Mother Nature's magic helps snowpack

The Nevada Appeal's "Silver Dollar" and "Wooden Nickel" feature recognizes positive achievements from the Capital region and, when warranted, points out others that missed the mark.

Silver dollar: A pair of silver tiaras, along with scholarship money, goes to the two young women who will represent Carson City and Douglas County in the Miss Nevada contest later this year.

Angelina Marie Liguori was crowned Miss Carson City and Mackenzie Brynn Cauley earned Miss Douglas County honors last month.

Liguori won a $1,000 scholarship and Cauley a $1,500 award.

Wooden nickel: A splintered five-cent piece to (what else?) the economy.

This time for the news that Gottschalks, a Carson Mall anchor, is liquidating and will close its Carson City store later this year.

The department store is the latest in a string of area business troubles caused by the slumping economy.

Silver dollar: A safe cigarette? Well, at least a safer cigarette may be on its way to the Silver State.

Las Vegas Assemblyman John Oceguera, who is a firefighter, introduced a bill requiring cigarettes that would self-extinguish if left unattended. He says cigarette-related fires are the nation's leading cause of fire deaths in homes. That included 14 fatalities in Nevada in 2008.

Silver dollar: Water experts called the final winter snowpack survey conducted last week in the eastern Sierra "better than expected."

A big March snowstorm helped turn what looked like a dismal snow season into one closer to average as the region moves into the spring and summer months.

Editor's note: Do you have a suggestion for a Silver Dollar or Wooden Nickel award? Send your idea to editor@nevadaappeal.com