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National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Jane Chu announced Tuesday that the Capital City Arts Initiative is one of 919 nonprofit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant.

CCAI is recommended for a $10,000 grant to support an exhibition by artist Katie Lewis in the CCAI Courthouse Gallery. Ms. Lewis’ show will open in September 2015.

USA Today readers, who in recent years have picked Tahoe as America's favorite lake and ski destination, now have Carson City as an option to choose in a contest to find the best travel worthy state capital.

Now through Jan. 5, 2015, readers can pick their favorite state capital city destination by casting a vote. Each week USA Today online asks readers to help pick the "10 Best" in a single category which can range from food, lodging and destinations to travel gear and things to do. Travel experts select the 20 top nominees and then readers like you make the final selections.

The success of the pilot program for fire cameras at Lake Tahoe has prompted the University of Nevada, Reno’s Nevada Seismological Laboratory to pursue funding to build out its fire camera network that rings the majestic mile-high lake.

“We’ve seen the system avert potentially large fires this summer at Tahoe, even with its minimal presence,” Graham Kent, director of the Nevada Seismological Laboratory, said of the prototype system with its four cameras. “It makes sense to build this system out now to help protect the basin from devastating fires.”

“Come Together” at the Brewery Arts Center on Dec. 12 for this Holiday celebration with The Beatles Flashback Band. Your "Ticket to Ride" is available at the door of the Performance Hall and at the Brewery Art Center office for $15 general admission, $12 for seniors and BAC members, and $8 for kids 12 years and under; children under 6 are free.

Get in a jazzy holiday mood during this elegant and upbeat evening with CeCe Gable and her exceptional band in the Brewery Arts Center Performance Hall on Saturday, Dec. 20. Prepare for “visions of Sugarplums” with traditional holiday tunes and striking musical performances, some with a bit of holiday mischief, all artful. Doors open 6:20 p.m., the concert starts at 7 p.m. No-host Bar. Ticket prices at the door or pre-purchased at the Brewery Arts Center are $18 general admission, $15 for seniors and BAC members, $10 for kids 12 years and under.

Don't miss the Blanchette School of Irish Dance's Celtic Christmas on Dec. 13, 2014, 7 p.m. in the MHJ Black Box Theater at the Brewery Arts Center. Tickets are $8 for BAC members, $10 in advance, $15 at the door. You can purchase tickets online here.

Charter Communications will open its newly relocated retail store in Carson City. The existing Charter store, located at 284 E. Winnie Lane, will close at 2 p.m. Saturday and will reopen Monday at a new, larger facility, at 3745 N. Carson Street.

"Beyond a new, larger location, the new store allows for hands-on demonstrations of Charter’s products, said Kim Haas, regional communications director for Charter.

Available online or by download, the Buy Nevada holiday catalog highlights businesses that are Buy Nevada members.

The 2nd Annual Ladies Night out Fundraiser for Wendy Robards Universal Dream Park Foundation will be Thursday, Dec. 4 at Fuji Park in South Carson City. Believe me you don't want to miss all the action.

Well, the weather forecasters got it wrong today, but that's OK. They usually do get it right. What was supposed to be rain in Carson City, forecasted by the National Weather Service, has been, mostly wet, slushy snow and snow showers, beginning at around 11 this morning, then falling as rain and then picking up late this afternoon and early this evening as snow.

Lake Tahoe Community College has submitted a proposal to the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office to be considered for a four-year degree pilot program, allowing up to 15 community colleges the opportunity to offer one 4-year degree each for starters. After considering multiple options, LTCC's Baccalaureate Degree Steering Committee ultimately chose to propose offering a Public Safety Administration degree.

UPDATE: Light snow began falling in Carson City late this morning as temperatures hovered in the low 30s. A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for Lake Tahoe and the Sierra this afternoon as a strong weather system pushes through the region. The Carson City area can expect plenty of rain from the storm, the first significant storm of the season.

Ring in the New Year early during a fun-filled New York New Year’s Eve Celebration at the Carson Plaza Event Center on Wednesday, Dec. 31 from 6 to 10 p.m.

Join the Friends of the Carson City Library and the Library Foundation for a delicious buffet dinner, dancing, no host cocktails, live and silent auctions, raffle, and a balloon drop with a champagne toast to bring in the new year on New York time.

It's a Holiday Treat for all: A feast of seasonal and holiday entertainment in many styles. The Carson City Symphony presents the 31st annual Holiday Treat concert on Sunday, December 14, 4 p.m., at the Bob Boldrick Theater in the Carson City Community Center, 851 E. William Street.

Thanksgiving holiday travelers heading back home over the Sierra can expect unsettled weather throughout the day, with rain and high elevation snow, according to the National Weather Service.

The region's finest Nevada-made art will be featured Saturday, Dec. 6 at St. Mary’s Art Center in Virginia City with its first Artists and Artisans Art Faire on the Comstock.

Not only will all galleries be filled with art, the entire building will be full of local artists and creative folk from all over the Comstock region, showing and selling their work. The faire will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The art works range in style, medium, size and price from $5 to $8,000, so there will be something for everyone’s holiday shopping budget.

Valley rain and mountain snow is in the forecast through much of Saturday morning, as a precipitation band makes its way through the region.

