Farmers have always been the world's busiest, hardest-working people. Farmers are perhaps the only people whose profession commands universal respect. Between milking the cows in the morning and getting that milk to market, and collecting the eggs at day's end and getting those eggs to market, who has time to date?

So, traditionally, over the centuries, farmers turning 18 years of age fell in love with the first person of the opposite sex they came into contact with, or maybe the same sex, and va-va-voom! This casual meeting oftentimes ended up in a wedding, sometimes a shotgun marriage, but you're too young to even know what a shotgun marriage is.

Anyways, if you were raised on a farm, well, that was credentials enough to define you as a person of sterling character and exceptional morals. A person raised on a farm was a child of the Earth, the very salt of the Earth, a person to get things done. But then again, there was little or no time for dating.

Then, in the 21st century, along came the internet and, "Farmers Only Online Dating." One can only imagine how that first conversation might have gone.

"Name's 'Boon,' yours?"

"Naomi."

"You do alfalfa?"

"Beans…kidney mostly."

"Hunt?"

"Ruger, Bolt Action."

"Fish?"

"Fly…Wooly Buggers mostly."

"Answer me this and I might ask you to marry me … you know that bottle of pear brandy with the real pear inside the bottle?"

"Yeah,"

"Well then, how'd they get that pear inside that bottle?"

"Simple. You take your empty bottle and you duck tape your empty bottle to a pear tree. Then you stick a pear bud up inside your bottle and you check on it every now & again to make sure a storm hasn't wiggled that pear bud outta there, and sure enough, at the end of that growing season, you got yourself a pear in a bottle. Then all you gotta do is to pour some brandy in your bottle. But now let me ask you a question before we go waltzing off to go and get married,"

"Fire away."

"What does a smart farmer do with an over-supply of dent corn? And I'll even give you a hint…'lend me your ear.'"
"Oh, shucks, Naomi, that's so gull-darn easy, that smart farmer could burn it, eat it for dinner, or…feed it to the livestock, that's exactly what I would do with it, feed it to the chickens."

"You are a smart farmer, Boon, so when's the first Saturday you got open?"

"Next Saturday I've got a 4-H meeting in the morning, but how does your afternoon look?"

"Well I've got a foal due about then, but we could have the ceremony in the barn."

"Suits me, I'll bring a bucket with some warm water."

"We've got a date Mr. Boon…what's your last name anyways?"

"Bzjxxllwcp."

"Oh, I'm sorry, we lost the connection…darn."

And this is where our short history of Farmers Only Online Dating comes to a close.

— For more than 30 years, in over 4,000 performances, columnist and Chautauquan McAvoy Layne has been dedicated to preserving the wit and wisdom of “The Wild Humorist of the Pacific Slope,” Mark Twain. As Layne puts it: “It’s like being a Monday through Friday preacher, whose sermon, though not reverently pious, is fervently American.”

CARSON CITY — Saturday morning five seniors from Carson High School’s Cross Country team celebrated the end of the school year and their sports seasons with a 20.20 mile touch-less relay run. They began on the westside of Carson, ran up through Lakeview to loop around Franktown Road and finished at Bower’s Mansion State Park.

They wore Carson blue tee shirts with “Class of 20.20” on the front and backs that read “And let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1.”

Zach Sever, one of the top distance runners in the state, ran the challenging first leg. He averaged a six and a half minute mile pace during his 4.04 miles, which included the grueling climb up Combs Canyon Road into Lakeview. In fact, he out-ran the cyclists who were accompanying the runners. Sever, a four-year varsity cross country runner, went to regionals all four years and qualified for state his junior and senior years. Last fall, he placed 8th in the state championship meet.

Sever also competed in track all four years of high school, qualifying for regionals his sophomore and junior years. Last spring, he qualified for the state championship meet and placed 4th in the 3200 meter run. Sever will continue his running career at Bryan College in Dayton, Tennessee where he will be running cross country and track.

