public works

CARSON CITY – A Republican state senator has proposed his own idea for job creation: A break on the modified business tax for new employees hired by employers after July 1, 2011.
Sen. James Settelmeyer, R-Gardnerville, said Senate Bill 199 would exempt new employees hired by Nevada businesses from the tax as an incentive to add workers to their payrolls. Co-sponsors include five other Republican lawmakers. The measure was introduced Monday.

The Carson City Board of Supervisors this week will consider whether to hire a special deputy district attorney to represent the public works department after a construction firm contracted to do $1.9 million in work has claimed overriding costs of $1.7 million.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Democratic legislative leaders today announced they will pursue legislation to ensure Nevadans are employed on state or local government public works projects.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Construction industry groups advocating for a tax increase to fund public works projects around the state to help put people back to work made their pitch to a legislative committee today, but the Building Jobs Coalition proposal faces opposition from Gov. Brian Sandoval.

Here is the Carson City area construction and maintenance road report for this week provided by the city's Public Works Department:

On Monday, Jan. 31, the outside southbound lane of Stewart Street will be closed between 2nd and 3rd Streets between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. because of work on state property.

On Thursday Feb. 3 the intersection of Musser and Curry streets, as well as Musser Street between Curry and Carson streets, will be closed from 8 p.m. through 6 a.m. Friday morning, Feb. 4 because of utility work.  

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – A coalition of construction industry groups today advocated for a tax increase to fund public works projects around the state to help put people back to work.
The Building Jobs Coalition presented its proposal, called the “Creating 100,000 Jobs” report, in press conferences in both Las Vegas and Reno.

Some good news from the Burning Man folks. Maybe some critics swill have second thoughts. Black Rock City, LLC, the organization that hosts the annual Burning Man event, has announced it will donate $97,200 in proceeds from ice sales at the 2010 event to various charitable, art and service organizations in Northern Nevada.

CARSON CITY – Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford has sent an email to supporters and constituents suggesting the next two-year state budget is facing an attack from “extreme right-wing” interests who will use the current economic crisis to “dismantle our state.”

Rain has turned to snow tonight as a strong winter storm continues to bring a mix of precipitation to the Carson City area and heavy snow at Lake Tahoe.

A winter weather advisory is in effect until 10 a.m. Monday morning for the Carson City region, while a winter storm warning continues at Lake Tahoe until 4 p.m., according to the National Weather Service in Reno.

Carson City and Carson Valley regions can expect about 2 to 4 inches of snow overnight, while Tahoe is expected to receive several more feet, especially in areas above 7,000 feet.

Earlier Sunday wind and rain caused a number of problems, including downed trees and minor flooding.

At 4:25 p.m., a large tree crashed into two vehicles on Nelson Lane near Bunch Way in Carson City. Tree limbs are reportedly also resting on homes, according to police dispatch. Meanwhile high winds that whipped through the area earlier this afternoon brought down another large tree in the area of Sherman Lane.

Water ponding has been reported throughout town, both the east and west sides, and around Highway 50 near the old Scolari's. Roof leaks have even been reported at the Carson City Sheriff's Office at 911 Musser Street.

Back-to-back weather systems moving into the Carson City area today has prompted the National Weather Service in Reno to issue a winter weather advisory through 3 a.m. Monday morning.

UPDATE 4 p.m.: Mount Rose Highway continues to remain closed because of weather conditions. And there is a wind advisory for the Carson City region. Go to Carsonweather.com for the latest.

The Carson City road report for the week includes some street closures for the annual Silver and Snowflake Festival on Thursday, the public works department reports.

The event and parade will take place from 5:30 to 8 p.m., and will include the following street closures:
— Carson Street from Robinson Street to Fifth Street
— West Musser Street from North Carson Street to North Nevada Street

A third punch of snow overnight in Carson City brought a few spinouts, minor accidents, downed power lines and traffic delays this morning. In one accident, a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper sustained injuries after a car lost control and slid into his parked SUV.

