Tayari Jones’s compelling historical novel “Kin” delivers a profoundly moving exploration of sisterhood, identity, and the lingering weight of maternal absence. Set against the vivid backdrop of the Jim Crow South during the 1950s and 1960s, the story centers on Vernice “Niecy” Davis and Annie Johnson, two “cradle friends” raised side by side in the small, rural town of Honeysuckle, Louisiana. Though they grow up almost like sisters, both girls carry profound emotional wounds from a very young age. Vernice was orphaned as an infant after a tragic family murder-suicide and raised by her steady, supportive Aunt Irene. Annie, on the other hand, was left in her grandmother’s care after her mother, Hattie Lee, abruptly abandoned her—an absence that becomes a lifelong obsession for Annie as she longs for answers and a true sense of belonging.

As the girls transition into young adulthood, their life paths diverge sharply, continuously tested by differences in ambition, opportunity, and class. Vernice chooses the path of social mobility and higher education, heading off to Spelman College in Atlanta. There, she carefully navigates the complex social and class hierarchies of the Black elite, ultimately seeking stability, respectability, and security through institutional success. Meanwhile, driven by an overwhelming need to find her mother, Annie leaves home on a grueling journey toward Memphis alongside a ragtag group of companions. Her path is far more perilous, taking her through unexpected detours—including working at a local brothel to pay off car repairs and taking up jobs in lively Memphis bars—as she searches tirelessly for the woman who left her behind.

Despite the growing physical, emotional, and socioeconomic distance between them, Vernice and Annie remain deeply anchored to one another through letters and visits. Told through alternating first-person perspectives, the narrative captures how their shared childhood bond remains the one constant truth in both of their lives, even as they weather hidden secrets, romantic entanglements, family expectations, and the harsh realities of their era. Rich with emotional depth, warmth, and sharp historical detail, Jones paints a vivid, unforgettable portrait of chosen family, resilience, and the tender, complex nature of female friendship. Ultimately, it offers a heartwarming and poignant look at how the people who raise us and walk beside us shape every step of our journey into adulthood.

I know you will enjoy “Kin” as much as I did!

Don’t forget to check out my Instagram @allison.the.reader for more book recommendations and literary fun.

Allison Diegel is the Executive Chaos Coordinator at the Diegel Home for Wayward Girls. She has been reading since before she could talk, and now she likes doing lots of both.

Listening to his September interviews with Congressional Representatives Dina Titus, Steven Horsford and Susie Lee, I kept coming back to the same thought. All this talk about artificial intelligence and the next technological revolution eventually comes down to location – as we old economic developers say: location, location, location.

Somebody needs land. Somebody needs water. Somebody needs power.

For those of us watching from rural Nevada, that is hardly a new story. What is changing is the speed, the scale and the pressure to get decisions made before communities have had time to understand what is being proposed.

The three members approached these questions differently, but there was a useful thread running through their conversations: development should come with public participation and benefits people can actually identify.

Titus was particularly skeptical about the handling of a proposed Boulder City data center. She questioned transparency, environmental review and whether the promised revenue would hold up once tax abatements entered the calculation.

But she also made an important distinction. She has not called for a moratorium on data centers. She acknowledged that the devices and services we use every day require them.

That moves the discussion into productive territory. We can need the technology and still insist on knowing what a particular project will require from its neighbors.

Shad pressed the other side, raising construction employment, economic activity and potential municipal revenue, topics that must be addressed when rural communities are impacted. A community trying to maintain roads, pay employees and keep services running cannot emotionally dismiss a new revenue source.

Neither should it accept the sales pitch without doing the arithmetic.

Horsford offered perhaps the most practical test: specific, measurable and enforceable community benefits agreements, including local hiring, alongside energy and water plans that protect existing ratepayers.

Enforceable is the word worth focusing on, a promise at a public meeting is one thing. An obligation somebody can enforce after the construction crews leave is another. Communities need to know who pays for infrastructure, how benefits will be measured and what happens if the project fails to deliver.

Horsford also brought rural residents and tribal nations into the discussion. His district reaches well beyond metropolitan Las Vegas, and he described hearing directly from constituents about how development should proceed.

The nuclear question revealed differences among the three.

Titus expressed strong concerns about small reactors accompanying data centers and the prospect of storing their waste on site. Lee was more open to advanced nuclear as part of a broader energy mix, while emphasizing waste management and pointing to geothermal as another opportunity. Horsford withheld a blanket endorsement or rejection, asking for specifics and a meaningful local voice.

Worthy of note, there is no single delegation answer to every energy question.

Water produced another revealing exchange.

Shad asked Horsford whether continued Colorado River trouble could revive the idea of a pipeline carrying eastern Nevada groundwater to Las Vegas.

Horsford said he did not think so. He argued instead for greater conservation elsewhere in the basin and a stronger accounting of how water is used.

For rural Nevada, that answer deserves attention and continued follow-up.

Lee described a different approach: partnerships in which Nevada helps finance water recycling elsewhere and, in exchange, retains water in Lake Mead. Her argument was that cooperation can produce additional supply without simply reaching into another Nevada community’s groundwater.

The details and timelines will be important, but the principle is useful: solve a shared problem by expanding the options.

Artificial intelligence brought the conversations back to speed.

Titus questioned whether Congress could write rules quickly enough to keep pace with technology. Lee wanted faster congressional action and suggested a select committee with a firm deadline. Horsford emphasized training workers and helping small businesses use the tools rather than being displaced by them.

There is a whole Nevada economy inside those three concerns: capable oversight, timely decisions and people prepared to participate.

There was also evidence that cooperation remains possible. Both Horsford and Lee highlighted their support for Mark Amodei’s northern Nevada lands legislation. Lee hoped it could create an opening for southern Nevada provisions as well.

We ought to pay attention when our representatives find common ground on the practical business of the state.

My takeaway from these interviews is that Nevada needs cleaner deals with the industries that want to build here. Show us the water plan. Show us the power plan. Show us the jobs, the revenue and the obligations that survive the ribbon cutting.

