Back to profile

Steve Ranson

Stories by Steve

Stephens named state superintendent of the year

School district cited for its innovations during pandemic

Dr. Summer Stephens, Churchill County School District’s educational leader since 2018, has been named the state’s 2023 superintendent of the year. The Nevada Association of School Superintendents recently made the announcement, citing Stephens’ collaborative work during the coronavirus pandemic as a major reason for her recognition. She will now compete for the National Superintendent of the Year during the American Association of School Administrators National Conference on Education in February.

Investigation begins on cause of Hazen fire

Multiple fire agencies responded to railyard to extinguish burning railroad ties.

With the Hazen fire declared officially out Monday morning, state investigators are beginning sifting through the piles of burned railroad ties to determine the cause of the blaze which sent plumes of smoke into the sky and closed U.S. Highway 50A for a period of time.

Fallon experiences near normal highs

Lahontan Valley exceeds 100 degrees twice earlier this month

While most of the Great Basin and San Joaquin Valley baked with record temperatures exceeding the century mark, the Lahontan Valley escaped the constant heat for most of August and for the first two weeks of September.

CCHS seniors sign up to volunteer

Churchill County High School seniors are learning more about their community by volunteering with a local nonprofit agency.

Fallon honors spirit of 9/11

Community remembrance reflects on the worst attack on American soil

Twenty-one years ago, the events on Sept. 11 changed the way in which this county perceived itself and a changing world.

Greenwave derails Sparks in lopsided win

Fallon evens record at 1-1; travels to Truckee on Saturday

Within 2 minutes after the nonleague game kicked off Friday night at the Edward Arciniega Athletic Complex, the Greenwave scored two touchdowns (and added seven more) as Fallon defeated Sparks 58-6. Fallon plays on the road Saturday in a 7 p.m. game at Truckee.

Carson City remembers 9/11

The Carson City Christian Ministerial Fellowship’s 9/11 memorial ceremony begins 1 p.m. today.

Fallon murder suspect to stay hospitalized for year

John O’Connor, a 52-year-old Fallon man, is charged with a July 2018 murder of fellow church member Charles “Bert” Miller.

Labor Day rings in a parade, breakfast and rodeo

Politicians use the day to meet residents, visitors

Labor Day in Fallon — the three P’s of parade, politicians, pancake breakfast … and a junior rodeo to cap the weekend.

New award connects Pack with Navy history

Nevada football team uses the ‘Turnover Trident’ to reward play on the field and to learn the history of the USS Nevada

Not only will the University of Nevada’s football players have a symbol to indicate their defensive prowess on the field, but they are also learning the history of one of the greatest battleships to sail during World War II.

Reed’s late comeback stops Greenwave

Fallon drops season opener in a wild nonleague game, 34-28

After more than three quarters of hard-hitting football, Friday night’s nonleague football game boiled down to two plays.

Fernley’s ‘Victory Project’ receives $25 million grant

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg touted the grant for the Victory Project that will increase the efficiency of the supply chain.

CAPS needs area’s help

Rising costs, increased number of inbounds puts strain on agency’s budget

Even with a $20,000 infusion, the Churchill Animal Protection Society told county commissioners Aug. 17 the nonprofit group still needs help housing and providing adoption services for the area’s cats and dogs.

The call of the West beckons Chancey Williams

Rocky Mountain Entertainer of the Year Entertainer of the Year plays at the Fallon Cantaloupe Festival

After spending the last few days in Montana and his home state of Wyoming, Chancey Williams and his Younger Brothers Band are ready to head to another section of Cowboy Country for their next performance.

Home on the Grange: Fallon youth showcase their animals this weekend at Cantaloupe Festival

One of the youth groups participating in this year’s Fallon Cantaloupe Festival and Country Fair is the High Desert Grange, an organization that fosters leadership and agriculture among its members.

Amodei discusses topics ranging from Congress to state elections

U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei recently addressed a packed Aug. 16 meeting of the Fernley Republican Women on his annual swing throughout Northern Nevada.

Fallon Cantaloupe Festival and Country Fair begin next week

Tickets available for musical entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights

The days are ticking away for the first day of the annual Fallon Cantaloupe Festival and Country Fair. The 2022 festival and fair kick off on Aug. 26 at the Churchill County Fairgrounds with the major musical acts performing at the Rafter 3C Arena.

Churchill County School Trustees tackle a number of issues

Board listens to information on instruction, staffing, safety

Trustees received a report on current staffing as well as other items at the Aug. 10 Churchill County School Board meeting.

