Carson High School officially opened its new, very modern engineering computer lab Friday. The room's previous purpose was the old weight training facility but with the new addition of the wrestling room the logical place to break ground for the new lab was the old weight room.

The new lab features 25 new computers, hardwood tables, a separate room for small construction and even high quality office chairs. The lab was a part of the $27 million Carson City School District received in a bond. Other additions from that funding included the addition of the wrestling room, the addition to Empire Elementary School and Eagle Valley Middle School, and a variety of smaller projects throughout the district to create space and use energy intelligently.

The funding came from, "a bond in the year 2010. The school district put wheels in motion by asking the voters if they would approve a bond sale and it was really the only mechanism that the schools in the state of Nevada have to build and refurbish school facilities," said School District Superintendent Richard Stokes. He noted it was the voters who made this new addition happen and wanted to personally thank them for the improvements.

The majority of the use for the facility will be for engineering classes. Included with these classes is an option in a new program for students which will allow students who start out freshman year, take the course all four years and by the time they graduate they will be almost guaranteed a full scholarship at a heavy emphasis engineering school. Mr. Bean was the lucky teacher who got to teach this new class and use the new facility first.

These kinds of additions to the school district take time and any new ones are planned in advance, the superintendent said.

"It's going to take a while because once you sell one school bond, you can only spend so much money in such a short amount of time," said Stokes. "In the past we've used community members to survey what is desired or needed as far as school needs and we will gather said people to begin the next brainstorming very soon.

"The actual construction probably won't happen, however, for about another 3-5 years down the road," the superintendent said.

A 26-year-old Carson City man was arrested Thursday, 4:48 p.m. in the area of Airport Road and Desatoya. He faces misdemeanor charges of failure to obey a traffic control device, DUI alcohol and drugs, possession of less than an ounce of marijuana and violation of pre-trial supervision.

According to the arrest report, the man was stopped after failing to stop at a posted stop sign at Desatoya and Siskiyou Drive. The man had a strong odor of alcohol from his breath and the odor of marijuana in the vehicle.

The man was asked if he had marijuana or any other drugs in the vehicle and the man replied he did not. A K9 drug dug searched the vehicle where marijuana was found and later booked into evidence, the arrest report states. A background check revealed the man was on Alternative Sentencing with a no alcohol or drugs clause.

He was asked to submit to standardized field sobriety tests but could not complete them satisfactorily, the arrest report states. Bail: $4,953.

In other arrests:
A 32-year-old Reno man was arrested Thursday, 11:42 p.m. at the intersection of William and Rand streets on a misdemeanor failure to appear warrant issued out of Henderson Township.
The motorist was stopped after officers observed the vehicle's driver side headlight was not working. A computer check of the man's license returned with two warrants out of Clark County, with one extraditable. Bail: $2,000.

— A 26-year-old Carson City man was arrested Thursday, 11:41 p.m. at the intersection of Curry and Rhodes streets. He faces misdemeanor charges of contempt of court, failure to appear warrant, driving on expired plates and no insurance.

Patrol officers stopped the vehicle because the registration had expired. The man told officers he knew the registration was expired and was unable to show proof of current insurance. A warrant check came back confirming a warrant issued by Carson City Justice Court. Bail: $1,799.

— A 23-year-old Carson City man was arrested Thursday, Jan. 30, 11:28 p.m. in the 1400 block of North Carson Street. He faces a misdemeanor charge of violation of a suspended sentence.

Special Enforcement Team officers patrolling the area saw three subjects walking northbound on North Carson Street, according to the arrest report. The officer conducted a consensual contact stop and asked for identifications. One of the men, who was on Alternative Sentencing and prohibited from drinking, had alcohol on his breath and admitted to drinking a beer. Bail: $1,000.

— A 29-year-old Dayton man was arrested Jan. 30, 1:45 p.m. at the intersection of Carson and John streets. He faces misdemeanor charges of driving on a suspended license, no proof of insurance and a failure to appear warrant out of Reno Township Justice Court.
According to the arrest report, the man was stopped because the left brake light was not functioning and the vehicle's turn signal was not used. Bail: $2,701.

Those arrested and facing charges are innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

While I fully respect Kirk's decision to link comment posting to facebook, and also understand the reason he gives, I don't think it is the right step.

I've never heard about the major site "Techcrunch" which he mentions as having successfully implemented this, but I am sure everybody has heard about the major sites Los Angeles Times and CNN that implemented it as well and have since gone back to offering the traditional method of sign-up. Simply because too many participants refused to open a facebook account just to be able to comment; they simply don't trust this social network.

Which is smart. Facebook has only one source of income, data theft. The moment someone opens a facebook account, a battery of up to 60 cookies is placed on his computer, most of them tracing cookies. CPU activity will instantly shoot up, indicating that some search activity is going on inside the computer.

Most users do not watch performance monitors regularly - may not even be aware that there is such a thing - so this will usually go unnoticed unless it happens on an older, less powerful machine that will slow down and/or have the fans suddenly go loud.

Facebook is under investigation for privacy protection issues in dozens of jurisdictions outside the US. Inside the US it only gets mild slaps on the wrist every time some "mishaps" with user data surface. Along with the much celebrated fact that Mark Zuckerberg became the youngest billionaire ever - on revenues from a data theft operation - it indicates that he enjoys protection and support from powerful parties interested in his service.

There is good news, though. As a business, Facebook has matured and is in decline now, pretty much at the point where mySpace was about four years ago. It's not a sinking ship yet, but not one to book either. Of course, the next kid, with an even better scrutinizing software for an even more naive audience than Facebook's followship, may already be negotiating to become the world's first pre-puberty billionaire.

The real name requirement is another obstacle. An opinion expressed in a letter to the editor for printed media usually ended up in the landfill or became kindle the next winter. Safely forgotten. On the net, however, it's conserved and available to the public for decades to come. Anybody who may ever want to apply for employment or run for public office can be assured that expressing an opinion under the real name will cause problems somewhere down the road.

Trolls and rants are a pain, no doubt. But they are preferable over a system that silences opinion. Automation is unable to weed out spam and personal attacks, and approving constructive submissions at the same time. Only a human editor will be able to do that.

Oh, one more thing. I will not be able to reply to any comments to this opinion. All my computers are protected with Facebook blockers.

More than $177 million has been invested through the USDA into rural Nevada communities in the past year, assisting more than 700 families in either helping them buy homes or to make improvements to their properties, and investing more than $28 million for community water and sewer system repairs, officials said Friday.

"These are projects that will stand the test of time," said Sarah Adler, state director for USDA Rural Development Nevada. "When we help a family buy a home of their own, or when these towns get new water and sewer infrastructure, it builds community. Families can thrive, and towns can attract and grow business."

USDA provided more than $135 million in rural housing assistance in 2015, with $126 million in Direct and Guaranteed Home Loans to help 673 families purchase homes of their own. The agency also provided over $9 million in rental assistance for 1,500 very low income residents, many of them seniors and disabled.

