CARSON CITY - State Treasurer Kate Marshall and the Board of Trustees of the College Savings Plans of Nevada (Board) are conducting a contest for Nevada residents who purchase a Nevada Prepaid Tuition contract prior to Dec. 31, 2013. Each entry received by the due date will be entered into a random drawing to win a year of free tuition for their beneficiary, with one winner selected from both northern and southern Nevada.
NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. - Residents of Nevada can ring in the New Year with 10 free flowering trees by joining the Arbor Day Foundation any time during January 2014.
ELKO - University of Nevada Cooperative Extension; the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources; and the College of Business will host the 2014 Cattlemen's Update at locations across Nevada with daily educational programs Jan. 6 - 10, 2014.
JESSICA POWELL • The Humboldt SunA two-vehicle accident shut down both lanes of Grass Valley Road near Sunrise Plumbing on Dec. 20 around 3:30 p.m. According to the Nevada Highway Patrol, an SUV rear-ended a sewage truck and the driver of the SUV had to be extricated from the vehicle and transported to Humboldt General Hospital for minor injuries. Both lanes were closed for approximately an hour. The accident is still under investigation, according to NHP.
WINNEMUCCA - Word of Light Fellowship Church of Winnemucca will be hosting a nine-week financial training class: Dave Ramsey's "Financial Peace University."
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is opening the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) for new enrollments for federal fiscal year 2014.  Starting now through Jan. 17, 2014, producers interested in participating in the program can submit applications to NRCS.
MCDERMITT - The United States prison system seems to have been in a constant state of reformation since the end of the Revolutionary War. The politics of the day wanted to do away with punishments inherited from English legal practice. There were many ideas how to do this, varying from state to state and from North to South depending on the social and demographic change in the rapidly increasing population due to both immigration and longer life spans. The name 'penitentiary' evolved as the inmates were hopefully doing penitence for their life of crime, and some of the penitentiaries became so structurally large they earned the nick-name "The Big House."
JESSICA POWELL • The Humboldt SunConstruction of the columbarium at the cemetery was recently completed and all that is left for the city to do is add on a walkway that leads up to the new structure. There are 96 niches total and the cost of a niche will range from $500 to $1,000. Two typical-size urns can fit in one niche.
RENO - University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, with other partners, is embarking on a large-scale three-year project to find more efficient ways to increase water conservation and plant growth, and decrease the release of fossil fuel in the Great Basin.
RENO - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the extension of the public comment period for 45 days on the proposal to protect the Bi-State Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of greater sage-grouse along the California-Nevada border as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The proposal includes a special rule that would provide increased flexibility for land management practices that are intended to benefit the sage-grouse. The extension will also add 45 days to the comment period on a proposal to designate approximately 1.86 million acres of critical habitat for the species.
IMLAY - The Imlay Auxiliary held its sixth Service Appreciation Ceremony Dec. 14 at the Imlay Community Center. During the ceremony Imlay Town Board retirees were honored and the winners of the board's Christmas light contest were announced.
The Winnemucca Jr. High School music department, under the direction of David Munk, presented a holiday concert the evening of Dec. 17 in the WJHS Gym. Students entertained the audience with a variety of selections from a Sousa march to "Little Drummer Boy." The choir wowed the audience with an unusual presentation of "The Carol of the Bells."
SPARKS -Calling all farmers and ranchers, beginning or experienced, rural or urban, and business and community members: the 2014 Nevada Small Farm Conference has something for everyone at John Ascuaga's Nugget in Sparks, Feb. 20-22. 
WINNEMUCCA - A free flu shot clinic has been scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 9, at the office of the Community Health Nurse.
WINNEMUCCA - The Humboldt Hospital Auxiliary has announced New Year's holiday hours for the Poke & Peek Thrift Shop.