Silver Dollars & Wooden Nickels: Are you ready for some football?

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: Are you ready for some football?! Northern Nevada high school gridiron teams kicked off their seasons Thursday with the first practices of the year. On Aug. 28, Carson High School opens its season at Spanish Springs and Douglas debuts on the road at Las Vegas. Dayton opens at South Lake Tahoe a day later.

Wooden Nickel: If it seems like you've been paying more at the pump, that's because gas prices in Nevada increased a dime a gallon over the past month to an average of $2.75 for self-serve unleaded. The average price of a gallon in Carson City was reported at $2.83.

However, AAA Nevada predicts that gas prices will remain "fairly steady" the rest of the summer. The national average climbed 12 cents a gallon since mid-July to $2.64.

Silver Dollar: A tip of at least one silver dollar to Frank and Patricia Gomez, longtime owners of the south Carson City landmark Woody's Diner. After nearly 20 years, the couple is retiring and plan to close the diner/liquor store/gas station on Aug. 31 - one day before Frank's 75th birthday.

Although it's possible the restaurant will be sold, the couple is ready to close the doors later this month and call it a day for good.

"I got to know a lot of people and I've made some great friends and I really enjoy doing the work," Frank said. "But you reach a point where you can't do it no more. And I've reached that point."

Wooden Nickel: A giant sequoia's worth of wooden nickels to the continuing economic challenges of the recession. According to the state, Nevada casinos suffered their worst decline on record in Fiscal 2009, with the total gaming win finishing 13.7 percent below the previous year. The largest previous year-over-year drop was 2002, which declined 3.7 percent from 2001 in the wake of 9/11.

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