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Scenic Nevada News Conference

I received this press release for an event on Tuesday:

Friends:

Scenic Nevada will hold a News Conference on Tuesday morning, October 31, 2006 at 11:00 am at the Hillview Cemetery located at West 10th Street & Nevada Street in Reno, Nevada.

The purpose of the News Conference is to announce the thirteen (13) Nevada LAST CHANCE Scenic Places who were selected by Scenic Nevada and a blue ribbon Advisory Panel.

 We would urge the representatives of Northern Nevada’s nominees for Nevada’s LAST CHANCE Scenic Places to attend this very important event. This could include: Hillside Cemetery, Rosewood Canyon and Wash, Virginia Street Bridge, Black Rock Desert, Charles Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, Washoe Valley, Comstock Cemetery and Monte Cristo’s Castle.

The Hillside Cemetery was selected as the spot to announce our Nevada’s LAST CHANCE Scenic Places because it is the final resting place of hundreds of Nevadans dating back to 1879.

Press releases will be faxed or e-mailed state wide to all news media on October 31, 2006.

Congratulations to the thirteen (13) Nevada LAST CHANCE Scenic Places as we proceed to the next step in honoring these special places that are at risk of being lost, due to neglect, lack of funding, inappropriate development or insensitive public policy.

See you on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 at 11:00 am and if you have any questions please e-mail us.

Doug Smith, Chairman
Lori Wray, President
October 29, 2006

Events This Weekend

Driving home tonight I saw a sign advertising a Spaghetti Feed at the New Beginnings Christian Church on Esmeralda in New Washoe City on Sunday the 22nd. As usual I drove by too fast to get all the details (I wish people would let me know of these things) but there it is if you want to partake (I really do try to maintain the speed limit +10).

Also, the Postal Cafe on Eastlake Blvd will host some sort of event this Saturday and I'm sure everyone is invited to partake in pumpkin carving etc.

I really need to put a calendar app on the home page to make coming events easier to access and I promise I will do that soon.
October 19, 2006

Capital Residents Urged to Enjoy Washoe Valley

An article in today's Nevada Appeal urges readers to visit Washoe Valley in the vicinity of Franktown Road to enjoy our fall colors this weekend as an entertaining outing. It is the least we can do for our neighbors to the south who exist in an urban environment undergoing even more urbanization. I'm thinking I should take the camera over and record some shots of the splendor of our valley this weekend.
October 19, 2006

Electoral Education Evening

The Damonte Ranch High School Student Council is hosting the following event at 5pm, October 24 at the school located at 10500 Rio Wrangler Parkway (directions).

The event will have a presentation period that will give basic information about the candidates who are running for office and their stances on many issues. The event will also have a period of time dedicated to having the candidates who are kind enough to attend the evening available for discussion with the local citizens one on one.

This is great that the students and school are involved in our electoral process and providing this event to help us through the confusing process of electing our leaders. Kudos!
October 16, 2006

It's Duck Hunting Season

It's time to be aware hunters may be prowling the marsh areas around Washoe Lake, Little Washoe and the Scripps Wildlife Area in between.

Public Hunting Limited on Wildlife Management Areas
and Designated State Lands

Migratory Game Birds & Waterfowl
2006 - 2007 Hunting Season
Ducks, Mergansers, Coots, Common Moorhen and Common Snipe
   Oct 14, 2006 - Jan 27, 2007
Canada, White-Fronted Geese, Snow, Ross’ Geese
   Oct 21, 2006 - Jan 28, 2007

Scripps Wildlife Management Area and Washoe Lake State Park during the waterfowl season, hunting is permitted only on Saturdays, Sundays, Wednesdays, and the following legal State holidays: Nevada Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Family Day (day after Thanksgiving), Christmas, New Years Day and Martin Luther King Day.

SHOOTING HOURS: ½ hour before sunrise to sunset

INFORMATION at NDOW:
Rules, Regulations, Tags, License and more
Nevada Department of Wildlife    www.ndow.org
1100 Valley Rd.
Reno, NV 89512
(775) 688-1500

October 16,2006

Strange Sonic Phenomena!

Was waking up this morning (Sat) at 6:30 and heard birds hopping around on the roof. Then really big birds. So I snuck out to take a look and was dumbfounded to hear concussions from all over the west side of the valley. There were pops and explosions, some loud enough to create an echo and a concussion you could feel. They appeared random in loudness, pitch and location ranging from the north, middle to south Washoe Valley. They were still going on when I last checked at 8:15. Did anyone else hear this and what is it!??!

Well, I did notice on our events page that the Civil War Re-eneacters are over at Bower's Mansion today. Must be it!
Oct 14, 2006

New History Articles!

Well, it shouldn't be such a big deal, as it should be an ongoing, regular occurrence, but we have finally added some stuff to the history page. A report on a 1924 forest fire, 1907 death, and an extensive article concerning crops, ranches and the people that ran them in the last century in an article called Washoe Valley Lavender Farms. See it all on the history page.
October 11, 2006

WWV CAB Meeting & Agenda

The West WV CAB Meeting minutes from September are available here (there was not a quorum so the meeting was not held). The Agenda for next Tuesdays meeting is here. Besides the usual reports from police fire and county, there will be updates on the Area Plan and Parks Master Plan as well as a couple of applications for projects outside the development code.
October 10, 2006

Bear Sighting in NWC!

