Bad

It's been a bad week for Sierra snowsports enthusiasts, as a professional skier from Vermont succumbed to injuries sustained during a freeskiing competition at Kirkwood, and a snowboarder died after hitting a tree at Northstar-at-Tahoe.

Ryan Hawks was competing in the Freeride World Tour event at Kirkwood ski area on Sunday when he attempted a backflip off a cliff. He was flown by helicopter to Renown Medical Center in Reno where he died Tuesday morning from his injuries.

The Carson City School District reports that its schools are open today, Friday, and will operate on a normal schedule.

The romantic comedy "Just Go With It," currently playing at the Fandango Galaxy multiplex in Carson City, is the latest Hollywood genre poke that, though has its moments, chiefly those involving Jennifer Aniston, it is marred by stupid toilet jokes aimed at making kids laugh and a couple of easily disliked young actors.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Freshman Republican state Sen. Michael Roberson got a lot of people’s attention last week when he engaged in a brief but spirited line of questioning at a Judiciary Committee hearing with mining industry lobbyists.

The last time I wrote about pogonip, I got a correction that these ice crystals should more properly be considered a hoar frost, or rime frost. It is the fog itself that is pogonip, from the Shoshone phrase for “freezing death”, the idea being that if you breathe it in the crystals will form in your lungs and bad things will happen. I think the etymology is probably correct, but we have built a regional identity around the word “pogonip”, taking this cool frost that forms in a lot of places around the world, and in some small way making it our own.

The film "Unknown," currently playing at the Fandango Galaxy multiplex in Carson City, is the kind of movie one wonders if anyone really read the script before proceeding.

By Andrew Doughman / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – State senator Mo Denis, D-Las Vegas, has had enough of percentages.
Just the numbers, please, was his basic request at a Senate Finance committee meeting this past week as various state agencies delivered their budget reports.

By Andrew Doughman/ Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – In certain circles, nothing raises the collective blood pressure like talk of ARRA and the federal stimulus bill.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that President Barack Obama signed into law two years ago has channeled $800 billion to the states in an attempt to jolt the economy to life.

Seven fun-loving people from this area spent last Saturday and Sunday, February 12-13, traveling on the Amtrak passenger train between Reno and Sacramento, Calif.

--See Don Q's Outdoor report

Those seven were: Mary Bottoms, Bob “Slick” and Lynda McCulloch, Elaine and I, all of Carson City; and Sal and Catali Quilici of Dayton.

Here is the Fishing Report for the week of Feb. 16-23:

ALMANOR LAKE, CALIF:
Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530) 365-7500 www.shastacascade.com reported:
Current water surface temperatures are at 35.5 degrees with water clarity at 7.5 feet. It has been sunny all week as forecasted. With the afternoon highs moving into mid to low 50s, and more sunshine is on the way, with the next possibility of some rain near mid week.

"The Eagle," an action period film of roughly 180 A.D., currently playing at the Fandango Galaxy multiplex in Carson City, is that rarity of a Roman legions movies that has no love interest, and barely any women in the cast. There's also a lot of flashy scenes that have nothing to add to the story as well as a lot of ankle-height shots showing troops or horses or somebody moving along. Honest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOTDn2A7hcY

For more than a year, the lack of firm details about the Nugget Project has been a major source of frustration to those trying to get their heads around this undertaking.

Without real numbers or plans, those arguing for or against struggled with hitting the moving target that is this project.

But that target just got a whole lot more stationary, as Carson City Manager Larry Werner released a 100+ page feasibility report (attached below) for the Board of Supervisors to use this week when a decision is made on whether to move forward with the project.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Secretary of State Ross Miller says the time is ripe to get a substantial campaign finance reform package through the Legislature, and with Gov. Brian Sandoval and lawmakers of both parties in agreement on the need for change, he may be right.

Here is the greater Northern Nevada, Lake Tahoe, Cascade and Northern California fishing report through Feb. 16, 2011.

BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF:
Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (866) 694-2930 www.woodfordsstation.com reported: The road is closed for the winter.

