Mayor Robert Crowell

Editor: I have been in the antiques business in Downtown Carson City for more than 15 years. The last six years have been extremely difficult, but perhaps our state may have reached a turning point.

In the last 15 years I have been involved in dozens of community meetings and planning sessions that were generally boring and filled with doomsayers and negativism. I've spent hundreds of hours gnashing my teeth listening to every malcontent in town who says that saving our Downtown is a waste of time and money. They have said it's by-the-way impossible.

Celebrating 25 years, the Silver and Snowflakes Festival of Lights held at the steps of the Nevada State Capitol Building has become a Carson City Christmas card to the world.

The Silver and Snowflakes Festival of Lights will officially kick off Friday evening, Dec. 5 beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the steps of the State Capitol in Carson City.

Now in its 25th year, the annual event is sponsored by the Carson City Redevelopment Authority as part of their efforts to showcase the downtown core and to bring families together to enjoy the advent of the holiday season.

Seventy-five budding artists from kindergarten through grade 12 entered their art work into an annual contest recently as part of Carson City's annual Silver and Snowflake Festival of Lights.

Each year, the teen board of the Carson City Library chooses a theme to coincide with the Christmas holidays. This year’s theme was “A Novel Christmas,” asking children to draw what Christmas would look like in their favorite novels.

Carson City government officials on Thursday recognized Western Nevada College’s nationally known humanities exhibition on the costs of war, “Always Lost: A Meditation on War,” Thursday with a proclamation of appreciation and honor.

Carson City Mayor Robert Crowell, a Vietnam veteran, has called the exhibit “our community’s gift to the nation.”

A proclamation honoring the creators and contributors of “Always Lost” was presented to Western Nevada College President Chester Burton and Professors Emeritus Don Carlson and Marilee Swirczek during the Board of Supervisors meeting.

As of 3 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 15, the Carson City Chamber of Commerce has officially purchased the Visitors Bureau share of the building both agencies jointly inhabited since 1989. The Visitors Bureau is now leasing space in the downtown core at the corner of Carson and Washington Street at 716 N. Carson Street.

The Chamber will remain at 1900 S. Carson Street and will occupy the space vacated by the Bureau after extensive remodeling. Both agencies will have official open houses in the near future.

Many celebrations are scheduled throughout the Silver State in the month of August. These Nevada 150 events celebrate all things Nevada and help bring awareness to the 150th Anniversary of Statehood. The following events are held Aug. 15 through Aug. 31.

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval and Carson City Mayor Robert Crowell presided over the official ribbon cutting to open the Fair on Thursday.

Today’s NV150Fair, celebrating Nevada's Sesquicentennial celebration, has something for everyone and admittance and all shows this day are FREE. Parking can be found at Casino Fandango with shuttle buses running continuously to take you there. Here's what's on tap today.

11 am – Be part of the history!

Many celebrations are scheduled statewide in the month of August. These Nevada 150 events celebrate all things Nevada and bring awareness to the 150th Anniversary of Statehood. The following events are held Aug. 1 through Aug. 14.

UPDATE: Thursday at 11 a.m., the Wells Fargo coach will be delivering Governor Brian Sandoval, Carson City Mayor Robert Crowell and Wells Fargo Regional Manager Chad Osorno and Wells Fargo Northern Nevada Area Manager Sean French to Fuji Park in south Carson City to preside over the official opening and ribbon cutting of Carson City’s contribution to the NV150 Anniversary event, the NV150Fair.

The NV150Fair will feature over 90 4-H and Future Farmers of America kids from around the region showcasing their animals and farm knowledge.

Many celebrations are scheduled statewide in the month of July. These Nevada 150 celebrate all things Nevada and bring awareness to the 150th Anniversary of Statehood. The following events are held July 18 through July 31.

On Friday, July 11, the Nevada State Museum, the Reno Navy League and the Nevada Sesquicentennial Commission will re-dedicate a plaque at the USS Nevada Memorial on the Capitol Grounds in Carson City. A reception honoring the battleship USS Nevada and her fallen crew will follow in Old Assembly Chambers.

Mayor Robert Crowell and Nick Marano, Carson City’s new city manager, met Monday morning with a few city staff people as Marano assumed his new role.

On behalf of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Robert Crowell presented the Spirit of Enterprise Award to U.S. Congressman Mark Amodei at the Carson City Chamber’s Soup’s On! luncheon Tuesday.

The award is presented to those congressmen voting for pro-business legislation sponsored by the U.S. Chamber. This is the congressman’s third Spirit of Enterprise award from the U.S. Chamber confirming his continued commitment to business.

Photo provided by the Carson City Chamber of Commerce.

Carson City Supervisor Jim Shirk and dance partner Robin Kato were judged winners of Saturday night's Dancing with the Carson City Stars competition.

When the Carson City version of Dancing with the Stars spins into action on Saturday, Feb. 22, it will be the product of months of preparation and legwork from more than 10 local celebrity dancers.

