contest

By Mike Wolterbeek
RENO, Nev. – The University of Nevada, Reno’s micromouse scooted its way around the maze in the fastest time Saturday to beat out 10 other teams from around the west. The MicroMouse competition featured small robotic vehicles designed, built and programmed by undergraduate electrical engineering students.

The - editorial staff recently won six awards in the Suburban Newspapers of America 2010 editorial contest.Reporters Sandi Hoover and Brian Duggan won first place in the best continuing coverage ca...

DAYON, Nev. — Dozens of local groups have taken the challenge to fight hunger here this spring. When the Dayton Food Pantry issued an open invitation to partner with them for The Feinstein $1 Million Dollar Challenge to fight hunger, dozens of individuals, businesses, schools, nonprofits and clubs stepped up to help.

In celebration of Historic Preservation Month, the Carson City Historic Resources Commission is holding their second annual Historic Preservation Scavenger Hunt May 2-31, 2011. The adult scavenger hunt will consist of 30 historic architectural features, all within in the historic district, and the kids scavenger hunt will consist of 20 historic features within a smaller area.

By the Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce
The Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors bureau would like to remind everyone that there are just a few weeks left in the new Winter Classic Trout Derby.

Thanks to grant funding provided by Inyo County, the Chamber has contracted with Inland Aquaculture to purchase and plant specially tagged Alpers Trout in Pleasant Valley Reservoir and Lower Owens River.

This week’s feature is about a long time friend, Gene St. Denis, Captain of Blue Ribbon Charters at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. He offers daily fishing trips for Mackinaw, rainbow and brown trout on his sport fishing boat, “The PT-109,” at Lake Tahoe.

Mackinaw trout in the double digit class (10 pounds or more) in weight are not that uncommon on those charter trips. In fact, in the last two years, each time Elaine and I have fished with “Gino” she has caught a double digit “Mack” in weight.

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Click here for this week's fishing report and here for more outdoor stories.

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Two years ago, her Mack weighed 20-pounds, 9-ounces (37.5 inches long) and it was the biggest fresh water fish that she has ever caught.
Last year, her fish checked in at just over 10 pounds.

By the Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce
The Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors bureau would like to remind everyone that there are just a few weeks left in the new Winter Classic Trout Derby.

Thanks to grant funding provided by Inyo County, the Chamber has contracted with Inland Aquaculture to purchase and plant specially tagged Alpers Trout in Pleasant Valley Reservoir and Lower Owens River.

If you like to fish in the State of Nevada, you might be interested in entering the 2011 Ormsby Sportsmen’s Association (OSA) fishing contest.

This annual contest is inexpensive, you can have fun fishing during the year and you might even win some nice cash, just before Christmas.

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Click here for this week's fishing report and here for other outdoor-related stories.

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If you’re interested, here is all kinds of information on that contest:

Here is the weekly fishing report for Northern and Southern Nevada, Northern California, Eastern Sierra and Southern Oregon rivers and lakes. This report runs through April 5.

ALMANOR LAKE, CALIF:
Brian Roccucci of Big Daddy’s Guide Service (539) 283-4103) www.bigdaddyfishing.com reports:
The winter trout bite at Lake Almanor continues to be pretty solid....when you can get to the lake!

High Sierra Swing Dance Club and the Carson Nugget present the Sierra Swing Showcase April 2-3 in the Nugget's upstairs ballroom, 507 N. Carson St., Carson City. Dance contests and workshops for adults and youths are interspersed with open dancing to a variety of DJ music. The Swing Into Spring Formal Dinner Dance and "Local Celebrities Who Think They Can Dance" contest is Saturday, 6 pm-midnight. Celebrities include Carson City Mayor Bob Crowell, Supervisor Molly Walt and Sheriff Ken Furlong.

Here is the fishing report for Northern Nevada, Northern California, Southern Oregon and the Sierra for the week of March 23 through March 30:

Sierra Nevada College’s Poetry Slam celebrates art of the spoken word

Poets will be aiming for a slam-dunk with a cheering and jeering audience at Sierra Nevada College’s Fifth Annual Poetry Slam at 7 p.m. Friday, April 29, on the Incline Village campus.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – The city of Henderson is seeking legislation that one critic says would make it more difficult for Southern Nevada residents to challenge land use decisions by local governments.

Two reliable sources have confirmed that Congressman Dean Heller said this week he is definitely committed to running in the U.S. Senate race. Heller’s office would not confirm the news this morning when contacted.

Greater Nevada Credit Union employees recently had a pancake eating contest as part of their fundraising efforts for the 2011 Special Olympics Polar Plunge at Lake Tahoe. Watch the contest video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwYn3PVd3kI

To get your company or organization involved in the Polar Plunge on March 19, visit www.sonc.org/getinfo/info_newspolarplung­e.html

The Nevada State Health Division in Carson City announced Hugh Gallagher Elementary School in Virginia City as the winner of a logo contest for its statewide hand washing campaign, “Hey Nevada, Wash Your Hands!”

