Two events this week, one in Carson City and the other in Virginia City, will recognizes law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.

In conjunction with National Police Week, Thursday, May 2, the 16th Annual Nevada Law Enforcement Officers Memorial ceremony will be held on the Capitol grounds in Carson City beginning at noon. The service will honor the 123 Nevada Peace Officers that have been killed in the line of duty since 1861. In 1998, the memorial was dedicated on the Capitol grounds to recognize the ultimate sacrifice these officers made in service of their communities.

Nevada Congressman Mark Amodei announced Wednesday the re-introduction of his "Small Lands Tracts Conveyance Act" (H.R. 1633) to accelerate the process for transferring small parcels of federal land to local communities.

In western states, straightforward, non-controversial public land sales to decrease the vast federal inventory and promote local control can take more than a decade to complete. While Amodei believes there should be scrutiny for any sale, he cites the bureaucratic regulatory maze and slow legislative process as the main culprits in dragging out the transfers.

Outstanding Western Nevada College students and faculty have been honored for outstanding scholarship and teaching during the 2012-2013 academic year.

Awards were presented to students for academic excellence, tutoring, peer mentorship, athletics, those in the Latino cohort and in student government, as well as to faculty for outstanding teaching and service during the 2012-13 academic year.

Faculty of the Year honors went to Mathematics Professor Michael Hardie, Ed.D. and English instructor Ryan Stryffeler, Ph.D.

U.S. Senators Harry Reid and Dean Heller joined representatives of Nevada's delegation of U.S. House of Representatives — Joe Heck (NV-03), Dina Titus (NV-01), and Steven Horsford (NV-04) — in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Under Secretary for Benefits Allison Hickey and Reno VA Regional Office Director Edward Russell, offering help in addressing Nevada’s backlog of VA claims.

A 47-year-old Carson City man faces a felony domestic battery with strangulation charge after he was jailed Tuesday. Richard Scott Morris was arrested at 6:27 p.m. in the 800 block of North Carson Street. According to the booking report, officers were dispatched to a residence for a reported domestic battery.

On arrival officers met with the victim who told them that Morris had physically battered and strangled her with his hands. Officers observed numerous injuries to the victim's face and neck, the arrest report states.

Congressman Mark Amodei will hold a veterans' town hall meeting in Carson City on Monday, April 29, from noon to 1:30 p.m., in the Carson City Veterans Hall, 198 South Carson Street.

"I want to continue to meet with our veterans and listen to them regarding the issues and challenges they face," said Amodei. "In addition to thanking them for their service, this is an opportunity to familiarize them with the assistance my office can provide, as well as to identify areas where I can help as a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee."

Two free lectures by science experts - one about the violent geologic history of Lake Tahoe, another concerning global warming, will highlight the many free activities at Western Nevada College during Earth Week, April 22-27.
Renewable energy exhibits, an organic gardening lecture, alternative fuel vehicles and a tree planting ceremony will also be featured.

“Many diverse and interesting activities will be offered,” said Valerie Andersen, WNC public service librarian and college Earth Week event coordinator. Students, faculty and the public are invited to attend.

An action-packed week filled with music, arts, books, Nevada political history and more will be featured as Carson City Library celebrates National Library week.

Special events kick off Monday, 6 p.m., at the library auditorium with “The Lure of Music, a Human Universal” presented by internationally-recognized music scholar Fredric Lieberman, Ph.D., a distinguished professor of music at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

This is a final reminder that if you're interested in drawing a 2013 hunting tag for Pronghorn Antelope, Mule Deer, California Bighorn Sheep, Desert (Nelson) Bighorn Sheep, Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, Rocky Mountain Elk and Rocky Mountain Goat in the State of Nevada, be advised that the final deadline for RECEIVING your application(s) will be 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 15, if submitted by mail; or by 11:00 p.m. on Monday, April 15, if submitted via the internet.

The drawing results will be made available to the public by June 10.

A memorial dedicated to Nevada’s fallen soldiers could be the next monument in Carson City’s Capitol Complex with the passing of Senate Bill 230 by the Committee on Natural Resources.

The American Legion, the largest veteran’s service organization in the state, is acting as the lead organization in completing the project and needs approval to use state grounds.

Originally Gold Star Families, a smaller organization was going to spearhead the project. Thursday's "amend and do pass" allowed The American Legion to take the reigns.

Here is this week's fishing report for rivers, lakes and stream in Nevada, Northern California and the Sierra. This fishing report is for the week of April 10-17.

by LINDSAY TOSTE

The Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District would merge with the Sierra Fire Protection District if AB 302 passed. / Photo by Lindsay Toste