Then give the people who live here a real opportunity to weigh it all and trust our elected officials to represent us well.

Nevada has something everybody wants. We ought to understand its value before we make the deal.

Read more regional, rural Nevada news at GreatBasinSun.com 

Those are fair questions. Nevada is the driest state in the nation, and the recent issue with the Colorado River Commission and subsequent lawsuit shows that our state leaders are serious about protecting our limited water resources.

No company, no matter how large or technologically important, should receive a blank check to consume scarce resources or shift its costs onto Nevada ratepayers.

But the debate also needs to be based on facts. Nevada is not ignoring these concerns. State and local leaders, water authorities, regulators and NV Energy are taking steps to ensure that data centers are developed responsibly and that the companies benefiting from them bear the costs they create.

Governor Lombardo recently signed an executive order that requires applicants to pay the Local School Support Tax in full, bear the costs associated with serving their facilities rather than shifting them to other utility customers, meet local water standards and enter into a binding Community Support Commitment. These seem like reasonable requirements.

Modern data centers can be designed very differently from the water-intensive facilities of the past. Closed-loop cooling systems recirculate water rather than continuously consuming new supplies.

Storey County utilizes treated effluent and recycled wastewater — rather than drinking water — to support industrial operations and cooling needs at the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center. That is actually an efficient reuse of the region’s water resources and improves water quality in the Truckee River.

Air-cooled technology can reduce onsite water use even further. Southern Nevada has already prohibited new evaporative cooling systems, and some recently approved data-center projects are expected to use only a small fraction of the water consumed by older facilities.

Nevada should consider making these modern cooling practices the standard for projects receiving state tax abatements. If a company wants a public incentive, it should be required to demonstrate that it will protect Nevada’s water resources.

The same principle should apply to electricity.

As the governor’s executive order stated, data-center customers must pay upfront for the transmission, distribution and other infrastructure needed to serve their projects. That is an important ratepayer protection.

Some projects are also considering dedicated or behind-the-meter generation, allowing them to provide some or all of their own electricity rather than placing their entire demand on the existing grid. That approach can help protect reliability and existing customers, although Nevada must still examine the fuel source, emissions and long-term consequences of any onsite generation.

These safeguards do not mean Nevada should stop asking questions. On the contrary, every major data-center proposal should disclose its expected electricity demand, water consumption, cooling technology, backup-generation emissions and infrastructure requirements. Developers should explain how many permanent jobs they will create, what taxes they will pay after abatements and what financial guarantees will protect the public if a project is delayed or abandoned.

Accountability is not opposition; it is responsible economic development.

At the same time, Nevadans should be aware that not every alarming claim circulating online comes from a neighbor acting in good faith.

In June, OpenAI disclosed that it had disrupted a covert influence campaign operated by accounts likely originating in China. The campaign — dubbed “Data Center Bandwagon” — used artificial intelligence to create posts, comments and cartoons criticizing American data centers and claiming that they were driving up electricity costs for ordinary families.

The operators posed as Americans from different walks of life and used legitimate news stories to make their manufactured personas appear credible. According to OpenAI, the operation was likely connected to a private Chinese technology company that performed work for Chinese provincial-government clients.

More recently, X announced that it had identified a large network of suspected Chinese inauthentic accounts, including accounts attempting to manipulate the American debate over AI, data centers and energy policy.

Why would China care whether Nevada and other states build data centers?

Because data centers are the physical backbone of artificial intelligence. The nation with the greatest computing capacity will have an enormous advantage in commerce, medicine, national defense, research and virtually every other field. China has made no secret of its desire to surpass the United States in artificial intelligence. Slowing America’s ability to build the infrastructure that supports AI would serve China’s strategic interests.

This does not mean every person questioning a data center is spreading Chinese propaganda. Most concerns expressed by Nevada residents are genuine. It would be unfair — and counterproductive — to dismiss legitimate local opposition as the work of foreign agents.

China-linked operatives did not invent an entirely fictional issue. They attempted to take real concerns, remove important context, amplify fear and turn Americans against one another. That is how modern influence operations frequently work.

Nevadans should refuse to be manipulated from either direction. We should not accept unsupported claims from data-center companies, and we should not automatically believe frightening social-media posts designed to generate outrage.

Nevada has an opportunity to help lead America’s technological future while protecting the resources that make our state livable. We can also reap economic benefits that will help our cities, counties and schools prosper. That is one reason the Clark County Education Association recently announced its strong support for data centers. The association sees them as a way to better fund education in Nevada.

Nevada should welcome the technology of the future — but only on terms that protect Nevada’s water, Nevada’s power system, Nevada’s people and Nevada’s economy.

Randi Thompson is a political and public relations consultant in Reno. 

The SBDC provides free one-on-one business advising to existing and prospective Nevada small-business owners.

That can include help with business planning, market research, financing, accounting and record keeping, feasibility analysis, marketing, loan preparation, technology development and regulatory or environmental questions.

And rural businesses don't have to drive to Reno to get it.

The Nevada SBDC maintains rural centers through the Churchill Entrepreneur Development Association in Fallon, Great Basin College in Elko and an office in Ely, in addition to resources available statewide.

In Fallon, SBDC services are provided through CEDA at 290 W. Williams Ave. The local team includes Agriculture & Food Systems Business Advisor Kelli Kelly and Business Development Specialist Sara Beebe-Wolken. The office provides free one-on-one advising as well as workshops and assistance with marketing, feasibility analysis, credit management and business planning.

The Great Basin College SBDC in Elko serves northeastern Nevada businesses and offers assistance with business plans, financing, loan packaging, marketing and record keeping, with no charge for its management and technical assistance.

The Ely office similarly provides market research, accounting assistance, capital formation, startup advising, technology assistance and economic and business-data analysis.

The connection to Made in Nevada is intentional.

Made in Nevada is powered by the Nevada SBDC, allowing members of the statewide marketing program to connect directly with educational opportunities and free one-on-one advising.

That means a rural entrepreneur doesn't necessarily have to figure out every step alone.