Gabe Crossman, a four-year varsity letterman in swimming, ran the second leg. Born with congenital glaucoma, Crossman underwent major eye surgeries during his freshman and sophomore years which shortened his swim seasons. Realizing the risk of eye infections might end his swimming, Crossman started running cross country his sophomore year and was the co-captain of the boys team with Sever last fall. Despite the setbacks, Crossman kept swimming and was a finalist at regionals all three years. Last spring at regionals, he finished 4th in the 500 freestyle. Crossman will attend Brigham Young University in Idaho and plans to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Hannah Kaiser, the student body president, ran the third 4.04 mile leg. A gifted athlete, Kaiser lettered in track all four years, played volleyball her freshman and sophomore years before switching to cross country her junior and senior years. She qualified for regionals in track all three years. Kaiser also qualified for the state cross country meets her junior and senior years. She and Hailey Ponczoch were on the 2019 NIAA Academic State Championship Cross Country team.

Kaiser explained “I wanted to do the run today because I felt like it really gave the ending to my high school running career that was missing because of the pandemic. I got to run one more time with people I’ve ran with throughout high school and wore Carson blue one last time.” Kaiser will attend the University of Nevada Reno on a Presidential Scholarship and plans to major in English Literature.

Hailey Ponczoch, a three-year cross country runner and the student body vice president, ran the fourth leg. Her sister Jinnie Ponczoch, a 7th grader at Carson Middle School ran the 4.04 miles with her. Ponczoch, who was the captain of the cross country team last fall, explained doing this run was meaningful to her “because I’ve been running with these guys for years.

We’re not just teammates but friends as well and this isn’t exactly how we thought we’d be turning this page.” She continued, “It was amazing to witness how people can come together, even in difficult times, to lift each other up and cheer each other on. It was wonderful to do something I love with people I love in a place I love.” Ponczoch will attend Brigham Young University in Utah and plans to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Jakob Heller, a state qualifier in cross country and the triple jump last year, ran the fifth leg. Heller ran cross country three years and competed in hurdles and triple jump in track for four years after transferring to Carson High from West Virginia. Known to his teammates as “West Virginia,” Heller took the runners home on country road Old 395. Jakob Heller was grateful for the opportunity to see some of his closest friends again, explaining “They have helped shape my life here in Carson.” He plans to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before attending Brigham Young University in Utah and majoring in computer science.

The runners practiced social distancing and were supported by their families in separate vehicles. Siblings held signs and cheered for all the runners, and additional cross country teammates followed to cheer along the route at different locations. Jacob Crossman, a CHS junior cross country and track athlete, ran with Kaiser and Ponczoch. Jakob Heller’s father Bryan Heller cycled the entire route with the runners and admitted that he knew Sever was going to outrun him up Combs Canyon. But he emphasized, “I caught him on the downhill.” Laurel Crossman, mother of Gabe Crossman, said “It felt good to yell for runners again.”

The seniors all rejoined — at an appropriate distance — to run the last half mile together to the finish. Kristi Heller, Jakob’s mother, said, “I’m thinking about our five seniors and the kind of kids they are and the things they’ve done. They are pretty amazing. I’m sure feeling blessed as a parent right now.” While the end of the school year and the canceled spring sports season isn’t what any of these seniors anticipated, they are still running towards bright futures.

My friend Millie is a plant explorer. She experiments getting groceries to grow. When she told me she was growing celery from the butt-end of what you buy from the grocery store, I was fascinated. How? In water? In soil? She went on to say she also grows sweet potatoes. I had tried that in high school, so that didn’t surprise me. But when she showed me a picture of her sweet potato plant I was impressed.

She calls the sweet potato plant a “non-traditional” houseplant. It sprouted in her cupboard before she could cook it, so she planted it. She started by cutting it in half to preserve the most sprouts and simply placed it in water until it rooted. After it had roots, she let it go a while longer in water, then planted it in potting soil. Her first plant is now six months old and it’s lovely. She’s conducting a test to see how long it will look nice in a pot and has no plans to transplant it to the garden.

