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: May marks the 60th anniversary of the opening of the original Carson-Tahoe Hospital. The facility opened in 1949 with a modest 10-bed facility.
Carson City, with a population of about 2,000 in the 1940s, had three family doctors and no hospital. If someone required surgery or advanced care, they had to go to Reno.
Following expansions in 1968 and 1978, the now Carson Tahoe Regional Healthcare organization selected an 80-acre tract on the north end of Carson City for a new site. The 325,000-square-foot facility opened in 2005.
Silver Dollar: Lots of silver dollars were raised May 9 for the Carson-Tahoe Cancer Center at the annual Celebrity Docs fundraiser at Glen Eagles.
About 250 people attended the event that collected more than $50,000 through the raffle of a new car donated by Dick Campagni Auto Group, an auction of donated items and all tips from diners that evening. Doctors from Carson-Tahoe Regional Healthcare were pressed into service as waiters and bartenders.
Wooden Nickel: Fallout from the national economic slowdown reached down to the Carson City business community again this week.
Chrysler LLC announced it was closing almost 790 dealerships nationwide, including ending its relationship with Carson Jeep Nissan. Chrysler brands include Jeep and Dodge. The Carson dealership plans to stay in business with its Nissan line. Chrysler's bankruptcy plan, combined with dealership cutbacks announced by GM on Friday, could result in 100,000 jobs lost nationwide.
Wooden nickel: On the heels of news that Lyon County's unemployment rate of 15.2 percent in March was the highest of any county in the state, the county is considering layoffs this week.
Lyon County Commissioners could vote Monday to lay off 10 full-time county employees to help reduce a $610,000 budget shortfall. The county government is the third largest employer in the county.
Silver Dollar: Carson City School District announced this week Becky Ritter, a classroom aide at Eagle Valley Middle School, received the district's Classified Employee of the Year award.
Classified employees include office staff, aides, custodians, bus drivers and other positions outside of teachers and administrators.
Editor's note: Do you have a suggestion for a Silver Dollar or Wooden Nickel award? Send your idea to editor@nevadaappeal.com