The bank started its Small-Business Administration - SBA - Lending Division Sept. 15 after Silver State Bank was seized. Nevada Commerce hired 15 people from that lending division, President Kathy Phillips said.

"We had an opportunity to get some of the talent to come to the bank," she said. "We're ready to go."

She called Silver State's SBA lending division "one of the most successful."

Nevada Commerce, with its two locations and eight-year history, had wanted to develop an SBA lending division. Now that the crew is onboard, Phillips hopes Silver State loan customers will choose to open accounts at Nevada Commerce.

"From the bank's perspective, it adds a nice revenue stream that we haven't had before," she said.

Already, the bank is working loans with small- and medium-sized businesses trying to secure a loan in an unusually tight credit climate.

Loans can be for purchasing or constructing buildings, buying equipment, acquiring existing businesses or starting a new one, augmenting working capital, refinancing debt or balloon payments, remodeling, increasing inventory or expanding operations.

"It's a great product for the community, and it's a great product for the bank," Phillips said.

The Securities and Exchange Commission banned naked short selling of about 800 stocks through Oct. 2 as the financial markets are pummeled.

The ban can be extended 10 days.

"The commission is committed to using every weapon in its arsenal to combat market manipulation that threatens investors and capital markets," SEC Chairman Christopher Cox said in a statement. "The emergency order temporarily banning short selling of financial stocks will restore equilibrium to markets. This action, which would not be necessary in a well-functioning market, is temporary in nature and part of the comprehensive set of steps being taken by the Federal Reserve, the Treasury and Congress."

Bank of America, Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank, Wachovia, Washington Mutual, Zions Bancorporation and Western Alliance Bancorporation - all with a presence in Southern Nevada - were on the list of 800 temporarily frozen institutions.

Interestingly enough, Silver State Bank was also listed. It failed to raise enough capital as traders short sold its stock in the weeks preceding its demise.

"Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures," American Bankers Association Chief Executive Edward Yingling said in statement. "Over the past few weeks, our publicly traded member banks and bank holding companies have seen precipitous drops in stock prices, extremely high trading volumes and huge spikes in failures to deliver. We hope the order will have its intended effect so that calmer and more rational markets for bank and bank holding company stocks will prevail."

Nevada's personal income grew at a slower rate than the United States in the second quarter of this year.

The state's personal income increased by 1.4 percent from the first quarter, according to the Commerce Department's economic analysis bureau. U.S. personal income grew by 1.8 percent.

The acceleration can be attributed almost entirely to the economic stimulus rebate checks the government issued to taxpayers, the bureau said.

The health care industry was among the largest contributors to growth both in Nevada and nationally.

In Nevada, industries that contributed more - based on percentage points - than the health care industry to the increase in personal income included professional and technical services, and management of companies and enterprises.

The biggest losses to personal income were in the construction industry.

Finance and insurance also experienced a loss, as did retail, mining, administrative, waste services, real estate, rental and leasing, the bureau said.

Recently released numbers reveal that Nevada ranked No. 14 among states in per capita disposable income in 2007.

Per capita, Nevadans had $35,300 in disposable personal income, according to the economic analysis bureau.

In 2002, Nevadans had $27,308, the bureau said.

Nevada ranks No. 31 among states in total gross domestic product for 2007, the bureau said.

The top six industries in order of dollars, were: Financial activities, leisure and hospitality, trade, professional and business services, government and construction.

The bottom producer was nondurable goods manufacturing.