Mother nature

Mother Nature brought the heat Saturday to open the annual High Sierra and Nevada Capitol Regional Chili Cook Off held at Glen Eagles Restaurant in Carson City.

But chili flavors stole the show, which raises money to send veterans back East to Washington, D.C., on an all-expenses-paid trip that also pays tribute to their military service.

CARSON CITY — Signups are underway for the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension's new 4-H club for children ages 9-12. Kids who enroll will be able to be involved in the science of gardening and will learn what it takes to grow their own tomatoes and more.

A perfect summer night awaited fans for Clint Black on Friday night at Carson Valley Inn’s outdoor venue, where Mother Nature was smiling, too: Not too hot and not too cold. A sold-out crowd packed TJ’s Corral. People came out dressed up in comfortable duds, with no shortage of cowboy boots and hats

Black is an old-school country music singer-songwriter. He plays multiple instruments and his career has been stirring fans since the late 1980s. He loves to produce, as well, and he was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 1991.

Mother Nature could not have picked a better weekend for sunshine and warm temperatures in the Nevada state capital as Carson City celebrated Earth Day with a garden festival Sunday at the historic Foreman-Roberts House, 1207 North Carson Street.

When it comes to water, Mother Nature is picking favorites in the North-South rivalry. Nevada water managers have closely watched the snow for months to determine how much water would be available as runoff for drinking and farming in a dry year for much of the lower Western states.

Carson City BMX is hoping to start it's 2018 racing season on Sunday, April 1.

Hopefully, Mother Nature will be kind and let the track dry out so that we may complete the prep work.

So, fingers crossed, first race of the season is scheduled for Sunday, April 1 with sign-ups from 9-10 a.m. Racing begins shortly thereafter.

There will be an Easter egg hunt as well as a bunny hop contest. So get your bikes tuned up, find your gear, grab your helmet, and let's race!

New to racing? Want to find out more? Come on out: Spectating is free.

Artist receptions at Carson City Art Gallery are normally the night before Wine Walk, which occurs the first Saturday of every month.

The scheduled reception for March 3 was postponed due to Mother Nature giving us white precipitation that the region so desperately needs. Hence, we have rescheduled for March 9 from 4-7 p.m.

I’m going to apologize right now. I can’t anticipate what this storm system will throw at us, so some of these planned events could get cancelled. One event that is never afraid of Mother Nature is the Downtown Carson City Wine Walk. Come rain, shine, or blizzard, you’ll find can sip, stroll, and discover starting at 1 p.m. Saturday. The Carson Hot Springs aren’t afraid of a little snow, and a special visit from Megan the Mermaid will make the icy hot experience more memorable. Keep reading to see what this slushy weekend has to offer.

SATURDAY:

What gorgeous weather we are having with beautiful sunny, warm days. Buds on trees are swelling, daffodils and other bulbs are poking up their heads. I suspect if this weather continues, soon even the grass could be greening.

It’s looking like another rainy day, so there’s a good chance that Muscle Powered will choose to walk at the Multi-purpose Athletic Center rather than their chosen trails, it’s safer that way. You’ll find a power-packed quintet at Comma Coffee delivering a healthy dose of Mile High Jazz. Sierra Nevada Forums bring some truths about our local wildlife populations to this month’s event. Learn more about what makes Mother Nature tick in our neck of the woods.

TUESDAY, Jan 9: Things to do in Carson City

Our moon hides and the trees seem to shiver in Carson City.

We’ve got a wine walk weekend coming our way, come rain, snow, or shine. This one could get a little blustery; there’s a storm moving in. I’m just grateful that Mother Nature waited until after the parade and trick-or-treat night to send us some winter.

Mother Nature's Naturals, a new company based in Carson City, has launched a new website at https://mothernaturesnaturals.com. Mother Nature's ...

Hello fellow anglers, I just returned from fishing Topaz Lake with friend Tom Blotter. We had a great day of fishing, but to see the devastation from the Slinkard Fire was hard to accept. We saw where the fire came within feet from homes in the Topaz area.

Mule deer were spotted across from the Carson City Sheriff's Office on East Musser Street Saturday morning, grazing on cheat grass and other vegetation that have been growing like gangbusters around the area.

YERINGTON, Nev. — As Lyon County continues to recover from the January and February flood events, agencies, leaders and department heads continue to plan for the upcoming spring and summer runoff and the subsequent flooding that is expected.

Spring has sprung, but apparently Mother Nature didn’t get the memo. Join the Carson Victory Rollers at the Carson Mall and take part in an indoor wine walk and rummage sale. Help Hot Spot Yoga and Fitness for Life celebrate their grand opening with free classes, health vendors, a 5K run, and more. Hit the dance floor with the High Sierra Swing Dance Club; their monthly dance party is held in the Grand Ballroom of the Brewery Arts Center. Keep reading and learn what else is offered in Carson City and beyond this weekend.

SATURDAY:

The winter storms that have pounded much of Nevada the past few months have been met with varied reactions. There are those people who are growing weary of huge snow banks, digging their cars out of the snow to drive to work on icy roads. Anglers, however, are definitely not in that group.

More than two dozen law enforcement agencies statewide, including the Carson City Sheriff's Office, will be Joining Forces to crack down on drivers exceeding speed limits or driving too fast for road conditions during the first two weeks of March.