A New Washoe City resident writes that this morning, Oct. 10, a bear and a coyote were spotted on W. Coyote Drive "running down the road". If anyone else saw the bear/coyote or better yet has a photo, please let us know.

We were hiking Dead Man's Trail on the south end of the Lake yesterday and saw a snake and were too excited to think about a photo. It wasn't a rattler though and we let it go.
October 10, 2006

Virginia Range Horses To Be Auctioned

Wild Horses who called the Virginia Range to our east will be auctioned of by the BLM on October 21st. This Nevada Appeal article also discusses the training of wild horses and burros.
October 9, 2006

Washoe Valley Pioneer Passes

Ruth Sauer Eaton passed away at the grand age of 95 on September 29, 2006. She was born in Washoe City in 1911 when the community at the north end of Washoe Valley was still a "city". Her parents (Sauer) were Washoe Valley pioneers. See the RGJ.com obituary here.
October 9, 2006

Postal Cafe Fame Spreads

All the work on the Postal Cafe is evidently paying off as awareness is spreading about this ambitious new establishment on East Lake Blvd. Freshly remodeled, the store features food, coffee, postal services, crafts and conversation. Nevada Appeal Columnist Carolyn Tate had this to say recently, "Carolyn had a delightful breakfast at the Postal Cafe on the East Lake Road in Washoe Valley. You can also mail your letters there. Wow, postal, letters ... who'd have guessed? Anyway, it was great."
October 9, 2006

East WV CAB Meeting Minutes Online

The September 12th CAB meeting included information on several issues- the minutes are here.

The Agenda for the October 10th, 2006 includes discussion on the "Proposed Non-contiguous Annexation Legislation" that has to do with the Settlement Agreement (regarding future development). Also to be discussed are updates on the Area Plan, Sheriff & Fire Depts., and Parks. There is also a public comment period for items not on the agenda.
October 4, 2006

Local High Schools Compete at Washoe Lake

Three area high school cross country teams competed in the dunes and the shore of Washoe Lake in an unusual 3.1 mile course last week. The Nevada Appeal story is here.
September 25, 2006

Freeway Update

NDOT officials explained to the county commissioners their reasoning on the freeway delay. Work should resume by years end and granting the previous contractor a "no fault" contract cancellation should save taxpayers "millions". The full article is here.
September 25, 2006

WV and Scenic Nevada

from a correspondent:
In fall of 2006 Scenic Nevada will select and publicize the first list of Nevada LAST CHANCE scenic places. The list will spotlight the challenges facing our state regarding the protection of significant landscapes or places as well as offer potential solutions.

Nevada's LAST CHANCE Scenic Places will be published in a booklet, showcasing the states most beautiful and at-risk sites. This memorable edition will be distributed state-wide to the media, state legislators, local governments, county and city planners and others.

More information on Scenic Nevada is here. I have heard some Reno developers say that we don't need more open space as Nevada is 97% public land already. The problem is, a great amount of our most beautiful and precious (in terms of water quality, wildlife, recreation, visual, etc.) open space is right here in the Reno/Carson area smack up against urban sprawl. I like this quote from the Scenic Nevada Website: "...preserve the high quality of life that is the promise of Nevada". This reminds us that these qualities are important not only to current residents but of future ones as well (ed).
September 17, 2006

South Valleys Area Plan Meeting!

Be sure to attend the County Planning Commission Meeting next week, September 19th at 6:30pm in the commission chambers at the county complex in Reno. The Agenda is here. Eric Young, the planner working on the SVAP sent me an email with the text of the staff report to be presented at the meeting here. This is another chance to have a voice in the future of Washoe Valley. The West WVCAB meeting is the same night and Mr. Young asks that the CAB divide its resources between the two meetings. If you go to the meeting be sure to take notes and give us a report! See all our info on the SVAP Page.
September 15, 2006

Galena Creek Bridge Construction to Begin...again

This from an article in the Nevada Appeal: "The head of the Nevada Department of Transportation told lawmakers Tuesday construction should resume on the Galena Creek Bridge in Pleasant Valley by the end of the year."
September 15, 2006

Lakeshore Arena Gets Noticed

I happened to catch part of the County Commissioners meeting regarding a large riding arena operation on Lakeshore Blvd in New Washoe City. Seems that the neighbors are complaining about the noise (PA and tractors), and lights disturbing the enjoyment of their properties. During the public comment period, several fans of the arena as well as the owners spoke of the contribution to the community of the facility. The neighbors spoke of the intrusion on their homes by the unwanted light and noise. Commissioner Sferrazza was confused by the variety of and lack of special use permits for the site that authorize different uses. He asked county staff if the site was allowed to hold commercial events and the representative said maybe. Our commissioner Humke seemed to want to be anywhere else. Commissioner Weber wanted everyone to get along. Commissioner Galloway thought the existing landscaping will mature someday and solve the problem. At this point it was 12:30am and too late to be watching County TV at my house. I think the show will be rebroadcast tomorrow (Saturday) at 10:00am.
September 15, 2006

August West WV CAB Meeting Minutes

The August meeting was a full one with reports on fire protection one aspect as West Washoe Valley has a beautiful stand of timber that reaches up and over to the shores of Lake Tahoe with many homes in amongst the pines. Another discussion involved the Area Plan and last months "open house" meeting with the lead planner. I am really, really going to try to get over there next week to the CAB meeting and convince those people to share their info and concerns with the washoevalley.org community- I think it will benefit everyone in the valley. The agenda for the next meeting is here.
September 11, 2006

Civil War at Bower's Mansion

"Twenty-first century families enjoy a rare glimpse into the life of a Civil War soldier and his family when they tour the Bowers Mansion on Saturday, October 14. Nevada Civil War Volunteers will be in the mansion decked out in period dress and spirit, performing Civil War era music in the parlor and talking with mansion visitors about their life and times of a Civil War Soldier and his family." See the whole article here.

