Silver Dollars & Wooden Nickels: Nickel to those who didn't vote

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.

Wooden nickel: To two thieves who talked their way into an elderly woman's Carson City home on the pretense of wanting to buy her RV. While one distracted her, the other ransacked her bedroom, stealing money. Other crooks use covers such as selling candy door to door to check out a potential victim. Stories like these remind us all to be on the alert, and never let strangers into your home. Better yet, unless you can clearly see a caller is known to you, don't even open the door. What a shame it's come to this.

Silver dollar: To Eagle Valley Middle School teacher Stacee Cress and her students, who collected school supplies to send to children in Haiti. Another silver dollar to Nevada Army National Guard Pfc. Craig Kenison, who is helping deliver the supplies during his two-week mission to the earthquake-ravaged island. This humanitarian effort is a great example of the nobility of our military, and generosity of our youth.

Silver dollar: To the Carson City Clerk-Recorder Alan Glover, his staff and the volunteers who helped at the polling places and counted ballots on primary election night. It went smooth as silk, with results known early in the evening after polls closed at 7 p.m. Candidates (and, we admit, newspaper folks) appreciate knowing their fate quickly. Good job to all who made the democratic process work without a hitch.

Wooden nickel: The flips side of the

previous silver dollar goes to Nevada voters who did not, in fact, vote on Tuesday. According to the Secretary of State's office, just 30 percent of those eligible voted on election day, in early voting and by absentee ballot. To those

70 percent who couldn't be bothered:

We would never suggest you forfeit your

First Amendment right to complain about

your elected leaders. We just hope that when you do, you feel a twinge of guilt.

Tsk tsk tsk.