Despite signing a pledge eight years ago that he would oppose domestic partnerships outside of marriage, gubernatorial contender Brian Sandoval, who last year said he supports such arrangements, said today he forgot he had signed the document.  Sandoval also claimed there was no contradiction.
“I have always believed that marriage is between a woman and a man,” said Sandoval. “My position has not changed at all. When I signed that pledge in 2002, I interpreted domestic partnerships to be an analogue for marriage.”

“The Laramie Project,” at the Brewery Arts Center’s Performance Hall, 511 W. King St., is roughly the story of the murder of a 21-year-old gay college student in 1998. The play opens Friday night, April 16, at 7:30 p.m. and continues April 17, 23, 24, 30 and May 1.

Tickets are $18 general, $15 students and seniors. Call (775) 883-1976.

Performing the work is the Tectonic Theater Group, which made personal investigations into the site in Laramie, Wyoming. It reports on the fallout and actions within the community after the murder.

For all you experts of the terrain parks, Heavenly Mountain Resort has something new and exciting for you. Plus details on that last week of operations for the ski and rider season.

Heavenly has announced its plan for the week of April 19 – 25. In mid-March, Heavenly announced the extension of the 2009-10 season by one week in response to conditions and a plentiful snowpack. This season the resort will operate the final week with the most ski and snowboard terrain available in the past three years.

Rob Joiner talks about his bid for Carson City Board of Supervisors Ward 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezQKLfbt4xU

A crowd of about 600 people gathered around the courtyard surrounding the Nevada State Capitol for the tea party rally. Many held signs condemning big-government policies, calling for Senator Harry Reid’s defeat, protesting tax increases, and ridiculing President Barack Obama.

The second round of the Carson City Chamber of Commerce candidate forums is happening now at the Carson Nugget, with the sheriff candidates up first.

For the play-by-play action, head over to the Nevada Appeal live blog. We will be adding the color commentary as we go below.

The fate of Yucca Mountain, and its effect on Nevada as a whole and Nye County in particular, were discussed in a television interview yesterday by Nye County Commissioner Gary Hollis and Nye County Nuclear Waste Repository consultant Michael Voegele.

Carson City Board of Supervisors approved $75,500 in funding for Curry Street farmer's market and related events, with some heated debate over lack of transparency from the Office of Business Development. The board also approved the $3.7 million purchase of the 368 acre Jarrad Ranch on Carson River Road. Please see the live blog below for more information.

With veiled threats to the governors of Nevada and several other states last month by a far-right militia group, the amount of anti-government fervor may be boiling over nationally, but all is peaceful today in Carson City as more than a thousand have gathered at the Capitol to protest President Barack Obama, Sen. Harry Reid and health care.

Oh, and taxes. But there were far more anti-Obama and Harry Reid signs and a few Hitler ones than anything remotely about the IRS, today being the filing deadline for federal income taxes.

Hundreds are at the Capitol in Carson City to protest on this tax day. The demonstration has been peaceful thus far, according to Capitol Police.

Dozens of Tea Party and anti-tax demonstrators are at the Capitol Building in Carson City today. As of 9:40 more than 100 people have gathered. Tea parties are happening today throughout the U.S., on Tax Day.

Carson City Supervisor Robin Williamson reportedly told a group on Monday that there has been some serious discussions with a specific developer about the Carson Nugget downtown redevelopment project, and an announcement should be coming soon.

According to those at the men's club meeting at Grandma Hatties, Williamson didn't name the developer.

When asked about the issue, Williamson responded, "As I understand the current status, negotiations are continuing so there is nothing to be announced at this time."

The selection of a developer is a major milestone, and has been cited by Nugget President Steve Neighbors and city officials as a necessary step to resolve the many unanswered questions about the project.

We are working to find out more details about this development. Stay tuned.

Gee, I wish I could be up there on the hills, making a few turns and enjoying the weather and the snow. But modern medicine says no, two herniated disks in the back rule it out for the time being. Doc advises against skiing until the spine expert has an eyeful and decides what I can and can’t do for now.

This morning in a statewide media conference call moderated by the Nevada News Bureau, candidate Brian Sandoval fielded questions on numerous issues including the 2003 Supreme Court ruling on the two-thirds legislative supermajority needed to increase taxes, tax policy, the Tax Pledge, budget cuts and higher education salaries, renewable energy mandates and the state’s health care reform lawsuit.

