R-C Morning Report

Heavenly Ski Resort is reporting receiving nearly two feet of new snow over the course of the weekend's storm. Fish Springs remote weather stations reported a half-inch of moisture, mostly early Sunday morning. Meneley Elementary School reported a quarter inch of moisture at its station in the Gardnerville Ranchos. While the chance of significant moisture is decreasing, the chances that moisture will be in the form have increased. Clearer skies have resulted in a temperature drop and the National Weather Service is reporting a 10-30 percent chance of precipitation lasting through Thursday.

Carson Valley residents get their water from wells. Even those on large water systems, such as the Gardnerville Ranchos are drinking groundwater. Groundwater has a lot of dissolved solids and is referred to as hard water. Many people own water softeners to reduce the minerals in the water. But while they are removing some minerals, softeners add chloride to the water, which can get back into the groundwater. Douglas County planning commissioners plan to discuss the use of water softeners and their affects on groundwater quality at their 1 p.m. Tuesday meeting. The discussion is last on the list.

Also on Tuesday's agenda, a request by the Roman Catholic Bishop of Reno for a special use permit to build and operate a memorial garden and 4,088-sqare-foot meeting hall for the Knights of Columbus located next door to St. Gall Catholic Church on Centerville.

Today is Abraham Lincoln's birthday. The Great Emancipator has a particular place in the history of Nevada. It was Lincoln who signed into law Nevada's statehood on Oct. 31, 1864. Lincoln also sent the longest telegram up to that date which included the entire Nevada Constitution. Lincoln's supporters pressed to have Nevada included in the union in time for the election of 1864. Lincoln faced two generals, Democrat George B. McClellan and radical Republican John C. Fremont. There was a time when we would celebrate Lincoln's birthday along with President Washington's. But now we have President's Day, which also celebrates such notables as Millard Fillmore.

I don't really have an issue with Fillmore, I just like saying the name. But check out the first paragraph of his biography on the White House's Web site: "In his rise from a log cabin to wealth and the White House, Millard Fillmore demonstrated that through methodical industry and some competence an uninspiring man could make the American dream come true."

Yo, Snap.