bats

Recognized as one of a handful of the most haunted towns in the U.S., Virginia City rattles the chains, cages, ballroom floor and railroad tracks for the rest of the month as part of its “Hauntober” celebration, offering up ghostly adventures culminating Oct. 31, Nevada Day and Halloween.

In case you missed it, the Washoe County Health District recently put out a notice that multiple bats infected with rabies were found in Washoe County.

In one of the cases, four domestic pets came into contact with one of the rabid bats. It’s a situation no one wants to think about, and one that hasn’t happened in Washoe County in decades, but it’s time to remind people about the importance of vaccinating their pets and why it’s so important to everyone around you.

Washoe Lake State Park north of Carson City is offering two interpretive programs during the month of September, including a full moon hike and an astronomy program.

We just completed National Pollinator Week, a designation that recognizes all that pollinators do for our food supply, environment and economy. Last year the Obama administration released a “National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators” led by U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Western Nevada College put the pedal to the metal in its opener of the Western District baseball tournament on Thursday in Trinidad, Colo.

The Wildcats of Carson City launched two homers and totaled 14 hits in a 9-5 victory against tournament host Trinidad State in Central Park. Bradley Lewis and Abe Yagi smashed two-run homers to spark unranked WNC in their first game of the season using metal bats.

No deficit is too large for the Western Nevada College Wildcats. WNC fell behind College of Southern Nevada, 5-0, in the second inning of the Region 18 baseball championship on Saturday afternoon in Henderson but rallied with six runs in the final two innings to overtake the Coyotes, 11-9.

Western Nevada College Softball faced Snow College Friday for a doubleheader at Pete Livermore Sports Complex in Carson City. With the wind blowing out, home runs seemed to be in the cards, and the Wildcats were dealing them. In game one, WNC put four out of the park to come out on top of the Badgers, 12-6. Noa Talia blasted two home runs to help the Wildcats take the second game, 12-9.

The San Francisco Giants have come to Carson City. A new youth community baseball program with the backing of a Major League Baseball club opened for sign-ups earlier this month in the Nevada state capital.

The Junior Giants community league, run by the Carson City Parks and Recreation Department, is sponsored by the San Francisco Giants Community Fund, a charitable outreach of the professional sports franchise.

Washoe Lake State Park is hosting a variety of events during the month of April, including a basic astronomy program focusing on year-round (circumpolar) constellations, a wildflower walk, a full moon hike and a guided hike through the sand dunes.

Rivalry weekend got off to an uplifting start for the Western Nevada College Wildcats on Friday. Bailey Henderson and Makaylee Jaussi socked two-run doubles and Briauna Carter launched a three-run homer as WNC won the Scenic West Athletic Conference softball series opener with a 10-3 victory in Carson City.

Homers haven't been the primary source of Western Nevada College victories in 2016, but that changed on the team's current road trip in Utah.

Abe Yagi smacked a game-tying, two-run homer and DJ Peters slammed a tie-breaking, two-run shot as the Wildcats rallied for a 12-5 Scenic West Athletic Conference baseball victory over Utah State University Eastern on Friday in Price. Tim Lichty homered in Game 2, but the Golden Eagles rallied for an 8-5 victory.

Ready to ‘Give where you live’? Nevada’s Big Give online fundraising drive is today, so pick your favorite local non-profit and pledge $10 or more dollars to get them on their way. The WNC Foundation will be throwing a party at Alatte inside the Carson Nugget with drink specials and more if they’re the one you choose. Learn a little about our majestic mountain views at the Douglas County Historical Society’s Second Thursday lecture. Spice up your life with Bachata lessons at El Charro Avita, and dance the night away. Take a gander at the list for all of today’s options.
THURSDAY:

The Reno Aces and the University of Nevada Wolf Pack baseball team will play their annual exhibition game on Tuesday, April 5 at 6:05 p.m. at Aces Ballpark, the organizations announced today.

“As is the case every year since I have managed the Aces, I am really excited about our exhibition game against the Wolf Pack,” said Aces third-year manager Phil Nevin. “It's great for our players to prep for the season and it means Opening Day is near.”

There is loads of history for free, or donations, if you are so inspired, at the Silver Terrace Cemeteries in Virginia City. However, Candace Wheeler, director of the Comstock Cemetery Foundation, has been a one-woman bastion against vandalism and defamation of the historic cemeteries of Virginia City, Gold Hill, and Silver City.

There has been no shortage of opportunities for Western Nevada College to measure itself against the elite junior college softball teams in the county. A week after losing a tight game with second-ranked Eastern Arizona, the Wildcats squared off with Phoenix College, the National Junior College Athletics Association's top-ranked Division II team, at the Artichoke Classic on Saturday in Scottsdale, Ariz.

You can’t think about Halloween without thinking about bats. Those creepy, blood-sucking rats with wings give us the heebie-jeebies and we don’t care who knows it. Well don’t let Jennifer Newmark, Wildlife Diversity Division chief for the Nevada Department of Wildlife hear you say that.