October 14, 11am-4pm (Mansion Tours begin every half hour: Adults $5, seniors $4 and children under 17 $3)
September 8, 2006

August East WV CAB Meeting Minutes

Find the minutes online here (pdf). It was a short meeting as I wasn't the only one that did not attend on this summer night. I do regret though that I missed Dr. Young of the Planning Commission and his talk on the South Valleys Area Plan. He said there will be another meeting this month and I will try to get that information. This Months East WV CAB Meeting Agenda is here (pdf).
September 8, 2006

Mulch Dangerous To Dogs

"Cocoa Mulch, which is sold by Home Depot, Foreman's Garden Supply and other Garden supply stores, contains a lethal ingredient called "Theobromine". A reader sent in  this email alert, read it here.
August 31, 2006

Lavender Farm Followup

Karl Breckinridge of RGJ.com didn't forget his promise of more information on Lavender farming in Washoe Valley. His latest column in RGJ.com relates some fun Washoe Valley history. The story includes escape from the Nazis and a connection to the Ponderosa Ranch of TV. Check it out.
August 29, 2006

State Park Visitors Increase

WV State Park visitation is expected to top 150,000 this year, an increase of 20% because of ample water in the lake according to this Las Vegas Sun article.
August 29, 2006

Ohio Runner Impressed With WV Wildlife

Second Place winner in the 30th annual Silver State Marathon Bryan Smith had this quote for the Sierra Sun (Truckee) and Appeal: The scenery of the Silver State course certainly caught his attention.
“It’s a beautiful course,” Smith said. “I’ve never seen so much wildlife during a marathon. I saw a bobcat chasing a jackrabbit, a coyote, deer, Canadian geese, cattle, dead snakes. I even saw bear scat.”

The winner was a runner from Ohio running in his 35th marathon this year of which he has won 20. He completed the 26.2 mile loop of Washoe Valley in 2hrs, 44mins.
August 29, 2006

Health Warning Issued for WV

West Nile Virus has been found in mosquitoes in Washoe Valley prompting the Washoe County Health Department to issue a warning covered in this article. About 20% of those infected with the virus may get serious and even life threatening illness.
August 29, 2006

Jumbo Grade Wildfire

Wildfire loomed above the homes of Washoe Valley again this week as a suspicious fire broke out near the old Jumbo ghost town site. The 25 to 30 acre fire broke out at about 3pm Tuesday and investigators say a burned out 4wd vehicle was found. Quick response on the ground and in the air saved the large pinion pine forest nearby from waste. See the RGJ.com article here. More photos are here (offsite).
August 29, 2006

BLM Wild Horse Brochure

The results brochure (PDF) for the August 19 wild horse auction is old news but you can see some of the fine horses that come out of the Virginia Range to our east and a "Too Cute" burro named Harriet that is from the McGee Range.
August 29, 2006

Primary Election Results

Former Carson City School Board member Sheila Ward topped John Wagner by about 6 percentage points to win the Republican primary for the Assembly District 40 seat, which represents Carson City and Washoe Valley.

Lawyer Ty O. Cobb won a narrow victory over insurance company owner Mike Dillon in the Republican primary in Assembly District 26.
from RGJ.com
August 29, 2006

West WV CAB Meeting Minutes

The minutes of the July 18, 2006 meeting are online here. Highlights include discussions of traffic concerns, the new fire district, and especially the reading of a letter to Washoe County expressing the frustration with the South Valleys Area Plan process. Read the letter on the SVAP page here.
August 15, 2006

WV Lavender Farm?

This article by Karl Breckinridge at RGJ.com relates his hunt to verify that there were "fields of flowering lavender" in Washoe Valley at one time. A very interesting piece on historical research. If you have any knowledge of commercial flower growing in the valley you might send him an email.
August 15, 2006

Another Community Website

I recently met Scott Schrantz online through our mutual interest in "Then and Now" photos on the photo sharing site flickr.com. Coincidently, he lives in Carson City and even more coincidently he hosts www.aroundcarson.com a community website for the Carson area! Check it out, it is very professional and contains a lot of current information and opportunities to contribute. I had not seen or heard of his website nor did he know about ours. I've added a link to his site on the links page and he will be a welcome addition to our "web" of local information.
August 15, 2006

Washoe Valley in the News

Did you see the special report last month on Washoe Valley on Ch 8's Neighborhoods segment? A crew from ch 8 spent all day filming and interviewing in Washoe Valley including your editor. They interviewed me for 20 minutes and I was thinking about writing a book called "How To Use The Internet To Become A Community Bigshot In 6 Months or Less" but when they condensed me down to half a sentence I reconsidered and will remain your humble editor.