USDA’s Community Programs pumped $28 million worth of loan and grant dollars into clean water and wastewater projects. Communities like Topaz Ranch Estates near Topaz Lake, and Carlin, in northeastern Nevada, can now build efficient and cost-effective systems that will protect community health and the environment.

TRE will improve wells and replace water mains at its old and undersized system and Carlin will replace a 40-year-old wastewater pump station. Each project will generate substantial numbers of jobs through engineering and construction contracts.

In Virginia City, 13 miles of historic and dilapidated sewer lines will be replaced, financed through a combination loan and grant totaling $13 million from USDA. The adjacent community of Gold Hill will have its failing community septic system replaced and connected to Virginia City’s new wastewater treatment plant, also funded by Rural Development.

The Community Facility Program's direct loan and grant programs have assisted communities as well. The Pershing County Water Conservation District will use an $802,000 Direct Loan to repair the dam at Rye Patch Reservoir. Tonopah and the Fallon Tribe were able to purchase vans for their senior programs; other rural towns purchased security equipment, equipped commercial kitchens or furnished hospitals with handicapped accessible furniture.

Rural Development’s Business Program invested $13.7 million in rural communities, including a $10 million loan guarantee to Aqua Metals, a company that is building a large-scale lead battery recycling facility in McCarran, Nev. The company broke ground in August and expects to create 70 jobs.

USDA's Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) continues to grow, providing $741,504 to support renewable energy and energy efficiency improvement projects across the state. The Fortifiber Corporation in Fernley, which manufactures moisture barrier papers for the building industry, received the largest REAP grant to date.

The $373,429 grant paid for 25 percent of a new 499 kW roof mounted solar system which is expected to generate 886,681 kWh of renewable energy each year. The solar power will replace 39 percent of the plant's electricity needs and reduce Co2 emissions by more than a million pounds annually.

Rural Business Development Grants totaling $273,940 helped fund a number of small and emerging business enterprise projects in rural areas of the state. For instance, the Indian Dispute Resolution Service received $114,447 to continue and expand its "Indianpreneurship" workshops with Nevada tribes. The training includes business plan development, accounting and QuickBooks, financial planning, negotiation, and computer literacy.

A 29-year-old Carson City man was arrested Thursday in the 3400 block of Airport Road on a felony home invasion charge, a Carson City sheriff’s deputy said.

Joel Diaz-Ceju was taken into custody at 11:19 p.m. and is being held on $25,000 bail. According to the arrest report, officers were dispatched to the area after a victim stated someone was inside her home. The victim was hiding in a bedroom and could hear someone in the hall. The victim stated her husband, whom she has been separated for a year, had forced his way into the residence through a sliding glass door.

Officers arrived and made contact with Diaz on the northwest side of the residence walking with clothes. The officer gave the man verbal commands to lay on the ground and he was detained and placed into the back of a patrol car. Diaz stated he was getting his clothes, the arrest report states.

Deputies spoke with the victim who opened the door and stated all the doors were locked and that the sliding glass door was locked. She stated the sliding glass door also has two broom handles to try hold the door closed if the lock is unsuccessful. The sliding glass door is on the rear balcony and someone would have to jump the side wall to gain access to the door. The victim found one broom handle in front of the bedroom door where she was locked inside with the children, the arrest report states.

The victim told deputies Diaz had been living on Menlo Drive and they had not been together for a year. She stated he has had restraining orders and is on probation and not welcome in the residence. She stated that on July 27 at 10:59 p.m. the man entered the same way and one of the children unlocked the door and let him inside. She said she was showering when the kids opened the door. She said the man pulled out a knife and threatened to harm himself. When the woman called police for help Diaz left, she said.

Photographs were taken of the door and handles that were pushed away that allowed Diaz to gain access. He was taken into custody and charged with felony home invasion.

In other arrests: A 45-year-old Carson City, Jim Mauel Banuelos, man was arrested Thursday on a felony fugitive from justice warrant charge and a misdemeanor charge of being an ex-felony failing to register.

According to the arrest report, deputies with the Carson City Sheriff’s Office Special Enforcement Team were assigned to make contact with a subject in the 800 block of North Carson Street for a followup on a separate matter. Deputies knocked on the door and a man answered. Officers asked if he was the man officers were looking for. Banuelos told officers the man would be back. He was asked to provide identification. The man gave officers a passport.

A check showed a warrant for his arrest out of Santa Clara Superior Court. The warrant was for probation violation with an original charge of annoying or molesting a child under the age of 18. Banuelos was arrested. He told officers he had never been in trouble and that it must be some kind of mistake. The deputy confirmed the warrant by physical descriptors including a tattoo on his left ring finger.

Banuelos insisted the warrant was a mistake and said “I can’t be arrested, I’m the director of the FBI,” according to the arrest report. He was placed in a patrol vehicle and taken to jail. While at the jail the officer requested a copy of the man’s criminal history. It showed two or more felony convictions. The officer noticed the man was not registered at the address he gave as his home. He was also charged with a misdemeanor, ex-felon failing to register. He’s being held without bail on the fugitive from justice charge awaiting extradition.

— A 31-year-old homeless man, Anthony Ross, was arrested Thursday, 5:48 p.m. in the 1300 block of South Carson Street on a felony charge, fugitive from justice. According to the arrest report, deputies were dispatched to a gas station in the area on a report of a subject causing a disturbance. Dispatch gave deputies a description of the man. Arriving officers observed the man in the parking lot.

An officer met with an employee of gas station who said the man was trespassing and that they wanted him removed from the property.
Deputies met with Ross who asked about programs for the homeless. He said a law enforcement officer had dropped him off at a south Carson Street casino and that is how he got to Carson City.

Deputies learned Ross had a confirmed felony warrant out of California for probation violation. He was placed into custody. He’s being held without bail pending extradition.

— A 30-year-old Carson City woman, Carina Ruiz-Mora, was arrested Friday, 2:30 a.m. in the 1800 block of North Edmonds on a felony charge, possession of a controlled substance, and two misdemeanor charges. According to the arrest report, deputies were dispatched to the area in reference to a suspicious subject. Security at a casino said there were two females possibly conducting a drug deal. Officers arrived and saw two men next to a vehicle and then walk into the casino.

Deputies met with security who pointed to one of the women and said they wanted her arrested for trespassing after arguing with security who had asked her to leave. Both women denied speaking with security.

A computer check of Ruiz showed her to be on Alternative Sentencing with a no alcohol, drugs, or drug paraphernalia clause as well as search and seizure for both. She did not appear intoxicated. The officer asked her about recent drug use in which she denied. The officer asked if he could check her purse for drugs or paraphernalia.

