Business Briefs for April 10

Gov. Sandoval

to address NNDA

Gov. Brian Sandoval will speak at the next breakfast meeting for the Northern Nevada Development Authority on April 27.

The governor will address legislative issues facing the state. The event takes place at the Carson Nugget, 507 N. Carson St. Doors open at 7 a.m., program begins at 8 a.m. Cost is $20 for NNDA members and $35 for guests.

For more information or to RSVP visit www.nnda.org.

Carson City company finishes work at UNR

Noble Studios of Carson City has completed development of a micro-site featuring interactive flash videos and quiz application for the University of Nevada, Reno, Network Security Division.

The educational materials alert staff, faculty and students about the security of sensitive material using technology.

- Northern Nevada Business Weekly

Chromalloy gets Navy contract

Chromalloy Gas Turbine Corp. of Carson City won contracts totaling $267,216 to maintain and repair gas turbine engines for the U.S. Navy.

- Northern Nevada Business Weekly

Supermarket chain wants to give grants to worthy ideas

Raley's and Frito-Lay are asking Northern California and Nevada communities to think big, think green and think of how a $5,000 grant could help make a difference through Raley's Reach - a program placing $25,000 in the hands of the community.

From April 6-20, nonprofit organizations, service groups and volunteers are encouraged to share their ideas of how to create positive change at www.

raleys.com/reach.

Starting April 22, the public will determine where $25,000 in grants will go by casting online votes for the ideas they'd like to see put in action. The top five ideas that earn the most votes will receive $5,000 to make it happen.

Grants will be considered in three areas Raley's has long been known for supporting:

- Improving the Lives of Children

- Efforts that improve the overall health and well being of families, neighborhoods and the planet.

- Efforts that honor the importance of the arts and culture in communities, as a source that nourishes the soul.

The nomination period for Raley's Reach began April 6, and will continue through April 20 at www.raleys.com/reach with daily voting starting April 22 through May 14.

Winners will be announced at the end of May 2011.

AAA: Car ownership getting more expensive

New research from AAA finds the cost of owning and operating a vehicle in the United States is on the rise for the second year in a row.

Higher depreciation rates, along with increasing fuel and tire costs, have pushed the average cost of driving a new car up nearly $300 from a year ago.

The overall cost of owning and operating a typical new sedan is 58.5 cents per mile, up 1.9 cents compared to 2010. For a car driven 15,000 miles a year, that amounts to $8,776 annually. That's $289 more than last year's estimated cost of $8,487.

AAA estimates driving costs based on an extensive list of factors including gasoline, maintenance, tires, financing, depreciation and insurance. Gas prices in the study are based on the late 2010 AAA Fuel Gauge Report price per gallon of $2.88, an increase of 8.6 percent compared to the prior year. The average price in Nevada last month was $3.67, which is an 81 cent increase compared to last year.

"Both maintenance and insurance costs are down this year compared to last, but other costs are on the rise," explained AAA Nevada spokesperson Michael Geeser. "Tire prices, for example, are up 15.7 percent on average. Depreciation costs, which consumers often overlook, have risen by 4.9 percent. For an average sedan driven 15,000 miles a year, that's a $3,728 expense."

The average cost of driving a small sedan is $6,758 per year

- Large sedan costs $10,982 per year.

- An SUV costs $11,239 per year.

- Minivan are $9,489 per year.

BAWN hosting general membership meeting

The Builders Association of Western Nevada will host its general membership meeting at 5 p.m. April 19 with special Guest Speaker Julie Hearn of Southwest Gas.

This meeting is being held at the Gold Dust West, 2171 Highway 50 E.

For more information call 882-4353.