Public Health

CARSON CITY — The arrival of the new year marks Nevada’s 12th year enjoying clean indoor air. The Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act celebrated its official anniversary on Dec. 8, 2018. This anniversary highlights the progress Nevada has made in protecting its citizens against unnecessary health risks while underscoring an active push toward a more comprehensive smoke-free policy.

The Project known as Vintage at Kings Canyon (the Andersen Ranch) is again before city officials. The applicants are asking for an amendment to the originally approved Planned Unit Development (PUD) from December of 2016.

They are asking for:

Editor’s Note: This is one in a series of articles, Partners for Success, highlighting the agencies that make up Partnership Carson City, an alliance of resources dedicated to creating a healthy community.

Between working two jobs and caring for her pets, Trudi Gaye doesn’t have much free time. “When I do have time, I want to spend it with my animals,” she said.

The nonprofit Healthy Communities Coalition of Lyon and Storey Counties is partnering with Lyon County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to sponsor a "Prescription Drug Round Up" at Smith’s Grocery in Dayton on Saturday, Oct. 20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The conveniently located Round Up helps people bring unwanted, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs for safe disposal.

Collecting expired and unused medications can prevent damage to the water supply that would otherwise result from flushing them down toilets and drains.

In collaboration with Emergency Management, EMS, Fire, Public Works, and the Sheriff’s Office, Carson City Health and Human Services will host a drive-thru flu clinic on Saturday, Oct. 6 from 9 a.m. to noon in the Carson City DMV parking lot.

On Nov. 6, Nevadans will face the final question on the ballot, Question 6. If adopted, electric utility companies would be required to acquire 50 percent of their electricity from renewable resources by 2030.

Carson City Health and Human Services is partnering with Carson City Emergency Management to conduct a Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response the week of Sept. 17-21. The capital city is the first jurisdiction in Nevada to conduct the assessment.

SILVER SPRINGS, Nev. — The Healthy Communities Coalition of Lyon and Storey counties gathers for a public meeting featuring guest speakers and discussion of regional issues on the second Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. This month’s breakfast meeting takes place on Thursday, Sept. 13 at the Silver Springs Community Center in the Lahontan meeting room at 2945 Fort Churchill Street.

Due to the Boot Fire, the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest has issued a closure order within and around the burned area on the Bridgeport Ranger District.

On International Overdose Awareness Day, Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett announced Friday that USDA has formalized an innovative agreement in which a nonprofit organization will purchase homes from the Department and convert them to transitional housing for people recovering from opioid misuse.

We can do better, we should do better, and we must do better. You see, it’s our responsibility to do better, and we need to realize that no amount of money is going to help more than the investment we choose to give it.

I’m talking about the stewardship of our future. You know them, the oft-maligned young people in our midst. The ones we criticize for being cell phone dependent and social media addled, even as older adults are the fastest growing group of social media users.

So, technology is to blame? Not specifically, but it can be thrown into the stew.

Having been without a code enforcement officer for more than a decade, Lyon County now has one after the Board of Commissioners identified the need and made room in its fiscal year budget for the position.

SILVER CITY, Nev. — A free Clinical Somatics class for adults will be offered at the Silver City School House at 385 High Street on Tuesday, August 7 from 10 to 11 a.m.

On July 1, Nevada marked one year since legal recreational marijuana sales began. Has it been a success? A look at how it has changed the state.

Cortney Bloomer of Healthy Communities Coalition will offer a free bike safety rodeo for kids ages 5-12 on Tuesday, June 26 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Silver City basketball court, next to the town park and community center at 385 High Street.

Health and Social Services (HSS) has been the fastest-growing category of state expenditures since Fiscal Year 2010 (FY10). Nevada spent $5.5 billion on these services in FY17, up from $2.2 billion in FY06.

Much of this spending is financed through federal grants for Medicaid, food stamps and other welfare programs. As Nevada spends money on these programs, it gets some reimbursement from the federal government. However, the reimbursements do not compensate Nevada fully for all expenditures, and certain programs such as Medicaid require a matching state commitment.

Did you know that approximately one out of every three bites of food you eat depends on the work of a "pollinator?” Bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, and hummingbirds are keystone pollinator species in Nevada, supporting healthy wildlands, ecosystem diversity, and a nutritious food supply.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday that it is issuing its deputies nasal Narcan or Naloxone to persons suffering from suspected or accidental opioid overdose.

CARSON CITY — With the passage of the National Trails System Act on June 2, 1968, America received an incredible gift: The creation and protection of extraordinary trails to discover, explore, and connect with nature. With approximately 2,485 miles of national trails throughout the Silver State, the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is excited to “wear our hearts on our backpacks” as we join the country in celebrating five decades of the National Trails System.

Bob Parkerson started smoking cigarettes when he was 15 years old. So, four years ago when his cardiologist recommended he quit, Parkerson, then 72, was skeptical he’d be able to.

Lyon County commissioners will be asked this week to take action on a plan that would put a question on the ballot that asks voters whether or not prostitution should remain legalized in the county.

CARSON CITY — Spring is in the air; a time to open the windows, soak in the season’s colorful blooms, and enjoy Nevada’s inspiring natural surroundings. In recognition of National Air Quality Awareness Week, April 30 through May 4, the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection is helping to educate communities about the importance of reducing air pollution, promoting clean air, and fostering quality of life in Nevada – in the springtime and throughout the year.


Each year on Earth Day, April 22, more than 1 billion people in 192 countries join together to celebrate and protect our common home. From participating in community clean-up events, to reaching out to local leaders about environmental concerns, and spending time appreciating the outdoors, Earth Day serves as an annual opportunity to promote environmental stewardship across the globe.

CARSON CITY — In recognition of Earth Day on April 22, the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection’s Recycling Program is helping to educate Nevada communities about the threats posed by “plastic pollution” throughout the state, and how to lessen the impact of plastic pollution to Nevada’s unique natural environment.

CARSON CITY — More than 115 Carson High School Career and Technical Education, Health Occupations Students of America shined in the Nevada State Leadership Conference held at the Nugget Casino Resort in Sparks, Nev. last month. More than 1,000 students from across the state of Nevada competed in more than 40 medical competition events.

CARSON CITY — In a report released this week, the National Safety Council notes Nevada has enacted comprehensive policies and practices to eliminate opioid overdoses and prevent prescription drug abuse. The publication titled Prescription Nation, provides state rankings based on the implementation of six key actions identified as model policy and practice in addressing the opioid epidemic.

The Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is helping educate Nevada residents about the unique importance of groundwater in Nevada during National Groundwater Awareness Week, March 11-March 17, 2018.

The percentage of obese children in Nevada is rising, and nearly one-third of children entering kindergarten are considered overweight or obese. To help teachers and parents teach healthy habits to children before age 5, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension recently launched the Healthy Kids Resource Center website.

The Life Change Center in Carson City and Sparks are among three community provider organizations picked to receive the Opioid State Targeted Response Treatment and Recover Center grant, the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services announced this week.

The Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources aims to educate residents about threats posed by invasive plants, animals and microorganisms in the Silver State during National Invasive Species Awareness Week, being recognized now through March 2.