After more than five years in the tiny cottage at 220 West Telegraph Street, Artsy Fartsy Art Gallery is now displaying its works in a new and much larger space right around the corner at 405 N. Nevada Street in downtown Carson City.

Hello fellow anglers, nice fishing weather we are having. I wish I had more to report, but with our recent rain and snowfall not many anglers including myself have been out treading the waters: Except in our own back yards.
Myself, I always want to have a river near my property. Now I have one going right through it. Water is a powerful force of Mother Nature.

I wish everyone luck keeping their triskaidekaphobia at bay. The number thirteen is nothing to fear, even when it falls on a Friday. (I’m not going to lie: triskaidekaphobia is one of my favorite words and I very rarely get the chance to use it in a sentence.) Mother Nature has thrown us for a loop this week, and we deserve the chance to enjoy the break in the storm. Take the family down to the Library for their game corner, or cheer on the talented cast of ‘The Lion King, Jr.’ at the Community Center.

UPDATE 7:14PM: The Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center (SFIDC) is now reporting the Little Valley to be 55 percent contained, having burned 3,400 acres and destroyed 22 homes and 17 outbuildings since early Friday morning.
More than 660 firefighting personnel remain on scene, the SFIDC reports.
More rain is forecast Sunday night into Monday morning, which should further help firefighting efforts to achieve full containment of the Little Valley Fire.
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UPDATE 3:52PM: From South Lake Tahoe, Highway 89 continues to be closed from just beyond the Spring Creek Tract to the Vikingsholm parking lot gate (north side of Emerald Bay) because of the Emerald Fire, which is still 90 percent contained.
As of 3 p.m. Sunday, evacuations have been lifted for Cathedral Road, Springs Creek Tract, Camp Shelly, Camp Concord and Mount Tallac Road.
Cascade Lake and Cascade Properties are currently open to residents only.
In Washoe Valley, Franktown Road continues to be closed below the 6190 street address, because of the Little Valley Fire, which remains at 20 percent contained.
Although Old U.S. Highway 395A has been opened, Washoe County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) is asking the public to stay out of the area due to fire traffic, localized flooding from heavy rains and unstable ground from the burn areas.
Interstate 580 is open in both directions to traffic.
Public safety officials said at a 1 p.m. briefing that a re-entry plan has been established, but it will require coordination with fire management personnel, law enforcement, and utility companies before the area can be re-populated safely.
The re-entry plan called for some residents to be allowed back in Monday or Tuesday to survey their properities only. Officials are hopeful re-entry can begin Wednesday.
WCSO will contact displaced residents directly in order to visit their homes.
Fuji Park in Carson City remain open for evacuated residents with large livestock.

UPDATE 7:30PM: Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch (SFIDC) reports evacuation orders for the Franktown Road area in Washoe Valley remain in place as firefighting crews continue working to contain the Little Valley Fire, which started a little before 2 a.m. Friday morning, destroying 22 homes and 17 other outbuildings on its way to consuming 3,400 acres in northwestern Washoe Valley.
As of Saturday evening, about 500 homes are still threatened by flames and mandatory evacuations for affected residents remain in place below the address of 6190 Franktown Road.
Franktown Road has been opened above the 6190 street address, the SFIDC reports.
The SFIDC estimates about 480 homes have been saved by firefighting crews since Friday.
Mother Nature has helped crews achieve 20 percent containment on the fire and prevent its further spread by dropping steady rain throughout the area on Friday and Saturday.
"The moisture we received over the last 48 hours was very helpful for firefighting efforts and keeping the fire within the incident objective perimeter," an SFIDC press release stated.
Fuji Park in Carson City continues to serve as an evacuation center for residents with livestock.
For evacuation and fire information, please call 775-782-1429.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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UPDATE 6:44PM: KRNV News 4 has tweeted that the SFIDC reports 20 percent containment on the Little Valley Fire. Rain moved into the area again this afternoon to assist firefighting efforts in containing the blaze.
No word yet on changes to evacuation status for residents.

Fall colors are near their peak at Lake Tahoe and in Hope Valley but with wind, rain and snow in the forecast, this may be the last few days to witness their spectacular golds, yellows and reds.

With some help from Mother Nature, bulls and broncs kicked up plenty of dust Saturday night at Fuji Park Fairgrounds in Carson City, putting a little bit of Nevada on an exclamation point at the Wild West Rodeo.

The good, old summer time appears to have started early in the Eagle Valley.

Not only has Mother Nature bucked the seasonal calendar by introducing mid-summer temperatures approaching 100 degrees, but the 3rd and Curry Farmer's Market welcomes its 2016 season Saturday in downtown Carson City.

Mother Nature almost always has something wacky in store for Northern Nevada over Memorial Day weekend. Rain or shine (or unexpected blizzard) there is something fun to be found in Carson City. Be ready for anything with this sneak peak of this weekend’s activities. Help honor those who have served our country with a flag placing at the Lone Mountain Cemetery, or at one of the several Memorial Ceremonies around the area.

FRIDAY:

Western Nevada College's showdown with College of Southern Nevada for the Scenic West Athletic Conference baseball title is in the hands of Mother Nature.

With rain and thunderstorms in the forecast for most of the week, the SWAC's top two teams have decided to move up their series a day.

When I got back from vacation, I was thrilled to see my daffodils growing. I looked more closely and realized they already had flower buds even though they were only a few inches tall. My bulbs have been in the ground a number of years and have always been tall before. What’s going on?