The piece came out very well despite my set back and it was clear that we are independent and want to remain that way.
August 15, 2006

Amazing Engineering Feat in WV

Unfortunately, it is 95% underground so you can't easily see it. It is the water system that supplies Virginia City with water from Marlette Lake. It is called a reverse siphon and was built in the 1860s to move water over two mountain ranges and across our valley. See the whole story here. Here's a photo of the reservoir mentioned in the article. The remains are near the saddle on the Jumbo Grade Road.

click on image for larger version
August 6, 2006

Carson Landfill Rates Skyrocket

Noting that Carson Landfill rates were some of the lowest in western Nevada, Carson officials moved to rectify the situation. The minimum fee now for Washoe Valley residents has just gone from $6.75 to $20! This will obviously lead to even more illegal dumping in the hills around the valley despite the possible $1,000 fine/6 months in jail. For the lowdown on hauling away trash yourself, including hazardous waste, see the Washoe County webpage here.
August 6, 2006

Local Wild Horses Up For Adoption

The Western States Wild Horse and Burro Expo will be held in Palomino Valley August 18-20. Wild horses from the Virginia Range will be available for adoption. See the article here.
August 5, 2006

Hawaiian musicians to play free concert

Local Hawaiian musicians Danny Baclayon and Gil Thompson will bring the sounds of the islands to Washoe Valley for Bowers Mansion's second annual Hawaiian Night at 7 p.m. Friday. This free concert is part of the Programs from the Porch series. Call 849-1825.
 

Family sing-along at Galena Creek

Local musician Larry Elliot will lead a family sing-along for all ages during a free campfire program at 8:30 p.m. Friday at Galena Creek Regional Park. Call 849-2511.

Western Toad Update!

This just in from a reader (orig article below):

Democrats Barbeque

We had a very successful Democratic Reunion BBQ on Saturday.  Lots of people showed (my best guess is around 60) and we found several good volunteers.  Also, Bonnie Parnell and Kate Marshall (Dem for Treasurer) attended.  I am very optimistic about our Dem revolution out here in Washoe Valley.
And of course, the successful BBQ was made possible by our staunch group of volunteers.  Many, many thanks to Dexter and Jimmie, Louise, Doug, Barb, Trish, Kat (Ms. Raffle) and Steve, and Sue and Dick.  Dick wins the burger/dog flipper award!!!  Thanks everyone.  Barry

editors note: Due to it being summer and I'm out of town alot, the notice of this event didn't get posted in time. Please give me as much notice as possible and in turn, I'll try harder.
August 3, 2006

Rummage Sale

New Beginnings Christian Church On Esmeralda will hold a rummage sale Saturday the 12th of August between the hours of 7am to 6pm. They will accept donations on Friday between 6-8pm. There will be live music, food and entertainment. 849-3932
August 3, 2006

Western Toad Invasion?

An article claims that because of our wet winter Washoe Valley has a large number of "Western Toads" in residence this year. We live in a drier part of the valley and have not seen them. If a resident can write in their experience with these toads and/or a photo, we'd appreciate it. Another article here.
August 3, 2006

Local Wins Prize

Washoe Valley resident Bruce Rederford was awarded the "Fat Cat" award at the recent Silver Dollar Car Classic held in Carson City. His car is the beautiful blue/gray 1957 Eldorado seen occasionally on the valley streets and roads. See the article here.
August 3, 2006

East Washoe Valley July Minutes & August Agenda Online

You can find the Agenda here. Items on the agenda include an update on Washoe Medical Center, Mt. Rose Station Casino and election of officers. In old business, an update on the Sierra Reflections MegaDevelopment, Parks, and the South Valleys Area Plan. The minutes are here along with a brief review here on the Articles Page.
August 3, 2006

Skunk vs Dog

It's dusk, outside the family dog erupts in a frenzy of barking and minutes later the unmistakable scent of skunk is in the air. Oh, Oh, leaving for the weekend has made your place look nice and peaceful for a skunk to move in. This happened to us the other day, again.

We found a great cure though. Take 1 quart of hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup of baking soda and a teaspoon of shampoo and mix. The chemical reaction creates a solution that chemically changes the skunk oil and eliminates the odor. Rub the solution into the fur all over, using extra care to keep it from the eyes. Leave it on for about 10 minutes (usually the time it takes to bath a medium dog) and rinse thoroughly.
August 2, 2006

Weed Meeting Tomorrow

The next Cooperative Weed Management Area meeting is on Thursday, July 27th at 4:00pm at the NDF Building on Eastlake Blvd.
July 26, 2006

Last Day to Register For Primary Election!
July 25th (Tuesday)

Be sure to register today to have a voice in government!
July 25, 2006

Pig Roast a Hot Event

If you didn't make it to the "Sand & Sage" (formerly Mel's Diner on Eastlake Blvd-ed) you missed a rollickin good time. I really went for the free food-never pass that up! Expected CW for the live entertainment but "Promise" played good ole rock n roll (Rollin' on the River) plus some blues. Folks who were dancin' back in the 60's and 70's were out there on the floor dancin' up a storm just as back in the day. It was a blast. Oh- the food was good too. Thanks to the new owner for a wonderfully entertaining event. Hope we can look forward to more of the same.
Article submitted by a resident; July 16, 2006

