Fireworks

Gung Hay Fat Choy! Happy Chinese New Year; welcome to the year of yang, which could be a goat, a sheep, or a ram, depending on the translation. Time to reunite with family and loved ones and celebrate spring. New York City got in on the festivities with its first ever fireworks display for the Lunar New Year; I've included a YouTube video, just in case fireworks really are lucky.

The Pizza Factory on Hwy 50 East is holding a fundraiser for Eagle Valley Middle School today. 20% of the day’s proceeds will benefit their Parent Teacher Organization.

The governor may be the state’s most popular politician, but that doesn’t mean he can corral the firebrands in the Legislature. If history is any indicator of what’s to come, expect fireworks this session. These are some of the people, issues and places that will dominate the conversation in Carson...

Today’s hottest electronic dance music acts are coming to South Lake Tahoe for the fourth annual SnowGlobe Music Festival, Dec. 29-31.

EDM stars will align for a three-day sonic eclipse, mesmerizing concert-goers with days and nights filled with music, dancing, art, fire dancers and “big air” snow sports demonstrations.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is making preparations for the upcoming New Year’s Eve celebration at Lake Tahoe starting on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014.

Due to the ordinarily high volume of celebrants within the Stateline casino core area during the event, U.S. Highway 50 may be closed to vehicle traffic in the evening if necessary for public safety. If that should occur, vehicle traffic will be diverted around the Stateline casino core area using upper and lower Lake Parkway Drive.

Thursday night’s 7th Annual Blue Ribbon Awards was the largest yet with over 300 guests in attendance as individuals and businesses were recognized for their exemplary services, products and programs in the South Shore community. Produced by the Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce, also known as TahoeChamber, this prestigious awards program solicited nominations for six categories and eight total awards.

Over 175 nominations were received and 95 of those nominated joined their peers at the Nov. 13 awards ceremony at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe.

Rain in the valleys and snow in the Sierra hasn’t stopped the thousands of motorcycle riders from cruising through Northern Nevada this weekend for the Fall rally of Street Vibrations.

With stops in Carson City, Reno, Lake Tahoe and Virginia City, riders decked out in ponchos and extra layers are making their way through the region, taking the long and short rides in poker runs, competitions, demonstrations and exhibitions.

For the 29th year, the Nevada Rural Counties Retired Senior Volunteer Program, Inc. will sponsor the Nevada Day Carnival at Mills Park on Oct. 30 through Nov. 2, 2014, RSVP executive director Susan Haas announced Friday.

Earlier this year RSVP went all out over July 4 with a spectacular fireworks display, synchronized to music, to mark Nevada’s Sesquicentennial. For Nevada Day weekend, visitors can expect plenty of games, thrilling carnival rides and entertainment venues.

“We will have a lot more family fun and entertainment than ever before this year,” said Haas.

The Annual Street Vibrations event has begun and continues throughout Northern Nevada until Sunday, Sept. 28th. Carson City’s Harley Davidson Dealership at 2900 Research Way is holding their 14th Annual Bike Fest to celebrate on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 8:30am-9pm.

Live bands on two stages, Demonstrations by Liv Fast Moto Jumpers and Illconduct, a 5 acre beer garden, food court, and over 90 vendors are a part of the free party. The Carson City’s Sheriff’s Office will be there, as well, with an Advance Riding Show.

Fireworks will be at 8:30pm, Friday Sept. 26.

Visitors and locals alike will find a variety of activities to enjoy in South Lake Tahoe Sunday, culminating with the Annual Labor Day Fireworks show.

The show features a simultaneous music broadcast that can be heard on local stations KRLT-FM 93.9 and KOWL - AM 1490. Show begins at 8:30 p.m. The fireworks are visible from all over town.

Lucas McNamara, 7, was hiking around Griff Creek near Kings Beach Fire Station last week with his family when he saw a black, spiny fish, about 1-foot-long, lying dead in the creek. He ran up the creek bed, yelling, “Dad, you need to look at the big crazy fish!”

Lucas’ parents, Steve and Jen McNamara, decided to make this a teachable moment for their son, who already shows active interest in science and the environment.

“I told Lucas that this fish is not normal for Lake Tahoe and may be harmful to the other fish and animals in the lake,” Steve said.

More than 120 volunteers for the League to Save Lake Tahoe removed 2,260 pounds of trash from six of Tahoe’s most popular beaches on July 5, the day after tens of thousands of people flocked to the lake to enjoy the July 4th festivities.

The debris represented almost 10 cubic yards, or a dump truck full, of trash. It included over 3,000 cigarette butts, 1,200 cans, 800 glass and plastic bottles, and 320 plastic bags. Other cleanup projects also included a 17th annual one by K&K Services.

The Carson City Sheriff's Office reports 23 arrests over the holiday weekend period from Friday to Sunday, with a handful being for DUI and drug-related offenses.

Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong says the events this weekend at Mills Park generated a huge turnout, especially among families and by and large there were no major fights or crime-related incidents at the park.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office reports that the 2014, 4th of July celebration in Douglas County went well. The celebratory crowds in the Stateline, Round Hill and Zephyr Cove areas of Lake Tahoe were large and with exception of a few altercations in the downtown Casino Core area, Nevada Beach and Zephyr Cove Beach, the crowd was relatively well behaved. Motorists were cooperative with the road closures and traffic control required for the fireworks display.

