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The Slink Fire burning south of Topaz Lake and two miles west of Coleville, Calif., reached 14,200 acres early Thursday and was 10 percent contained, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

UPDATE: The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory, in effect from 11 a.m. Friday through 8 pm. Sunday for the greater Reno area, Carson City, Carson Valley in Douglas County, Mineral and Southern Lyon counties as well as the Western Nevada Basin and range including Pyramid Lake, Northern Washoe County.

Forecasters say we can expect consecutive days of high temperatures in most cities near or above 100 with overnight lows in the 60s. Record high Temperatures are likely, with potential for a new record for the latest 100 degrees at Reno.

A recent outbreak of COVID-19 at Warm Springs Correctional Center in Carson City put two units on lockdown with two inmates having alleged the outbreak came from correctional officer trainees who were not wearing proper personal protective equipment, also known as PPE.

Due to increased horse activity on U.S Highway 50 and Alternate U.S. 395, Nevada Department of Agriculture and Nevada Department of Transportation officials urge motorists to use extreme caution when driving in the Virginia Range area.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife is increasing its crime-fighting arsenal with a new app that helps citizens use their smartphones to connect with the department to both get information as well as submit anonymous tips with a customized app.

The Slink Fire, located in the Slinkard Valley two miles west of Coleville, Calif.,, burned actively throughout Sunday’s operational shift, growing to 4,762 acres with 5 percent containment. The fire continues to exhibit extreme fire behavior due to dry fuel conditions, winds and topography alignment.

It is wonderful to be back in school, to again see the smiling faces of young people walking throughout the building, going from class to class with excitement and anticipation, gently pushing at their friends to move along, so no one ends up being late to class.

Nevada’s decision to expand mail-in voting for the 2020 general election has become a partisan battleground, after President Donald Trump’s campaign sued to block the election changes put in place by the state’s Democratically-controlled Legislature in a summer special session.

The Carson City Parks, Recreation and Open Space Department will be hosting September's Full Moon Hike on the North end of Prison Hill. The hike will be a fun adventure featuring the "Corn Moon," the Ranch Overlook, and plenty of beautiful scenery.

With the threat of thunderstorms creating new fire starts, a Red Flag Warning has been issued Sunday evening into Monday morning by the National Weather Service for Carson City, the Lake Tahoe Basin and throughout the entire Northern Nevada region.

He is a senior at Carson High School, and his last year is, to say the least, unconventional. Adults have had their say, so how about a chat with this popular young man as he sports a 1980s hairstyle called a mullet in which the hair is short on the sides and long at the front and back.

Finalized data from the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) show initial claims for unemployment insurance (UI) totaled 10,938 for the week ending August 15, down 6,817 claims, compared to last week’s total of 17,755 claims.

Through the week ending August 15, there have been 653,510 initial claims filed in 2020, 631,858 of which have been filed since the week ending March 14.

Thick, unhealthy smoke from northern California fires continues to saturate outside air Thursday in Carson City, Carson Valley, Lyon County and throughout western and Northern Nevada, prompting the National Weather Service to extend a Dense Smoke Advisory into Friday morning.

UPDATE: The National Weather Service in Reno has issued a Dense Smoke Advisory for the greater Reno, Carson City and Carson Valley areas including Sparks, Verdi, Gardnerville and Virginia City. The advisory is in effect until 11 a.m. Thursday. Visibility is below 3 miles with unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups. The advisory says to expect periods of dense smoke and unhealthy air quality through Thursday morning. Winds may help improve air quality into Wednesday night before smoke returns to the area by early Thursday morning.

Republican Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske is asking for an emergency regulation to keep closer tabs on who is “ballot harvesting” after a recently passed state law cleared the way for the practice.

The Pahrump Poolfish is an endangered species that just cannot seem to get a break. It has lived on the edge of extinction since the early 1970’s when groundwater pumping caused Manse Spring, the only warm water spring in which they were found, to dry up and remaining poolfish were relocated to various locations in Nevada for safe keeping.

