CARSON CITY — The Nevada Senate took an emotional step toward legalizing gay marriage with a near party-line vote to repeal the state’s heterosexual definition of marriage.

Nevada Senator Harry Reid today on Earth Day announced that USDA Rural Development has approved a loan of $3,002,000 and a grant of $2,312,794 to replace the wastewater treatment plant that serves the Virginia City and Gold Hill communities in Storey County. The existing plant is past its useful life.

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.

A 42-year-old Carson City woman was jailed Saturday and faces two felony drug charges and a charge of being a felon in possession of an electronic stun gun.

Patricia Louise Barkley, was arrested at 12:11 p.m. April 20 on East Nye. According to the arrest report, officers stopped a vehicle based on information that the owner faced a warrant for his arrest.

Café at Adele’s joins Northern Nevada Hopes’ ‘Dining Out for Life’ in making a difference in the lives of those living with HIV.

On Thursday, April 25, Café at Adele’s will donate 20 percent of every dining ticket total to Northern Nevada Hopes so the non-profit organization can continue its work of raising awareness about and providing STD, HIV and Hepatitis C testing, as well as providing extensive support and medical care for those living with HIV in northern Nevada.

Kiwanis’ 240,000 volunteers in 80 countries join together on the third Saturday in April, designated as Kiwanis One Day, a day for each club to perform a volunteer project in their community.

April 20, 2013 a total of 17 members of the Kiwanis Clubs of Carson City, Carson Valley, Lake Tahoe and Sierra Nevada with four Douglas High School Key Club members raked leaves at the Nevada State Park in Genoa, Mormon Station.

There's a weird vibe in the halls of the Nevada Legislature, a kind of eerie stillness, like when the birds stop chirping and the wind dies to a deafening hush just before a huge storm.
OK, maybe it's not that dramatic.

Members of the Carson City Chamber of Commerce, led by Chamber Director Ronni Hannaman, took a tour earlier this month through China. Here are some photos from the trip.

ALL AGES; ADMISSION $10 DOORS OPEN @ 7:00PM, MUSIC STARTS @ 9:00PM!

BANDS/DJs
-PHASMO
-JOANDY
-LONELY PLANET WILL TRAVEL
-CRUSH
^***NOT THE OFFICIAL SET TIMES***^

THE VENUE LOCATED AT 1500 OLD HOT SPRINGS ROAD CARSON CITY, NV

MORE INFO. AND RSVP AT www.facebook.com/events/594720970546096/
CRUSH; www.facebook.com/crushreno
PHASMO; https://www.facebook.com/pages/Phasmo-Dubstep/261108417235901?fref=ts
JOANDY; www.facebook.com/Joandy.music
LONELY PLANET WILL TRAVEL; ?
THE VENUE; https://www.facebook.com/CLUBENVYCARSON?fref=ts

It’s great to have that income tax return filed! Maybe you can relax and take a deep breath now. But, what if IRS has questions or selects your return for audit?

The deduction for Office in the Home for the part of your home that is regular and exclusive business use is NOT an invitation to IRS to audit your return. There is even a “safe harbor” that can be used. IRS understands how important that home office is to many taxpayers-usually the sole owner business.

Bonners Fairy: The story of teenage twins who discover a hidden portal to another realm.

So far, life has been pretty ordinary and dull for fifteen-year-old twins Haley and Henry Miles, but after their father purchases a large estate in northwestern Idaho, they are thrilled to begin a new adventure in the mountains. Little do they know that their lives are about to change forever.

by ALEX POMPLIANO

On today’s Weekly Round-Up, we learn more about the looming bill deadlines for the legislature, the recently amended and passed Senate Joint Resolution 13, and expelled Assemblyman Steven Brooks’ replacement. This episode also features Nevada Media Alliance senior editor Jeri Chadwell.

Entertaining audiences for more than 25 years, comedian and inspirational humorist Kat Simmons is this week's guest on Women to Women Nevada with Carol Paz.

