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Pity those poor legislators packing their bags and heading off to Carson City. The 71st Legislative Session, beginning February 5, will be very tough on them. It will be only the second session in modern time strictly limited to 120 days, and it is filled with some of the toughest, most emotionally challenging issues ever. Reapportionment, tax and pocketbook issues always alter … [Read more...] about The 71st Session: So Many Issues, So Little Time

With the announcement on October 4, 2000, of the merger between Firstar Corporation and U.S. Bancorp, Nevada may have seen the last of the banking mergers for awhile, ending a decade-long succession of mergers and acquisitions by the state’s largest financial institutions that has left customers reeling, often driving them into the waiting arms of the state’s community … [Read more...] about What’s Ahead for Nevada’s Banks: Is the Merger Frenzy Over at Last?

After all the mergers and acquisitions taking place in the banking industry over the last few years, Silver State Bank is one community bank that is holding its own and continuing to thrive. Chairman and CEO Tod Little and President Corey Johnson opened the bank’s first branch in July 1996 in Henderson. The bank has now expanded to five branches serving individuals and small … [Read more...] about Silver State Bank: Growing with Southern Nevada

Er·go·nom·ics: an applied science concerned with designing and arranging things people use so that the people and things interact most efficiently and safely, called also human engineering. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) In November, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued new federal standards for its ergonomics program, which will affect 1.9 million … [Read more...] about OSHA’s Ergo Rule: Unscientific, Unworkable, Unnecessary!

CSR America continues to be a leader in the U.S. construction and building materials industry. It is the largest producer of concrete pipe and concrete block in the United States, as well as one of the largest producers of aggregate, ready-mixed concrete and cement. Headquartered in West Palm Beach, Fla., CSR America operates in 29 states employing more than 7,000 people at … [Read more...] about CSR Nevada: A Reputation Set in Concrete

Once upon a time, the majority of American workers could depend on their employers’ pension plans to provide a secure nest egg for retirement. But today, that comforting option is rarely available. Indeed, 21st century workers must take an active role in setting up their own retirement accounts, and the options they have can seem muddled and confusing at best. These include … [Read more...] about Planning for Your Retirement: How to Amass a Comfortable Nest Egg

It remains to be seen if America’s recent descent into the muck and mire of presidential politics will result in more or less partisan rancor at the state level. The fact that George W. Bush and Al Gore ended their race in a virulent dead heat for the political soul of the country doesn’t bode well for those hoping Democrats and Republicans composing the Nevada Legislature will … [Read more...] about Legislative Outlook 2001: Can Nevada Lawmakers Just Get Along?

Where can you find parks, schools, neighborhood retail centers, museums, libraries, cultural centers, recreational facilities and state-of-the-art medical facilities all located right in your own neighborhood? Where can you go to find a neighborhood that actually is a neighborhood, where neighbors recognize each other on walking trails and in parks? The answer could be– in … [Read more...] about Master-Planned Communities: Live, Work and Play…At Home

If improving your personal finances is among your resolutions for 2001, you need to break down your goal into manageable tasks. Resolving to lose 25 pounds doesn’t mean doing it all in January; likewise, achieving financial fitness requires a month-by-month plan. January Pay down your debt If you've run up large credit card bills during the holiday season, your first … [Read more...] about Improving Your Personal Finances For The New Year

If you live in Nevada, the chances of your home being in a neighborhood controlled by a homeowners association are excellent. In fact, the present trend in development is to record restrictive covenants against all the deeds in a given tract. These covenants, called CC&Rs (covenants, conditions and restrictions), are recorded against the property, and limit what the owner … [Read more...] about Choosing an Attorney for Your Homeowners Association: What Decision-Makers Need to Know

Anyone who has ever visited Reno/Lake Tahoe realizes what those who live and work in Northern Nevada already know and appreciate: the remarkable diversity of the region. Reno/Lake Tahoe serves as a gateway to more than 40 golf courses and the largest concentration of ski resorts in North America, all within 90 minutes of the Reno/Tahoe International Airport. Through all four … [Read more...] about Reno-Sparks Convention Center: Expands to Bring in More Visitors

The Business: Sierra Stamps, a retail operation that sells a wide range of rubber stamp products and teaches consumers how to use them to make greeting cards, artwork and a variety of other decorations. The business is in the Smithridge Center at 5000 Smithridge Drive in Reno. The Players: Sierra Stamps is operated by partners Laura Pappas, Sharon Evans and Sue Brimhall. … [Read more...] about Sierra Stamps: Hobby Becomes Successful Business

The results of the November national election have demonstrated once again what everyone already knows - nothing is certain in today’s world. This is definitely the case when it comes to making wise investment decisions. The uncertainty in the cyberspace dot.com market is making real-world, tangible real estate investing a good alternative for many investors. Such investments … [Read more...] about Trust Deed Investments: A Good Alternative for the Savvy Investor

It is often said that small business is the backbone of the American economy. This is certainly true of Nevada, where 95 percent of businesses are classified as small. Small business is the most dynamic sector of our economy, and offers the greatest growth in jobs and product innovation. More than half the new jobs created in Nevada may be credited to small businesses. Time and … [Read more...] about Working the Hill for Nevada’s Small Business Community

Fraud is a $400 billion problem that costs each consumer nearly $1,500 per year. Much of this fraud is collusion, or "insider threat," which frequently goes undetected because relationships exist within a company that are difficult, if not impossible, for humans to recognize. Today, technology is helping companies large and small cut fraud in many different ways. Major … [Read more...] about New Technology Hunts Down Insider Crime