive.

The state's Interim Finance Committee questioned Corrections Director Greg Cox over contradictory plans for running the license plate shop at the Nevada State Prison once the facility closes down. The original plan was for the shop to stay where it is and be run by minimum security inmates. But Cox had also been looking at moving the plant to either the Northern Nevada Correctional Center on the south side of Carson City, or to High Desert State Prison near Las Vegas. He said they didn't currently have the money to make that move.

The IFC also got the final $521,904 bill for the special election to fill Nevada's Second Congressional District seat after Gov. Brian Sandoval appointed Dean Heller to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by John Ensign.

The IFC also approved funding for 20 of the 30 new positions for the Department of Motor Vehicles approved by the 2011 Legislature. The new positions are supposed to help cut the wait time at DMV offices, which have increased since 85 positions were eliminated due to budget cuts.

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A coalition of organizations is urging the Attorney General's office to reject a multi-state settlement with the banking industry over allegations of widespread falsifying loan documents and other wrongdoing in the wake of the mortgage foreclosure crisis. New York and California have already signaled that they will not sign onto the agreement, and the Attorneys General of Nevada and California recently announced that they will work together to investigate allegations of wrongdoing by the banks.

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The Carson City Board of Supervisors approved an agreement with the Nevada Small Business Development Center at UNR to work together to operate the city's Business Resource Innovation Center, under the leadership of its new director Michael Salogga.

The Carson City Board of Supervisors is seeking applications from persons interested in serving on the Redevelopment Authority Citizens Committee. There are six (6) openings in the following categories, two (2) in each category:

• “Business Operator” or “Property Owner” from Redevelopment Area 1
• “Business Operator” or “Property Owner” from Redevelopment Area 2

William Ravenelle was supposed to be celebrating his 50th birthday last Saturday here in Carson City. But he never came home after he was last seen at the Comfort Inn in Elko, and his family is desperately searching for him. Ravenell's brother Mike went to the motel and found the doors of William's car wide open, and his cell phone was still in his room. A motel employee reported that his wallet was found, and it still had money in it. William Ravenelle is 5 feet, 9 inches tall, 185 pounds, blue eyes and brown hair. Anyone with information about his disappearance should call the Elko Police Department at (775) 777-7310.

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$5 million of voter-approved funding will be going to help build a bike path around the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, but many obstacles stand in the way of its completion. The narrow roadway going through the Carson City portion of the lake's shoreline is one of the problem area. The others include getting around Cave Rock.

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Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller is filing a protest over language that was included in the newly approved redistricting order. The language was added that allows candidates to use terms like "re-elect" an "incumbent" even if the redistricting has moved them to new districts, or their district numbers have changed.

By John Heil
California is expected to see a boost in its local mountain economies as a result of a new legislation that now permits year-long recreation opportunities on U.S. Forest Service ski areas. The Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act of 2011, which was signed by President Barack Obama on Nov. 7, is estimated to create and annually sustain up to 600 extra jobs nationwide.

Look outside! It's the first snow of the year. Hopefully everyone's winter driving skills aren't too rusty. Be careful out there.

Here is the news summary for today:

• Carson City Board of Supervisors approved a resolution accepting $539,989 in funding for the Health Department to set up billing for immunizations. The money comes from the U.S. Center for Disease Control, and will be used to pay for one part-time and three full-time employees. They will be responsible for creating a strategic plan to implement billing within Nevada local health departments.
• The Board also approved funding allocations of approximately $1,975,106 to Douglas County and $1,625,422 to Washoe County from the voter-approved State Question 1 for the Tahoe Bike Path and allocated to Douglas County, Washoe County and Carson City.
• Those who remember the old Woody's Cafe on the south side of town will be happy to hear there will be a new restaurant in that location called the Red Hut Cafe, opening in December. Anyone who has been to South Lake Tahoe in the last 50 years might recognize the name. Red Hut Cafe has been a local's tradition at the lake since 1959. There are now three Red Hut Cafe locations in South Shore, plus an ice cream parlor.
• The Carson Senators (7-1, 7-0) play Reno High (6-3, 6-2) tonight at 7:30 p.m. in Carson. This is the final regular season game for the Senators, as they try to secure the top seed in the 4A playoffs.
• A man charged with accidentally killing his roommate in Brunswick Canyon has agreed to plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter. Anthony Kelich, 60, shot his roommate in the face with a rifle while they and one other man had been shooting at targets while drinking off of Sedge Road. Guns and alcohol don't mix.

The Carson City Board of Supervisors is seeking applications from persons interested in serving on the Regional Transportation Commission. The RTC is the policy making body on transportation issues within Carson City who's purpose is to establish priorities and recommend appropriate funding for transportation improvement projects. The members of the Regional Transportation Committee also serve on the Carson Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Board to discuss and take action on federal monies spent on transportation and transit projects within the Carson Metropolitan Planning Area.

CARSON CITY – A firm hired in January to take over operation of the state’s Medicaid billing and information systems has failed to complete the first key step in the process by an August deadline and has been given an extension to Dec. 5.

By the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Restoring and protecting habitat for foraging elk and other wildlife headline a list of 2011 grants for Nevada from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
The RMEF grants total $42,700 and affect Carson City, Churchill, Douglas, Elko, Lyon, Nye, Washoe and White Pine counties. One project has statewide interest, affecting teachers and students across Nevada.

