pandemic

CARSON CITY — Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak announced Monday the appointment of Heather Korbulic as Policy Director for the Governor’s Office, effective Monday, Jan. 4, 2021.

On Friday, March 13, as the state prepared to shut down, the fate of many four-legged, feathered and scaled residents hung in the balance.

Greg Hall, CEO of the Nevada Humane Society, which has a presence in Reno and Carson City, organized a late-night emergency call with staff. They discussed how to operate amid the threat of COVID-19, a potentially lethal virus that carried so many unknowns. Meanwhile, seven hours south, staff at The Animal Foundation in Las Vegas braced for the worst.

One of the most overlooked pieces of noteworthy scientific advancement buried by the pandemic of 2020 occurred in Uruguay. Yes, right out of Ripley's Believe It or Not, a group of Uruguayan scientists announced that they had successfully modified the genetic makeup of a group of sheep to make them glow in the dark.

A Reno judge has determined that the state is no longer in contempt of court over stalled unemployment payments, after hearing that benefits were restarted for nearly 6,000 claimants since his initial finding of contempt earlier this month.

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.

Dee Dee Foremaster, Executive Director of the Rural Center for Independent Living (RCIL) and Do Drop In day refuge for the homeless and mentally ill will be the featured speaker at Monday's Democratic luncheon. Her presentation will be an update on all the great things that have been happening at RCIL since her last luncheon appearance.

CARSON CITY — According to finalized data from the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation, initial claims for unemployment insurance (UI) totaled 7,209 for the week ending December 26, down 589 claims, or 7.6%, compared to the previous week’s total of 7,798 claims.

Finally! That’s the word now heard on almost every newscast as we wrap up this tumultuous year. It’s the thought that precedes every thought when speaking of 2020.

Reno native Dawn Wells, who starred as Mary Ann in the popular 1960s sitcom “Gilligan’s Island,” died Wednesday of causes related to COVID-19 in Los Angeles, according to her publicist. She was 82.

Between a global pandemic, protests over racial injustice and a highly contentious presidential election, firearm sales in Nevada spiked in 2020, with the first 10 months of gun sales already 57 percent greater than all gun sales made in 2019.

CARSON CITY, Nev. — With COVID-19 cases surging and a new wave of restrictions looming, challenges persist for small business owners as they continue to weather the pandemic according to data from the Q4 Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index. While the index score rose 12 points for the second straight quarter, overall optimism levels remain just over half of what they were in late 2019.

UPDATE: The Wyndham Garden hotel in Carson City, connected with Max Casino and the Black Bear Diner, is now the Federal Hotel, which will be part of the Choice Hotels brand.

According to General Manager Michael Newberger, Choice Hotels rebranded the hotel at 900 South Carson Street and the name change, which went into effect on Dec. 18.

There are plans in place to renovate the 91 guest rooms and suites, as well as some of the lobby area.

The ownership has not changed, however, just the name of the hotel and the hotel brand from Wyndham to Choice Hotels.

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.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Mark Amodei , NV-02, released the following statements Monday after voting to override a presidential veto of the National Defense Authorization Act and voting against Economic Impact Payments.

YERINGTON, Nev. — Individualized and group support services for people and families impacted by addiction and mental health are now available for free in Yerington, Fernley, and Dayton through Foundation for Recovery, a community nonprofit led by volunteers and staff in recovery from substance use and mental health themselves.

CARSON CITY — The Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation issued the following statement Monday regarding the Continued Assistance Act Unemployment Provisions.

The Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) announced that in order to conduct regular system updates, they are temporarily taking the Unemployment Insurance (UI) website, ui.nv.gov offline on Saturday, December 26th from 6 AM to midnight, a period of lower traffic. During this time, individuals will not be able to file claims or access the resource materials.

Aaron D. Ford, Nevada's 34th Attorney General, will be the featured speaker at next Monday's Democratic tele-luncheon. After two years in office and with two years left in his current term, General Ford will present a halftime recap of his accomplishments so far at the state and national levels, and the continuing challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

The Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation provided an update Thursday to Nevadans about a federal stimulus bill and how the delay in the passage and enactment of the stimulus bill will adversely affect Nevadans.

Carson City-based DeBug Computer faced a Christmas challenge. Every year, the company hosts a Photos with Santa event with proceeds going to a local non-profit. The DeBug team huddled with Santa to discuss how to reach the children safely during the coronavirus pandemic. They decided to ask children, with their parents’ consent and supervision, to email a letter to Santa@debugcomputer.net.

Carson City employment figures for November remained unchanged since October 2020 with the trade, transportation, and utilities sector growing the most by 100 jobs, according to a Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation monthly employment report.

CARSON CITY, Nev. — As social restrictions continue in support of public health, risks associated with isolation permeate among the aging population. According to a Wells Fargo study conducted by The Harris Poll from Nov. 17-19 , a quarter (25%) of all seniors age 60 and above report feeling isolated and lonely, and over a third (43%) can go days without talking to others and spend most of their time alone.

This holiday season, The Salvation Army’s Del Oro Division, which covers Northern Nevada and Northern California, has raised $800,000 less with its iconic Red Kettle Campaign compared to last year. In 2019, the nonprofit brought in $2.4 million to support Christmas assistance and fund programs throughout the year. So far this year, The Salvation Army has brought in just over $1.6 million. With just two days left in the campaign, the nonprofit is asking those in the community who are able, to please give and support their neighbors in need.

On a picturesque lakefront property with mountain views sits Reno’s new independent living retirement community, Mountain Lakes Estates Retirement Living, 765 South Meadows Drive. The active lifestyle community completed construction and recently welcomed its first residents.

RENO — Christmas week through New Year’s, Reno-Tahoe International Airport will see the highest passenger numbers since COVID significantly impacted air travel in March, and the airport will be working diligently to provide the safest, most sanitary travel experience possible.

In a rush to avoid an end-of-the-year reversion back to the federal government, Nevada lawmakers have signed off on a plan that will allocate roughly $207 million in federal COVID-19 pandemic relief dollars largely to equipment costs and salaries of state employees.

On Friday, December 18, 2020, the Carson City Democrats delivered $686 to Joyce Buckingham, coordinator at Ron Wood Family Center for the Carson City Toys for Tots program.

In recognition of the fact that many families in our community, especially those with children, are struggling in this holiday period, the Carson City Democrats conducted a blazingly fast appeal to its members to support a cash drive for the Toys For Tots program.

To honor and raise funds for Nevada’s health care workers, historic Coin Press No. 1 will mint a special medallion from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 19 and 26 at the Nevada State Museum, 600 N. Carson St. in Carson City.

For the week ending December 12, initial claims for Unemployment Insurance (UI) totaled 9,027, up 244 claims, or 2.8 percent, compared to the previous week’s total of 8,783 claims, according to finalized data from the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR).

During a special session last night, the Carson City School District School Board of Trustees voted unanimously to offer in-person, on-campus instruction for third to sixth graders, four days a week, Tuesdays through Fridays. The first official day of this more traditional education model will begin Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021. The district previously announced a return to 4-days-per-week, in-person learning for Pre-K to second grade students Oct. 20, 2020.