The woman said yes. The officer opened her purse and saw a burned pipe used to smoke methamphetamine. Alternative Sentencing advised she be arrested for violation of conditions. Also inside the purse were several small empty baggies and two baggies with small amounts of meth, the arrest report states.
During the jail intake search, another burned methamphetamine pipe was found concealed in her bra. She was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and violating conditions of Alternative Sentencing. Bail: $6,637.

— A 55-year-old Carson City man was arrested Thursday, 5:17 p.m. in the 400 block of Cambridge Court on a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery, a Carson City sheriff’s deputy said.

According to the arrest report, deputies were dispatched to the area on a report of a domestic issue. The reporting witness stated the 55-year-old suspect had pushed him and put his hands around his neck.

Deputies met with the victim in the front yard and noticed fresh scratches and marks on the right side of his neck. The victim told officers that he lives with his grandmother and her boyfriend. He said the boyfriend had been drinking all day and arguing with the victim. About five minutes before he called 911 the two began arguing with the suspect coming at the victim in an aggressive manner, grabbing the victim by the neck and throwing him into the garage door causing it to break.

Officers met with the suspect who was intoxicated and confirmed that he had been drinking. He said that he and the victim don’t get along and that the victim was calling him derogatory names. He said the victim said something that upset him and he “went after him,” the arrest report states. Bail: $3,137.

— A 35-year-old transient was arrested Thursday, 6:29 p.m. in the 3300 block of Highway 50 East on a misdemeanor warrant, contempt of court, issued July 24, 2015 out of Carson City Justice Court. Bail: $500.

All information for the crime log (unless otherwise noted) comes from the arrest reports supplied by the Carson City Sheriff's Office, and is considered by law to be public information. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The policy of Carson Now is to name anyone who is arrested for a felony offense.

Every decision you make in life has consequences. It's like a car with only two speeds: forward and reverse. It will either lead you to your goals, or away from them. So you need to make certain that every decision you make, is taking you in the direction you want to be headed.

Here's a Case Study on a company who made all the right decisions as to how to best reach their business goal, successfully and profitably. Decisions on things like people and expertise. They achieved it partnering with O'Neil.

The Technology User: Offsite Data Depot LLC

And that's exactly what Offsite Data Depot did, before starting a new business in a marketplace that already had two established record centers.
They determined that attracting more customers is really about listening to their needs, not just being yet another solution looking for a problem.

Pretty visionary on the part of these two guys Brian Olson and Gerd Poppinga, Co-Owners of Offsite Data Depot. Put quite simply, they wanted to offer their clients more options than their competitors at a lower cost and the best service in the industry.

Offsite Data Depot is located in Carson City, Nevada. The company has been in business for five years and offers the following services: records storage and management; document imaging and destruction; cloud-based computer backups and internet email filtering. They currently store approximately 45,000 boxes and have 150 customers.

From a technology perspective, Offsite Data Depot was familiar with O'Neil Software. Brian and Gerd had helped build another records storage and management company using this software and knew it had the most flexibility and features on the market . Additionally, their technical support was outstanding.

Challenge 1: Have 110% Clarity Around Our Vision, Purpose and Core Values
Vision, purpose and core values are the foundations from which great entrepreneurs build great companies. That being the case, Offsite Data Depot wanted to be crystal-clear as to their competitive advantages and what made them unique in the marketplace. Showcase what they did differently, or better than their competition, as it's always better to sell the cure, which means you have to know your customers' pain.

So their strategic thought process lead them to provide faster and superior levels of service; the ability to fulfill the needs of clients not currently being addressed; and offer more options than their competitors, at a lower cost.

"From day one, we chose O'Neil because of the capabilities of their RS-SQL and RSWeb.NET technologies," notes Brian Olson, Co-Owner of Offsite Data Depot. "O'Neil offered the most complete record center package. And we're continually surprised that our competitors can't provide the same options that we offer (which we consider basic), just because they use a different software package."

Gerd Poppinga, the other Co-Owner of Offsite Data Depot adds: "I know of record centers that chose their software based solely on price and ended up with an inferior product. This limits their ability to serve the needs of their clients and results in a less efficient operation."

He continues, "We felt that Offsite Data Depot should have the best software, not necessarily the cheapest. In the end, it's all about meeting clients' needs and keeping our bottom-line costs down. This way, we can charge less than our competitors."

Challenge 2: Find the Most Complete Package for a Record Center
Invoicing, scheduling, automatic monitoring and reporting, error trapping, complete search capabilities, wireless technology, portable computing, remote access, retention scheduling, language translation and multi-site functionality. These were just a few of the key features Offsite Data Depot was looking for to increase their record center's efficiency, productivity and profitability. They got that using O'Neil's RS-SQL.

RS-SQL is a flexible. feature-rich information management and record tracking software. It allows you to easily and accurately manage and monitor the activity of any storable item (boxes, file folders, documents and tapes) throughout your record center, from deposit to destruction, work order to invoice. Using RS-SQL lightens the load on your internal staff and reduces the time and effort it takes to access information. Today, RS-SQL continues to set the industry standard in records storage and management solutions.

Designed to handle the needs of everyone, from start-ups to multi-facility record centers and built around Microsoft® 's SQL Server database engine, RS-SQL is both scalable and robust. As the number of users increase, the product automatically scales to meet your needs. The system can accommodate any size business, small or large.

Using O'Neil's RS-SQL you can find what you need, when you need it, guaranteeing 100% service accuracy and efficiency. It ensures correct billing for every activity performed and has the flexibility and power to handle the most complex record center business processes and multiple applications. You can search in the RS-SQL database under virtually any criteria to find information. You can sort, format, print, export or even email tables. In minutes, you can answer any of your customers' questions or requests about their information and provide data the way they want it.

Challenge 3: The Web is Always Open. Can We Say that About Our Customer Service?
Offsite Data Depot wanted to give customers a 24/7, secure online service that could provide information about their files and boxes; help them order products and services; allow for easy processing while at the same time, give more freedom to their Customer Service staff to handle other business activities. O'Neil's RSWeb.NET offered that capability.

O'Neil has harnessed the power of the Internet and Microsoft's latest .NET technology to make a record center a true extension of their customer's operations. RSWeb.NET provides your customers with fast, flexible and real-time access to their information any time, day or night, from anywhere in the world, a mouse-click away. They can perform many record center tasks, eliminating phone calls, faxes, emails to your staff, saving time and money.

Challenge 4: Technical Support Always There When You Need Them
O'Neil has three office locations (USA, UK, Australia) and covers all time zones. 98% of their service and support calls are answered by a real "live staff member, with no waiting.

The Solution: Purchase Your Last System First
Both Brian and Gerd agree: "We're not sure where we'll go next with technology. However, we know that wherever we decide to go, O'Neil will be there to support us."

When most of us spend our personal funds for a good or service, we strive for maximum value because our funds are finite.

Public spending, whether at the Federal, state or local level, occurs because of borrowed money, taxes and user fees ultimately paid for by an overlapping pool of individuals and businesses.

