A report of a gun on a school bus Thursday morning turned out to be a novelty pen shaped like a rifle, the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office said.

The Sheriff’s Office said it received information at about 8:33 a.m. reporting that a student had a gun on one of the school buses heading for Fernley Intermediate School. Deputies found the bus, where they determined the student had a pen in the shape of an AR-15 style rifle.

Another student saw the pen and reported it to their parent who reported it to the school. The school reported it to the Sheriff’s Office.

LCSO said deputies determined no firearms were on the bus and there is no threat to the students or school staff.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Deputy Zmak at 775-463-6600. The Sheriff’s Office said it also encourages students to speak up in these situations and if they see something, say something. 

“Early reporting, response and intervention saves lives,” LCSO said.

Things they would not teach me of in college

– The Police, “Wrapped Around Your Finger”

On my first day of work as a reporter back in the Dark Ages of 1993, my editor, Dave Sanford, told me to forget everything I had learned in college.

I was obviously taken aback, having just spent seven years not just chasing a degree, but taking every class in the catalogue that I found interesting. Seeking knowledge was the reason I was in college in the first place.

It didn’t take me long out in the real world to realize what Dave was trying to tell me. I have been lucky enough through the years to work either directly with or in close enough proximity to some of the best people in the newspaper business in Northern Nevada. 

At the Mason Valley News, Dave, his brother Jim and dad Robert are all in the Nevada Press Association Hall of Fame, as is Laura Tenant, who I shared an office with in Dayton for a couple of years. When I was covering University of Nevada sports as a freelancer, I paid eagle-eye attention to everything Steve Sneddon did.

As I’ve found, life teaches you way more than college.

The Fernley High School football team found that lesson the hard way Friday night, suffering a tough loss in Bishop. They trailed on the scoreboard most of the night, even though they got the better of Bishop on significantly more than half of the 100 or so plays in the game. But that’s not how scores are kept in football, or in the real world. 

Coach Anfernee Sloan had a quick response when asked what he told his team.

“Welcome to life, man” Sloan said.

Driving back from Bishop with my broadcast partner Mike Nattress riding shotgun in the late hours Friday night, I made an idle observation wondering what county we were in, having not seen the state line sign even though I noticed the mile marker numbers change. 

That prompted a discussion on Nevada counties, why Tonopah is in the same county as Pahrump, which is more than 2 hours way, but not Goldfield, which is 20 miles from Tonopah on the way to Pahrump and ended up leading to Mike going down a rabbit hole on Google.

It was no painful lesson like the one the Vaqueros had to learn Friday, but it was another reminder that no matter what experience you have or what you might think you know, you will always learn more from life, than you do from college.

The Fernley Community Foundation marked its sixth year of the FernStock Dinner and Awards Celebration last Saturday night with a sold out dinner at the Fernley Community Response and Resource Center, followed by a free community concert. 

Originally started as a fundraiser for a community center project that was at that time still in its infancy, FernStock 2026 was held for the first time in the CRRC building that opened last year.

The event is hosted annually by the Fernley Community Foundation, and was intended as a tribute to the Woodstock Music Festival held August 15-18, 1969 in upstate New York.

The first FernStock event was held in 2019 as a concert at the Reno-Fernley Raceway, but the hot temperatures in a venue with no shade convinced Fernley Community Foundation Chairman Cody Wagner that while the idea might work, a nighttime even would be more successful.

After a year off because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the second FernStock and the first with an Awards Dinner was held at the Fernley Senior Center in 2021, but the concert again was held in a dirt lot behind the Senior Center.

Although the CRRC wasn’t open last year, the dinner was held at the Senior Center with the free concert on the turf at the CRRC.

“This year was the first time we were able to host the both at the Community Resource & Response Center, which proved to be an excellent venue,” Wagner said.

Oscar Aguilar, the Area Director of the Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows Serving Fernley and his Boys & Girls Club staff organized the hosting of the event and catered the dinner, with the help of Shining K Meats. 

“Although our capacity was slightly reduced compared to our previous venue in the Senior Center, we were easily able to sell out the dinner with 150 attendees and raised about $20,000,” Wagner said.

He said the concert was made possible by Headline Concert Sponsors Polaris and IBEW Local 401, as well as the Fernley Convention & Tourism Authority. 

“For the first time, we brought in a 15-too LED screen for the back of our stage to assist with advertising, which gave the whole event a tremendous boost.
 Wagner said. “Although official attendance numbers are difficult to estimate, it seemed to be the best-attended event we have ever hosted.”

Awards for the individual and business donors of the year and the Lifetime Achievement Award were presented at the dinner.

Wendy Fagundes, pictured right, was named the Lifetime Achievement Award winner.

“Wendy Fagundes has been a rock for our whole community for many years,” Wagner said. “Combining her personal financial contributions with everything she's been able to facilitate through her employer, Washington Federal Bank, she has made well over a $10,000 impact for just our Foundation.”

Fagundes also volunteers at almost every other volunteer-driven event around Fernley and is heavily involved with the Chamber of Commerce. She has served as Vice Chair of the Fernley Comunity Foundation for the past two years.

Wagner said HG Construction, the Business Donor of the Year, has also been a long-time financial supporter for the Foundation, sponsoring previous gold tournaments and FernStock events.

“They were instrumental in serving as the General Contractor on our Polaris Plaza project, helping us through a very difficult process donating many hours of guidance and expertise,” Wagner said.

Harry and Sherryl Wheeler were awarded as Individual Donors of the Year. 

“They recently topped $3,000 through monthly membership contributions and continue to support multiple Fernley efforts around town to add to their extensive history of volunteer work,” Wagner said.

In addition, Edrie LaVoie was recognized for her service on the Foundation’s Board of Directors after deciding to not apply for another year on the Board, instead passing the torch of Board representation to her daughter, Michelle Trousdale. 

“Edrie was our first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award winner and has been a key part of everything our Foundation has accomplished,” Wagner said. “She was also unanimously voted as the first Board Emeritus member of our Foundation's history.”

Pictured left: Harry & Sherryl Wheeler. 

Below: Wagner said HG Construction, the Business Donor of the Year.

Detectives identified Andres Ruiz Lindo, 19, as the primary suspect in an Aug. 4 gang-related homicide in Marin County, Calif. that left a rival gang member dead.

On Aug. 24, the Lyon County’s Special Investigations Unit and Novato detectives conducted surveillance in the 1300 Block of W. Newlands Drive. They saw Ruiz Lindo enter a vehicle in the parking lot of the Super 8 Motel and conducted a high-risk felony stop before the vehicle left the lot. 

Ruiz Lindo was taken into without incident and booked into the Lyon County Jail on a charge of California Penal Code 187, felony murder, and is being held without bail. 

The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office thanked the Novato Police Department for its collaboration and urged anyone with information to contact the Investigations Division at detective@lyon-county.org or by phone at 775-463-6600, referencing Case No. 26LY03333. 

Johnny Lee Lawson, 71, was booked into the Lyon County Jail on charges of lewdness with a 14- or 15-year-old child and destroying or concealing evidence. His bail was set at $102,500.

According to the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, Lawson was arrested after he sent inappropriate messages and photos to a 14-year-old. LCSO said additional information was being withheld to protect the victim.

Under Nevada statutes, lewdness with a child 14 or 15 years old is a Category B felony, and a conviction carries a mandatory prison sentence of one to 10 years and a fine of up to $10,000.

Lawson, a Tier III registered sex offender, was arrested twice in the past two years — on Feb. 6, 2025, and July 30, 2026 — on charges of violating sex offender registration requirements.

In his social media Message of the Week posted Aug. 21, Lyon County Sheriff Brad Pope said LCSO had identified a loophole that can prevent prosecution of sex offenders who do not register on time.

As an example, Pope said if a Tier III offender fails to register by the required date and is later arrested for the violation, the offender is still required to complete the overdue verification because the offender must provide accurate information about where they live, work and can be located.

“Once that late verification is submitted and processed by the State Registry, the offender is returned to a compliant status. If the State’s official record does not preserve the period when the offender was actually out of compliance, it becomes extremely difficult to later prosecute the missed-verification case,” Pope wrote.

Pope said Lyon County prosecutors require a Certificate of Record from the Nevada Sex Offender Registry confirming the offender was out of compliance during the relevant period before they will prosecute the charge.

Pope said that means deputies can identify a violation, establish probable cause and make an arrest, but getting the offender back into compliance can leave the official state record without the documentation needed to prosecute the violation.

Pope wrote that LCSO is proposing a standardized process allowing local law enforcement to promptly notify the State Registry when an offender misses a required verification, along with preservation of that historical noncompliance in the offender’s official registration record.

