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In their nearly 70-year marriage, Georgia and Lew Foster had never spent a single anniversary apart, and they weren’t about to break that tradition because of COVID-19.

Celebrating their 70th-wedding anniversary would require some planning and creativity on the part of Summit Estates Senior Living and Memory Care, where Lew lives, but this sort of planning is in this team’s wheelhouse.

Look under your fruit trees. You might see dozens of tiny fruit on the ground. Don’t worry; it’s the June drop. Since trees often set more fruit than they can support, each June they shed an abundance of underdeveloped fruit.

While cooler temperatures are in the mix with the arrival of a cold front Sunday, continued windy conditions and low humidity will persist throughout much of northern Nevada, creating critical fire conditions and forcing the continuation of a Red Flag warning by the National Weather Service.

The Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) has announced that seven communities in Nevada have been recognized by Main Street America for their demonstrated commitment to comprehensive commercial district revitalization and proven track record of successfully applying the Main Street ApproachTM.

• Gardnerville received the top tier of recognition being designated as a 2020 Accredited Main Street AmericaTM program.

The National Weather Service in Reno has issued a Dust Storm Warning until 8:30 p.m. Thursday for eastern Carson City, Douglas County, Lyon County, Storey County, southern Washoe County, western Churchill County, northeast Mineral and southwestern Pershing County.

With thunderstorms developing well to the south of Carson City earlier this afternoon, the National Weather Service is advising storms remain a possibility in the region into Thursday evening.

UPDATE 3:39PM: The Monarch Fire is approximately 2,500 acres and currently 5 percent contained. No structures are immediately threatened at this time and the fire is believed to be lightning caused from the previous day. Responding agencies include East Fork, Central Lyon, North Lake Tahoe, North Lyon, Story County, Tahoe Douglas and Truckee Meadows Fire Protection Districts, Reno Fire Department, Bureau of Land Management, Nevada Division of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service.
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As of 9:45 a.m. Thursday morning, the fire in the Pine Nuts in Douglas County, which has been named the Monarch Fire, now covers a total of 1,794 acres.

Multiple agencies are on scene to try and control the fire which is thought to have been caused by a lightning strike during yesterday’s thunderstorm.

Isolated thunderstorms are possible again Wednesday afternoon in the Sierra and western Nevada region, according to the National Weather Service.

The Nevada Artists Association is excited to present the 2020 “Spirit of America” Show. This judged show represents a collection of 91 plus photographs, paintings, drawings, mixed media and 3D pieces by Nevada Artist Association Members and Non-Members from Northern Nevada.

CARSON CITY — According to the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation’s (DETR) May 2020 economic report, employment in Nevada is up 32,700 jobs over the month and the unemployment rate declined to 25.3 percent.

Strong gusty winds and low humidity around the Carson City region has prompted the National Weather Service to issue a Red Flag Warning on Monday from noon to 8 p.m.

In a program similar to PG&E and other electric utilities in California, NV Energy announced last week that it will implement its own plan that would shut off power to reduce wildfire risk in the Lake Tahoe area in the event of weather-related events such as strong, gusty winds.

UPDATE 11:14AM: The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning from noon to 8 p.m. Friday for the following areas: Southern Mono County, Southern Sierra Front including Alpine, Northern Mono, Southern Lyon, and Western Mineral Counties, West Humboldt Basin in Pershing County and Lahontan Basin including Churchill and Eastern Mineral counties. The Weather Service has issued a Wind Advisory for Mono County, Mineral and Southern Lyon counties, Hawthorne, Yerington, Smith Valley, Mina, Schurz, Fernley, Fallon, Lovelock, Silver Springs, Nixon, and Imlay. Carson City, and Carson Valley are not in the Wind Advisory area.
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Strong winds expected Friday has prompted the National Weather Service to issue high wind and fire weather watches for portions of Northern Nevada.

CARSON CITY — While the COVID-19 pandemic forced many camps to cancel their summer 2020 programs, Girl Scouts of the Sierra offers a safe, affordable alternative for girls to experience the beloved summertime tradition.

