A look back at 2015 in Carson City

A look back at some of the news items during the first half of 2015. The second half will appear in Saturday’s Appeal.

January

2: Nearly two weeks before her due date, Silver Brianne Jewelynne Ward was born at Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center, the first Carson City baby of 2015.

6: Gov. Brian Sandoval told a crowd of more than 200 he would dedicate his second four-year term to Nevada’s young people and their education.

7: Molly Seals, a 22-year-old Carson City woman, earned her ticket to Hollywood after performing in front of Harry Connick Jr., Jennifer Lopez and Keith Urban as part of American Idol season 14.

8: Carson City won a USA Today readership poll on the best state capital to visit, prompting local boosters to gush about the victory.

10: Brian Krolicki left the Capitol after 24 years of service in the building.

14: Battalion Chief Robert S. Schreihans has been selected by City Manager Nick Marano as Carson City’s new fire chief.

15: Joseph David Winters, 27, was killed after his 2001 Jeep Wrangler left the roadway and hit the guardrails on Highway 50, according to the Nevada Highway Patrol.

16: Gov. Sandoval in his third State of the State address laid out a sweeping reform plan including elements designed to please progressive Democrats along with changes conservative Republicans have long sought.

17: The state Department of Education released a list of 78 “under-performing” public schools in the state and two of them — Pioneer High and Silver State Middle School — are in Carson City.

20: Cody Kiser, a Northern Nevada rodeo rider with ties to Dayton and Carson City, talked about playing Bradley Cooper’s character in “American Sniper” as the film star’s stunt man double.

21: Refusing to bend to the new Republican Congress, President Obama unveiled an ambitious State of the Union agenda steeped in Democratic priorities, including tax increases on the wealthy, education and child care help for the middle class.

22: The Carson Horseshoe Club has closed, at least temporarily, and with no indication of when the downtown casino might reopen for business.

23: Carson City and Gardnerville rank as the top places in Nevada to retire, according to smartasset.com, a website on money and related matters.

24: While the rest of the state’s graduation pace stayed relatively flat, it was announced Carson City School District’s rate increased slightly for 2013-2014.

31: Park official say two trees, including a giant cottonwood, in Fuji Park pose a threat to the public and must go.

February

1: After almost two months of gnashing of teeth and drama surrounding whether Nevada needs more tax revenue to run state government, the 2015 Legislature begins the process of figuring that out.

5: The Carson High School varsity cheerleading squad won United Spirit Association USA Open 2015 Division Championship at the University of California-Davis, earning a spot in the USA High School Spirit Nationals in Anaheim, Calif.

6: The U.S. Agriculture Department has declared most of Nevada, including Carson City, a natural disaster area because of lingering drought.

7: A powerful Sierra storm packing hurricane-force winds ahead of a stream of rain and snow sent huge trees crashing into power lines, leaving tens of thousands of people without power.

8: An “innovation district” called the Capitol Mall will rise by 2017 or 2018, according to backers.

11: An $18 million sewer bond issue headed to market at mid-year won 5-0 approval from Carson City’s Debt Management Commission, and the city retained some $5 million in clearance regarding debt capacity.

17: Carson City’s Kristen Good, who now lives in Hollywood, is starring on television with actor Scott Foley of “Scandal” TV fame.

18: In the second party-line vote in two days, the Assembly approved a bill designed to reduce construction defect lawsuits.

19: Superintendent Richard Stokes addressed a crowd at Carson High School regarding Carson City Schools newly-formed foundation.

21: Legislation making extensive changes designed to reduce the number and impact of construction defects litigation won final legislative passage.

22: Carson Senators consoled each other after their 61-46 loss to the Galena Grizzlies at Morse Burley Gymnasium in the NIAA Northern boys basketball finals.

25: The Western Nevada College baseball and softball teams will fold after the 2016 season, college officials said.

26: Carson City workers will soon be able to earn an entry-level manufacturing certification through a new program being offered at the Carson City Library, the first library in the nation to do so.