In addition, he said Nevada currently imposes geographic restrictions on some offenders while they are on probation, parole or lifetime supervision, including restrictions involving locations primarily used by children.

“We believe it is worth examining whether narrowly tailored protections should remain available in appropriate cases after correctional supervision ends when the individual remains subject to sex offender registration requirements,” Pope wrote. “Our staff has developed a formal legislative concept proposal addressing these issues, supported by Nevada law, information obtained directly from the Nevada Sex Offender Registry, relevant court decisions, and examples from other states. We intend to provide that proposal to our legislative representatives for consideration.”

considered by law to be public information.                    

All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Johnny Lawson 

Area: Fernley

Bail: $102,500 

Charges: Lewdness committed by person over 18 with child 14 or 15; Destroy or conceal evidence

Anthony Luca 

Area: Dayton

Bail: $11,620 

Charges: Court commitment; Possess Schedule I or II controlled substance less than 14 grams, 1st or 2nd offense; Use or possess drug paraphernalia; Criminal contempt

Elizabeth Hodges 

Area: Fernley

Bail: $5,500 

Charges: Violate stalking or harassment TPO; Violate domestic violence EPO, 1st offense

Jacinda Pierson 

Area: Silver Springs

Bail: $3,140 

Charges: Domestic battery, 1st offense

Tommy Lowrance 

Area: LYSO 

Bail: $0 

Charges: Court commitment

Casandra Hill 

Area: Silver Springs

Bail: $3,640 

Charges: Possess Schedule I or II controlled substance less than 14 grams, 1st or 2nd offense; Use or possess drug paraphernalia

Robert Wold 

Area: Mason Valley

Bail: $4,202.65 

Charges: Criminal contempt

Gene Terry 

Area: Fernley

Bail: $18,955 

Charges: DUI, 2nd offense; Duty upon damaging unattended vehicle or property; Drive with revoked driver’s license; Fail to decrease speed or use due care; Driver or passenger fail to report unattended vehicle or property accident

Kelsye Cates 

Area: Fernley

Bail: $0 

Charges: Felony arrest for violation of probation or conditions of suspended sentence

Amanda Cagle 

Area: Fernley

Bail: $1,255 

Charges: Drive with revoked driver’s license; Operate unregistered vehicle, trailer, or semi

Brandon Snelson 

Area: Fernley

Bail: $3,140 

Charges: Domestic battery, 1st offense

Alexis Ventura 

Area: LYSO 

Bail: $500 

Charges: Disturbing the peace (Breach of peace)

Michelle Jackson 

Area: Fernley

Bail: $1,745 

Charges: DUI, 1st offense; Fail to maintain lane or improper lane change or use of signal; License plates improperly displayed; Open alcohol container in vehicle

Yobanni Chavez 

Area: Mound House

Bail: $400 

Charges: Criminal contempt

Kevin Vantassel 

Area: Dayton 

Bail: $1,255 

Charges: DUI, 1st offense; Civil basic speeding violation 1–10 MPH over posted limit

Matthew Corpus 

Area: Fernley

Bail: $5,000 

Charges: Prevent or dissuade reporting crime, causing prosecution or arrest

Greg Bingham 

Area: Silver Springs

Bail: $68,640 

Charges: Assault with deadly weapon (Enhanced/Violation of protective order); Coerce with force or threat of force (Enhanced/Deadly weapon); False imprisonment with deadly weapon; Injure or tamper with vehicle, damage $250–$5,000; Resist public officer

Trampus Bell 

Area: Fernley

Bail: $1,040 

Charges: Assist other agency - hold; Criminal contempt - failure to obey court order

Alyssarose Maier 

Area: Mason Valley

Bail: $30,000 

Charges: Home invasion, 1st offense (2 counts)

Michael Thurman 

Area: Fernley

Bail: $3,590 

Charges: DUI, 2nd offense; Driver disobey peace officer; Fail to yield at stop or yield sign or controlled intersection; Resident with non‑Nevada driver’s license

Antonio Ayala Paredes 

Area: Fernley

Bail: $3,140 

Charges: Domestic battery, 1st offense

Robert Walters 

Area: Fernley

Bail: $25,780 

Charges: Draw deadly weapon in threatening manner; Carry concealed weapon without permit; Own or possess gun by prohibited person; Failure to appear after bail, misdemeanor crime (2 counts)

Stephen Weston 

Area: Fernley

Bail: $3,355 

Charges: Assist other agency - hold

Mariah McDowell 

Area: Mason Valley

Bail: $28,500 

Charges: Burglary of a business, 1st offense; Contact with minor or mentally ill person, 1st offense; Create disturbance in school building; Trespass, loiter, or nuisance on or near school grounds

Dana Crawford 

Area: Silver Springs

Bail: $3,635 

Charges: DUI, 2nd offense; Drive with revoked driver’s license; Open alcohol container in vehicle

Siobhan Golden 

Area: Dayton

Bail: $80,000 

Charges: Residential burglary, 1st offense; Home invasion, 1st offense; Destroy property of another $250–$5,000; Attempt to exploit older or vulnerable person $5,000+; Attempt to destroy or conceal evidence

William Ray 

Area: Fernley

Bail: $2,425 

Charges: Assist other agency - hold; Use or possess drug paraphernalia

Michelle Childers 

Area: Dayton

Bail: $3,640 

Charges: Possess Schedule I or II controlled substance less than 14 grams, 1st or 2nd offense; Use or possess drug paraphernalia

Theresa Rehm 

Area: Fernley

Bail: $1,140 

Charges: DUI, 1st offense

Marquarius Bowen 

Area: Mason Valley

Bail: $102,500 

Charges: Burglary of a motor vehicle, 1st offense; Residential burglary, 1st offense; Home invasion, 1st offense; Grand larceny of gun; Buy, possess, or receive stolen property $25,000–$100,000 or gun

Shivkarandip Singh 

Area: Fernley

Bail: $5,000 

Charges: Prevent or dissuade reporting crime, causing prosecution or arrest

Jose Parga 

Area: Fernley

Bail: $2,030 

Charges: DUI, 1st offense; Reckless driving w/disregard person or property safety, 1st offense

Christian Rodriguez 

Area: Mound House

Bail: $1,825 

Charges: DUI, 1st offense; Open alcohol container in vehicle; Fail to decrease speed or use due care; Fail to maintain lane or improper lane change or use of signal

The company celebrated the opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony joined by the Silver Springs Area Chamber of Commerce and other community partners.

The new facility features an updated unloading design intended to provide a cleaner and more efficient experience for customers while expanding local waste-handling infrastructure in the Silver Springs area.

The transfer station is open Tuesday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is closed for lunch from noon to 12:30 p.m.

The Chamber congratulated Waste Management on the investment and welcomed the new facility as an addition to the community.

The company, located at 40 N. Center St. in Fernley, invited clients, friends and community members to an anniversary celebration at its office with refreshments and an evening recognizing the relationships built during its first 10 years in business.

“It's with immense joy and gratitude that we mark the 10th anniversary of 1st Option Realty,” the company said in announcing the event.

Broker and real estate professional Dana Uhlhorn has deep ties to Northern Nevada and has lived in Fernley for nearly 20 years. His experience in the region also includes time in Incline Village, Carson City, Reno, Sparks and Lemmon Valley.

The company emphasizes local knowledge and personal service, describing Uhlhorn as both a real estate professional and a familiar member of the community.

That local connection has helped shape the business over the past decade as Fernley has continued to grow.

Whether clients are buying, selling or simply exploring their options, 1st Option Realty says its focus remains on straightforward advice, local experience and long-term relationships.

The company thanked the clients, partners and community members who have supported the business over the years.

The anniversary celebration offered an opportunity to look back at 10 years in business while also recognizing the growth taking place throughout Fernley.

1st Option Realty can be reached at 775-835-4321 or through its website at www.1stoptionrealty.net.

The board also received updates on emergency response, development and major utility projects around the county.

Commissioners voted 5-0 to approve an amendment to NV Energy’s conditional use permit allowing approximately 10 additional miles of three 345-kilovolt transmission lines north of U.S. Highway 50 through portions of Dayton, Stagecoach and Silver Springs to the Storey County line.

The lines are part of NV Energy’s larger Greenlink Nevada transmission project and extend a portion previously approved by commissioners July 2 from the Walker River Substation to U.S. 50.

The amendment crosses portions of 15 parcels and includes towers ranging from approximately 75 to 180 feet tall, generally spaced about 1,200 feet apart within 160-foot easements. County approval includes 12 conditions addressing lighting, road maintenance, dust control, drainage, building and fire review and electrical safety standards.

