Charlene Hamilton’s Weblog

I am proud to announoce that the City of Reno will be sponsoring the 2008 Special Olympics Summer Games on June 7th.

The Aquatic Games will be held at the University of Nevada - Reno . Track and Field Events will be held at the Reno High School Track Field.

The Special Olympics is a non-profit organization which serves adults and children with developmental disabilities. The Special Olympics offers opportunities for those with special needs to develop physical and social skills resulting in the enhancement of their self-esteem through sports.

I wanted to post this on my blog before the games are held because volunteers are needed to help with the events. You do not have to be sports oriented or have sports experience to be a volunteer.

To volunteer for the events just click here: https://www.cityofreno.com/index.aspx?recordid=35&page=937
To learn more about the Nevada Special Olympics Organization please call 877-417-2742 or visit their website www.sonv.org

Here is a toast to all the participants, volunteers and fans of the 2008 Summer Games

On April 25th, the City of Reno displayed a number of its city-owned alternative-fuel powered vehicles and machines. The vehicles showcased included the Toyota Prius hybrid car, an E85 police car (85%enthanol/15%gasoline), a solar-powered diesel Kubota 4X4 and a Zap scooter, powered by a 36-volt motor.

The display was organized to highlight the City of Reno’s commitment to making green living a top priority. There are approximately 750 combined pieces of equipment and vehicles in the City of Reno’s fleet which save approximately 35,000 gallons of gas per year.

Another green side of the Greater Reno area is the Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful organization, dedicated to a cleaner, more beautiful region through education and promoting active community involvement in various recycling and clean-up events.

Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful was the first organization in the region to establish an Adopt-A-Park event. The organization also sponsors Adopt-A-Spot, Open Space, River and Neighborhood Cleanups as well as Christmas Tree and Phone Book Recycling.

Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful will be presenting “Waste Warriors” a 45-minute educational program on litter reduction and recycling on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the Duncan-Traner Community Library (admission is free).

On May 10th, Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful will also sponsor an open space clean-up day from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

For more information on the “Waste Warriors” presentation, contact the Duncan-Traner Community Library at 333-5134

Click here for more information on the open space clean-up Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful

If you are considering a move in or to the greater Reno area, please contact me for neighborhood information and market conditions.

Here is a toast to the green side of the City of Reno and to the Keep Truckee Beautiful organization.

In honor of Earth Day, which was celebrated here in Reno yesterday at Idlewild park (over 5,000 attended), I thought I would highlight the Reno-Sparks-Washoe County greenUP campaign.

The greenUP promotional campaign began on April 17 and will continue through the month of May. The campaign is headed by the Nevada Small Business Development Center, the cities of Reno and Sparks, and Washoe County with the purpose of involving business, community organizations, institutions and private citizens in taking positive steps to make green living a way of life throughout the region. The campaign promotes events and activities that are related to environmental education and what we can do now and in the future to make sustainable living a reality.

The greenUp! campaign is not only an annual promotional event, it is also an on-going endeavor through out the year. You may visit the greenUP! website, at anytime for updates on news and events promoting sustainable living.

The greenUP! campaign targets the communities of: the Lake Tahoe Region, the Truckee Meadows area, the cities of Truckee , Carson City , Sparks , Reno , Silver Springs, Gardnerville, Dayton , Minden , Fernly, and Fallon and all the communities and towns in the Truckee River and Carson River watersheds.

Green living is not only a factor in our quality of life but I believe it will also affect property values in the future. Sustainable living is fast becoming a factor in how cities are rated by “Best Places to Live” lists and in how young professionals choose where they want to live and raise their families. Each and every one of us must do our part now to preserve our lifestyle and property in the future.

Note: April 26 ends the City of Reno ’s Clean and Green project. Please refer to my March 25th post for details.
Visit the greenUP! website - Click here

There may be some good news on the horizon for distressed homeowners. If your loan is owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, you may find a sliver of silver in your dark cloud.

For sellers who find they are in “upside-down” mortgages (the seller owes more than the current market value of the home), there may be some help coming your way.

Associated Press (4/11/200 reports that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are going to allow more distressed homeowners to sell their homes for less than they currently owe on their loans. Fannie Mae is hoping that by being cooperative with the short sale of a property they will be able to stem the tide of future foreclosures.

Fannie Mae is encouraging the companies that service their loans to be more cooperative with homeowners who are in default and owe more than they can sell for. They are also encouraging real estate agents to consider short sale properties as a viable option for their buyers. In the past, short sales have been difficult to get approved and the process for approval could be a very bumpy road for the distressed seller and potential buyer; many real estate agents, buyers and sellers would not even attempt a short sale transaction because of the difficulties. Fannie Mae’s announcement should make the approvals easier to get and the road much smoother which, in turn, makes it a viable option for the home seller and the home buyer.

A short sale may not be the answer the delinquent homeowner is looking for since it will not allow them to keep their home; but it will help with future credit issues as the loan will be reported as “settled” on credit reports, without the dreaded “foreclosure” on their credit report. This could be especially helpful to those whose only credit issue is their mortgage payment.

