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Saturday, November 14, 2026 at 12:24 AM

Richard Elloyan named Songwriter of the Year by International Western Music Association.

Richard Elloyan named Songwriter of the Year by International Western Music Association.


The Fernley Reporter

The International Western Music Association (IWMA), which promotes and preserves western music in its traditional, historical and contemporary forms, has named Richard Elloyan Songwriter of the Year. Elloyan, a native Nevadan, has been writing, singing and performing western music and cowboy poetry for more than 20 years.

“Elloyan’s releases always have some worthy messages and his current release [Up for Adoption] is no exception,” said Rick Huff of Best of the West Music Reviews and the International Western Music Association.

Elloyan received this award for his body of work, which includes his latest album, UP FOR ADOPTION, which Elloyan recorded with Steve Wade, along with eight more western music albums and several poems. Elloyan has written and record more than 100 songs since his first album was released in 1997.

“I am stunned to receive this award and want to thank my long-time playing partner, Steve Wade, who teaches me my own songs, my producer Eric Uglum, and long-time friend and and producer, may God rest his soul, Steven Swinford…thank you to the IWMA for this honor,” Elloyan said.

About Richard Elloyan:

Richard Elloyan grew up in the historic mining town of Virginia City. A life-long Nevadan, Richard uses his love of the state, its rich history and its magnificent vistas as a constant source of inspiration. Richard has performed at many of the major western music festivals across the west including the National Cowboy Poetry and Music Festival in Elko, the Colorado Cowboy Poetry and Music Festival in Denver, The Genoa Cowboy Poetry and Music Festival in Genoa and more. Richard, along with new playing partner, Steve Wade, just completed his ninth studio album, “Up For Adoption.”

About International Western Music Association:

Western Music is the folk music of the Western life style and vista. Some Western Music originates from roots in English, Scottish, Irish, and Welsh ballads, as well as musical influences from the European countries of immigrants who "went west" and some carries jazz and blues origins. While "Cowboy" music is an important part of the history of Western Music, the stories and lifestyles of the larger populations of Western culture are equally important: settlers, farmers, ranchers, horsemen and women, soldiers and the women who accompanied them into the west, miners, opportunists, gamblers, saloon keepers, school teachers, and other town folk who populated the great American West are all subjects of modern day Western Music.

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Comment author: John Mueller Comment text: FERNLEY’S WATER EMERGENCY: FIVE QUESTIONS STILL NEED ANSWERS The November 12 Fernley Reporter article provides a good recap of the November 3 water emergency and the November 4 City Council meeting. First, credit where credit is due. Our city employees responded, restored operations, and took precautions to protect residents. That’s important and appreciated. But fixing the immediate problem isn’t the same as preventing it from happening again. There are five reasonable questions our community deserves answers to: 1. WHAT ACTUALLY FAILED? What was the root cause of the water treatment plant’s communication failure, and why didn’t the backup systems prevent the interruption? 2. HOW CLOSE WERE WE TO A REAL EMERGENCY? How much usable water remained in storage, and how close did we come to affecting essential services, including firefighting? 3. WHAT WILL THIS COST TAXPAYERS AND RATEPAYERS? What did the emergency cost, what additional repairs or upgrades are necessary, and how will they be funded? 4. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE IT DOESN’T HAPPEN AGAIN? Is there a written corrective-action plan with assigned responsibilities, measurable results, and completion deadlines? 5. HOW WILL RESIDENTS KNOW THE PROBLEM IS REALLY FIXED? Will the city publish an after-action report explaining what happened, what was learned, what has been corrected, and what still needs attention? This isn’t about pointing fingers or finding someone to blame. It’s about learning, improving, and protecting our community. We can appreciate the city’s response while still expecting transparency, accountability, and a commitment to continuous improvement. Some technical information may need to remain confidential for security reasons. But that shouldn’t prevent residents from understanding the risks, the corrective actions, and the results. The real question isn’t whether Fernley recovered from the November 3 emergency. We know it did. The question is: If the same failure happened tomorrow, would we be better prepared? That’s a conversation worth having. Our community deserves more than reassurance. It deserves measurable results. Comment publication date: 11/12/26, 1:54 PM Comment source: Fernley Council Addresses Water Emergency Comment author: Donald DeVold Comment text: Great article It’s actually spelled DeVold Thank you Comment publication date: 10/29/26, 4:58 PM Comment source: The great robbery: Strip-6 by Solis helps Vaqueros punch playoff ticket Comment author: CH Comment text: I want to start a betting 'pool' for the October, November, and December closures: 1. A dent in the pool slide. 2. A failed breaker. 3. A pebble loose in the water part (replacing all concrete) 4. Hurricane Polo makes a sudden turn and blows off the roof (again). With soft muscles after 7 months of no swimming, the only health left is my sense of humor :) Comment publication date: 10/1/26, 11:18 AM Comment source: Fernley Pool Renovation Moves Forward, One Test at a Time Comment author: PFB Comment text: Why can't you guys find competent contractors.. For a large municipal facility like the indoor-outdoor Fernley Swimming Pool located at 300 Cottonwood Lane, a complete ground-up commercial build or major structural renovation typically spans 6 to 12 months or longer when factoring in large-scale engineering, public municipal permitting, specialized commercial HVAC/roofing, and health department inspections. The current renovation has been- The Fernley Swimming Pool has been closed for approximately six to seven months since late February 2026 for a major roof replacement and facility renovation. Now you sat October. Soooo 8 months for a new roof. The picture shows no other renovations. Comment publication date: 9/17/26, 7:14 PM Comment source: Electrical problem delays Fernley pool opening Comment author: P Comment text: Relative of the Mayor is to over see this site. Anyone who knows Fernley KNOWS this is more of the who you are related to and know business in this town. VOTE THEM ALL OUT AND THE CALIFORNIA TRANSPLANTS. Comment publication date: 9/16/26, 10:31 PM Comment source: Lift Station Failure Released Untreated Sewage Comment author: Christopher Walsh Comment text: Could you look into the strong recurring smell around Fernley? It smells like sewage and it can be bad enough that people don’t want to be outside or open their windows. It would be helpful to get an investigative journalist help the Fernley residents get a clear answer from the City, NDEP, and any involved facilities. I was really disappointed that the smell was not disclosed by my realtor when I moved here. I enjoy Fernley and am seeing the improvements that are being made. With Appreciation Comment publication date: 9/12/26, 2:49 PM Comment source: Sewage spill near City of Fernley Municipal Well 9