Community reunion welcomes back CCHS grads this weekend

The eighth annual Community Wide Reunion for both former Churchill County High School graduates and friends of the Greenwave is this weekend beginning with a concert on Friday night and also with individual class gatherings or dinners.

Noem, Cruz energize the crowd at the annual Basque Fry

Republican speakers urge Nevadans to vote ‘red’ in the fall

Republican star power rocked the seventh annual Basque Fry on Saturday at the Corley Ranch south of Gardnerville with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem offering strong pitches to elect Republicans to the major statewide offices in the Silver State.

Churchill GOP backs Scharmann for county commission seat

The CCRCC will submit Scharmann’s name along with the other candidates to Gov. Steve Sisolak.

Sprint to the finish: District scrambles to hire personnel before school begins Monday

With the opening of Churchill County schools just days away, the school district has scrambled during the past two weeks to cover most vacancies for both teachers and support staff. Opening day for the school district’s primary and secondary schools is Monday. Both new and returning licensed staff reported to their respective schools earlier this week, but Churchill County, has faced the same dilemma as other school districts across the state to fill the openings.

Gun range planned for Nevada Guard in Hawthorne

A small-arms training range is expected to be built at the Hawthorne Army Depot by fiscal year 2025, Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen recently announced.

Hundreds attend annual community day

Local groups hand out school supplies to the area’s students

Churchill County residents lined up by the hundreds Saturday at the annual Fallon Community Day, a one-day event that primarily gave away free school supplies for children in attendance. Churchill County, the city of Fallon, the Churchill Community Coalition and New Frontier co-sponsored the annual event which was held for the first time at the new Rafter R3C arena. Not only did families receive school supplies, but they also mingled with the area’s first responders and had a chance to meet the various representatives of organizations that provided information.

Weather cools off for Churchill County

Highs dip into the 90s after a month of hitting the century mark

After another hot July, cooler weather is ringing in August with daytime highs in the lower to mid 90s and lows ranging in the 60s, reports the National Weather Service in Reno. Naval Air Station Fallon recorded 18 days of 100 degrees or higher for July, a slight increase from 2021 when 17 days reached the century mark. The weather service, however, has used readings from the University of Nevada Experimentation Station since 1903 which had 24 days reaching a minimum of 100 degrees.

Fallon man, woman agree to plea deal

Sentencing scheduled in Tenth District Court in early October

Two Fallon residents who were originally charged earlier this year with murder and three other counts pleaded guilty earlier this month in Tenth Judicial District Court to involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence.

Small arms training range planned for Nevada Guard

Army approves plan to build new facility at Hawthorne by 2025

The Nevada National Guard is expected to have a small arms training range built at the Hawthorne Army Depot by fiscal year 2025, Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen recently announced. The Democratic senator, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the U.S. Army will implement plans this year to construct an approved range at the sprawling military installation 70 miles south of Fallon.

Royalty ready to promote Cantaloupe Festival

Area’s melons inspired the state’s oldest ag event

With a month remaining before the kickoff to this year’s Fallon Cantaloupe Festival and Country Fair, Ben and Karen Bassham are more than ready to represent the annual event as this year’s king and queen.

Community reunion plans set for August

The eighth annual Community Wide Reunion in August may be one the largest gatherings of former Churchill County High School graduates and friends of the Greenwave. Sue McCormick, who had been a driving force behind the event since 2014, said almost 20 classes have signed up for the reunion, which is Aug. 19-21 at Oats Park.

Woody Williams: We forget no one

The months leading to the dedication of the Gold Star Families Memorial in Sparks passed quickly with June 29 heavily circled on many calendars. Several weeks prior to the dedication in 2019, Medal of Honor recipients Hershel “Woody” Williams and Donald “Doc” Ballard arrived at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport to finalize the dedication with members from the Nevada Gold Star Memorial Foundation and other volunteers.

After 44 years, Roger Diedrichsen retires as owner of Pizza Barn

Tucked into one corner of the Valley View Plaza for more than four decades, Roger Diedrichsen’s Pizza Barn has been the place to go in the Lahontan Valley for birthdays, sports wins and family fun.

Battle of the Badges: Law enforcement agencies engage in friendly blood drive

The newest round of Battle of the Badges is rapidly approaching with the winner to reclaim — or perhaps keep — bragging rights in a community blood drive. The annual Battle of the Badges encourages residents to donate blood and then designate the receiving agency, either the Churchill County Sheriff’s Office or the Fallon Police Department, last year’s champion. This year’s blood drive has been expanded to two days, July 20 and 21 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Church of Latter-day Saints, 450 N. Taylor St.