You may have seen her at The Improvs, Catch A Rising Star, the Comedy Channel, Fox’s Comedy Tonight, or on Candid Camera. She is currently a regular cast member of the national comedy hit, The 3 Blonde Moms. Kat hosts her own cable show called, "Speak Up, With Kat Simmons." She won the eWomen Network's international talent contest in Dallas in 2009.

This is the second year the Carson City Chamber of Commerce has organized a Home & Garden Show to showcase the many businesses that can help homeowners improve their homes and gardens.

This Saturday, April 20th, Greenhouse Garden Center will again take center stage showcasing their expertise and creativeness in creating a unique garden setting that only the professionals at Greenhouse can create. Owner David Ruf and staff will be on hand to conduct informative seminars as well.

Wreckage from an airplane that has been missing since early this week was found Thursday afternoon in the Pine Nut Mountains in southern Douglas County, authorities confirm.

At 2:20 pm the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue with the assistance from Lyon County Search and Rescue, Washoe County Sheriff’s Helicopter (Raven) and Civil Air Patrol, located the missing aircraft.

There will be a ceremony, followed by a cocktail reception with hosted wine and beer bar, to announce the winners of the Carson Memories contest. The winners will remain secret until the ceremony.

The event will be held on Monday, April 22, 2013 from 5:30 – 6:30 pm on the second floor outside the banquet rooms at the Carson Nugget in Carson City.

Three winners will receive prizes outlined below.
1st place-$500 cash.
2nd place-iPad.
3rd place-Kindle Fire.
Honorable mentions will also be announced.

The U10 Michael Hohl Motor Company/Shaw Nolan Painting Dirt Divas notched up another win over U10 Team 5 in softball action at Edmonds Field on Wednesday, April 17th by a score of 18-8. No player names or sponsor information was supplied for Team 5.

The Dirt Divas pitching was handled by Bryar Fancher, 1/3 inning, 5 runs, 1 hit, 1 strike out, 5 walks; Abbey Golik, 2 2/3 innings, no runs, 2 hits, 6 strikeouts, 1 walk; and, Shannen vonDuering, 2 innings, 3 runs, 1 hit, 5 strike outs, and 4 walks.

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.

This is my annual reminder that it’s almost time to have fun fishing in the High Sierras once again.
On Saturday, April 27 the 2013 fishing season will open for all applicable lakes, reservoirs, streams, creeks and rivers in the State of California.

That season will then remain open until Friday, Nov. 15.

If you’re new to this area, here’s some information that can be useful if you would like to fish on that Opening Day or the entire Opening Weekend: 
Some of the nearby streams, creeks and rivers that will open:

“Always Lost: A Meditation on War” has returned home to Carson City and was given full honors Wednesday at the Nevada Legislature.

Western Nevada College’s acclaimed creative writing/photographic exhibition about the costs of war will be on display in the Nevada Legislative Building’s second-floor atrium weekdays through May 3.

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.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in locating a runaway juvenile from Austin’s House, who has been missing since April 9.

Evelynn Ploston, 13, from Winnemucca ran away from Austin’s House in Minden on April 9. At this time her whereabouts are unknown, said Douglas County Sheriff's Sgt. Pat Brooks in a news release.

Polston is described as a white female juvenile, 5 feet-3 in tall, 150 lbs, brown eyes with blond hair. It is unknown who she may be with or what location she is headed to.

The plan for making downtown more pedestrian, bike, and business friendly will be presented and voted on at the Board of Supervisors meeting this Thursday April 18, at 6:30 PM, in the Carson City Community Center’s Sierra Room.  Your attendance at this meeting is vital to ensure that this project moves forward!

The Carson City Board of Supervisors is seeking applications from persons interested in serving on the Carson City Convention and Visitors Bureau Board and the Historic Resources Commission.

There is an open seat on each board. With the CCCVB, the term will run through July 2015. On the Historic Commission, the term is for four years, expiring July 2017 and is for a person professionally qualified in building construction.