Someone considering turning a hobby into a business, expanding a farm product, applying for financing, reaching a new market or determining whether an idea can actually make money can sit down with an adviser before committing significant capital.

For small rural businesses, where a bad investment can be difficult to absorb, getting that advice before spending the money may be the most valuable service of all.

Learn more: Nevada SBDC provides information about services and appointments through its statewide website.

Nevada Small Business Development Center 

Thirty-nine seniors traveled to Truckee Meadows Community College to tour the campus and explore a variety of career and trade school opportunities. Students had the opportunity to learn about hands-on programs, technical careers, certificates, and pathways that can lead directly to employment or continued education.

On Sept. 30, 50 seniors attended the University of Nevada, Reno’s Nevada Bound program, giving them the opportunity to experience a four-year university, tour campus facilities, learn about college programs, and begin seeing themselves as college students.

These experiences are an important part of our Career Pathways program. Career planning is more than choosing a college — it is helping every student identify a Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C based on their interests, strengths, talents, and future goals.

By visiting colleges, trade schools, and training programs while they are still in high school, students can make informed decisions about their next steps. They begin to understand that there are many successful pathways after graduation, including four-year colleges, community colleges, trade and technical programs, apprenticeships, military service, and direct entry into the workforce.

The goal is simple: Every senior should graduate with a plan and the confidence to take the next step toward a career.

The Class of 2027 is getting out there, asking questions, exploring possibilities, and building their futures — one career pathway at a time.

From left, Assistant Headmaster David Ernst, City of Fallon Mayor Ken Tedford, and Headmaster Jill Rosario celebrate the ribbon cutting and dedication of the new building at Veritas Preparatory School. Photo by Jamie Ernst.

Veritas Preparatory School marked an important milestone in its continued growth Friday, Oct. 2, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new classroom building.

Students, teachers, families, friends, donors, and members of the community gathered to celebrate the completion of the project and recognize the many people who helped make it possible.

The celebration began with the entire school assembling in front of the new building for a large group photograph. The new facility provides much-needed classroom space for Veritas’ upper-grade students and is now home to Ms. Pustovrh’s fifth- and sixth-grade class and Ms. Behimer’s seventh- and eighth-grade class.

For students who have already begun using the new classrooms, the ceremony provided an opportunity to recognize that the building represents much more than additional space. It is a reflection of the growth of the Veritas community and the generosity of the many individuals and businesses who invested their time, resources, and talents in the project.

A special moment in the ceremony came with the presentation of a dedication plaque commemorating the completion of the building. Headmaster David Ernst read the plaque aloud, recognizing the donors and benefactors whose generosity helped bring the project from an idea to reality.

Special recognition was given to Trevor and Amanda Hammond of Hammond Homes & Construction, whose contributions and assistance were instrumental in the completion of the new building.

Ernst and Headmaster Jill Rosario addressed those gathered, expressing the school’s gratitude to the many people who contributed to the project. From financial gifts and donated materials to construction expertise, volunteer labor, and countless hours of planning and preparation, the new building was truly a community effort.

Following the dedication, Ernst and Rosario were joined by Mayor Ken Tedford for the official ribbon cutting. With students and supporters gathered around, the ribbon was cut, formally commemorating the opening of the new facility and the beginning of a new chapter for Veritas Preparatory School.

The morning concluded on a celebratory note with cake for students and guests, giving families, faculty, and community members an opportunity to visit together and enjoy the occasion.

The new building is both a practical addition to the Veritas campus and a visible reminder of how much can be accomplished when families, businesses, and community members work together toward a shared goal. Most importantly, the classrooms will serve generations of students as places where they can learn, ask questions, develop friendships, grow in wisdom, and deepen their faith.

Veritas Preparatory School extends its sincere gratitude to everyone who contributed to the project, to Lucy at the Fallon Chamber of Commerce, who hosted the ribbon cutting, and to all who joined the school for the ceremony. As students fill these new classrooms each day, the building will stand as a lasting testament to the generosity and commitment of the community that helped make it possible.

PJAMMIN’ FOR CANCER SUPPORTS ONE OF THE BIGHORN HERD

Oasis Academy K-8 students traded their khaki and navy school uniforms for pajamas on Thursday, Sept. 24, as part of the school’s annual PJammin’ for Cancer event in recognition of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

For a $1 donation, students were invited to wear their favorite pajamas to school while helping support a meaningful cause. This year, all proceeds will be donated directly to an Oasis Academy high school family whose student is currently facing cancer.

According to the State of Nevada, approximately 45 children and young adults in northern Nevada are diagnosed with cancer each year.

The Bighorn Community came together in a big way, raising just over $1,000 to help support the family.

“Our Bighorn Community has always been about coming together and supporting one another, especially when a member of our community is going through a difficult time,” said Shannon Garcia, Grades 5-8 Vice Principal. “Seeing our students, families, and staff come together to support one of our own is a wonderful reminder of the compassion and kindness that make Oasis Academy such a special place.”

THIRD GRADERS ENGINEER FOR HURRICANES AND FLOODS

Third-grade students at Oasis Academy recently put their science and engineering skills to the test as they tackled a hands-on challenge: designing and building structures strong enough to withstand both a hurricane and a flood. Pictured above: Harper Turley, Michael McNamara, Charles Gilliland, and Brooklyn DuBois

Working with limited materials — including straws, cardstock, tape, and popsicle sticks — students were challenged to think like engineers as they planned, constructed, and tested their structures.

The activity gave students an opportunity to apply what they have been learning in science while also practicing problem-solving, creativity, and teamwork.

As part of the lesson, students also explored why homes and other structures in areas prone to hurricanes are designed and built differently than those in other parts of the country. They learned how engineers and builders consider factors such as strong winds, heavy rain, flooding, and the potential for storm damage when designing buildings. Understanding these real-world examples helped students see how science and engineering can be used to protect people and property.

Students then put their engineering skills to work. Using only their provided materials, they designed structures that needed to withstand simulated hurricane-force winds and flooding. They had to consider how different materials could be combined to create a structure that was both strong and stable.