East WVCAB Notes

I wasn't able to make the Tuesday nite EWVCAB meeting but another resident was able to take some notes for us. See the summary here.
July, 13, 2006

Election 2006

We will attempt to bring you the most convenient and Washoe Valley specific information to make voting as easy as it should be. In the left margin is an Election 2006 graphic that has a link to a Washoe County website page that lists all candidates. We are working on another page that will have information on what our district is and what candidates are specific to Washoe Valley along with other information. Check back for the completed page.
July 12, 2006

South Valleys Area Plan Meeting Details

Eric Young, Senior planner with Washoe County will host an informational meeting where he will ask for input. See the invitation here. Eric says you can pick up a copy of the draft plan at the Galena/Steamboat CAB meeting Thursday night. It is also supposed to be on the county website by Thursday night, probably here. See the location and time in the right hand column.
July 12, 2006

Washoe Valley on TV

KOLO News channel 8 has a series during the news called "Your Neighborhood" and they are going to do Washoe Valley next. They want to air it all day Friday on their news shows. By the way, does anyone know if Washoe Valley was part of the Ponderosa Ranch on the series Bonanza?
July 10, 2006

Local Writer Hikes Jumbo Grade

Richard Moreno, local writer of Nevada guidebooks describes Jumbo Grade in East Washoe Valley. This is the old wagon road between Virginia City and the now ghost town of Ophir in the West Valley where the abundant water was utilized for processing ore until VC developed a water system. See the article here.
July 10, 2006

Washoe Valley Baseball Team Wins!

Winning is fairly normal for this team it seems but I didn't even know we had a local team- the little league. They won their semifinal tournament game last Sunday right here. Here's the article in the Nevada Appeal. It would be cool to take in a ball game on a summer day and cheer on the local kids. Anyone know more about this team and the schedule? Congrats to the team, by the way.
July 10, 2006

Humorous Danger

Barry Ginter of the Nevada Appeal recalls some articles about the natural dangers of the area. A good remender to respect wildlife in the hills or your WV backyard.
July 10th, 2006

RALLY FOR THE VALLEY

This gets a big headline because this is a big deal. The future of what the valley will look like for generations is being decided and you can have some input. Attend the big update meeting July 19th. Details here.
July 10th, 2006

DIY Aerial Photography

Ever wanted to take photos from the air but didn't have a handy airplane? Here's a guy that does it with a kite and shows you how. Includes shots of Washoe Valley. check it out here.
July 10, 2006

West WV CAB Agenda Online

The July Agenda for the July 18th CAB meeting is now online. Highlights of the meeting include and updates on the Washoe County Settlement Agreement, Sierra Reflections and the Area Plan. The Washoe Valley Weed Committee will make a presentation on the danger of invasive weeds. The meeting will start at 7pm at the firehouse at 3905 Old Hwy 395.
July 10, 2006

East WV CAB News

The July Agenda and June Minutes are now online. Sorry about the last minute notice on the Agenda but it is summer after all! The EWVCAB meeting will be tomorrow, Tuesday, Jully 11th at 7pm at the NDF Building. New Business includes the election of CAB officers for the coming year. Old Business includes reports on Sierra Reflections, the Area Plan Update, Road and Safety, and Parks & Rec. See you there.
July 10, 2006

Pig Roast PotLuck

Cheryl Hanson reports that she has taken over Mel's Diner at 3225 Eastlake Blvd, NWC and is returning it to its original name, Sand & Sage. She is resuming the Pig Roast Potluck that has been a community tradition. "It is a chance for everyone to get to know each other or see someone that they haven't seen for awhile. We will have live music and everyone is welcome. Bring your kids", says Cheryl. Let's welcome this new business to the community. The Pig Roast will be on July 15th at 3:00pm.
July 02, 2006

Bike Path To Be Built

Washoe County and the state have combined to fund five county parks project including a 1.5 mile bike path at the south end of the big lake. Read about it here.
July 02, 2006

American White Pelicans at Washoe Lake

Several of the pelicans make for easy bird watching at the south end of Washoe Lake. We saw several while swimming the dog and three skimming the wave tops next to the shore when we drove by on Eastlake Blvd another day. These pelicans migrate to Mexico for the winter and also inhabit Pyramid Lake and Lahontan. Read more about it here.
July 02, 2006

Cattleman's Hits the Trail

A correspondent reports on the recent sale of long time Washoe Valley fixture Cattleman"s:

Tuesday evening Jack and I had dinner at Washoe Flats Steakhouse, previously Cattlemen's.  It was a very smooth change of ownership, business as usual with no down time at all.  There may be some changes in the future but for now they are keeping the same menu and prices. All the employees have been kept on too.  Everything was very nice, good food, etc.  On Father's Day they served 524 dinners and were so busy that the new owners pitched in busing tables, serving food and whatever else needed doing.  The owner's are from South Tahoe and it sounds like they're good people.  I hope they will be well supported by locals. 

Thanks for the report!
June 22, 2006

Talk Back To Washoe County

Take this survey at the Washoe County Website to provide some much needed anonymous feedback. I've provided a page that has some of the comments submitted thus far here with a link to the survey. After you complete the survey you can see what everyone else's responses are. Interesting.
June 20th, 2006

Community Yard Sale?

