Silver Dollars & Wooden Nickels: Carson High's new leadership

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

SILVER DOLLAR: To Carson High School's newly elected student leadership team for next year. It's commendable to see young people taking control of their own academic experience.

WOODEN NICKEL: To those older Nevadans who were involved in a disproportionately high percentage of fatal traffic accidents. Drivers age 65 or older make up 16 percent of the state's driving population but were involved in 22 percent of fatal accidents. More older drivers should be aware that as they age, their reflexes and vision can often diminish.

SILVER DOLLAR: To traffic engineers who are allowing a 5 mph increase in the speed limit on certain portions of Highway 50 along Lake Tahoe's South Shore. In the Meyers area in the last three years, more than 13 million vehicles have traveled Highway 50, with only four accidents.

SILVER DOLLAR: To U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, for protecting the U.S. Postal Service's mail processing center in Reno from job cuts. As the pension- and benefits-bloated agency sinks in red ink, at least Nevada is being given a respite from further job losses.