nature

CARSON CITY – Nevada’s casinos returned to their winning ways in April, posting a statewide total win of $855.7 million for a 6.2 percent gain over April 2011, the Gaming Control Board reported today.

Clark County overall was up 8.9 percent in April to $743.7 million while the rest of the state did not fare as well. Washoe County was down 15.5 percent, South Lake Tahoe was down 4.4 percent and Elko County was down 2.3 percent.

Carson City Sheriff's deputies arrested the following individuals based on felony allegations:

• Rex Warren, 31, a Stagecoach man, at about 2:30 p.m. Monday. Warren was arrested for parole obsconder as well as four misdemeanor failure to appear warrants in his name and obstructing or resisting an officer. Because of the nature of the felony allegation, no bail has been set and extradition is in process.

ALMANOR LAKE, CALIF:
Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500) (www.shastacascade.com) reports:
Fish are active and conditions are perfect.
The surface temps are averaging 59 degrees, and climbing to 61.5 degrees by midday. Clarity is very good, to 13.5 ft. Still cool enough on the surface to still be holding some nice Kings on the west side. 2 salmon were caught trolling Almanor West up to 2 lbs.
Trolling has been more effective than bait fishing deep holes and should remain that way until surface temps really spike. Like above 65 degrees.

Here is this week's fishing report for rivers, lakes and streams in Nevada, Northern California and the Sierra. This fishing report is for the week of May 30 to June 5, 2012.

CARSON CITY – Sixty state lawmakers and legislative candidates who responded to a survey on government transparency largely favor new laws requiring the Legislature to follow the Open Meeting Law and mandating expanded reporting of spending on legislators by lobbyists.

The dark clouds were threatening, and it was a bit breezy, but most of the core group of polo riders rode down to the old bank for the first game of the year regardless. The gang has been itching to play for months, ever since the early sunsets of autumn that finally shut down the games last year.

Here is this week's fishing report for rivers, lakes and streams in Nevada, Northern California and the Sierra. This report is for the week of May 9, 2012.

Here is this week's fishing report and a reminder that Saturday, April 28 is the Opening Day of California lake, river and stream fishing. This report covers water ways throughout Northern California, the Sierra, Nevada and Southern Oregon. To learn more about opening day or to get a California fishing license, go here.

CARSON CITY – U.S. Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., today sent a letter to the chairmen and ranking members of both the Senate and House Committees on Appropriations asking them to continue defunding the proposed high level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain.

CARSON CITY - This time of year is a perfect occasion to Be a Force of Nature and the Nevada Division of Emergency Management is proud to be promoting severe weather preparedness week. To help spread the word and make its employees and members of the community better prepared, the Nevada Division of Emergency Management is committed to being a leader for weather-readiness by knowing the risk, taking action and being an example.

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.

Rehabilitated through Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care, a total of six orphaned bear cubs have been returned to the wild this spring, ending the California Department of Fish and Game's 2012 yearling bear release program.
The cubs were found in various locations around the state in the summer months of 2011 and were rehabilitated at Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care prior to being judged ready to return to the wild. The state program is ongoing and will continue as new cubs come into the facility.

Show season is finally upon us. Freaks of Nature would like to request your presence at the 1st Annual Sheriff's Showdown. Held at Harley Davidson of Carson City. Registration is from 9-11am and trophies at 3pm. This event is Open to all makes and models, including bikes! Registration is $15. There will be Live Music, Food provided by Dickie's BBQ, Art by Air Face Painting by Lynzie, Fresh Lemonade, Les Schwab Tires and many more vendors. We even brought out the bounce house for the kids. And don't forget to buy your raffle tickets, as we will have tons of prizes to be won!

As Spring tries to peak through the cold mist of the Sierra Mountain Range, a small ray of hope blossoms in the trees.

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.

As Mother Nature likes to remind us, we live in a very windy place.

So, you might be interested in seeing this animated map showing how the wind is blowing nationwide, in real time.

