Community news briefs for week of June 24

Community Wide Reunion Aug. 16-17

It’s a celebration weekend and also the 10th anniversary of the Community Wide Reunion on Aug. 16-17 to not only honor the classes of Churchill County High School but also bring the community together for an afternoon and evening of un, camaraderie and music.

The Class of 1964 is celebrating its 50th reunion, and Mayor Ken Tedford will recognize the graduates.

In addition to the Class of 64, the other classes that have confirmed their attendance are: 1950s, 1963, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1994, 2004 and 2014.

The first day of the reunion begins with a 7 p.m. concert at the Fallon Theatre with the River Rogue band. Other graduates or classes are also planning dinners or other social events for that night.

Saturday begins with a free breakfast at the Oats Park Arts Center’s Lariat Patio and a Show-n-Shine Car Show and antique tractors display in front of the center.

From 10 a.m. to noon, visits will be able to tour the Cottage Schools, the Douglass House, the Fallon Police Department and the Fallon Churchill Volunteer Fire Department and tour the Fallon City Hall with Tedford.

The Churchill County Museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For those who want to splash in the pool from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., a free swim at the City Pool and the New Splash Pad area is planned.

The Fallon Theatre will also have tours of our historic theatre between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday. Community karaoke follows from 2-4 p.m.

The Frey Ranch Distillery tours from noon to 4 p.m.

The reunion time for people to gather at Oats Park begins at 4 p.m. Extra parking will be available at E.C. Best Elementary School.

People are encouraged to bring their own chairs, and some classes will have tents set up. During the afternoon visitors will be able to purchase food, ice cream, coffee, beer and wine, or they may pack a picnic. Other activities include a photo booth, face painting, balloon art, reuniting with friends and other fun-filled activities.

The evening caps off with a free concert with Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley.

Museum annual meeting

The Churchill County Museum annual meeting and ice cream social is set for June 29 from 1-3 p.m.

Museum Director Mel Glover will present the projects and achievements from the past year and share plans for fiscal year 2024-25.

The afternoon will also feature portrayals by the Young Chautauqua group of historical figures through monologue and costume. In addition, “Shadow Catchers,” a returning exhibit originally from 1984, is now in the temporary display area highlighting 120 years of local photography in Churchill County. The exhibit includes vintage works by Laura Mills, Keith Mulcahy, Albert Alcorn, Margaret “Peg” Wheat, Mary Foster, Rolly Ham, Walter Lubken, Frank Woodliff and Timothy O’Sullivan.

Historical camera equipment is on view.

Located at 1050 S. Maine St., the museum is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.-3 p.m. For information, call 775-423-3677

Fallon City Council

The Fallon City Council will meet in a special meeting at 9 a.m. June 27 in the City Council Chambers, 55 W. Williams Ave. The agenda has been posted at www.fallonnevada.gov.

Fallon Cantaloupe Festival

The Fallon Cantaloupe Festival & Country Fair is Aug. 23-25 at the Rafter 3C Complex.

From sewing to quilting, growing fruits and vegetables to flowers, photography, crafts, and upcycling/recycling, there is something for everyone.

Visit FallonCantaloupeFestival.com/competitions for information.

Churchill County Library

The Churchill County Library is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Summer programming is back for June and July. Dive into a variety of free events and programming. Please note that the library will be closed July 4.

 Special events:

Summer Reading Program kicked-off June 1. The last day to log reading activities is July 31 with a grand prize drawing on Aug. 2. Paper reading logs are available at the library, or you can track your reading in Beanstack, an online app you can use on your phone or computer.

Additional Summer Reading Program activities include:

Reading with Rover on July 11 at 3:30 p.m.

Presentation by local 4-H kids on July 16 at 2 p.m.

The Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival performers present a showcase on July 30 at 2 p.m.

Sen. Jacky Rosen’s office representative will be at the library July 11 at 1 p.m. for “office hours.”

Book discussion group for adults continues June 27 and July 25 at 6 p.m. in the library annex. Light refreshments served.

Elementary Book Club meets June 28 and July 26 at 3:30 p.m. in the Library Annex at 3 p.m. for those in grades 3 through 5. Reserve your book to take home at: bit.ly/CCLElementaryBookClub

Basketball summer skills

Churchill County Parks & Recreation is offering a Basketball Summer Skills Series.

Upcoming fourth-12th graders are welcome to join one or all three training sessions, sharpening their game and making friends along the way.

If you're interested, visit churchillcountyrecreation.org.

Greenwave Games

Greenwave Games will host two gaming-related summer camp classes for youth in fourth-12th grades July 22-26 at the Churchill County High School vocational building, room V-11. Cost is $100 per course.

Esports camp will meet 9 a.m.-1 p.m. each day. Campers will play against high school esports competitors using Blizzard, Riot, Epic and Nintendo and learn about earning scholarships through tournament play.

Game development camp will meet 2-6 p.m. each day. Campers will learn to use Blender and Unreal Engine 5 to program and create assets for their own games.

For information and registration, email instructor Aaron Holt holta@churchillcsd.com.

New museum hours

The Churchill County Museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays.

Pennington Life Center

Plenty of good eats at the Pennington Life Center: All are welcome to partake. Lunch served 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. weekdays. Cost is $6 for those under age 60 and a suggested donation of $3 for those 60 and older.

Activities and resources are plentiful at the Pennington Life Center in June. Here's what's happening: https://nv-churchillcounty2.civicplus.com/.../Activities.

Food Bank commodities distribution is on June 13 and 24.

USDA funding

Funding is available from USDA Rural Development Nevada for nonprofits, tribes, colleges and universities to create revolving loan fund programs and support training and technical assistance for rural microentrepreneurs and microenterprises.