27: Spadework reached the down-and-dirty stage when ground was broken for Carson City’s new $8.3 million athletic center.

28: Autumn Cuellar, a 17-year-old junior from Carson High School with a 4.3 grade-point average, was selected as Boys and Girls Clubs of Western Nevada’s Youth of the Year.

March

3: Several hundred people gathered at rallies in Utah and Nevada, including at the Legislature in Carson City, to demonstrate their opposition to efforts by some Western states to seize control of federal lands.

5: With legislation allowing school districts to extend their existing bonds and lifting prevailing wage requirements from school construction stalled in the Assembly, an emergency measure with just the bond rollover language was signed by Gov. Brian Sandoval.

6: The bill exempting school construction projects from having to pay prevailing wage to tradesmen received final legislative approval from the Assembly.

11: Veterans turned out in force to back construction of Northern Nevada Veterans Home.

12: More than 100 protesters demanding Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt back off his support of the lawsuit challenging the president’s immigration policy blocked Carson Street in front of Laxalt’s office.

15: Ian Hill spoke for 50 hours straight in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for longest public speech, a fundraising effort to send the girls in his CPAC soccer program to an international tournament.

18: An autopsy is scheduled on a body found by a hiker above Lone Mountain Cemetery at Roop Street and Winnie Lane.

20: A total of nine people were arrested in Carson City on major drug charges after a three-month investigation by the Tri-NET Narcotics Task Force.

22: Carson High’s culinary team won its 11th straight state title and is on to the National Championships.

24: The state Senate passed a Republican bill that would restrict people convicted of domestic violence from having a gun, but would also broaden the definition of justifiable homicide and make other changes to Nevada’s gun laws.

25: Carson City’s newest bistro opened its doors as an outgrowth of Minden’s Tahoe Ridge Winery, with management planning a grand opening when associated winery space is completed there soon.

26: A $6 million apartment complex and medical marijuana establishment special use permits received authorization in separate actions by Carson City’s Planning Commission.

27: An unprecedented attempt to protect sage grouse habitat across parts of more than 900 square miles of privately owned land in Nevada will begin under a deal involving the federal government, an environmental group and the world’s largest gold mining company.

28: Nevada Sen. Harry Reid announced he’s not going to seek a sixth term in the U.S. Senate.

29: Former Arkansas governor and 2008 Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee said in Carson City he would announce later this spring if he plans to run for president.

April

1: Mills Park hosted a day to honor Vietnam veterans and the sacrifices they made more than 40 years ago.

9: Standing amid the tufts of grass poking through the sandy bottom of what used to be Washoe Lake, Gov. Brian Sandoval announced the creation of the Nevada Drought Forum.

15: If the plain language of current statute is followed, the Nevada Supreme Court is going to shrink from seven members to five in the November 2018 election

16: One of the most popular boat-launching ramps at Lake Tahoe, the one in Sand Harbor, will not open this year due to diminishing water levels aided by the continuing Western drought.

17: Gayle H. Robertson was named treasurer by the Carson City Board of Supervisors.

18: The Nevada National Guard unveiled a tribute wall that commemorates the men and women from Nevada who have been deployed into combat zones since Operation Desert Storm.

21: Mayor Robert Crowell kicked off a #CarsonProud social media campaign, urging people to “make it go viral” as he spoke to participants at a workshop on possible downtown makeover themes.

22: On a 17-4 vote, the Nevada Senate passed Gov. Brian Sandoval’s business license tax.

23: More than 100 soldiers, friends, and family were at the Army Aviation Supports Facility to witness history as Col. Joanne Farris became the first female brigade commander in Nevada guard history.

26: A Mallory Emergency Department joins the Mallory Foundation Triage Lobby at Carson Tahoe Health’s hospital emergency room complex after a $500,000 gift to improve access and safety there.

30: A medical marijuana cultivation and production facility was approved by Carson City’s Planning Commission for 2919 N. Deer Run Road.

