USDA

Monday's Democratic Luncheon will kick off Earth Week with a presentation by Clifford Banuelos, Tribal-State Environmental Liaison for the Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada (ITCN) with the State of Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP). In that role he works with bureaus under NDEP and the Tribes of Nevada to coordinate and consult on environmental projects and concerns. He also works with the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), which NDEP falls under.

Taking advantage of statewide moisture in the forecast, the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest will conduct prescribed fire operations across several portions of the forest this week as part of the forest’s hazardous fuels reduction effort and active forest management program. Also, weather and conditions permitting, the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team will continue widespread prescribed fire operations this week in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development is pleased to announce Jim Park has been selected to serve as the Acting State Director in Nevada.

As part of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest’s fuels reduction efforts, prescribed pile burning will be taking place today in the Clear Creek drainage off U.S Highway 50 below Spooner Summit, two miles south of Carson City. Smoke may be visible from Highway 50, as well as from the Carson Valley.

CARSON CITY, Nev. — Greater Commercial Lending (GCL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Greater Nevada Credit Union (GNCU), announces the opening of its online application for the second round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at noon PST for both first-time and second-draw applications.

USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region has decided to extend the developed campground closure on 12 National Forests in California to provide consistent COVID-19 mitigation response in accordance with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Stay-at-Home Orders. These Regional Orders will be in effect through Jan. 29, 2021.

The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team will resume prescribed fire operations this week in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Operations will continue over the next several weeks, conditions and weather permitting. Smoke may be visible.

The Bridgeport Winter Recreation Area on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest's Bridgeport Ranger District remains closed to over-snow vehicles, like snowmobiles, due to lack of snow. Snow levels must meet the minimum requirement in order to open the area.

Weather and conditions permitting, the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team will continue prescribed fire operations this week in the Lake Tahoe Basin. California State Parks, California Tahoe Conservancy, North Lake Tahoe and Tahoe Douglas fire protection districts are scheduled to burn hand piles and smoke may be visible.

The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team may continue prescribed fire operations this week in the Lake Tahoe Basin. California State Parks, North Lake Tahoe and Tahoe Douglas fire protection districts are scheduled to burn if conditions and weather allow. Smoke may be visible.

Stroudwater Associates, the nation’s leading source of strategic, operational, and financial strategy for rural, community and county-district owned hospitals, announced today a joint venture with Greater Commercial Lending (GCL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Greater Nevada Credit Union, recognized as one of the nation’s leading USDA lenders, to help rural healthcare businesses access USDA guaranteed loans. The new partnership will be known as StroudwaterGCL Rural Healthcare Capital.

Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team members will continue prescribed fire operations this week in the Lake Tahoe Basin, weather and conditions permitting. California State Parks and Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District are scheduled to burn hand piles on the east and west shores. Smoke may be visible.

Greater Nevada Credit Union, a Carson City-based credit union serving northern Nevada, contributes $25,000 as the first corporate sponsor and financial institution to the Audacity Fund Reno, which provides funding, education and support to local business owners from underserved populations.

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, in partnership with NV Energy and the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, is seeking public comment on the NV Energy Resilience Corridors project. This project proposes vegetation treatments along roughly 43 miles of power line corridors on approximately 5,300 acres of National Forest System lands.

The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest is initiating a public comment period on the proposed Forest-Wide Prescribed Fire Restoration Project. The purpose of this project is to increase the pace and scale of prescribed burning on lands within 6.2 million acres of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in Nevada and a small portion of eastern California.

The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will begin selling Christmas tree permits online beginning Monday, Nov. 16.

The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit has begun closing recreational facilities for the winter season. Seasonal closures apply to many National Forest recreation sites in the Tahoe Basin including beaches, campgrounds, picnic areas and forest roads.

Local non-profit GREENevada announced Thursday the winners of the 2020 Golden Pinecone Sustainability Awards, a prestigious annual event recognizing local individuals and organizations working towards a more sustainable Nevada.

Christmas tree permits for National Forest System lands on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest’s Bridgeport and Carson Ranger Districts will be available for purchase online through Recreation.gov, as well as in-person at multiple locations, beginning Monday, Nov. 2.

CARSON CITY — Western Nevada College and the University of Nevada Reno Extension are among recent federal grant recipients to receive financial packages to make distance learning upgrades and aid in the expansion of educational services in 14 rural counties.

On Thursday, Oct. 15, Carson City Toyota will host the second “Drive by Donation” Food Drive to benefit Friends In Service Helping, also known as FISH, which gives support to families and people in need by providing food, instruction, shelter and health care.

The Carson City School District’s Nutrition Services is pleased to announce it has been approved for the U.S. Department of Agriculture waiver to provide free lunch and breakfast for all children 18 and under through the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year (June 2021).

Fall has arrived in the Sierra Nevada bringing the steady change of turning leaves and a noticeable chill in the air. The fall season also means bears are actively searching for food, even down into the lower valleys.

Hello fellow anglers, Fall is definitely here. Renee and I took a trip through Alpine County last week to enjoy the fall colors. Many trees have turned, while others are just starting to get their true colors.

To get a good look at the viewing, venture up through Highway 88 from Woodfords to Caples Lake. Another good area of fall color viewing is from Woodfords on Highway 89 up to Kinney reservoir on Highway 4 .

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Governing Board on Wednesday approved key updates to forest management ordinances that will streamline large-scale fuel reduction projects and continue reducing the threat of catastrophic wildfire in the Tahoe Basin.

Due to continued public health safety concerns related to COVID-19, trail improvement work, the risk of bear-human encounters and in order to discourage large groups from gathering, the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit has issued a Forest Order that temporarily closes Taylor Creek and the surrounding area from Oct. 3 through Nov. 2, 2020.

National Forest trails, trailheads, beaches and other day-use areas in the Lake Tahoe Basin have now reopened for day-use only as of Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020. Camping and overnight stays will not be permitted, and campgrounds will remain closed. Resorts will reopen for day-use only. Emergency Fire Restrictions will remain in effect through Nov. 30. I’ve attached the Forest Orders for your awareness.

CARSON CITY — To assist with disaster relief during this devastating fire season, Greater Nevada Credit Union has donated $30,000 to three different credit unions coordinating relief efforts in California and Oregon. Rogue Credit Union Foundation in Medford, Ore.; Redwood Credit Union Community Fund in Santa Rosa, Calif.; and Sierra Central Credit Union in Yuba City, Calif. will each receive $10,000 to assist with ongoing relief efforts.

Due to unprecedented and historic fire conditions throughout the state, the USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region on Tuesday extended the temporary Forest Closure Order of all 18 National Forests in California, which began last week.

The first USDA Business and Industry CARES Act loan, intended to protect America’s small farms and businesses amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, went to an aquaculture farm in Iowa and was brokered by Carson City-based Greater Commercial Lending (GCL). These CARES Act loans provide working capital to help rural businesses prevent, prepare for or respond to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.