http://www.RecordCourier.com Serving Minden-Gardnerville and Carson Valley, NV Fri, 24 May 2013 02:19:19 -0600 en 30 In late October 2011, retired Douglas High School teacher Myron Carpenter told The Record-Courier he was starting an effort to preserve Nevada State Prison after the inmates were moved out. The 24-year history teacher said he would take his students on tours of the prison and that he felt that tour made a difference in their lives. On Tuesday, Gov. Brian Sandoval signed a bill into law that would take a major step forward in preserving the decommissioned Nevada State Prison on Fifth Street in Carson City. Assembly Bill 356 encourages the development of recommendations to preserve the prison for … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6640775-113/prison-nevada-bill-society The Douglas High School softball team enjoyed a dream run through the regional playoffs after a breakout regular season this spring. The Lady Tigers advanced to the regional title game after upending defending regional champion Damonte Ranch before falling short against Reed. That was made all the more impressive by the fact that they did it — all of it — without the help of arguably their best player over the previous two seasons, Aaliyah Paxson. Without her help on the field, at least. The senior Paxson settled into the role of player-coach for the young Douglas squad after her … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6625885-113/paxson-season-team-hawaii For Arts & Entertainment: Details are needed by noon Wednesday to put local arts and entertainment information in this column. Contact Caryn Haller at challer@recordcourier.com, at 782-5121, ext. 210 or by fax, 782-6132. Gardnerville Buckaroos Karaoke 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturdays. Buckaroos is at 1435 Highway 395, Gardnerville. Information, call general manager Steve Orlando, 782-9693. East Fork Gallery East Fork Gallery new member reception noon-5 p.m. Saturday at 1503 Highway 395, Suite K, Gardnerville. Information, 782-7629. Jethro’s Live this week Karaoke with Anthony Janssen 9 p.m. Thursdays at Jethro’s Bar & Grill, 1281 Kimmerling Road, Gardnerville Ranchos. Information, 265-2215 or www.jethrosbarandgrill.com. … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6623772-113/information-minden-saturday-bar INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — A Northern California man could face up to 6 years in prison for his role in a fatal pedestrian crosswalk incident on New Year’s Eve weekend 2011 on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe. On Monday, Christopher Torii Smith of Grass Valley, Calif., pleaded guilty to two felony counts of reckless driving causing death in connection with the Incline Village incident, Michael Bolenbaker, a deputy district attorney with Washoe County, said Friday. Smith will be sentenced at a hearing Aug. 12 in Washoe County District Court in Reno, Bolenbaker said. Each felony is punishable by 1 … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6635597-113/smith-driving-incident-becker After nearly 60 combined years with Douglas County School District, Ellen Lucas and Ellen Rosenberg are saying goodbye. Both came to the district in 1985; Lucas brought five years’ experience as a P.E. teacher in California, and Rosenberg previously worked as a kindergarten assistant, Title I Aide and manager of the primary grade program at Dayton Elementary School. Lucas moved to Nevada in 1984, a year after meeting her husband, Lyle, at a P.E. teachers’ conference in Hawaii. The following year, she was the first elementary P.E. teacher hired in the Douglas County School District, and split her time between … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6613164-113/lucas-rosenberg-elementary-ellen The state’s execution chamber is staying in Carson City. Lawmakers on Wednesday rejected Gov. Brian Sandoval’s plan to move it from the historic Nevada State Prison to Ely. Sandoval had proposed the move because the prison has been shut down except for the death chamber and license plate factory there, and because death-row inmates are housed at Ely. Lawmakers balked at the $692,289 cost of building an execution chamber in the administration building at Ely State Prison. They also pointed out that no inmates among the nearly 100 on death row are close to using up all their appeals, so … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6635486-113/million-chamber-nevada-state In eight years of having students compete at the Ford AAA Student Auto Skills Competition, Cade Baligad has never experienced the problem his students faced this year. After fixing the vast majority of the intentionally placed bugs in the car, including the ones which prevented the car from running, the car would still not start. “At the end of the competition we had five of the top West Coast Ford technicians over trying to figure out why the car still did not start,” said the Douglas High School automotive teacher. “Forty-five minutes after the contest ended and everyone was at … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6609979-113/car-competition-ford-galloway http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6635407-113/million-fund-lawmakers-money http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6635052-113/accident-carson-degrees-lake http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6628470-113/gomez-black-taken-custody More than 250 people showed up at the Carson Valley Career Job Opportunity Fair taking advantage of the 33 employers there looking for workers. Carson Valley Chamber Executive Director Bill Chernock said the number through the door was 256, though there may have been a few more. He said the turnout dropped off after 5 p.m. “More so than the past couple of ones we’ve done,” he said. The chamber is one of four sponsors of the job fair, in addition to Douglas County Workforce Development, the