A reader has asked if there is a community yard sale planned for the east west or north this spring? Let us know and we will publicize it!
June 19,2006

Local Resident in Cattle Drive

Washoe Valley resident Lebo Newman participated as a cattle driver in the 400 steer, 100 mile cattle drive to the livestock events center in Reno in preparation for the Reno Rodeo last week. RGJ.com article here.
June 19, 2006

Two Teenagers Die in Collision

Two of our neighborhood kids lost their lives in an unfortunate collision between their off-road vehicle and a car at the intersection of White Pine and Esmeralda in New Washoe City Friday afternoon. See the RGJ.com article here and another here. At last weeks EWVCAB the sheriff's office representative expressed frustration at the near futility of trying to catch unregistered vehicles using the public streets. Obviously, the problem is not just about the nuisance to residents but the safety of our children. New Washoe City prides itself on being free and open but with that comes the responsibility to be responsible, safe and neighborly to avoid loss of those freedoms- and lives. Click on the image below to see the location. At any rate, our utmost sympathies go out to the families of those kids.

June 19, 2006

Another North Valley Fire!

From www.kolotv.com:

US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Reno Firefighters were all called to a brushfire, shortly before 1PM on Friday.

The fire spread to cover as much as 20 acres before crews fighting it were able to get it under control. Several very large houses were threatened for a time, on Granite Ridge Court, in Washoe Valley, and residents were briefly evacuated.

Firecrews had the blaze under control by 3PM, thanks to the water tenders and small air tankers that quickly responded to the area. Click the image below to see the location.
June 16, 2006

West Washoe Valley CAB Cancelled

The June 20th meeting has been cancelled and the next WWVCAB meeting will be next month on July 18, 2006.
June 19, 2006

South Valleys Area Plan Page

The plan is supposed to be completed by the end of the year but it seems to be shrouded in secrecy so we've created a page dedicated to gathering as much info as possible. If you have access to information to share, send it in. The page is located here.
June 14, 2006

West Washoe Valley CAB Change of Location

At the Nevada Division of Forestry
885 Eastlake Blvd. Washoe Valley, Nevada

Map it!

June East Washoe Valley CAB Meeting Notes

Tonight's meeting was an informative 2 1/2 hour session at the NDF Building. There were as many presenters as there were residents in attendance. Read the notes here and help spread the word for those who took the time to tell us what's going on.
June 14, 2006

West WV CAB Minutes & Agenda Online

The May minutes are here. There is included a discussion of the progress of the South Valleys Area Plan Update process which is interesting and needs more attention by residents. If anyone has information on this project, please let me know.

The June 20th meeting agenda is here. The meeting will start at 7:30 pm as the CAB members have a workshop just prior on the Open Meeting Law. The meeting will include updates on the Area Plan, Settlement Agreement and the Sierra Reflections Development.
June 13, 2006

Washoe Lake Aids in Wildfire Fight

A CH-47 Chinook helicopter was seen practicing picking up water from the lake and making practice firefighting runs in the dunes on Wednesday. This is a mystery as an RGJ.com article says our local Army National Guard Chinooks are not performing this service this year. Thanks for your service, whoever you are!
June 7, 2006

East WV CAB Minutes & Agenda Online

The May minutes are here. It was reported, among other things, that the Sierra Reflections project has been approved with conditions by the county planning commission and will now be presented to the regional planning commission. The June 13th Agenda is here. Highlights will include a presentation on the Parks Master Plan, Hwy 395/Eastlake intersection changes, and noxious weed identification and abatement.
June 6, 2006

Bowers Mansion Pool Open Saturday

The pool is located at 4005 Old 395 on the west side and is open seven days a week from noon to 5 pm.
June 6, 2006

Prominent Local Resident Passes

Maya Miller, political activist and one-time candidate for Senator passed away recently at her Washoe Valley home. She was 90. LA Times story here.
June 5, 2006

Wildfire Visible From Washoe Valley

This photo was taken from New Washoe City at about 3:30 on Monday of the wildfire near St. James Village to the north. Crews appeared to have the fire mostly out by 5:30. Tell your kids playing with fire is not cool!
June 5, 2006

Fatal Kiteboarding Accident on Big Washoe

Our famous strong and gusty winds resulted in an unfortunate accident on Washoe Lake over the weekend. Kiteboarding is a sport where a large kite is used to propel a skier across the water. Usually this sport is very entertaining to watch as the boarders skip across the water and become airborne for short periods. Apparently, a sudden very strong gust hit as the boarder was setting up next to shore and he was propelled into a parked vehicle in the parking lot at the North Ramp. The man was reportedly from Truckee. The article used for this report was in the Carson paper but is not on the web.
June 5, 2006

Gardening Tips For June

Go to the Gardening Page for Marnie Brennan's latest yard and garden tips for June.
June 1, 2006

Washoe Zephyr Strikes Again

Here's graphic proof showing that we should take the wind warnings on Hwy 395 seriously. Video from newscarsoncity.com shows the aftermath of several semis blown over on 12/08/04 and great footage of our local firefighters performing a rescue of a driver. Click here for the video.

May 27, 2006

Rattlesnakes And You

We've seen several snakes recently when out on our wildflower hikes in east Washoe Valley. Don't know if they were rattlers but they were treated with caution anyway. We should all be wary when in the Nevada outdoors so we've provided information on the Outdoors Page.
May 21, 2006

AIRPLANE CRASH!

