Stimulus Czar Standoff Ends in Nevada

Today’s roundup of stimulus coverage:

Nevada has a new stimulus director, ending — for now — a power struggle between the governor and the  Legislature. The Las Vegas Sun reports that on Tuesday, Gov. Jim Gibbons named Charles Harvey, the assistant Clark County recorder, to the new position. The appointment came over the objections of the Legislature’s Interim Finance Committee, which approves budget changes  when the Legislature is in recess. The committee wanted the role to go to the office of the state controller, Kim Wallin, a Democrat.  Gibbons, a Republican, challenged the Legislature to sue, adds the Associated Press.

The decision of bigger telecom companies to forgo stimulus money has created space for smaller providers, CNET’s Marguerite Reardon reports. On Monday, San Diego-based Leap Wireless filed an application for $8.6 million from the $7.2 billion set aside for broadband grants under the Recovery Act. The company wants to use the money to help low-income families in five cities get high-speed Internet access. AT&T, Comcast and Verizon have all declined to apply for funds under the program, citing a variety of reasons, including increased scrutiny into their operations.

Vice President Joe Biden is in Orlando today with Education Secretary Arne Duncan to talk about the stimulus, and to raise money for local Democrats. The Orlando Sentinel reports that Biden and Duncan are scheduled to tour a middle school in the morning, before the VP heads to a $1,000-a-head fundraiser for Rep. Alan Grayson.

Are you tracking the stimulus? ProPublica has set up a mailing list for reporters covering the stimulus, and you’re welcome to join.