WASHOE VALLEY LEGAL DEFENSE FUND RUMMAGE YARD SALE

Saturday, May 22, 2010 8-4, lot next to New Washoe Bar on Eastlake Blvd.
WE NEED ITEMS TO SELL: Tools, antiques, games, toys, tack, books, DVD’S, plants etc., but very little clothing – only children’s which is clean and in good repair, and for adults, only high end items like leather jackets or fashionable suits, etc.
Besides items to sell, we need: Volunteers for the day and early morning

PLEASE PLAN ON ATTENDING ON MAY 22

To volunteer for the day, contact Ann York at ann.york@yahoo.com, 849-0762.
To donate items for the sale, please contact Gary Houk @ grhouk@gmail.com or 849-2149, Ann or Susan at artemesiaacres@gmail.com.

TOGETHER, WE CAN KEEP WASHOE RURAL!!

The Washoe County Commission is reviewing plans for a new housing development in the Pleasant Valley area.

Commissioners Tuesday heard details of the Sierra Reflections development, said Grace Sannazzaro, a planner in the community development department.

The World Properties Inc. project calls for 147 townhomes on about 760 acres bordered by Pagni Lane, U.S. 395 and Little Washoe Lake.

A public hearing is scheduled for April 27.

The project was approved by the county planning commission in May 2006.

Maybe I’m missing something. What do other people think?”

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING
TUESDAY February 9, 10AM-6PM*
Washoe County Offices, Wells and 9th Street, Bldg. A
*The exact time Agenda Item 17 will be heard is unknown.

Washoe Valley has had an updated area plan for almost a year now.  The process took five years because valley residents defended their right to a rural lifestyle.  Our work is still not done.  The owners of the section at Washoe Hill and East Lake, known as the Weston or Ophir property, have sued to get municipal water and sewer for future suburban development.  The Regional Planning Governing Board has voted to settled the lawsuit allowing these demands.  At Tuesday’s meeting, the Board of County Commissioners will vote either in agreement with the RPGB (agenda item 17) or to defend the WV Area Plan against the lawsuit.  The settlement will jeopardize our Rural Development Area status potentially opening the flood gates for future speculation and urbanization.

Legal Representative
The Washoe Valley Working Group has contracted a lawyer, Tom Hall, as our representative.  He will ask the Board of County Commissioners to defend the community against this lawsuit.  We are requesting that fifty or more citizens attend as a show of support for Mr. Hall and our rural residents.  Due to the complexity of the issue, no public comment will be necessary.

Our Goal
The goal is to convince the Board of County Commissioners to defend us against the Weston lawsuit, to stop the practice of land owners and developers suing for entitlements, and to
Keep Washoe Valley Rural!

For more information regarding the lawsuit and to RSVP your attendance call or email Gary Houk (EWV CAB) 247-6654,849-2149, grhouk@gmail.com; Dave Harrison (EWV CAB) 220-0689, daveharrisonb@gmail.com; Bill Naylor 849-1078; or Monika Frank 849-0116,  HYPERLINK “mailto:talktome@gbis.com” talktome@gbis.com.
Contributions to the legal fund are welcome and can be sent to
West Washoe Association, PO Box 3948, Reno, NV 89505.
Thank you.

For More information, call:  775 887 2190

The Trains Yesterday

A Hurricane Blowing and the Snow Drifting

The N&O train got stuck yesterday in a drift four miles from Reno. They ran back to Reno and too out 12 shovelers. When they got nine miles out they stuck again and could not move either way. A four-horse sleigh brought the men and passengers back to Reno. The mail went through on horseback. Walter Thomas came in with the mail from Onieda and took out the mail and four passengers this morning. The engine is being shoveled out today.
The V&T came in with three engines and a snow-plow covered with snow. There were heavy drifts in Washoe Valley. The west-bound freights were held at Verdi until noon Sunday. The east-bound arrived at Reno at 2 P.M. A freight train was stuck between Verdi and Boca all night Saturday. The wind blew a hurricane all day in the mountains.

In company with Mr. E. Owens of Franktown we rode over the much talked of Dall Rd, leading from a point near Franktown to the Ophir grade. It will be remembered that this road was once offered to the county for $4,000, and was inspected by Messrs. Eastman and Bragg with a view to its purchase by the county. The south end of the county was divided at the time on the road question, some wanting a road from Washoe City, others from Ophir, and a large number in favor of the Dall Road. We understand that a new proposition has been made to the Board of County Commissioners, viz: to build a road on a direct line from Bower’s Mansion to the Ophir Grade. The last Legislature passed a bill allowing this county to spend $5,000 on a road from some place on the north side of Washoe lake to high land on the opposite side. The people in Washoe Valley need a road across the valley from north to south. With these facts before us we were glad of the opportunity to see the roads in question. The Dall road is 3.5 miles long, and must have cost its owner nearly $8,000. He proposes to do work in funding and fixing the road to an amount equal to about $1,500 and sell the road to the county for $5,000. Franktown will give $1,000 or more of this sum. The road is a very good one, and the only practical one for majority of the people in that valley. The proposed road from Bowers’ would cost $6,000 or $7,000 and would not then be as good a one as the Dall road is now. The Ophir road would cost a large sum and  would then accommodate only a few persons.
At Mill Station there are at the dump of Hobart & Marlett’s flume, about 12,000 cords of wood. D. M. Riordan is the V&T R.R. agent and is a very gentlemanly fellow and well posted man. The fluming season is over at Mills. The late frosts nearly destroyed the wheat crop of Mr. Montgomery, and very materially injured that of Mr. Simons. Mr. Simons has one of the prettiest homes in Washoe Valley. He has a large farm, fine orchard, and most comfortable dwelling.

Editors notes: Mr. Dall had a mill for processing Quartz ore from Virginia City that was brought by wagon over the Ophir (Jumbo) Grade on the east side of the valley. He built a road from that toll road to his mill. That is presumably the road mentioned. During this time, the V&T railroad made processing ore along the Carson River profitable and the Washoe Valley mills, and towns, began to disappear. Perhaps this is why Mr. Dall was willing to sell his road.

Flumes were wood “ditches” that transported wood cut from the high country to the west of the valley. Cord wood was cut to fuel the mills and stoves of Virginia City. Nearly all of the old growth timber was cut from around Lake Tahoe to feed the silver production in the form of lumber, fire wood and timbers for the mines.

Western Washoe Valley was vigorously farmed for wheat, potatoes, fruit and especially hay during the Comstock mining boom from 1860 through 1900.