Unfortunately, Carson City officials continue to serially ignore value-focused public spending. Despite a looming operating budget deficit larger than last year’s $3.7 million, we have seen zero progress in aligning expenses with revenues. An onerous long-term public debt of over $4,000 per resident (excluding interest costs) has accomplished little toward shoring up our deteriorating infrastructure. Reserves have already been largely spent down.

Whether Federal, state or local government funds a project, these recent spending examples do not follow the value principle.

• A new Community Center events sign ($99,000) when the existing one is serviceable if not optimal.

• Spending $400,000 on elaborate ‘Welcome to Carson City’ highway signs when more modest signs could have accomplished the same end.

• Over $300,000 has been spent on metal art work along the 395 bypass.

• A $25,000 consultant to develop solutions for non-paying tenants (+$700,000 owed) at the city-owned Eagle Valley golf course rather than tasking city Parks & Recreation management with the job.

• The city’s $110,000 annual loss to own and operate a cemetery.

• Borrowing $1.1 million ($1.457 million with interest) to buy the Fireside building on east Procter Street when it can’t adequately maintain existing buildings, balance its budget without tax increases, regularly dips into sparse reserves, and raises user fees.

• The Business Resource and Innovation Center (BRIC) has not created one documented new business in almost three years of operation. What tangible return on investment (new public revenues, increased private economic activity, new jobs) has the city realized and reported from the $1,000,000 spent on building renovations, moving costs, building maintenance at the vacated Northgate complex, and operating expenses? Is conducting business classes and counseling sessions, the main activities at BRIC, appropriate when we already have several business schools in the region and over a dozen existing business advisory agencies?

• Proposed spending of $150,000 to narrow Carson street with an incomplete 395 bypass.

• The city library recently installed redundant computers for $434,000 when the Boys and Girls Club of Western Nevada, privately-funded Computer Corps and the public school district can satisfy these needs.

• The city library installed a library materials vending machine for $161,000 at the local Boys and Girls Club when existing club buses could transport children to and from the full library one mile away.

• For over four years the city has claimed “it doesn’t have $125,000” to restore the library’s roof and replace absent perimeter caulking necessary to prevent moisture and pest intrusion. Further delay and deterioration will require a full roof replacement at double the cost. Do we wait for full roof failures (Eagle Valley Middle School and Fire Station 51) to “find” emergency funding, or should our community proactively maintain city facilities? The city librarian has $200,000 in her gift fund, but states she has no responsibility for the building her operation occupies on a daily basis.

• Our small city library has a glut of managers: a director, an assistant director and a marketing/outreach coordinator to “publicize” the library, plus several front-line managers. One director should be able to supervise the front-line managers.

• The city manager’s recent proposal to hire an assistant city manager at a total cost with benefits of over $100,000/year despite the numerous department heads and management personnel already on the city payroll.

When will we see public money spent more prudently, i.e., as if it were coming out of public officials’ personal pockets, and the diligent pursuit of operating efficiencies?

Computer Corps Summer TechCamps are open for registration.
3 TechCamps available. Each TechCamp is two weeks long
June 15th-June 26th

Call 775-883-2323 for more information or visit www.computercorps.org

Small Business Saturday is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses across the country. DeBug Computer was started by Keith Barham in 2000 as a means of helping others in the Carson area with their computer and technology needs. Thanks to community support and residents shopping local, it has grown to be one of the top providers of IT support in Carson City.

With October designated National Cyber Security Awareness Month, state and federal agencies in Nevada will be recognizing efforts to protect citizens against attacks on computer networks and infrastructure.

The Nevada Division of Emergency Management/Homeland Security, Department of Administration/Enterprise IT Services, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance are all participating to increase awareness throughout the U.S. and, specifically Nevada.

Since its inception a decade ago under leadership from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance, NCSAM has grown exponentially, reaching consumers, small and medium-size businesses, corporations, educational institutions, and young people across the nation. NDEM along with our federal partners are celebrating the 10th anniversary of National Cyber Security Awareness Month.

Cybersecurity is the mechanism that maximizes our ability to grow commerce, communications, community and content in a connected world. This year’s theme is to educate and prepare the citizens of Nevada with several easy steps.

— The Internet is a shared resource and securing it is Our Shared Responsibility. We lead Internet-connected, digital lives.  From our desks and homes to on-the-go, we work, learn and play online. Even when we are not directly connected to the Internet, our critical infrastructure — the vast, worldwide connection of computers, data, and websites supporting our everyday lives through financial transactions, transportation systems, healthcare records, emergency response systems, personal communications, and more — impacts everyone.

— Cybersecurity begins with a simple message everyone using the Internet can adopt: STOP. THINK. CONNECT. 

— Take security and safety precautions, understand the consequences of your actions and behaviors online, and enjoy the benefits of the Internet.

We have divided the month into themed weeks to help focus on core issues in cybersecurity. Take a look and find a part of the month that’s most relevant to you.  Participate in one or all of the weeks and share the message by using the resources we have created to help you here.  

Week 2 October 7-13, 2013  Theme: Being Mobile: Online Safety & Security 
We now take the convenience and productivity of the Internet everywhere we go. We work untethered from a physical location, stay connected as we travel and use portable devices to shop, bank, and manage our daily lives from anywhere. Week 2 highlights the need to maintain a focus on safety and security wherever and whenever we use the Internet.

Week 3: October 14-20, 2013 Theme: Cyber Education and the Next Generation of Cyber Leaders
In order to have a cyber-secure nation, we need to graduate cyber-capable adults who can use the Internet safely, securely, ethically and productively and build a workforce of cybersecurity professionals to defend our networks. We can be successful if we teach everyone essentials and reach the next generation of cyber leaders at an earlier age. Week 3 highlights the importance of cyber education and workforce development, including the advancement and opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education.

Week 4: October 21-27, 2013 Theme: Cybercrime
Today's world is more interconnected than ever before. Yet, for all its advantages, increased connectivity brings increased risk of theft, fraud, and abuse. Week 4 will highlight how people can protect themselves against cybercrime and how to get help.

Week 5: October 28-31, 2013  Theme: Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure
The Internet impacts our daily life, even when we’re not directly using it. The Internet underlies our financial transactions, transportation systems, electrical grid, emergency response systems and nearly every facet of the essential services we use every day. Week 5 highlights the need to take every step necessary to protect our critical infrastructure.

Food For Thought would like to think all the people who came out and supported us at our Saddle Up For Kids Events. Friday, June 28th’s dinner at the Governor’s Mansion and Saturday, June 29th’s Carnival at Mills Park wouldn’t have been as successful if not for our volunteers!