Once their designs were complete, the testing began. Students observed what happened when their structures were exposed to the challenges of severe weather and evaluated which design features helped their buildings stay standing.

The activity also highlighted an important part of the engineering process: failure can lead to improvement. Students had the opportunity to identify weaknesses in their designs, discuss what they could change, and consider how they might build a stronger structure in the future.

The challenge was more than just building with straws and popsicle sticks. It gave students a chance to connect their classroom learning to the real world while developing critical-thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills.

CHURCHILL COUNTY LIBRARY BRINGS READING AND RESOURCES TO 5TH AND 6TH GRADES

Fifth- and sixth-grade students had a special visit from the Churchill County Library on Tuesday morning, Sept. 29, as they learned more about the many resources and activities available to them at the library.

During the visit, a representative from the library read a section from one of the library’s new books, giving students a chance to hear about a new title they may want to check out for themselves.

Students also learned that the library offers much more than books. The library hosts Chess Club every Wednesday and STEAM activities on Fridays, providing students with opportunities to learn, create, and have fun. Other resources include computers that students can use, as well as special opportunities to read with service dogs.

The presentation also reminded students where the Churchill County Library is located and encouraged them to visit with their families. Students learned about getting their own library card and how they can use it to check out books, movies, and other materials.

Pictured left: Magdalena Biar with students.

While students had the day off last Friday, Churchill County School District staff spent the day learning, collaborating, and strengthening practices through professional development. Professional development looked different at each school based on the needs of students and staff. Teams worked on topics including the Science of Reading, i-Ready, math routines and reasoning, professional learning communities, data-driven instruction, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, universal screeners, executive functioning, parent engagement, student learning goals, and department planning.

Staff also had dedicated time to analyze student data, explore instructional strategies and resources, and collaborate and plan together.

“Just as we ask our students to continue learning and growing, it is important that we create those same opportunities for our staff,” Superintendent Blake Cooper said. “When our staff has time to learn from one another, share ideas, and grow together, that work carries back into our classrooms and helps us continue finding ways to best serve our students. That is an important part of what it means to be One Team.”

CCHS

For information on Churchill County High School seniors exploring college and career pathways, see “Class of 2027: Exploring Career Pathways”.

CCMS

Students at Churchill County Middle School are building skills that extend beyond the classroom. Career and technical education students put their professional communication skills to the test through mock job interviews, practicing how to answer interview questions and building confidence for future career opportunities.

In Art 3, students are taking greater ownership of their learning by developing original projects, writing professional-style proposals, managing their time, and bringing their ideas from concept to completion. CCMS also celebrated students who achieved perfect attendance this month with a surprise doughnut reward, recognizing their commitment to showing up and being ready to learn each day.

Across CCMS, students continue to learn, grow, and take greater ownership of their success both in and beyond the classroom.

NUMA

Students are working on their throwing accuracy during physical education with Kevin Wickware through a variety of games and activities, including dodgeball. As they practice aiming and making accurate throws, students are also learning and reinforcing physical education standard operating procedures, helping them understand expectations, routines, and how to work successfully together during their time in the gym.

E.C. BEST

Pictured right: Second-grade students in Christina Fruzza’s class practice recognizing and reading digraphs during a classroom activity.

Christina Fruzza’s second-grade students are continuing to build their foundational reading skills. Last week, students practiced reading digraphs, when two letters come together to make one sound, such as “ch” in “chair.”

Recognizing and reading digraphs helps students become more fluent readers. As their reading fluency grows, students are better able to focus on understanding what they read.

LAHONTAN

Pictured left: Heather Sorensen and her first-grade students show off the slime they made while exploring how different ingredients react when mixed together.

Heather Sorensen’s first-grade students have been busy learning through hands-on experiences. Students explored science by making slime and observing how different ingredients reacted when mixed together. They also wrapped up their apple unit by making homemade applesauce.

From experimenting with mixtures to turning apples into a tasty treat, students had the opportunity to connect what they are learning in the classroom to actual experiences.

Board Trustee Amber Getto, Assistant Superintendent Mike Walker, Human Resources Director Cameron Sorensen, Human Resources Analysts Janel Federico-Buchan and Savannah Peel, and Public Information Officer Kaitlin Ritchie accompanied Cooper throughout the day. They spoke with students and staff and observed classroom activities across the district.

The visits ranged from interactive play and fine-motor activities with the district’s youngest students to research, data analysis, classroom discussions, and hands-on projects in the upper grades. At Churchill County High School, students were working on projects that included designing countries in history, woodshop projects, Greenwave Games work, and data collection and analysis.

“One of the most valuable parts of visiting every school in one day was seeing the progression of learning across ChurchillCSD,” Cooper said. “I could see the foundations being built with our youngest learners and then see how those skills continue to grow as students move through elementary school, middle school, and eventually high school.”

Cooper said the visits also gave district leaders an opportunity to see the relationships and classroom environments that support student learning.

“What stood out to me just as much as the learning itself were the relationships behind it,” Cooper said. “I saw teachers who truly know their students and classrooms where clear expectations and routines create an environment where students can learn, participate, and take on new challenges.”

Cooper plans to visit every classroom in ChurchillCSD by the end of the 2026-27 school year. He also plans to invite different members of the Board of Trustees and District Office staff to join him during future visits.

“I want to see what is happening in our classrooms, understand what is working well across our schools and where we have opportunities to grow,” Cooper said. “The more time I spend in our schools and with the people doing this work every day, the better we can understand how to support our students and continue moving ChurchillCSD forward.”

The observance began in 1985 as a weeklong campaign co-led by the American Cancer Society to educate women about breast cancer screening and routine mammograms. It later grew into the monthlong national observance recognized today.

The American Cancer Society estimates that 321,910 women in the United States will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2026, and about 42,140 women will die from the disease. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among U.S. women other than skin cancers.

About 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer during their lifetime. Individual risk varies based on several factors.