Millie did the same thing with a russet potato, but after transplanting it to the ground, it “conked out” according to her. However, even though the plant was small and unhealthy when she dug it up, it still had several small potatoes under it. Potatoes do grow from “eyes” but I had never heard of starting one in water, then putting it in the ground.

I followed Millie’s instructions when I next had a celery butt. Instead of throwing it out, I put it in water just deep enough to reach the junction of the butt with the base of the stalks. It only took a few days to start showing roots and for small leaves to come out of the top. I put a drop or two of liquid African violet food into the water to give it a boost. After about two weeks, the leaves were nicely developed and the roots looked strong, although small. I just transplanted it into potting soil and I’m waiting to see what happens. The only hard part was finding a place to keep it in the house while it was growing in water. The cats liked to drink the water! I may plant it in the ground at some point, but I will have to find a way to keep the ground squirrels, rabbits and deer from eating it.

Anybody remember growing mini-avocado trees in water?

— JoAnne Skelly is an Associate Professor & Extension Educator Emerita at the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. She can be reached at skellyj@unce.unr.edu.

Beautiful, rich colors fill the sunset over Carson City on Sunday evening.

Besides needing funds available for small businesses during the COVID-19 crisis, small-business owners need additional support and guidance, as well as opportunities to talk with other small-business owners.

University of Nevada, Reno Extension is offering virtual question-and-answer “Coping With COVID-19 Town Halls” for small businesses every Wednesday, and webinars on specific topics for small businesses every Friday. The town halls and the webinars are offered in Spanish and English and are aimed at helping small businesses “pivot and adapt” during this challenging time.

This week is the sixth week of sessions, which includes:

The town hall, Wednesday, May 27, 9 a.m. for English speakers and at 2 p.m. for Spanish speakers. Panelists include:

— Reyna Mendez, Extension business development instructor

— Juan Salas, Extension business development instructor

— Mike Bindrup, Extension research associate

— Saul Ramos, Small Business Administration deputy district director

— Noe Gonzalez, Prestamos business advisor

The webinar, “Loan Forgiveness and COVID-19: Navigating Eligibility and Repayment,” Friday, May 29, 9 a.m. for English speakers and at 11:30 a.m. for Spanish speakers. Mendez, Salas, Bindrup and Gonzalez will focus on the Prestamos Paycheck Protection Program, discussing:

— The application for loan forgiveness

— The qualifications of loan forgiveness, including: payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, utilities, recordkeeping, rates of reduction, self-employed business qualifications

During the town halls, there is a short presentation on a given topic or a preview of the Friday webinar during the first 10 minutes. Then, the participants network with one another and drive the discussion, with a panel of professionals and educators helping them troubleshoot challenges they are encountering. The Friday webinars provide information on specific topics to help businesses plan strategically, adapt and succeed.

Organizers say that while many of our state’s businesses are focused on the funding aspects of their businesses, which is natural, they may be overlooking other opportunities to improve their overall business, during and after COVID-19.

“Our goal is to provide resources and educational platforms to help our small businesses, statewide, cope and retool during this unprecedented pandemic,” said Buddy Borden, economic development specialist with Extension’s Business Development Program. “Ultimately, our goal is that when things begin to return to normal, our state’s small businesses will be even stronger.”

Borden said that the they hope to reach businesses across the state, in the north and the south, and in both urban and rural areas.

“While we were really happy to connect with so many businesses in our urban areas, we really want to let our small businesses in the rural areas know that we are here to assist them as well,” Borden said.

Both the town halls and the webinars are free, and usually run about an hour. To register or for more information, go to the Extension Business Development Program website at extension.unr.edu/busdev. There are also other resources at the website to assist businesses during the COVID-19 crisis. For more information, email Borden at bordenb@unr.edu.

The first time I had ever heard "Taps" played in person, I was visiting Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA, just outside of Washington, D.C. A Navy funeral was concluding and bugler "Taps" signaled the sailor's final farewell.

