Las Vegas Ballpark Wins Ballpark of the Year Award
In its inaugural year, the Las Vegas Ballpark in Summerlin won the 20th annual Ballpark of the Year award from BaseballParks.com. The award is presented to new or remodeled baseball stadiums and is based on site selection, exterior appearance, architectural design and fan amenities. Winners are chosen by a panel utilized but the 22-year old website. There were six new pro parks that opened all over the country in 2019, the largest number in the past decade.
Northern Nevada Electricity Rates Decrease
The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) has approved an agreement between NV Energy, the PUCN regulatory operations staff and the Bureau of Consumer Protect resulting in a $21.9 million rate decrease for northern Nevada customers. The decrease goes into effect on October 1 of this year. Due to reductions in forecasted costs as well as renewable and energy efficiency services, residential customers should see a decrease of approximately 2.47 percent on their bill.
Western Governor’s University Receives Accreditation for Teacher Licensure Program
Western Governor’s University (WGU) has been awarded a seven-year accreditation for its teacher licensure programs from the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP). One of nine universities that was recognized for early adoption of AAQEP standards, WGU is also the first educator preparation provider in the U.S. to be awarded full accreditation from both the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and AAQEP.
Lexicon Bank Opens in Southern Nevada
The first newly chartered community bank in southern Nevada in over a decade, Lexicon Bank opened its doors last month. Headquartered in Tivoli Village, the bank will focus on customized services that combine personal experience with technology. The bank’s founders raised $20 million in capital through investments from over 100 shareholders ware are committed to “redefining banking” in Las Vegas.
Biolife Plasma Moves to Henderson
BioLife Plasma Services has opened a plasma donation center in Henderson, this is the first center to be established in Nevada and is part of over 100 centers across the U.S. The center is expected to bring between 20 and 40 jobs to the community. At BioLife, plasma is collected and processed into a variety of therapeutics, including blood clotting proteins to treat hemophilia, immune support therapies, blood volume replacements and surgical sealants. The center represents an investment of $2.5 million in its first year of operation.
Nevada State College Names Buildings in Recognition of Donors
In recognition of major donations, Nevada State College (NSC) has named the under-construction education building the Glenn and Ande Christenson School of Education. In addition, the current nursing, science and education building on the Henderson campus will be renamed to the Bob and Alison Kasner Academic building. The Christenson’s have donated $5 million and the Kasners have donated $2.5 million. The contributions were in the form of outright gifts and written pledges. They provided the core funds for the $6 million match required for legislative approval of the new education buildings. The funds will also be used for education programs and scholarships.