Although breast cancer occurs primarily in women, men can develop the disease. The American Cancer Society estimates about 2,670 men will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2026, and about 530 will die from it.

Most breast cancers are not hereditary, but harmful changes in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes can increase the risk of breast, ovarian, and certain other cancers.

A person's family history can provide important information about cancer risk. The CDC recommends discussing a family history of breast or ovarian cancer with a health care provider, who can determine whether genetic counseling or testing may be appropriate.

Mamie graduated from Churchill County High School in 1950 and then married the love of her life, Glen Buhlig, on February 27, 1955. She had a long and illustrious career in banking with First National Bank, which later became First Interstate Bank in Fallon. Mamie enjoyed being involved in community associations such as Soroptimist and Harmon Social Club. She and Glen were heavily involved in the Antique Car Club, and that forged many of their close friendships. Mamie also loved bowling, starting at an early age and continuing until right up to her being admitted for care. She bowled in the seniors league as well as in the ladies’ league, and in her younger years, she was often recognized for bowling high-point games and was team treasurer. Mamie and Glen shared the love of music and dancing, and she would never pass up a chance to dance! She loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and once she retired, she loved to care for them while their parents were at work, and they loved their time with her, being spoiled with popcorn and ice cream with chocolate sauce.

Mamie was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Glen; her parents, James and Flora; her brothers, Richard and JL Garrison; and her sisters, Bea Stanhope, Reba Doyle, Juanita Hadley, and Kay Luce. She is survived by her brother, Allan Garrison; daughters, Debbie Bullock and Toni West-Guillen; grandchildren, Rebecca Nuttall (John), Lacie McAfee, Cody Bullock (Wendy), Monty Bullock (Crystal), Tyler Peel (Savannah), and Alec West-Guillen (Annemarie); 15 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial reception will be held on October 25 at 11 a.m., with a graveside service at 1 p.m. at the Gardens Funeral Home at 2949 Austin Highway, Fallon, Nevada.

The event will take place at locations on and around campus, with exhibits covering Nevada history, fossils, astronomy, art, natural history and living plants. Visitors can walk through the university’s Museum District, take part in activities and explore collections housed throughout the campus area.

Each stop on the event map will feature a hands-on activity or giveaway. Visitors can collect stamps in an event passport and redeem them for prizes. Photo opportunities with Wolf Pack mascots are also planned.

Participating locations include the Fleischmann Planetarium, W.M. Keck Museum, Museum of Natural History and Lilley Museum of Art. This year’s event will also include food trucks, with the university announcing an expanded lineup of museums and food vendors.

The Keck Museum’s collections focus on Nevada’s geology, paleontology and mining history. The museum has collected and exhibited materials for more than 100 years, preserving specimens and objects related to the state’s natural resources and mining past.

The Museum of Natural History houses research and teaching collections of plants and animals. Its holdings include local and tropical insects, mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. The Fleischmann Planetarium serves as a community resource for astronomy, Earth science and space science education. Together, these institutions represent several of the scientific subjects visitors can explore during the event.

Art venues on the participant list include the Lilley Museum of Art, Sheppard Contemporary, McNamara Gallery and Galleries South. Black Rock Press, which focuses on the art of books, will also participate, along with the John Bilbao Basque Library and Special Collections and University Archives.

The university’s outdoor collections will be represented by the University Arboretum and Biggest Little Pollinator Garden. The arboretum includes trees, shrubs, flowers, ornamental plants and native flora in designated areas around campus, extending the district’s collections beyond its museum buildings.

History and cultural participants include the Nevada Historical Society, Museum of People, Place and Time, Shared History Gallery and Great Basin History of Medicine Museum. The event lineup also lists the Nevada State Museum, Stewart Indian School, The Discovery, Legacy Hall and Nevada Seismological Laboratory.

The range of participating museums and collections brings scientific, cultural and historical subjects together during the same six-hour event. Families and other visitors will be able to explore multiple locations during the day, with activities offered along the walking route.

Additional event information will be available during the week of Oct. 17 through the university’s online campus map. The map will identify event stops and help visitors locate participating collections on and around campus.

Event details and a link to the map are available through UNR’s Day at the Museum event page. 

On Sept. 30, Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve turned the tables a little, proclaiming the day “Sam Shad Day” in recognition of Shad’s long career in Nevada journalism.

The proclamation recognizes Shad as an entrepreneur, award-winning journalist, longtime Nevada news personality and “a true Nevada newsmaker.”

Shad came to Nevada from England and built a career in television and radio, including years delivering weather reports to Northern Nevada viewers. He founded Sam Shad Productions in 1980 and, in 2002, established Nevada Newsmakers, the statewide public-affairs program that has become a regular stop for elected officials, business leaders and others shaping Nevada.

Over more than 4,600 programs, Shad has interviewed the people making Nevada history as it happened.

The Reno proclamation credits him with “curiosity, journalistic integrity and a rare ability to ask direct questions and then actually listen to the answers.”

That last part may be the most important, and the characteristic we at RANGE Media work to emulate.

I’ve had the privilege of working with Sam and watching him work. What I appreciate most about him is that he remains genuinely curious. He can sit across from people who disagree completely with one another, ask both of them serious questions and give each the room to answer. He isn't trying to become the story. He wants to understand the story. And he wants the community to understand the story.

That sounds simple in practice, but journalism today, is a different animal.

Sam has also spent his career doing something particularly important in a state like Nevada: connecting the different parts of it. Nevada Newsmakers brings conversations taking place in Reno, Las Vegas and Carson City to audiences throughout the state, while bringing rural Nevada voices into conversations that too often happen without them.

There is something else I admire about Sam: after all these years, he still seems interested.

More than 4,600 shows is an extraordinary body of work. Think about the governors, legislators, congressional representatives, business leaders, advocates and ordinary Nevadans who have sat across from him, and the history contained in those conversations.

Shad was inducted into the Nevada Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2000.

The Reno proclamation also memorializes another contribution to Nevada culture that should not be overlooked: Shad’s longstanding habit of pairing impeccable suits with tennis shoes, which the city credits with making him a trendsetter “in journalism and footwear alike.”