Years later, I heard the somber melody in person again at my father's funeral. Dad was a U.S. Air Force veteran, and we had arranged for the Oregon Honor Guard to give him a proper good-bye. This included "Taps" from the bugler and three-volley salute.

It was the right way to show Dad that his service to the nation and the sacrifices he had made for his family were honored.

What I didn't know at the time was why "Taps" is traditionally played at the funerals of active military, veterans, law enforcement officers and firefighters.

The inquirer within me wanted to know.

Rifle firing had long been the traditional method of saying good-bye to a fallen warrior.

That began to change, though, during the American Civil War.

Following the Seven Days Battles near Richmond, VA, in July 1862, Union Brigadier General Daniel Butterfield sat down in camp at Harrison's Landing one evening to rework an existing bugle call into something that would better honor the soldiers of his brigade.

With the help of his bugler, Pvt. Oliver Wilcox Norton, Butterfield managed to rearrange some of the notes of the existing tattoo call into a pleasant, sleepy melody that today is played as "Taps."

"The call of Taps did not seem to be as smooth, melodious and musical as it should be," Butterfield later recalled, "and I called in some one who could write music, and practiced a change in the call of Taps until I had it suit my ear." (USAF MSG Jari A. Villanueva, Association of the United States Army)

In fact, Butterfield had Wilcox play the harmonious 24 notes one night in place of the standard "Lights Out" bugle call and three-drum taps that signaled reverie.

The new "Extinguish Lights" bugle call caught on quickly with other Union outfits and even with the opposing Confederate Army.

Not long afterward, during the same Peninsular Campaign commanded by Gen. George B. McClellan, a Union artillery cannoneer had been killed in action.

Regulations called for a traditional three volleys of gunfire be sounded at a soldier's grave. However, with the Confederate enemy so close by, Artillery Cpt. John C. Tidball ordered "Extinguish Lights" played in place of the rifle volleys.

Cpt. Tidball had feared the volleys would spook the enemy into action, so the new "Taps" melody was played by the company bugler instead.

From that point on, "Taps" at graveside funerals would become customary for the Army and later, all branches of military service as well as for law enforcement officers and firefighters.

As soldiers often did, lyrics were put to the music of "Extinguish Lights" with the words "Go to sleep, Go to sleep."

Many more words would be added over the years to endear "Taps" as a song that has been woven into the very fabric of American culture.

"Day is done, gone the sun,
From the hills, from the lake,
From the skies.
All is well, safely rest,
God is nigh.

"Go to sleep, peaceful sleep,
May the soldier or sailor,
God keep.
On the land or the deep,
Safe in sleep.

"Love, good night, Must thou go,
When the day, And the night
Need thee so?
All is well. Speedeth all
To their rest.

"Fades the light; And afar
Goeth day, And the stars
Shineth bright,
Fare thee well; Day has gone,
Night is on.

"Thanks and praise, For our days,
'Neath the sun, Neath the stars,
'Neath the sky,
As we go, This we know,
God is nigh."

(Excerpted from MSG Jari A. Villanueva, USAF Band, Association of the United States Army)

The Carson City Symphony and its associated ensembles have been entertaining people in the Carson City area for 36 seasons. Because they can't currently perform live, in person, they are producing a series of once-or-twice-weekly video episodes to showcase the talents of their local artists, ensembles, and guest artists.

These episodes, called Project Euterpe will include excerpts from past concerts, some solo and small ensemble performances, previews of things to come, and perhaps some of the master classes taught by our guest soloists.

Project Euterpe is named for the muse of music in Greek mythology. She and her eight sisters, the other muses, lived on Mt. Olympus and entertained their father Zeus and the other Olympian gods with their artistry.

Symphony Conductor David Bugli said, “Euterpe was known by ancient poets as the ‘Giver of delight,’ and ancient Greek musicians would call on her aid in composing their lyric poetry and music. So, we are calling on her aid to help us communicate with our audience.”

Carson City Symphony ensembles hope to return to regular performances in the fall of 2020. Meanwhile, they invite the public to enjoy Project Euterpe videos.

