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Steve Ranson

Stories by Steve

Memorial service honors 8 veterans

FERNLEY — Eight veterans were remembered Thursday for their service to the nation in a military ceremony at the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Fernley.

Colleagues remember general’s legacy to Nevada

Tributes are pouring in for Robert Herbert, a former policy adviser to Sen. Harry Reid and retired major general in the Nevada Army National Guard.

Clampers honor Fallon Theatre’s centennial

Plaque recognizes the 1920 opening of the iconic downtown business

The Fallon Theatre received a special recognition on Sept. 11 to honor the iconic movie house for its 100 years.

Amodei introduces act for the Navy range expansion

Nevada Congressman Mark Amodei has reintroduced the Northern Nevada Economic Development, Conservation and Military Modernization Act that would be included in the fiscal year 2022 National Defense Authorization Acts for possible consideration later this year.

By land and by air: Wave’s balanced offense sinks Vikings

Before every game, Churchill County High School football coach Brooke Hill preaches balance, so the Greenwave can attack their opponent effectively through the air and on the ground.

Twenty years later: A day that changed the country

Amodei, Tedford reflect on 9/11 and how a nation won’t forget

U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei said he was humbled to be in attendance at Fallon’s annual 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony on Saturday that honored the 2,977 people killed 20 years ago during a coordinated terrorist attack.

Aces, Vietnam vets rededicate POW-MIA seat

WWII Army veteran honored during the game with Tacoma

A former Army soldier and prisoner of war became the first honoree to occupy a special chair at Greater Nevada Field.

Truckee rolls in a 21-6 win over the Wave

COVID testing offers challenges to the Fallon roster on game day

Planning and executing a game plan for Friday night has been an early-season challenge for Greenwave football coach Brooke Hill and his staff.

Carson City reflects on how 9/11 changed America

“We were attacked, and we came together as a nation, people and Americans."

Carson City to remember 20th anniversary of 9/11

Observances to mark the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, will be conducted Saturday in Carson City, Minden, Fallon and Fernley.

Churchill County School District implements face coverings for students

Recent outbreak of positive COVID-19 cases, increased number of quarantines prompts officials to take action

The Churchill County School District will require beginning today (Sept. 9) all students to wear a face covering for at least a month because of an increase number of positive COVID-19 cases in the schools.

Fallon Post 16 celebrates centennial

Ceremony follows the city’s 911 remembrance

American Legion Post 16 has two tasks to commemorate on Saturday. First, the post members will participate in the city of Fallon’s annual 9/11 ceremony, and then later in the day, the post is recognizing its 100th anniversary when an American Legion charter was signed on Sept. 11, 1921.

Museum presents 7-part lecture series on Newlands Project

Water has been a lifeline to the Lahontan Valley since construction of the Newlands Project began more than a century ago. Construction commenced in 1903 on a project that would cover land in a four-county area and, according to the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District, provide water for 57,000 acres of irrigated land in Churchill County near Fallon and the bench lands near Fernley in Lyon County. The two other affected counties are Washoe and Storey.

9/11 shocked the nation

Nevada wheeled into action to provide security at its civilian and military facilities

An emerging sun slowly climbing over the Stillwater Mountains east of Fallon didn’t foreshadow the tragedy that both the Lahontan Valley and the rest of the country would encounter. With the East Coast already experiencing the early morning rush, millions of people on the West Coast — which is three hours behind — were stretching their bodies and preparing for a new day.

IHOP Shooting: Nevada Guard keeps the memory alive for four victims

Friday was the 10th anniversary of the Carson City IHOP shooting that resulted in five deaths and seven injuries.

Photo gallery: 2021 Cantaloupe Festival

Photo gallery: 2021 Cantaloupe Festival

High-school students moved at unaccompanied military service

A dozen Bishop Manogue High students attended the 30-minute service.

