News Briefs | Week of Nov. 18

The Glenn Group

The Glenn Group won an award of merit in the press conference category at last week’s Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Las Vegas Valley Chapter Pinnacle Awards.

The Glenn Group was honored for its work holding the Nevada Sesquicentennial Historical Markers Legacy Project press conference at the Springs Preserve in September 2015.

Noble Studios

Noble Studios has added Healthforce Center from the University of California, San Francisco and the West Hills Community College District to its list of clients.

The Healthforce Center at UCSF is a source for research insights into the evolving health care workforce and is known for pioneering training programs designed to empower leaders within the industry. Noble will help elevate the institution’s online presence through strategic Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) efforts.

The West Hills Community College District, based in Coalinga, Calif., has served the educational needs of students in the San Joaquin Valley for more than 80 years, with two campuses located in Coalinga and Lemoore, Calif. Noble will help the district with its new website.

Itronics Inc.

Itronics Inc., a growing and diversified fertilizer, silver, and minerals producer headquartered in Reno, has developed a new refining process that uses silver to capture gold and other metals contained in scrap personal computer circuit boards (e-waste).

The refining process produces silver bullion containing gold and other precious metals recovered from the e-scrap, copper matte that contains silver and is similar in copper content to high grade copper concentrate produced by copper mines, and copper and silver bearing glass slag.

Amerigroup Nevada

Amerigroup Nevada, which has been serving the state since 2009, was awarded a new contract by the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services and the Division of Health Care Financing and Policy to continue serving members who participate in the state’s Medicaid managed care program.

Amerigroup is one of the Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) selected to serve Nevada to coordinate care for the state’s Medicaid population. Services under the new contract, which is pending approval from the Board of Examiners, become effective July 1, 2017.

Amerigroup provides an innovative approach to delivering whole person care coordination to vulnerable homeless populations with complex needs at WELL CARE facilities in Reno and Las Vegas.

Greater Nevada Credit Union

Greater Nevada Credit Union was named the 2016 Lender of the Year by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development.

The USDA announced the honor at the National Rural Lender’s Conference in October. GNCU was presented with the award at a news conference on Friday, Nov. 18.

PDL BioPharma

PDL BioPharma, headquartered in Incline Village, intends to offer, subject to market and other conditions, $150 million aggregate principal amount of new convertible senior notes due Dec. 1, 2021, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on June 10, and declared effective by the SEC on June 28. RBC Capital Markets is acting as sole book-running manager and sole structuring advisor for the notes offering.

PDL also expects to grant the underwriters a 12-day overallotment option to purchase up to an additional $22.5 million aggregate principal amount of notes on the same terms and conditions.

Reno Tahoe AMA

The Reno-Tahoe Chapter of the American Amerketing Association has revealed its new brand identity and website at www.renoama.com.

The new logo, updated brand, and new website reflect the transformation of the entire organization and its vision for the future.

The Reno-Tahoe chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA) was founded locally in 1982, and serves as the resource for area marketers to learn, grow, and connect through opportunities that promote education and marketing.

Roasters Imperial Stout

Roasters Imperial Stout, a seasonal brew produced by The Brewer’s Cabinet, Imperial Bar and Lounge, and Hub Coffee Roasters, will be introduced to the Reno market.

Roasters Imperial Stout will be available at Imperial Bar and Lounge, Royce, Old Granite Street Eatery, Hub Coffee Tea & Eatery and The Brewer’s Cabinet.

Contractor cited

The Washoe District Court has convicted Austin Joseph Hayden on a gross misdemeanor of contracting without a license. Hayden received a one-year jail sentence, which was suspended in lieu of 14 days to be served and probation of up to three years.

He will be required to pay more than $47,500 in restitution to the victims and reimburse the Nevada State Contractors Board for its investigative costs.

The board filed charges against Hayden based on two investigations initiated by complaints filed by homeowners. Hayden had been previously investigated by the board in 2008 after submitting a bid for painting and landscaping services to undercover NSCB investigators.

Hayden is prohibited from engaging in any construction-related services while on probation for the next three years.

Southwest Gas

Southwest Gas has declared a 2017 cash dividend of 45 cents per share payable on March 1, 2017 to shareholders of record on Feb. 15, 2017.

AT&T

AT&T launched ultra-fast Internet service in parts of the Reno and surrounding areas, offering a 1 gigabit connection to area homes, apartments and small business locations on their 100 percent fiber network powered by AT&T FiberSM.

The Reno area is one of 44 metros nationwide where their ultra-fast Internet service is currently available. They plan to reach at least 67 metros with their fastest Internet service.

Unemployment rate

In October, the unemployment rate decreased over the month, down 0.3 of a percentage point from September, to a seasonally adjusted 5.5 percent, according to a report by the Research and Analysis Bureau of the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation.

This is the lowest unemployment rate since February 2008. Additionally, October marks the first time since April 2008 that less than 80,000 Nevadans are unemployed. On a year-over-year basis, the unemployment rate in the Silver State decreased for the 68th consecutive month, down 1 percentage point over October last year.

