Winnemucca

It’s now officially Fall and it's that unique time of the year again.
This is when the days are very noticeably shorter, the weather is much crisper and Old Man Winter is lurking just around the corner, with all of his cold, frost, snow and ice.

If you were not aware of it, The Sierra Nevada Mountains got their first snow of the year this last Saturday! Winter is on its way!

So, if you would like a last try at fishing some of our higher altitude lakes before they freeze up or are closed for the 2013 season on November 15, here are some suggestions on where to go:

The 7th Annual “Walk in Memory, Walk for Hope” will take place on Sept. 13-14 in 11 different communities across the state. The goal of the event is to increase awareness of the devastating effects suicide has on our nation and state, and to remember those who have been lost to suicide.

In Douglas County the Saturday, Sept. 14 walk will begin at Douglas City Historical Museum, 1477 Hwy 395 North, Gardnerville. Registration begins 8:00 am. In Yerington, the walk will be at the Boys and Girls Club, 124 N. Main St., Yerington. Registration begins at 10:30 am.

Carson City Airport has landed a federal grant of nearly $1.4 million, Nevada Sen. Harry Reid announced Tuesday.

The money is among 10 grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation for rural airports in the Silver State. Carson City Airport's share amounts to $1,387,500.

Northern Nevada communities are set to reap the rewards of the Western Nevada State Peace Officer Academy’s 2013 graduation class. Twenty-two cadets were honored Friday at Western Nevada College. The 2013 WNC graduating class hails from throughout the region:

Carson City will be featured on the C-SPAN network's two channels this weekend after their visit to the capital city earlier this month.

In addition to having feature stories sprinkled in throughout the weekend on the respective networks, both American History TV and Book TV, there will be a block of programming where all of the respective Carson City pieces for their networks will air, said C-SPAN spokeswoman Laura Finch.

Sigh, it’s that time of the year again.

This is my annual reminder that if you’re someone like me, summer’s sweltering heat is not much fun. I do not like summer months.

I am an outdoors person who dearly loves the cold, frost, ice and snow of winter, and I absolutely and totally wilt at this time of the year.

And, especially, right now, with our record-setting temps in triple digits.
I am miserable and grouchy during hot weather months.

To be honest, I dislike the weather anytime it gets past 80-85 degrees.

California has two Free Fishing Days in 2013 which are close to holidays. The first Free Fishing Day in 2013 is today, July 06 (associated with the Fourth of July) and the second is on September 07 (associated with Labor Day).

So, on Saturday, July 6, you will be able to fish wherever you like in California, without the need for a fishing license.

However, you will need to abide by the rules and regulations that govern whatever water(s) you will be fishing.

Nevadans can learn to grow safe, fresh, organic produce at home and in school and community gardens without spending a lot of money.

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension will help show residents how during eight “Grow Your Own, Nevada!” gardening classes featuring “back-to-basics” best practices for producing bountiful harvests. Classes will be presented Mondays, 2:30 – 4:30 p.m., July 8 – Aug. 26, live in Reno and video-conferenced to Extension offices throughout the state, including those in Carson City, Gardnerville, Fallon and Yerington.

Two weeks ago, I wrote an article about the wildflowers blooming along the paved highway in the Davis Lake area of Plumas County, California.

This week's article is about a high-altitude hike that Elaine and I took to little Frog Lake in the Mokelumne Wilderness Area of California, as our way to celebrate Father's Day on June 16.

Our purpose for that Sunday hike was three-fold: To walk on snow fields (which we did), to photograph wildflowers (which we did) and to fish for rainbow trout (which we did).

Two California women stopped by Carson City Sheriff's Office deputies on Tuesday have admitted to a scheme of using stolen credit cards to buy hundreds of dollars worth of gift cards.