Learning the county’s agricultural roots

Churchill County fifth graders learned more about agriculture and its importance in the Lahontan Valley on the first day of the Fallon Cantaloupe Festival and Country Fair. Other students belonging to the High Desert Grange could also be seen with their animals throughout the three-day festival.

Junior rodeo ushers in busy Labor Day weekend

Annual Lions Club Labor Day parade features 10 categories

The annual Lions Junior Rodeo ushers in another busy weekend in the Lahontan Valley, starting first with the queen contest Friday night at the Churchill County Fairgrounds and action in the arena for the next three days.

Army veteran seeks to unseat Nevada senator

Army veteran Sam Brown has been conducting meets and greets and visiting rural Nevada as he begins his campaign for the U.S. Senate seat held by Catherine Cortez Masto.

Cantaloupe Festival begins Friday

The 35th annual show is the state’s longest running agricultural event

Many visitors to this year’s annual Fallon Cantaloupe Festival and Country Fair will be surprised to learn of this area's storied past with agriculture and especially with the cantaloupe.

Input needed for state survey

Businesses, food producers, residents strongly encouraged to tell state how to spend ARP money

The Nevada Recovers Listening Tour made a stop in Fallon last week with state Treasurer Zach Conine outlining a plan to three diverse groups for the state to spend billions of dollars to improve the quality of life in the Silver State.

School opens Monday for 2021-22 school year

Under protest, trustees approve governor’s mandate for face coverings

For the first time in two years, the first day of Churchill County schools on Monday may resemble a normal opening day for the district’s students and teachers.

Laxalt lauded at his Basque Fry, then files for Senate

The buzz at this year’s sixth annual Basque Fry hovered on former Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt and if he would announce a run for U.S. Senate.

Stars and Stripes, serving since the Civil War, marks 160 years

Stars and Stripes is an independent military newspaper distributed to the troops overseas.

State’s longest running agricultural event opens Aug. 27

Plans are shaping up for the annual Fallon Cantaloupe Festival, which begins its 35th year in less than three weeks at the Churchill County Fairgrounds.

Colleagues remember WNC instructor who loved Churchill County

Bonnie York enjoyed both teaching and working with cattle

Their friendship both in and out of the classroom covered more than 40 years. Doris Dwyer, who taught humanities before retiring in 2015, first met Bonnie York in 1980 when she was hired to teach business-related courses and then computer science at Western Nevada Community College (now Western Nevada College).

Lions Club seeks Labor Day parade entries

This year’s theme is “Celebrating the Survival of the Pandemic.”

Navy journalist has no regrets: Carlson retires after 20 years of service

Chief Petty Officer Lawrence Carlson was recently celebrated among family and colleagues at the new Navy Operational Support Center at Naval Air Station Fallon.

Museum begins book sale for two weeks

Lined up on rows of tables are hundreds of books appealing to all literary tastes.

Steve Ranson: This newspaper has weathered time

The first written and produced issue produced by Union soldiers during the Civil War has followed military men and women around the globe from Cold War maneuvers in Europe after World War II to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Sparks native Byington, last of the Cold War generals, dies at 88

Douglas M. Byington, 88, died July 20, 2021.

John Tewell served 2 communities and numerous organizations

Former Elko and Fallon City Councilman John E. Tewell was remembered Saturday as not only a family man with a deep love of God but also as a public servant who served two communities on opposite ends of Nevada.

Navy begins investigation of NAS Fallon helicopter crash

Crew called out to search for lost hiker near Boundary Peak

A Navy MH-60 Knighthawk helicopter from Naval Air Station Fallon crashed near Mt. Hogue, Calif., late Friday afternoon while conducting search and rescue (SAR) operations, but the crew couldn’t be safely rescued until Saturday afternoon.

Residents feel magnitude 5.9 earthquake

Aftershocks rattle small resort town south of Topaz Lake

A 5.9 magnitude earthquake with its epicenter near Walker, Calif., rolled through a two-state area Thursday afternoon causing minor damage and frayed nerves.

