Carson City Nevada News - Carson Now - Your one stop for Carson City news

Wednesday night election update: Bagwell, Schuette cinch mayor, supervisor races, road funding voted down

Kelsey Penrose — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 00:29:07 +0000

by Kelsey Penrose

As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6, here are the election results. We will continue to update the master election story which you can view here as results continue to be updated.

According to the Secretary of State's Office, 65.63% of registered voters in the capital city came out to cast their ballots, the majority of which utilized early voting (44.69%), followed by mail-in ballots (43.28%), and finally rounding out the last of the voters on election day (12.03%).

These numbers could still fluctuate a little as mail-in ballots will continue to be counted in the coming days so long as they were postmarked by Nov. 5.

This is a slight increase from the 2022 General Election which brought out 63.02% of voters, who overwhelmingly chose to send their ballots by mail (59.62%).

However, it is a full 13.19 points below the 2020 General Election, which brought out a whopping 78.82% of registered voters. The number of registered voters has stayed relatively the same, with 37,785 in 2020, and 39,731 in 2024.

Based solely on the votes for president (26,024 total) it looks as though the majority of ballots have been counted with 26,077 total ballots counted in Carson City as of Wednesday morning.

As of Wednesday morning in the Carson City specific-elections, Michael B. Walker Jr. appears to have cinched his reelection to School Board for District 5 with 60.05% of the vote against opponent Ashliee Saucedo, who just a few weeks before the election announced she no longer wished to run, but couldn't be dropped from the ballot in time for the election.

Michelle Pedersen, candidate for School Board District 7, also appears to have won against John W. Henley with 60.95% of the vote.

In the mayoral race, Incumbent Lori Bagwell is leading 13 points above opponent Jim Shirk with 56.16% of the vote.

Similarly, Incumbent Lisa Schuette in her re-election bid for Supervisor of Ward 4 is 15 points above Lucia Maloney with 57.71% of the votes.

Voters appear to have unanimously shot down both local road funding ballot initiatives, with 67.62% voting against Question no. 1 (sales tax) and 69.56% voting against Question no. 2 (car registration tax).

Kristin Luis appears to have won over opponent Mark Krueger for District Court Judge, First Judicial District, Dept. II. However it should be noted this is not a Carson City-only election, with votes coming in from Storey County as well.

The Carson City Clerk's Office has not released the official election results. We will update as new numbers become available.

To see all of the votes, including statewide ballot initiatives, see our reporting here.

Carson Tahoe Community Health Fair happening Saturday

Jeff Munson — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 23:03:01 +0000

Event Date:

November 9, 2024 - 9:00am

Carson Tahoe Health will host a Community Health Fair this Saturday, Nov. 9 from 9 a.m. to noon at Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center, 1600 Medical Parkway in Carson City.

Join Carson Tahoe Hospital staff to meet with experts, ask questions and find the right Medicare or Medicare Advantage plan.

In recognition of Diabetes Awareness Month, Carson Tahoe Health also provide comprehensive resources on managing or preventing diabetes.

Helpful information at the health fair includes:

• Doctor Mini Lectures
• Medicare and Medicare Advantage Resources & Benefits
• Nutrition & Physical Activity
• Mental & Emotional Support
• Advanced Directive Planning
• Interactive Diabetes Technology
• Appointment Scheduling
• Games, Giveaways and More!
• Financial Services

See CarsonTahoe.com for more information.

NV Energy outages affect more than 160 Carson City customers

Jeff Munson — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 22:07:26 +0000

NV Energy is reporting power outages Wednesday afternoon in areas around Carson City. As of 2 p.m. there are 165 customers without power. The cause is under investigation. Go here for updates from NV Energy.

Happening Saturday: Artsy Fartsy Art Gallery Holiday Open House

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 21:06:39 +0000

By Jeffery Pace

Join Artsy Fartsy Art Gallery in Carson City this Saturday, Nov. 9, beginning at 11 a.m. as we begin our celebration of the holiday season. the gallery will be filled with beautiful local artwork and amazing gift ideas.

