In a rematch from a year ago, Whittell High was hoping for a different outcome. Instead, Yerington is the repeat state volleyball champs for Division 2A, with the Warriors again second best in the state.

Yerington won the competition Saturday in Las Vegas in three straight games, 25-19, 25-13, 25-17.

Whittell has a rich volleyball tradition, winning 11 state championships. Moapa Valley and Pahranagat Valley, both with 14 titles, are the only two schools with more wins than Whittell.

Truckee High won the 3A Division with a 3-0 (25-16, 25-17, 25-19) win over Boulder City.

This means three state titles in a row for Truckee.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

State champions. That’s what the South Tahoe High School girls’ soccer team is for the second consecutive year.

With a 3-0 win over Elko on Saturday, the Vikings conquered the 3A Division. The girls reached the final round by beating Boulder City 2-0 Friday afternoon.

On the boys’ side, Truckee High lost 1-0 to Sparks in the championship game Saturday.

Both finals were played at Fernley High School.

It has been a good fall for South Tahoe athletic teams. The boys’ cross country team is state champs, while the girls are runner ups.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

By Matt Weiser, Sacramento Bee

Dirt roads, not logging clear-cuts, are likely the largest source of erosion that may threaten salmon restoration in Battle Creek, an important Sacramento River tributary.

That is the conclusion of a new report by a special state task force, presented Wednesday at a meeting of the California Board of Forestry.

The so-called “rapid assessment” report was ordered by the administration of Gov. Jerry Brown after a Bee investigation published June 19. The article highlighted conflicts between the state’s simultaneous approval of clear-cut logging and its support for the $128 million restoration project.

The state has contributed $56 million toward the restoration. It involves removing or modifying numerous small Pacific Gas and Electric Co. dams to return endangered salmon and steelhead to 42 miles of habitat. The restoration is about halfway complete.

Relatively little work has been done, however, to assess habitat conditions once spawning access is restored. Sierra Pacific Industries owns 82 percent of the private timberland in the watershed, and has logged about 20,000 acres since 1997, according to the report.

Read the whole story

Whittell High will battle for the state volleyball Division 2A title this morning at 10 against Yerington.

The girls beat Calvary Chapel 3-1 in the semifinals Friday in Las Vegas.

Truckee High will vie for the state Division 3A title on Saturday at 4pm after beating Churchill County 3-1. Truckee will take on Boulder City, who defeated South Tahoe High in a 3-2 nail-biter (25-23, 25-18, 20-25, 23-25, 20-18).

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

By Jeff Delong, Reno Gazette-Journal

The need to protect domestic pets from harmful animal traps, a risk of interfering with professional pest controllers and affronts to private property rights again are emerging as sensitive issues as state wildlife officials renew debate over urban trapping regulations.

A subcommittee of the Nevada Wildlife Commission held a workshop on the issue in Reno on Wednesday, two days after a similar forum in Las Vegas.

A draft proposal, stemming from legislation passed by the 2011 Legislature, would ban leg traps within 1,000 feet of homes in Washoe and Clark counties.

Animal advocates say that’s not near good enough, pushing Wednesday for banning traps much further from homes — perhaps by nearly a mile.

“The more comfort we can have, the better off we are,” said Trish Swain, organizer of the nonprofit group TrailSafe. TrailSafe successfully pushed to ban trapping near popular hiking trails near Mount Rose in 2006 and now is trying for expanded regulations in residential areas of Nevada’s most populous counties.

The Legislature directed the Wildlife Commission to pass trapping regulations after it failed to do so in 2010.

Read the whole story

Winners of the River-Friendly Landscaping Program are Susie Urie, Steve Ramos and Eric Premack. They each won a $5,000 rebate and Donner Pines East won a $10,000 rebate for completed river-friendly landscaping soil erosion measures.

The river-friendly landscaping began in September with the objective to restore residential properties with significant erosion problems near rivers and streams in Truckee. Residents were asked to fill out an application and submit photos. Ten Truckee-area residents applied.

The Truckee River Watershed Council and the Sierra Nevada Alliance launched the River Friendly Landscaping Program to counteract the harmful runoff from residential homes. Funded by grants from the state Water Resources Control Board, the program implements erosion-control and landscaping measures on residential properties that reduce pollution and create sustainable landscapes.

In addition to their reimbursements the winners will also receive a custom site evaluation and plan. Awards will reimburse for materials and labor paid by homeowners. River-friendly features can include native plants and flowers, retaining wall structures, gravel and mulch among a multitude of other options.

Even if you are not one of the winners there is still an opportunity participate in the River-Friendly Landscaping program. By signing up, homeowners will receive a custom site evaluation and plan as well as up to $400 rebate.

For more information, go online or contact Andy Otto at (530) 550.8760, ext. 3.

By KCRA-TV

TRUCKEE — The streak stands at 34 — as in, the Truckee Wolverines football team has won 34 straight games.

The last time the Wolverines lost was in the 2008 state title game.

“It’s pretty special,” Truckee senior running back Cole Roberts said. “We want to keep it going and keep the history growing.”

The streak is on the line this week against Fallon High School — marking a rematch of the biggest test of the year for Truckee: A 20-14 win on Oct. 15.

The Wolverines have been unbeaten for two consecutive seasons. The streak is now the longest in the state of California.

The small mountain town, known more for the ski industry than high school football, took over the longest streak when powerhouse De La Salle lost earlier this year.

“Our kids have not really talked about it a whole lot,” Truckee head coach Bob Shaffer said. “We just get ready for the next one.”

The only streak that matters now is this week. Truckee is into the second round of the Nevada 3A playoffs.

Read the whole story

Once a year, the Lake Tahoe Basin’s night sky erupts with a flurry of shooting stars — the Leonids Meteor Shower.

Tahoe Rim Trail Association, Tahoe Institute for Natural Science and Space Science for Schools is having an event Nov. 17 from 7-9pm. It is a free, family friendly gazing party.

Bring your lawn chairs, warm blankets, winter jacket and hat, snacks and hot chocolate. Minimal hiking involved. (Directions to the trailhead will be provided upon registration for this event).

You must register in advance online.

For more information, call (775) 298.0012 or email Tom at programs@tahoerimtrail.org.

This event is subject to cancellation due to a cloudy or snowy weather forecast. Registrants will be notified via email.

TAMBA Trail day with Carson Valley Trails Association is Nov. 12.

CVTA has been busy all summer working on the Sierra Canyon Trail with trail machines putting in about 13 miles of trail. Now they are trying to finish the last half mile section by hand.

Meet at the end of Carson Street (two blocks south of the four-way intersection) in Genoa at 9am. Bring lunch to eat on the trail, about a 15-minute hike in.

For those who stay until the end, TAMBA will buy the first round at the oldest bar in Nevada, walking distance from the trailhead.

Wear layers, good and typical safety items like safety glasses/sunglasses and gloves. Hardhats will be provided.

By Kate McGinty, Desert Sun

A 23-year-old man was hurt Monday when he jumped from a cliff in Joshua Tree National Park.

William Fleming was attempting “an unauthorized base jump” about 8am in the Oyster Bar area of the park, spokesman Joe Zarki said.

His parachute was blown by the wind into the rocks.

Fleming, who is from Truckee, was treated on the scene and lifted out by helicopter to a nearby parking area.

He was then taken by ambulance to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs with minor injuries, Joe Zarki said.