May

1: As part of the Carson City Sheriff’s Office’s Tip-A-Cop event, deputies traded in their guns and badges for menus and aprons and worked as servers at the Carson Street Applebee’s.

2: Volunteers and student veterans planted flags, representing veterans who ended their lives by suicide, on the lawn of the Western Nevada College campus.

5: Muscle Powered, an organization that promotes bicycling and walking, started off the month with its celebrity bike ride, an event featuring Mayor Bob Crowell and other community officials.

7: Thirty graduates, including three from Carson City, were certified and honored in ceremonies held by the Nevada Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training.

8: Two fallen peace officers, Alyn Beck and Igor Soldo, who lost their lives in the line of duty, were honored on the Capitol Grounds.

9: The Senate and Assembly money committees both approved the operating budget for the Public Employees Retirement System.

14: With almost all of the 11 streams feeding the lake between Reno and Carson City reduced to a trickle over the past five years, evaporation has officially claimed the last of Washoe’s waters.

16: Two area high school students — Maddie Preston and Zach Hawley — were top competitors at the NIAA state track meet in Las Vegas. Preston finished third in the triple jump and Hawley finished second in the Division I-A discus.

17: Readers, leaders included, lauded the Nevada Appeal at age 150 for being an integral part of their day, the community and the state’s history.

19: More than 500 students received their diploma at the Marv Teixeira Pavilion for a variety of associate and bachelor’s degrees.

20: Carson High School musical theater ensemble sang and danced to “Footloose” at its spring performance at the Carson City Community Center.

21: Caitlyn Morton, a 2013 Carson High graduate born with cerebral palsy, has been selected to participate in the national qualifier for the Paralympics to be held next year following the Summer Olympics in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

22: A last ditch attempt to force Nevada college campuses to let people carry guns to class was rejected by the Assembly.

24: Congressman Mark Amodei addressed a large crowed gathered at the Nevada State Railroad Museum for the unveiling of the restored Carson & Tahoe Lumber & Fluming Co. locomotive, Glenbrook.

26: In a solemn yet uplifting Memorial Day ceremony, military service and those who fell in combat were venerated at Carson City’s Lone Mountain Cemetery.

27: Carson High School theater members performed William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” at the amphitheater on the Capitol Grounds.

31: Living and appreciating the moment was the theme at graduation as Carson High School said goodbye to more than 400 students.

June

2: Lawmakers shut down the 2015 Legislature after approving a state budget totaling more than $19 billion for the coming two years.

4: For the first time in a decade, the majority of state workers will see an increase in their pay in the coming two years.

6: A teen center addition to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Western Nevada is going to be built if a $400,000 capital campaign is successful, club officials said.

7: With the passage of Assembly Bill 377, the historic Nevada State Prison is on its way to becoming a museum, tourist attraction and, potentially, even a movie set.

11: A bill that would grant Nevada counties functional home rule was signed into law by Gov. Brian Sandoval.

16: After a brief ceremony to get the public officials out of the way, Road and Highway Builders got to work on the final stretch of the Carson City Bypass — a day many in the capital thought they’d never see.

18: The Nevada Humane Society board voted to provide $225,000 for furniture, fixtures and equipment at Carson City’s planned new animal shelter.

19: A $4.5 million animal shelter budget was authorized for Carson City’s proposed facility, but without breaching a $4 million cap in city sales tax money.

21: The heat didn’t hinder too many, as hundreds visited the Carson City Airport for its annual open house.

23: Smoke poured into Carson City and Lyon County as a fire burned 8 to 10 miles south of Markleeville, Calif.

26: Nevada lawmakers were told Tesla Motors invested some $80 million in its Storey County gigafactory plant during the first quarter of the year, bringing the company’s total investment to $143.2 million so far.

30: Lacy J. Dalton performed at the Carson City Chamber of Commerce’s 70-year celebration at the Nevada State Prison.