From Rory Reid Campaign:

Rory Reid recently announced his plan to rebuild and transform education in Nevada. So far, the response from people across the state – and even across the ideological spectrum – has been overwhelmingly positive.

From Emily Richmond, one of the state’s most experienced education reporters:
Rory Reid’s reform plan: Boost education, boost economy
(Las Vegas Sun, 3/23/10)

Here are some Tea Party events happening around the state tomorrow (April 15).  If anyone knows of one not listed here, email me at editor@nevadanewsbureau.com and I’ll post it.
Carson City

10:00am – 1:00pm
Carson City Legislature and Capitol
Candidates forum, music, voter registration, conservative club, organization, and party information. No vending is allowed during this event.

CARSON CITY – A Las Vegas attorney running for attorney general as a Republican against Democrat incumbent Catherine Cortez Masto, and who called for a State Bar investigation into her release of a letter to the press about a potential legal challenge to the federal health care law, is now himself the subject of a bar inquiry.
Attorney Jacob Hafter called the inquiry ridiculous.
“It just shows the type of protection these incumbents have,” he said.

John McKenna talks about his run for Carson City Board of Supervisors Ward 3 seat:

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

With so many of the mountain resorts staying open well into May there's a marvelous chance to combine skiing and hiking in one glorious wind-up of a great season.

I did this once and enjoy it immensely, hiking in the low and then turning around and skiing on the high. It was May of a couple of years ago when I loaded the car with camping gear and tucked a pair of skis on the roof rack. I headed south down 395, inflated with the idea of hiking around Death Valley National Park and then stopping off at Mammoth Mountain on the way home to ski.

Click the headline or Read More link below to watch the video and join the discussion live:

(This story was updated at 3:40 PM on 4/13/10)
Last Friday, Nevada Tea Party Senate candidate Scott Ashjian filed a response to the lawsuit brought against him by Independent American Party candidate Tim Fasano.

The state Republican party has confirmed it will be filing an ethics complaint against Secretary of State Ross Miller and state Treasurer Kate Marshall alleging the improper use of publicly funded web pages, phone lines and state employees for their respective reelection campaigns.
“The Nevada Republican party is moving forward with an ethics complaint,” confirmed Ciara Turns, Communications Director for the state party.  “We look forward to the ethics commission completing an investigation into these improper actions.”

Maxine Nietz discusses the Lyon County Fly-In:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POIhP_0mxD8

A few thoughts about tonight's supervisor candidate forum (you can get our live blog of the event here, and the Nevada Appeal version here):

• All candidates did well. There were no obvious gaffs. A lot of times, these forums expose those not-ready-for-prime-time candidates. Not this time. All spoke well and knew the issues.

A gunman who robbed the Bank of the West in North Carson City about 4 p.m. today is also suspected of robbing three other branches, including two in the Lake Tahoe area.
www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20100412/NEWS/100419900/1070&ParentProfile=1058

A 41-year-old Carson City woman faces felony drug and misdemeanor obstruction charges after officers found bottles of prescription drugs that didn't belong to her.

Deputies arrested the woman following a traffic stop in which a female driver was clocked doing a 40 in a 25 mph zone on Friday at about 2 p.m. An officer asked for identification from the suspect, who was the passenger in the car. The name, date of birth and Social Security number she gave officers didn't match anyone in the Nevada or California database.

A Carson City laborer and an unemployed Reno man were arrested on felony robbery and conspiracy charges after unsuccessfully trying to steal cases of beer and a bottle of booze from Save Mart on North Carson Street.

Officers began the search for the subjects at around 7:15 p.m. on Friday after a larceny report was called in from Save Mart. An interview with a security officer gave deputies a description of the men and the license of the car they were driving.

A California man wanted on a felony fugitive warrant was arrested Saturday by Carson City deputies after he allegedly head-butted a hotel manager when he was informed that pets weren't allowed in rooms.

The victim told sheriff deputies that he approached the suspect after seeing a dog in the room. The suspect began to yell at the victim and got within a few inches of his face, and then, struck him in the face with his forehead, according to the arrest report.

Erratic behavior led to search of the suspect's Carson City apartment after he told a deputy that when 'you leave the desert, you leave with seven gods.'