With trees shedding their leaves, Carson City Public Works will be out in mass this week picking up bagged and bundled garden and lawn debris.

Beginning today through Friday crews will pick up all that your trees leave behind if you had signed up last week. If you have and to ensure your debris is picked up, public works asks residents on the list to place the material near the curb in plain view beginning today, Monday morning, at 7:30 a.m.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Senate Democrats are running a slate of candidates across the state in the hopes of winning a 14-seat, veto-proof majority for the upcoming 2011 session.
But Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, said he does not expect it to happen, and he has not discounted the possibility of the GOP winning the majority.

Chainsaws are buzzing around Carson City this morning following Sunday's storm that whipped the area with average wind gusts of 40-plus mph and more than an inch-and-a-half of rain.

The city's public works and road department have been canvassing the town this morning, looking for stray limbs and branches that have covered the roads. Homeowners with chainsaws have been seen hacking up much of the stray branches, which block driveways and straddle fence posts.

Monday morning's Carson City commute may bring with it some debris-dodging following Sunday's wind and rain storm. The Carson City Public Works Department will have no doubt worked throughout the night clearing the streets. Give 'em a wave for their efforts if you see them on the streets.

Driving wind that snapped tree limbs and caused power glitches earlier today turned to heavy rain earlier tonight with gusty winds, that prompted the National Weather Service in Reno to issue flood and high wind warnings for the Carson City region. Both have since expired.

For the latest weather radar reports and updates go to www.carsonweather.com. At 4:14 this afternoon the National Weather Service in Reno issued the flood warning for Carson City and much of the region. Carson City has received about an inch and half of rain since the storm began this morning.

Here's a video by Scott Schrantz at aroundcarson.com.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVgsXfVWbSQ&feature=youtu.be&hd=1

According to dispatch earlier today, law officers, fire crews as well as public works at the scene of a downed power line in West Carson City were told to keep their hard hats on because of flying debris.

Meanwhile dispatch reports localized flooding tonight throughout the city, especially in low-lying areas. Leaf and tree limb-clogged drainages along city streets appear to be the main problem. High winds picked up at about 9:30 tonight after a brief period of calm.

Two readers in the Century Circle area report large trees toppled in their neighborhood.

An apple tree came down on a vehicle and possibly hit a person on Century Circle, the reader reports. Also on Century Circle near Airport Road, another reader reports at 11:30 that a toppled tree took down a fence and covers the street and a vehicle.

Dispatchers received a call at about 9:30 of a tree limb blocking the road at Thompson and San Marcus streets.

At 7:55 tonight a transformer reportedly was blown in the 200 block of South Richmond near Annapolis in Carson City. Power was apparently out in the neighborhood and flames were reportedly seen.

Saliman Road was closed at 7:20 tonight extending from Fifth Street to Fairview because of flooding. Elsewhere, a home has reportedly been flooded in the 500 block of Ruby Lane.

CARSON CITY – Members of the Republican Assembly Caucus today called on state Labor Commissioner Michael Tanchek to delay implementation of a new prevailing wage rate in Nevada until the Legislature has an opportunity to review the methodology.
The caucus is concerned a flawed process resulted in the new prevailing wage rate that took effect Oct. 1. There is a 30-day period to file an objection.

A plan to put up some new signs to spruce up a revitalized and remodeled Carson Mall is on the Carson City Planning Commission agenda on Wednesday.
The Carrington Company, which owns the mall, is asking the city to allow for more signs on the front and back ends of the mall, at the 1313 South Carson Street and the 1457 South Carson Street entrances.

Around 30 representatives from law enforcement, emergency management and the Carson City Health and Human Services Office conducted a test run today of its portable emergency facility designed for health emergencies such as mass casualty disasters.

The 20 foot by 40 foot inflatable facility, which would serve as a temporary morgue, underwent the test to activate an HVAC cooling system, said Pam Graber, public information officer for the Carson City Health and Human Services Office.