Episode One, featuring guest saxophonist Rhett Bender, can be seen on Youtube here. Go here for Episode 2.

Links to all episodes will be available on the Symphony website CCSymphony.com and posted on the Facebook page facebook.com/CarsonCitySymphony.

For more information on Carson City Symphony, its educational programs and performing groups, see CCSymphony.com.

The number of Nevadans who died last month after contracting the novel coronavirus was more than four times the number of those who died from influenza and pneumonia over the same period in each of the last two years, according to an analysis by The Nevada Independent of a state report on causes of death and the state’s COVID-19 dashboard.

Influenza and pneumonia killed 44 Nevadans in April 2018 and 52 in April 2019, while the novel coronavirus, which causes influenza-like symptoms and has often been erroneously likened to the seasonal flu, killed 231 people last month, data from the new report obtained by the Independent and the state’s dashboard show. State officials, however, have said that their dashboard is likely undercounting the number of COVID-19 deaths statewide because it only tracks laboratory-confirmed cases of the virus, meaning that the true total of coronavirus-associated deaths could be higher.

“There’s some news out there that there’s potentially an assumption that we’re overreporting COVID-19 deaths. In fact, it’s quite the opposite in Nevada,” state biostatistician Kyra Morgan told lawmakers at an interim legislative health committee meeting on Wednesday. “We’re only counting COVID-19 deaths that have a confirmed laboratory result for COVID-19, and so everyone that’s attributed here to COVID-19 as having a death is in fact a confirmed laboratory positive COVID case.”

Though there is still a week left in May, COVID-19 has killed 124 people so far this month, according to the state’s dashboard, a little more than half of the number of those who died last month after contracting the virus. Experts have attributed the sharp drop in both new cases and deaths to the strict social distancing measures that were put in place in the second half of March and throughout April.

Even still, the number of COVID-19 deaths this month far exceeds the 43 and 20 influenza- and pneumonia-related deaths reported in May 2018 and 2019, respectively.

The data additionally show that the total number of lab-confirmed COVID-19 deaths statewide from March until May, according to the state’s dashboard, represents more than 80 percent of the total annual deaths attributable to influenza and pneumonia in 2018 and 2019. There have been 392 COVID-19 deaths since March 15, compared to 489 influenza and pneumonia deaths in all of 2018 and 445 such deaths in all of 2019. Influenza and pneumonia was the tenth leading cause of death in Nevada in 2019.

However, the report, which was prepared on Friday, only includes deaths for which there has been a registered death certificate, meaning that a doctor or medical examiner has signed off on the cause of death. As a result, the number of COVID-19 deaths it reports, 274, lags significantly behind the state’s dashboard, which is reporting 392 COVID-19 deaths in near-real time. A spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services attributed the discrepancy to the fact that it can take anywhere from five days to six months from the date of death for the death certificate to be signed.

That lag time makes it difficult to take that preliminary and incomplete data from this year and compare it to prior years’ data, given the known gaps. However, it does offer some clues as to who has been dying amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and at what rates.

Preliminary data from April, which is the only full calendar month of the pandemic for which data exists, show that COVID-19 was the third leading cause of death, at 200 deaths, behind heart disease, at 544 deaths, and cancer at 382 deaths.

Heart disease and cancer were the top two causes of death in 2019, at 6,658 and 5,209 deaths, respectively. Other leading causes of death in 2019 were chronic lower respiratory diseases, at 1,626 deaths; strokes, at 1,252 deaths, and non-transport accidents, which caused 1,046 deaths last year.

Numbers for most of the leading causes of death were generally down in April from earlier in 2020, though that may be representative of the lag time in registering death certificates and not indicative of a true decrease in deaths.

Deaths from Alzheimer’s disease were only up slightly by seven deaths from March, while COVID-19 deaths saw a 625 percent increase between March and April — the only cause of death to see such a significant increase.

The report does not show a significant uptick in suicides, as many had feared amid widespread isolation during the pandemic, though that data may lag as well. According to the report, there were 28 suicide deaths reported in April and 12 in May. Suicides were the eighth leading cause of death in May, tied with non-transport accidents.

