COVID

If you’ve been living in the Quad-Counties within the last few months, you may have noticed an increase in respiratory illnesses making the rounds throughout the community.

Monday's Democratic luncheon will feature a presentation by Donald Easton-Brooks Ph.D., Dean of the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Nevada-Reno. The theme of his remarks will be the need for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) to be a major part of engaging with today's communities. With people of color already representing 50% of the U.S.

Who doesn’t feel annoyed and concerned to see a used disposable mask flying in the wind? Haven’t we all noticed disposable gloves discarded in a parking lot? It is true that these throw-away items have offered protection and saved many lives in the US and around the world, but they also create a new problem — tons of medical-grade waste polluting our environment.

Featured speaker at Monday's Democratic tele-luncheon will be Mark Bettencourt, Project Director for the Nevada Coalition Against the Death Penalty (NVCADP). The Coalition is a diverse group of community members and organizations who use the voices of impacted individuals to shed light on the darkness of capital punishment and why it must be repealed.

Undoubtedly a year like no other, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Nevada’s Mike Tice Charity Weekend was one many events cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Students from all four classes recently nominated Carson High School Winterfest candidates for 2021 Winterfest week, Feb. 1-5, where both a King and Queen will be crowned. The theme, Destination Unknown, was decided upon; since students are not allowed to experience the vacations they love, they are bringing their vacation destinations to CHS.

The Carson City and Quad-County region is experiencing a downward trend of COVID-19 hospitalizations since the start of the new year. However, while rates of transmission for children and teenagers have remained low since the pandemic began, new reporting shows a significant increase in minors contracting the virus, according to statistics.

Employment in Nevada increased over the month by 8,200 jobs as the state continues to recover. Jobs remain below typical levels, down 96,900 jobs since December 2019, for an annual decline of 6.8 percent according to the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation’s (DETR) December 2020 economic report.

The following is from Diane Rush, director of marketing, communications and public information officer for Carson Tahoe Health.

CARSON CITY — After a month of fundraising, Carson Tahoe has raised over $42,000 toward supplying reusable ENVO N95 masks for their frontline workers. Now, an anonymous donor has offered a match, allowing donors to double their impact. That’s right, every new ‘Sponsor A Caregiver’ gift received until Feb. 21 will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $25,000.

Due to the COVID-19 virus and its impact on our community, the annual American Association of University Women Capital Branch Feast of Chocolate event, usually held in February at the Carson Plaza Event Center, must be reimagined this year. Our goal is to continue to provide scholarships for deserving young women in their pursuit of educational advancement.

According to Teen Health and Wellness, Rosen Publishing, “Sharing stories is a powerful way to connect with other people. By sharing your own story, you can connect with other teens who are dealing with similar experiences. Your words can provide hope and comfort, or empower them to face their own challenges.”

The annual4-H Fabric Sale sponsored by the Carson City, Storey County 4-H Council has been canceled for this year due to the ongoing Covid 19 pandemic. The annual sale is traditionally held at Fuji Park Exhibition Hall in late January or early February.

The Carson City Senior Center is helping seniors living in the quad counties — Carson City, Douglas, Lyon and Storey — age 70 and over in signing up for COVID-19 vaccinations.

Carson City School District employees, including elementary and secondary education personnel, lined up to be among the first to receive Tier 2 COVID-19 vaccinations at Carson High School on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021.

Nevada is moving to a new COVID-19 vaccination strategy that will allow the state to distribute doses to essential workers and priority segments of the population in tandem.

With only four days remaining in Open Enrollment for 2021 health coverage, Nevada Health Link, the online health insurance marketplace operated by the state agency, the Silver State Health Insurance Exchange (Exchange), reminds Nevadans that all plans include access to COVID-19 related diagnosis and treatment, including COVID-19 vaccines when they become available.

We miss the stage, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make theater. Wild Horse Children’s Theater is looking for young actors, singers, and dancers, ages 10 and up for our new Virtual Broadway Workshop.

The newly elected Board of Supervisors, including Mayor Lori Bagwell, Supervisor Lisa Schuette, Supervisor Mo White, and appointed supervisor Stan Jones, along with Supervisor Stacey Giomi, met for their first board meeting of 2021 on Thursday.

USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region has decided to extend the developed campground closure on 12 National Forests in California to provide consistent COVID-19 mitigation response in accordance with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Stay-at-Home Orders. These Regional Orders will be in effect through Jan. 29, 2021.

As the new year kicks off and another COVID-19 stimulus package has been passed, University of Nevada, Reno Extension will offer free online town halls and webinars next week and the following week to provide small businesses owners with details on the stimulus package, as well as guidance on marketing and taxes. Discussion on the new stimulus package will include improvements to the Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program, as well as emergency enhancements being made to related lending programs.

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.

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.

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.

The 121st annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count will be held this Saturday Jan. 2, 2021. This event is counting all birds with a 15 mile diameter circle covering the area contained approximately by the Carson River on the north, the Pine Nut foothills on the East, Bodie Flats on the South and Foothill Road on the West.

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.

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.

Hello fellow anglers and Merry Fishmas. I think we are all looking forward to the new year to begin. Jan. 1, 2021 will be a welcome sight, so we may begin a new year. At 6:32 a.m., Topaz Lake will officially open for the 2021 fishing season.

This December, dozens of Bently Nevada employees came together once more to support local families in need through the Adopt a Family Program.

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.