Business Council of Douglas County and Minden-Tahoe Airport. “One of our main objectives … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6627992-113/job-douglas-fair-256 http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6628101-113/alcohol-juvenile-businesses-clerk TRUCKEE, Calif. — The keys to a newly constructed Donner Memorial State Park visitor center are days away from being turned over to California State Parks, but more work is needed before the building and its new museum will open to the public. “Now, we’re starting the process of all the exhibit work,” explained Scott Elliott, supervising ranger of the Sierra District Campgrounds for California State Parks, standing in the bare room Tuesday where the new museum will be housed. The museum at the state park located just east of Donner Lake will feature exhibits on the Donner Party, regional … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6622940-113/museum-donner-state-parks A bill that would impose background checks on everyone purchasing a gun was voted out of the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday, despite protests from Republican members who said it goes too far. The vote was 4-3 with majority Democrats backing passage of Senate Bill 221. It would require background checks for all gun transactions — even those between private parties. “My constituents look at this as a de facto gun-registry bill,” said Sen. Pete Goicoechea, R-Eureka. Fellow Republicans Michael Roberson of Henderson and Ben Kieckhefer of Reno said they support the provisions aimed at keeping weapons out of the … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6622926-113/bill-gun-jones-senate A museum to display military aircraft and vehicles is planned at the Carson City Airport, with a preview slated for summer and construction to start in the fall. Cactus Air Force received preliminary approval from the capital city’s Airport Authority to build the facility, which will be called the Wings and Wheels Museum. It will preserve and display military aircraft and vehicles spanning from World War II to the present. “Carson City is a community rich with residents fascinated by aviation,” said Doug Thorngren, Cactus Air Force director of public relations and operations. He said his organization is pleased with … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6622897-113/museum-airport-cactus-force http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6621084-113/morning-tomatoes-wind-carson A 27-year-old transient, who claimed he was under the influence of demons when he robbed Bank of America, was sentenced Tuesday to two 15 year-prison terms to be served concurrently. District Judge Tod Young sentenced Jarell Williams to 5-15 years in Nevada state prison on counts of robbery and making threats or conveying false information considering acts of terrorism or weapons of mass destruction. Williams admitted entering the Bank of America Topsy branch on Jan. 4, and demanding $260,000 or he would blow up the bank. Williams was arrested shortly after the incident, and the money was recovered. There were … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6563422-113/williams-bank-entity-jackson A fifth of Western Nevada College’s graduating class of more than 500 consisted of Douglas County residents. Anne Hansen, spokeswoman for the college, said this year’s class is the largest in school history — for the third consecutive year — and one of the most dedicated. “The students we have are all serious students,” she said. “That’s what we need for the work force. It’s good for them personally and good for the economy.” College President Carol Lucey said 505 students graduated Monday and Tuesday from the Carson City and Fallon campuses, receiving 530 degrees and certificates. “This event is … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6609491-113/nevada-college-western-douglas http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6607773-113/million-budget-county-rate A backhoe cut a half-inch gas line forcing evacuation of the new portion of Aspen Mobile Home Park at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. East Fork firefighters and members of Douglas County Search & Rescue began evacuating residents after the odor of gas was detected outside of the park. The incident occurred at the back of the park on Spruce Loop. Firefighters cleared the park and used a fire hose to prevent a spark from igniting the leak. Southwest Gas responded to the incident and repaired the leak at about 10 a.m., and residents were allowed to return to their homes. No … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6609216-113/gas-leak-park-residents http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6606580-113/genoa-afternoon-bank-budget Bail is $27,000 for a Wellington man accused of starting last year’s 7,500-acre TRE fire, and now facing four new felonies of grand larceny and burglary in a new case. Steven Walter Cozad, 30, is to appear Wednesday in East Fork Justice Court with his attorney, Kris Brown. He and his mother, Kim Carlin, were charged with failure to guard or extinguish a fire, after the May 20, 2012, fire which authorities say started on their property from a burn which got out of control. Cozad failed to appear for trial May 9 on the fire charge; Carlin is due … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6600135-113/cozad-fire-suspect-accused A motorcyclist was injured in an accident at Highway 395 and Airport Road on Monday afternoon. The accident occurred at about 2:45 p.m. when a yellow 2004 Honda sport motorcycle crossed Highway 395 from Airport Road to turn south. The motorcyclist, Joshua Barr, 25, of Wellington, failed to yield to a southbound 2010 Nissan. The Nissan’s driver, James Coulter, 52, of Carson City, swerved to miss the motorcycle, but the motorcycle struck the right front of the Nissan, according to Trooper Mike Edgell. Northbound