CAPITOL BRIEFS

Legislative website down

The legislative website, which is heavily used not only by state workers but lobbyists and many others, has been out of commission all week.

Legislative Counsel Bureau Director Rick Combs said provider AT&T is working on restoring the service but apparently one of the fires in western Nevada damaged the fiber optic cable that enables people to connect to it.

Combs said not only are people not able to log onto the site, LCB employees are unable to send or receive emails through the system.

“It’s been this way since Monday afternoon,” he said.

Combs said he has received numerous calls asking about the problem including from lawmakers.

He said AT&T hoped to have things up and running again Thursday evening but crews were apparently unable to get into the burn area to make repairs because it wasn’t safe yet.

New consumer advocate named

Attorney General Adam Laxalt has appointed Ernest Figueroa as Nevada’s new Consumer Advocate.

He replaces Eric Witkoski, who had been in the position since 2005.

He said he believes Figueroa will “bring an innovative perspective to the job of protecting Nevada’s ratepayers and consumers.”

The bureau of Consumer Protection is the public’s advocate before the Public Utilities Commission and enforces consumer protection statutes on behalf of the state and its residents.

Figueroa has been a deputy AG in the Bureau since 2001 and most recently served as chief deputy there.

Nevada awarded economic development grant

Rep. Ruben Kihuen, D-Nev., says Nevada has been awarded a $450,000 grant from the Economic Development Administration.

He said the revolving loan fund award will provide capital to small business to help them create jobs.

“This grant will increase access to capital for those seeking to start small businesses and, in turn, foster innovation and create jobs that will build a foundation for a more diversified economy,” he said.