While firefighters were putting out fires near the high school, the carnival side at Mills Park in Carson City was full of color as hundreds of spectators gazed at a dazzling array of pyrotechnics at this year's Fourth of July Celebration.

UPDATE: Carson City Battalion Chief John Arneson says there was one fire only near the fireworks area with firefighters coming from multiple locations to fight it. He said firefighters attacked the fire from three locations, extinguishing it within 20 to 30 minutes after it started.

The July 4 holiday weekend has arrived and there are plenty of activities going on today through the weekend around Carson City.

The Nevada Rural Counties RVSP carnival runs through the weekend at Mills Park. Tonight RSVP will host a spectacular fireworks celebration over Carson City to go along with its 22nd annual holiday carnival.

Independence Day is upon us and many of you will take to the roads to visit our local lakes, rivers and parks. Should you find yourself celebrating the holiday with adult beverages, remember to designate a driver or take a taxi cab home.

If you are boating, stay sober while on the water. Operating a watercraft on a crowded lake takes skill and reflexes to avoid crashes or injury to swimmers. Enjoying this time with friends and family can be fun however they are expecting you, their Captain, to get them back to dry land safely.

Many celebrations are scheduled statewide in the month of July. These Nevada 150 events help celebrate all things Nevada and bring awareness to the state’s 150th Anniversary of Statehood. The following events are held July 1 through July 12.

Fourth of July on the Comstock rocks. Virginia City offers one of the region’s longest firework displays. Echoing off Mt. Davidson for nearly 30 minutes, you'll feel the boom in your bones this July 4 as the fireworks soar high above the town and into Six Mile Canyon, making it visible from nearly anywhere in town.

Fire restrictions go into effect in the Lake Tahoe Basin beginning today, Thursday, June 26. Campfires and charcoal barbecues will be restricted to designated recreation sites, and other fire-related activities will be prohibited until the end of fire season.

“With record drought conditions in the West, agencies in both California and Nevada are anticipating increased fire activity,” said Fire Management Officer, Kit Bailey. “Fire restrictions help reduce the possibility of accidental human caused fires.”

On National Forest System land fire restrictions mean:

The July 4th holiday and fireworks celebrations always bring a welcomed influx of boaters to the Lake Tahoe Basin. With sunny skies and warm temperatures predicted for the 4th of July holiday week, boaters are urged to Clean, Drain and Dry their boats before arriving at the roadside inspection stations in Tahoe to avoid delays and decontamination fees. As a reminder, all stations close at 5:30 p.m., so please plan your travel accordingly.

The Fourth of July holiday weekend is the busiest time in the Lake Tahoe Basin. For those visiting during the weekend and attending one of the firework displays over the lake, expect extremely crowded conditions and excess traffic.

Last week, I wrote about the strong possibility of poor fishing this summer due to our prolonged drought period.
In addition to the possibility of poor fishing, be aware of the ever-increasing, serious fire danger surrounding us because of our current long daylight hours, hot weather, gusty afternoon winds, low humidity, bone-dry vegetation and dumb acts by humans. Not a good combination.

UPDATE: With the July 4 holiday weekend approaching, Nevada Rural Counties RVSP is planning a spectacular fireworks celebration over Carson City to go along with its 22nd annual holiday carnival at Mills Park.

Fire restrictions will begin Friday on public land throughout western Nevada, eastern California and the Sierra, according to the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.

Below-average precipitation this winter and spring and a third consecutive year of drought have led to abnormally low soil-and-fuel moistures, increasing the potential for large and potentially devastating wildfires, the agencies announced.

South Lake Tahoe area agencies have partnered to launch an Adopt-a-Beach-Tahoe program that will coordinate beach clean-up dates regularly from June 15 to Sept. 15, 2014.

The City of South Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, League to Save Lake Tahoe, the US Forest Service Basin Management Unit, and Douglas County have developed the theme, “Caring is Cool - Lake Tahoe’s clarity starts with you, and there are a number of ways to help!”

The Carson City Sheriff's Office Mounted Unit will host training sessions for reserve officers Wednesday through Sunday at Silver Saddle Ranch and Fuji Park.

The private training sessions may include use of fireworks and simulated gunfire, said Joe Bruno, commander of the CCSO Mounted Unit. The public should take note and not be alarmed, he said.

The video clip below shows some of last year's training maneuvers.

The Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority announced Tuesday that an agreement has been reached to dismiss the lawsuit ensuring South Lake Tahoe’s future fireworks celebrations will continue.

“Preserving the 4th of July and Labor Day shows and keeping Lake Tahoe and its beaches clean are of the utmost importance to our community,” said LTVA Executive Director Carol Chaplin.

The message to Joseph and Joan Truxler is simple and clear: Meet with us, come up with a solution and drop your lawsuit by April 4. If the suit isn't dropped by then the South Lake Tahoe 4th of July Fireworks display will be canceled.