According to the report, COVID-19 is on track to remain the third leading cause of death in May.

Go here to see the statistic charts.

— This story was used with permission of The Nevada Independent. Go here for updates to this and other stories.

Carson City Health and Human Services reports Monday, May 25, 2020 that there are 5 new positive cases and 3 additional recoveries of COVID-19 in the Quad-County region. This brings the total number of cases to 174, with 125 recoveries and four deaths, 45 cases remain active.

The new cases are:
• A female Douglas County resident in her 50’s

Carson City Health and Human Services is working to identify close risk contacts to prevent further spread of the disease. Due to medical privacy requirements and to protect their identity, no further information about the cases will be released.

Carson City
-90 Total
-30 Active
-56 Recovered
-4 Deaths

Douglas County
-28 Total
-3 Active
-25 Recovered

Lyon County
-55 Total
-12 Active
-43 Recovered

Storey County
-1 Total
-0 Active
-1 Recovery

TOTAL
-174 Total Cases
-45 Active
-125 Recovered
-4 Deaths
-5 Hospitalizations

Gender and age break down of the cases by county as well as the cases by ZIP code is available here.

Statewide numbers can be found at the Nevada Health Response website https://nvhealthresponse.nv.gov

For those who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have questions, call the Quad-County COVID-19 Hotline Monday through Saturday, 8 am to 5 pm. Spanish speakers are available.

The phone number is (775) 283-4789.

Stay informed. For updates and more information on COVID-19 visit https://gethealthycarsoncity.org/novel-coronavirus-2019/

Carson Now reader Bill Hopp took these photographs and provided a description of a helicopter seen Monday, May 25 over the skies above Carson City. The helicopter was doing survey work, using a very large sensor array slug from its belly. The helicopter was seen at the Carson City Airport.

"It was, of course, windy and you can imagine the skill it takes to maneuver the helicopter and the sensor array as the array swayed in the wind," writes Hopp.

Scroll and click on each photo to enlarge.

The high school track season may have ended early this year, but that won’t stop Carson High School’s top senior long distance runner from continuing his running career. On Monday, Zach Sever signed a letter of intent to run cross country and track for Bryan College in Dayton, Tenn.

“Not being able to compete in track my senior year for something I have worked very hard for was disappointing,” Sever said. “Continuing my running career at Bryan is a tremendous blessing though, and I look forward to competing in college athletics.”

Even though Zach has performed at a high level in high school, he was excited to learn his times were fast enough to be a college athlete.

“I visited Bryan in February and loved it,” Sever said. “I really like my coach and am looking forward to joining my sister, who also attends Bryan. It will be fun to explore a different part of the country.”

In track, Sever was the northern Nevada 3200 regional champion his junior year (10:08) and finished fourth at state (9:52). His team also won regionals the same year and finished third at state. In cross country, he won the Nevada Union Cross Country Invitational (16:25, 3 miles) in Grass Valley his senior year and finished 8th overall (17:11) at the state championship in Reno.

Sever achieved his fastest times during his junior year at the Carson Invite (4:33) in the 1600 and at the Del Oro Invitational in the 3200 (9:48) in Loomis, Calif.

“Zach was a great competitor and always had great race judgment and sense of his competitors,” Carson High School cross country Coach Pete Sinnott said. “He is just developing as a runner and should progress significantly under college training and racing conditions.”

Sever was also a member of the National Honor Society and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Carson High School. He plans on majoring in mechanical engineering in college.

Bryan College is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Appalachian Athletic Conference.

A 24-year-old woman was arrested May 22 for suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of a controlled substance and other alleged offenses, a Carson City sheriff's report states.

Hazel Ziola Salas, of Buena Park, Calif., was taken into custody at 3:42 p.m. in the 600 block of Colorado Street. She was also arrested for suspicion of burglary tools, a gross misdemeanor, and the following misdemeanor offenses: possession of drug paraphernalia, driving without a valid license, and driving with fictitious registration.