The winning logo will serve as part of the campaign’s identity, and will be incorporated into various campaign media. The second place entry was a tie between Yerington Elementary School and L.S. Bruner Elementary in North Las Vegas.

Teams of super heroes, penguins, pirates and other eye-catching characters jumped into Lake Tahoe last winter. On March 19, they’ll do it again, and you’re invited to join them as Special Olympics Nevada co-hosts the “Freezin’ for a Reason” Polar Plunge® 2011 at Zephyr Cove, South Lake Tahoe. The event is open to all and will include entertainment, a costume contest, prizes, and Special Olympics athletes, coaches, and volunteers who will share their experiences with the organization’s inspiring programs.

Four days of parties, games, competitions and tournaments are in the works to celebrate Super Bowl XLV at Lake Tahoe's MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa. The resort is pulling out all the stops in preparation for its Big Game Weekend, Feb. 3-6.

By Andrew Doughman / Nevada News Bureau
One year later, the impacts of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens United case are plain to see.
On Jan. 21, 2010, the court ruled that corporate and union donations to political candidates cannot be limited under the First Amendment.
The impact?

Diamond Peak Ski Resort at Lake Tahoe's Incline Village will host its second annual Ullr Fest beginning Friday and lasting through the entire weekend.

With all the recent snow, it seems that Diamond Peak Ski Team's community-based homage to the Norse ski-god Ullr (pronounced Oool-er) is paying off. We've seen nothing but snow since the first annual Ullr Fest took place last winter. Ullr must be happy!

There's plenty going on out there for snowshoe fans around Lake Tahoe. I've enjoyed the sport but haven't tried the big foot stuff of late. Here's what's snowshoeing these days:

— Go with Tony Berendsen at Northstar-at-Tahoe at 5 p.m. Dec. 30 at Northstar. Tony is a poet and astronomer and offers Star Gazing Snowshoe tours. Price is $50 for adults, $30 for those12 and under with 10 the minimum age. Snowshoe rentals are $5. Call Norhstar at (530) 562-3270 or go online to www.northstarattahoe.com. Tell them Sam sent you.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Long-time Republican political operative Sig Rogich said today that Sarah Palin is not a viable candidate for president in 2012.
Rogich, who was involved in the campaigns of Ronald Reagan and both Bush presidents, said Palin, a Tea Party favorite and former Republican Alaska governor, is unelectable.

Looks like Carson Now is running a Christmas light contest, showcasing some of the displays around town. First prize is a $100 gift certificate to Ti Amo at the Fandango, so there’s some incentive, and it looks like the contest is still open for nominations if you have a favorite house, or even your house, that you’d like to submit. Voting has already started though, so houses going in now are at a bit of a disadvantage.

The University of Nevada Reno's highly acclaimed Early Childhood Autism Program is getting some help from the Sierra Kids Foundation next week, Dec. 16 – 18, when it sponsors the Wild West Shootout basketball tournament.

The annual foundation tournament will be held at Reno High School. More than $100,000 in scholarships for children needing the program's services has been given away over the past seven years, according to Patrick Ghezzi, director of the program and Nevada psychology professor.

Carson Now and Casino Fandango are sponsoring the Carson Now Holiday Lights Contest. We are looking for the best holiday light displays in Carson City, and giving you a chance to vote on your favorites. The contest is open to private homes in Carson City, and the winning entry will receive a $100 gift certificate for dinner at Ti Amo Italian Grille inside Casino Fandango.

So if you see any cool displays of Christmas lights in your neighborhood, send them in. You can see all the entires and rules here: http://carsonnow.org/holidaylights

This is the winner of our Holiday Lights contest.

CARSON CITY – A national conservative think tank today launched a new website to give Spanish-speaking Americans access to its analyses and policy recommendations on the nation’s most pressing problems.
The Heritage Foundation launched Libertad.org, where the organization’s work on issues ranging from education reform to the new national health care law will be available in Spanish.

Don’t miss the “Holiday Harmonies” an offering of Christmas music presented by the Chorus of Comstock, a four part a cappella barbershop style chorus. This local chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society was deemed “Plateau A Champion” at the spring NE Division Chorus contest. Under direction of B.J. Hill, bass for international quartet competition bronze medal winner “Special Feature”, the chorus will present an array of carols and songs of the season.

I turned off the TV late last night, unable to withstand another minute of talking head after talking head trying to come up with a narrative for this election.

For some reason, it seems they think that their audience is comprised of 6-year-olds who can't comprehend anything that isn't force-fed to them in tiny, single-concept bites.

Was it the NObama election? Was the the fiery phoenix of the Tea Party? Was it creeping socialism, or simple arrogance? What about government spending? Or was it just time to throw the bums out?