Mayor Schieve concluded the proclamation by encouraging journalists to emulate Shad’s “independent and fair approach to the news.”

I’ll second that. At a time when trust in journalism has become increasingly difficult to earn, Sam's career is a reminder that there really isn't a shortcut. You show up. You do your homework. You ask fair questions. You listen carefully. And then you come back and do it again.

Four thousand six hundred times, apparently.

Congratulations, Sam. Sam Shad Day is well deserved. 

The Navy is accepting bids for agricultural leases on three parcels at Naval Air Station Fallon, continuing agricultural use of land associated with the installation.

NAVFAC Southwest issued solicitations in September for Parcel 4A02 and Parcels 4A04 and 4A07. Bids are due Oct. 14.

NAS Fallon is the Navy’s premier tactical air warfare training center and includes extensive land and range facilities surrounding Fallon.

Hawthorne Navy site marks 50 years

The Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Keyport’s Hawthorne Operating Site recently marked 50 years of operations in Mineral County.

The Navy held an anniversary ceremony Sept. 18 recognizing the Hawthorne workforce and the site’s role in supporting fleet readiness. Capt. Brandon Monaghan, commanding officer of NUWC Division Keyport, presented a letter of appreciation to Hawthorne Operating Site Director Tyler Viani.

Lt. Col. Rylie DeLong, commander of Hawthorne Army Depot, also participated in the ceremony.

Nevada Guard trains with Tonga for disaster response

Nevada National Guard members recently participated in Exercise Taufatahi 2026 in Tonga, continuing Nevada’s longstanding State Partnership Program relationship with the Pacific island nation.

The exercise simulated the first 48 hours following a magnitude 8.0 earthquake and tsunami. Nevada Guard members worked alongside Tonga’s military, police, fire, health and emergency-management personnel to practice communications and coordination during a major natural disaster.

The exercise was held in September and included observers and participants from other partner nations.

Elko National Cemetery to serve rural veterans

Nevada’s first Department of Veterans Affairs national cemetery has been dedicated in Elko, providing a closer burial option for veterans and their families across northeastern Nevada.

The 15.37-acre Elko National Cemetery, located at 3602 Jennings Way, will accommodate traditional casket burials, in-ground cremation burials and urn placements in columbarium niches.

Developed through the National Cemetery Administration’s Rural Initiative, the cemetery is expected to serve more than 3,705 veterans and eligible family members living within a 75-mile radius. Members of the Nevada Army National Guard Honor Guard participated in the Sept. 4 dedication.  

The Made in Nevada and Grown in Nevada directories include businesses scattered throughout the Great Basin Sun coverage area — some generations old, some relatively new and some operating in niches most Nevadans may not know exist.

Fallon and Churchill County

ARID Guitars builds custom electric guitars in Fallon. The veteran-owned company produces instruments individually rather than through mass production.

Agriculture accounts for much of Churchill County's representation.

D50 Ranch Honey harvests and bottles raw honey from hives in Churchill County, while Stony Bee's Honey is another Fallon-area producer represented in the Made in Nevada network.

Fisk Farm Herbs grows culinary and medicinal herbs and operates an apiary and cottage apothecary.

Some familiar names are there, too.

Lattin Farms, Dexter Farms and Workman Farms Produce are among Fallon-area agricultural businesses listed in the network, along with Two Ravens Farm.

Together they illustrate the variety hidden inside the term “agriculture” — produce, herbs, honey and other products that can move directly from a local farm to a Nevada consumer.

Winnemucca and Humboldt County

Pictured right: Winnemucca Farms.

At the other end of the scale is Winnemucca Farms, a diversified agricultural operation encompassing approximately 22,500 acres and producing both crops and livestock.

But large acreage isn't a requirement.

2v3 Farm operates a small, certified producer garden specializing in tomatoes and peppers.

rLm Ranch markets locally raised beefalo, beef, pork and poultry along with eggs and seasonal produce.

Lazy P Adventure Farm is also represented among Winnemucca-area members.

The range demonstrates that “local producer” can describe anything from a small specialty garden to a major agricultural operation.

Fernley and Northern Lyon County

Pictured left: Hasting Heritage Farm in Lyon County.

In the Fernley area, Corkscrew Land & Cattle Co. raises Highland cattle and produces beef, alfalfa, honey and honey products.

The diversification is notable: rather than depending upon a single commodity, the operation has several products that can reach different markets.

Hasting Heritage Farm takes another specialized approach, raising heritage and rare-breed livestock.

Eureka County

Pictured right: Miller Bison in Eureka.

In Eureka, Miller Bison has built a business around an animal more often associated with the Great Plains.

The operation raises more than 100 bison on approximately 320 acres and markets USDA-inspected packaged bison meat.

That means the business isn't simply raising livestock. It is taking the product farther along the economic chain before it reaches the customer.

And that is the common thread among many of these businesses.

They are producing things in communities that are often described primarily by what they extract or export: cattle, hay, minerals and other commodities.

But increasingly, rural businesses are putting their own names on the finished product.

A jar of Churchill County honey. A package of Eureka bison. A custom guitar made in Fallon. Vegetables grown outside Winnemucca.

They aren't merely made in Nevada – they’re made here, in Rural Nevada.

Dean Patrick McGee failed to appear for a status hearing after Court Services reported he tested positive for alcohol and fled the building when told he would be taken into custody. According to Court Services, it was McGee’s fourth violation. Judge Stockard issued a $40,000 bench warrant.

McGee pleaded not guilty Sept. 15 to Driving Under the Influence of an Intoxicating Liquor or a Controlled or Prohibited Substance with a Prior Conviction for Driving Under the Influence, a Category B felony punishable by 2–15 years in prison and a fine of $2,000–$5,000. The offense carries a mandatory prison sentence. Stockard set trial for Oct. 7–9.

Later in the court session, McGee appeared in custody with his attorney, Charles Woodman, appearing via Zoom. Woodman said McGee disputed the positive test, claiming he recently underwent surgery and was still swabbing the surgical site with alcohol.

