The pipeline from Western Nevada College to NCAA Division I and other standout baseball programs around the country continues to flow with Wildcat talent.

WNC baseball coach D.J. Whittemore has announced that five players from his 2013 team made up primarily of freshmen have been inked by Division I schools, while two others have signed with NCAA Division II powerhouse Dixie State College. The five join nine players from last year’s team who signed with Division I teams and eight from the 2011 squad.

Two future Major League Baseball Hall of Famers — Chipper Jones and Iván Rodríguez — are the latest to join the field of 80 sports legends and entertainment celebrities at the 24th annual American Century Championship at Lake Tahoe South, July 16-21.

Raley's, Bel-Air and Nob Hill stores are offering discounted tickets to the 24th annual American Century Championship, the celebrity and sports star golf tournament at Lake Tahoe, July 16-21.

The tournament at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course at Lake Tahoe's south shore, features match-ups of sports legends and Hollywood stars such as Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Aaron Rodgers, Jerry Rice and Ray Romano. Newcomers this year will include former MLB superstars Chipper Jones and Pudge Rodriguez; Larry the Cable Guy and Bill Engvall.

There is no place like someone else’s home, at least for the Western Nevada College baseball team. Since March 23, the Wildcats have played 19 of 23 games on the road, compiling an 18-5 record.

That ability to focus and excel away from home will come in handy this weekend in Sterling, Colo., as the Wildcats pursue their second straight Western District Championship and a berth in the National Junior College Athletic Association World Series.

Join park rangers at Washoe Lake State Park for a leisurely spring wildflower walk. Discover some of the many beautiful wildflowers in bloom on this two mile, moderate walk starting at the main boat ramp. Phlox, Daisies, Butterweed, Lupine, Larkspur, Paintbrush and many more wildflowers will be highlighted on this walk.

WHAT: Spring Wildflower Walk

WHEN: Saturday, May 4 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

WHERE: Participants will meet at the main boat ramp.

A day after NBA basketball player Jason Collins came out as gay to Sports Illustrated, a former NFL coach and an Oakland Raider record-setting placekicker believe the NFL is ready to accept a gay football player.

"I don't think the NFL is going to have a problem," said Herm Edwards, former Kansas City Chiefs head coach, now an NFL analyst for ESPN. "Is there going to be a vote of confidence in the locker room? For some of the younger and immature players, but the veteran players — they get it."

Here is this week's fishing report for rivers, lakes and streams in Nevada, Northern California and the Sierra. This report is for the week of April 24. Opening Day for most stream and lake fishing in California is Saturday.

Playing three games in one day is nothing new to the Western Nevada College softball team, but pitching back-to-back complete games certainly is. Freshman pitcher Carlee Beck went the distance in the second and third games against North Idaho College Saturday in Coeur d’Alene.

She allowed just two runs per outing in helping the Wildcats win one of the three Scenic West Athletic Conference matchups with the Cardinals.

Early intervention matters. It's a theme that has empowered programs like DARE in Carson City schools and is a benchmark for programs run through the Boys and Girls Clubs of Western Nevada.

On Wednesday, 400 children of all ages got to meet those adults in the field who maintain public safety. The Spring Safety Fair, a partnership through the Carson City Sheriff’s Office and Boys and Girls Clubs of Western Nevada, was a success on all levels.

Carson City geocachers get ready. Saturday, April 27 is your day. The Geocache Adventure, a second-annual event hosted by the Carson City Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Unit, will provide a day's worth of searching for participants and $1,000 in prizes.

Registration begins at 9 a.m. with a 10 a.m. start time. The gathering will meet at Bully's Sports Bar and Grill, 3530 N Carson Street. Cost: Kids under 15: $12 Adults: $20 Team of 4 any age: $60

Entry fees:

Here is this week's fishing report for rivers, lakes and streams in Nevada, Northern California and the Sierra. This report is for the week of March 20-26.

ALMANOR LAKE, CALIF:
Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500) (www.shastacascade.com) reports:
Weather will fluctuate from low 50’s to mid-60’s.
Still dry road conditions and low congestion on the water.

The Sunset Rotary Club of Carson City has partnered with the Sunrise Rotary Club of Bishop, Calif., to send used and new camisoles, sports bras and bras to Free the Girls, a nonprofit organization dedicated to giving women a sustainable income once they have been saved from the sex trade and human trafficking industries in Africa and South America.

