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Hot Topics
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| Posted
by: National Retail Federation |
Posted:
July 10, 2008
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THE NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION'S LIST OF THE TOP 100 RETAILERS
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| Schools need business leaders to step up |
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| Posted
by: Sharon Powers |
Posted:
July 9, 2008
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It's no secret that our education system is challenged. Overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages, and less-than-impressive academic scores challenge our ability to attract companies looking for a skilled workforce.
Unfortunately, the outlook for our schools is not very promising in light of the present economic crisis and the state budget cuts that slashed the money available for textbooks, funding for teachers, and the ability to increase the number of empowerment schools.
It was once said that it takes a village to raise a child, and nowhere is this more apparent than in our schools. With classrooms getting more crowded and funds that go directly into the schools decreasing, it is up to us, the business community, to bridge the gap. I've been told that if a child is not reading or performing at grade level by fifth grade, he or she never catches up. Not only does this affect their role in society but in the workforce as well.
Through the Clark County School District's Community-Partnership "Focus School Project" program, business partners can "adopt" an at-risk school. These business-school partnerships can make an incredible impact to the school, its teachers and students as well as to the business partner.
The North Las Vegas chamber has been involved with this effort for several years. In 2005, the chamber became a business partner with Lowman Elementary School. Lowman Elementary, like so many other at-risk schools, is a Title I School, meaning that 75 percent of its students are at poverty level and are eligible for free breakfast and lunch programs. Lowman also has approximately 850 students in kindergarten-second grade, an astounding number.
While the chamber has been instrumental in laying the groundwork for efforts such as food and clothing drives, the annual holiday toy drive, and the annual Boys & Girls Day, these efforts have been successful due to the generous spirit of many of our members. For instance, a massive food drive was conducted right before Thanksgiving last year that involved LM Construction providing and manning a 15-foot semi-trailer in the parking lot of North Vista Hospital. Through this effort there was enough food collected to not only send food home with the students that needed it, there was enough left to carry them through the holiday season. The Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores also continue to support the school financially with donations each time a new location opens. Meadow Gold Dairies has always been there to provide ice cream during Boys & Girls Day. These are just a few examples of what our business members are doing to support "our school." The list goes on with numerous other members conducting their own efforts that benefit Lowman.
This year, the Foundation Board of Trustees voted to expand the list of schools the chamber and its foundation will assist. In addition to Lowman, Wooley, Lincoln Edison, Elbert Edwards, Wendell Williams, and Duane D Keller elementary schools will be recipients. These schools will participate in the Business Education Enterprise Program and be eligible for teacher minigrants, mentoring and speaker bureau access, and various other resources that will come available as our members step up and participate in this worthwhile effort.
Last year, 90 schools within the Clark County School District were designated as Focus Project Schools. This year that number has increased to 146 and the number is expected to grow in light of the financial challenges many families are experiencing.
What can you do to help? Focus Project schools are located throughout the valley and chances are there are some near your place of business. These schools need your help. More importantly, the kids need your help. Partnership with an at-risk school is not necessarily about expending monetary resources. It can involve spending as little as half an hour every week mentoring or tutoring a student, reading to a class, or assisting the school with a project. Your company can make the difference by partnering with the chamber and helping its designated schools or signing on as a business partner yourself to one of the many schools needing the private sector's help. Call the chamber at 642-9595 or CCSD's School-Community Partnership at 799-6560.
Sharon Powers is president and CEO of the North Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce.
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| Northern Nevada Business Weekly headlines... |
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| Posted
by: Northern Nevada Business Weekly |
Posted:
July 9, 2008
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The Nevada Division of Mortgage Lending says it will take over operation of Cetus Mortgage Ltd. of Reno, which closed its doors last week. State officials say they also launched an investigation into the firm and its owner, Marcie Benvin, as they try to sort out the details of the hard-money lender's collapse.
Gas prices in Reno average $4.16, up 4 cents from a month ago, AAA says. The national average is $4.11, and the statewide average is $4.25.
The stock of Reno〓s Altair Nanotechnologies was up more than 30 percent today after the company said it successfully tested a two-megawatt battery system that might be used by utilities.
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| Posted
by: Associated Press |
Posted:
July 9, 2008
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CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) -- Nevada Prison Board members opted Tuesday to delay approval of $8.1 million in budget cuts outlined by Corrections Director Howard Skolnik after one panel member said he lacked enough information and wouldn't give a "rubber stamp" endorsement.
Secretary of State Ross Miller, who serves on the board with Gov. Jim Gibbons and Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, repeatedly questioned Skolnik about the basis for the cutback decisions - the latest in more than $85 million in budget-balancing cuts for the prison system.
Among the latest reductions is about $700,000 that can be saved by eliminating 5 percent differential pay that about 450 prison guards get for working swing-shifts - a change scheduled for later this month that prompted questions both from Miller and Masto.
Skolnik said he's been able to avoid all but a few staffing reductions through his moneysaving efforts, terming most of them "the least painful things we could do" to avoid more drastic moves such as another prison or prison camp shutdown.
"I'm out of options. I don't have any options left," Skolnik said, adding that his cutback decisions - outlined in a 1-page summary to prison board members - were based on "my best judgment" rather than some "democratic decision" involving other administrators.
The Prison Board won't meet again until October, but Skolnik said even with the delayed approval he should be able to achieve the new budget cuts which affect prison system spending through next June.
The latest reductions follow the Legislature's June 27 special session called by Gibbons to deal with a $1.2 billion state tax revenue shortfall projected through mid-2009. While most agencies now face additional 3.3 percent cuts atop earlier reductions, the 13,000-inmate prison system's cuts work out to just under 3 percent.
While Skolnik had talked earlier about shutting down the old Nevada State Prison in Carson City, that's not on the latest list - although it remains an option.
The biggest savings, $3.2 million, would be achieved by delaying a High Desert State Prison expansion in southern Nevada. A northern Nevada prison camp closure will save nearly $1.3 million, a delay in a women's prison project in southern Nevada saves $1 million, and staffing freezes save nearly $1 million.
The cuts follow a series of dismal reports on slumping revenues from major sources, such as casino and sales taxes, as a result of a housing crisis and slowing tourism industry. In advance of the recent special session, lawmakers and the governor already had slashed many agency operating budgets, delayed building projects and drawn down a state rainy day fund to help cover the revenue gap.
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| Vegas groundwater plan for Lincoln County OK'd |
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| Posted
by: Review Journal |
Posted:
July 9, 2008
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The Southern Nevada Water Authority has been granted just over half of the groundwater it was seeking in Lincoln County for its multibillion-dollar pipeline to Las Vegas. A ruling issued today by State Engineer Tracy Taylor clears the way for the authority to pump 18,755 acre-feet of groundwater a year from three valleys in Lincoln County. When stretched through reuse, the water is enough to supply almost 64,000 homes.
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| Posted
by: Review Journal |
Posted:
July 9, 2008
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The number of homes sold in Las Vegas increased for the sixth straight month in June and inventory is stable, the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors reported today. Realtors sold 2,226 single-family homes in June, a 50.8 percent increase from the same month a year ago and up from 2,026 sales in May.
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