Comstock

Environmental agencies have opened a new phase in their investigation into mercury contamination in the Carson River and Washoe Lake watersheds that has been associated with a historic Comstock Lode gold and silver mining.

The Silver City Community Partners, formerly known as the Silver City Task Force, has announced a full summer schedule of community events and programs. The tightknit community of Silver City works together to offer a free summer youth program, monthly community dinners, cultural events, a volunteer library, cooking lessons, and a community garden.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cd6sA1ewQC4&feature=channel_video_title

AroundCarson.com reports that historian and author Dennis Cassinelli has started a new web video series about the history of the area, titled “Chronicles of the Comstock.”  It’s based on his book, newspaper column, and website of the same name. 

An interesting story in the Virginia City News, which reports that a deal was struck between Comstock Mining Inc., and the owners of the historic Gold Hill Hotel. Click here to read the story.

By Teresa Moiola / Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs
The Nevada Arts Council presents "Thick Dreams," a series of mixed media artwork by Nick Larsen, in its Carson City office now through June 3 as part of the Office eXhibition Series. An artist talk and reception will be held Thursday, April 14 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

By Jerry Vance
 Fitness students still carry hand-held weights during aerobic workouts with the thought that carrying extra weight in each hand while running would speed up fat loss.  It is true that the heavier you are the more calories you burn with any given energy expenditure.  But, there are other factors to consider before you pick up those hand weights. 
 

A website that dedicates itself to Silver City and proposed gold mining around the historic Lyon County community has been launched.

SilverCityNvBlogspot.com was developed by a group of town residents with the idea of providing a citizen point of view as Comstock Mining, Inc., fueled by record gold prices, looks to change the land-use designation of a parcel it now occupies and has been doing exploratory drilling.

Dear Editor: As a long time resident of the Comstock, I have watched with dismay the erosion of the Comstock Historic District that has occurred because of open pit mining.

One need only travel from Virginia City to Carson City to see what used to be historical landscapes transformed into a series of ugly pit mines. The Comstock Historic District is a cultural and historic resource set aside for the people of Nevada. Pit mining erodes this resource visually, and endangers historic landscapes and structures.

Written By Dayton High S Club
The “S” Club of Dayton High School is sponsoring a project to help make this year’s Prom a dream come true.

The 2011 season for the Virginia & Truckee Railroad is rolling down the track to opening weekend, May 27 through May 29 in Carson City, according to Convention and Visitors Bureau officials.

Before the official opening weekend, the railroad is offering a sneak peek into the historic route with a special event on Mother’s Day, Sun., May 8.

CARSON CITY – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released a first-of-its-kind economic study today identifying stalled energy projects – including 10 in Nevada – that are costing billions of dollars in lost gross domestic product.
The study says the delays are costing the state’s economy $66.9 billion in GDP and that 86,700 jobs a year could be created in Nevada during the construction phase of the projects.

By Erich Obermayr
Silver City, Nevada —population around 200 — is a small, unincorporated community in rural northwestern Nevada. It is located along State Route 342, in Gold Canyon, 3.5 miles from Virginia City. It lies within the Virginia City National Historic Landmark and the Comstock Historic District. The nearest large cities are Reno, 20 miles to the north, and Carson City, 9 miles to the southwest.

Carson City attorney Wally Earhart will portray President Lincoln and deliver the Comstock Historical Lecture at the revival of Virginia City's Bonanza Days on March 5.

He will be joined by the Comstock Civil War Re-enactors who will assist in hosting the dinner in character. The Marshall Mint will premiere the first strike of its new Big Bonanza commemorative silver coin at the event.

A number of Silver City residents will go before lawmakers today to show their support of a proposed amendment to Nevada's eminent domain law that would remove the ability of a private person or business to exercise the law for the purposes of mining.

The current law on eminent domain (Chapter 37 of the Nevada Revised Statues) allows private individuals to take private land from property owners without their consent, for the purposes of mining. Testimony on this bill will be heard by the Judiciary Committee of the Nevada State Legislature today at 9 a.m. in room 2149.

About 3.5 miles of frontage that amounts to 419 acres along the Carson River corridor was sealed into protection thanks to the voter-approved Question 1 initiative and Carson City's own Question 18 Quality of Life Initiative.

A partnership for the purchase, appraised at $3.1 million, was created between Carson City, the Nevada Land Conservancy, the Commission for the Reconstruction of the V&T Railway and private landowner John Serpa.

By Andrew Barbano
The inaugural Big Bonanza Days Dinner and Awards Ceremony will take place on Saturday, March 5, at Virginia City's newest hotel, the Silverland Inn & Suites.

