Mind

By Andrew Doughman / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Turn on the TV these days and it seems as if every politician is talking about jobs and the economy.

The twisted and weathered woods of the Great Basin environment become imaginative and sometimes whimsical works of art in a new exhibit at the Western Nevada College Main Gallery.
Sculptor Larry Williamson exhibits his "Great Basin Work," Monday, Feb. 14-Friday, March 25, with a free, public reception on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 5-6:30 p.m.

Williamson's carved creations are fabrications of his mind and his materials - aged pieces of wood found on the floor of the Great Basin. What transpires is an imaginative recount of the landscape that has surrounded him most of his life.

CARSON CITY – Mention government transparency and “Twitter” probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind.
A communication technology that gives users 140 characters to share where they just had lunch or “Tweet” trivia about the weather and celebrities doesn’t immediately scream “politics” either.
But Nevada state legislators, lobbyists and journalists are finding more and more use in Twitter because the platform allows information gathering and governing at high speed.

CARSON CITY – They speak of limbs hacked off, death and guts.
In a war of words, critics of Gov. Brian Sandoval’s $5.8 billion budget have lambasted his proposed cuts to K-12, higher education and health and human services.

Lake Tahoe has been ranked the No. 1 ski destination for the year by Rand McNally, the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority announced Monday.

The ranking is based on travel bookings to the destination when compared to other winter locations throughout the United States and Canada. It is the latest recognition given to the region by the nation's top travel writers and publications, according to the LTVA announcement.

Carl Kuhl, a state Parole and Probation employee of six years, has created a plan that he claims will eliminate Nevada's budget deficit within two years.

In a news release issued on Tuesday, Kuhl said his plan not only will reduce the budget deficit but also help repair Nevada's economy at the same time. It is a pretty big claim, he admits, coming from an Accounting Assistant I, an entry level position.

By Andrew Doughman / Nevada News Bureau
Democratic legislators this year are again lining up bills that would outlaw texting while driving and, in some cases, ban hand-held phone use while driving.
They’re continuing efforts in the 2009 session from Sen. Shirley Breeden, D-Henderson, whose text-banning bill died in committee. She’s sponsoring a similar bill this year.

Here we go again. I’ll bet you made another January fitness resolution. Right along with the promise to loose ten pounds and clean the refrigerator. Trying to convince the major part of today's population that exercise is needed is usually a lost cause, and some days I get tired of trying. You can't force exercise, those that will, will and those that won't; won't. However, here are a few facts to keep in mind if you belong in the” won't” category.

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Governing Board has agreed to appeal to the 9th Circuit District Court a September federal district court ruling that struck down updated ordinances for the shorezone of Lake Tahoe, according to its website.

CARSON CITY – Secretary of State Ross Miller today asked the state Board of Examiners to adopt a new rule requiring private employers who are awarded state contracts to use the federal E-Verify® program to ensure that only eligible workers are hired at their companies.
Miller asked that the board take up the issue at its next meeting in January.

No one counts calories at Thanksgiving. However, if you do plan on diet control, you might also consider adding a little exercise to your holiday menu.

Start that turkey and while everyone is still asleep go outside for a long walk. Exercise during the holiday will lower your stress level, slow you down, and maybe even keep you away from the refrigerator.

— I can’t tell you not to eat too much. You wouldn’t listen anyway. However, eating light, getting plenty of rest, and putting in a little exercise time, will help you through the holiday.

Dear Editor:

On November 18th, the extension of unemployment benefits (H.R. 6419) was defeated in the House on a roll call vote. Why? Because Republicans voted against it by a 143 to 21 margin. Even though one of those 21 votes in favor was cast by our congressman, Dean Heller, it was not enough to prevent the cutoff of jobless benefits for five million workers in the dead of winter.

Read the full story at aroundcarson.com.

This week Carsonsports.com Outdoor Editor Don Quilici shares some sage advice on nut season. Not the political shelling going on, mind you, and definitely not of the mountain oyster variety celebrated annually in Virginia City. These nuts are of the pinion pine kind. Click here to learn where to find 'em, how to shell 'em and the best way to eat 'em.

Monday morning's Carson City commute may bring with it some debris-dodging following Sunday's wind and rain storm. The Carson City Public Works Department will have no doubt worked throughout the night clearing the streets. Give 'em a wave for their efforts if you see them on the streets.

"I Say Nevada, The Government Bailout Edition," opens at the Brewery Arts Center in Carson City Oct. 22. No one is safe from this hilarious romp across the great state of Nevada.
From the brilliant mind of local author and musician Bob Reid, the production rocks the foundations of the capitol dome. Directed by BACPAC's Karen Chandler, this musical sketch comedy lampoons the politics and the culture of the Silver State and is perfectly timed for pre-election fun as well as Nevada Day.

