Douglas County had 137 fewer people in 2006 than it did in 2005, according to the U.S. Census.
I would haven't believed it unless I downloaded the tables myself. But the Census is indeed claiming that the county's population dropped for the first time in decades.
Steady increases over the past three decades have fueled debate on the county's growth rate. Some folks have taken issue with the State Demographer's estimates that Douglas County's growth will deaccelerate. But even the demographer wasn't expecting this. According to the Census, county residents had 354 babies in 2006. The Census also claims there were 416 deaths. The Census claims that 134 people actually left the county during the year.
The National Weather Service is predicting sunny skies today through Saturday with highs starting out at 63 today and then climbing to 70 over the weekend. We're expecting another front to come through on Monday night and the forecast actually contains the words "A chance of snow" for Monday and Tuesday.
There are no road controls out there today, but the department of transportation will be doing shoulder work on Highway 395 for a short distance north of Stephanie Way. The speed limit is supposed to drop to 55 mph.
Some folks thought that I must have scrambled the numbers when I reported Highway 359 was closed between Lee Vining and Hawthorne, but I really was referring to the right highway. State Route 359 is closed between Highway 95 and the California border for the transport of hazardous materials.