Friday, we had an amazing auction and dinner at the Governor’s Mansion and it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Alaska Airlines, Alcatraz Cruises, Allbritten-Slates CPAS LLC, Alsco, Animal Ark, Aquarium of the Bay, Asian Nails, Atlantis Resort Spa, Bay Area Discovery Museum, Bed Bath & Beyond, Bella Salon, Bianca Miranda, Bounce Party, Bully's Sports Bar & Grill, Café at Adele’s, California Academy of Sciences, Camille Howard, Capital Beverage, Inc., Carson City BBQ, Carson City Car Wash, Carson City Florist, Carson Cupcakes, Carson Lanes Retail Center/Johnny Rockets, Cartoon Art Museum, Charlie Kilpatrick, Cline Cellars, Costco Wholesale, Coyote Moon Golf Course, CW & Mr. Spoons, Dayton Valley Golf Club, DeBug Computer, Inc., Disneyland Resort, Dr. David Eisenhauer, Due Sorella-Two Sisters, Eagle Fitness Carson City, Eldorado Hotel Casino, Fabquest, Fitness for $10, Get Nailed, Girl Scout Troop 11, Gold Dust West, Greenhouse Garden Center, Guadalupe Diez, Gymboree, Harrah's Reno, Heavenly Lake Tahoe, High Sierra Brewery, Jeff & Sandi Conway, Jimmy G's Cigar Bar, JM Furniture, John Ascuaga's Nugget, Kaempfer Crowell Law Offices, Kaia Fit, Kathy Henderson, Kim Thomson/Rapunzels, Langtry Estate & Vineyards, Laura FitzSimmons, Les Schwab Tire Center North Carson, Lone Mountain Veterinary Hospital, Margaret Lindhjem, Mario's Auto Repair, Mile High Jazz Band, Mom & Pop's Diner, Montbleu Resort Casino & Spa Lake Tahoe, Mountain High Lawns, Mutual of Omaha, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, Peppermill Reno, Perfect Balance Pilates LLC, Platinum Salon & Spa, Raging Waters, Sacramento, Red's Old 395, Reno Aces Ballpark, Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum, Rosewood Lakes Golf Course, Salon Chocolat, San Francisco Zoo, San Jose Coin Shop, San Rafael Coffee Co., Shelly Ferenz, Silver Oak Golf Course, Southwest Gas, Starbuck's Coffee Company, Tahoe Kids Camp, Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum, Texas Roadhouse, The Children's Museum, The Critchfield's, The Peju Family Winery, The Purple Avocado, The Sacramento Zoo, The Society of California Pioneers, The Walt Disney Family Museum, Tim & Erica Wahle, Twylah Ayarbe, Whitewater Connection, Wild Island Family Adventure Park, Wildcreek Golf Course and Z Bistro/The Galhaut Family.

Saturday, was our first carnival. The families that came had a wonderful time going up in a hot air balloon, playing carnival games, bouncing in bounce houses, climbing the rock wall and eating! This event was sponsored by Carson City Toyota Scion, Allison MacKenzie Pavlakis Wright & Fagan Attorneys & Counselors of Law, NV Energy, JM Furniture, Carson Tahoe Health, Greater Nevada Credit Union and RE/MAX Realty Affiliates. We want to thank Kiwanis for preparing the food, Grocery Outlet for the food, and all the volunteers that helped setup, run and tear down the carnival!

If you would like to know how you can help with our next event please call Food For Thought at 775-885-7770.

After expanding to Reno and six months of planning, ComputerCorps of Carson City celebrates the official opening of its newly refurbished 40,000-square-foot facility at 550 Mallory Way , next to the Nevada Appeal offices. In its new headquarters, ComputerCorps will house a Donation and Recycling Center , an Outlet Store and Service Center , and a Volunteer and Training Center .

"We invite the community to join in our Grand Opening Friday, August 19th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, August 20th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hot dogs and hamburgers from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on both days," said Ron Norton , Development Director. "This new facility is made possible by the tremendous support from more than 5,000 volunteers and donations from more than 9,000 individuals, businesses and local governments," Norton said.

The non-profit ComputerCorps is dedicated to offering access to computer technology to under-served local families. It does so by offering refurbished computers and service at affordable prices as well as offering volunteer training to the community.

Guests to the Grand Opening will be able to check out desktop computers with prices starting at $50 and laptops starting at $75, all with a full 90-day warranty. And there are loads of LCD monitors, PC memory, speakers and other computer accessories.

Guests are invited to bring and recycle any unwanted computers and electronics, working or not, and receives a donation receipt for tax purposes. ComputerCorps will be glad to pick up from business locations. Regular hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. ComputerCorps also has a location in Reno at and volunteers can earn a free computer system for just 48 hours of service.

ComputerCorps is an internationally recognized 501(c)3 non-profit organization with a motto of "Every Home ‘A’ Classroom."

Contact ComputerCorps at: www.compuercorps.org; or admin@computercorps.org; or at (775) 883-2323. By mail at PO Box 21550 , Carson City NV 89721 .

Location

Nineteen South Lake Tahoe area non-profit organizations got an early holiday surprise Thursday when more than $100,000 was delivered by LIVESTRONG and the American Century Championship.

The Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority board of directors announced the distribution of $102,377 in contributions on Thursday, Nov. 11.

“We’re fortunate to have the support from LIVESTRONG, NBC Sports and American Century Investments to assist to the local community with financial support,” said Carol Chaplin, executive director of the LTVA, in a press statement. “We’re very appreciative of our 21-year partnership and look forward to another outstanding tournament in 2011.”

More than 40 percent of the asset management firm’s profits go to fund research for the prevention and cure of gene-based diseases such as cancer, according to the statement. Of the 2010 donation, $15,000 was distributed between local cancer support programs including Barton Hospital’s mammogram screening and the Cancer League.
 
“The funding will ensure that everyone in our community, regardless of their ability to pay, is able to receive mammograms,” said Kindle Craig, executive director of the Barton Foundation. “The Barton Foundation is pleased and honored to once again receive funding from all of the sponsors.”
 
The $87,377 balance was distributed among 17 additional local organizations. The Lake Tahoe Community College Foundation (funding Foundation for the Future scholarships), South Lake Tahoe Women's Center (for violence prevention program), Boys & Girls Club Teen Enterprise program (purchasing a new truck for activity support), and Tahoe Youth & Family Services (computer access, life skills training, and transportation) each received $10,000.
 
Recipients of $4,000 to $5,000 included Christmas Cheer, Back Door Pantry, Douglas County Sheriff's Search & Rescue, Bringing Arts to School, the Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation, South Lake Tahoe Family Resource Center and the Tahoe Arts Project. 
 
Contributions of $2,300 to $4,000 included the Kiwanis Club of Lake Tahoe (Coats for Kids program), South Tahoe High School Performing Arts Booster Association, Whittell Boosters Club, Kahle Community Center, the South Lake Tahoe Police Activities League, and Zephyr Cove Elementary School PTC.


The 2011 tournament is July 12-17 at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course. Go to: www.TahoeSouth.com or www.TahoeCelebrityGolf.com for information.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the top concern for Nevadans age 50 and older, according to a survey released Thursday.