The Loyalton Fire north of the California, Nevada state line has burned 36,295 acres and is 5 percent contained as of Monday morning, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The fire, which is believed to have started by lightning, has destroyed 5 homes and six outbuildings.

UPDATE 4:50PM: A Dense Smoke Advisory issued by the National Weather Service for the greater Reno, Sparks, Virginia City and Carson Valley areas has been extended until 9 a.m. Monday morning. As of late Sunday afternoon, drift smoke was evident in Washoe Valley, Carson City as well as into Silver Springs and Dayton.
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The National Weather Service in Reno on Sunday issued a Dense Smoke Advisory for the valley areas of Reno into Carson City and Carson Valley due to the Loyalton Fire burning in the Tahoe National Forest in California.

Hot dry weather along with isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms ahead have prompted the National Weather Service to issue a Red Flag fire weather warning and a heat advisory for the Carson City area and throughout northern Nevada.

For ages 8-12 and families: Join us on Zoom and learn the ways of being a friend of the forest. Explore the idea of what makes a healthy forest through discussion, drawing, sending a stewardship postcard and playing Forest Friend Bingo.

Hello fellow anglers, It has been so dang hot that not many have been out fishing lately. With all of this heat, a couple reminders to those that venture outdoors: Beware of the rattlesnakes while you're hiking to that favorite fishing hole. Rattlesnakes are not just in the Carson Valley area, they can be found all the way up through the sierras high up as Kinney reservoir. So watch your step.

RENO — A report released this week by the Nevada State Apartment Association (NVSAA) shows local apartment rents growing at a slower rate during the second quarter of 2020.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – As a reminder, backcountry visitors should practice proper food and garbage storage and behave appropriately when hiking and backpacking in Bear Country.

This summer, wilderness rangers report bears are successfully taking down food-hangs in Desolation Wilderness. Once bears become habituated to human food and garbage they will return and seek it out. Agencies highly recommend using bear resistant canisters when visiting the backcountry.

Drier and much warmer air will work its way into Northern Nevada and the Carson City area Wednesday, bringing gusty winds and low humidity with it, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a Red Flag Warning for much of the region.

Carson City Health and Human Services is reporting that there have been two bats that have tested positive for rabies in Douglas County within the last two weeks. There was both animal and human exposure to these bats.

Months after ordering sweeping closures, Gov. Steve Sisolak on Monday unveiled what he said is a “natural evolution” in the state’s response to COVID-19 — a targeted approach that involves assessing county data each week and forming action plans that would go after the root cause.

UPDATE MONDAY: The Carson City Fire Department responded to assist Truckee Meadows Fire on the #NorthFire. As of Monday morning the fire has burned 3,000 acres and is 0 percent contained. Firefighters worked throughout the night battling this blaze and are back on the fire line this morning, according to CCFD.
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Fires burning in the northern California region, including a new fire north of Highway 395 near Hallelujah Junction in Lassen County, Calif., has produced smoky skies throughout much of western Nevada, including Carson City, Carson Valley and Dayton areas.

A bill that restricts police use of chokeholds, allows recording of law enforcement and calls for drug testing of officers involved in shootings passed the Assembly with bipartisan support, in spite of criticism that lawmakers could have gone further to address police brutality.

Nevada lawmakers are convening for a special session to address a long list of policy topics ahead of their regularly scheduled session early next year.

To help readers understand where bills stand in the sometimes chaotic world of the Legislature, The Nevada Independent is maintaining this viewer’s guide with brief overviews and status updates on the measures.

Gov. Steve Sisolak has formally called on legislators to convene in Carson City for a second special session of the summer focused on a wide range of policy issues.

The governor issued an official proclamation on Thursday evening calling for the special session to begin Friday, with language requesting the session wrap up by midnight on Friday, Aug. 7.