Fish and Wildlife Service seeks comment on sheep habitat plan

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has decided to extend the comment period on plans to designate more than 417,000 acres as critical habitat for Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep.

The new comment period runs through Nov. 23 and will also feature two informal public meetings on the subject. Those meetings will be Oct. 24 at the Bridgeport Memorial Hall and Oct. 25 at the Tri-County fairgrounds in Bishop.

The proposed critical habitat includes parts of California's Tuolumne, Mono, Fresno, Inyo and Tulare counties along the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada - all of it above the 4,500 elevation.

Those interested can get a copy of the proposed rules and other information on the project through the Internet at www.fws.gov/nevada or by contacting Bob Williams at (775) 861-6300.

Activist groups call for pressure on Heller over veto

Americans United for Change and Children's Healthcare have set a press conference today to continue efforts to convince Rep. Dean Heller to support overriding the president's veto of the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

Bush vetoed the bill expanding the program from 6.6 million children to more than 10 million children, saying it was too costly and opened the door to nationalized health care.

Larry Matheis, of the Nevada Medical Association, and Denise Lavelle, executive director of Children's Healthcare, will present a TV commercial 11:30 a.m. today at the Washoe Grill, 4201 W. Fourth St., in Reno. The commercial is designed to encourage voters to call Heller. They will also address the Washoe Democratic Women's Club to have members urge Heller to change his stance and support the override.

Historical Society offers Nevada history course

The Nevada Historical Society is presenting a four-week course on Nevada History.

Historian Jerome Edwards will teach the class beginning Oct. 15 and will review early developments in the state, such as the Comstock mining period as well as the evolution of the gaming industry over the years. Edwards is an emeritus professor at the University of Nevada, Reno who specialized in Nevada history.

The two-hour sessions will be at the Historical Society on North Virginia near the Planetarium in Reno on Mondays Oct. 15, 22 and 29 at 3 p.m. The final session is on 1 p.m. Nov. 5.

To sign up for the free history course, call Mella Harmon the 688-1191 ext. 223.

- Staff reports