• Carson Now on Facebook
  • Follow Carson Now on Twitter
  • Follow Carson Now by RSS
  • Follow Carson Now by Email

State collects hundreds of toys for Carson City tots

Just five days before Christmas, the state of Nevada has ensured something under the tree for hundreds of local children in the Carson City area this year.

About a half-dozen full cardboard bins for the annual Toys For Tots campaign were displayed in the portico of the State Capitol Tuesday morning as Joyce Buckingham of the Ron Wood Family Resource Center came by to collect the donations and accept a check from the Nevada State Law Enforcement Officers Association (NSLEOA).

Ron Wood will distribute toys to about 2,000 needy children in the Carson City area this year, said Buckingham, executive director of the local non-profit social services organization.

As in years past, each child helped by Toys For Tots this Christmas will receive three presents under their tree plus three stocking stuffers. This means thousands of toys have been collected from about eighty drop-off locations just in Carson City alone.

Buckingham said Ron Wood coordinates the donations locally for Toys For Tots, a national non-profit Christmas toy drive started in 1948 by the United States Marine Corps (USMC).

"The Ron Wood Family Resource Center oversees the Toys For Tots program, because we serve the most in need," she said. "It seems like a good marriage to make sure the children who are most in need get the toys."

A contingent of U.S. Marines from the Mountain Warfare Training Center (MWTC) in Pickle Meadows, California, near Bridgeport had driven about two hours north to be part of the Toys For Tots ceremony at the Nevada State Capitol Tuesday morning.

Buckingham said this is something the USMC at the MWTC do every year to show their support for a charitable training spanning 68 years. Three enlisted Marines, including a lance corporal, were present in their finest dress blues for the occasion.

For its part, the Capitol Police once again coordinated collection efforts this year on behalf of the state of Nevada.

Capitol Police Chief Jerome Tushbant said the Toys For Tots campaign has been a tradition for the state law enforcement agency going back decades, and the giving just keeps getting better with each passing Christmas.

"Every year that we do this we seem to get more and more," he said. "The generosity is wonderful. This is a program I'm really proud to be a part of."

Tushbant said drop-off bins are taken to several state agencies around Carson City, then collected and given to Ron Wood for distribution to the children in need.

"This represents the hard work of a lot of officers, a lot of government employees," he said. "They all come here and do these things for a great organization."

For the Capitol Police, participation in the annual Toys For Tots toy drive serves as reminder that it is much more than a law enforcement agency in Carson City.

"It's less about the Capitol Police and more about giving to the community," Chief Tushbant said. "We just enjoy being a part of it. We like being bigger than just a law enforcement agency. We like being part of the community."

Buckingham said she is grateful for public agencies with the state of Nevada, including the Capitol Police, as well as organizations like the NSLEOA, for stepping up to help children in Northern Nevada during Christmas.

"The state employees always give till it hurts," she said. "They do a tremendous job of donating toys. We're so very thankful."

Toys For Tots has been collecting new, unwrapped toys for children nationwide each Christmas for the past 68 years. For more information about the Carson City Area Toys For Tots program, please contact at the Ron Wood Family Resource Center at 775-884-2269.

Top Stories

... or see all stories

UPDATE 330PM: The NV Energy outage has grown to 2,635 customers in Carson City without power. NV Energy earlier had advised that it was canceling its Public Safety Outage Management (PSOM) watch for south Carson City, Genoa and Glenbrook areas but did advise outages are possible today due to weather events.
***

UPDATE 2:13PM: Carson Now's Kelsey Penrose reports from the field Wednesday afternoon where it is breezy but blue skies. She advises people to not let down their guard down or have a false sense of security as wind is expected to pick up later this afternoon. See her video report here.
***
UPDATE 10:52AM: Approximately 2,379 customers remain without power, according to NV Energy.
***
Firefighters on the Davis Fire achieved 31 percent containment overnight on the west side of the fire. Firefighters are bracing for gusty winds today, which has prompted a rare PDS Red Flag Warning.
Here is the latest Davis Fire update for Wednesday morning from Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. We will update this report as more information comes in.

NV Energy says it has canceled a Public Safety Outage Management (PSOM) Watch for Genoa, south Carson City and Glenbrook "due to updated weather forecasts in these areas."

Students, Teachers Celebrate National Arts in Education Week with Events
Carson City students and teachers celebrate passion and creativity for National Arts in Education Week, Sept. 9-13, during instruction time, at lunch and before and after school.

A 37-year-old woman was arrested Tuesday for suspicion of grand larceny, obtaining money under false pretenses and obtaining or using an ID of another person, according to a Carson City Sheriff's Office booking report.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has been made aware of numerous emails sent to Douglas County residents in an attempt to fraudulently obtain money by threatening means.

As of Wednesday morning, additional evacuation warning zones have been added throughout South Reno. As of 11 a.m., evacuation warnings have extended as far north as McCarren and Kietzke, while the area west of 395 including the Summit Mall is included.

The City of Las Vegas posted on social media that fire crews are headed to Reno to help support fire stations while crews continue to battle the Davis Fire.

