Around the State

Nevada Commission on Tourism Expands Outreach to China The Nevada Commission on Tourism (NCOT) has expanded promotions to China seeking to tap into the country’s lucrative travel market.  The new office opened recently in Shanghai and shares space with the U.S. Commerce Department.  This is the second office the NCOT has opened in China. Green Chamber of Commerce Expands to … [Read more...] about September 2010: Around the State

First Responder Tool Wins International Award The Critical Infrastructure Protection System (CIPS), a tool that uses geographic information system technology to better prepare first responders by providing infrastructure information of building, has been awarded a Special Achievement Award from the ESRI International User Conference.  The tool was developed by Urban … [Read more...] about August 2010: Around the State

Unemployment Rate in Nevada Highest in the Nation According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) the overall unemployment rate in Nevada climbed to 14 percent in May, beating out Michigan who previously had the highest unemployment rate in the country.  Additionally, the unemployment rate for teens in Nevada is now the second highest in the country at 34.6 percent. Minimum … [Read more...] about July 2010: Around the State

National Geothermal Institute Established at UNR The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded the University of Nevada, Reno a $1.2 million grant to develop and operate the National Geothermal Institute, a consortium of top geothermal schools.  The institute is designed to transform and grow the national energy infrastructure to utilize America’s geothermal … [Read more...] about June 2010: Around the State

New Tax Benefits Aid Employers Two new tax benefits are now available to employers hiring workers who were previously unemployed or only working part time.  The provisions are part of the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act (HIRE).  Employers who hire unemployed workers between Feb. 3 of this year and Jan. 1, 2011 may qualify for a 6.2 percent payroll tax incentive.  … [Read more...] about May 2010: Around the State

Construction Costs Expected to Remain Stagnant in 2010 According to construction consultant Rider Levett Bucknall, a national average decrease in construction costs of approximately 0.5% from the previous quarter indicates construction costs should see little to no inflation this year. In 2009 construction costs were down by 7.3 percent comparatively. Las Vegas matches the … [Read more...] about April 2010: Around the State

Nevada’s Teen Unemployment Rate is Second Highest in Nation According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not only is Nevada one of the hardest hit in the nation in regards to unemployment but Nevada teens are especially affected with the teen unemployment rate 30 percent higher than the national average.  According to the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) the blame for this … [Read more...] about March 2010: Around the State

2009 Second Best Year Ever for Existing Home Sales According to the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors (GLVAR), 2009 was the second best year ever in Southern Nevada for sales of existing homes.  GLVAR reported 46,879 local housing sales as compared to 28,618 total sales in 2008.  Southern Nevada’s best year was 2004 with 71,963 homes sold. Department of Commerce’s … [Read more...] about February 2010: Around the State

Las Vegas Named Number One U.S. Travel Destination by Orbitz Due to the decrease in hotel room rates, Las Vegas ranks as the top U.S. travel destination according to numbers from Orbitz, an online travel service.  Rates are down by an average of 26 percent in 2009.  In 2008, rooms cost, on average $115 per night, in 2009, the average was $84 per night. University of Southern … [Read more...] about January 2010: Around the State

Wells Fargo and Wachovia to Combine Wells Fargo & Company plans to combine with Wachovia.  In March of next year, Wachovia’s financial centers in Nevada will become Wells Fargo banking stores, pending regulatory approval. Small Business Owners Concerned Over Potential Tax Increase According to a study conducted by the Small Business Research Board in conjunction with … [Read more...] about December 2009: Around the State

Nearly Half of U.S. Companies Now Auto-Enroll Workers into 401(k) Plans According to Watson Wyatt Worldwide, a recent study found that 47 percent of surveyed companies now auto-enroll employees into their defined contribution plan.  Additionally, one-third of those that don’t auto-enroll employees are beginning to consider auto-enrollment.  This trend could mean that defined … [Read more...] about November 2009: Around the State

Capitol Bancorp Announces Planned Consolidations of Nevada Banks Pending regulatory approval, Bank of Las Vegas, Black Mountain Community Bank, Desert Community Bank and Red Rock Community Bank will consolidate and operate as one charter, Bank of Las Vegas. CHMS Announces Letter of Intent to Acquire Energy Operations CHMS d.b.a. Hybrid Energy Holdings, a Reno based company, … [Read more...] about October 2009: Around the State

WaterSmart Innovations Conference Garners International Support The second WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition presented by the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) in conjunction with the U.S. Enviornmental Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense Program and the American Water Works Association (AWWA) is slated for October 7 -9, 2009 in Las Vegas..  The conference has … [Read more...] about September 2009: Around the State

Nevada’s Employment Bucks National Trend According to the SurePayroll Hiring index, small business hiring is up 0.7 percent in the second quarter nationally.  Year-to-date nationally, small business hiring is up by 1.5 percent, however, salaries have dropped 4.3 percent.  Alternatively in the Silver State, hiring is down 1.6 percent with a 1.6 percent increase for salaries … [Read more...] about August 2009: Around the State