Barbara Prodaniuk will be our featured artist and will be on hand to meet the community and show her newest creations in clay, we are honored to have Barbara join us for the afternoon.

The wine room will be open, Gabriel will be pouring, with refreshments to enjoy as your stroll through the gallery.
Mark your calendar now and plan on joining us.

Artsy Fartsy Art Gallery is located at 405 N Nevada St, Carson City.

Carson City Symphony Association Presents 'Cello Fest' Nov. 16

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 21:00:48 +0000

By David Bugli, Conductor, Carson City Symphony

The Carson City Symphony Assoc. presents "Cello Fest: On and Off the Page with Sera Smolen" on Saturday, November 16, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Eagle Valley Middle School, 4151 E. 5th Street, Carson City.

This one-day workshop is an opportunity for cellists of all ages and experience levels to play chamber music and learn improvisation from an expert. Bring your cello, bow, and endpin disk or strap, and join the fun! Registration fee of $25 includes lunch. To register, go to CCSymphony.com.

Dr. Smolen will also present a group lesson on improvisation for C-instrument teachers. Admission is free. This workshop will be on Friday, November 15, at 6:00 p.m., at the Carson City Historical Society Carriage House, 1207 N. Carson Street. Teachers of string instruments, flute, oboe, and piano are invited to reserve a spot by calling 775-883-4154 or emailing carsoncitysymphony@gmail.com.

Sera Smolen loves teaching cellists from age 3 up. In her cello program at Opus Ithaca, she combines traditional cello study with improvisation, composition, and world music, and invites guest artists to contribute to the program. Some of her projects are practice marathons, winter workshops, composers’ projects, and "Dances from Around the World."

Dr. Smolen earned her PhD in music education from the Union Institute in 2000. Her Doctoral thesis, Moons of Osiris, is inspired by her longstanding research into string pedagogy in Waldorf education. Smolen has a deep understanding of how to present improvisation parallel with repertoire study. She is a frequent guest clinician in Europe, the US, and Canada for workshops and teacher training seminars on improvisation and composition for string players. She has taught at Mansfield University; Alfred University; the Kanack School in Rochester, NY; and Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

For further information about the Cello Fest and teachers’ workshop in Carson City, call Priscilla Hawkins at 248-904-6013 or email her at phawkins@dcn.org.

Carson City Symphony Association concerts and other activities are supported in part by public funds through a grant from the Nevada Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts, grants from Carson City, and by private donations. This Cello Fest is also funded by a special grant from ACMP - Associated Chamber Music Players.

Nevadans reject open primary, ranked-choice voting ballot measure

Jeff Munson — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 19:52:17 +0000

Tabitha Mueller, The Nevada Independent

Nevada voters have rejected the most significant proposed change to the state’s election system since mail-in ballots were implemented in 2020.

Question 3, which proposed to implement open primaries and ranked-choice voting, was behind by a substantial margin after the release of results from early voting and mail ballots received before Election Day. (Click here to see up-to-date results.) It’s a blow for proponents who had looked to the concept as a way to bolster centrism in politics and give a voice to a growing number of nonpartisans who can’t vote in marquee primary contests.

The measure’s double-digit defeat comes after it passed in the Silver State by nearly 6 percentage points in 2022. That year, it succeeded despite vehement opposition from Nevada’s top Democrats and Republicans, who argued it was confusing and could lead to ballot errors, thus disenfranchising voters.

The measure, like other proposed constitutional amendments, needed to pass in two consecutive elections to take effect.

One major difference between the two elections is that opponents spent very little money in 2022 pushing back on the measure, but the opposition political action committee, Protect Your Vote Nevada, spent more than $2 million this year, according to its most recent campaign finance report. It was still far outspent by the supporting PAC, Vote Yes on 3, which poured more than $12 million into this cycle’s efforts.

