Frontpage Stories ... Continued

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.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in identifying two suspects involved in a strongarm robbery that took place on Thursday, March 24th, at approximately 3:30 pm, in the Wal-Mart parking lot, off Topsy Lane in north Douglas County.

In the incident, a Hispanic female forcibly stole a small black case suspended by a breakaway lanyard from around the victim’s neck as the victim was walking to her car in the parking lot.

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.

“Confessions of a Paper Pimp,” by Sam Bauman. Slalom Press, 2011. Hard copy available at Amazon, $18.95; Kindle version, $10.

By Guy W. Farmer

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.

By Andrew Doughman / Nevada News Bureau
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.

Another blast of winter weather is expected to reach the Carson City area tonight with 1 to 3 inches of snow expected in the valleys and up to 8 inches at Lake Tahoe.

Cold air, more snow and gusty winds has prompted the National Weather Service in Reno to issue a winter weather advisory later tonight for Carson City, Carson Valley, Lake Tahoe and Reno through Thursday morning.

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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At the request of Spread the Word Nevada, a local children's literacy nonprofit group, Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval flew in from Carson City to Las Vegas on March 31 to read at Cambeiro Elementary School.

This was his last stop after visiting three other schools in Las Vegas, which concluded the governor's reading tour as part of Read Across America and Nevada Reading Month. During his first school visit in Reno on March 2 Sandoval signed a proclamation declaring March 2011 Nevada Reading Month.

Federal regulators who've spent a decade assessing the uranium and other toxic wastes seeping into the water table at an old Anaconda copper mine near Yerington say the pollution can't be cleaned up without adding the abandoned site to the U.S. Superfund's National Priority List.
Click here to read the story.

By Andrew Doughman / Nevada News Bureau
Despite upgrading Nevada’s outlook from negative to stable, the credit rating agency Moody’s downgraded Nevada’s credit rating to Aa2 from Aa1.
The rationale behind the adjustment involves Nevada’s Legislature. Moody’s cited the two-thirds supermajority required to raise taxes as a negative in Nevada.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Gov. Brian Sandoval today signed a bill requiring funeral directors to report to the Office of Veterans’ Services if they obtain possession of unclaimed human remains they know or reasonably believe to be that of a veteran.
Sandoval signed Assembly Bill 124 in a ceremony before a full house of veterans at...

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Gov. Brian Sandoval said emphatically today he will veto a bill passed by Democrats in the Legislature that would allow school districts to use up to $300 million in bond reserve funds to rehabilitate older schools.
He also expressed confidence that $60 million in general fund Medicaid rate reductions included in his budget are legally defensible and can be implemented despite a legal opinion to the contrary.

By Andrew Doughman / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Sometimes, trying to read the CEO’s mind can be a political game.
Critics of Gov. Brian Sandoval’s proposed education cuts have said business owners will not move to a state that ravages its already low-performing education system with spending reductions.

Another winter storm system is poised to hit the Carson City area today, with rain turning to snow later this afternoon.

A winter weather advisory has been issued by the National Weather Service for the Carson City, Carson Valley and Reno areas, with a winter storm warning in effect through 11 a.m. Friday for Lake Tahoe and the Sierra.

By Mike Clifford / Public News Service
CARSON CITY — Nevada lawmakers take another stab today at dealing with the $1 billion-plus in cuts Gov. Sandoval has proposed for K-12 education, when the Joint Finance K-12 Subcommittee meets this morning. Gary Peck, executive director of the Nevada State Education Association (NSEA), says recent polls indicate there is little support for Gov. Sandoval's hard line against taxes.

Last month, the Carson City Board of Supervisors heard complaints from the owners of two private golf courses about the city subsidizing the operator of the city-owned Eagle Valley Golf courses by forgiving its $200,000 lease payment.

One issue brought up at the time was that the city needs the Eagle Valley courses to help dispose of effluent water from its sewage treatment plant. If Eagle Valley was not operating, then the city would be forced to spend more money to build more storage for the water.

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, U.S. Congressman Dean Heller, and Assemblyman Tom Grady joined Lyon County area officials to witness the striking of the first Lyon County sesquicentennial commemorative medallion at Dayton’s Northwest Territorial Mint on Tuesday.

Lyon County Commissioners, Sheriff, school trustees, superintendent, and members of the Historical Society of Dayton Valley were among those who attended the event and tour of the Mint with the Governor and other dignitaries.

CARSON CITY – Nevada Health and Human Services Director Mike Willden said today he believes the state can reduce Medicaid rates to medical providers as proposed in Gov. Brian Sandoval’s budget, but acknowledges the issue is “muddy territory.”
Willden’s view suggests the Medicaid reductions can be imposed without the state being subjected to successful legal challenges based on a recent appeals court ruling.