The Nevada Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal motorcycle accident south of Reno Saturday afternoon that killed a 24-year-old Carson City man.
The accident happened around 2 p.m. on Geiger Grade. Troopers tell KTVN the man was on a sports bike driving down the road heading toward Reno from Virginia City and clipped a car while on a curve in a no-passing zone.

Fan Appreciation Days

Receive Free Admission to Wildcats’ Midweek Games

Western Nevada College softball fans will be treated to Fan Appreciation Days when the Wildcats entertain North Idaho College Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon at Edmonds Sports Complex in Carson City.

Fans will be admitted free to the Scenic West Athletic Conference doubleheaders that begin at 1:30 p.m. each day.

The Wildcats are fresh off taking three of four games from Colorado Northwestern last weekend.

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Donned in costumes, but without the protection of wet suits, Special Olympics athletes and their supporters will jump into icy waters on March 23 for the annual South Lake Tahoe Polar Plunge, a fundraiser for Special Olympics Northern Nevada and California.

The board of the Carson City Convention and Visitors Bureau will meet today to discuss, among other things, hiring an interim executive director. The board began its search for the interim director after Candace Duncan retired in December.

North Lake Tahoe pulls out all the stops to commemorate the 53rd anniversary of hosting the 1960 Winter Olympics with the Olympic Heritage Celebration beginning Saturday and lasting through Jan. 21 at venues throughout the region.

The event, which is sponsored by the North Lake Tahoe Chamber/CVB/Resort Association, kicks off Saturday, January 12 with the REI Winter Trails Day at Tahoe Donner Cross Country Resort in Truckee.

Lawmakers from across the country are contemplating whether it’s worthwhile to move into a domain that’s been almost exclusively Nevada’s since 1949 — legalized sports wagering.

But a top Las Vegas race and sports book director says that even if other states cleared the numerous legal and legislative hurdles to offer betting on sports in their states, it probably wouldn’t have a big effect on Nevada.

Chris Ault has been a very successful coach for Nevada. Yet, every time Nevada Football has a ‘less-than-impressive’ finish to the season, some fans call for him to leave or be relieved of his position.

Let’s take a look at just exactly what Ault has done for the Nevada Football program:
He has been the Head Coach for 28 seasons. In those seasons he has compiled a 233-109-1 overall record. Ault has only had three losing seasons. Three. He has led Nevada to nine conference titles. Under his belt, Nevada has been to the postseason 17 times and that includes a current 8 year streak.

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval on Tuesday appointed John Wagnon of Vail Resorts and Herb Santos, Jr. to the Nevada Commission on Tourism. The terms are effective immediately.

Wagnon, a 40-year veteran of the snowsports industry, is senior director of brand marketing for Vail Resorts, Inc at Heavenly Mountain Resort south shore Lake Tahoe and Kirkwood Mountain Resort.

He has served on the on the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, Ski Lake Tahoe and the California Travel Industry Association boards. Wagnon is also a trustee and past chairman of the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority Board.

Below is this week's fishing report for rivers, lakes and streams in Nevada, Northern California, Lake Tahoe and the Sierra. This report is for the week of Dec. 12-18. We want to note a big fish caught by Eric St. Denis of South Lake Tahoe, Calif., pictured above.

Eric caught a 28-pound, 9-ounce Mackinaw trout at Lake Tahoe on Dec. 9, at 10:30 a.m. Photos courtesy of Gene St. Denis of Blue Ribbon Charters.

Prestigious snow carvers from around the world will call North Lake Tahoe home February 8-12, 2013 for the region’s first-ever Carve Tahoe competition, with the judging take place February 13, 2013.

The weeklong international snow sculpture contest is specifically geared for spectators who will view firsthand 20-ton blocks of pure snow shaped and carved into breathtaking masterpieces. The competing teams are the best of the best – selected from the event’s top applicants and representing more than 20 countries.

Here is this week's fishing report for rivers, lakes an streams in Nevada, Northern California and the Sierra. This report is for the week of Dec. 6.

After broadcasting live play-by-play Western Nevada College baseball games for six seasons, and recently taking on regular sports blog reporting and analysis for Carson Now, it would be only fitting to give Chris J. Graham the title of Sports Editor. And so as of today we are.

Graham, 26, will step up sports coverage for Carson Now with continued blogs, stories, interviews, analysis and plans in early 2013 for a one-hour weekly broadcast sports show.