Mother Nature and the lucky Leprechaun found powder at the end of the rainbow with a late season storm that dropped 5-9 feet of new snow at Tahoe South resorts this past weekend, which will provide great spring skiing conditions through Easter and beyond. Forecasts predict sunny skies throughout the week.

CARSON CITY – Bill Raggio, a lion of Nevada politics and the state’s longest-serving state senator, passed away during a trip to Australia on Thursday. He was 85.

Officials from around the state expressed sorrow and sympathy for Raggio’s family when news of the loss of the highly-regarded lawmaker was first reported by Las Vegas Sun columnist Jon Ralston early today.

Longtime family friend Greg Ferraro told Ralston: “Officially, Bill Raggio passed away last night at 10pm PST of respiratory illness in Sydney Australia. Funeral arrangements are pending.”

Last Friday, Elaine and I, together with my cousin Lorraine and her husband Bob Scholes of Dayton, Nevada, took a memorable ride on the “Tram,” high in the mountains above Palm Springs, Calif.
Earlier, Elaine and I had convoyed with Sal and Catali Quilici of Dayton to visit Don and Norma Reasons at one of their friends’ home, located across from the ninth green at the PGA West – Stadium Golf Course in La Quinta.

Recognized for stewardship and care taken in the building and construction of developments around Lake Tahoe, the 22nd annual Best in the Basin awards were announced Tuesday by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.
The TRPA, which sets policy for development around Lake Tahoe, will recognize the winners, listed below, during the 2011 Best in the Basin awards presentation during the meeting of its Governing Board on Wednesday, Feb. 22 in Stateline. Go here for the agenda.

If you ever thought your dog had a future on the stage, look no further. The Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival in Incline Village, NV announces auditions for “Crab” – the dog who plays an important and loving role in William Shakespeare’s "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" which will be performed from July 13 – August 26, 2012 at Sand Harbor State Park.

February 09, marks a special day in the life of yours truly.

It is my one-year anniversary writing about the Great Outdoors at Internet website Carson Now.

Time certainly flies when you are having fun, and it has been both a totally enjoyable and a totally memorable year of writing about all kinds of activities in the Great Outdoors, both near and far away.

CARSON CITY – When state Sen. Greg Brower asked the Attorney General’s office earlier this month about the $6 million in outside legal costs incurred so far in defending the state in a freeway construction dispute, he said his motives were purely fiscal in nature.

CARSON CITY – State Sen. Greg Brower, R-Reno, has asked Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto why an outside legal firm was retained to defend the state against a freeway construction dispute. Legal costs charged to the state will total $6 million by the end of an arbitration hearing set for next month.

I spotted this eagle high up in a tree watching me during my walk...You'll be surprised what you see if you take the time to look.

Northstar California did up things well Tuesday (name change, used to be "at-Tahoe") by officially opening its new multimillion dollar Zephyr lodge at the top of Zephyr lift and a new chairlift, the Promised Land Express. The new quad chair services two new trails. This completes a spending program of $30 million on upgrades, trails and support activities at the Lake Tahoe resort.

The soaring atrium of the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center at the University of Nevada, Reno has an unconventional tree on display this holiday season. Some would call it a green tree, not just because of its color, but because the tree is made entirely of recycled materials – old books.

The 9.5-foot tree was constructed using pre-1950 National Union Catalog books. The rarely used reference books made an ideal book tree, with their evergreen covers and gold lettering on the spine.

With Wednesday being Nov. 30, and with all of the crazy “Black Friday” shopping madness now safely behind us, we can begin, once again, to think rationally about ideas for Christmas gifts for that special person(s) in our lives.
So, if you were not part of that frenzied mob scene on the day after Thanksgiving, or if you are still scratching your head about what to get for that person, here are some “Don Q” suggestions for Christmas gifts:
Any one or more of these could create a very enjoyable Christmas.

Here is the fishing report for the week of Oct. 26 to Nov. 2. This report covers rivers, streams and lakes in Nevada, the Sierra, Northern California and Southern Oregon.

Here is this week's fishing report through Oc. 26 for Nevada, Northern California, the Sierra and Southern Oregon.