Nevada casinos didn't have a great February, with the gaming win down 6.84 percent statewide compared to prior year.

The Gaming Control Board report for February showed the Las Vegas Strip down 9.56 percent, while North Lake Tahoe was down more than 15 percent. The Carson Valley area that included Carson City was down 2.89 percent.

For the fiscal year, the state gaming win is still in positive territory, but barely, .09 percent over prior year.

See the attachment below for the complete report.

CARSON CITY – A proposed constitutional amendment that would require a two-thirds vote in the Legislature to cut funding to or impose an unfunded mandate on local governments was heartily endorsed today by local officials including the mayors of Reno and Las Vegas.

CARSON CITY – A major campaign finance reform bill that would require most candidates to file their contribution and expense reports electronically narrowly passed out of an Assembly panel today on an 8-7 vote.
The bill would also move filing deadlines up to give voters more time to review the political donation and expense information before casting their ballots.

NEW!! Join us every Thursday @ 7pm for Open Dance Night with Host Steve DiNicola. This amazing one man show plays and sings music from the 40's to the 80's, from Frank Sinatra to Stray Cats. NO COVER and Smoke FREE!! See us on facebook: www.facebook.com/carsonlanes

Check out the live video here. You can view today's agenda here.

By Andrew Doughman / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Add it up and some of them have to die.
There is not enough time for the Legislature to hear every bill, but that has not stopped Republicans from accusing Democrats of ignoring Republican bills.

Just a few photos from a cold trip up to Lake Tahoe last month. See more photos at AroundCarson.com.

CARSON CITY – Two bills relating to illegal immigrants sparked heated debate in an Assembly committee this morning.
One from Assemblyman Ira Hansen, R-Sparks, would impose penalties and restrictions on illegal immigrants in a way similar to a controversial Arizona law enacted this past year.

The Clear Creek Bowmen, a local sportsmen’s club for archers will hold its regular monthly meeting on Wednesday evening, April 13.
That meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the conference room of Fire Station No. 1, located on Stewart Street.
Anyone interested in archery is invited to attend the club meetings and functions.
For information, call Jim or Carol Davis at (775) 883-0389.

This week’s feature is about a long time friend, Gene St. Denis, Captain of Blue Ribbon Charters at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. He offers daily fishing trips for Mackinaw, rainbow and brown trout on his sport fishing boat, “The PT-109,” at Lake Tahoe.

Mackinaw trout in the double digit class (10 pounds or more) in weight are not that uncommon on those charter trips. In fact, in the last two years, each time Elaine and I have fished with “Gino” she has caught a double digit “Mack” in weight.

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Click here for this week's fishing report and here for more outdoor stories.

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Two years ago, her Mack weighed 20-pounds, 9-ounces (37.5 inches long) and it was the biggest fresh water fish that she has ever caught.
Last year, her fish checked in at just over 10 pounds.

Here is the Northern Nevada and Carson City regional outdoor calendar for April:

By the Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Carson City District-Sierra Front Field Office, has prepared the Winters Ranch Management Plan and Environmental Assessment (EA). 

The EA analyzes the potential effects to the human environment associated with the Plan, which would set management guidance for approximately 991 acres of BLM managed lands in Washoe County, Nevada.

By the California Department of Fish and Game
California Department of Fish and Game Wardens, County Sheriffs, scientists and community volunteers saved hundreds of mature trout from dying near Big Bear Lake in Northern Los Angeles County this week.

CARSON CITY — The Ormsby Sportsmen’s Association (OSA), a local sportsmen’s club for hunters and fishermen will hold its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday evening, April 19 in the conference room at the Carson City Sheriff’s Office at 911 East Musser Street at 6:30 p.m. Enter through the west side door.

The evening’s guest will be Rob Buonamici, Chief Game Warden, of the Nevada Department of Wildlife.

Anyone interested in hunting or fishing is invited to attend the club meetings and functions.

By the Nevada Department of Wildlife
This is a reminder that some sportsmen and women are already calling it the hunt opportunity of a lifetime, but what really has people talking is the fact that Nevada’s new Silver State Tag is available to the average sportsman at a price that won’t break the bank.

Alameda attorney E. Clement Shute, Jr., was appointed today by California Gov. Edmund G. Brown, Jr. to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Governing Board.

Shute is a founding partner of Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP where he has represented numerous environmental organizations, including the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, since 1980, according to the governor's office.

Previously, Shute was a deputy and assistant attorney general for the California Attorney General’s Office from 1964 to 1980 and was in charge of the Environment and Consumer Protection Section from 1975 to 1980.

By Andrew Doughman / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Nevada could go the way of California in paying people to recycle bottles in a proposal being considered at the Legislature.
Assemblyman James Ohrenschall, D-Las Vegas, has a bill that would establish a bottle-deposit program whereby people could recycle bottles and cans in exchange for one nickel per container.

Carson High School students and faculty were treated to an aviation display when the Nevada Army National Guard flew in its CH47 Chinook helicopter for a few hours this afternoon.

The Carson City stopover was part of a planned community awareness day at the high school, where students could see up close the transport helicopter and ask questions among Guard staff and recruiters and inquire about opportunities.

CARSON CITY – Advocates for a tax hike on cigarettes and liquor made their case in the Nevada Legislature today, both to raise revenue and improve public health.
The proposal received a mixed reaction from lawmakers, and some lobbyist opposition, however, because of the negative consequences on business.

RENO, Nev. — An additional round of budget reduction proposals totaling $13.8 million was announced at the University of Nevada, Reno today.

Today’s announcement follows the University’s March 2011 announcement of $26 million in proposed budget reductions, according to a news release issued by UNR officials. When combined, the proposals represent a reduction of $39.8 million and the elimination of 318 positions. A total of 1,600 students are directly impacted by the proposed academic program reductions.

CARSON CITY – A bill to create a website where Nevadans could learn how to protect themselves from consumer fraud was received favorably today by an Assembly committee.

This article is from AroundCarson.Com. Click here to see more photos.
We’ve been joking a lot this year about it first being Spring, then Winter, then Summer, because we’ve been jumping between hot and cold, sunny and snowy, for three months now. But even though us humans may get confused about the weather and seasons, you know who doesn’t get confused? The plants. And if you ask the plants, it is now officially Spring.

CARSON CITY – A coalition of health care groups, government agencies and political leaders were raising awareness today of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN) as part of Diabetes Awareness Day in Nevada.

CARSON CITY – A bill from Assemblyman Tick Segerblom, D-Las Vegas, would put a cap on fees that state or local governments can charge for public documents.
Assembly Bill 159 would reduce the fee for public records from $1 per page to 10 cents per page.
In a hearing today, Colleen McCarty from the investigative team at KLAS-TV Channel 8 in Las Vegas said that some agencies can charge “exorbitant” amounts for records.