The board also proposed an ordinance amendment that would allow post-secondary, trade and technical education facilities as conditional uses in Lyon County’s Heavy Industrial-Rural and Heavy Industrial-Suburban zoning districts.

Community Development Director Gavin Henderson said the change would provide opportunities for technical and workforce training closer to the industries requiring those skills.

Commissioner Robert Jacobson said allowing training programs in those areas could help local students prepare for expanding technical fields without traveling to Reno for education.

Commissioners also voted unanimously to request a bill draft for the 2027 Nevada Legislature changing the formula used to determine county assessments for child protective services.

The county wants a formula based on both population and actual use of child welfare services instead of relying primarily on population. The proposal would also create incentives for counties that successfully reduce use of child protective services through prevention and early intervention programs.

Emergency Management and Government Affairs Director Taylor Allison said county officials have already discussed the concept with the Nevada Division of Child and Family Services.

In its monthly development report, county staff said the Microsoft Data Center Campus planned north of U.S. 50 and west of U.S. 95A in Silver Springs has completed administrative design review, while grading plans for the campus and substation have been approved. Construction was anticipated to begin near the end of August.

The county issued 110 building permits in July and completed 1,064 inspections. Current plan review time was reported at three to five weeks. The county also received 15 commercial permit applications, including a new Chevron truck stop near Six Mile Canyon Road in the Mark Twain area.

County officials also reported continued work on the proposed data center ordinance following the Aug. 3 workshop. Staff is reviewing comments from commissioners and the public before bringing back revisions. Work is also underway on a countywide water resources plan and new design standards for development projects.

County Manager Andrew Haskin updated commissioners on the proposed second bridge in Dayton, saying several potential alignments cross newly acquired state park property.

State Parks has indicated it would prefer the bridge not cross parkland, but Haskin said the agency is willing to continue working with the county. He noted the bridge has been discussed for approximately 30 years and included in county planning documents for at least two decades.

“It wasn’t a hard no,” Haskin said.

Emergency Management Director Allison also reviewed the county’s response to recent fires, flooding and a tornado warning. Lyon County personnel assisted neighboring Washoe County with evacuation messaging during the Bug, Red Mountain and Stallion fires before returning to Lyon County to respond to flash flooding in Smith Valley.

Shortly afterward, the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning after detecting rotation near Patrick and USA Parkway moving toward Fernley.

Allison thanked residents for continuing to pay attention to emergency alerts despite what she called “emergency alert fatigue.”

Commissioners also approved state grants totaling more than $311,000 for child and family services programs, including Differential Response, Independent Living and Respite services.

The council voted 4-0 Aug. 19 to adopt the South Fernley Area Plan for land generally south of the Truckee Canal and east of U.S. Highway 95A.

The plan is the last of three area plans required under Fernley’s 2018 Comprehensive Master Plan for the city’s major future development areas. Until an area plan was completed, development within those designated areas was restricted.

Acting Planning Director Treston Rodriguez emphasized that adoption does not rezone property or approve any specific development.

“This document is intended to serve as a long-range policy framework for South Fernley,” Rodriguez said. “It does not approve individual development projects or guarantee that development within the plan will occur.”

Future projects will still have to go through the city’s normal development review process and meet applicable zoning, infrastructure and development standards.

The plan grew out of public workshops, stakeholder meetings, surveys and discussions with the Planning Commission and City Council. City officials said a recurring message from residents was to preserve the area’s rural character while improving roads, emergency access and infrastructure.

More than 5,000 acres are designated Rural Residential, intended for large-lot homes, agriculture, grazing and open space. Other portions are designated for low- and medium-density housing. At theoretical full buildout, the land-use designations could accommodate as many as 19,443 housing units, although the plan does not suggest that development will occur at once or that all of that capacity will ultimately be built.

The plan also includes only about 157 acres of commercial property, envisioned for small neighborhood-serving businesses rather than big-box stores or regional shopping centers.

Rodriguez said several medium-density residential areas were added partly in response to property-owner requests and discussions about creating additional housing opportunities for personnel associated with Naval Air Station Fallon.

That higher-density housing was one of Councilwoman Felicity Zoberski’s concerns.

Zoberski said portions of Farm District Road still include farms and free-range cattle and questioned placing some of the plan’s densest residential development near those properties.

“We do still have a lot of agriculture towards the end,” she said. “I’m supportive of the map. I’m worried about that area.”

Zoberski said once an area is identified for medium-density housing in the plan, it could become more difficult for surrounding residents to oppose that type of development later.

Residents echoed that concern.

Michael Barrow, who lives on a five-acre property on Desert Shadows Lane, told the council he moved to the Highlands specifically for the rural lifestyle.

“We live out there for a reason,” Barrow said. “We like our privacy.”

He said he was concerned that vacant five-acre parcels near existing homes could eventually support significantly more houses and that paving roads such as Desert Shadows Lane could bring increased traffic through the Highlands.

“You don’t have to put neighborhoods on every vacant piece of land,” Barrow said.

Resident Stephen Johnson said he understood that Fernley will continue to grow and supported planning for it but also raised concerns about impacts on existing Highlands residents and whether neighbors had received enough information about the process.

City officials said at least 60 people attended each of the two public open houses held during development of the plan. Zoberski offered to meet with Highlands residents who had questions about how the new plan affects their existing property and zoning.

Councilman Ryan Hanan stressed that the area plan itself does not change anyone’s zoning.

“This is sort of a blueprint to say this is what we need and we want and we can do here,” Hanan said.

He said each future project will still come before the appropriate city bodies, giving residents additional opportunities to comment.

Hanan also acknowledged what he called one of Fernley’s biggest problems: communication.

The city meets statutory notification requirements by posting agendas, publishing notices and holding public meetings, he said, but that information still does not always reach residents.

“There is some responsibility that lies on the public as well to be engaged, and I think there’s a gap there,” Hanan said. “So, I’m hoping that we bridge that gap.”

Infrastructure may ultimately determine how quickly South Fernley can develop.

Much of the area is currently served by unpaved roads, and access across the Truckee Canal is limited. The plan identifies two potential canal crossing improvements and additional roadway connections aimed at improving both everyday circulation and emergency access. City planning documents warn that some existing roads and bridges cannot adequately accommodate fire trucks, ambulances or large-scale emergency evacuations.

Extending city water service will also require major improvements, including new distribution lines, pumping facilities and storage because much of the planning area lies outside the elevation range currently served by the existing water system.

The plan adopts what it calls an “Infrastructure First” approach, calling for roads, utilities and public services to be available before or alongside new development. Potential funding mechanisms include developer contributions, impact fees, special districts, tax increment financing and state and federal grants.

At full buildout, city consultants estimate development envisioned by the plan could generate approximately $8.2 million annually in property taxes, although that figure is a long-range projection rather than expected near-term revenue.

Zoberski reminded residents after the vote that the plan remains a “living document” that can be amended as conditions change.

“They’re not going to start building tomorrow,” she said.

Mike Wurm, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows, and Fernley Area Director Oscar Aguilar gave the City Council an update Aug. 19 on programs at the center and improvements being made to the property.

Through a partnership with the Lyon County School District, the club offers a grant-funded 21st Century after-school program providing free care for children ages 6 through 12 who are still in sixth grade.

Since moving into the Community Response and Resource Center, the club purchased an 80-passenger bus and has provided nearly 18,000 rides for members traveling to and from school, Aguilar said.

The center’s kitchen has also allowed the club to expand its meal program. More than 14,000 meals were served during the school year, with another 8,000 meals served during the summer.

The club also saw a sharp increase in summer participation. Aguilar said the program was serving about 114 members daily at the beginning of summer 2025. This summer, average daily attendance reached approximately 223 children.

Summer offerings included specialty camps, soccer, Junior Giants baseball, field trips and a teen program that regularly drew 30 to 40 participants. Special teen barbecues attracted as many as 50 to 60 young people.

The club also partnered with the Michael Phelps Foundation to provide free swimming lessons to nearly 70 children. Because the Fernley swimming pool was unavailable, the lessons were held at the Churchill County pool.

Club officials also updated the council on improvements to the Fernley property, including perimeter fencing intended to increase security while children are attending programs.

Wurm said the fencing allows staff to better control access to the property and ensure that adults entering during program hours have completed required background checks.

A new 60-by-90-foot asphalt area has also been added behind the building. Officials said the space will provide additional room for outdoor programming and community events while helping reduce the dirt and mud children previously tracked into the facility.

Possible future uses include basketball and other recreation, although club officials said they want to preserve the flexibility of the space for larger events.