Application deadlines are June 30. For information or to apply contact 775-443-4756.

Pack Picnics on the Quad

Pack Picnics are back in July so we look forward to seeing you, your friends and family out on the Quad at the University of Nevada, Reno. Pack Picnics on the quad dates are July 10, 17, 24 and 26 from 6-8 p.m.

Sierra Pacific Federal Credit Union is sponsoring the picnic watermelon.

USDA funding

Funding is available from USDA Rural Development Nevada for nonprofits, tribes, colleges and universities to create revolving loan fund programs and support training and technical assistance for rural microentrepreneurs and microenterprises.

Application deadlines are June 30. For more information or to apply contact 775-443-4756.

Frances Humphrey Lecture Series

Cruise down to the Nevada State Museum in Carson City to hear local author J. Butler Kyle at the Frances Humphrey Lecture Series on June 27 from 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Imagine your journey begins with the rugged scenery of Reno on the north end of the eastern Sierra Nevada, over mountain passes such as Deadman Summit, through unique towns along the route like Lone Pine, and down amongst the barren beauty of the Mojave Desert, to its terminus in Adelanto at Interstate-15.

Her book “No Exit Necessary” is a roadside attraction and trivia exploration guide filled with trivialities, historic facts, monument inscriptions, and backstories of town names. Admission is $10 for adults, members and children ages 17 and under are free.

NV Farm Apprenticeship program

Applications are open until July 31 for the Nevada Farm Apprenticeship program.

The full position description and application instructions are available here: https://naes.unr.edu/dfi/publication.aspx?PubID=5054

The Nevada Farm Apprenticeship Program will prepare participants to become farm owner operators in Nevada. Through their engagement, apprentices will gain practical knowledge, contacts, and experience required to operate a small outdoor fruit and vegetable farm (approximately $25,000 - $350,000 gross farm income).

From October 2024 to September 2025, two successful applicants will be hosted as Farm Apprentices at the Desert Farming Initiative (DFI) within the Experiment Station of the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources at the University of Nevada, Reno. The program emphasizes certified organic and climate-smart practices.

Apprentices will receive on-farm training at DFI and partner farms; work through a science-based curriculum; and manage farm space with support of instructors. At the completion of the first year, apprentices will have the opportunity to apply to develop and manage their own incubator farm at DFI (subject to a successful application for a second year and available funding).

Fire restrictions now in place

Due to drying vegetation, increasing daytime temperatures and some human-caused fires the Bureau of Land Management, Carson City District Office; the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Western Nevada Agency; Bureau of Reclamation, California Great Basin Region; Nevada Division of Forestry, Public Domain Allotments; and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge Complex announce the implementation of fire restrictions on all lands under their jurisdiction until further notice.

For information or clarification on the restrictions, contact the BLM-Carson City District Office at 775-885-6000; the BIA at 775-887-3500; Reclamation at 916-978-5101; USFWS at 775-423-5128; and NDF at 775-684-2709 or go to www.nevadafireinfo.org.

Stage 1 Fire restrictions prohibit the following until further notice:

• Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire (using wood, charcoal or any other material), campfire, or stove fire except a portable stove using gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel outside of a developed fee campground or picnic area (except by permit).

• Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or when stopped in an area at least 3 feet in diameter that is barren or cleared; of all flammable material.

• Operating or parking a vehicle or other motorized equipment over or on top of dried/cured vegetation.

• Welding, metal grinding, or operating an acetylene or other torch with open flame (except by permit).

STAGE I Exemptions

An exemption does not absolve an individual or organization from liability or responsibility for any fire started by the exempted activity.

• Persons with a written permit that specifically authorizes the otherwise prohibited act.

• Persons using a fire solely fueled by liquid petroleum or liquified petroleum gas fuels. Such devices, including propane campfires, may be used only in an area cleared of flammable material.

• Private landowners using charcoal (disposed of properly) or propane barbecues on their own lands.

• Persons conducting activities in those designated areas where the activity is specifically authorized by written posted notice.

• Any federal, state, or local officer or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force, in the performance of an official duty.

All agencies recommend when operating vehicles or equipment traveling on or using wildland areas to have at least an axe, shovel and one gallon of water and to carry cell phones while in the wildlands or national forests to report wildfires.

As fire season continues all agencies will be aggressively citing those who do not comply with the posted restrictions. Violation of these prohibitions is subject to punishment by a fine and/or imprisonment (agency statutes vary). Persons may also be responsible for resource damage, suppression costs and any injuries that occur if they are found liable for causing a wildfire.

Affected areas include the following:

• BLM: All areas, roads, and trails on all public lands within the BLM-Carson City District. These restrictions are in addition to and not separate from those which were issued at the BLM state level. https://bit.ly/3Qifalb

• BIA: All lands administered by the BIA located within or adjacent to the BLM NV Carson City District.

• BUREAU OF RECLAMATION: The order applies to Reclamation-administered lands within the Newlands Project boundary administered by the Lahontan Basin Area Office, in Churchill, Lyon, Storey, and Washoe counties. Exception: the Lahontan Recreation Area.

• USFWS: All areas, roads, and trails within the boundaries of the Stillwater, Anaho Island and Fallon National Wildlife Refuges. Campfires are prohibited on these refuge lands year-round.

• NDF: State Parks and recreation areas in the Western region, including Washoe Lake, Mormon Station, Lahontan Lake, Buckland Station, Walker River, Dayton, Fort Churchill and Rye Patch State Parks. State Park staff may further restrict activities, such as building and maintaining campfires within approved fire enclosures or designated picnic areas based on local conditions and when “Red Flag” conditions are in place.

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