"I Say Nevada, The Government Bailout Edition," opens at the Brewery Arts Center in Carson City Oct. 22. No one is safe from this hilarious romp across the great state of Nevada.

From the brilliant mind of local author and musician Bob Reid, the production rocks the foundations of the capitol dome. Directed by BACPAC's Karen Chandler, this musical sketch comedy lampoons the politics and the culture of the Silver State and is perfectly timed for pre-election fun as well as Nevada Day.

"I Say Nevada, The Government Bailout Edition," opens at the Brewery Arts Center in Carson City Oct. 22. No one is safe from this hilarious romp across the great state of Nevada.

From the brilliant mind of local author and musician Bob Reid, the production rocks the foundations of the capitol dome. Directed by BACPAC's Karen Chandler, this musical sketch comedy lampoons the politics and the culture of the Silver State and is perfectly timed for pre-election fun as well as Nevada Day.

"I Say Nevada, The Government Bailout Edition," opens at the Brewery Arts Center in Carson City Oct. 22. No one is safe from this hilarious romp across the great state of Nevada.

From the brilliant mind of local author and musician Bob Reid, the production rocks the foundations of the capitol dome. Directed by BACPAC's Karen Chandler, this musical sketch comedy lampoons the politics and the culture of the Silver State and is perfectly timed for pre-election fun as well as Nevada Day.

"I Say Nevada, The Government Bailout Edition," opens at the Brewery Arts Center in Carson City Oct. 22. No one is safe from this hilarious romp across the great state of Nevada.

From the brilliant mind of local author and musician Bob Reid, the production rocks the foundations of the capitol dome. Directed by BACPAC's Karen Chandler, this musical sketch comedy lampoons the politics and the culture of the Silver State and is perfectly timed for pre-election fun as well as Nevada Day.

Carson City may get at least a quarter to a half inch of rain with a weather system that will make its way through the region beginning Sunday morning, according to the National Weather Service in Reno and carsonweather.com.

Significant rainfall is expected with the system that is now making its way through the central and southern California coast and heading east.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Nevada remains in limbo over the status of Yucca Mountain as a potential repository for the nation’s nuclear waste even with a work stoppage on the project review by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission due to funding limitations, a state official says.

Click to this story by Scott Schrantz at aroundcarson.com.

With tens of thousands of motorcyclists in Reno, Carson City, Virginia City and Tahoe for Street Vibrations this week, the Nevada Highway Patrol has developed a safety strategy of tips for bikers and motorists.

The idea is to reduce distractions by keeping a sharp focus on all motor vehicles on the road, said NHP Trooper Chuck Allen. Roads throughout Northern Nevada will be filled with motorcyclists and motorists attending the events in Reno, Carson City and Virginia City. Here's a breakdown of what drivers should keep in mind:

For the motorcyclist

There is an interesting discussion going on over at the Nevada Appeal site concerning the Nugget Project.

The story begins two week ago when Guy Farmer wrote a rather harsh column that slammed the Nugget Project. In response, last week there was a guest column by Michael Douglass criticizing Farmer's take on the subject.

Physical Fitness - Quality of Life

Being physically fit gives you the ability to enjoy life. It's called "quality of life".

With so many new types of exercise available maybe it’s time to define quality of life and how you achieve it. When you work on physical fitness, you enhance the physiological capacity of your body. You increase the ability to stay with a task longer and increase the range and weight of the task. Your heart will beat slower with more blood behind each beat, and generate more oxygen to your muscles. Who cares? You should!

It's a bit of a challenge to follow the story out today about what's happening with the Carson City Center/Nugget Project.

It starts out saying that Nugget President Steve Neighbors is "encouraged" by the response from the governor's office, after meeting with them to discuss their concerns about the state's role in the project. Those concerns were expressed in a letter from the governor's Deputy Chief of Staff Lynn Hettrick last month.

But later on in today's story, Hettrick said the same issues about providing sufficient space for the Department of Health and Human Services and parking remain. I detailed how this affects the project here, and ran the numbers to show how the state office component of the plan doesn't pencil out.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Assembly Minority Leader Pete Goicoechea said today Nevada voters should be asked to expand the state sales tax to include food purchases as a way to raise revenue and broaden the tax base.
But any such revenue hike should be accompanied by a reduction in the state’s regressive business taxes, he said.

Six people have been arrested and more are being sought after 30 gun shots were fired in what appears to be a gang-related shooting between rivals this morning at a Carson City apartment complex off of Menlo Drive near Lompa Lane.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Gov. Jim Gibbons said today he wants to see what strings are attached to the $82 million approved by Congress this week to hire teachers in Nevada before agreeing to accept the funds.