Silver Dollars & wooden nickels: Cross country teams run away with dollars

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 handful of "quick" silver to the boys' and girls' cross-country teams at Carson High School - each squad captured 4A team titles at the recent state championships in Reno.

By winning both titles, Carson became the first school since Reno in 2006 to sweep. The Senators accomplished the same feat in 1991.

Richard Shroy edged a Galena runner in the boys' race to grab an individual state title. (Richard matched his brother Chad, who was a state champion three years ago.)

Carson's Katie McFarren placed second in the girls' race behind South Tahoe's Kelsey Smith, who won her third consecutive individual state title.

Silver Dollar: Nevada National Guard Staff Sgt. Derek Castro, a Carson City resident who recently received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star medals for his service in Afghanistan, was honored in a ceremony last week at the National Guard facility. Gov. Jim Gibbons officially presented Castro with the medals.

Castro, who was cited for several instances of valor and bravery this past year, is recovering from serious injuries suffered when his truck was destroyed in an explosion.

"We know what we were getting into when we went over there," Castro said. "I don't regret a day over there. It's the price we pay for doing business."

Silver Dollar: We're going to ignore gloomy economic news this week and serve up one more silver dollar in honor of the late Carson City resident Bill Williamson, a man made famous by his car-driving dogs. Williamson, 88, died Nov. 10 from cancer.

For at least four decades, with four different dogs, Williamson participated in the Nevada Day Parade, riding shotgun in his Model T Ford with Buddy, Beaver, Budd or Beauregard behind the wheel. And most Christmases in recent memory, Williamson and one of his dogs transported Santa Claus to the Capitol tree-lighting ceremony downtown.