Silver Dollars and Wooden Nickels: Effects of shutdown continue to mount

The Nevada Appeal’s Silver Dollars & Wooden Nickels feature recognizes achievements from the capital region and, then warranted, points out other acts that missed the mark.

SILVER DOLLAR: Mountain biker Jeff Potter is spearheading an effort to build a 7-mile trail connecting Ash and King canyons, and he said in a story published Friday that he expects the work to be complete by next summer. Volunteers have been instrumental in making the trail a reality, and Potter’s always looking for more help. If you’re interested in volunteering, send him an email at jeffpotter@musclepowered.org.

WOODEN NICKEL: It’s sad to see our local college with no one at the helm, and the circumstances that created the vacancy are unfortunate for our community. Carol Lucey decided this past week that it was time to end her tenure as Western Nevada College’s president. Everyone knew it was coming — she announced her resignation after the most recent legislative session resulted in funding cuts for her school — but the timing was a bit of a surprise. Lucey did a commendable job amid increasingly challenging circumstances at WNC, and we hope the Board of Regents finds some high-quality candidates to replace her. We also wish Lucey, who plans to stay in Carson City and continue contributing to the community, the best of luck.

SILVER DOLLAR: More than 100 pounds of prescription drugs and syringes were collected during Partnership Carson City’s recent roundup. That’s great for the community’s safety, as leftover medications can be abused and can do damage when they’re flushed down the toilet. If you have unused prescription drugs to dispose of, there’s a drug drop box in the lobby at the Carson City Sheriff’s Office. It’s open during regular business hours.

WOODEN NICKEL: As of this writing, there have been signs that the federal government’s shutdown could be winding down. If it doesn’t end soon, Nevada could be in trouble. During a cabinet meeting Tuesday, agency leaders told Gov. Brian Sandoval that the state’s food stamp and Women, Infants and Children programs could be jeopardized without federal funding, and the Employment Security Division also could suffer. Sandoval was careful not to lay blame with either the Democrats or the Republicans for the shutdown but acknowledged, “There’s starting to be some real consequences here.” We’re not laying blame, either. We’re just tired of the political gamesmanship.

SILVER DOLLAR: We thank City Manager Larry Werner for his service to Carson City. Werner, 65, announced his retirement this week after 5½ years on the job. He said a health care this year didn’t turn out to be a long-term issue, but that it prompted him to think about his future. We hope it’s a very enjoyable one.