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CARSON CITY – A delay in federal payments to Nevada’s counties is not anticipated to cause any financial problems for the cash-strapped local governments, officials said in interviews last week.

A Reno man faces multiple charges including a felony warrant for writing bad checks and possessing methamphetamine, after being stopped late Tuesday night.
Launie Merritt, 29, was stopped by Carson City deputies after his red Toyota came back with suspended registration. According to the arrest report, Merritt gave deputies his brother's name and date of birth when questioned and in a subsequent search of his wallet, he was in possession of a prison identification card with his correct name and date of birth.

"Bad Manners” is very much what its title says: four people spend a weekend together seeing how bitter and tricky they can be. It’s available at video stores or at the Carson City Library.

Obtaining leases from three state agencies has been cited by the people pushing the Nugget Project as a critical piece to its success.

But, there's been more than a little skepticism that the State of Nevada, staring down the barrel of a $3 billion deficit in its next budget, has any appetite for spending money it doesn't have to.

Tensions quickly arose during a discussion on the economic effects of illegal immigration at a town hall forum in Reno yesterday.
The keynote speaker, Dr. Steven Camarota, director of research for the Center for Immigration Studies, said that immigration – both legal and illegal – creates a “fiscal drain� on public services that is significantly larger than the “miniscule� effect that they have on the per capita income of the nation.

Check out the live video and discussion below. Hot topics include the request for $75,000 to proceed with planning for the Nugget Project, and requests by local businesses and organizations for redevelopment money. The agenda is here.

Everything is magnified in the postseason. Every left baserunner. Every error. So what could be considered just another loss in the regular season that really wasn't that bad of an effort, isn't so in the postseason.
 
Or as Western Nevada College baseball coach D.J.

Of the 27 businesses that front the Plaza 50 in Carson City, home of the anchor store Sak N' Save, many of its merchants are now left to gauge how their own operations will change after learning the grocery store will close its doors for good on May 30.

But the show will go on for many of the merchants, who vow to put their best face on an otherwise bad situation. Much like the recession has been thus far in the capital city, the collective wisdom remains "hope for the best."

The Nevada Appeal has uncovered a few new tidbits about Nugget Project consultant Mark Lewis.

Following the piece I wrote on Lewis this week, the Appeal found a grand jury report dealing with Lewis' big project developments as city manager of Stockton, Calif. The report showed that costs associated with development of the the Stockton ballpark and events center swelled from an estimate of $75 million to more than $120 million, and placed the blame for this on Lewis and the lack of oversight by the city's elected officials.

RENO – Half a dozen candidates in the crowded GOP field seeking to take on Harry Reid in the U.S. Senate race in November debated here Friday, with responses showing more agreement than discord on issues ranging from immigration reform to the need to reduce the size of the federal government.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) this morning voted to overturn the U.S. Atomic Energy Safety and Licensing Board’s order to suspend the Yucca Mountain administrative hearings.
The NRC has ordered the licensing board to make a decision on the Department of Energy’s (DOE) motion to withdraw the license for Yucca Mountain with prejudice by June 1.

CARSON CITY – Las Vegas Assemblywoman Kathy McClain and Secretary of State Ross Miller reached an agreement today resolving  a complaint that she inappropriately used campaign funds to pay for her Clark County retirement contributions while serving as a lawmaker.
McClain, D-Las Vegas, agreed to make a $7,276 personal contribution to Safe Nest, a Las Vegas nonprofit supporting abused women, to cover the cost of the contribution she had made in 2009 to the Public Employees Retirement System from her campaign fund.

Since a lot of people in Carson City know me from my political column that ran for four years in the Nevada Appeal, many asked if Carson Now would follow along the same philosophical slant.

The answer is no. But is Carson Now an "objective" news source? No way.

As someone who enjoys politics and has friends all over the political spectrum, I set out to make Carson Now open to all viewpoints. Anyone can sign up for an account and write whatever they want, subject only to keeping the content PG rated so as not to offend our younger viewers.

I've always liked Dean Heller. We might disagree politically, but my interactions with him have always been friendly. He seems like a truly nice person, the opposite of the what we see in some other Nevada politicians.

But watching him this week at the NNDA breakfast reminded me that Dean's ambition is clearly more important than adherence to truth.

You see, Dean used to come off as a lot more moderate than he does today. As assemblyman and Secretary of State, he championed causes that don't exactly line up with the national GOP's ideology.

CARSON CITY – If the idea that a $9.1 billion long-term unfunded liability in Nevada’s public employee pension plan is cause for concern, then a recent analysis by the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research should really get the attention of state policy makers.

RENO -- On a day when the wind was gusting up to 40 mph, coupled with occasional rain and snow flurries, Carson High softball coach Scott Vickrey knew better than to expect an ordinary game against Galena.
"I told the kids nothing would be routine today, and the team that puts the ball in play the most would walk out of here with a win," Vickrey said.

Sales tax collections in Carson City plunged again in January, falling 16.2% from January of 2009. Sales tax collections statewide were down 8.1% in January. They were off 4.8% in Washoe County, down 2.2% in Douglas, minus 22% in Lyon and down 12.7% in the Fallon area.

These days, I get a chuckle when I see people engaging in philosophical debates over health care reform, or "socialized medicine" as opponents call it.

I understand and respect the positions of those who think government should not be a part of the health care system, that the free market will fix everything. It's an interesting philosophical position, but it faces the brick wall of reality.

CARSON CITY – As millions of Americans fill out their census forms over the next several weeks in the nation’s once-a-decade head co

CARSON CITY – The need for the state of Nevada to continue and possibly even increase funding to the public employee retirement system could make the budget problems facing the Legislature next yea

An interesting development in the battle over the Nugget project are the assumptions being made by all sides as to the motives of others.

For instance, many of the opponents or those on the fence assume that Nugget President Steve Neighbors has something up his sleeve. Every time some unanswered question arises, people assume the worst, that this deal is only about enriching the Nugget. Perhaps this comes instinctive to Nevadans, after dealing with our share of casino owners/executives, from Steve Wynn to Bugsy Segal to Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal.

CARSON CITY – Republican presidential adviser Sig Rogich said in an interview televised today that he is supporting the re-election of U.S. Sen. Harry Reid because replacing the most powerful member of Congress while the state is in the worst recession in memory is a bad idea.

...and held in "jail" at Red's 395! So I need your help to bail me out. Please click here and make a donation to help Jerry's Kids.

Now, some of you are probably thinking, gee, that's not so bad, being "locked up" with all that beer and great food. And you're right. But please make a donation anyway. I've got work to do!

Update: They let me out of jail. Said I liked it too much. Thanks to everyone who contributed.

In what may be the most difficult meeting of their careers, Carson City Supervisors next week will balance the 2010-11 city budget with significant cuts in city services including layoffs. Those layoffs, if approved, will occur in many departments, but the more noticeable will be in the Sheriff and Fire Departments.

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by Scott Schrantz

Another historic moment will happen on Friday when the Western Nevada College baseball team will play its first tripleheader ever at John L. Harvey Field.

There's not a whole lot to say. And it doesn't take a long time to say it.

by Michelle Latham