By Sam Skolnik

Wed, Sep 3, 2008 (2 a.m.)

After a couple of near misses, it’s finally No. 1.

Las Vegas’ Web site recently was named the best city Web site by a national research and advisory institute, the Center for Digital Government.

The site, lasvegasnevada.gov, ranked fourth in 2006 and moved up to third place last year.

The city will receive its award at a Sept. 12 gala in Hollywood.

The Best of the Web and Digital Government Achievement Awards recognize the most innovative and user-friendly state and local government sites. The judges look for Web delivery of public services, efficiency, economy and functionality.

“We are thrilled to see that we have improved our ranking this year and are honored to be in the top spot among thousands of local municipalities,” the city’s information technologies director, Joseph Marcella, said in a news release.

“We continually reevaluate our Web site to ensure that we are providing additional outlets for our citizens to interact with us in the most efficient way possible.”

The city’s Web site was redesigned in 2005. During the past year, the city added several features that, for example, can help residents find the closest fire station or neighborhood association by entering an address.

The Web site also offers a wide array of services including sewer bill and parking ticket payment.

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Las Vegas soon will honor exceptional urban design with its third annual Mayor’s Urban Design Awards.

The awards recognize projects that foster the city’s commitment to sustainability and livability.

Specifically, the judges look for projects that cultivate walkways and streets that are shared public spaces, promote safety, conserve resources, preserve historic buildings and places, and seamlessly link to their surroundings. The four categories are buildings and their environs, public places, historic preservation and public art.

Nominations are being accepted through Oct. 30.

Forms can be found online at lasvegasnevada.gov/planning.

All are invited to nominate a project — as long as it’s within city limits and is completed by Dec. 31.

The awards will be presented by Mayor Oscar Goodman at his State of the City address in January.

“For the third year now, we will be honoring some of our city’s exceptional designs,” Goodman said. “This year’s and previous award winners together enrich our multifaceted community and are a big part of creating a world-class city.”

The 2007 winners included downtown condo project Newport Lofts, the Springs Preserve, Betty Willis (the designer of the iconic “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign), and the Morelli House, a late 1950s residence noted as an example of historic preservation.

• • •

Local authors, unite.

The Vegas Valley Book Festival will host several events for local scribes, including an authors’ fair from 10 a.m. to

4 p.m. Nov. 8 at the historic Fifth Street School downtown.

Local published authors can sign up for a free space at the fair by calling 229-5431. The event is free and open to the public.

Other events during the annual three-day literary festival — Nov. 6-8 — will include a series of workshops for local writers presented by the Henderson Writers Group and the Red Rock Review.

A symposium for writers is also planned, “The Poet as Editor/The Editor as Poet.” The talk will be presented by the UNLV Creative Writing Department.

And there will be a workshop, “The Bumpy Road to Getting Published.”

The festival is co-sponsored by the Las Vegas Office of Cultural Affairs. Details are available at artslasvegas.org/vvbf.