PHOTOS: Fallon July 4 parade results

Parade held in Fallon to celebrate July 4, 2022.

Tony Yarbrough, Nevada veterans’ advocate, dies at 73

For thousands of Nevada’s veterans, Anthony “Tony” Yarbrough has been synonymous with their causes for decades.

Lords accepts principal’s job in Battle Mountain

Winnemucca native leaves Fallon after spending 17 years with CCSD

After 17 years of living in Fallon and working with the Churchill County School District, Kevin Lords couldn’t pass up the opportunity to return home … sort of.

Sevon retires as court administrator

District Court Judge Thomas Stockard knew the day was inevitable when his court administrator would retire. Sue Sevon, who had been with the Churchill County courts for 30 years — most recently as the court administrator for 20 years — recently retired.

Carson City Guard unit deploying to Romania

The first deployment of a Nevada Army National Guard unit to Europe since early 2020 is involving about 40 soldiers from a Carson City-based police unit.

Getto wins commission race

Koenig, Titus lead their respective races for the state Legislature

Myles Getto, a newcomer to Churchill County politics, defeated Tom Riggins for the commission’s District 2 seat. The Fallon native received 1,592 votes (40.38%) to Riggins 1,322 (33.53%). Rounding out the four-candidate field were Kenneth Harmon with 715 votes and Tanya Freeman, 314. Since all the candidates were Republicans, no voting in the general election will occur.

R-C, Appeal sports editor Dave Price joins NIAA Hall of Fame

Dave Price represented the best of the best when pacing the sidelines while covering a high school game.

Virginia City’s Rollie Hess joins NIAA Hall of Fame

Rollie Hess is synonymous with Virginia City’s dominance of high school basketball in the 1960s.

Erquiaga named interim NSHE chancellor

Fallon native takes over on a temporary basis

A Fallon native has been approved as the acting chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education for 18 months while the Board of Regents search for a permanent chancellor. “Dale Erquiaga is a gifted innovator and strategist with over 35 years of successful experience in both the private and public sectors,” said Cathy McAdoo, Board of Regents chair. “I have full confidence in his abilities to be a true asset for NSHE and the many communities we serve.”

B-29 Superfortress flies over Nevada

Bombers made a big impact in last year of WWII

The B-29 Superfortress lends much of its early history to the Wendover Army Air Base on the Utah-Nevada border that trained crews to fly the military’s largest plane in the waning days of World War II. Wendover became an independent air base from Fort Douglas in March 1942 where the B-17 and B-24 bomber groups trained

Rafter 3C: A vision comes to fruition

Grand opening gushers in new era of events, tourism for Churchill County

A vision. A plan. And now a state-of-the art venue. Local government officials and guests attended the grand opening and ribbon cutting on June 1 for the Rafter 3C Arena, which is expected to provide a boon to the Churchill County economy.

Valedictorians said CCHS students endured challenges of pandemic, online learning

Speakers at Friday night’s Churchill County High School graduation told seniors to look forward to the next chapter in their lives after the Class of 2022 persevered during one of the bleakest times in U.S. history.

Nevada League of Cities: Americana is found here in Churchill County

What’s red, white and blue with an added color of green? Churchill County residents who support their country, the Navy … and we can’t forget the iconic Greenwave, a symbol of the wind-blown waves of alfalfa and other crops that cover the Lahontan Valley.

Capt. Tanner speaks at FPST’s Memorial Day ceremony

Area cemeteries also conduct observances for fallen veterans

Members of the Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribe who are currently serving or have served in the nation’s military were honored on Memorial Day when Capt. Shane Tanner, commander of Naval Air Station Fallon, recognized their service and sacrifice.

Adult ed students balance life in their hands, including education

Graduates of the Churchill County School District’s Adult Education Diploma Program were told by several speakers at their May 26 ceremony not to stop believing in themselves both now and in the future.

Top Gun: Maverick shows off weapons school at Naval Air Station Fallon

Independent and unorthodox, a maverick tests his boundary to the extreme ends. Likewise, Tom Cruise’s character in the latest Top Gun movie not only pushes his boundaries to Mach 10 and beyond, but he also improvises the tasks at hand in being the best of the best with an escape scene at the end.

Veterans rank issues for Nevada Legislature

A veterans council organization has rated its most important issues for the Nevada Legislature to consider for the next session in Carson City that begins in early 2023.

Fallon celebrates Armed Forces Day

Annual event features guest speakers to a poker run

Fallon’s Essie Burriss is as red, blue and white as anyone in the Lahontan Valley.