"Season of the Witch," currently playing at the Casino Fandango Galaxy multiplex in Carson City, is a movie that can't decide if it's a thriller fantasy or a buddy picture or a tour through muddled 14th century history. Maybe it's none of the above but instead just a mess.

It starts out with three alleged witches hanged and drowned (talk about overkill!), one of which comes back to do in the priest who condemned the three.

Dear Editor: Once again the Dayton community has come together and made a difference for so many families during the holidays.

The Dayton toy drive received applications for over 650 kids this year and we were quite concerned that there would not be enough to go around. Fortunately a large, eager, group of volunteers came together who were quick to get down to business and get the donations and interest pouring in. It wasn’t long before businesses, as well as community organizations and individuals were giving.

Carson City and Carson Valley casinos saw a 2.57 percent increase in gaming win in November, the state gaming control board reports this morning. Statewide gaming numbers, however, decreased by nearly 5.9 percent over last year.

Elsewhere nearby, Washoe County saw sharp declines, with Reno gaming numbers dropping by nearly 21 percent and Sparks by nearly 15 percent, the Nevada Gaming Control Board reports.

At Lake Tahoe, Stateline casinos saw a 5.25 percent decrease in gaming win in November, with North Tahoe casinos seeing a 7.7 percent decrease.

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.

CARSON CITY – If it is any consolation to cash-strapped state workers, Nevada’s lawmakers will see no pay hike this session and a smaller daily per diem allowance as well.
The 21 members of the state Senate and 42 members of the Assembly will be paid $146.29 a day for the first 60 days of the session starting Feb. 7, the same amount as paid in 2009 to most lawmakers. Some state senators in mid-term earned slightly less.

In an apparent move to increase the transparency of his administration, Gov. Brian Sandoval released today the annual salaries of his staff. His 17 staff positions, one of which is vacant, consume about $1 million of the governor’s executive budget.
His highest paid employee, Chief of Staff Heidi Gansert, will earn $124,988 this year. The lowest paid, Celia Magana, is an administrative assistant in Las Vegas earning $29,984.

A prisoner in the Carson City Jail was arrested Sunday for allegedly being in possession of heroin, methamphetamine and prescription drugs.

According to the arrest report, jail staff received a tip that Audrey Cherie Peebles had heroin and had used it earlier that afternoon. Staff then did a shakedown of all the prisoners in that unit, and found Peebles to be in possession of a ziplock bag with what appeared to be three full and two used balloons of heroin, a small amount of methamphetamine and two pills of suboxone.

Dee Freewert talks about the First Lego League competition for area children to learn about engineering by building robots:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdkfeg1QQic

Jan 7, 6:34 PM (ET)

RENO, Nev. (AP) - Six girls have been arrested after students were invited on Facebook to take part in "Attack a Teacher Day" at two middle schools.

One girl was accused of inviting about 100 students on the social networking website to participate in the event Friday, and the other five were accused of responding with online threats against specific teachers, Carson Middle School Principal Dan Sadler said.

Details are sketchy. It was reported at one time that Giffords had died, but news outlets have pulled back from that. A hospital spokesperson said she is alive and in surgery. Reports are that 12 people were shot, including a federal judge and members of Giffords' staff, and that six have died. The gunman is reportedly in custody.

We all know the long saga of the Carson City Freeway. In planning for over 50 years, under construction for nearly 10, the freeway has become one of the big punch lines around town as one of those projects that it seems like we’ll never see the tail end of. They’ve been dribbling out freeway segments to us slowly, opening the stretch from Lakeview to Hwy 50 in Spring 2006 and the segment from Hwy 50 to Fairview in Fall 2009.

It's "big-band jazz times two" when the Mile High Jazz Band presents the eighth annual Mile High-Carson High Jazz Extravaganza, on Friday, January 21, 2011, 8:00 p.m., at the Brewery Arts Center Performance Hall, 511 W. King Street, Carson City. The concert, sponsored by the Brewery Arts Center and the Mile High Jazz Band Association, is a benefit for the Carson High Jazz Band programs.

The Carson City Big 5 sporting goods store is getting ready to move. For years they’ve been at the north end of Carson City, but now they’re moving south, apart of the general exodus out of North Carson.

Read the rest at http://aroundcarson.com

(Press release) On January 5, 2011 Carson City Sheriff’s Office received a national award for “Outstanding Citizen Participation” for the 2010 National Night Out special event hosted in August. National Night Out heightens crime and drug prevention awareness, community safety and, as in the case of Carson City, strengthens police-community partnerships. This award is the latest in the list of recognitions Carson City Sheriff’s Office received for the 2010 event including Congressional Awards from Congressman Dean Heller and a Letter of Commendation from Senator John Ensign.

CARSON CITY – In the wake of a legislative audit critical of state agency contracting practices with current and former employees, the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has posted its information online.
Bob Conrad, public information officer for the department, said the contract information was placed on the agency’s website on Dec. 29.

CARSON CITY – Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford has sent an email to supporters and constituents suggesting the next two-year state budget is facing an attack from “extreme right-wing” interests who will use the current economic crisis to “dismantle our state.”

Land slated for the Carson City Center/Nugget Project has been transfered from the ownership of Carson Nugget Inc. to the Mae B. Adams Trust, in preparation for a decision on the project by the Carson City Board of Supervisors.

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.

Carson City deputies arrested Timothy James Sparacino Wednesday morning after he allegedly sold a gold Rolex watch worth $9,000 to a local coin shop that was later found to be stolen.

According to the arrest report, Sparacino sold the watch to the coin shop for $2,500 on Nov. 9. That was the same day that a watch and other items were reportedly taken from a local residence. A check of the serial numbers showed that it was the same watch that was reported stolen.

A Sparks man was arrested Tuesday afternoon for felony indecent exposure after a Carson City deputy allegedly caught the suspect masturbating near the drive through of a North Carson Street fast food restaurant.

According to the arrest report, a call about this incident was received from a person in the drive through. The responding deputy stated that he approached William Landers, who was then standing near an adjacent grocery store, and clearly saw that he was exposing himself and masturbating in public view.

Bail for Landers was set at $7,500.

Healthy Communities Coalition of Lyon and Storey has scheduled their winter and spring line up of special speakers on the 2nd Thursday of each month during their public meetings. Each meeting also includes resource sharing, updates and discussion on issues of regional importance such as health and wellness, substance abuse prevention and recovery, education, job training, etc.

This may be one of the worst acts of senseless vandalism I've ever seen. Or, maybe someone really wanted a pair of shoes.

Carson Lanes Presents: "Bad Intent", Northern Nevada's best Classic Rock Band. No Cover and Smoke FREE. Happy Hour from 5-6pm (buy one, get one FREE & complimentary appetizers from Wally's Pizza & Subs & Alley's Diner). www.carsonlanes.com

Check out the photo gallery above. Here is the RGJ story on the inaugural speech.

We will have some video of the festivities up soon.