traffic was down to one lane on the highway for about 45 minutes while the injured … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6599671-113/accident-highway-injured-motorcycle Some 87 runners participated May 11 in the annual Mike Biaggini fun run to benefit the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office honor guard. Deputy Rick Sousa, who helped coordinate the 5K fun run, said the event was a success. The run honors Capt. Mike Biaggini who died of cancer in 2010 at age 55. He worked for the sheriff’s office for 28 years, and was commander of the honor guard. Proceeds from the event are used to send the 10-member honor guard to Washington, D.C., to participate in activities related to the national peace officers memorial. The honor guard participates in … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6599252-113/deputy-guard-honor-run A 31-year-old Gardnerville man, previously convicted of battering an 11-year-old girl, was sentenced Monday to 15 years in prison for stalking his former girlfriend, and threatening a deputy with a knife. District Judge Michael Gibbons sentenced David Springer to 10 years for aggravated stalking and five years for assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, to be served consecutively. Gibbons set minimum sentences of four years and two years on each offense. He also imposed a 20-year-extended protection order which forbids Springer from having any contact with the victim or family members, or being near their residences and … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6560489-113/springer-gibbons-abuse-case http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6443484-113/zabelsky-music-festival-university Gardnerville Elementary School Health Aide Mary Lahlum was named the 2012-13 Classified Employee of the Year during a ceremony Thursday morning at Minden Park. Lahlum was chosen from 20 nominees for the recognition by the Douglas County School District. A 12-year employee of the school district, Lahlum contributes her spare time to the school’s Backpack Buddies Program as the school site coordinator. She is the chairwoman for the schoolwide safety committee, serves on the parent-teacher organization at Douglas High and is indirectly involved in Gardnerville Elementary’s parent-teacher organization. “Mary is a team player who works cohesively with her fellow school … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6594925-113/elementary-gardnerville-aide-custodian http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6594496-113/budget-meeting-springer-final The China Spring and Aurora Pines camps for juvenile offenders will get a $1.3 million budget boost. China Spring and Aurora Pines are camps for boys and girls, respectively. They primarily handle youths from the Carson City-Douglas County area and rural parts of Nevada. The funding, which lawmakers approved Saturday, will add staffers to meet the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act ratios beginning this coming fiscal year. It is generated by maintaining county assessments at the same levels where they have been in the past. Gov. Brian Sandoval’s original budget recommended cutting those assessments back. In addition, the joint Senate … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6585328-113/million-budget-nevada-boost http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6585297-113/wait-dmv-approved-offices http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6585439-113/truckee-crash-national-pilot Wildlife wardens killed a 3-year-old male black bear Thursday night at Lake Tahoe after it entered the home of a 92-year-old woman who left her garage door open, an official confirmed Friday. Shortly before midnight Thursday, deputies with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of a bear inside a residence on Miners Ridge Court in Incline Village, said Chris Healy, spokesman for the Nevada Department of Wildlife. The 350-pound bear got inside the home after entering through the open garage, Healy said. The woman — the only person inside — came across the bear as she descended a … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6585433-113/bear-healy-bears-inside In a Saturday session that stretched over four hours, the joint Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means committees finished closing the overall state budget for the coming two years. And the budgets within it overwhelmingly closed just the way Gov. Brian Sandoval proposed them. There were two significant changes. Lawmakers refused to split the Division of Parole and Probation, moving Parole to the department of Corrections. Lawmakers said it wasn’t well-justified and would cost the state money. The other is the decision to add 37 staffers to the Nevada Early Intervention Services program. The governor had proposed that community … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6585271-113/budget-lawmakers-funding-budgets http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6585218-113/corrections-parole-inmates-lawmakers Lawmakers made some effort Saturday to repair the damage caused when their subcommittee hacked funding out of budgets for Western Nevada and Great Basin colleges to protect Southern Nevada institutions. But the $1 million a year they put into the two budgets still doesn’t get the two institutions back to the original amount recommended by Gov. Brian Sandoval. “This is still too bad a cut,” said WNC President Carol Lucey. “It’s still worse than (what the governor recommended).” An interim committee including not only campus and administration but legislative members recommended those two campuses be “held harmless” this coming budget … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6585187-113/million-funding-institutions-wnc http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6557633-113/associate-science-applied-arts