May

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, 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.

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.

A cold front is expected to bring light snow showers and wind beginning late Monday night that may impact the Tuesday morning commute, according to the National Weather Service.

YERINGTON, Nev. — The Lyon County Sheriff's Office wants area residents to be aware that the Sheriff's Office has received calls about a phone scam in which the scammers impersonate Sheriff's Office personnel to fraudulently obtain money from innocent victims.

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.

The virtual Reno TubaChristmas 2020 video is available for viewing here via Youtube. The video features tuba, euphonium, and baritone horn players of all ages from Northern Nevada and from California, Arizona, Oregon, Colorado, Kansas, New York, and Sweden.

Here is the Carson City area road report for the week of Dec. 21-27, 2020. Closures are expected at the following locations due to road and utility work:

This week's Senator Square features guest writers Ananda Campbell and Bridget Gordon-Johnson who explain Monday homeroom academic strategies. Campbell is a CHS Library Media Specialist and Carson City School District Library Coordinator. Gordon is a CHS counselor. This is their report:

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).

UPDATE: 5:30 p.m.: the scene has been turned over to NHP.

UPDATE: 4:53 p.m.: There were two vehicles involved both with critical damage, with three patients total complaining of minor injuries. Careflight is being released.

UPDATE: 4:51 p.m.: The highway is being shut down.

UPDATE 4:50 p.m.: Careflight is in the area and ground units requested it to stay nearby in the air in case transport is needed.

UPDATE: Dispatch advised it may be closer to the Bellevue Bridge.

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A rollover accident was reported at 4:45 p.m. Friday evening at the Eastlake exit.

Nonprofits greenUP! and Friends In Service Helping (FISH) are coming together around the topic of food waste and food insecurity this holiday season. It is estimated that a staggering 30-40 percent of all food produced in our country winds up in the landfill.

One solution for reducing waste is to donate extra food to feed the hungry: despite the high volumes of wasted food, over 13 million Americans lack regular access to a meal.

In our state, it is estimated by the Department of Health and Human Services that one in eight Nevadans does not know where their next meal is coming from.

While this year’s safe and sober celebrations may look different, Partnership Carson City, in collaboration with Carson City Sheriff's Office School Resource Officers, is encouraging students to celebrate safety and responsibly this New Year’s Eve by offering gift cards as a token of appreciation.

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.

The Carson City Planning Commission has approved a request for a Special Use Permit to build a 253-unit apartment project known as the Stewart Street Apartments.

The project required a special use permit due to the location being within the Downtown Mixed-Use zoning district.

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.

The Carson City Sheriff’s Office is requesting assistance with locating a runaway juvenile believed to be in the Carson City area.

A three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously Tuesday in favor of a Lyon County church that argued Gov. Steve Sisolak's pandemic restrictions on places of worship were a violation of the First Amendment, reversing a lower court's ruling and prohibiting Sisolak from imposing further restrictions on churches.

Distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine is underway within the state of Nevada, including our local communities in the north. Those who are first up to receive the vaccine include health care personnel and long term care facilities as a part of the first phase of Tier 1 distribution.

The first batch of initial COVID-19 vaccines has reached Carson City, and was received by Carson Tahoe Health Tuesday morning.

The Carson City School District will hold a special school board meeting Thursday, Dec. 17 in order to discuss reopening schools for third through fifth grade students at the elementary school level, as well as sixth grade students at the middle school level.

The Dayton Valley Golf Course has been acquired by Tour Specs Golf Management from Duncan Golf Management in a deal that was finalized this week. Tour Specs Golf Management principal owner, James (Jim) Kepler will also serve as course general manager. Kepler is a well-known PGA professional in Nevada and west coast golf communities.

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak signed and issued an emergency directive Monday that implements a moratorium on most residential evictions in Nevada through March 31, 2021.

Pick out your favorite ugly holiday sweater for Carson City Parks, Recreation and Open Space's first ever ugly sweater hike. The hike will take place on Saturday, Dec. 19 at Empire Ranch.

Weather and conditions permitting, the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team will continue prescribed fire operations this week in the Lake Tahoe Basin. California State Parks, California Tahoe Conservancy, North Lake Tahoe and Tahoe Douglas fire protection districts are scheduled to burn hand piles and smoke may be visible.

NV Energy is alerting customers of a scam involving a person or persons who are calling both business and residential customers, falsely identifying themselves as utility company employees and making deceptive threats about their electric service, demanding immediate payment.

Here is the Carson City area road report for the week of Dec. 14-20, 2020. Closures are expected at the following locations due to road and utility work:

A winter storm has begun to move through the Carson City region Sunday bringing snow to the Sierra and snowfall to the valley floors, according to the National Weather Service.

Editor’s Note: Margarita Portillo-Hernandez is a school social worker and safe school professional at Eagle Valley Middle School in Carson City. The following is her report:

This year has been extremely challenging and with the impact of Covid; many of our families are struggling to ensure they can celebrate Christmas. However, generous community members have come together determined to help these families have a Christmas celebration not even Covid can stop.

This event marks the 18th year for St. Teresa of Avila Catholic School's annual Crab Feed, bringing the community and surrounding areas together to support St. Teresa of Avila Catholic School in Carson City, educating kids from grades K-8 and providing preschool and pre-K programs in its Child Development Center.

For the week ending December 5, initial claims for unemployment insurance (UI) totaled 8,783, up 2,341 claims, or 36.3 percent, compared to the previous week’s total of 6,442 claims, according to finalized data from the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR). This is only the second increase in regular initial claims activity since October 24. Through the week ending December 5, there have been a total of 783,384 initial claims filed in 2020, 761,732 of which have been filed since the week ending March 14.