CAPLES LAKE, CALIF:
John Voss of the Caples Lake Resort (209) 258-8888

A married couple from Lucerne, Calif. was arrested Saturday morning in 3800 block of South Carson Street for misdemeanor drug offenses, in an incident that began with the alleged theft of a jacket from a casino.

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.

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.”

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – The fact that Nevada has the worst unemployment rate in the nation isn’t exactly news, but a report released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides an in-depth picture of just how bad it was in 2010.
The report shows that Nevada’s “actual” unemployment rate for the calendar year was 23.6 percent, with California second at 22.1 percent.

By Andrew Doughman / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Third-graders who cannot read at a third-grade level would not advance to fourth grade under a proposal from Gov. Brian Sandoval.
The assertion rests on common-sense logic, and Sandoval has been promoting his idea since he was on the campaign trail.

A 33-year-old Carson City man faces child abuse and domestic battery charges after allegedly slapping and flicking his 2-year-old son in the face inside Walmart and then, according to witnesses, hitting the child with a stick outside the store.

Authorities arrested Bruce Scott, 33, at about 1 p.m. on Jan. 21 after witnesses stated they saw him hit the child multiple times. Surveillance video from the Market Street store was collected in the investigation.

By Andrew Doughman / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Gov. Brian Sandoval has proposed spending an estimated $60 million to repay interest on hundreds of millions of dollars in federal loans.
That $60 million would come out of the general fund, said Dale Erquiaga, the governor’s senior adviser. This would leave less money for health care, education and other vital state functions in the general fund.

A Carson City man was arrested after he allegedly failed to complete domestic violence counseling, a felony violation of his probation.

Officers arrested John Adam Henry, 29, after running his registration through the DMV that generated a hit at around 1 p.m. on Thursday. He was stopped at the corner of Northridge Drive near Southridge Road, according to the arrest report.

According to New River Justice Court records, a no-bail felony warrant for Henry's arrest was issued after he failed to complete court-ordered domestic violence counseling. He was booked without incident.

"The Tourist," currently screening at the Fandango Galaxy multiplex in Carson City, is rich in scenery (Paris and Venice, how could you go wrong?), in female beauty (Angelina Jolie, again how could you go wrong?) and the usual befuddled but caring male (Johnny Depp).

It is not rich in a plot that makes a lot of sense, but it's a thriller so does that matter? I guess not if you're content to sit and let events wash over you and Jolie is good at that.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Gov. Brian Sandoval delivered the bad news in an email to state employees today: His budget will propose a 5 percent across-the-board salary reduction for state employees instead of continuing with a furlough program.
“We must also continue the suspension of merit pay and longevity pay,” he said in the letter.

Carl Kuhl, a state Parole and Probation employee of six years, has created a plan that he claims will eliminate Nevada's budget deficit within two years.

In a news release issued on Tuesday, Kuhl said his plan not only will reduce the budget deficit but also help repair Nevada's economy at the same time. It is a pretty big claim, he admits, coming from an Accounting Assistant I, an entry level position.

The family-aimed film "Gulliver's Travels," now playing at the Fandango's Galaxy multiplex in Carson City, has very little to do with the book (or books) Johnathan Swift wrote in satire on the English government in the 18th century. Gone is the wit, the clever writing, the book that many of us read in high school or English Lit 103.

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

"True Grit" is a 2010 remake to the 1969 film which starred John Wayne, written and directed by the Jeff and Ethan Coen. It is the second adaptation of Charles Portis' 1968 novel of the same name. The film stars Jeff Bridges as U.S. Marshal Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn and Hailee Steinfeld as Mattie Ross with Texas Rager Matt Damon and bad guy Josh Brolin.

Carson Kressley, star of the Bravo Channel show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" was in Carson City today filming scenes for his new reality show "Carson Nation."

Kressley bounded up and down the interior of Carson Mall at midday, with cameras in tow, interacting with shoppers and store employees in his high-energy, over-the-top style. He did quickie makeovers on some people, adding make-up, or working on their hair.

"The Black Swan," currently playing at The Galaxy Fandango Cineplex in Carson City, is Natalie Portman's movie, good or bad. Reported Portman lost 20 pounds over six months of ballet lessons to fit the part and while not ballet slim does look pretty good.