Dennis Hope, self proclaimed owner of the Moon, literally dropped out of the sky today and crash landed on an alfalfa field in southeast Washoe Valley. Hope was reportedly alone and uninjured when he made an emergency landing. See more about Mr. Hope here and here.

photos and story by the editor
May 19, 2006

300,000 New Residents and You Will Pay

for their water, roads, parks, fire protection, sewers, etc. through taxes. Developer's and public officials are angling to force through development plans that put the burdens on current residents. Read about it here.

Here's another viewpoint in an editorial titled: "The Great Terrain Robbery" by Bob Fulkerson.
May 19, 2006

East & West CAB Notes for May

Thanks to Ann for providing these notes to the recent meetings as I couldn't make them. That's what this site is all about. Read about it here.
May 19, 2006

Galena Creek Bridge Delayed

Those of us looking forward to the dramatic new bridge spanning Galena Creek for the new freeway will have to wait a little longer than planned as the contractor backed out and is going home to Wisconsin. NDOT is looking for a new one. Story here.
May 19, 2006

Spring Mosquito Offensive

RGJ has an article on imminent helicopter spraying for mosquitoes in Washoe Valley and West Nile Virus prevention tips here. See more information from the Nevada Observer in this article.
May 16, 2006

New Weed Page

Whether you have a ranch or 1 acre, you have a personal relationship with weeds here in Washoe Valley. Find out what they are and what to do about them here on our new weed page linked from the Gardening Tips page.
May 13, 2006

West Washoe Valley CAB Minutes & Agenda Online

The April WWVCAB meeting minutes are here and the Agenda for the May meeting Tuesday the 16th is here.
May 13, 2006

Weed Meeting!

The Washoe/Pleasant Valley weed group will be meeting at 6:00pm tomorrow (5/9) at the NDF Building (right before the CAB meeting).

Their focus is on noxious and invasive weeds.  Representatives from local, state and federal entities will be available for discussion and/or questions.  The emphasis at this time is the identification and treatment of specific weeds.  Your involvement in this topic can greatly benefit Washoe Valley.

If you can't make the meeting, the Weed Hotline is 687-1041 and the UNR Cooperative Extension is an excellent source of information at 887-2252.

Many other links can be found at

http://agri.nv.gov/PLANT_NoxWeeds_index.htm.

  or

http://www.weedcenter.org
May 8, 2006

East WV CAB minutes and Agenda online

Find last month's minutes here and the upcoming agenda here.
May 4, 2006

Washoe Valley Gardening Seminar

Garden Coach and Nursery Professional Marnie Brennan will hold a garden seminar May 13. Find more information on the Events page!
May 4, 2006

Attack of the Bur Buttercup!

This obnoxious (and painful) weed is springing up in yards and roadsides all over East Washoe Valley. What can be done? See a photo and the answers on the Gardening Page.
May 4, 2006

Notes From the Special RPC Meeting

A resident that went to the Regional Planning Commission Workshop and Open house gives her impressions here.
May 4, 2006

"Stunning Washoe Valley"

This is the quote in the dirtworld.com Mountain Biking site on the upcoming 14th Annual Tour de Nez events starting June 24th. These are several road biking events around the area and the "Metric Century" event is the one mentioned that traverses Washoe Valley.
May 4, 2006

Jumbo Grade Cleanup A Success!

We went for a walk up Jumbo Grade today and it was great to see the Jumbo Grade Cleanup by volunteers was obviously a great success. Your editor was unfortunately out-of-town last Saturday but the event went off anyway. Some folks take their trash up there and dump it even though the Carson landfill is really cheap and an easy drive with the new freeway.  The area looks great now due to a lot of hard work by the folks that showed up and we greatly appreciate it.
May 01,2006

Winters Ranch Update

A lot of the pastoral "bottom land" we get to view from our homes or cars has been recently become public land and will remain open space in perpetuity thanks to a long process carried out by some dedicated individuals. Find out more about it and how you can be a part of preserving Washoe Valley here.
April 29, 2006

South Reno=Washoe Valley?

Share your views on the future of Washoe Valley at the Special Regional Planning Commission (RPC) meeting this coming Monday in an open house/workshop atmosphere. See the overview here. See the whole agenda here.
April 28, 2006

Nuisance Ordinance Update

Bob Webb over at Washoe County has forwarded me a handout on the proposed changes to the nuisance ordinance and its enforcement. It is a .DOC file and it should open ok but if you have problems, let me know....
April 26, 2006

Changes at washoevalley.org

The site has been up for 5 months so it is about time for some improvements and changes in the layout. We've added an Outdoors page to cover the main activities in the valley. Also, the "News" category was pretty useless so we changed it to "Comments" to accommodate residents thoughts on valley related topics and this website.

Hopefully you have found washoevalley.org useful and will continue to view and contribute as that will make it more useful to more residents.

Want ads are a chicken and egg question. More ads will generate more viewers and vice versa. So one way you can support the site is by submitting your free ads.

The main page is getting rather long and I'll have to figure out an easy way to archive the old stuff soon.

If you have any suggestions on other improvements, please write!

