Community briefs

Carson City

Beware: Cheatgrass is tinder for wildfires

With summer's heat upon us, July Fourth just around the corner and at least eight wildfires in the last two weeks, the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension and the Bureau of Land Management warn residents to be extremely careful when recreating in areas with dry cheatgrass.

BLM and Cooperative Extension are also urging property owners to get rid of cheatgrass on their own properties. They recommend using a lawn mower with a mulching blade or cutting it with a weed eater, then raking and removing it.

The Bureau of Land Management and University of Nevada Cooperative Extension have teamed up to produce a flyer on cheatgrass and a new, more detailed handout, "A Homeowners Guide to Cheatgrass." Call University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, 784-4848, for a free copy, or go to www.livingwithfire.org or www.unce.unr.edu.

Chaperones needed for July 4-H camp

Adult chaperones are needed for the Western Area 4-H Camp for youth ages 9-12 from July 10-16 at the state 4-H Camp near Stateline. University of Nevada Cooperative Extension needs chaperones to help provide supervision and a variety of activities for the campers, including swimming, canoeing, hiking, learning about the lake, arts and crafts, singing campfire songs and more.

For information, call Sarah Chvilicek at 784-4848.

Seniors' fall trip will be to B.C., Canada

The Carson Senior Center will be taking a trip to Victoria, British Columbia, this fall. Leaving from Reno on Sept. 19, the group will fly to Seattle for an overnight stay, boarding the Victoria Clipper bound for Victoria. It will be met by a chartered mini coach for a guided tour of the city before checking in at the Best Western Carlton Plaza Hotel for two nights.

Other activities scheduled include afternoon High Tea at the Fairmont Empress Hotel and a morning at the Butchart Gardens. Participants will have ample free time for sightseeing, shopping, museums, whale watching or other activities. On Sept. 22, the group will board the Victoria Express to Port Angeles, Wash. It will be met by a chartered bus for transport to the airport in Seattle, crossing Puget Sound on the Washington State Ferry at Bainbridge Island.

There are a few remaining spaces available. Cost is $550 per person double occupancy. Participants need not be seniors to be included. Contact Betty Horton for details at 747-5407.

Silver City

Summer program starts in Silver City

The Silver City Summer Program for school-age children runs Tuesday through Friday until Aug. 25.

The theme of the program, parts of which are in collaboration with Community Chest Inc., is "Interpreting the Comstock" and includes daily visitors from arts, humanities and science organizations.

Youths will learn in a hands-on, interactive manner about Basque history, film, painting, rocketry, Nevada birds, archaeology, minerals and more.

In addition, the Silver City Task Force, Healthy Communities Coalition and Ray A. Isaac are sponsoring a basketball camp, a celebration of the release of the new Harry Potter novel, weekend community theater with Red Rose Productions, cooking, photography and journaling with Renate Victor, Japanese cooking and language with Sono Allander, an evening of star gazing in the park and a barbecue and drum circle with Bob Elston.

Students are required to live in Silver City. Parents of participants must perform 12 hours of community service as a barter.

For information, call 246-7550.