The group opposing Question 3 has primarily been funded by the Nevada Alliance, a left-leaning group that does not have to disclose its donors (commonly referred to as a “dark money” group) but has donated millions to Democratic initiatives in Nevada. It’s an ironic funding source for the group, given that it has released ads condemning Question 3 for being funded by “out of state special interests.”

Meanwhile, almost all the money supporting the effort in 2022 came from out-of-state donors, led by Katherine Gehl, a Chicago-based businesswoman who pioneered the concept of Final-Five Voting, the model for Nevada’s Question 3. This year, the effort was largely supported with donations by Article IV, a Virginia-based nonpartisan group focused on improving democracy, and Unite America, a philanthropic fund dedicated to election reform.

Battle Born Progress Executive Director Shelbie Swartz said Tuesday’s results signal that Nevada voters do not appreciate out-of-state billionaires meddling in elections.

“From the start, Question 3 proposed electoral changes that were confusing, costly and did little to address the problems its proponents said it would,” Swartz said. “We’re glad voters saw through the spin and rejected Question 3.”

The progressive organization opposed Question 3 since it was first proposed.

Sondra Cosgrove, a professor at the College of Southern Nevada who has advocated for the measure as a volunteer, said Democrats indicated they would support a measure that was limited to open primaries and didn’t lump it in with ranked-choice voting, and she wants to hold them to that promise.

She noted that initiatives for ranked-choice open primary voting failed nationwide this year and attributed it to a national-level consultant group behind the campaigns that focused on broader messaging and didn’t engage voters at an individual level.

The consultants also misled voters by not talking about the ranked-choice element of the ballot measure, she said.

Cosgrove, who has led various civic engagement groups, said grassroots organizers focused on individual outreach, conversations about ranked-choice voting and voter information guides, but didn’t have broader funding to support their efforts.

“I think that way would have been successful if we had had funding to support it,” she said. “It wasn’t the idea that failed; it was the strategy that failed.”

— This story is used with permission of The Nevada Independent. Go here for updates to this and other Nevada Independent stories.

Alanna McDaniel is recipient of Nevada Artists Association 9th Annual Pat Holub Award

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 19:40:17 +0000

By Deborah Foster

Each year the Nevada Artists Association is pleased to present the Pat Holub Award from the entries in the judged Nevada Day Show. This year the recipient of the award is Alanna McDaniel for her mixed media piece, "The Good Dog."

This piece was awarded a cash prize and a ribbon, and will be on exhibit and available for purchase during the Nevada Day Show. Drop in to the NAA Art Gallery to see the show and shop for all your holiday gifts. 449 W. King Street, Carson City. Open Tuesday-Sunday 12-4pm.

LIVE 2024 Election results for Carson City, statewide

Kelsey Penrose — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 18:42:24 +0000

by Kelsey Penrose

Carson City unofficial figures updated Wednesday, Nov. 6, 4 p.m. (Still awaiting updated Carson City numbers, which were last updated around 10 a.m. Wednesday morning)

While time is up for the polls, which were scheduled to close at 7 p.m., if voters were in line before the cut off they will be allowed to vote. We will update the results as they come in. Carson City polls could take a couple hours to turn in their results.

Please be aware that mail-in ballots are being accepted as long as they were postmarked by election day, today, Nov. 5. This means that we will continue to see more results in the days to come, which is anticipated and expected.

Keep checking back for results.

President

How Carson Voted

Donald Trump 14,536 55.86%
Kamala Harris 10,888 41.84%

Statewide numbers

Donald Trump 673,183 votes 51.59%
Kamala Harris 609,159 votes 46.68%

US Senate

How Carson Voted

Jacky Rosen 10,980
Sam Brown 13,391

Statewide numbers

Jacky Rosen 606,683 47.07%
Sam Brown 610,550 47.37%

Ballot Questions

How Carson Voted

Question 1 Removes NSHE Board of Regents from state constitution: No 70.86%
Question 2 Changes language in constitution regarding people with disabilities: No 50.6%
Question 3 Open primaries and ranked choice voting: No 61.4%
Question 4 Prohibits slavery and involuntary servitude without exception: No 53.24%
Question 5 Exempt diapers from sales tax: Yes 50.75%
Question 6 Constitutional right to abortion: Yes 56.54%
Question 7 Photo ID to vote: Yes 72.08%