With Camp Wasiu II’s Virtual Camp-In Camp Out, girls can fight learning loss with engaging science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) activities. Camp Wasiu II’s Virtual Camp-In Camp Out is Sunday, July 12 through Thursday, July 16.

The Reno Rodeo Foundation awarded $30,000 to six families as a part of the organization’s Reno Rodeo Wish program, which supports the foundation’s mission to assist young people in Northern Nevada with extraordinary needs.

My neighbor Mark, now known as “Chip” after Chip Gaines from “Fixer Upper” on HGTV, acquired his new moniker after building an amazing fence to enclose his wife’s garden (with her help of course!). Since we have major animal challenges in our neighborhood — ground squirrels, rabbits, deer and bears — a strong defense system is essential for successful vegetable production. The impressive garden fence that "Chip" built should keep all the critters out.

Reader Jose Ramirez writes the following: "Upper end of Goni Road in Carson City had some fairly stiff breezes Saturday afternoon. A solid Russian Olive Tree was no match for the winds. Wind meter had a gust of 37 mph just about the time the tree went over. That was our main shade for the back yard. Sad."

UPDATE Wednesday: Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve has lifted a curfew that began Tuesday. The city is working on putting into place a modified plan that would limit large gatherings to 50-plus people, a city spokesman said in a Tweet.
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Out of an abundance of caution for public safety, Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve has issued citywide curfews beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 2. The curfew will be in effect nightly from 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. the next morning and will continue until terminated by Mayor Schieve.

RENO — The magnitude 6.5 Monte Cristo Earthquake near Tonopah is still rolling. Two weeks after it woke Nevadans, the Nevada Seismological Lab has tracked a phenomenal 6,500 aftershocks — four at magnitude 5.0 and greater, from the earthquake sequence.

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.

Near record high temperatures will continue through Friday with afternoon thunderstorms possible, especially around the Reno and Lake Tahoe areas, according to the National Weather Service.

Carson City Kiwanis would like to take a moment and thank everyone who have participated in our virtual Meals on Wheels fundraiser. There is a strong outpouring of support for our cause to raise money for the local Meals on Wheels program.

As a reminder, we are contiuing to raise funds through Sunday, June 7, 2020.

My friend Millie is a plant explorer. She experiments getting groceries to grow. When she told me she was growing celery from the butt-end of what you buy from the grocery store, I was fascinated. How? In water? In soil? She went on to say she also grows sweet potatoes. I had tried that in high school, so that didn’t surprise me. But when she showed me a picture of her sweet potato plant I was impressed.

After seasonal weather over the past few weeks brought periods of gusty wind, some valley showers and a few inches of snow to the Sierra, the Carson City region will be riding into a late spring heat wave this week, with daytime temperatures hot enough to force on those cooling fans and air conditioners.

CARSON CITY — Gov. Steve Sisolak announced Monday that Caleb Cage is appointed to serve as the State of Nevada COVID-19 Response Director.

A 39-year-old man was arrested for suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer among multiple offenses after attempting to attack a deputy with a knife, according to a Carson City Sheriff's Office Special Enforcement Team report.

The polarizing attitudes and ideology that has taken over the American political environment -- as witnessed in recently-held political debates and rallies, nationwide -- is a danger to traditional American democratic values of diversity and respect of the “marketplace of ideas”, where people are not listening to each other, where respect for diversity is lacking, where the prevailing political attitude seems to be “my way or the highway”.

A late-season spring storm will bring gusty winds, below average temperatures, mountain snow, and periods of valley rain Sunday through Tuesday around the Carson City region, according to the National Weather Service.

I have been a grass warrior lately. Grass persists in exploring and establishing in areas I don’t want it: under shrubs, twined in flowers, out of the edges of the lawn, under the trees, in the field and so on. As a grass warrior, I have employed various attack strategies from hand-digging, weed-whacking and mowing with three different mowers — a riding mower, a small area electric mower, a rough area mower and finally, a tractor.

Editor’s Note: Patt Quinn-Davis is adviser for the Carneta yearbook. She wrote this letter to CHS staff members to share the challenges she and her student staff faced in finishing this year’s carneta. Quinn-Davis also teaches Honors American Literature and English IV.