Markeisha Yvette Orviss, 22, and Kamesha Joann Cooper, 24, of Pittsburg, Calif., were arrested by Carson City sheriff's patrol officers in the 3900 block of South Carson Street at 12:15 p.m.

by NATASHA VITALE A Sparks motorist who was caught in the blinding dust storm in Winnemucca recounted Tuesday how he narrowly avoided being part of the 27-vehicle chain-reaction pileup on Interstate 80 that left one person dead, dozens injured and...

CARSON CITY — For the fourth consecutive year, Western Nevada College will graduate its largest class in history. The class of 2013 is 505 students strong, with 530 degrees and certificates being issued.

Four students will receive Bachelor of Technology degrees in construction management, and three students will graduate with bachelor’s degrees as part of WNC’s teacher preparation partnership with Nevada State College. The graduates span 60 years, from the youngest at age 17 and the eldest at 77.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in locating a runaway juvenile from Austin’s House, who has been missing since April 9.

Evelynn Ploston, 13, from Winnemucca ran away from Austin’s House in Minden on April 9. At this time her whereabouts are unknown, said Douglas County Sheriff's Sgt. Pat Brooks in a news release.

Polston is described as a white female juvenile, 5 feet-3 in tall, 150 lbs, brown eyes with blond hair. It is unknown who she may be with or what location she is headed to.

At least three Carson City residents and a Genoa resident were entered to run in the Boston Marathon, according to the official website. Listed as participants are: Brett Long, 35, and Kari Long, 34, of Carson City; Kirsten Sherve, 43, of Carson City; and Colleen Powers, 29, of Genoa. Les Wright of South Lake Tahoe, organizer of the Lake Tahoe Marathon, reports that he and and his wife and daughter are fine.

The average carrot travels over 1,800 miles to get to our dinner plate. Processing and shipment of food accounts for 93 percent of our food cost.

The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension will offer eight new “Grow Your Own!” classes in Carson City and 11 other Nevada cities to help residents who want to get on a path to more sustainable, local, healthy living by growing more of their own food.

by RILEY SNYDER

Nevada could join the ranks of eleven other states, including California, Florida and New Mexico if a Senate bill that bans the controversial practice of horse tripping is passed by the Legislature.

Horse tripping is a sporting event in which the hind or front legs of a galloping horse are roped, causing the animal to fall to the ground.

Alfred Doten had one of the longest tenures of any Sagebrusher in the history of the Comstock. His Nevada career began at Como in 1863, and ended 40 years later with his death in Carson City in 1903.  Today Doten is remembered for the journals he wrote spanning 54 years documenting his career and personal experiences. Seventy years after his death, the University of Nevada Press published a massive three volume set, weighing a hefty 14 1/2 pounds, titled: “The Journals of Alfred Doten 1849-1903.”

Elaine and I spent last Friday and Saturday manning an exhibit at the ninth annual Grand Slam Club OVIS Hunter and Outfitter Convention held at the Grand Sierra Hotel and Casino Hotel in Reno.

We were there to help Paul Dankowski, Game Warden and Operation Game Thief (OGT) Coordinator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW).

The two of us serve as State Directors on the OGT Citizen's Board, and had volunteered to man the OGT exhibit trailer for those two days.

Recent rainfall and clearing skies may allow areas of fog to develop across Carson City, Carson Valley and Lake Tahoe through Thursday morning.
The National Weather Service in Reno reports visibility could drop below one mile with a few areas of dense fog and visibility below 1/4 of a mile early Thursday morning. Fog will begin to burn off after 8 a.m., and may linger in a few valleys until 11 a.m.
Areas of fog could impact travel along the following routes:

The Nevada Department of Public Safety, Division of Parole and Probation and Carson City authorities have again launched Operation Scarecrow, a program eight years running that targets sex offenders and predators during Halloween.

Operation Scarecrow's purpose is to ensure there is no contact between division supervised sex offenders and children. Law enforcement will provide enhanced community supervision and give specific direction to high risk and high profile sex offenders, said DPS Spokeswman Gail Powell.