Statewide numbers

Question 1 Removes NSHE Board of Regents from state constitution: No 54.99%
Question 2 Changes language in constitution regarding people with disabilities: Yes 65.27%
Question 3 Open primaries and ranked choice voting: No 54.31%
Question 4 Prohibits slavery and involuntary servitude without exception: Yes 60.00%
Question 5 Exempt diapers from sales tax: Yes 68.01%
Question 6 Constitutional right to abortion: Yes 63.27%
Question 7 Photo ID to vote: Yes 73.7%

Carson City-only results

Congress, District 2

Carson City results:

Mark Amodei 13,884 54.95%
Greg Kidd 9,231 36.54%

Statewide:

Mark Amodei 189,319 56.83%
Greg Kidd 116,252 34.90%
Lynn Chapman 15,331 4.58%

State Assembly District 40

Carson City results:

PK O'Neill 15,431 61.21%
Katherine Ramsey 9,780 38.79%

Statewide results:

PK O'Neill 21,431 62.68%
Katherine Ramsey 12,760 37.32%

District Court Judge Dept. II

Mark Krueger 12,038 46.72%
Kristin Luis 13,728 53.28%

State Board of Education

Carson City results:

Paul "Doc" Davis 10,979 49.11%
Angela Orr 11,379 50.89%

Statewide results:

Paul "Doc" Davis 135,269 47.53%
Angela Orr 149,341 52.47%

School Board Trustee, District 5

Ashliee Saucedo 8,702 39.95%
Michael B. Walker, Jr. 13,081 60.05%

School Board Trustee, District 7

John W. Henley 8,615 39.05%
Michelle Pedersen 13,445 60.95%

Mayor

Lori Bagwell 13,565 56.16%
Jim Shirk 10,590 43.84%

Carson City Supervisor, Ward 4

Lucia Maloney 9,740 42.29%
Lisa Schuette 13,289 57.71%

Carson City Ballot Questions

Ballot Question no. 1, should Carson City increase sales tax for public road funding?: No 67.62%
Ballot Question no. 2, should Carson City create a government services tax on registered vehicles for local road funding?: No 69.56%

ICYM: Carson City Supervisors to discuss new pickleball courts project, amendments to Title 18 and more

Kelsey Penrose — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 17:15:11 +0000

Event Date:

November 7, 2024 - 8:30am

by Kelsey Penrose

The next Carson City Board of Supervisors meeting will be held Thursday, Nov. 7, beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the Bob Crowell Board Room of the Community Center located at 851 E. William St.

On the agenda:
— Supervisors will vote on making a final recommendation for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for 2025 to Carson City Parks, Recreation and Open Space for the Mills Park Pickleball Courts Project in the amount of $170,790.

The board is required to make a final recommendation and approval of funding for the CDBG projects to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. For 2025, the city received just over $390,000 in funding, and so far, the board has recommended funds go to the Carson City Public Works Department, Carson City Community Development Department, Night of the Streets, Nevada Rural Counties RSVP Program, Ron Wood Family Resource Center, St. Vincent de Paul Society and grant administration.

HUD later determined that the Community Development department was not eligible for CDBG funding, and the city is recommending the remaining funds be used for the pickleball project.

— Supervisors will also discuss awarding the pickleball project to Spanish Springs Construction, Inc. as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for an amount not to exceed $1.07 million. The project consists of replacing two existing unusable tennis courts with six new post-tension concrete pickleball courts.

— A petition to create the Lompa Ranch North Landscape Maintenance District will be discussed, which would be for the maintenance of landscaping and draining facilities in the planned Lompa Ranch North development. The LMD would be entirely funded by the assessed properties within the LMD and no financial contribution by the city would be required.