http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6536073-113/whitman-college-conference-students Douglas swimming standout Shelby Koontz capped a brilliant freshman season Saturday, winning the state title in the 100 free at the Carson Aquatic Center. Koontz won the event with a time of 51.19, breaking the school record in the event for the fifth time this season. She dedicated the swim to her father, Robert, who is serving overseas in Afghanistan. It marked Douglas’ first swimming state title in any event since 2010 and the first in an individual event since 2009 (Haley VonSchottenstein, 100 breaststroke). Koontz, the Northern Division I Swimmer of the Year, also finished second in the 50 … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6579625-113/free-200-100-douglas http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6572504-113/deputies-incident-morning-allegedly One of the best lies Satan has used to ruin people’s lives is “all roads lead to heaven.” Many people have bought into this untrue statement and idea. The Bible specifically addresses this wrong belief. Acts 16:30-31 states, ”Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said,” Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” These were Paul’s words about salvation being only through Jesus to the Philippian jailer. Jesus also says in John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6531389-113/jesus-god-salvation-christ East Fork Gallery has added three new members, and is inviting the public to meet them. Pam Brekas, Marion Barker and Alice Norton will be showing and selling their work noon to 5 p.m. Saturday at an artist reception. The new members have consigned at the gallery for years, and the timing was right to become members. “Their work is well-received by the public and represents our area,” said Janice Powell, gallery director. “People enjoy meeting the person behind the art.” Barker has been a landscape and wildlife photographer for 25 years. “That’s what I enjoy doing. To me, it’s … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6440679-113/gallery-art-brekas-east The word is out. Shirley Gibson is back at the Family Support Council of Douglas County, and this time, she’s in charge. Gibson, 60, took over as executive director in February. “I was welcomed with open arms,” she said in a recent interview. “It feels like old home week. It feels really good. I always loved what I did here.” Gibson was hired in 2001 by former director Karen Edwards to open and manage Abbey Crossing, the domestic violence shelter. She remained at the 12-bed shelter for about five years. “We built our shelter from the ground up,” Gibson said. … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6549127-113/gibson-council-family-support Friends of longtime Carson Valley resident Carmen Altemueller are holding a fundraiser June 15 to assist with expenses associated with the recent diagnosis of an inoperable brain tumor. Altemueller, 53, was vacationing in Costa Rica with her boyfriend when she became ill. Friend Connie Richardson said she was hospitalized for several days and doctors discovered a bleed in her brain. She returned to Reno and was admitted to Renown Regional Medical Center. An aggressive and malignant brain tumor larger than a golf ball was discovered in her brain. Due to her condition, surgery is not an option. Altemueller is on … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6549140-113/altemueller-carmen-barbecue-brain When Allison Hines Jeppson was in the fourth grade, her career day ambition was “stay-at-home mom.” Now 24, her goal has never changed. She married her husband John in 2009, and thought by now she would be well on the way to motherhood, only to experience the heartbreak of multiple miscarriages. Diagnosed with an infertility disorder, Allison and John have agreed to speak publicly to shed light on the “lonely and private” challenges of trying to have a baby. Allison, a substitute teacher, is undergoing treatment at the Nevada Center for Reproductive Medicine in Reno. It’s a complicated and costly … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6534385-113/allison-infertility-jeppsons-john http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6558729-113/percent-rate-state-april http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6558712-113/plan-deal-regional-tahoe Another invasive species is encroaching on Lake Tahoe Basin waters. Three New Zealand mudsnails were found in the Truckee River near Reno earlier this spring, increasing the chances the invasive species could migrate to the basin. “It’s certainly bad news,” said Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Senior Wildlife and Fisheries Biologist Patrick Stone. “Any time the proximity of an infestation moves closer, the risk of that animal making its way into the region increases.” The tiny mudsnails compete directly with other wildlife in the ecosystem, threatening fisheries by depleting the nutrients the fish depend on to survive. They reproduce quickly — Stone … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6558698-113/tahoe-lake-snails-invasive Around the South Shore hulls are being scrubbed, drain plugs are being screwed in tight, crew members are being interviewed and boats are being plunked in the water. Once again, it’s boating season at Lake Tahoe. “A lot of what we’re doing right now is making sure everything is as good as we left it,” said Ted Moorhead, general manager of Ski Run Boat Company. “The majority of what we do is get the boats in the water and see that they’re equipped with everything they need for Coast Guard inspection.” Between Easter and Memorial Day, marinas in South Lake … ]]> http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6558694-113/tahoe-boating-boats-accidents http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6557512-113/art-church-county-degrees http://www.RecordCourier.com/news/6550118-113/casa-orientation-courtroom-cuddy