CARSON CITY – As GOP Gov. Brian Sandoval prepares to deliver remarks in Tampa at the Republican National Convention tomorrow, the three GOP members of Nevada’s Congressional delegation are staying close to home.

U.S. Sen. Dean Heller, who is facing a tough election battle against Rep. Shelley Berkley, will still be following the convention from afar, however.

It was a night of yellow flags, red flags, restarts, darkness, and fantastic racing at Fernley 95A Speedway on Saturday, August 18. Eighty-five entries in six racing divisions were on hand, plus eight Outlaw Karts.

The newspaper headline on page one on Aug. 15, 2002 said it all:
“They made it!”
Yes, they did! And, they did it in record-setting style.
Four athletes, who are personal friends of Elaine and I, completed 10 very physically and mentally-demanding challenges in a period of 10 grueling days, way back in 2002.
I know because we were there for each and every one of those 10 memorable days that resulted in the very first Nevada 10-in-10 Challenge going into the Nevada record book.
Those four were Karl Horeis, Jeremy Evans, Rick Gunn and K. M. Cannon.

It’s that time of the year again. This is my annual reminder that if you’re someone like me, summer’s sweltering heat is not much fun. I do not like the summer months.
I am an outdoors person who dearly loves the cold, frost, ice and snow of winter, and I absolutely and totally wilt at this time of the year.
I am miserable and grouchy during hot weather months, especially August.
To be honest, I dislike the weather anytime it gets past 80-85 degrees.

CARSON CITY, NV – Governor Brian Sandoval today commended the work of the Nevada Sage-grouse Advisory Committee which issued recommendations yesterday on a course of action that provides conservation measures sufficient to preclude the need to list the Greater Sage-grouse under the Endangered Species Act.

“I thank the Advisory Committee, its Chairman, Bob Crowell and each of the members for their diligent and timely work on this very important issue,” Governor Sandoval said. “Representatives from a cross section of our state collaborated in an effort to conserve the Greater Sage-grouse species while maintaining predictable and multiple uses of private, state and public lands. I look forward to reviewing the Committee’s recommendations.”

“The NV Rural Counties Retired and Senior Volunteer Program Inc.(RSVP)has partnered with the Alzheimer’s Association to provide state of the art training for family caregivers and respite volunteers on how to more effectively assist persons suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers” said Janice R. Ayres, executive director and chief financial officer of RSVP. The training has been made possible by a grant from the United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierras.

Saturday night’s racing program at Fernley 95A Speedway started off with every car present on track for a tribute to fallen racer Tommy Teters, who passed away recently. Teters’ sprint car took one last lap and the checkered flag.

When it comes to the Free Fishing Day Poster Contest, an annual art contest for the Silver State's fourth and fifth graders sponsored by the Nevada Department of Wildlife, this round definitely goes to the girls.

Selected from 363 entries, this year’s winners were all young ladies.
The top spot went to fifth grader Stacey Horton from French Ford Middle School in Winnemucca.

The two runners-up were sent in by Gabriella Perkins, fifth grader from Bud Beasley Elementary in Sparks, and Josephine Payan, fourth grader from Mark Twain Elementary in Carson City.

It’s now official: Systems Consultants, the private computer firm in Fallon that conducts the annual computerized drawings for Nevada’s big game hunting tags, has posted the results of the 2012 drawings at Internet website www.huntnevada.com for the whole world to see.
There were a whole bunch of winners and a heck of a lot more losers in this year’s drawings for tags for Pronghorn Antelope, Mule Deer, Rocky Mt. Elk, California Bighorn Sheep, Desert Bighorn Sheep, Rocky Mt. Bighorn Sheep and Rocky Mt. Goat.

The weather was perfect and the track was smooth and fast for Fernley 95A Speedway’s third race of the season. More than 70 cars were on hand for the five racing divisions on the 3/8 mile clay oval, with an additional nine Outlaw Karts racing on the small infield track.