Rain and snow are in the forecast this weekend, prompting a Wind Advisory extending through the Sierra and into the Carson City region, according to the National Weather Service in Reno. A larger weather system is expected to move into the region after Monday.

Winds will begin to increase Friday morning along the Sierra Front and continue through Saturday morning. Gusts will be from the southwest, 20 to 50 mph with 60 mph gusts in wind prone areas, according

The Carson Chamber Singers, directed by Michael Langham, continues its 30th season with a pair of Christmas concerts in Reno and Sacramento. The first concert will be on Friday, Dec. 5, at 7:30 p.m., at Trinity Episcopal Church, 200 Island Ave. in Reno.

The program will be repeated in Sacramento on Sunday, December 7, at 7 p.m., at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, 2391 St. Marks Way. For the Sunday concert, the St. Mark's Chancel Choir and the St. Mark's Singers will join in performance with the Carson Chamber Singers.

Here's your last chance to order a pie for Thanksgiving and help those in the community. The deadline for "Pies to the Rescue" has been extended through Tuesday, Nov. 25, organizers say. Support families in need this holiday season as dozens of Northern Nevada’s best chefs, from local restaurants, donate their time and talent to bake fabulous Thanksgiving pies for the 4th annual event.

Employees at Cactus Jack's Casino will hold a memorial for Mike Shields this Tuesday, Nov. 25 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. inside the Poker Room at Cactus Jack's at 420 North Carson St., Carson City.

Shields died Nov. 11 after being struck in a crosswalk by a motorcycle as he was returning from Cactus Jack's, where he was an employee. The accident remains under investigation. The Nevada Highway Patrol has had difficulty in locating the family of Mr. Shields. Friends say Shields would have celebrated a birthday Tuesday.

The story below is from Bob Wilkie, a friend of Shields:

Hello Carson City! Time again for the weekend event update brought to you by I love Carson City. I Love Carson City is a Facebook page dedicated to all there is to get involved with and do in the Carson City area. Not everyone is on Facebook, or wants to be, but you do NOT need to sign up to see the information.

Western Nevada Musical Theatre Company’s production of “My Fair Lady” has been hugely successful playing to nearly sold out consecutive shows.
The Reno News and Review gives it five stars: "Fortunately, this production’s lush settings, gorgeous costumes, impressive choreography and talented performers all combine for a show that does everything right."
Three shows remain before the final curtain closes on Sunday, Nov. 23. The shows are in the Bob Boldrick Theater at the Carson City Community Center.

The Reno-Sparks NAACP this week asked the Nevada State Assembly Republican Caucus to reconsider its recent unanimous election of Assemblymember Ira Hansen, R-Sparks, as speaker of the lower house for the 2015 legislative session.

"We were very disappointed by the decision," stated Reno-Sparks Branch President Jeffrey Blanck.

"We understand that the caucus has many newly elected members who may not be as familiar with Mr. Hansen's past as we are. They need to know he has beaten the drum of intolerance for decades," Blanck said.

With increased consumer demand for locally grown food, berries are a lucrative yet challenging crop to grow in Nevada. Western Nevada College Specialty Crop Institute offers a Commercial Berry Production workshop on Saturday, Dec. 6, 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., at the WNC Carson City Campus, 2201 West College Parkway, Carson City. Cost is $35 for those registering by November 30, $45 afterward. Lunch is included, and seating is limited.

Rediscover the amazing adaptations of the snow plant, one of the botanical specimens collected by John C. Frémont’s team on their 1843-44 expedition crossing the Sierras, at the Nevada State Museum on Thursday, Nov. 20 presented by Pat King, PhD. as part of the Francis Humphrey Lecture Series. Early arrival is recommended for "The Mysterious Snow Plant." The doors open at 6 p.m.; lecture to commence at 6:30 p.m. Museum admission is $8 for non-members and those over 17 years old.

The everyday use of a GPS device might be to find your way around town or even navigate a hiking trail, but for two physicists, the Global Positioning System might be a tool in directly detecting and measuring dark matter, so far an elusive but ubiquitous form of matter responsible for the formation of galaxies.

The Annual Silver and Snowflakes Festival of Lights and Official Tree Lighting tonight, Friday, Dec. 5. is more than just flipping on the holiday lights in downtown Carson City; Santa, carolers, soup, hot chocolate, and ice skating all play a part in the fun.

The Itinerary for the festival is as follows:

It's the best of the season in one spectacular experience. Join Youth Theater Carson City for their extravaganza of holiday song and dance, featuring traditional holiday music as well as selections from Disney’s Frozen, The Nutcracker, White Christmas, Glee, and much more. It’s a new holiday tradition for the whole family.

What's a Thanksgiving without pie? Support families in need this holiday season as dozens of Northern Nevada’s best chefs, from local restaurants, donate their time and talent to bake fabulous Thanksgiving pies for the 4th Annual Pie to the Rescue.

Choose from three delicious pies, pumpkin, pecan or apple, place your order and then pick up your pies, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2014, just in time for Thanksgiving. This year proceeds benefit the Northern Nevada Dream Center, Carson Valley Community Food Closet, the Family Vision Food Truck and the Ron Wood Community Essentials Food Bank.