By Andrew Doughman / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Nevada state legislators may catch a break under a debt-relief proposal from President Barack Obama.
Obama has proposed deferring interest payments on money the states have borrowed to pay unemployment insurance benefits.

FREE Country Line Dancing Lessons with Cowboy Bob every Tuesday and Wednesday Night @ 7pm. Open to the public and no cover charge. All skill levels and spectators welcome. 100% Smoke FREE. If you're just curious, or you haven't seen our amazing lounge yet, come on down and watch for a while. We don't bite!! See our full events calendar on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/cWZweu

Shakespeare Company and Gold Hill Theater brought their fast-paced, interactive program, Shakespeare In School, to Donna Anderson's 6th grade English class at Dayton Intermediate School recently.

Teaching Artists Michele Crain and Chris Willson involved the students in skits that brought Shakespeare's Kate and Petruchio from Taming of the Shrew to life. They also explained the historical setting of the play, and involved the entire class in a series of theatre games. Crain, a certified Nevada teacher with 10 years experience teaching in Nevada, designed the lessons.

Teams of super heroes, penguins, pirates and other eye-catching characters jumped into Lake Tahoe last winter. On March 19, they’ll do it again, and you’re invited to join them as Special Olympics Nevada co-hosts the “Freezin’ for a Reason” Polar Plunge® 2011 at Zephyr Cove, South Lake Tahoe. The event is open to all and will include entertainment, a costume contest, prizes, and Special Olympics athletes, coaches, and volunteers who will share their experiences with the organization’s inspiring programs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2-jTJb7MAA

Join us this Friday for the Electrik Rodeo Band in our beautiful new Eleventh Frame Winner's Lounge from 8pm-Midnite. This Classic Rock Band covers Artists such as: Aerosmith, The Doors, Bob Seger, Lynard Skynard & ZZ Top. No Cover and Smoke FREE!! See our Events Calendar on Facebook: http://bit.ly/hjUVPo.

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 — Nevada saw 27 percent growth in the number of residents receiving food stamps this past year.
That makes Nevada’s growth the second-highest in the nation with Idaho claiming the largest percent growth at 28 percent.
Between Nov. 2009 and Nov. 2010, 69,000 more Nevadans signed up to receive food stamps, reported the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services.

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.

Carson City paramedics have responded to a traffic accident this afternoon involving a motorcycle and a Jeep at East Nye and Carson streets.

Web Chat 27-Have You Got Effective Calls For Action? from Jonathan Denwood on Vimeo.

About 3.5 miles of frontage that amounts to 419 acres along the Carson River corridor was sealed into protection thanks to the voter-approved Question 1 initiative and Carson City's own Question 18 Quality of Life Initiative.

A partnership for the purchase, appraised at $3.1 million, was created between Carson City, the Nevada Land Conservancy, the Commission for the Reconstruction of the V&T Railway and private landowner John Serpa.

Funnyman Kevin Nealon, a “Saturday Night Live” legend and celebrated actor of “Weeds” is set to hit MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa at Stateline, Lake Tahoe on Saturday, Feb. 26, for a special one-night stand.

LAS VEGAS – The presidents of Nevada’s colleges and universities said the governor’s budget cuts would put their institutions on a starvation diet.
They argued that past budget cuts severely slimmed their institutions, meaning additional funding reductions would threaten their core academic mission.

By Andrew Doughman / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY — The director of Nevada’s Department of Motor Vehicles had a surprising announcement for Nevada’s motorists yesterday.
Bruce Breslow, the DMV’s new director, said that the department has had no effective way to tell who has insurance and who doesn’t.

Dayton Intermediate School’s newly developing school garden will boast two large sculptures by internationally known sculptor Mischell Riley.

Riley, who is well known for work such as the 3-story high bronze lion at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, has donated two of her pieces to enhance the school’s garden landscape.

By Andrew Doughman / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Long lines at the Department of Motor Vehicles could be a thing of the past under a new proposal.
The new director of the state’s DMV plans to ask the Legislature to pass a bill that would allow 80 new, self-service kiosks in many Nevada neighborhoods.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – The Republican minority leadership in the Senate and the Assembly has called on critics of GOP Gov. Brian Sandoval’s proposed budget to trade their “rhetoric for a plan.”

Carson City authorities have responded to a report of a man who may have been shot in the head with BBs.

According to scanner traffic that came in at around 6:45 p.m., a woman barricaded herself inside a home in the 3100 block of Wingate. She has since surrendered to authorities.

Fire and rescue responded to treat the man. His condition is unknown but is said to be conscious and reportedly told dispatch that he was attempting to pull BBs from his head.

By Andrew Doughman / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – The state may save more money by spending rather than cutting.
Advocates for mental health funding advanced that seemingly nonsensical argument in a plea to save the state’s mental health courts, which are designed to rehabilitate mentally-ill criminal offenders.

Valentine’s Day in Carson City transforms into a week-long display of affection with candlelit dining options, special events, theatre performances and lodging specials, Feb. 12 – 19.

Selecting a restaurant for a romantic evening doesn’t have to be an intimidating task. The Carson City Convention and Visitors Bureau compiled a list of favorites as recommended by the citizens of Nevada’s Capital based on surveys and local “best of” votes.

Brenda Silis and Gary Lyon talk about the Circles Initiative, a group of people helping other people to manage their lives in a more productive manner.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w25rLSWClJM

By Andrew Doughman / Nevada News Bureau
Until now, tenured faculty at Nevada’s universities have avoided the budget guillotine that has chopped away at the state budget.
They escaped salary cuts during the past session due to rules governing their pay.

Experts from the Veterans Administration and the University of Nevada School of Medicine will join a discussion on tele-health possibilities for rural counties hosted by Healthy Communities Coalition director Christy McGill.