NDOT

Nevada Department of Transportation’s State Route 28 Shared Use Path and Safety/Stormwater Enhancement project’s initial construction season has concluded. There will be construction over the next two years to complete the three-plus mile shared-use path from the south end of Incline Village to Sand Harbor State Park.

The next phases of construction will also include water quality improvements such as enhanced roadside drainage inlets, sediment filtration systems and erosion control to help preserve the quality of stormwater entering Lake Tahoe.

Marijuana spending

According to an article by Marijuana Business Daily, Nevada’s recreational marijuana could record sales of $450 million-$550 million, projected three to five years after the first dispensaries or rec shops open.

The article projects that the bulk of the spending will come from tourists.

Holiday season hiring

As holiday season approaches, employers in the state of Nevada are expected to add about 10,000 seasonal jobs.

This is about the average number of jobs added during the holiday season every year since 2011, according to a report by the Research and Analysis Bureau of Nevada’s Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation.

City Energy Project

Reno is one of 10 new cities joining the City Energy Project, a united effort to address the largest source of energy use and climate pollution in America’s urban centers: buildings.

The project is expected to save Reno residents and businesses as much as $11 million annually on their energy bills by 2030. By the same year, the 20 participating cities combined have the potential to save annually more than $1.5 billion in energy bills and reduce carbon pollution by more than 9.6 million metric tons, equivalent to taking 2 million cars off the road for a year.

The City Energy Project is a joint project of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT).

UNR

The University of Nevada, Reno was recognized with a Grand Award by the Professional Grounds Management Society at its 2016 Green Star Awards competition.

The award was given in the University and College Grounds category for exceptional grounds maintenance on its campus.

Winners were honored during the Society’s 2016 Awards Dinner on Oct. 21 in conjunction with the School of Grounds Management and GIE+EXPO in Louisville, Ky., on Oct. 19-22.

Poker Brown gold-silver mine

Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd., headquartered in Vancouver, reports that it has defined two chargeability anomalies on its Poker Brown gold-silver project near Reno. For details, go online at: www.pacificridgeexploration.com.

Lapon Canyon

Walker River Resources Corp., announce results from the reverse circulation (“RC”) drill program on the Lapon Canyon gold project, southeast of Yerington.

Highlights Include: RC drilling intersected 77.62 grams per ton of gold over 12.2 meters.

A second zone intersected 48.02 grams per ton of gold over 13.7 meters.

Fire Creek Mine

Klondex Mines Ltd., provided an update on surface and underground drilling at its Fire Creek Mine in northern Nevada.

Klondex drilled 65 underground holes totaling 41,172 feet during the reporting period. These holes tested vein extensions along strike and vertically which continues to suggest the continuity of this high grade vein system.

Until this year, this area had limited surface drilling with sparse results. Tighter sampling and underground drilling suggests that there could be a robust vein network within a short distance northeast of the main workings.

West-ward directed drilling has continued to define and infill the resource model along the Karen and Honeyrunner veins.

Relief Canyon mine

Pershing Gold Corp., of Lakewood, Colo., a gold producer advancing the Relief Canyon mine, today announces results from Phase 1 of its 2016 drilling program and the initiation of Phase 2 of the program.

Results are available on its website at www.pershinggold.com.

Money Smart for Small Business

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) announced enhancements to Money Smart for Small Business, a resource that provides practical guidance for starting and managing a small business.

Money Smart for Small Business, a free curriculum available on the SBA website at: www.sba.gov.

ROadway contracts

The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) requests bid proposals for the following roadway projects:

Installation of ITS Smart Zones access existing fiber optics at Austin, Eureka, and Ely maintenance stations, and in Lander, Eureka and White Pine counties.

Coldmilling and plantmix bituminous surface work on Franktown Road from State Route 429 to U.S. Highway 395 near Bowers Mansion in Washoe Valley.

Blue Ribbon Award Winners

Winners of the 9th Annual Blue Ribbons Awards, presented by the Tahoe Chamber were:

Geotourism Award : Taylor Creek Visitors Center. (Honorable mention: Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition).

Tourism Award: The Loft. (Honorable mention: Coachman Hotel).

Experience Award: Alpine Sierra Tours. (Honorable mention: Treat Street, and KRLT/KOWL).

Entrepreneur Award: Debbie Brown, Coldwater Brewery and Grill. (Honorable mention: Cassidy Burnside, FATCO).

Customer Service (Business) Award: Tommy Walker, Ciera Montbleu Resort Casino & Spa. (Honorable mention: Kimberly Templeton, Hard Rock Cafe Lake Tahoe).

Customer Service (Public Agency) Award: Jody Filgo, South Lake Tahoe Senior Center. (Honorable mention: Irma Salazar, Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority).

Wendell Award for Green Business or Program: Tahoe Mountain Lab. (Honorable mention: League to Save Lake Tahoe).