Rural Nevada

Grant funds in the amount of $504,230 were awarded to agencies and groups across rural Nevada to be used to develop, promote and improve tourism to and within the State of Nevada, and some is headed to the South Shore.

The Lake Tahoe Visitor's Authority (LTVA) was one of 27 in the Reno-Tahoe Territory to get a portion of $132,295 awarded to the area.

LTVA is getting $6,000 for digital advertising and social media for the AMGEN Women's Cycling Race and a $15,000 grant to promote events through the purchase of

CARSON CITY — The Nevada Rural Housing Authority (NRHA) has named Guild Mortgage Loan Officer Jorge Montoya as a “Most Valuable Partner.” Montoya has been instrumental in helping promote NRHA programs that are designed to make home ownership more attainable by making it more affordable for working Nevadans.

A contest designed to give financial rewards to 12 Nevada students is now underway. The Nevada College Savings Board and State Treasurer Kate Marshall have launched the fifth annual Nevada $529 College Savings Day Contest, open to students from kindergarten through the fifth grade.

The Nevada Rural Housing Authority (NRHA) has named Nevada State Bank, “Most Valuable Partner, ” one of the NRHA’s highest awards to a bank or lending institution.

“Nevada State Bank has been instrumental in providing WISH program funding for the NRHA,” said Gary Longaker, NRHA Executive Director. “The money comes from an award by the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco and Nevada State Bank has been an important player in bringing these dollars into our region to help young rural families go from renters to first time home buyers,” he said.

A popular, new program offered by the Nevada Rural Housing Authority (NRHA) is making home ownership even more affordable. Through the Home at Last™ Access program, qualified home buyers receive a generous 4 percent down payment grant, which does not have to be paid back. Now, the program is offering even lower mortgage interest rates on a conventional, 30-year fixed rate loan. Through participating lenders, the interest rates on FHA, VA or USDA-RD home mortgages have dropped from 3.75 percent to the current rate of 3.5 percent, which is an historic low.

CARSON CITY — While Mitt Romney and Barack Obama were campaigning elsewhere Tuesday, Nevada Democrats and Republicans took up the battle for the presidency on their behalf.
Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev., held a telephone conference call to talk up Romney’s credentials as a “turnaround specialist” who will get the country back on track. He also criticized Obama for failing to get spending or the national deficit under control as he promised early on in his presidency.

Driving home the future of visitors and spending to the Silver State, the Nevada Commission on Tourism's annual Rural Roundup at Lake Tahoe April 18-20 will headline the acclaimed author of "The Experience Economy and Authenticity: What Consumers Really Want."

James H. Gilmore's book, whom he co-authored with Joe Pine, was recognized by Time magazine as one of the “Ten Ideas That Are Changing the World." In it he asserts that consumers want authentic products and experiences — something rural Nevada is singularly positioned to offer with its historic destinations and attractions.

CARSON CITY – There was a flurry of candidates filing for office and some political maneuvering today as Nevada’s 2012 election season officially got under way.
Over 90 candidates filed for a variety of offices in Clark County.
Another 17 filed with the Secretary of State’s office and others filed in their respective counties around the state.

By Don Quilici
As I look forward to the year of 2012 with high expectations, hopes and dreams, this is a good time to reflect back on some selected personal memories from the rapidly ending year of 2011. Here are my top memories: