Carson Etc.

Carson, etc., will appear every Sunday (and occasionally other days, too) in the Appeal. It's a place to keep up with the neighbors, find out what's being seen and heard around town and have a little fun, all through short stories, vignettes and observations. Carson, etc. items are written by staff members, but we encourage you to contribute, too. If you have an idea for a Carson, etc. item, just e-mail us at editor@nevadaappeal.com., or call 881-1211.

As a resident of the Lakeview neighborhood, Bob Lamerdin knows that living on the edge of Carson City's developed area of town carries with it some risks.

While his neighbors enjoy the space to roam around at the edge of the capital city limits, so too does a curious bear who has been a frequent guest to Lamerdin's three-acre spread just north of Washoe Valley.

The bear weighs about 500 pounds, Lamerdin said, and on Aug. 18, he got a little bigger with what apparently has been a customary trip to Lamerdin's home. This time, the bear managed to break into an outside freezer and down three loaves of cinnamon bread and a half-loaf of 12-grain bread.

Seems this bruin has tired of the low-carb craze.

Strangely, he left a package of frozen salmon unopened.

Lamerdin says he's gotten used to the bear and isn't really scared of it.

"I've had experience with bears before," said the former Lake Tahoe resident. "He's more of an annoyance than anything else."

It's gotten to the point Lamerdin can't keep his garage door open anymore.

If the bear's not eating, he's usually swimming in the pond and stream nearby.

Neighbors have snapped photos of the critter running across the property.

"This ol' boy's kinda getting on my nerves," Lamerdin said.

Quest for dog park continues

Ozzie the dog, who owns Ilona Strull, updates that Parks4Paws is moving forward slowly. The group is working to get a designated dog park in Carson City.

The group will soon be printing T-shirts and bandanas with the new logo on them (Parks4Paws).

Coin jars and flyers will be going up around town and there will be a website to keep updated on upcoming events.

The next event is a Paws-a-thon on Sept. 20. Dogs and their people can register to walk and get a T-shirt and collect donations for each lap completed.

For information, e-mail parks4paws@yahoo.com. Ozzie says that meetings for Parks 4 Paws are the second Monday of each month in the Bonanza Room of the Community Center.

Local youth participate in Devil Pups

Only hard working motivated young Americans are accepted into the Devil Pups Program.

On Aug. 9, 19 Northern Nevada youngsters ranging in age from 14 to 17 completed the 2008 Devil Pups encampment at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton California. After 10 days of rigorous training each Devil Pup was presented with well deserved physical fitness achievement and citizenship awards, given during an impressive Marine Corps style graduation and pass in review.

This year's attendees were Kyle Cuthill, Linzey Davis, Aaron Lavall, Nubia Leon-Lazono and Trevor Matzke of Carson City; Cameron Alten, Kyle Auld and Jordon Thomas of Reno; Cody Briggs, John Claude Ezzell, Alex Delgado and Duane Perea of Fallon; Michael Cross of Minden, Colton McKone, Alejandra Montoya, Robert Pomeroy, Bryan Sanchez, Stiles Sousa and Chelsea Wilson of Gardnerville.

While at Camp Pendleton the Devil Pups learned to march, ran an obstacle course numerous times, went through rubber boat training in the Pacific Ocean, a five-mile run on the beach and participated in abandon ship drills by jumping from a three-story tower into a pool, plus undergoing many hours of other Marine style training.

Northern Nevada Liaison Officer for Devil Pups, thanks everyone who made this encampment possible. Congratulations to the young people who put forth the effort, sweat and courage that made them this year's Devil Pups.