AARP released its statewide survey that looks at the challenges, concerns and dreams of older adults in the state. The telephone survey was made up of 401 random Nevada residents aged 50 and over was conducted between Jan. 2 and Jan. 31. It has sampling error of plus or minus five percent.

More than 9 in 10 Nevada adults 50 and over say that staying healthy (98 percent), staying mentally sharp (95 percent) and having adequate health insurance (88 percent) are extremely or very important to them.

More than 8 in 10 say that receiving Medicare when needed (85 percent) is extremely or very important. Spending time with family and friends (87 percent), receiving Social Security when needed (83 percent) and protecting themselves from consumer fraud (76 percent) rounded out the top seven most important issues for respondents.

However, when it came to being prepared to meet those goals the news wasn’t so good. Roughly one third said they had all they needed to stay physically healthy (32 percent), stay mentally sharp (35 percent) or have adequate health care coverage (33 percent.). Many also indicated that their needs were not met spending quality time with family and friends (33 percent).

Even fewer said they have everything they need in regards to Medicare (22 percent) and Social Security (25 percent).

“Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised to see that almost every Nevadan 50-plus says staying healthy mentally and physically is a big concern,” said AARP Nevada State Director Carla Sloan.

“But it is shocking that so many don’t feel that they have what they need to meet those goals.” AARP’s work in Carson City is one important part of the ongoing effort to help older Nevadans and their families feel more secure, as are the services AARP offers at the local level — such as AARP’s Tax Aide tax preparation service and seminars for older job seekers.

“While the state economy is beginning to improve slowly, many people are still struggling to make ends meet,” said Sloan. “Older Nevadans are concerned about the services and programs that protect the health and safety of our communities. It’s clear that AARP should continue our work to make sure that our 304,000 members in Nevada have a voice and a role in protecting the future of our state.”

Click here to read more.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to help Catmandu in Carson City recover veterinary costs for a badly injured cat, medical costs for the many kittens brought in during this kitten season, and much needed facility maintenance and repair. Any amount you can afford is greatly appreciated! For more information and/or to donate please go here.

Additionally, volunteers are needed to help with daily cleaning, office work, maintenance and computer website development. If you can spare a few hours at a time, once or twice a week, please contact Linda at: (775) 297-3419 or stop by 1829 Brown Street, Carson City. Catmandu is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

Catmandu is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in Carson City dedicated to cat and kitten rescue, sanctuary and adoption. For more information please go to: www.catmanducc.org.

by gpoppinga Source: http://aroundcarson.com/2010/07/13/atlantis_casino_resort_spa_and_offsite_data_depot_sign_agreement_for_document_management_servicesMove Saves Atlantis Approximately $6K/MonthCARSON CITY, Nev.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Until recently, Reno’s Atlantis Casino Resort Spa leased secure warehouse space for storing administrative documents and gaming receipts. When it came time to destroy outdated documents, they hired a shredding service to come in about once a month to perform secure document destruction. In an ongoing effort to save costs and increase efficiency, the casino looked at other options and services. “These days, every business is taking a harder look at their bottom line. Like the Atlantis, companies from many industries are starting to figure out that they can save a significant amount of money while actually improving their records management by outsourcing to a professional records center like Offsite.”Effective in May, Atlantis signed an agreement with Offsite Data Depot in Carson City for secure document storage, electronic inventory and document destruction.Ron Rowan, Atlantis Casino Resort Spa CFO, said, “Transitioning to Offsite has resulted in greater document security, convenience for our team and lower expense for our company.”Gerd Poppinga, Offsite’s Director of Operations, added, “We inventory and track every record electronically to guarantee an audit trail. We arranged all labor and transportation for the document move, and worked with Atlantis’ staff to ensure an accurate inventory.”Brian Olson, co-owner of Offsite, mentioned, “These days, every business is taking a harder look at their bottom line. Like the Atlantis, companies from many industries are starting to figure out that they can save a significant amount of money while actually improving their records management by outsourcing to a professional records center like Offsite.”About Atlantis Casino Resort SpaAtlantis Casino Resort Spa, a hotel casino in Reno, Nev., features 61,000 square feet of casino space, 1,000 guest rooms, eight food outlets, two espresso and pastry bars, a 30,000-square-foot health spa and salon with year-round pool, two retail outlets, an 8,000-square-foot family entertainment center, and over 5,000 square feet of banquet, convention and meeting space.In gaming, Atlantis features nearly 1,450 slot machines, 38 table games including blackjack, craps, roulette and more, race and sports booking, a 24-hour keno lounge, and a poker room. For more information: www.AtlantisCasino.com.About Offsite Data DepotHeadquartered in Carson City, Offsite Data Depot offers Nevada businesses secure records storage and management services, including certified document destruction, document imaging and hosting, online computer backups and email filtering. Customers include city and state government agencies, gaming facilities, law enforcement services, title and insurance companies, physicians and healthcare facilities. Visit www.offsitedatadepot.com for more information.ContactsPRowrite Public RelationsChristel K. Hall, APR CBC775-267-9232 (Editorial)orOffsite Data DepotBrian Olson, 775-888-9933Permalink: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100712006713/en/Atlantis-Casino-...

For the last several years, Elaine and I have fled Carson City for a short time in the month of February to escape the seemingly, unending cold, snow and ice of our area in the wintertime.
This year is no exception.
The rental home:

Carson City to Lone Pine:
On Saturday, February 08, we loaded up our Four Runner and took off for Indio.
Our first stop was at the restaurant at the Topaz Lodge and Casino at Topaz Lake, where (in my less-than-humble-opinion) they have the world's best steak and eggs breakfast, bar none, anywhere at any time.
If you've never tried it, you have missed out on a truly great, five-star breakfast.

Then we drove from Topaz Lake to our overnight destination of Lone Pine; and along the way, as a reminder that it is still winter, there were requirements for tire chains or snow tires on that section of U.S. 395 in the Mammoth Lakes area.

At Bridgeport and Lee Vining, if you needed gasoline, it was an eye-popping $4.79 a gallon! Thank Goodness that we never get gas at those locations.

In the Mammoth Lakes area, the snowplows were busy clearing the highway.
At Sherwin Summit, we finally dropped out of the snow line into Owens Valley and the City of Bishop.
And, wow, what a change. Things were green, it was warm and there were bicyclists, walkers and golfers on the golf course.

A totally different world than the one that we had left behind in Carson City. Finally, after an uneventful drive, we arrived in Lone Pine at about 2:30 p.m. On our eight-hour trips to Southern California, we always plan to go half-way to Lone Pine, spend the night and then leisurely coast in the following morning.

If you ever replicate our trip to the southland, be sure to stop overnight in Lone Pine, and plan to stay at the Dow Villa Motel (800-824-9317) (760-876-5521) (www.dowvilla@lonepinetv.com).
The rooms are very comfortable and very reasonably priced.

Then, take a short walk down the street to the "Merry Go Round" Chinese Restaurant for a great dinner (my favorite is sweet and sour pork with fried rice). The next morning before leaving Lone Pine, do as we do, walk across the street to the Alabama Hills Cafe and Bakery for a cup of coffee and one of their giant cinnamon rolls. Another "Do Not Miss" eating experience.

And, after breakfast be sure to take the short drive to the west on the street that leads into the Alabama Hills for a spectacular view of the snow capped Sierra Nevada Mountains featuring Mt. Whitney (14,497').

Lone Pine to Indio:
Once we were back on the road, it was smooth sailing to the Indian Palms Country Club in Indio with clear weather all the way, although it was windy.
Some of the highlights of this section of our trip were:
Virtually no traffic on U.S. 395 until we reached Kramer's Junction.
The mind-boggling number of big semis traveling through Kramer's on SR-58.
All of the traffic signals as you drive through the Adelanto area.
The rare sight of snow along the edge of the highway at Cajon Pass.
The countless wind turbines on the hillsides near Palm Springs.
On our trip, merging from U.S. 395 to I-15, from I-15 to I-215, from I-215 to I-10 (in very heavy traffic) and finally exiting on Jefferson Street in Indo.
Yahoo! We finally arrived after a total of eight hours of driving in two days.

In Indio:
We met Randy at the rental home, he took us for a tour of the premises and explained about all of the light switches, power switches and security settings.
After Randy left, we unpacked, settled in, sat on the back patio (the weather, for us, was a fabulous 67 degrees), and watched all kinds of "duffers" trying to sink their putts on the fourth green.

The golfers:
It was interesting to see some of the golfers reactions when they putted: Some would hi-five each other when they sank their putt, others would shake their heads in disgust when they missed, one threw his putter down and walked away, and one poor soul putted and putted until he finally picked up his ball and stormed away.
The end of the day:
My cousin Lorraine and her husband Bob of Dayton, who live in Indio from November to April every year, had us over for a tasty roast beef dinner.
A great start to a great vacation at a great location.
And, a great way to escape Carson City in the wintertime.
It doesn't get much better than that!
Why don't you also give it a try before it gets too warm in Southern California.
Just go to www.vrbo.com and start browsing.

Bet Your Favorite Pigeon
Bet your favorite pigeon that he can't tell you the most unusual thing about our trip from Carson City to Indio.
If he grins and says, "When Don and Elaine left the Dow Villa Motel in Lone Pine, they forgot his computer mouse and mouse pad and did not know it until Don tried to use the computer in Indio," he could be someone who we told about our trip.

— Don Quilici is the Outdoor editor of Carson Now and www.SouthTahoeNow.com. He can be reached at donquilici@hotmail.com

Managing water in northern Nevada’s Truckee-Carson River System requires local communities to balance urban, agricultural and ecosystem needs. Changes in historical climate trends are increasingly expected to make this balancing act more challenging. A competitive grant totaling $3.8 million has been awarded to the University of Nevada, Reno and the Desert Research Institute in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey, to integrate science and water policy research with extensive community outreach to identify the expected impacts of climate change and solutions for protecting valuable water resources throughout northern Nevada.

The “Water for the Seasons” project will focus on the Truckee-Carson River System as a model for snow-fed arid-land river systems across the American West. Funding includes $1.8 million awarded by the National Science Foundation to the University and $2 million awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to DRI and the U.S. Geological Survey.

Water supplies in these regions are dependent on the timing, duration and form of winter precipitation and spring run-off. Throughout much of the West, demand for these water supplies is increasing, and many are already stretched to their capacity. Recent climate extremes and trends — including continued drought, increased winter rain instead of snow, reduced annual snowpack, earlier spring runoffs, flash floods and higher temperatures – present challenges to agency water managers, local farmers and ranchers, urban developers and the general public. This project aims to identify new strategies for enhancing the resiliency of communities in northern Nevada to adapt to these challenges and changes.

An interdisciplinary research team with expertise in hydrology, climate science, environmental policy, resource economics, public policy and community outreach will work closely with the region’s diverse stakeholder communities to assess impacts of different drought scenarios and climate extremes; develop models of water supplies and demands resulting from those scenarios; and develop policy options to help stakeholders evaluate and meet challenges posed by warming temperatures and unpredictable water supplies.

“Our goal is to be proactive now so that the region can be better prepared to meet future water management challenges,” said Maureen McCarthy, interim director of the University’s Academy for the Environment and the project’s director. “Ultimately, we are looking for options that will protect our ecosystems, support economic development and enhance the livelihoods of our communities and agricultural producers.”

Sen. Harry Reid commented on the need for the project, “Nevada is seeing record high temperatures and exceptional drought conditions throughout the state. With the recent extreme weather trends, northern Nevada and the Truckee-Carson River System need the tools to better predict and protect their water supplies,” he said. “The framework that will be put in place by the University of Nevada, Reno and the Desert Research Institute, in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey, will help Nevada deal with the ongoing drought and the impacts of climate change. There is a great need to better manage and conserve our limited water supplies, and I fully support the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Agriculture’s assistance, which will help empower northern Nevada to do so.”

McCarthy explained that a Stakeholder Advisory Group, led by University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, will work closely with the research team and represent interests of tribal communities and municipalities; tribal, federal, state and local water managers; agriculture producers; state and regional economic developers; and federal, state, tribal and nongovernmental groups dedicated to ecosystems protection.

“The uniqueness of this project is the core role of stakeholder involvement right from the get-go,” she said. “We have over a dozen entities ready to partner with us. These are established relationships with longtime partners, who are very comfortable working with the University’s Cooperative Extension.”

Loretta Singletary, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension professor and interdisciplinary outreach liaison, is co-principal investigator in the project with Derek Kauneckis, associate professor of political science, and Staci Emm, Extension Educator. Emm’s programs focus on community development, natural resources and sustainability, while Kauneckis works in public and environmental policy. Singletary has 22 years of experience in Extension work, most of them in Nevada’s communities.

“The project honors the University and Cooperative Extension’s legacy of working in and with communities,” Singletary said. “It’s what we do. We partner with scientists and community stakeholders to better understand and address complex public issues such as adapting to climate change and managing water supplies, which don’t always offer simple solutions.”

Greg Pohll, research professor of hydrology and hydrogeology and the project’s principle investigator from DRI, will co-lead the modeling portion of the project. Pohll, who has studied and modeled snow-fed arid-land river systems for nearly 20 years, will focus on the Truckee River and Lake Tahoe Basin system with three other DRI surface and groundwater experts, Associate Research Professors Justin Huntington and Matt Reeves and Assistant Research Professor Seshadri Rajagopal. All four are UNR alumni.

“DRI is excited to be a part of the collaborative team to develop state-of-the-art computer models to predict how rivers and groundwater will respond to prolonged droughts. We expect these tools will help the team build sustainable solutions to adapt to a variable climate,” Pohll said.

Richard Niswonger and Michael Dettinger, senior research hydrologists and the project’s principal investigators from the U.S. Geological Survey, will co-lead the climate scenario development and the modeling portion of the project focusing on the Carson River system. Dettinger is a leading expert in climate modeling and extreme climate scenarios such as the well-known U.S. Geological Survey ARkStorm project. Niswonger is one of the lead developers of the hydrology model that will be used for the study. Additionally, Shane Coors, water resource engineer with Precision Water Resources Engineering, will utilize the new Truckee-Carson Planning Model to conduct operational modeling on the Truckee River.

Three post-doctoral researchers, two graduate students and eight undergraduate summer researchers will be part of the project team, engaging in hands-on learning and supporting all aspects of the project. The undergraduates at UNR will be funded for summer research experience in association with the National Science Foundation’s Research Experience for Undergraduates.

More information on the “Water for the Seasons project will be available online at the University’s Academy for the Environment website here.

Photo information: The “Water for the Seasons” project team at the Truckee River, in Reno, Nev. Back row, left to right – Matt Reeves, Staci Emm, Greg Pohll, Derek Kauneckis; front row, left to right – Maureen McCarthy and Loretta Singletary; not pictured – Richard Niswonger and Michael Dettinger. Photo by Theresa Danna-Douglas.

— Writer Claudene Wharton is a Communications Specialist with the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension
Dean and Director’s Office. She can be reached at whartonc@unce.unr.edu

Greater Nevada Credit Union will host its annual Carson City Shred Day on Saturday, May 14 from 9 a.m. to noon. The event will include shredding and recycling services by Offsite Data Depot, American Document Destruction and Computer Corps.

GNCU will hold the event at its Eagle Station branch parking lot, located at 451 Eagle Station Lane. Community residents are invited to drop off up to two boxes or bags per person of personal paper documentation to safely destroy and recycle. Documents must be removed from binders, though attached staples and paper clips are acceptable. Computer Corps will also accept computers, monitors and printers. For more items that can be recycled, visit www.computercorps.org.

“It’s an excellent opportunity for us to help our community live greater,” said GNCU Operations Manager, Stephanie Stewart. “We’ll be providing a secure means to destroy sensitive documentation and keep it from getting into the wrong hands, while helping the environment through our local recycling efforts.”

Greater Nevada is headquartered in Carson City, Nevada and has branches throughout northern Nevada. The credit union has more than 51,000 members and $600 million in assets. For more information, visit gncu.org.

If you are like Elaine and I, I would be willing to bet that by now, you are feeling trapped in your home by our winter weather. As a die-hard winter addict, I personally love cold days, frosty nights, frigid temperatures, deep snow, thick ice, long hours of darkness and the starkness of our landscapes in the wintertime.

However, I must candidly admit that our winter this year has not had the deep snow and ice that I dearly love.
However, when Elaine and I are tired of being bored, browsing on the internet, playing card games on the computer and feeling like the walls are closing in, we take some remedial action that you might also try.

Here's what we do:
We stay busy for hours at a time, planning and working on future spring, summer and fall activities, vacation trips, fishing excursions, etc.
We drag out all kinds of maps, brochures and pamphlets, then get busy on the internet contacting websites and making telephone calls.
It is a great way to pass the time on a winter day, plus it can be very productive and as a bonus, it can also save lots of money later in the year.
More importantly, when spring and summer arrive it is very gratifying to know that all of your necessary reservations and plans are solidly in place.
So, if you are thinking of going somewhere special later this year, why not take the time, now, to work on all of the necessary arrangements.
It is a perfect way to wait out the seemingly endless winter.

Here is an important tip:
This is the best time of the year to get the best prices on all kinds of things such as: Airline tickets, car rentals, hotel and motel reservations and tours.
On all of our previous trips to Alaska (I've been there 14 times, Elaine has been there 8 times), British Columbia (we've been there 3 times), The Yukon (we've been there 3 times) and Alberta (we've been there once), we have worked like two little beavers to firm up our travel agendas, obtain information, purchase airline tickets, reserve rental cars, book hotel and motel reservations, select sightseeing tours, lock in fishing trips, etc.
Then, when summer arrives, we just sit back, grin and enjoy ourselves.

Far North:
If you have never traveled to Far North locations such as Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia and The Yukon, be advised that there is a huge world of difference between making all of your necessary arrangements now, as opposed to doing so at the very last minute.

Alaska:
When traveling to and in Alaska, when it comes to prices, if your plans are not locked in solidly well before summer arrives, you will have a very rude culture shock waiting for you.
As an example, if you were to wait to the last minute, the price for airline tickets could be as much as 3-4 times what you pay at this time of year.
Geez, why pay a god-awful amount for an airline ticket in June, July or August to fly roundtrip from Reno to Alaska when it costs a lot less to buy your tickets now? That just doesn't make any sense.
Plus if you make your reservations now, you have much more flexibility in setting your departure, arrival dates and times and seat locations.

Denali National Park:
If you are thinking of taking that special trip to Alaska that includes a bus sightseeing tour at Denali National Park, do it now, do it now, do it now.
If you wait until the last minute to book a park tour, good luck! You will need it. Your chances of getting on one of those tour buses will be about as good as my chances of winning the Lotto - Slim to none.
At the park, the only road vehicles permitted are authorized park vehicles, tour buses and authorized professional photographers.

Rental rates:
As another example of early pre-planning, the rental rate of your vehicle climbs dramatically when you compare making the rental at this time of the year as compared to doing so in June, July or August.
If you reserve that car, van or truck, right now, you also have a greater flexibility in specifying the type and size of that vehicle.

Hotels/motels:
Here again, you have much more flexibility at this time of the year in choosing specific hotels/motels; and you do not run the risk of those overnight accommodations being sold out, if you wait to make your reservations at the last moment.

Finally:
These examples should give you a good idea of why it is so important to do your planning, scheduling and reservation-making at this time of the year.
Besides, about now, you are probably getting tired of staring out the window at winter surroundings and you can't go anywhere or do anything.
Work now, so you can take the time to smell the roses later in the summer.

Bet Your Favorite Pigeon
Bet your favorite pigeon that he can't tell you about our top two favorite locations for having fun in Alaska.
If he grins and says, Their top two favorite locations for having fun are:
1: The Homer Spit with the Land's End Hotel and the Salty Dawg Saloon for photography, partying and overnight accommodations, and
2: Sitka for sightseeing, accommodations and the Halibut, King Salmon, Silver Salmon, Ling Cod and Yelloweye fishing in the ocean," he could have been on one of their previous trips to those two special locations.

— Don Quilici is the Outdoor editor for Carson Now. Don's wife, Elaine, is the Outdoor photographer. They live in Carson City and can be reached at donquilici@hotmail.com