Clouds lifted lazily over the pine nut mountains as Old Glory floated in the breeze. The smell of peanuts and popcorn caught noses with delightful surprise as foot long hot dogs tempted resolves with their sizzle and pop. The sounds of John Fogerty’s Centerfield crackled through the speakers and soon Whitney Houston’s 1991 version of the Star Spangled Banner would bring players and spectators alike to a standing salute.

Looking for a reason to hit the town? Head over to Living the Good Life where Jimmy and Jack are sure to entertain. If you’d rather be the entertaining one, then sign up to sing at Jimmy G’s Cigar Bar or at the Feisty Goat Pub: it’s Karaoke night. Get your country fix at Beercade, and learn to line dance. Learn about bats and their habitat at the monthly Francis Humphry Lecture at the Nevada State Museum. If you already know it all, Trivia Night at Alatte Coffee and Wine Bar in the Carson Nugget might be for you.

THURSDAY:

I apologize, Carson City. You have some decisions to make. There is quite a bit going on whether you want something family friendly, adults only, indoors, outdoors, or a combination of it all. The weekly Farmers Market at Third and Curry St. is always a good way to start the weekend. Yummy food, a bounce house for the kids, and beautiful flowers are hard to argue with. Keep reading for enough fun to make your head spin!

SATURDAY:

• Back to School at Carson Hot Springs (Free 17 and younger admission per paid adult; outdoor pools only; 7am-10pm)
• 21st Annual Silver Dollar Car Classic at Mills Park (8am-4pm show and shine, music, and vendors; Registration 8am-11am; Pancake Breakfast 8am-10:30am; Judging until 4pm)

Protecting bat habitat across Nevada, and why doing so is good for all, is the topic of the Nevada State Museum, Carson City’s August program from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, August 27 presented by Jenni Jeffers.

Nevada is home to 23 species of bats. Its 250,000 abandoned mines have become important artificial roost sites for a large portion of our bat population for at least a part of their life. Jeffers will share how important bat habitat is protected and show photos of the species using these abandoned mines.

Nevada's bats and the truth and legends around them will be the featured lecture at Washoe Lake State Park on Saturday, Aug. 1 In addition to seeing photos of some of the 1,232 species of bats found around the world, visitors will have the opportunity to hear the sounds that bats make as they hunt their prey.

Fort Churchill State Historic Park south of Silver Springs is offering a variety of programs during the month of July. Programs highlight the area’s rich history and abundant natural resources.

The Nevada Department of Agriculture says it has tested positive for the first laboratory-confirmed rabid bat found in Washoe County. Bat rabies is endemic throughout Nevada. The agency's Animal Disease Laboratory notes that between six and 20 bats annually test positive for rabies, usually between the months of May and October. However, in recent years positive bats have been confirmed as early as February.

Giving up a three-run edge in the final inning could emotionally deflate a team. College of Southern Nevada's comeback only served as more motivation for the Western Nevada Wildcats on Saturday.
Makaylee Jaussi's sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the last of the seventh inning lifted the Wildcats to a 5-4 Scenic West Athletic Conference softball victory at Edmonds Sports Complex in the Carson City.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife named Jennifer Newmark as Wildlife Diversity Division Administrator. The position oversees the division responsible for Nevada’s diverse wildlife heritage through the protection, management and restoration of non-game species.

Newmark has almost 16 years of experience in increasingly responsible roles working with Nevada’s wildlife. In her most recent position, Jennifer served as the Administrator of the Nevada Natural Heritage Program, an independent state agency within the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Lauren Lesniak slammed her second grand slam in three weeks, Kristina George tossed a three-hit shutout and Gabriella Canibeyaz doubled twice as Western Nevada College swept a softball doubleheader from Colorado Northwestern on Friday in Rangely, Colo.

Lesniak's 4-for-4 performance at the plate in WNC's 13-0 victory in the opener also included a solo homer and a double. The Wildcats completed the sweep with an 8-6 victory as Canibeyaz went 3 for 4 and Nicole Lesniak shined in relief of starting pitcher Sadee Sorensen.

Finding a way to win games that require a concerted comeback effort is one of many reasons why Western Nevada College coach D.J. Whittemore is on the cusp of his 400th victory with the Carson City baseball program.

After permitting just one run in 25 innings over four games, Western Nevada College gave up six runs in a game-turning seventh inning on Saturday in Henderson.
Brandon Eyring stroked a tiebreaking two-run single and Hadley Thorpe smashed a three-run homer as Utah State University Eastern rallied for a 6-3 nonconference baseball victory over the Wildcats of Carson City.

It will be a youthful Western Nevada College baseball team that takes the field this spring in Carson City at John L. Harvey Field. With a roster that is 70 percent freshmen, the Wildcats will enter the 2015 season without the experience that has fostered regular success in the past.

The two-time defending Region 18 champions open their season on Jan. 30 against last season’s nemesis, South Mountain College of Arizona, which ended the Wildcats’ season only a few wins shy of another trip to the Junior College World Series.

My son Jim, daughter-in-law, Kathi, Elaine and I are four joint owners of the “Quilici Cabin,” located on a steep, mountain hillside at an elevation of 6,000 feet in the middle of a forest of pine trees, Quaking Aspen trees and brush, between Portola and Davis Lake in Northern California.