construction

Last week it was revealed that the Carson City Board of Supervisors would be considering putting a question on the ballot to approve a quarter-cent sales tax to fund a downsized $28 million City Center Project, aka Nugget Project.

CARSON CITY – While Mitt Romney and Barack Obama were campaigning elsewhere today, Nevada Democrats and Republicans took up the battle for the presidency on their behalf.

Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev., held a telephone conference call to talk up Romney’s credentials as a “turnaround specialist” who will get the country back on track. He also criticized Obama for failing to get spending or the national deficit under control as he promised early on in his presidency.

On May 11, 2011 at approximately 6:43 a.m. hours, Nevada Highway Patrol was dispatched to a Flag Person that was struck by a Vehicle on SR 341 the Virginia City Highway.

Why has the latest version of the City Center project been crafted outside of public view?

The city's recent announcement states the project is now $28 million (excluding interest expense), replacing the $49 million (excluding interest) proposed in September 2011 primarily because the multi-level parking garage has been removed.

The public doesn't know who came up with this abrupt change. However, we do know there were no public meetings about this project shift and the Nugget/City Center Advisory Committee hasn't met since August 2011.

“Twelve Angry Men”

The Carson Valley Trails Association (CVTA) is making plans for the grand opening of the 16-mile Genoa Trail System, 10 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 12. This free event is open to the public and will take place at the Eagle Ridge Trailhead, located next to the green water tank, approximately 1.8 miles north of Genoa off of Jacks Valley Road on Eagle Ridge Road.

The Carson Valley Trails Association (CVTA) is making plans for the grand opening of the 16-mile Genoa Trail System, 10 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 12. This free event is open to the public and will take place at the Eagle Ridge Trailhead, located next to the green water tank, approximately 1.8 miles north of Genoa off of Jacks Valley Road on Eagle Ridge Road.

Carson City Sheriff's deputies arrested the following individuals over the weekend for felony allegations:

• Jeffrey David Volosin, 29, a Gardnerville man, for several warrants in his name: lewdness with a child under the age of 14 (two counts) and sexual assault on a child under 14 (five counts). These warrants were issued on the 24th of February out of Carson City. Bail has been set at $250,000.

CARSON CITY – A broader measure of Nevada’s unemployment picture, including those who have given up looking for work, showed slight but continued improvement through the first quarter of 2012, a federal report released today shows.

The rate in Nevada dropped from 22.7 percent in the four quarters through Dec. 31, 2011, to 22.3 percent through March 31, according to the quarterly report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

CARSON CITY – Nevada consumers purchased $3.2 billion worth of taxable goods in February, a 10.2 percent increase over February 2011 and the 20^th consecutive month of increases, the state Department of Taxation reported today.

CARSON CITY – A coalition of Native American tribes has filed a lawsuit in Nevada District Court seeking to overturn a ruling issued earlier this year by the state engineer granting nearly 84,000-acre-feet of groundwater in four rural eastern valleys to Las Vegas.

The Carson City Library Board of Trustees voted tonight to make a recommendation to the Carson City Board of Supervisors that the City Center Project be put on the ballot in November.

The board voted unanimously to forward the recommendation without a specific funding request, leaving that to the supervisors. Earlier this week, Supervisor Shelly Aldean said they are looking at a possible quarter-cent sales tax increase to fund the City Center Project, aka Nugget Project.

With the Washoe Tribe's offering and support of El Dorado County Supervisor Norma Santiago, a move is underway to rename Lakeview Commons Park at South Lake Tahoe in time for an official June 20 dedication, South Tahoe Now reports.
Given its 6,000 year history, the Washoe Tribe has presented the name Tahnu Leweh (Pronounced Tah-New Lay-Way) which, in native language, means "all the people's place." It is a name the Tribe would like to gift to El Dorado County and South Lake Tahoe as a symbol of peace, prosperity and goodness, said Darrel Cruz, Culture and Language Director for the Washoe Tribe.

There are enough nuggets buried inside the Nevada Appeal's follow-up story today on the Carson City Center Project — aka Nugget Project — to keep heads in this town spinning for a week.

CARSON CITY – A new study by the Pew Center on the States identifies Nevada as one of 16 states that did not publish a document between 2007 and 2011 that evaluated the effective of tax incentives.

The existing 2 percent Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT), which is up for renewal on the June 5, 2012 ballot, has funded a number of North Lake Tahoe public improvement projects and services since voters first authorized it in 1996.