Vehicles traveling US-395 Alt From Eastlake Boulevard to I-580 take note, vehicles over 9 feet are prohibited due to gusty winds. Today, as we repair I-580 guardrail posts burned by the Davis Fire, our thoughts remain with first responders and all community members impacted. Stay vigilant, stay informed and stay safely away from the fire area. Find fire-related highway closures, and all highway conditions, at NVRoads.com.

Carson City Parks, Recreation and Open Space is actively working on a master plan for John D. Winters Centennial Park. A master plan acts as a guide for future projects by establishing a long-term plan for the entire sports complex.

Here is the latest video report of the Davis Fire. We will provide updates as to the fire size, wind, evacuations and more as they become available.

Ana Marroquin is a beacon of excellence at Carson High School, radiating a unique sparkle that ignites from within. With a remarkable GPA of 4.9 and a ranking of 9th in her class of more than 500 students, Ana's academic achievements are only the beginning of her story.

Kids & Horses in Douglas County has space available for their upcoming fall sessions for Connected Horse (R). The first fall session starts on Sept. 14. These workshops are free for participants, and are open to people living with dementia and their care partners.

UPDATE: Carson City Fire Department, sheriff's deputies and Nevada Highway Patrol responded Wednesday morning to a vehicle crash on Highway 50 East and Flint Drive.

While containment grew to 31 percent on the Davis Fire, gusty winds will be a factor, prompting the National Weather Service in Reno to issue a rare PDS Red Flag Warning, also known as "Potentially Dangerous Situation" Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the Sierra Front.

Based on extensive discussions with public safety officials and considering the erratic behavior seen from the Davis Fire and deteriorating conditions, all schools in the Washoe County School District will be canceled Wednesday, Sept. 11.

There will be a community meeting at 7 p.m. tonight, Tuesday, that will provide Davis Fire updates. It will feature the Complex Incident Command team, including a meteorologist and fire behavior team. It will be at 7 p.m.

The allied command agencies working on the Davis Fire have ordered a Complex Incident Management Team for the fire that has been burning in the Washoe Valley since Sept. 7, 2024. The fire has burned 5,596 acres and is zero percent contained as of Tuesday afternoon. The command team was authorized by the National Interagency Coordination Center and National Incident Management System.

The Historic Fourth Ward School Museum in Virginia City and Nevadaland Productions invite you to immerse yourself in the world of cinema and celebrate the art of filmmaking at the Comstock Film Festival.

More than 2,200 votes have been counted for the People's Choice winner of the Nevada Artists Association's judged "Summer Show," which ran from July 27 to Sept. 6.

A man was arrested for suspicion of conspiracy, extortion and exploitation of an elderly person following an elder scam investigation by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.

Although the Davis Fire is still listed as 0 percent contained as of Tuesday morning, the wind switched to give a fairly clear view of some of the firefighting activities.

As the autumn leaves turn and the chill of October sets in, a different kind of chill is ready to sweep through Carson City. Prepare yourself for an evening where nightmares creep off the screen and into reality, with Silver State Storytellers' annual Carson Creepy Short Horror Film Competition. It’s time to mark your calendars — if you dare —for a ghoulish gathering that promises screams, scares, and cinematic surprises.

There will be a September 11 memorial observance at Mills Park on Wednesday. Public fellowship begins at 5 p.m. with refreshments. The program begins at 6 p.m.

Here's a video briefing Tuesday morning that further offers an update on the Davis Fire.

UPDATE 11:06 AM: The National Weather Service has not only issued a Red Flag Warning but has also issued at "Red Flag Warning, Particularly Dangerous Situation," for Wednesday. As NWS forecaster Edan Lindaman explained, the PDS is outside of the normal or typical Red Flag Warning. Due to the cold front moving in overnight into Wednesday, bringing 40 mph-plus winds, the level of measure is of critical concern elevated. Therefore, the Red Flag Warning PDS on Wednesday is from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The standard Red Flag Warning is underway today.
***
UPDATE 10:33AM: The Davis Fire was mapped at 5,596 acres with no containment as of Tuesday morning, according to a briefing from U.S. Forest Service-Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.

Fire crews continue to work on perimeter control today, especially in areas of high fire activity. All evacuations remain in place and areas under evacuation orders are closed to the public. There are no public escorts into the evacuated areas at this time due to fire activity.

Meet others from the community for conversation and real connection.

CONNECTIONS gatherings are starting Monday, Sept. 16 at the Douglas County Senior Center. CONNECTIONS brings people together from all walks of life and all ages to hear and share stories, engage in conversation, and learn from the experiences of one another.

Meet up with others from the community to hear and share stories and experiences

The September Carson City Connections story theme is "Aha! Moments that Change the Course of Life" Have you ever had an AHA! moment — an epiphany? Come hear Suzette’s story of how a single inspiration played into a life-changing decision. And, share your own.

The Carson City VFW (Kit Carson Post 3762) would like to invite local public, charter, private, or home-school students in high school and middle school to compete in the following essay contests for scholarship awards. The VFW is dedicated to promoting patriotism and investing in our future generation.

Tahoe Fire & Fuels Team forest thinning projects are underway and scheduled to continue for the next several weeks, conditions and weather permitting.