By now, you have probably heard about the fiasco in Bell, Calif., where city officials were being paid outrageous salaries while cutting services and raising taxes.

When the manager of a city of 36,000 residents takes home almost $800,000 a year, that's going to raise some eyebrows. And how did he and other city executives get these salaries? The elected officials in Bell gave it to them, along with $100,000 annual salaries for themselves, for their part-time jobs.

The Carson City permit center will be closed Wednesday through Friday, Aug. 4 to Aug. 6, while the permit center facilities are being moved to 108 E. Proctor Street. The permit center will reopen at its new location on Monday, Aug. 9.

The permit center handles all permits relating to the Building, Business License, Engineering and Planning Divisions of the Public Works Department. The Building Division will continue to conduct scheduled building permit inspections during the office closure. The permit center is currently located at 2621 Northgate Lane.

A flash flood warning issued for Carson City has expired but continues through 6:15 p.m. in central Douglas County, according to the National Weather Service in Reno. Rain and heavy winds have punched the region, with reports of power outages in east and west Carson City.

In addition, the westbound lane of Highway 50 going up to Spooner Summit is closed, with Nevada Highway Patrol diverting traffic. No word yet on the cause for the closure.

A power line snapped and a transformer is down in the area of Spear and Nevada streets near Division. Carson City fire crews and the Carson City Sheriff's Office closed portions of traffic in the area. The downed power lines did not arc and were not live on the ground, according to fire personnel on the scene.

Though the weather sure doesn't seem like it lately, summer is around the corner.
And with the change in seasons, it also means daytime heat will arrive that is sure to shrivel grass and gardens fast without adequate watering.
Therefore, Carson City has announced annual water restrictions that begin on June 1 and will last through Sept. 30.
The water schedule is three days per week; the last number of your address determines your odd or even status.

A screening of the public television documentary "Liquid Assets: The Story of Our Water Infrastructure" will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday May, 20 in the Carson City Library Auditorium, 900 N. Roop St, Carson City. The event will be hosted by the American Society of Civil Engineers – Capital Branch.

The screening will be followed by a community discussion with Mark Brethauer P.E., a Senior Project Manager with Carson City Public Works. The event is free and open to the public.

Various road construction projects will be causing delays and closures next week, with some working continuing even longer.

Here is the list of projects for next week, via Carson City Public Works Department:

Road Report as of May 7, 2010. The following information applies to the period of May 10 - 16, 2010:

The Nevada Department of Transportation will begin work to add a third northbound lane on US 395 between Jacks Valley Road and Lupin Drive. The following activity is expected for this project.

Today's Nevada Appeal has a story about how a developer has been selected for the Carson Nugget downtown redevelopment project.

The story mentioned that the developer, P3 Development, built the $64 million Stockton Events Center while Mark Lewis was that city's manager.

But that understates the ties between Lewis and the developer. Looking at the projects listed on P3's website, a large part of their work seems to stem from the City of Stockton, and happened during Lewis' tenure.

Carson City Public Works tech Jason Moore puts loose limbs into a wood chipper this morning on King Street. High winds overnight and early this morning of nearly 50 mph on the west side of town to more than 70 mph just outside the city limits blew lots of dead and dying tree limbs and debris to the ground, public works reported.

Carson City Sheriff's Office reports some calls were made to the department regarding downed trees. One large tree limb smashed into a fence and blocked part of the road at Ash Canyon and Ormsby. Public Works removed the debris earlier this morning.

Carson City Board of Supervisors have a heavy agenda this week as they try to close a $10 million budget deficit.

Water and sewer rate hikes may move a step closer Thursday when the Carson City Board of Supervisors will hear plans to issue up to $32 million in general obligation water bonds over 30 years.

CARSON CITY – As the Nevada Legislature plodded through the first day of a special session called to erase a nearly $900 million