Carson City government finances are good, though not exceptional, Mayor Robert Crowell said Wednesday as he urged a boost in sales tax to do capital projects. In a State of the City speech at a Chamber of Commerce-sponsored breakfast, Crowell cited a $1.1 million bulge in ending balance last year, solid bond ratings and prospects for rising city revenues.

Carson City Mayor Robert Crowell will present the State of the City address, with the theme "New Year: New Opportunities," on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2014, 7:30 a.m. at the Carson Nugget. The event is presented by the Carson City Chamber of Commerce.
The cost is $20 per person. RSVP prior to Feb. 3 by calling (775) 882-1565.

Here's a news release from Chamber Executive Director Ronni Hannaman:

Mayor to present State of City address

During the third annual Connect Nevada Broadband Summit held at the University of Nevada, Reno, the Carson City Library was named Connect Nevada’s 2013 Broadband Hero.

The summit theme, Learning in the Digital Space, was designed to promote access, adoption, and use of broadband in education. In collaboration with Governor Sandoval’s Nevada Broadband Task Force, Connect Nevada is working to bring the benefits of universal broadband to the state.

The Carson City Community Center is getting new signage thanks to the efforts of the Carson City Chamber of Commerce and other partners that have worked with the city to obtain much need modern signage in front of the Community Center.

As most of the city private businesses have gone to LED signage, the 50-year old sign in front of the Community Center has remained a relic. Staff had to use a ladder to change the message. Beginning Wednesday, all it will take is a computer programmer to change the messages.

The static sign that has been in front of the Carson City Community Center for 50 years came down this morning at about 9:30 a.m.

It will be replaced by a state-of-the-art LED sign able to accommodate more messages that can be easily read. The new sign should be in place by Nevada Day. Custom Crane & Sign is the contractor. The impetus behind the new signage came from former Chamber Chair Stan Jones.

The highly anticipated STEM Lab Science Room at the Children's Museum in Carson City will be unveiled at a grand opening on Saturday, Sept. 28. There will be a kick-off pancake breakfast sponsored by the Kiwanis of the Sierra Nevada from 8 to 11 a.m. Everyone is encouraged to come by 813 N. Carson St. and check it out.

The Carson City Chamber Leadership Institute Class of 2013 will graduate on Thursday, September 12 after an intensive nine months of learning about Carson City and will unveil their leadership project at the Children’s Museum of Northern Nevada.

Carson City neighbors by the thousands gathered Tuesday evening at Mills Park for the 11th annual National Night Out.

The themes for the evening were community and neighborhood partnership and outreach. Judging by attendance, it was one of the largest gatherings thus far for the annual summer event, hosted by the Carson City Sheriff's Office.

"The turnout is one of the biggest I've seen," said DARE officer Lisa Davis, a coordinator of the event. "It says a lot about our citizens who have come together for a cause we all want: A safe and healthy community."

With neighborhood outreach as the theme, Carson City Sheriff's Office organizers say the National Night Out event at Mills Park on Tuesday will also highlight a number of new community wide initiatives.

The event runs from 5 to 8 p.m. and brings thousands of Carson City residents to the park annually in a open house environment, providing partnerships between law enforcement and the community. In Carson City, this event represents the culmination of efforts made to address crime, drugs, and violence and is the largest event of its kind in the area.

Carson City Mayor Robert Crowell and invited guests welcomed the 100 million household TV giant C-SPAN and its cable carrier Charter Communications to the steps of the capitol building for the first day of a week-long visit to the capital city.

C-SPAN’s video-journalists aim to capture Carson City’s history and literary journey as told by local historians, published authors and long-time residents. Collected stories will air August 3 and 4 on Charter channels 235 and 236 on C-SPAN’s American History TV and Book TV.

Carson City will be in the national spotlight as film crews from C-SPAN will begin taping a segment beginning July 8 that will feature local history and authors that will air to a nationwide audience in August.

Mayor Robert Crowell and Charter Communications will welcome the national network on the steps of the Nevada State Capitol as they prepare for a week-long visit to record and feature the city’s history and literary life. On Monday, July 8, C-SPAN representatives will reveal the stories and segments that will be explored.

Assemblyman Pete Livermore, Carson City Mayor Robert Crowell and members of the Nevada State Prison Preservation Society assembled late Tuesday afternoon to witness Gov. Brian Sandoval sign off on the recommendation to study the feasibility of turning the historic prison into a visitor's museum/attraction.

The Children’s Museum of Northern Nevada turns 25 this year and it is throwing a party Saturday, June 15, to celebrate.

The festivities will begin with Mayor Robert Crowell signing a proclamation designating the day as “The Children’s Museum of Northern Nevada Day” this will be followed by the unveiling of a new logo.
There will be lots of fun and games inside and out with entrance to the museum free of charge for the day. The celebration from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Museum, 813 N. Carson Street in Carson City.