State briefs: NDOT has $8.6 million in grant money available

NDOT has $8.6 million in grant money available

The Nevada Department of Transportation is seeking applicants for more than $8.6 million in Transportation Alternatives Program grant money.

The grants are available to governmental agencies, school districts, tribal governments, private schools and nonprofit groups.

The money is available for traffic and transportation infrastructure projects as well as projects that improve the ability of children through the eighth grade to bike or walk to and from school.

The maximum amount of each grant is $750,000 and applicants must come up with at least 5 percent of the money in matching funds and be ready to build within three years.

More information is available from program manager Coy Peacock at 775-888-7124. Detailed information and application forms are available at www.nevadadot.com/tap.

Nevada has third fastest job growth in nation

Nevada has the third fastest private sector job growth in the nation at 3.8 percent in 2015.

According to Bill Anderson, chief economist for the Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation, only Utah and Florida are adding jobs at a faster rate — 4.3 percent and 4.1 percent respectively.

Anderson said before the recession, Nevada led the nation in private job growth but was the state with the worst rate during the recession, reporting a negative 10 percent in 2009.

Since then, he said the growth rate has been coming back. By 2014, the state added 4 percent more jobs in the private sector.

All industries are contributing to the improvement in employment with trades, transportation and utilities and construction leading the way.

He told the Economic Forum on Thursday southern Nevada has now regained all of the jobs that were lost during the recession and initial unemployment claims have fallen to pre-recession levels — just 10,000 a month.

At the same time, he said small business employment in Nevada is at a record high now with more than 590,000 workers.

The overall unemployment rate, which peaked at 14.4 percent, is now down to just 5.8 percent.

Prisons deputy director named

Director of Corrections James Dzurenda has named David Tristan deputy director of programs in Las Vegas.

Tristan was with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. He held a variety of posts in that department over the years. Most recently, he has been conducting detention facility inspections across the U.S. for the Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Nevada Appeal Capitol Bureau

Regents re-elect Trachok chairman, Wixom vice chairman

The Board of Regents has voted to re-elect Rick Trachok board chairman and Michael Wixom vice chairman for a second year.

Trachok has been on the board since 2011 representing District 10.

This, his second term as chairman, follows two years as vice chairman of the board. He’s a lawyer in Reno.

Wixom has been on the board since 2005 and represents District 6 in Clark County. He previously served two years as board chairman. He also is a lawyer.

Nevada Appeal Capitol Bureau