Court Services representative Wendy Bullock said the test detects alcohol for up to 80 hours and the result was a solid positive.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Lane Mills said McGee violated the court’s order by testing positive and fleeing, noting he “lasted less than a weekend” before violating.

McGee maintained he had not consumed alcohol. When Stockard asked why he left Court Services, McGee replied, “I panicked because she said I tested positive. I have not been drinking. I have not.”

Stockard found McGee violated the conditions of his release, revoked his release on his own recognizance, and remanded him to jail.

Savannah Kay Sarabia pleaded guilty to the Category E Felony of Possession of a Controlled Substance (cocaine), punishable by 1–4 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.

Judge Stockard provisionally placed Sarabia in the Western Nevada Regional Drug Court program, ordered a Pre-Sentence Investigation, and set sentencing for Dec. 1.

Clayton Shelby Reynolds appeared for a status hearing after Court Services reported two violations for testing positive for methamphetamine.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Priscilla Baker asked that Reynolds be remanded into custody.

Senior Deputy Public Defender Jeffrey Weed said Reynolds has continued to show up for testing even when he knew he would test positive. Judge Stockard commented on Reynolds’s “lack of ownership of his actions.”

“We are seeing the very real struggles out in open court, in front of everyone here, of an addict,” Weed said. He said Reynolds was taking small steps and had a meeting scheduled later that day in Silver Springs. The defense asked that Reynolds remain out of custody.

Baker said Reynolds had been given chance after chance and repeatedly failed to follow the court’s orders.

Reynolds said it had been four days since he used methamphetamine. Stockard noted Reynolds tested positive the previous day, revoked his release on his own recognizance, and remanded him to jail until his sentencing on Oct. 13.

Aubrie Elizabeth Steelmon appeared for a status hearing after Court Services reported two positive tests, four failures to appear for testing, and two negative tests.

Steelmon pleaded guilty Sept. 8 to Burglary of a Building, a Category D felony, and misdemeanor Harassment, punishable by up to 180 days in jail.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Sanford noted, “Court Services is a court order; it's not a suggestion.”

Churchill County Public Defender Jacob Sommer acknowledged that his client has several issues, but that does not excuse her failure to follow court orders. He said she needs Specialty Court to “ensure that she can have structure, and counseling, and stability” so that she can get her life in order. He added that Steelmon has three appointments a week with her counselor and has secured employment.

“I'm empathetic to a point; I'm also frustrated,” Stockard said. He told Steelmon he expects her to appear for testing, provisionally placed her in Specialty Court and set sentencing for Nov. 10.

Barry Gene Eslick, in custody, pleaded guilty to the wobbler charge of Attempt to Commit Grand Larceny of Personal Goods or Property with a Value of $2,500 to $5,000. A wobbler may be sentenced as either a gross misdemeanor, punishable by up to 364 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,000, or as a Category D felony, punishable by 1–4 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.

Stockard ordered a Pre-Sentence Investigation and set sentencing for Dec. 1.

Justin Alvin Matheus appeared for sentencing on two counts of Category C Felony Battery that Constitutes Domestic Violence by Strangulation, to which Matheus pleaded guilty on March 24.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Sanford asked the court for a 12–60 month prison sentence. “I understand the defendant is not a person who can be defined by one night,” she said. Sanford noted the state was focusing on two incidents, stating, “What happened should not be permitted. Should not be tolerated.”

Sanford explained that the first incident followed a Valentine’s dinner and an argument. “He straddles her, and put his hands around her throat;... she could not breathe, she could not scream.” Four days later, Sanford said, a second incident occurred. “He strangled her again, causing her to lose her breath, and to fear for her life.”

Sanford read from the victim’s statement: “Feeling normal things day to day is so much harder now. Every day I think about how the person I love, who was supposed to love me, could do this to me.” She also read the final line: “It hurts all the time though too think about what I had to got through and that I’m lucky to be here and to have lived another day.”

“The State agrees with her; she’s lucky to be here,” Sanford said.

Alternate Public Defender Wright Noel said Matheus has taken responsibility, completed the Salvation Army treatment program, has a limited criminal history, and a long history with alcohol. He asked for the minimum sentence on each count, to run concurrently.

Matheus told the court, “I do know what I did is wrong. I have been suffering from alcoholism for a long time... I'm clean now seven months... I'm not a violent person, I'm just an alcoholic.”

Stockard sentenced Matheus to 12–60 months in Nevada State Prison on each count, to run concurrently. “I hope you continue on the path you've been on,” Stockard told him. He remanded Matheus to the custody of the Churchill County Sheriff for imposition of the sentence.

Christopher Anakin Marcellino, in custody, admitted to a Technical Sentencing Violation. It is his third technical violation, in addition to one nontechnical violation. Due to a legal question, Stockard continued the hearing to Oct. 6.

Patricia Pearl Coursey, in custody, appeared for sentencing in two separate cases. The first originated in 2022 after Coursey failed to appear for her scheduled arraignment on June 14, 2022. She was extradited from California to Fallon in 2026.

On July 28, Coursey pleaded guilty to two Category E Felony counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance, one involving methamphetamine and the other heroin. In the second case, she pleaded guilty to the Category D Felony of Failure to Appear After Admission of Bail or Release Without Bail.

SDDA Baker said Coursey was driving from Winnemucca to California with her minor child when law enforcement stopped her.

Coursey told the officer she had used methamphetamine to stay awake for the drive. A canine alerted during the stop, and officers found 4.1 grams of methamphetamine and 0.6 grams of heroin.

“She has a [criminal] history of not adhering to the conditions of probation; she is not a good candidate for probation.”

Alternate Public Defender Noel asked the court to grant Coursey probation with an interstate compact to California, where she has support and employment waiting for her. He said she had gone four years without new violations, had completed every course available while in custody, and recognizes she has a substance abuse problem. Coursey told Stockard, “I did very good on my probation” and “I’m willing to change my life if you give me a chance.”

