Washington

George Washington, American Hero

CARSON CITY, NEVADA-Carson City Library and the Carson City Historical Society will present Michael Thomas on Wednesday, February 22nd. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. This program will examine the life of the Father of our Country, George Washington. It is the story of a gentleman farmer who was moved to action and service for his country when he was needed most. His life demonstrated the true meaning of the phrase “Duty, Honor, Country.”

Jill Kinmont Boothe, the former ski champion and Olympic hopeful who was left paralyzed after a skiing accident in Utah in 1955 and whose life story was the subject of the film "The Other Side of the Mountain" and a subsequent sequel, died Thursday at Carson Tahoe Hospital in Carson City, the Los Angeles Times reports. She was 75.
Ruth Rhines, senior deputy coroner of Carson City, confirmed that Boothe died. A cause of death wasn't given and Rhines could not confirm reports that Boothe died of complications related to surgery.

Ronald McDonald is a well known supporter of children, education and of course entertainment! On Saturday, February 25, 2012, he will be visiting the Carson City Library to read a book and also present a Flea Circus! The reading and performance will take place in the library’s auditorium at 10:30 a.m., and all ages are welcome and invited to come.

Carson City District Attorney Neil Rombardo met with Senator Harry Reid, Senator Dean Heller, Representative Shelly Berkeley, and Representative Joe Heck on Capitol Hill today to urge continued support of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and Fight Crime and Invest in Kids, an anti-crime organization dedicated to early childhood crime prevention.

CARSON CITY – About 500 Republicans in the capital city participated in the First in the West GOP caucus today, hearing from candidate representatives and learning the rules as early returns suggested favorite Mitt Romney would win the contest handily.

Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich were battling for second place.

Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., the new representative for the 2^nd Congressional District, urged caucus goers to support the GOP nominee whoever it might be if they truly want change in Washington, DC.

CARSON CITY – A national Republican official said today Nevada’s economic landscape has changed dramatically since the state went for President Obama in 2008, and increasing GOP voter registrations in the battleground state are evidence of dissatisfaction with his administration.

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Michael Salogga
Business Resource Innovation Center
108 East Proctor Street
Carson City, Nevada 89701
msalogga@carson.org

Millions Could Overlook Valuable Tax Credit

CARSON CITY, NEVADA-Millions of workers could overlook a special federal tax credit because they don't know about it. As a result, they could miss out on up to $5,751 extra in their federal income tax refunds through the Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC. Last year, on average, the credit boosted refunds for eligible workers by $2,100.

In partnership with Gold Dust West, we’re going to stir the pot this year with our brand new luncheon series where you will hear from interesting personalities who will enlighten you on a variety of subjects to make you better informed.

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 Sheriff's deputies Kelli Deann Owen-Self, 48, a Dayton woman, for a felony no-bail probation violation at around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday evening in the 1600 block of Medical Parkway. When the officer arrived, Owen-Self allegedly smelled heavily of alcohol. No bail is set.

At approximately 4 p.m. Tuesday an emergency call was placed from the Warm springs Correctional Facility regarding an officer assaulted by two inmates. The officer was described as having some bleeding but being fully alert. The emergency call was then cancelled.

UPDATE 510PM: Fire burns more than 3,000 acres with zero containment; 4,000 evacuated; no count on home and structure losses.

At 4:40 pm this afternoon, Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, under his constitutional and statutory authority, made a state declaration of emergency which qualifies local governments for federal assistance associated with this event. The National Guard is on standby at the request of Sandoval and Washoe County. California has also provided fire assistance as part of a Governor to Governor agreement with Jerry Brown. “Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been and are being affected by this fire,” Sandoval said. “Declaring a state of emergency ensures that every resource from the local, state and federal level is available to assist. The Nevada Division of Forestry and the Department of Public Safety have also engaged with local responders.” Additionally, Nevada has been approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG). As a result, Nevada is eligible for up to 75 percent funding assistance for eligible costs. The request was made by the Nevada Division of Forestry on behalf of Washoe County at the onset of the fire.

More below the fold.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife, along with state and federal agencies, will jointly host a stakeholder update and engagement session on issues related to the conservation and management of Sage-grouse.  
The meeting will be held January 18 at 2 p.m. in Carson City at the Nevada Legislative Building at 401 South Carson Street in room CC1214.
The meeting will be linked via video conference to Elko at Great Basin College located at 1500 College Parkway, High Tech Center, Room 121 and to Las Vegas at the Grant Sawyer Building on 555 East Washington Avenue, Room 4412E.

Back when I used to write staff editorials for "the newspaper" some years ago, there was a requirement that you had to actually know something about the subject matter before you started writing.

After reading this editorial about the DREAM Act, I can see this standard no longer applies.

People can have different opinions, but not different facts. This editorial fails to accurately describe what the DREAM Act is, and instead suggests it would give amnesty to every illegal alien in the country.

CARSON CITY – A legal firm retained by the state Department of Transportation to defend against a contractor dispute over construction of a section of the Carson City bypass has racked up $6 million in fees so far and the costs could still go higher.

Gov. Brian Sandoval today expressed concern about the amount of legal fees in the case involving a $40 million claim by Utah-based Ames Construction, which built the first phase of the U.S. 395 bypass in the capital that opened in February of 2006.

In his letter to the editor, published in the December 24th Nevada Appeal, William Lepore Sr. admitted to being confused about American history, citing fake quotations from John Adams, George Washington and Benjamin Franklin to drive home his point. Go to http://tinyurl.com/Leporequotes for details on these "quotes," or Google "The Right’s Library of Fake Quotes" for the rest of the story on the fictionalization of American history.

Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto announced today a lawsuit against Lender Processing Services, Inc., DOCX, LLC, LPS Default Solutions, Inc. and other subsidiaries of LPS (collectively known “LPS”) for engaging in deceptive practices against Nevada consumers.

In the Saturday, November 26th Nevada Appeal, Geoff Dornan reported that Mark Amodei "is frustrated by the polarization and partisanship preventing progress toward fixing the nation's ills." I share Rep. Amodei's frustration, but would like to suggest he give a bit more thought to his own voting record, especially in light of his December 1st op-ed, in which he took Janice Ayres to task for saying he “voted straight party line.”

Han Duck-soo, South Korea's ambassador to the United States, was in Carson City Thursday with Kathleen Stephens, former U.S. ambassador to South Korea, while touring Northern Nevada to explain the business impact and potential of a new free trade agreement under consideration in Washington.

Update 11:53 a.m.: Congressmen Mark Amodei (NV-2) and Joe Heck (NV-3) released the following joint statement regarding the Caughlin Ranch fire:
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by this disaster. We are in contact with the Governor’s office and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Washington, D.C. to offer guidance and assistance in providing resources to address the emergency. We are coordinating efforts to ensure the Prepositioned Equipment Program (PEP) located in Las Vegas is prepared to deploy and assist with controlling the fire if needed. Anyone wishing to make financial contributions to help the victims of this disaster may do so through the Red Cross."

Update 10 a.m: The State of Nevada, Washoe County and the City of Reno have declared a state of emergency. More than 9,500 people have been evacuated, according to City of Reno spokesman Chris Good. The 400-plus-acre fire is still zero percent contained. As of now, Galena High School is the evacuation point. If that fills up, Damonte Ranch High School will be the next evacuation point. Go here for the latest from UNR's Nevada Sagebrush and here from MyNews4.com.

Update 8:15: Fire now officially named Caughlin Fire.

Update 7:11 a.m.: KRNV is on the air talking with Reno Fire Chief Michael Hernandez who is saying they have lost about 20 homes so far, and the strong winds are a big problem. He also said the winds are so strong that there is no way to get air attacks on this fire.

An Emergency 211 number is being set up to provide better information for Reno residents.

A wind-driven wildfire has burned more than 400 acres and has consumed at least six homes in the Caughlin Ranch area in southwest Reno this morning. The Pine Haven fire broke out around 12:30 this morning and thousands have been told to evacuate. Residents are being evacuated to Reno High School, the designated area for evacuations. Fire agencies from the Carson City and Carson Valley areas are responding as are from the Lake Tahoe area. Power is out to at least 1,000 homes in the area, according to NV Energy.
Flames are threatening homes near Manzanita Lane and Dant Boulevard, and police officers were going to residences to evacuate residents. An officer went to the house of a panicking Kathy Harrah. The officer told her to take a deep breath and said "you are fairly safe," as she and her two sons, John and Kody, grabbed items and put them into their truck. "I have been watching the fire all night. I didn't know it was going to get this bad," she told the Reno Gazette-Journal before ordering her son to rip a computer out of a wall. The area was thick with smoke that hung over over Manzanita. Flames in the canyon below Manzanita shot up dozens of feet in the air as they hit brush. Go here and here for story.

Videos of the fire

Map of fire area

WASHINGTON (AP) - The second-ranking member of the Federal Reserve said the central bank will conduct a fourth round of stress tests in the coming weeks to determine if U.S. banks can withstand a r...

Occupy Wall Street began their two-week march from Nov. 9-23 to Washington, D.C. to tell Congress' Deficit Super Committee that the Occupy movement is against any extension of the Bush tax cuts. An extension of those cuts, which are due to expire in 2012, as well as reducing the tax rate on the highest bracket from 35 percent to 28 percent is being suggested as part of possible negotiations in creating the deficit reduction package which has a deadline of Nov. 23.

WASHINGTON - Unprecedented drug shortages are threatening the lives of cancer patients and other seriously ill people, and the Obama administration's plan to tackle them is but a small step toward ...

WASHINGTON - Unprecedented drug shortages are threatening the lives of cancer patients and other seriously ill people, and the Obama administration's plan to tackle them is but a small step toward ...

WASHINGTON (AP) - With a Thanksgiving deadline fast approaching, the GOP members of a deficit-reduction supercommittee are pressing a plan to cut the deficit by about $1.5 trillion over the coming ...

WASHINGTON (AP) - With a Thanksgiving deadline fast approaching, the GOP members of a deficit-reduction supercommittee are pressing a plan to cut the deficit by about $1.5 trillion over the coming ...

Well, it seems that some of the new people in Congress still don't get it. They think they were sent to Washington, D.C., to balance the budget even if it means denying or reducing benefits for our...

WASHINGTON - Just as 55 million Social Security recipients are about to get their first benefit increase in three years, Congress is looking at reducing future raises by adopting a new measure of i...

WASHINGTON (AP) - The wealth gap between younger and older Americans has stretched to the widest on record, worsened by a prolonged economic downturn that has wiped out job opportunities for young ...

WASHINGTON (AP) - One year to go until Election Day and the Republican presidential field is deeply unsettled, leaving President Barack Obama only to guess who his opponent will be. But the race's ...

WASHINGTON - The jobs crisis has left so many people out of work for so long that most of America's unemployed are no longer receiving unemployment benefits. Early last year, 75 percent were receiv...