Silver Dollars & Wooden Nickels

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

SILVER DOLLAR: To the Nevada National Guard and Kiwanis Club, who worked hard to beautify the Carson River. On Sept. 11, the Guard used a helicopter to airlift 20 junk cars that lurked for years below the surface, threatening safety and marring the river's natural beauty. By using the event as a training exercise, the Guard saved Carson City the thousands of dollars it would have taken to pay for the removal. On Saturday, Kiwanis members and volunteers donned gloves and picked up shovels and rakes for the annual Carson River Cleanup Day. These two events made the river safer and more beautiful for all of us to enjoy, and those who donated their time and sweat deserve our thanks.

WOODEN NICKEL: By now we've given so many nickels to the economy that it should erase the national debt. Unemployment news in Nevada this week continued to be bad, bad, bad, with the rate climbing to 13.2 percent. Nevada now ranks No. 2 in the nation. While the rest of the country is showing signs of easing out of the recession, it looks like it will take the Silver State longer to rebound.

SILVER DOLLAR: To Michael Lloyd of Carson City, who donated a kidney, saving the life of his friend Diane Andreasen. Andreasen calls Lloyd her hero, but the bartender brushes aside such accolades, saying his generosity is nothing more than a lesson for his two children, Brayden, 9, and Sydney, 6. "The way I look at it, my kids see their father and that he cares about life," Lloyd said.

SILVER DOLLAR: And finally, a nod to the Carson City Board of Supervisors, for approving the downtown ice rink for a second winter. The rink operated in the red its first season, and needed $135,000 in redevelopment funds to keep going again this winter. Despite the poor economy, the board decided to go ahead and approve the rink, which will provide an important downtown attraction and enhance the quality of life in our community. Now it's up to the people of Carson City to support the rink, ensuring it has a long, profitable future.