Station Casinos focused on South Reno - right?

When I first heard the rumor that Station Casinos was looking into acquiring property here, I thought people must be confusing Carson City with South Reno.

The Southern Nevada-based gaming company doesn't seem that concerned with quelling rumors.

"It's not unusual for us to study a market and look at several sites," said Laurie Nelson, corporate communications director for Station Casinos. "We're looking at Northern Nevada as a whole."

She won't say specifically whether that's Carson City or Dayton - or elsewhere.

With the recent sale of the Piñon Plaza to a medium-sized entertainment company, and a $60 million expansion of the Casino Fandango, it's starting to sound like a downtown gaming sector is less dominant than it has been in the past. But the opening of the Ormsby House could change all that.

Take a look at the Station Casinos Inc. numbers:

2004 sales: $986.7 million

First year sales growth: 15 percent

2004 net income: $66.4 million

First year net income growth: 49.9 percent

2004 employees: 10,800

Source: Hoovers.com

Geoffrey Probst opened an Allstate Insurance Agency, 1442 E. William Street, in Carson City.

Probst is licensed to sell auto, home life and commercial insurance. He specializes in serving commercial customers with a focus on vehicle fleets, commercial buildings and employee benefits. He completed an Allstate training curriculum that enables him to provide specialized products including both long-term care and life insurance.

The agency hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Open houses will be held on Saturdays in November and December from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The office telephone number is 841-5053.

University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Administration Dean Mike Reed will be inducted into the Northern Nevada Business Leaders Hall of Fame along with Krys Bart, executive director of the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority, at 6 p.m. Dec. 1 at the Reno Hilton in the Grand Ballroom.

"I am flattered to be inducted into the Hall of Fame," Reed said. "I have been working very hard to build the college. It is very humbling to be recognized for my efforts."

Reed joined the College of Business Administration faculty in 1972, becoming dean in 1993.

Funding is available from the United States Department of Agriculture rural development program to low-income rural residents who own or are paying a mortgage payment on a home in need of repair.

USDA Rural Development funds can be used to replace leaking roofs, furnaces, windows, hot water heaters, electrical wiring, plumbing or to add insulation. The funds are available for other repairs to improve or modernize a home, or to remove health and safety hazards. Housing repair and rehabilitation loans are funded by the government. Loans up to $20,000, with an interest rate of 1 percent annually, may be repaid over a 20-year period. For example, the monthly payment on a $1,000 loan can be as low as $4.60 per month.

Housing repair and rehabilitation grants up to $7,500 are only available to rural homeowner/occupants who are 62 years old or older and do not have the income to repay a loan. Loan/grant combinations can be made to elderly applicants who can repay the full cost of a loan. Loan and grants can be combined for up to $27,500 in assistance.

For more information call the USDA Rural Development's local or area offices: Las Vegas Area Office, (702) 262-9047, ext. 4; Elko Local Office, (775) 738-8468, ext. 4; Fallon Local Office, (775) 423-7541, ext. 4; and Winnemucca Local Office, (775) 623-4461, ext. 4.

n Contact reporter Becky Bosshart at bbosshart@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.