GROW

In a continuing series of profiles, Soroptimist International of Carson City welcomes the community join us in congratulating 2021 “Women Helping Women” honoree Katie Leao Geiser, who is among eight Carson City area women to be honored at our Feb. 18 virtual event.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development is pleased to announce Jim Park has been selected to serve as the Acting State Director in Nevada.

I get a lot of demands these days from politically correct socialists who whine and try to tell me what I can and cannot say, and/or how.

As a general rule I don't let anyone tell me what to say or think. I don’t tell other people what to; say, think or do and I don’t let others censor my thoughts or words. First Amendment precedent establishes my right to say almost anything, within reason, and everyone has this same right because government is expressly prohibited, by our Constitution, from abridging any peaceful speech (or thought) in America.

Happy New Year! Many of us are glad to see the end of 2020 and hope 2021 will be much healthier and more peaceful. The calendar says winter is here, but the temperatures don’t seem to agree. I’m not complaining — sunny winter days in the upper 40s make me happy. Something that does concern me though is the lack of snow.

It was an eventful year around the Carson City region notwithstanding the limitations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Here's some notable stories that were not pandemic related that happened in 2020.

Most of us might agree, 2020 was the annus horribilis of our lifetime. But just as the darkest cloud has a silver lining, 2020 has offered one thing about which we can all brag and be proud. I can't think of what that one thing might be just now, though it does occur to me that learning how to cut our own hair might be a thing to celebrate and be genuinely proud, unless of course you're a barber.

The Fernley Community Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to improving Fernley’s community facilities for the city’s residents, is commemorating the progress of the Fernley Community Campus project. The FCF announced the progress and acknowledge key players at a Media Day on Friday, December 18 outside of the William N. Pennington Fernley Complex.

Carson City is facing the same problems other growing communities throughout the nation are: a lack of affordable housing which in turn is causing a gap in the workforce for important careers that require technical training.

Clint Koble, Executive Director of the Department of Agriculture's Nevada Rural Development Council in the Obama administration, will be the featured speaker at next Monday's Democratic tele-luncheon. The topic of his presentation will be “Rebuilding Rural America” — a set of policy proposals he developed based on a lifetime in public life and on his own experience as a product of rural America, having been born and raised on a farm in North Dakota.

The Carson City School District is celebrating two new National Board Certified Teachers from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. The teachers to be recognized earning certification are Patricia Ababio, Graphic Arts teacher in the Career and Technical Education program at Carson High School, and Rhonda Holloway, English teacher at Carson Middle School.

Youth Theatre Carson City is thrilled to announce its upcoming production of Macy’s "Yes Virginia: The Movie Musical," which will be available to view On-Demand from Dec. 18-31.

Since the first Thanksgiving feast held 400 years ago, the turkey has served as an enduring icon of one of America's most beloved holidays.

Appearing as a plump, grandly plumed image on everything from collectible trinkets to practical place settings these days, the tom turkey has long symbolized the blessing of bounty celebrated by Americans each Thanksgiving Day.

CARSON CITY — Employment in Nevada increased over the month by 3,600 jobs as the state continues to recover. Jobs still remain below typical levels, down by 117,200 compared to October 2019, for an annual rate of -8.2 percent according to the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation’s October 2020 economic report.

Reimagining learning, the Carson City Library is bringing robotics technology and engineering to Carson City middle school students in 2021. Utilizing analog and digital learning, students will build components of a bionic fish, elephant, and chameleon over the 3-day Bionics Camps designed to encourage STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) related career exploration and development.

Let go of your fear and hate to discover what you love. One should not let what they hate, blind them to what they love. Like Jefferson, I love life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in that order. Though I do hate murder and slavery I do not let it define what I love. Though Life and Liberty are defined by the Constitution in America, the pursuit of happiness is an individual choice.

Mr. Victor Garcia-Mendez, an English Second Language paraprofessional at Mark Twain Elementary School in Carson City, was one of only two school employees nominated by Gov. Steve Sisolak to represent Nevada in the national selection process for the Recognizing Inspirational School Employees Award.

The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will begin selling Christmas tree permits online beginning Monday, Nov. 16.

Editor’s Note: Guest writer Michele Quintero is a Carson High School counselor.

In the age of Covid, many are dealing with anxiety and panic. What is the difference? According to the Mayo Clinic, a panic attack occurs when a person feels intense fear that triggers the “fight or flight” response.

My friend Kristen and I were discussing that fall is the best time for planting almost everything. Not only are plants on sale at nurseries, the soil is warm and the weather is cool, which is less stressful on newly installed plants.

As people gather for the Nevada Day festivities, a notable local business in Carson City will be celebrating a major milestone.

Hemp uses less water than many other crops, and its uses and popularity are growing. As a result, there is increasing interest in growing hemp in Nevada. University of Nevada, Reno Extension is now researching hemp varieties and best practices for growing it in Nevada, and offering online classes on the research findings.

While some areas of western Nevada have experienced freezing morning lows already, a strong Arctic cold front that will sweep over the Carson City and Sierra region now through Tuesday is expected to be a noticeable and chilly one indeed.

It’s the annual conundrum. Is it too soon to turn off the irrigation system? With recent nights down to the teens here in Washoe Valley, we turned off the irrigation system and drained it prior to the forthcoming hard freezes. Then we turned off the outside water and drained the hose bibs too. Yet with temperatures last week back in the 60s with low to mid-30s at night, I’m sure I will have to irrigate again soon.

The teachers of Carson High School are continuing to ask if the community of Carson City would purchase a T-shirt to support both breast cancer awareness and CHS teacher Kelly Gustafson, who is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

Amanda Nichols was nominated by Pioneer High School staff as the PHS Rotary Student of the Month. Her ability to adapt, learn and grow nurtured by a foundation of resilience and hard work has transformed Amanda Nichols world to success today and tomorrow.

From the Famous first line of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, modified to appeal to the generosity of the Carson City community, "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a (generous city) in possession of a good fortune must be in want of (helping to support a CHS teacher)."

The teachers of CHS are asking if this is still true? Of course it is. Men, women, and children of Carson City are encouraged to purchase a T-shirt to support both breast cancer awareness and CHS teacher Kelly Gustafson, who is undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

CARSON CITY — Western Nevada College and the University of Nevada Reno Extension are among recent federal grant recipients to receive financial packages to make distance learning upgrades and aid in the expansion of educational services in 14 rural counties.

University Police Services, which provides a safer learning environment for Western Nevada College and other Nevada System of Higher Education institutions, has taken its service to students one step further.

On September 14, 2020, the Nevada Department of Public Safety (DPS), Division of Investigations (NDI) Tri-NET Narcotic Task Force conducted an operation with partnering local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.