— Supervisors will discuss a contract amendment with Clarion Associates to continue to update the Carson City Land Use Master Plan Project for an additional $23,551, resulting in a new not-to-exceed amount of $223,422. The city hired Clarion in October 2023 to begin the Master Plan update process. The budgeted amount was $300,000 in 2024 and $100,000 in 2025. While creating the budget, the city was going to use an “in-house” special projects planner and the city’s GIS contractor. However, as the work has gone in, “it’s become clear that neither of those options will add the value anticipated,” according to the agenda. Therefore Clarion will need more technical support.

— A bill draft request (BDR) ratification will be discussed regarding the Nevada Commission for the Reconstruction of the V&T Railway Act of 1993 on behalf of the city. Following the BDR submittal on Aug. 15, 2024, the city received feedback and determined that the original BDR concept as presented contained “obstacles to the bill’s passage that required revision and resubmission” to the legislature. The BDR asks the legislature to direct the Interim Committee on Growth and Infrastructure to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the Nevada commission for the Reconstruction of the V&T Railway.

— A purchase of water meters and parts from Badger Meter Inc. for $125,000 will be discussed. The city provides and maintains water meters for residents, the cost of which is offset by utility connection fees. The system is only compatible with Badger meters and parts.

— Supervisors will discuss amendments to the city’s Indigent Defense Services Plan which is required by state law. The amendment will update the plan to address workload standards and other changes.

— On second reading, supervisors will discuss Bill no. 106 which is an ordinance amending various provisions governing land use, zoning and related administrative and regulatory requirements, limitations and processes. The changes are within Title 18. You can read those changes here.

Similarly, Bill no. 107 will also be having a second reading which deals with development standards for land use and zoning districts also within Title 18. You can read those changes here.

For these and other agenda items, you can read the full agenda at https://www.carson.org/agendas.

Rotary Club Senior Spotlight: Academics, athletics cement lifelong run for Carson High's Sawyer Macy

Jeff Munson — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 16:34:33 +0000

By Nicki Hendee, CHS Counselor

"Growing up with parents who are teachers means having a constant stream of knowledge, curiosity and a love for learning instilled in you." (Unknown).

This week’s senior in the spotlight, Sawyer Macy would agree with this statement. Born to two educators, it is no surprise that Sawyer has found himself a lifelong learner. As a result, he is an excellent student and a talented athlete.

Sawyer’s academics speak for themselves. Boasting a grade point average exceeding 5.0, with a course load including 14 Advanced Placement courses, Sawyer is on track to earn the prestigious Advanced Placement Capstone Diploma.

Sawyer is one of the most determined young men to walk the halls of Carson High School. This year, when his schedule did not allow him to take both AP Statistics and AP Research, he worked with his teachers to find a solution. In addition to his regular course load, the AP Research teacher is allowing him to do his AP Research work as independent study, and he meets with her on a regular basis to check in on his research project.

This same tenacity is evident when he runs. Sawyer can often be seen running early in the mornings during the summer and on the weekends, when his peers are still sound asleep. He works incredibly hard to be the best runner he can be. This perseverance has led him to several school records in cross country, including the 1600 school record for freshmen, sophomores and juniors as well as the school 5k record. He is hopeful that his dedication will lead to a roster position on a college cross country team.

Sawyer credits his teachers for fostering his love of learning and fueling his curiosity. Engineering as his future career choice is perfect as he will be able to funnel his inquisitiveness into critical thinking and problem solving.

Sawyer is applying to several top colleges across the country, where he looks forward to meeting other students with the same excitement for learning that he has. Carson High is sure that he will end up somewhere amazing! Good luck to you, Sawyer!

— All students named as a weekly Senior Spotlight are featured at the weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of Carson City. The Rotary Club of Carson City is a vibrant and dedicated group of professionals and community leaders committed to making a positive impact. The club welcomes individuals who are passionate about service and enjoy opportunities for personal and professional growth, networking and fellowship.