The Silverland is the major sponsor of the event. Proprietor Hugh Roy Marshall is a longtime amateur Nevada historian. He involved two experienced Nevada business executives in the revival of one of Virginia City's most storied events.

Dear Editor: Once again the Dayton community has come together and made a difference for so many families during the holidays.

The Dayton toy drive received applications for over 650 kids this year and we were quite concerned that there would not be enough to go around. Fortunately a large, eager, group of volunteers came together who were quick to get down to business and get the donations and interest pouring in. It wasn’t long before businesses, as well as community organizations and individuals were giving.

On Saturday, Jan. 22 only, the Dayton Food Pantry will operate from Sutro Elementary School at 190 Dayton Village Parkway from noon until 4 p.m.

Sutro Elementary School offered an indoor venue for the pantry on January 22 so that people can come in out of the cold January weather.

Don’t miss the “Holiday Harmonies” an offering of Christmas music presented by the Chorus of Comstock, a four part a cappella barbershop style chorus. This local chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society was deemed “Plateau A Champion” at the spring NE Division Chorus contest. Under direction of B.J. Hill, bass for international quartet competition bronze medal winner “Special Feature”, the chorus will present an array of carols and songs of the season.

Nevada Day kicks off this morning with annual the Nevada Day Parade, with the theme being "100 Years of Aviation" to go along with the Silver State’s admission to the Union in 1864.

Retired Lt. Col. Dick Rutan of the U.S. Air Force serves as Grand Marshal for today's celebration. He was picked to coincide with the theme, which marks a history-making flight of daredevil pilot William Ivy Baldwin west of Carson City, where he soared to 4,675 feet, the highest ever at that time.
 

Author Karel Ancona-Henry will be on hand to sign copies of "Irish Flame's Biker & Travel Guide to Nevada,"as well as limited edition prints, at two locations during Street Vibrations and Thunder on the Comstock.

Appearances and displays will be in Virginia City at Thunder on the Comstock inside the Ponderosa Saloon, beginning Thursday at 2 p.m., Friday at 11 a.m., Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m. And at the Road Rider of Reno, 2187 Market Street, Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The 17th annual Kids Auction and World's Greatest Barbecue could be said to be Carson's City's end-of-summer picnic. It certainly had all the fixins': Ribs, chicken, tri-tip, slaw, cornbread, potato salad, and lots of ice cream to go around.

by Scott Schrantz Source: http://aroundcarson.com/2010/09/02/virginia_city_cemetery

The Virginia & Truckee Railroad will extend its 2010 season to include new “Colors in the Canyon” train rides and will continue Saturday rides through Dec. 18.

The “Sisters in History Route” between Carson City and Virginia City was set to operate through Oct. 31, Nevada Day but due to popular demand as evidenced by many sold-out weekends, the season has been expanded for an additional six weeks, officials announced today.

It's auction and barbecue time again, this time around it's become a Carson City tradition. The 17th annual Kids Auction and World's Greatest Barbecue
benefitting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Nevada will be held on Saturday, Sept. 11, from 4-9 p.m.
Join more than 800 members of the community as they partake in excellent food and drinks, bid on silent and live auction items, and end the evening with a performance from local favorite Comstock Cowboys.

Dayton Valley Days Committee is welcoming entries to both the general parade on Saturday, September 18, and to the Pet Parade on Sunday, September 19, 2010. This year’s parade will feature retired Nevada State Archivist Guy Rocha and well-known Dayton Valley rancher Kay Winters as Grand Marshals. To register for either parade, see www.daytonvalleydays.org

A small brush fire near the Comstock RV Park in south Carson City has reportedly been extinguished as of about 6:10 this evening.
Carson City fire crews responded to the brush fire north of the RV park near Highway 395 and in the vicinity of Spooner Junction.
The call came into dispatch at about 5:55. Responding engines from Douglas County were called back as Carson City fire crews doused the small fire.
Fire engines that responded to the fire are now returning to their command posts, according to dispatch.

The V&T engine derailed last night at about 6:30 near Gold Hill after a series of heavy rains produced micro-mudslides, many of which may have flowed onto the V&T Railroad tracks.

by Scott Schrantz Source: http://aroundcarson.com/2010/07/18/station_grille_to_reopen

by Scott Schrantz Source: http://aroundcarson.com/2010/07/13/july_4th_in_carson Flickr user AgentADQ has put up some pictures of the July 4th fireworks show in Carson City this year.