Stockard sentenced Coursey to 14–48 months in prison on each of the three counts, to run concurrently. He ordered her to pay $3,360.63 in extradition costs and remanded her to the custody of the Churchill County Sheriff for imposition of the sentence.

Georgina Lynn Brown’s status hearing was continued one week to Oct. 6.

LaTanya Karimu, aka Tanya Ruth Stiner, had her arraignment continued to Oct. 20.

The Churchill County Standard of May 19, 1910, ran the headline “Fallon Has Disastrous Fire: West Side of Maine Street From Williams Store to Douglass Building Reduced to Ashes.” The Williams Store was housed in a stone structure where the Nugget parking lot is now located. The Douglass Building, also constructed of stone, was located in the block south of the present Nugget building. A cigarette that was dropped through the boardwalk in front of the People’s Café, in the Williams building, reportedly started the fire.

According to the Standard, “The fire was discovered a few minutes before ten Saturday evening (May 14) by W.T. Scates, shortly after nightwatchman Knox had made his rounds, and so rapid was the progress of the conflagration that it had traversed the more than three hundred feet intervening between the Williams and Douglass buildings, licking up buildings like so much tinder...leaving a bed of embers that were guarded for the next thirty six hours by many watchful eyes....” Destroyed were the post office, Black and Ferguson’s Stationery Store, the Palace Saloon and Cafe, Roy Reed’s Barber Shop, the Cedar Brook Saloon and Café, the Northern Saloon, the Goldfield Club Saloon, the Pioneer Barber Shop, Collin’s Hardware Store, a tailor shop, and Tom Woodliff’s Merchandise Store.

That the progress of the fire had been stopped at all seemed like a miracle. “Time and again the flames would sweep halfway across Maine Street; then again, the slight breeze would veer for an instant and threaten the buildings on Carson Street.” The Standard described at length the heroism of Postmistress Callie Ferguson who, with help from other “heroes,” scooped up the mail from the post office and carried it to safety.

Beyond the descriptions of flame, embers, and ashes lay another story that seems emblematic of early Fallon: instant recovery and movement forward. Businesses which had vanished, literally overnight, sprang back up within a few days in new locations.

“The Northern is doing business at the old Oberon stand in the Wightman building, while one door south Tom Woodliff will again be dealing out dry goods and clothing in a day or two, or as soon as he can get his insurance adjusted and his stock moved. The Palace is even now catering to thirsty throats in the People’s store building.”

Everywhere, lemons were turned into lemonade. The Standard opined that “the type of structure destroyed was poor and the elimination of fire traps alone on Maine street has made it possible for the council to establish a fire limit, prescribing the type of future business building for the town, thus insuring a more substantial and beautiful little city....In the future, nothing of a combustible nature can enter the construction of any structure within the limits defined by the council. Another service rendered by the fire was the elimination of the unsanitary outhouses and filthy vaults...

Where the wooden buildings once stood, will rise out of the ashes, concrete, brick and stone structures, and the individual’s misfortune will in the end work to the community’s good fortune.”

As one example, A.R. Jeffrey, occupying a storefront on Maine, apparently had supplied water to the fledgling city (before a municipal water system had been installed). The paper reported that “the embers were still hot when A.R. Jeffrey began the work of clearing away the debris that marked the place where the water plant stood. Working Sunday and Monday, a connection was made joining the Jeffrey water mains with the Williams water supply, thus ensuring the business district an adequate supply....he proposes to erect a fine cement building.”

Hence, fireproof edifices of stone, brick and cement quickly replaced the wooden storefronts of frontier Fallon.

Please send your stories and ideas for stories to mackedon@phonewave.net.

Michon Mackedon is a native of Fallon and a retired professor of English and Humanities (WNC). She loves her family, her home, her dog, reading, writing, making good food, and sipping a glass of fine white wine. Beyond that, she refuses to be categorized.

The evening event ran from 5 to 9 p.m. at 151 E. Park St., where guests could purchase tasting cards, sample local craft brews, and cast votes for their favorites.

Country artist January Baker performed on the Lariat Stage, providing live music as visitors gathered in the courtyard. The Otis food truck was also on site, serving burgers and fries.

Ales for Arts is a Churchill Arts Council event that helps support the council’s arts programming.

The historic Lariat Motel sign glows above the courtyard as Ales for Arts continues into the evening. Photo by Shania Brown.

Fallon Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lucy Carnahan hosted the ribbon cutting.

The shop offers Mexican snacks and treats, including ice cream, drinks, fruit cups, and corn served on the cob or in a cup. Customers can order at the counter, and catering services are also available.

Maria Casillas Ibarra operates the family business with her family members. The family is excited to share its heritage with customers.

In support of childhood literacy in Churchill County, Rush Coffee Company is celebrating Book Month throughout October with community readings and a reading incentive for children.

Jenny Young of Backroads Vintage Market opened the community readings at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, sharing “Tacky and the Haunted Igloo,” written by Helen Lester and illustrated by Lynn Munsinger, with children and families gathered for the event. At 3 p.m., Ashley Frey of Frey Ranch continued the afternoon’s readings with “Tractors Found on the Farm” by Wordplay Groundhog.

Rush Coffee Company owner Crystal Bowman said, “Come and enjoy children’s books being read on our stage by community members every Sunday in October at 11:30 a.m. and at 3 p.m.”

Community members are scheduled to continue the readings each Sunday through Oct. 25. Ila Friedenthal and Kelli Kelly are scheduled for Oct. 11; Allison Diegel, Janet Renfroe, and Katie Moore-Maloney on Oct. 18; and Hindi Marciniak, Brad Dolan, Whitney Goligowski, and Anita Pepper on Oct. 25.

Throughout October, children who read at Rush Coffee Company can receive a free small chocolate milk, juice, or milk alternative while they read. Rush has also partnered with Spread the Word Nevada to stock its community bookshelf with free books children can read and take home.

Pictured right: Jenny Young of Backroads Vintage Market reads “Tacky and the Haunted Igloo” during the Oct. 4 Book Month event at Rush Coffee Company.