By the Nevada Department of Wildlife
It’s not very often that people are presented with a win-win scenario, but the new “Conserve Wildlife” license plate now available at any Nevada Department of Motor Vehicle office may just fit that description.
Money from the sale of the new license plate, which features a mule deer, sage-grouse and a rainbow trout against a classic Nevada landscape, will go directly to the Nevada Department of Wildlife’s (NDOW) wildlife education and volunteer programs.

CARSON CITY – The National Governors Association (NGA) announced today  that Nevada has been selected as one of six states to participate in a Policy Academy on strengthening post-secondary education performance measures.

CARSON CITY – A report from the Tax Foundation on unemployment insurance taxes says 34 states have had to borrow $37 billion from the federal government to pay jobless benefits, and employers around the country face the prospect of higher tax rates as a result.

A research project at the University of Nevada, Reno has received a $410,220 grant to explore how video exercise games can be played without using visual feedback so the visually impaired, especially adolescents, can improve their health through increased activity. The funding comes from the human-centered computing program of the National Science Foundation.

CARSON CITY – It has been a dream of many Nevada and California officials for more than two decades but a 185-mile high speed rail line between Las Vegas and Victorville may soon become a reality.

Gov. Brian Sandoval yesterday signed an executive order directing the P-16 Advisory Council to review education data systems in Nevada.
The Council, created by state statute, is intended to help coordinate education efforts in Nevada from the preschool through postsecondary levels and has the authority to address the data information system for public school students.

A federal effort to pump affordable loan money into rural communities across the nation is bringing the city of Caliente a brand new pumper truck and a rescue vehicle with a mini-pumper, and not a moment too soon.

When he visits Las Vegas on Oct. 24, President Barack Obama will continue his nationwide tour urging Congress to pass the Americans Jobs Act, his $450 billion plan to create jobs and stimulate the economy.
“Pass this jobs bill, and there will be funding to save the jobs of up to 13,000 North Carolina teachers, cops, and firefighters,” Obama said earlier this month to thousands of supporters at North Carolina State University.

By Kristi Boosman
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency announced the winners of the Lake Spirit Awards honoring "real people making real progress protecting Lake Tahoe" at their first-ever Community Appreciation Day event held on September 29 at TRPA's office.

CARSON CITY – A new federal program is bringing $13.8 million to Nevada to lend to small businesses to spur job growth, Gov. Brian Sandoval announced earlier this week.
The funds provided to Nevada’s State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) by the Small Business Jobs Act are expected to help create private sector jobs and spur more than $138 million in additional lending to small businesses in Nevada, Sandoval said.

Wally’s Pizza and Subs is helping raise critical funding for breast cancer research by donating twenty-five percent of its sales from Friday, Oct. 7 to the Karen Mullen Breast Cancer Foundation, a national charity based in Seattle.

CARSON CITY – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced Affordable Care Act grant awards of $3.96 million to Nevada to help fight what she calls unreasonable premium increases.

By Aimi Xistra-Rich
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE — The Heavenly Ski and Snowboard Foundation has opened registration for the 2011 – 2012 Alpine, Freestyle, Freeride and Snowboard Programs. With a variety of options from the One-Day Program to the Full-Time Competitive Program, the Lake Tahoe foundation has something for all ages and levels of skiers and riders. Registration packets are available online, at the HSSF building, or by calling the HSSF administration office. Those who register and pay in full now will receive the early registration pricing; prices increase $100 on November 1, 2011.

The Carson City Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 tonight to move forward with the $49 million Carson City Center/Nugget Project.

You can see the live blog coverage here.

The motion to proceed to the next step of this controversial development included a commitment by the city of $11.3 million in redevelopment funds, $12 million to come from recently increased landfill fees, and a one-time expenditure of $500,000 from the city's utility fund.

CARSON CITY – As Nevada policy makers get set to examine the state’s public employee pension plan in advance of the 2013 legislative session, a new report from the Center for State and Local Government Excellence offers some timely advice on how other government agencies have accomplished the difficult task.

League to Save Lake Tahoe Executive Director Rochelle Nason has resigned today, effective October 2011, after nearly 20 years of working to protect and restore Lake Tahoe.

League Program Director Carl Young will serve as interim executive director, with Nason serving as a senior advisor, until a new executive director has been selected.

By Brian Underwood
Welcome to “Jeopardy,” the College Planning Edition for junior high and high school parents!

Our panel of contestants is comprised of junior high and high school parents who are interested in working with their students to help them navigate the shifting sands of college and career planning.

Today, we're pleased to have with us Kathy, a mother of two from Carson City, Bob, a father of two from Genoa, and Lisa, a mother of three from Minden-Gardnerville.

Hello, everyone, and welcome to Jeopardy. Here are your topics:

• Troubling Trends

CARSON CITY – So how much are Nevada taxpayers shelling out to educate children attending the state’s 17 public school districts this year?
And if the answer is not easy to ascertain, is it time to consider revising the 44-year old Nevada Plan, the admittedly complex formula used by the Legislature every two years to fund public education?

In a long awaited ruling, the federal nuclear safety agency has said Nevada can close down Yucca Mountain once and for all.
The Obama administration had asked Congress to zero out the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) work on Yucca as a follow up to the prior  termination of funding at the Department of Energy (DOE) project. The NRC has directed that all project casework be wrapped up by the end of the month.

The Carson City Board of Supervisors will vote Thursday evening on whether to move forward with the revamped City Center/Nugget Project.

An evening session of their regular bi-monthly meeting is planned to discuss the $50 million project, of which $23.7 million would come from the city.

The agenda (attached below) makes reference to "a public commitment to the project of a 1/8th-cent sales tax