Council members also thanked club staff for their work during the recent fire, when the Community Response and Resource Center was used as intended as an emergency gathering and response facility.

“We loved seeing that facility used,” Wurm said. “That was one of the main purposes.”

The Boys & Girls Club plans to continue expanding programming at the Fernley facility as use of the center grows.

Wilson was sworn in July 9 and will serve on the five-member board while voters ultimately decide who will hold the seat moving forward.

Wilson and his wife, Michelle, are local small-business owners raising their family in Fernley. He said his decision to serve grew from a desire to give back to the community his family calls home.

As he begins his work on the board, Wilson said his first priority is to listen and learn, gaining a deeper understanding of the district, its personnel and the challenges involved in providing emergency services to a growing community.

Looking ahead, Wilson said he hopes to help position North Lyon Fire for the future through responsible financial decisions and long-term planning, while continuing to invest in personnel, equipment, training, staffing and facilities.

He said those decisions must account not only for the district’s immediate needs, but also for what Fernley and the surrounding area may require five, 10 and 20 years from now.

Wilson said he plans to approach the position with humility, common sense, transparency and accessibility, with the goal of strengthening the district while maintaining the trust of residents and taxpayers.

North Lyon Fire Board of Directors

Chairman: Paul Murphy
Vice Chairman: Debbie Skinner
Treasurer/Secretary: Alyssa Roemer
Director: Christine Sullivan
Director: Aaron Wilson

Dispatchers Kyara Davis and Sarah Walker were honored for their response to a July 26 medical emergency involving a 53-year-old Dayton-area man.

At about 11:40 p.m., Davis received a 911 call reporting that the man was gasping for air, turning purple and had stopped breathing.

Davis immediately initiated emergency medical dispatch procedures, sent the call to responding medical personnel and began providing CPR instructions to the caller.

About 30 seconds after the medical call was paged, Walker created an assist call and dispatched Lyon County deputies to the scene.

Once Davis began providing CPR instructions, Walker took over Davis' radio traffic, allowing her partner to remain focused on guiding the caller through the lifesaving procedure.

Deputies arrived roughly two and a half minutes before Central Lyon County Fire Protection District personnel and took over CPR.

Among them was Deputy Benjamin Beck.

Off-duty Nevada Department of Corrections Lt. Kyle Day, who lived nearby, had recognized that his neighbor was suffering a serious medical emergency and had already begun CPR before Beck arrived.

Beck took over chest compressions while deploying an automated external defibrillator, with Day helping prepare and apply the AED pads.

The two worked together until paramedics arrived.

As emergency personnel prepared the patient for transport, he regained consciousness and was able to speak. Two days later, his family reported he was alert, breathing on his own and expected to be released from the hospital.

Beck and Day were both presented with Lyon County Sheriff's Office Life Saving Awards.

Davis and Walker also received Life Saving Awards for what the Sheriff's Office described as extraordinary composure, efficiency and teamwork under pressure.

The second emergency came only five days later.

On July 31, Deputies Nathan Cooper, Dawson Fettic and Jeremy Patchen responded to a rapidly spreading residential fire in the 500 block of Yellow Jacket Road in Dayton.

When Cooper arrived, the fire had spread from one residence to a neighboring occupied home.

Learning that residents were still inside, Cooper entered the property despite intense heat and flames and located the elderly occupants.

During the evacuation, one of the residents went back inside the burning home in an attempt to rescue a family pet.

Cooper went back in after the resident and brought the person out safely.

Fettic and Patchen arrived to find the residence actively burning and Cooper inside. Both deputies entered the home to assist with the rescue and help ensure the occupants and their fellow deputy made it out safely.

All of the occupants were evacuated without injury.

Pope presented Cooper, Fettic and Patchen with the Sheriff's Office Meritorious Service Medal for their actions.

Commissioners thanked the honorees for their willingness to act in dangerous and rapidly changing circumstances.

Commissioner David Hockaday said the deputies had gone "above and beyond" what most people would ever be expected to do.

"Taking the big risk like that is significant," he said. "I appreciate your work."

Commissioner Tammy Hendrix called the actions "fearless bravery."

The patriotic quilt was handmade and donated by Karla Simmons, a member of the North Lyon Fire Support Staff.

Raffle tickets are $5 each or five for $20 and may be purchased at the North Lyon Fire District Office during normal business hours, Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The quilt will also be on display during the district’s Sept. 11 ceremony at Station 61 on Main Street.

The winning ticket will be drawn live on Facebook at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30.

At its Aug. 19 meeting, the City Council reviewed three potential projects ranging from work connected to the city’s water treatment plant to improvements at In Town Park and development of a new city strategic plan.

But none of those projects has been selected for funding yet.

The Aug. 19 hearing was only the second of three required public meetings in Fernley’s 2027 CDBG application process. Residents and community organizations can still propose additional projects through Oct. 15. After eligibility is reviewed by the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, the council is scheduled to rank and select projects at a final public hearing Nov. 18.

The final grant applications are due Feb. 19, 2027.

CDBG is a federal program intended primarily to benefit low- and moderate-income residents while supporting community infrastructure, economic development and planning.

Nevada’s program is administered by the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. Fernley is one of 26 eligible rural jurisdictions competing for the anticipated $2.9 million available in 2027.

Eligible projects can include improvements to streets, sidewalks, water and sewer systems, drainage, parks and public facilities; community planning; economic development; job training; removal of environmental hazards and certain nonprofit programs.

Fernley has received more than $2.2 million through the CDBG program since 2002. Previous grants have helped fund Main Street beautification, phases of the Depot Community Center, downtown revitalization work, business counseling and training programs, community assessments and the Community Response and Resource Center.

The city currently has no open CDBG grants and is allowed to have as many as five open grants at one time.

City Grants Administrator Trisha Livingston said several ideas have been discussed since the first public meeting July 15, but some did not meet federal eligibility requirements. Three projects identified so far do meet the program’s national objectives.

The first is environmental work connected with the city’s planned Water Treatment Plant upgrade.

Fernley has already contracted with CDM Smith to design improvements to the plant, a process expected to take roughly 20 months. The city intends to pursue federal funding for construction once the design is completed.

Because use of federal construction funds would require compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, the city could seek CDBG money to pay for the required environmental review.

The estimated cost is $75,000 to $150,000. The project would benefit Fernley water customers, particularly low- and moderate-income households.

The second proposal combines a new community needs assessment with development of Fernley’s 2027-2032 strategic plan.

The city’s current five-year strategic plan expires this year.

The community assessment would examine Fernley’s strengths, assets, needs and challenges and compare current conditions with where residents and city leaders want the community to be in the future. Those findings would then be used to develop a new strategic plan setting city goals, priorities and measures of progress for the next five years.

The estimated combined cost is $125,000 to $225,000.

The third proposal involves In Town Park, Fernley’s oldest and most centrally located park.

The city is considering seeking CDBG money for a preliminary engineering report examining parking and sidewalk improvements along the south and west sides of the approximately 4-acre park.

The work would not build the improvements. Instead, the engineering report would establish the design and groundwork needed for a later capital project.

The park has already been identified as a high-priority project in the city’s Parks Master Plan. Staff estimated the engineering work at $75,000 to $125,000.

The council voted 4-0 to keep the three projects moving through the review process along with any other eligible proposals received before the deadline. No members of the public spoke during the Aug. 19 hearing.

The next step is eligibility review.

Project ideas must be submitted to the city by Oct. 15 so they can be forwarded to the state by the Oct. 16 eligibility deadline. City staff will then refine the eligible proposals and cost estimates before bringing them back to council Nov. 18.

At that meeting, council members will rank the projects and decide which applications Fernley will actually submit for the competitive 2027 funding.

No city funding commitment or matching appropriation has been approved at this point. Any required match would come back to the council later in the process.

Up here we work in the old firehouse — it's the coolest old building you ever saw but made of several thousand yards of concrete and is a veritable fortress. The wi-fi signal does not flow through the thick, impenetrable walls at all. Our computers and our phones are all functioning on the wi-fi.

Trying anyway.

Valiantly attempting to pierce the rock-solid walls and bouncing off them like an old-time superhero.

In addition to that challenge, the InDesign keeps shutting down. We have three designers working on three different papers and we're all back and forth on the group chat — proofreading and making last minute changes and then suddenly Jesse gets up from her desk because her program shut down mid-save. Then Jen chimes in from home, she's trying to save some stories for me and Shania in the Lovelock folder, but her InDesign just locked up.

We ended up this week with two holes to fill in the Lovelock paper — Peggy's sources didn't come through so we're filling those with fair stories for the Tri-County Fair. Which probably is fortuitous, we should have had those anyway.

Running these five papers across the central part of the state (soon to be six, just you wait!) has become so fun. Tony just walked through the office muttering something about, "Where else can you have this much stress and this much fun all at one time."

He's been on cloud nine over the sports section — me too. I'm absolutely loving what he and Robert have pulled together and hope you're loving it too. Make sure to drop us a note and let us know what you think and send any game/event tips you may have.

sports@rangemediaco.com

So, while we continue to build these papers and bring you all the local, community news you can use and enjoy and stand, we'll always be right here...

...Keeping you Posted.

Rach

The City Council voted 4-0 Aug. 19 to approve the plan, which updates a system last comprehensively reviewed in 2009 and lays out both immediate maintenance needs and larger projects that could be triggered by future growth.

The city’s existing sewer service area covers about 14 square miles and includes approximately 93 miles of city-owned sewer main, 11 lift stations and the East Wastewater Treatment Plant, which receives all wastewater generated within the system.

Owen Wurster of Shaw Engineering told the council the treatment plant currently receives about 1.42 million gallons per day. Its current capacity is 3.05 million gallons per day, with state planning requirements calling for design of an expansion once flows reach approximately 85 percent of capacity, or 2.59 million gallons per day.

Rather than relying solely on population growth estimates, engineers also reviewed tentative maps, active development applications and other known development interests throughout the city to project future demand.

The plan identifies approximately $7.6 million in maintenance and repair projects needed to keep the existing system operating reliably.

Those include rehabilitation of the Rolling Meadows lift station, inspection of the city’s gravity sewer system, upgrades to the computerized SCADA control system and modernization of several aging lift stations.

One concern is that the city’s sewer mains and manholes have not undergone a broad systemwide inspection since 2008.

Wurster said aging manholes can fail and create deep sinkholes beneath streets, making inspection important before failures occur.

The East Lift Station is another critical piece of infrastructure. It carries roughly 70 to 75 percent of Fernley’s wastewater directly to the treatment plant and is aging and in need of repairs.

The plan also identifies about $44 million in larger capacity-related projects, but city officials emphasized those costs are largely tied to future development and would not all fall on existing ratepayers.

“If growth stopped today, those projects wouldn’t be required,” Wurster told the council.

Potential projects include improvements to the West Lift Station, expansion of the South Arm interceptor serving areas south of the Truckee Canal and eventual expansion of the wastewater treatment plant.

Engineers said those improvements would be evaluated as development occurs, with developers expected to fund improvements required to accommodate their projects.

The plan also highlights aging transite, or asbestos-cement, sewer pipe in portions of the system. Wurster said the material is generally stable when left undisturbed but can deteriorate and fail as conditions change.

Councilwoman Felicity Zoberski raised another longstanding problem: the E-One grinder pump systems serving homes in Sage Ranch and Country Ranch.

Replacing those systems with conventional gravity sewer would require construction of entirely new sewer mains through the neighborhoods and a regional lift station, making it a multimillion-dollar undertaking.

For now, city crews replace approximately three to five E-One pumps each year at a cost of about $5,000 each.

Councilman Joe Mendoza also questioned how the city will monitor growth between master plan updates instead of waiting another five years to discover the system is approaching capacity.

Utilities Director Oz Henke said the city is evaluating newer SCADA technology that could provide ongoing flow monitoring and historical data. Engineers also said every proposed development undergoes a hydraulic analysis before sewer infrastructure is installed.

The plan is intended to be updated approximately every five years in periods of rapid growth.

Zoberski said wastewater infrastructure is easy for residents to overlook until something goes wrong.

“I think wastewater is undervalued because people don’t really think hard about it until there’s an issue,” she said.

The council unanimously adopted the plan as the city’s long-range guide for wastewater improvements, capital planning and future growth.

Depending on the manufacturer, nootropic supplements can contain between eight and 16 active ingredients. Although the substances included are believed to enhance brain health, blending complementary botanicals is thought to encourage each substance to target a different neural pathway, potentially increasing their overall effect. Let’s look at a few components that appear again and again on the labels of various brands.

Among the most common ingredients is Bacopa monnieri, also known as Brahmi. For thousands of years, this hardy wetland plant has played a role in Ayurvedic medicine, usually ingested as juice, paste or a boiled tonic. Historically regarded as a brain-health enhancer, today it is promoted for reducing symptoms of ADHD, lowering stress and anxiety, and improving memory retention. According to Review Scout, which is sponsored by Hi-Altitude Brands, distributor of Stonehenge Health Products, some studies suggest that Bacopa monnieri may also influence acetylcholine, a naturally occurring neurotransmitter involved in memory and other functions.

Choline is another frequently found ingredient in nootropic stacks. Choline is a nutrient that normally enters the body through foods such as egg yolks, soybeans, legumes, salmon, cod, chicken and beef. Once chemically combined with acetyl groups derived through the body’s metabolism, choline helps form the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.

Naturally occurring acetylcholine plays a role in attention, memory, heartbeat, digestion, voluntary muscle movement and other bodily functions. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has published research suggesting that choline supplementation may benefit people whose diets do not provide adequate amounts of the nutrient. Because acetylcholine dysfunction has been associated with Alzheimer’s disease and myasthenia gravis, some advocates recommend choline-rich foods and supplements as part of an overall approach to brain health.

Ginseng, another ancient remedy, is high on the ingredient list in many popular nootropic brands. According to research indexed by the National Library of Medicine, some studies suggest that ginseng may have beneficial effects on certain aspects of cognitive function. Researchers caution, however, that it is no quick fix. Ginseng and other nootropics may have cumulative effects, and some users report improvements in memory, learning and focus over time. Some research suggests these effects may be more noticeable in people experiencing cognitive decline than in healthy people seeking to enhance normal performance.

Three cheers for lion’s mane mushrooms! This fungus contains compounds being studied for possible anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective effects. Researchers are also examining the relationship between gut health, inflammation and brain function, although much remains to be learned about how lion’s mane may affect these systems.

Finally, caffeine is listed as an ingredient in a number of nootropic products. For this application, the world’s most widely consumed psychoactive compound is often paired with L-theanine. L-theanine, an amino acid found primarily in tea leaves, may help temper some of caffeine’s stimulating effects while supporting alertness and concentration.

This is only a small sample of the herbal medicines and other substances used in combination to create nootropics. Each ingredient, however, has one thing in common: all are promoted as having characteristics that may support brain health.

Please see the final installment, “Nootropics: Science of the Mind, Part 3,” in the Sept. 11 edition of The Fernley Reporter. We will look at current opinions within the academic medical community, as well as research from private organizations, and consider the potential advantages and disadvantages of incorporating nootropics into wellness routines.

Before choosing to use nootropics or dietary supplements, consult your health care professional.

Carrera started work Monday. By Tuesday, Mayor Neal McIntyre had given her one of her first assignments: write his speech for the Silver Spike ceremony celebrating completion of the new rail spur at Victory Logistics District.

“I’ve never written speeches for other people,” Carrera said with a laugh. “I’ve just done it for myself.”

By Thursday morning, McIntyre was delivering her work before a crowd of business leaders, public officials and community members gathered alongside the new Union Pacific rail connection.

Not bad for a first week.

Carrera comes to Fernley with a background in journalism and communications. She attended Simpson University in Redding, California, where she worked as a sports reporter for the university before eventually moving into communications work.

She later earned her master’s degree through Grand Canyon University.

Having once been the reporter asking the questions, Carrera laughed about suddenly finding herself on the opposite side of the interview.

“This is so weird,” she said. “I was a reporter, and now I’m going to be interviewed.”

That reporting background may prove useful in her new role, which will put her in the middle of communication between City Hall, residents and local media.

Carrera grew up in Redding and describes herself as a “small-town girl.”

Although Redding has grown considerably, she remembers it as a much smaller community and said that environment helped shape what she values.

“Small town is always what I’m used to and what I love,” Carrera said. “I love community. I love the aspect that everybody knows each other.”

That sense of community was one of the things that attracted her to the Fernley position.

“It does take a village,” she said. “Whether that’s a family or whether that’s just living your life, it takes a village, and living in a community like this, it is your village.”

Carrera said she is especially looking forward to getting to know Fernley residents and working closely with the mayor and other city officials.

“I’m very excited about this job,” she said. “I’m excited to get to know the community. I’ve met some really cool people already.”

One of her early priorities will be helping improve the city’s communications with residents.

She is already learning the city newsletter process and expects to begin taking on broader public information duties as she settles into the position.

For local media, her arrival may also provide a clearer point of contact inside City Hall.

Carrera said she understands the importance of maintaining communication with reporters, even when the relationship between government and the press is not always comfortable.

That may come naturally to someone who has occupied both sides of the notebook.

For now, though, Carrera is still learning the personalities, processes and rhythms of her new community.

And if her first week is any indication, there will not be much time for easing into it.

Mark IV Capital, Union Pacific Railroad, PREMIER Design + Build Group, contractors and public officials gathered Aug. 20 along the newly designated Gavin Road for a Silver Spike ceremony celebrating completion of the district’s rail spur.

The new track connects Victory Logistics District directly to Union Pacific’s transcontinental mainline, giving future manufacturers and other rail-dependent businesses access to the national freight network.

“This is much more than another piece of infrastructure,” said Stacy Reed of PREMIER Design + Build Group. “It creates an important connection to help position Fernley and Northern Nevada for continued industrial growth, new businesses, investment and jobs for generations to come.”

The ceremonial spike itself was made with Nevada silver from the Rochester Mine, organizers said, giving the traditional railroad ceremony a distinctly Nevada twist.

Mark IV Capital President and CEO Evan Slavik said rail service has been part of the vision for Victory since the company came to Fernley in 2019.

“From the beginning, we knew that rail was the difference between an industrial park and a true logistics district,” Slavik said. “Today, we now have that logistics district.”

According to Slavik, the completed project includes more than a mile of new track built to Class I railroad standards, along with three runaround tracks serving approximately 100 acres of rail-ready industrial land.

He said the connection opens Victory to manufacturers that need direct rail transportation for raw materials and finished goods.

“The track is in the ground. Union Pacific is connected. It’s done,” Slavik said. “And we’re ready to serve the many manufacturers that will soon call Fernley home.”

Victory Logistics District has been under development for several years on the east side of Fernley. Mark IV has already constructed four industrial buildings totaling nearly 2 million square feet, along with roads and utilities serving a large portion of the development.

Slavik said the company is nearing completion of a four-mile internal road loop and is also constructing a new fire station intended to serve the industrial development and surrounding area.

Mark IV has also been working on the proposed extension of Nevada Pacific Parkway to connect Interstate 80 with U.S. Highway 50, a project company officials say could reduce industrial traffic through central Fernley.

The company has also sold property near Interstate 80 to Maverik for a future fuel station and convenience store.

Fernley Mayor Neal McIntyre said the rail connection represents more than completion of a construction project.

“While we may gather around a piece of infrastructure, we are really celebrating opportunity,” McIntyre said.

McIntyre said approximately 60 to 65 percent of Fernley residents currently work outside the city, many commuting west toward the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center and Reno-Sparks area.

He said attracting employers to Victory could allow more residents to work closer to home.

“This is going to be a great opportunity,” McIntyre said. “With the increase in businesses, more job opportunities will be available for our citizens.”

He added that the completion of the rail spur sends a broader message to prospective employers.

“Fernley is prepared, Fernley is investing in the future, and Fernley is open for business,” McIntyre said.

Union Pacific Public Affairs Director Peggy Ygbuhay said the railroad operates nearly 1,200 miles of track in Nevada and employs approximately 400 people in the state.

She said Victory’s proximity to the railroad’s transcontinental route gives the district a strategic transportation advantage.

Union Pacific crews brought a locomotive onto the new spur for Thursday’s ceremony, allowing attendees to tour the engine following the program.

The railroad traces its western expansion to the Pacific Railway Act signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862.

U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei noted the long history of railroad development in Nevada and compared Thursday’s event to earlier ceremonial spikes marking important rail connections in the state.

Amodei praised the partnership between local government, private developers and Union Pacific.

“You could be anywhere you want,” Amodei told Mark IV representatives. “And you picked here, and you invested here, and your legacy will be here a long time from now.”

Tom Burns, executive director of the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development, said the importance of the project lies in combining transportation infrastructure with the energy capacity needed to attract modern manufacturing.

“Rail is only part of the story,” Burns said. “The Union Pacific rail spur is designed to work hand in hand with the energy infrastructure going alongside it.”

Burns said direct rail access can reduce freight costs for manufacturers while opening Fernley to industries that could not previously consider the area.

He cited advanced manufacturing, battery production, aerospace, defense, metals and advanced materials as examples of industries that commonly depend on both reliable energy and freight transportation.

“It opens up the door to industries that simply could not be here before because they needed the rail to happen,” Burns said.

Slavik said Mark IV believes manufacturing jobs attracted by rail access could pay substantially more than conventional warehouse and distribution positions. He cited potential wages ranging from $22 to $28 per hour for some entry-level positions and $35 to $50 per hour for skilled trades, with some manufacturing jobs averaging $70,000 to $90,000 annually.

Those numbers represent the developer’s projections and will ultimately depend on which companies locate at Victory.

Slavik said the company intends to continue pursuing manufacturers and other major employers for the district.

“When we came here in 2019, we made a series of commitments to this community,” he said, pointing to the completed industrial buildings, roads, utilities, fire station project and now the railroad.

“What you’re seeing today is not just a promise made seven years ago,” Slavik said. “It’s a promise kept.”

The ceremony ended with members of the Mark IV team taking turns driving the silver spike into the track as Union Pacific locomotives stood behind them.

For Slavik, the milestone was also personal. He brought his wife and two sons, Gavin and Connor, to the development for the first time and revealed that two of Victory’s new roads have been named for the boys.

The company’s stated philosophy, Slavik said, is to build projects intended to last for generations.

“We’re proud to be your partner in the growth of this region,” he said. “And we’re just getting started.”

Tony

As Robert Perea and I have joined forces to create a regional sports section, I am now joining him in picking some college and football games this year.

A note to the degenerates out there — this for entertainment purposes only. Ha. I made my first bet some 34 years ago and I still haven’t won. There is a reason there are big buildings in Las Vegas.

We are going to have fun with this and might even get a pick or two right. The college football season should be more than crazy with probably eight teams with the opportunity to win a national championship.

In the NFL, the Seattle Seahawks still play football, right? They won the Super Bowl, right? Never seen a team get less respect coming into a new year. It is all about the Rams. Don’t even get me started on the 49ers. Prostitution, car wrecks and electric grids. Maybe we can play some football?

On to the picks (lines as of Wednesday at William Hill):

North Carolina vs. TCU (-7.5) at Dublin, Ireland: This number is a little low for me, but I suspect it is due to the game being played In Ireland. The offseason hasn’t got much better for Bill Belichick and North Carolina. Is a trip to Dublin really the right choice? The Tar Heels are a trainwreck and I don’t see how he comes back for a third year in 2027. I may be wrong, but it seems like it’s a big family party for the former New England Patriots coach.  
TCU was picked fifth in a tough Big 12 conference with Texas Tech, BYU and Houston. Texas Tech and BYU have legitimate chances at reaching the College Football Playoff. I am hoping the Horned Frogs are not in for an Ireland hangover. TCU 37, North Carolina 14
 
Memphis at UNLV (-4.5). This is probably one of the best and most intriguing matchups of Week 0. The Rebels were left at the alter by the new Pac 12 at the same time there were talks of the Tigers joining the Pac 12 as well.
To me this is a toss-up and either team can win but with the game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, UNLV has the slight edge. It is crazy to think there are actual expectations for the Rebels. At one time, UNLV was one of the worst schools in the nation. Thanks to its northern Nevada counterpart, Nevada, the Wolf Pack has taken over that throne.
UNLV is good. As Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lomardi said, ‘What the Hell is Going on Out Here?’ I expect a high scoring game. UNLV 38, Memphis 33.
 
Hawaii at Stanford (-3.5). I have no idea where to go with the pick. If the game was on the island — Hawaii no problem. Stanford playing in the ACC is just wrong and Hawaii is supposed to be decent this year. Unless Capt. Andrew Luck brings his troops (by the way one the best parody accounts on X), the Cardinal may be in for a long night. Stanford will want to be careful, as Hawaii storms the beaches of California. Hawaii 28, Stanford 24.

Robert

As Tony said, these picks are for entertainment purposes, if by entertainment you mean laughing like a hyena at how wrong I can often be.

Which brings me to my annual disclaimer: I actually do put a few bucks on all of these picks, and usually on others that I don’t write here, but my betting methods do not suit all tastes. For example, I often bet on games expecting a certain game flow, knowing full well that if the game flow doesn’t go that way, there is a high likelihood of embarrassment. But one of my betting mantras is that if you’re going to lose, do it right.

The first week of college football has always been my favorite to bet because the opening lines are based on assumptions, but with the transfer portal and teams basically building new rosters every year, it’s much more difficult to find lines that are way off. There may be even more of those kinds of lines now, but they’re harder to spot. But at least now we can put the off the field drama of the past eight months behind and start watching some football.

(Also, like Tony, I will cite the line from William Hill at the time I write column, but lines change fast and can vary by sportsbook.)

Sacramento St. (+10) at Eastern Michigan: This is one of those games that might offer a high degree of embarrassment, but here goes anyway. If Sac State hadn’t lost coach Brennan Marion in the offseason this would be a stronger bet, but I keep reading that the Hornets are “moving up” to a tougher conference in their first year in the FBS. But I would argue that the Big Sky is a tougher conference than the MAC. Sac St. went 7-5 overall last year, 5-3 in the Big Sky. Eastern Michigan was 4-8, 3-5 in the MAC. The Eagles averaged 24.1 points per game and allowed 29.8. I’m willing to bet they can’t beat the Hornets by more than 10.

Hawaii (+4) at Stanford: Stanford is only 8-19 against the spread as a home favorite over the past 10 years, and they are 0-7 in the past six years. In the last five years, they were 3-9 four times and 4-8 last year. Not the kind of program that should be laying points.

 Memphis (+4 ½) at UNLV: This is the most fascinating, and in the big picture as far as the college football playoffs, the most important game of the week. But even though they tied for the Mountain West regular season title last year, I didn’t think UNLV wasn’t as good as the year before, and I’m not as high on coach Dan Mullen as I was Barry Odom. Memphis disappointed last season, but I am a believer in new Memphis coach Charles Huff, who won the Sun Belt title in 2024 at Marshall and took Southern Miss to a bowl game last year after they were 0-12 in 2024. 

Mom will be remembered for her love of her family and friends. She loved the outdoors and enjoyed going camping with her son, Gary, and his wife, Dolores. Nadine loved the outdoors, and there wasn’t a rock she didn’t pick up and want to take home. Needless to say, she had a lot of rocks.

In addition to Gary and Dolores Oberg, she is survived by her daughter, Brenda Troupe, and her husband, Kevin; two granddaughters, Jaimee Oberg and Chrystal Oberg; four great-grandchildren; and a brother, Johnny King. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Oberg, and her oldest son, Terry Oberg.

A celebration of her life will be held at Sunset Hills Cemetery in Eugene, Oregon, on August 24, 2026, at 1 p.m.

Rachael began racing while dating her soon-to-be husband, Royce Goetz. She had been a life-long race fan but only in her dreams had she toyed with the notion of taking up the sport herself. Royce, dashing and persuasive, inspired Rachael to give it a go. Between 2015 and 2017, she raced hobby stocks at Rattlesnake Raceway in Fallon. Rachael took a break from racing when expecting their first child. Although she loved the excitement, in 2019 she opted to postpone her racing career until her kids were self-sufficient. While every precaution is taken, there are risks in racing.

Royce’s passion for the sport is generational. In the1980s, his dad RD Goetz made a name for himself racing at T-car in Carson City. His fans were many, especially Chris, the gal working at the concession stand. Chris, undoubtedly RD’s biggest fan, eventually became his wife. The couple all but raised the three Goetz boys at the track.

It wasn’t long before Ronny, Rocky and Royce Goetz struck out on their own as drivers. Royce was the first brother, and arguably the most motivated, to take up racing. In 2005, fueled by longing and vision, young Royce bicycled back and forth from his part-time job just so he could fund the build of his first race car.

Royce’s enthusiasm for cars translated into a profession. He earned elite status in his field by achieving the title of World Class GM Technician, a prestigious accomplishment attained by less than 7% of GM service technicians nationally. When he isn’t perfecting other people’s rides, he is expanding his own fleet of race cars. Presently Royce owns five cars that are driven by a regular crew of local racers. With many wins to their credit, Royce and his crew aren’t about to slow down any time soon. And the next generation is counting on that.

Like Royce, the couple’s two children were raised in the race pits. They are already carrying on the family tradition. Cheyenne, age 8, and Johnathan, age 6, attend just about every race with their folks. They are not only there as spectators; the pair are racers too. Young John is highly competitive and when asked what he likes best about racing he is quick to reply, “Winning!” Last year at the tender young age of 5, John was track champion for karts. So far this year, Johnathan Goetz has won 3 out of 5 kart races.

Cheyene has won her share of races too. This season, she holds second place in every race. Enjoying a friendly rivalry, Cheyene is determined to pass her fiercest competitor, a 12-year-old girl, before the end of the season. Racing aside, Cheyenne has her mother’s entrepreneurial flare. She is happiest helping Rachael sell beverages at Easy Squeezy, the family’s lemonade stand, which operates at Rattlesnake all summer long.

Life as a race family is action packed, fast paced and exciting. But according to the Goetz, the best part is the connections formed with the exceptional people who share their love of the sport. The kids have tons of “aunts” and “uncles” while Royce and Rachael have the strong and loving support of like-minded adults who have become more than friends. They are their Rattlesnake Raceway family. 

Sonia Hedrick is interested in YOU! Like to share your unusual story with our neighbors? Or do you have an interesting topic you would like to explore in Senior Sense? Send Sonia an email at: shedrickfernley@gmail.com

As a college swimmer at San Jose State University, she became a Western Athletic Conference champion, earned multiple Academic All-American honors and earned a place on the university's all-time top-10 list.

Now she’s creating a new program aimed at giving local swimmers access to quality competitive swimming while also serving recreational swimmers.

Miller-Charles has started the Desert Surge Swim Club, which will be affiliated with USA Swimming and will provide athletes with opportunities to compete in USA Swimming-sanctioned meets.

“For newer competitive swimmers, the goal is to introduce competition in a positive and developmentally appropriate way,” Miller-Charles said. “More experienced athletes will have opportunities to pursue higher levels of competition as they progress.”

Miller-Charles is currently building a list of interested swimmers, with plans to begin practice in either late August or early September, after the Fernley Swimming Pool reopens following its roof repairs.

She said Desert Surge will serve swimmers ages 5–18 and will welcome athletes across a range of experience levels, from recreational swimmers to more advanced competitive athletes.

The program's mission is to develop confident, resilient and well-rounded athletes through quality coaching, competitive swimming and a culture rooted in four pillars: mental toughness, complete athletic development, competitive confidence and strength of character.

The team will initially have three training groups. The Blue Group will be for swimmers who are developing their foundational skills, generally ages 10 and under. Swimmers joining this group will need to be able to swim one length of the pool, 25 yards, with their face in the water.

The White Group will be for intermediate swimmers, generally ages 9-12, and the Gold Group will be for advanced and competitive swimmers, generally ages 13 and up. The White and Gold groups will focus increasingly on competitive development, training, race skills, conditioning and preparing athletes to compete at USA Swimming-sanctioned meets.

Practices will take place in the afternoons and evenings at the Fernley Swimming Pool, Monday through Thursday. Miller-Charles said she is still working with the pool to finalize practice times.

In addition to in-water training, Desert Surge will incorporate dryland athletic development into the program. Nathaniel Charles is a National Academy of Sports Medicine-certified personal trainer who will serve as an assistant and dryland coach and will lead a weekly dryland session for the White and Gold groups.

“The goal is to develop the entire athlete, not simply improve swimming times,” Morgan Miller-Charles said. “Dryland will complement the swimming program through strength, movement, mobility, and general athletic development.”

Miller-Charles has more than six years of coaching experience, working with swimmers ranging from beginners to national-level competitors.

“I have had the opportunity to train and coach under Olympic-level coaches, which has helped develop my athlete-centered coaching philosophy,” she said. “I believe competitive swimming can teach kids much more than how to swim faster. It can develop discipline, resilience, confidence, accountability, and the ability to work toward something that is difficult.”

Miller-Charles said she grew up swimming in Fernley. She swam on the Northern Nevada Aquatics team owned and coached by Eric Scalise, an NCAA All-American at UNLV who qualified for four separate U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

After graduating from Fernley High School in 2011, she swam for one season at Sierra College, where she was a 2012 Community College All-American in seven events. She transferred to San Jose State in 2013 and competed for three seasons for the Spartans.

“I grew up swimming here, so I want to give back to the community that shaped my athletic journey by creating a program that gives local families access to competitive swimming without requiring them to travel long distances for regular practices,” Miller-Charles said. “I want it to become a community where young athletes can grow, compete, and develop skills that will serve them well both in and out of the pool.”

Miller-Charles said the club will hold its first team evaluations after the pool reopens to assess the skill level of each swimmer who joins.

Families with an interested swimmer may submit a form online at www.desertsurgeswimclub.com or email Miller-Charles at info@desertsurgeswimclub.com.

considered by law to be public information.                    

All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Rebecca Reno 

Area: LYSO 

Bail: $1,880 

Charges: Failure to appear on traffic citation (2 counts)

Jeremy Hoover 

Area: LYSO 

Bail: $1,225 

Charges: Failure to appear on traffic citation; Failure to appear after bail, misdemeanor crime

Todd Droze 

Area: Fernley

Bail: $1,895 

Charges: DUI (1st); Non‑surrender suspended/revoked/canceled registration card/license plate; Driving with suspended driver’s license

Anthony Luca 

Area: Dayton

Bail: $3,640 

Charges: Use/possession of drug paraphernalia; Possession of Schedule I–II controlled substance less than 14 grams, (1st or 2nd offense)

Dion Lee 

Area: Dayton

Bail: $174,340 

Charges: Possession of firearm by prohibited person; Possession/manufacture/disposal of short‑barreled rifle or shotgun; Possession of Schedule III–V controlled substance less than 28 grams, (1st or 2nd offense); Manufacture or assembly of firearm without issued serial number (1st); Use/possession of drug paraphernalia

Cody Rodgers 

Area: Silver Springs

Bail: $3,140 

Charges: Domestic battery, (1st offense)

Dwane Thompson 

Area: Fernley

Bail: $3,140 

Charges: Domestic battery, (1st offense)

Chad Miller 

Area: Dayton

Bail: $3,140 

Charges: Domestic battery, (1st offense)

Juvenal Contreras 

Area: Fernley

Bail: $26,255 

Charges: Possession to sell Schedule I/II flunitrazepam/GHB, (1st offense); Attempt to carry/possess firearm during commission of drug offense; Use/possession of drug paraphernalia; Windshield/window obstructed

Brandy Marin 

Area: Fernley

Bail: $5,000 

Charges: Domestic battery, (2nd offense)

Shyanne Cervantes 

Area: LYSO 

Bail: $3,140 

Charges: Domestic battery, (1st offense)

Paul Cherghezan 

Area: LYSO 

Bail: $8,140 

Charges: Assist other agency — hold; Failure to appear after bail, misdemeanor crime

Reyna Gallardo 

Area: Silver Springs

Bail: $2,280 

Charges: Battery; False statement to obstruct public officer

Joseph Stauffer 

Area: LYSO 

Bail: $32,280 

Charges: Battery by prisoner/probationer/parolee on emergency responder, (1st offense); Resisting a public officer

Richard Olivas 

Area: LYSO 

Bail: $0 

Charges: Court commitment

Juan Gallardo 

Area: Silver Springs

Bail: $1,140 

Charges: Assist other agency — hold

Crystal Ames 

Area: Dayton

Bail: $7,280 

Charges: Possession of Schedule I–II controlled substance less than 14 grams, (1st or 2nd offense) (2 counts); Use/possession of drug paraphernalia (2 counts)

Maria Izquierdo Camarena 

Area: LYSO 

Bail: $0 

Charges: Court commitment

Michael Robinson 

Area: Mound Houe

Bail: $3,000 

Charges: Assist other agency — hold

Piper Colburn 

Area: Dayton

Bail: $1,140 

Charges: Resisting a public officer

Guadalupe Wilbur 

Area: Mason Valley

Bail: $4,280 

Charges: Criminal contempt — failure to obey court order (2 counts)

Diana Barrientos‑Vicen 

Area: LYSO 

Bail: $1,795 

Charges: Failure to appear after bail, misdemeanor crime

Marlon Becker 

Area: Dayton

Bail: $1,255 

Charges: DUI (1st); Open alcohol container in vehicle

Joshua Smith 

Area: Dayton

Bail: $3,140 

Charges: Domestic battery, (1st offense)

Anyssa Baca 

Area: Dayton

Bail: $3,140 

Charges: Domestic battery, (1st offense)

Kyle Jenkins 

Area: Fernley

Bail: $755 

Charges: Non‑resident driving when privilege suspended/revoked/canceled; Operating vehicle with expired registration/plates

Martin Deanda 

Area: Fernley

Bail: $3,090 

Charges: DUI (2nd); Driving without driver’s license; Basic speed — 11–15 MPH over posted limit

Fernley Swimming Pool District Board member Suzanne Prouty said Monday the project received sign-off from the fire marshal, one of the key remaining approvals needed before the facility can reopen.

Prouty said the pool was about two-thirds full when she visited Friday, and crews were finishing work associated with bringing large equipment into the building.

A window that had been removed to allow equipment access was being replaced, and heavy equipment was expected to be out of the facility by Monday. SB Builders, the project’s general contractor, is continuing with smaller final projects this week.

The district is also waiting for City of Fernley approval of the remaining permit, which Prouty said was hoped for Tuesday.

Once those approvals are in place, Pool Manager Patrick will also need to call for an inspection by the Nevada health department.

In addition to the construction and inspections, pool staff will need time to prepare for reopening. That includes working with lifeguards and completing repairs to a pool slide that had been delayed until the roof and code-related work was finished.

Prouty said contractors and pool staff have indicated reopening could be no more than about two weeks away, depending on final inspections, permits and staff preparation.

The pool district board is scheduled to meet Tuesday evening, Aug. 18, after this edition goes to press. Contractors, project staff and the pool manager are expected to provide additional updates at the meeting, including information on the new pump.

The Fernley Reporter will follow up next week with details from the meeting and any updated reopening timeline.

Prouty credited project manager Jon Burhans of Winnemucca and SB Builders for coordinating the work, including demolition, construction, subcontractors, electrical work, fire and security systems, roofing and suppliers.

In a social media post on Aug. 16, Lyon County Animal Services said they were critically over capacity, housing 69 dogs in the Silver Springs shelter, which has 44 total kennels.

The post said the shelter has seen a significant increase of dogs coming in, combined with a significant decrease in the number of strays being claimed or dogs being left at the shelter and a decrease in adoptions.

“We are absolutely devastated and heartbroken because, for the first time in over 12 years, we may have to start euthanizing for space and no longer be a no kill (90% or higher save rate) shelter,” the Aug. 16 post said.

LCAS said residents can help by adopting or fostering a dog.

The shelter does not have a foster program, but rescue groups Res-Que and WARF - Wylie Animal Rescue Foundation - Northern Nevada, have offered a foster program for the shelter’s dogs.

Residents who would like to help but are unable to adopt or foster a dog can volunteer to help keep dogs exercised or keep kennels clean.

Information about dogs available for foster or adoption is available at: https://www.adoptapet.com/shelter/89022-lyon-county-animal-services-silver-springs-nevada.

For more information on adoptable pets or to volunteer, contact the shelter at 775-577-5005. The Lyon County Animal Shelter is located at 3705 Highway 50 West in Silver Springs. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

For pet owners who already have dogs, LCAS recommends having some sort of ID tag or microchip so the owners can be contacted if the dog is found. Lyon County Animal Services sells ID tags for $7 and microchips for $15. Or, they suggest writing your phone number with a permanent marker on a collar or a piece of duct tape wrapped around the collar. 

The contest, sponsored through Nevada’s college savings program, is open to students in pre-K through 12th grade. Entries will be accepted from Aug. 10 through Oct. 9.

Students are asked to use their artistic skills and imagination to illustrate what they hope to become when they grow up.

Three winners will be selected at each grade level. First-place winners will receive $1,000 deposited into a 529 college savings account, second-place winners will receive $500 and third-place winners will receive $250.

Teachers have a chance to win, too. The teacher with the most eligible student submissions will receive a $200 gift card.

Contest rules, eligibility information and entry details are available at https://nvigate.gov/contest/.

The Greenwave lost 4-0 to Reed and tied North Valleys 1-1 on Friday. Saturday they lost 3-0 to Bishop Gorman and 9-1 to Foothill.

No stats were available for last week’s matches.

This week the Greenwave plays at the Debbie Smith Academy on Friday at 4:45.

The Fallon girls soccer team is scheduled to host North Tahoe at 4:45 Friday and Truckee at 11:45 a.m. Saturday.

Red Tees

1st: Jana Garner, Full House

2nd: Kathy Kennedy, Straight

Purple Tees

1st: Val Montgomery, Full House

2nd: Sandi Sewchok, Pair of 7's

Birdie: Val Montgomery, #17

Closest to Hole #7: Patty Liljeberg, 17'

Closest to Hole #11: Kathy Kennedy, 48'

Low Putts: Jana Garner, 33

Chip-Ins: Linda Garrett, #3; Patty Liljeberg #5