The renewal, called Measure F, is not a tax increase and, if passed, would continue to be paid by lodging guests only via the TOT bed tax when they spend the night in North Lake Tahoe. North Lake Tahoe residents would not be taxed under Measure F.

Proponents and city officials fear the electorate's decision about City Center because when the record is examined, no impartial analysis can be produced justifying its necessity. Fact-based concerns have been raised by many, but intentionally ignored by city officials and proponents without careful analysis.

CARSON CITY – A member of the state Transportation Department Board of Directors questioned today the proposed selection process for a new agency director.

CARSON CITY – A lengthy legal dispute with the contractor who built the first phase of the Carson City freeway bypass was settled today for about $13.6 million by the Board of Examiners.

With $5.9 million in additional legal costs incurred by the state Department of Transportation to defend itself from the lawsuit filed by Ames Construction in 2008, the total cost to resolve the matter is $19.5 million.

The Carson Valley Trails Association (CVTA) needs volunteers for scheduled trail work days in April on the Fay-Luther and Genoa Trail systems. Anyone who is interested is welcome to participate; no previous trail building experience is required. Volunteers must wear long pants, long-sleeved shirt, hiking boots, work gloves and sunglasses. Tools and hard hats are provided. Bring food and water.

CARSON CITY – Nevada’s taxable sales climbed 4.8 percent in January to $3.15 billion, with increases in all major consumer categories except construction, the state Department of Taxation reported today.

It was the 19^th month of taxable sales increases in Nevada and brought the increase for the fiscal year 2012 to date to 7.2 percent. Taxable sales increased by 6.1 percent in Washoe County and 3.5 percent in Clark County in January.

The Carson City Parks and Recreation Department invites the public to attend an informational meeting on the acquisition of property for a future neighborhood park along Imus Road in north Carson City.

The meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 16, 5:30 - 7:30 P.M.m in the Bonanza Room at the Carson City Community Center.

The Nevada Department of Transportation is willing to relinquish at no cost to Carson City 12.21 acres of surplus property acquired for the construction of the Carson City Freeway for the development of a future neighborhood park along Imus Road.

CARSON CITY – A lengthy legal dispute with the contractor who built the first phase of the Carson City freeway bypass has been recommended for settlement at a cost to the state of nearly $14 million.

The Nevada Department of Transportation is recommending that the Board of Examiners approve the mediated settlement with Ames Construction at its meeting Tuesday.

On Feb. 15, 2012, Humboldt County Attorney Kenneth Bareilles was convicted of violating his felony probation, resulting from prior land use violations in 2011.
The case was prosecuted in two days by Deputy District Attorney Christa McKimmy of the Consumer and Environmental Protection unit.   

Here is the Carson City road maintenance and construction report for the week of March 26 to April 1.
Beginning Tuesday, March 27, through Thursday, March 29, Edmonds Drive will be closed to through traffic between Clearview Drive and Bennett Avenue. Detours will be marked. In addition, there will be striping activity near the National Guard at the Fairview Drive and Edmonds Drive intersection on Monday, March 26, and Tuesday, March 27. Minor delays are expected.

Carson City Sheriff's deputies made several felony arrests from Monday evening through Wednesday morning:

• Kameron Mariolo, 26, a Carson City resident, for use of another's identification, and a misdemeanor violation of alternative sentencing conditions. Mariolo allegedly used his older brother's information when officers requested his identification. Bail is set at $5,500.

"Billy" went to sweep those golden streets in heaven on March 11, 2012. Billy has lived in Carson City for 30 years. Where he worked in construction & in tree service. Bill is survived by Parent...

CARSON CITY – Nevada’s jobless rate fell from a revised 13 percent in December to 12.7 percent in January, down from 13.8 percent a year ago and a peak of 14 percent in October 2010. The number of unemployed Nevadans remained relatively flat at 174,700, but is down 16,300 from the same month last year.

The Nevada State Demographer’s Office, located at the University of Nevada, Reno College of Business, has released its 2011 population estimates. The state gained an estimated 17,152 people from July 2010 to July 2011, an estimated increase of 0.6 percent, about equivalent to the increase of 0.7 percent the prior year. Two years ago, the state lost 27,677 people, a decrease of about 1.0 percent.

Here is the Carson City road construction and maintenance report through March 4. There will be work at the following locations as a result of the Carson City Freeway Landscaping Project. No closures are expected, but traffic control will enforced. Work will be done at: