Tag: carsonvalley

This is funny because somebody asked me about this just last week. The Record Courier has published the schedule for this summer's Minden Park concert series. They're also looking for sponsors still, so if you're a business owner that would like to sponsor the concerts, get in touch with Sheryl Christian at schristian@co.douglas.nv.us or (775)782-9828.

May 28 - Shane Dwight

June 18 - Beatles Tribute Imagine

July 9 - Trey Stone Band

July 30 - Mumbo Gumbo

Aug. 27 - Big Bad Wolf

As part of their new ownership and remodel project, the Carson Valley Inn will be getting a brand new sign. The new sign is going to be a little bit down the road, instead of right at the entrance like the current sign. And it will include an electronic readerboard that has many residents concerned about light levels.

The new sign will be 26 feet high, the same height as the current sign. But because it's a new sign in a new location, special approval needs to be had from the Town of Minden and from Douglas County to install the sign. Minden approved the new sign this week; the county planning commission reviews the request next week.

What a crazy week it's been, huh? We're so used to snowstorms that fizzle out over the mountains, or that give us half an inch of snow before blowing away, that it was quite a shock to see a real winter storm come into the area for once. It started out small Sunday evening, but it really kicked into overdrive that night and we woke up to over a foot of snow in some areas of Carson, the kind of snowfall we really only get every two or three years. Most schools closed on Monday, except for Douglas County, which kept their "no snow days - ever" policy alive by holding all classes right on time. Quite a controversy erupted over that decision.

And then came the cold. Temperatures dipped below zero day after day after day. Depending on what thermometer you choose to trust, we hit as cold as 14 below some nights! Even during the day it was cold, as cold as our lows usually get during the winter. I don't think we broke 20 degrees during the whole three-day period. I'm sure if we have any readers in Minnesota they're laughing right now, but these is unusual for us. Most winters we rarely even reach 0, much less dip below.

But, I think the worst of it is over. Another storm is scheduled to blow in this weekend, but it sounds like it will be smaller and warmer. Temperatures in the 40s sounds like a Bahama vacation after the last few days we've been through. And we might get a couple more inches of snow dropped on top of what we already have, but I don't think we'll get a full foot all at once. Not this week, at least. Storms like this are nice to remind us what a real winter feels like but when you spend too much time below zero you start being thankful for how mild it usually is around here.

Here are a few more pictures from around town. Go to Flickr to see the whole set.

December is here, and that means it's time for all the Christmas kickoff events to happen all at once. There's quite a few, and if you're really quick you might be able to catch most of them.

* Carson City's Silver & Snowflakes Holiday Tree Lighting, Thursday the 3rd. That's tonight! This celebration takes place on the Capitol grounds as the state Christmas trees are lit, a choir performs, and Santa Claus makes an appearance. In past years Santa arrived on the back of a Model T, driven by a golden retriever named Beau. But since Both Beau and his trainer Bill Williamson passed away this year, Santa will arrive instead by horse-drawn carriage. After the lighting at the Capitol, everyone will walk over to the First Presbyterian Church to light the city Christmas tree.

* Minden Park Lighting, Friday the 4th. Santa arrives at 6pm at Minden Park to light the gazebo and the makeshift "christmas tree" they achieve by running lights up the flagpole.

* Genoa Tree Lighting, Friday the 4th. This one is simultaneous with Minden's, at 6pm, so you have to decide which town means more to you.

* South Lake Tahoe Community Tree Lighting, Friday the 4th. This will be held at the Visitors Center, 3066 Lake Tahoe Blvd, at 5pm. Santa Claus will be there, and sleigh and carriage rides will be available.

* Carson Valley Parade of Lights, Saturday the 5th. The parade leaves Lampe Park in Gardnerville at 5pm, and makes its way along Hwy 395 to downtown Minden. The parade units disperse after they reach Minden Park, but many of them hang out for a while so you can see them up close.

* The Virginia City Parade of Lights take place at the same time. Saturday the 5th, 5pm. This parade takes place on C Street through downtown Virginia City.

It's Christmas time, so that means it's time to bundle up, get in the car, and head out to the Carson Valley. The dancing lights at the Kremer house are back again this year. It's becoming tradition for me to write about this light display every year, just to introduce it to everyone who hasn't seen it and to remind those who already have.

The address is 1176 Chaparral Ct, off Stephanie Way in the Carson Valley. Click here for a Google map.

Their official website is www.nevadachristmas.com, where you can find hours, videos, and more information on how it works. Plus you can read the interview I did with Wayne Kremer in 2006. They're also again this year collecting food and money for the Carson Valley Community Food Closet, so if you come bring a can or two of non-perishable food or a few bucks for the mailbox. The lights run until New Year's, so you better get out there and watch them!

Press Release:

I'm excited to tell you about a special exhibit at the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park over Nevada Day weekend. We've selected numerous items from the park's large collection of historic clothing and will present them in various rooms of the Dangberg home. On display will be women's, men's and children's clothing from the 1890s through the 1960s.

Featured will be clothing worn by Henry Fred Dangberg, Jr., and his wife, Gertrude. Two of Mrs. Dangberg's dresses from the 1890s and additional dresses she wore from the 1920s through the 1960s will be on display. We also have some of her jewelry to show off, as well as a beautiful silver dresser set dating from about 1900. Mr. Dangberg's hats and business suits from the 1930s and 1940s will provide a male contrast to his wife's clothing.

Other highlights of the exhibit will be clothing worn by the Dangbergs' four daughters throughout their lifetimes, beginning with their childhoods in the 1910s. You'll see evening gowns from before World War II, and selected hats, gloves and other accessories. A collection of baby clothes from the early 1930s, recently donated to the park by Steve "Dinky" Achard, will make its Carson Valley debut during the exhibit.

The exhibit will be open from noon to 4:00 pm on Friday, October 30, through Sunday, November 1. Reservations are not required; you can come anytime you'd like during those hours. Admission is $3.00 for adults and free for children 12 and under. Dress in warm clothing, as the inside of the house is a little cool this time of year. The park is located at 1450 Highway 88, one-half mile south of the Carson Valley Swim Center.

The Carson Valley Harvest Festival at Corley Ranch is taking place again this year. Every year the Corleys open up their ranch to the public with a pumpkin patch, petting zoo, corn maze, pig races, wagon rides, arts and craft, and entertainment.

The ranch is located just south of Gardnerville on Hwy 395. It is open every Saturday and Sunday in October from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and children 3 to 17, free for children 2 and younger. Pumpkins and rides cost extra.

The Record Courier this weekend has two articles about the Harvest Festival. One gives an overview of the festival and the different kinds of pumpkins available, and the other is a profile of John Howell, the plant breeder and seed scientist who grows all the pumpkins on the ranch.

You can also read my report from when I visited the ranch last year.

The annual Genoa Candy Dance is happening this weekend.

With nearly 350 different vendors offering arts, crafts, food and activities, there will be something for all ages at the annual arts and crafts fair that draws more than 30,000 people to the tiny town, according to Genoa Town Manager Sheryl Gonzales.

“We have an unbelievable variety of food,” Gonzales said of the three-dozen food booths. “We have 12 activity booths with bungee jumps, a bounce house, face painting, balloon animal art and a ride for toddlers, among others.”

Foothill Road, Genoa Lane and Jacks Valley Road are all closed to traffic near the town boundaries 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The most parking is available off Genoa Lane and Foothill Road. Genoa Cemetery along Jacks Valley Road has a much smaller parking lot and it fills up early in the morning. All parking spaces are $5. The parking lots are managed by non-profits.

Shuttles will be available from the Carson Valley Inn and Douglas High School for $2 per person. They start at 8:30 a.m. and run until 5 p.m. Gonzales asked that people be patient with the shuttles, since they are subject to the same traffic constraints as individual vehicles.

Candy Dance is far less busy on Sunday, and Gonzales suggested that might be a better experience for someone who has never been before.

Visit Reno-Tahoe has a PhotoSynth of the Candy Dance, where you can "walk through" pictures of the event.

We're now in the absolute doldrums of summer; the last patches of snow have melted off the mountains. If you peek close, you can maybe see a tiny hint of white in the shadows of Freel Peak still, but pretty much it's all gone. This comes around the same time of year as Lake Tahoe is approaching its natural rim, which will choke off the water flow in the Truckee River. August and September are always a bad time for water; now we're just coasting until the first autumn storms start to roll in.

This has been in the rumor stages for a long time, but it sounds like things are becoming more firm for a Wal*Mart in Gardnerville. This Record Courier article outlines some of the plans, including a 152,495-square-foot store with a market, pharmacy, and tire and lube center. The location is down south of Gardnerville, just before the Carson Valley Medical Center. The map below shows the approximate site.

View in a larger map

I think this weights the shopping situation in the Carson Valley even further to the south. Right now the three big supermarkets in the valley are all clustered together in a three-block area in Gardnerville, which drives north valley residents to Carson City to shop because it's closer. This Wal*Mart will be even further south, but I suppose it makes sense. It's not that far for anyone who lives in Minden-Gardnerville, and the north county folks can just keep going to the North Douglas Wal*Mart like we always have.

But I know many times I've been down in Gardnerville and I wished there was a Wal*Mart down there so I wouldn't have to get gouged at Scolari's or RiteAid. If this goes through, I won't have to worry anymore.