If your house payments are currently in a default status, be sure to contact your loan servicer (the company you make the payments to) to see if you can qualify for any of their “work-out” options. If you do not qualify for a “work-out” program, talk to the person you are working with about the possibility of a short sale.

If you are a buyer or seller in the Reno-Tahoe area, contact me with any questions you may have regarding your real estate needs or concerns.

One of the excellent offerings here in Reno, missed by many locals and visitors alike, is the Fleischmann Planetarium and Science Center.

The planetarium features a 60 seat capacity dome theater, star observing, hands-on displays in the exhibit hall, and a classroom for educational purposes. The Planetarium also offers facilities that are able to accommodate special events such as birthday parties and business meetings.

You can see light shows, star shows and full-featured films daily in the theater courtesy of the Astronomical Society of Nevada.

The planetarium was the first atmospherium in the world. The dome theater and 360-degree projector was the first to simulate day and night skies with a full range of atmospheric conditions with a 360-degree range for horizon-to-horizon images. The theater now uses the Spitz SciDome projector with surround sound for its presentations; some in 3-D. Fleischmann Planetarium is one of the few planetariums in the world to feature this digital state-of-the-art projector.

If you can’t find anything at the movies to see, you should check out the Planetarium’s current offerings such as: Dark Side of the Moon, a full-dome light show, Extreme Planets, a full-dome star show, Journey into Amazing Caves, a large format film. There are several other presentations as well so be sure to check their website for all features and schedules.

Spring is here. The bees are buzzing, the flowers are blooming and the sun is shining. Reno is getting greener everyday.

Not to be outdone by nature, The City of Reno Council is doing its part to contribute to the greening of the city. One of Reno’s priorities is to enhance the city with living green standards.

In a news brief published 3/6/2008, the Council announced they have accepted a bid from Reliant Electric to install two solar energy systems. One will be installed at Fire Station #11 and the other at the City of Reno Corporation Yard. This project will not only contribute to the city’s “Green Living” goals but will save you, the taxpayer, money. In addition to the direct savings you will receive in the future, more than half of the project will be paid by a Sierra Pacific Power Company rebate program.

You can help in the effort to keep our city beautiful by participating in the Clean and Green projects being offered by the cities of Reno and Sparks.

Check your March water bill for a voucher. This voucher will allow residents a free visit to the Land fill. The City of Reno is also offering a limited number of hazardous waste vouchers.

Have an old bike you no longer want? A computer or other electronics you don’t know what to do with? Old tires in the garage or building material lying around? All of these can be dropped off at your neighborhood site. Bikes will be given to the Kiwanis Club, electronics to the Computer Corps., tires to Tires Plus, metals to Solid Waste Reduction Services and building materials to Habitat for Humanity for refurbishing and recycling.

The Clean and Green projects kicked off on March 15 and will run through April 30. For more information about Clean and Green locations, a schedule or to volunteer, you may call the respective city or visit their website. Or, as always, I will happy to answer any questions you may have.

Here is a toast to those of you who “green up” and a toast to our City Council

City of Reno Website or call: 775-334-INFO
City of Sparks Website or call 775-353-2350

Last week I told you that the Reno-Tahoe area has made several Best Cities lists especially in the area of business.

There is much talk about a sluggish economy and the possibility of recession. I am not an economist or a fortune teller; but I can tell you that a city with a strong and growing economy will fare much better in the future, recession or no recession, than a city with a stable or declining economy. I can tell you that because of EDAWN, the Greater Reno-Tahoe area has one of the strongest economies in the nation and the forecast in not only for new businesses to move here but for existing companies to expand and diversify.

Let me introduce you to EDAWN, the acronym for the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada. EDAWN is a very vital part of the Reno-Tahoe area.  EDAWN was founded in 1982 by community leaders to recruit business to the Greater Reno-Tahoe area and expand business for existing companies.

In 2002 EDAWN set a five year goal plan to generate $376 million in annual economic impact to the region. This year and five weeks ahead of schedule EDAWN surpassed this goal by $23 million dollars! Also due to their efforts Reno was named as the #! Place for Doing Business in America in 2005 by INC. Magazine as well as the best place for business recognition in 2006 and 2007 by other entities (see previous blog).

Last year alone 36 companies chose to do business in the Reno area or expanded their operations, creating over 1,600 new jobs. Many of these companies are in the business sectors that pay higher wages. This trend is expected to continue and a skilled labor force is in demand.

A strong business environment not only means people have jobs but it also means that more people will be able to achieve the American Dream - Homeownership. It means that people will own a home in a city that provides quality education and superior local services to its residents. It means that a city that is already considered one of the best places to live in America is only going to get better.

If you are considering a move to the Greater Reno-Tahoe Area, contact me about my free relocation package. As a relocation specialist, I can address your needs and concerns helping to ease the stress of a long distance move and supplying you with the information you need to make informed decisions in the housing arena.

Here’s a toast to EDAWN! Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!
 

I have placed a link to EDAWN on my website because I believe in their importance to the Greater Reno-Tahoe area.

Job seekers can link to companies in the area currently hiring skilled positions.

www.mynevadadreamjob.com