Fallon murder suspect ruled incompetent to stand trial

John O’Connor, 51, pleaded not guilty to four charges in 2019 to the murder of Charles E. “Bert” Miller at the Church of Latter-day Saints on July 22, 2018.

Sailors report to new NOSC facility

$24.8 million building at NAS Fallon houses more than 200 personnel

The Navy Reserve has taken a modernistic approach to the 21st century with the construction of Navy Operational Support Centers (NOSC) including one at Naval Air Station Fallon.

Brophy says goodbye to Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center

With the celebration last weekend of the Fourth of July and Churchill County’s remembrance of patriotism, apple pie, and Americana, the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center has a big voice in training to keep the United States safe.

A vintage Fourth of July weekend

Parade, Farmers Market begin the celebrations on Saturday; fireworks Sunday night

Fourth of July weekend rings in a parade, a Green Goddess Farmers Market, auto racing and fireworks on Sunday night to light up the clear, sparkling Nevada sky.

Former Councilman John Tewell dies

John Tewell, who served on the city councils of two Nevada cities, died June 20 at his home. He was 92. Tewell, who was born on Sept. 28, 1928, in Elko, was honored by the city of Fallon on his 90th birthday in 2018. A graduate of Elko High School, Tewell worked for the Elko Daily Free Press for 30 years and served on the city council for eight years. Tewell also sold insurance for Farm Bureau Insurance.

Cool under pressure: Hall of Fame coach made his mark as a player, coach

A talented athlete in high school, Beach played on state championship games in the late 1960s and early 1970s. As a coach, he served as the offensive coordinator on three Greenwave football teams that won three state championships and guided the baseball team to back-to-back titles in 1977 and 1978. Beach, who died on June 15 after a brief illness, earned Nevada AA Coach of the Year honors in 1978.

Scharmann thanked for years of community service

Former commissioner worked on a number of projects to better life in Churchill County

The community turned out June 16 to thank a former county commissioner not only for his five decades of public service and his eight years on the commission but also for his years on a number of committees that served to better Churchill County.

Funeral set for Hall of Fame coach, athlete

A Nevada Hall of Fame athlete and coach who was part of the Greenwave’s championship teams of the late 1960s and ’70s died June 15 after a short illness.

Discussion on Life Center control heats up

Heated exchanges on the restructuring of the William N. Pennington Life Center showed how contentious the county’s plan is to transfer operations to its control.

Food Hub services wide area of western Nevada

At least 50 kinds of fruits and vegetables from local producers

Kelli Kelly, the executive director of the Fallon Food Hub, is passionate about her role in making people healthy and aware of the produce Churchill County offers to this part of Nevada.

Life Center’s Coalition board rubber stamps county proposal

Senior citizens express displeasure with the takeover of operations

One speaker after another took turns blasting the county commission for its action and begged the Coalition board not to approve the transfer plan.

Cantaloupe festival selects 2021 queen: Callie Perez

Callie Perez, a recent graduate of Oasis Academy, has been named this year’s Fallon Cantaloupe Festival and Country Fair queen.

Fallon/Churchill reunion plans taking shape

CCHS classes 1960, 1961 to be honored in August

This year’s community wide Fallon/Churchill County Community Reunion is set for Aug. 20-22 with the main hub of activity at Oats Park.

Churchill commissioners approve restructuring plan for Life Center

County’s intent is to manage center’s budget and grants

Churchill County Commissioners voted unanimously last week to approve a restructuring plan for the William N. Pennington Life Center.

Injury hampers Christian Walker’s season

Former Aces first baseman tries to rediscover his hitting groove

The 30-year-old Walker celebrated his late March birthday this year by being named the Diamondbacks’ MVP for spring training after finishing in the top-10 in home runs, runs batted in, on-base plus slugging (OPS) and slugging percentage.