The Editor
April 19, 2006

More info about changes in the nuisance ordinance

This is from the Incline Village newspaper but gives a little more information on the proposed county-wide changes to the county nuisance ordnance. Find it here.
April 19, 2006

Ford Motor Company/Washoe Valley wild horse sanctuary in the news

"I think it's really great of Ford to do this," said Bobbi Royle, who owns Wild Horse Spirit, a sanctuary in Washoe Valley. "They're one of the few companies to come forward and do something." See the article here.
April 16, 2006

West WVCAB March Agenda Online

If you missed the EWVCAB and the proposed changes to the County Nuisance Regulations are a concern to you then they will be covered again at the WWVCAB meeting. See the agenda here.
April 13, 2006

West WVCAB March Minutes Online

Read all about it here. Check page 3 where the residents raise concerns with NDOT about changes to the interesection of Hwy 395 and Eastlake Blvd on the north.
April 13, 2006

April East Washoe Valley CAB Notes

The meeting at the NDF building was well attended with standing room only but the topics discussed outlasted just about everyone. Read about everything discussed here.
April 13, 2006

New Jumbo Grade Trailhead

Last fall new trailhead improvements were completed at the gravel pit on lower Jumbo Grade. This is a great addition to our recreational opportunities here in Washoe Valley. See the whole story here.

East Washoe Valley CAB March Minutes Online

The minutes of the last East Washoe Valley CAB meeting are here in pdf format.

East Washoe Valley CAB Agenda

The next meeting is Tuesday the 11th at the NDF building and here are the highlights:

• Reports from the Sheriff's Office, 911, Fire and Washoe County & WV traffic & safety

• Possible Changes to Washoe County’s Administrative Enforcement Process and Nuisance Regulations

• Water Management Plan Update

• Discussion of the Property Tax Cap that was enacted last year.

• Washoe Valley Public Information Campaign presentation

• Parks & Rec update

• Area Plan Update

The meeting officially begins at 6pm for a CAB Workshop and the regular meeting begins at 7pm. See you there!

BLM Website Returns

The Nevada BLM website is back up after being down for several months. You can find information on Upcoming Wild Horse and Burro Sales, land sales and management projects, give feedback and get information on who to contact. Find it on our links page and here.

The Nevada Observer has an article explaining what happened to the regional development brouhaha last month. this is the best explanation and really, the only one I've seen. Go to their site here and scroll down to this article:
March 28, 2006

Developers, Politicians Lose In Bid To Pave Over Washoe County

Spring Gardening Tips

Our local nursery professional has an article on the WV Garden Tips page on preparing your yard and plants for spring (its coming, really).
March 27, 2006

Stopping Sprawl

Here's an article from Loudoun County, Virginia about the successful containment of proposed sprawl illustrating that it can be done.
Dec. 14, 2005

Open Space Input

Carolyn M. Poissant, Park Planning Projects Coordinator for Washoe County Regional Parks and Open Space has sent around an email informing us that maps created on behalf of the Reno Open Space and Greenways Plan remain posted at the Reno Community Development Department, 450 Sinclair Street, 2nd Floor. "We have elected to make these maps available for additional public comment through Friday, December 9. 
Your assistance is crucial to refining these maps, which will serve the community for many years. Please feel free to visit the Reno Community Development Department and post your comments directly on the maps." 

This email was dated the 7th of December so the call for input isn't very helpful but I should have known about this already- thus one of the reasons for this website! I'll try to track down what this is all about and post more information. Hopefully the maps will remain available for public review even if we can' comment.
Dec. 07, 2005

ALERT- County Commissioners Meetings

The County Commissioners Meetings on the 13th and 20th meetings are critical to attend as there will be staff reports and maps pertaining to implementation of the settlement agreement which is expected to go before the Regional Planning Governing Board in January. The agenda for the Dec.13th meeting was not available on the website as of tonight.

Please attend for education and to show that we really do care what happens to our valley!
Dec. 6, 2005

CAB/Development Meeting Info

I just noticed on the Washoe County site that the January 13th meeting of the East Washoe Valley CAB meeting has been cancelled and the next one will be January 10. I am told the reason is that there was nothing on the agenda.
The West Washoe Valley CAB meeting has also been cancelled. 

The Weston/Lowden Comprehensive Plan Amendment Meeting will probably be on the March agenda.

Also, the minutes of the November meeting still have not been posted on the Washoe County site as of this date.

Dec. 06, 2005

Homes On All Our Hills?

Whatever your stance on development you ought to check out the legislation Jim Gibbons and Al Pombo (CA) have slipped into the current budget bill. Some say it will allow individuals to stake mining claims on BLM land and then sell that land to developers. The Hills around Washoe Valley are studded with mining claims. Research this and Write to Mr. Gibbons here.
Dec. 06, 2005

Corey Farley's column (here) of last Friday (Nov. 18,2005) spoke of the annexation monster that is Reno. He wasn't very encouraging but it was interesting. He notes that a recent study showed that the runaway growth down south cost every person in Las Vegas $72,697. 

Reno shows off growth plan

At the Nov. 15, 2005 Washoe County Commissioners meeting Reno submitted their proposed "Sphere of Influence" (SOI) Map, part of which is shown here. I'm new to all this stuff but it appears to be where they want annexation in the near future. Reno allows mass development of high density subdivisions. It is logical to annex adjoining areas so would existing New Washoe City be next?