According to the arrest report, Carson City Sheriff's Office deputies were alerted earlier to a stolen vehicle out of California that was in the area. A deputy located the vehicle, a silver Toyota Prius, matching the description.

Deputies checked the VIN number on the vehicle, which didn't match the plate attached to the car. She was asked to step out of the vehicle and was placed into handcuffs. During a search, the officer asked if she had anything sharp or weapons on her. She said she had a knife in her right front pocket. Deputies located a folding knife, a lighter and two hypodermic needles with the caps on, the report states.

A CCSO deputy with a canine arrived and an exterior sniff of the vehicle was conducted. The dog alerted positive. The woman told the deputy there was a pipe in a sunglass compartment. Also located was a tool bag with wire cutters, bolt cutters and metal files, bags of jewelry, and a BB gun that looked similar to a handgun.

The woman was read her Miranda warning, and she denied the vehicle was stolen. At jail she admitted to having used methamphetamine two days prior and had moved to the area to get clean, the report states.

Deputies located 41 pages of criminal history on the woman in California, with charges related to drugs, theft, burglary, stolen vehicles and vandalism. There was a non-extraditable warrant for robbery out of California, the report states.

The investigation continued, which showed pawn records of her having purchased and sold several items of jewelry, the report states. The case has been forwarded to detectives to see if the jewelry booked into evidence is related to any active stolen property cases in Carson City. Bail: $20,000.

In other arrests:
— A 43-year-old California man, Douglas Alan Jones, was arrested May 22 in the area of East Nye and Bowers Lane for suspicion of drug sales, transportation of schedule 1 or 2, possession of methamphetamine, ecstasy, possession of a gun by a prohibited person, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to the arrest report, deputies were dispatched to the area for reports of a motorhome that had crashed into another vehicle. Deputies arrived on scene and located the motorhome, which had struck a parked gray car on the north side of the road.

The motorhome was still running. A deputy opened the door and could see the legs of a male subject on the couch. The officer yelled multiple times for the man to get up, but the man would not answer. The officer entered the motorhome, and was able to wake him up and he was asked to exit the vehicle.

The suspect stated he had come from a gas station and was trying to get some sleep. Deputies noted the gas station the man was referring to was a mile and a half west from where the motorhome was located.

The man's responses were slow and lethargic. The man was asked if he was taking medications or had been drinking. The man stated no, the report states. A K-9 did an exterior sniff of the vehicle, and alerted positive, the report states.

A search of the vehicle was conducted where the motorhome was full of trash and was in a state of disarray. Deputies located a white scale and two pills believed to be ecstasy, a clear glass meth pipe in the bathroom sink that tested positive for meth, seven cell phones and a semi-automatic pistol, and four more glass pipes.

The man was asked about items in the motorhome. He said he knew nothing about them and they were not his. He was asked about the last time he had used a controlled substance. The man stated he had used methamphetamine two days prior. Bail: $20,000 bondable.

— A 34-year-old Carson City man, Daniel Bruce Magner, was arrested May 22, 1:30 p.m. in the area of North Carson and Telegraph streets for suspicion of possession of a controlled substance, (heroin) and three misdemeanor offenses: driving without a license in possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, and a failure to appear warrant out of Sparks Township Court.

According to the arrest report, a deputy with the Carson City Sheriff's Office Special Enforcement Team observed a red Cadillac that didn't have a front, or rear license plate. The officer conducted a traffic stop, and spoke with the man who said he had recently purchased the vehicle.

The insurance card and the VIN matched. The officer ran his name through dispatch, which returned for a warrant out of Sparks. He was arrested on the warrant. A canine conducted an exterior sniff of the vehicle, which alerted positive. Inside the vehicle deputies found a metal spoon with brown residue and a brown chunk resembling heroin. Tests were done, which returned presumptive positive for heroin. Bail: $4,204.

— A 45-year-old Carson City man, Michael Anthony Orta, was arrested May 22 in the 500 block of East William Street for suspicion of possession of methamphetamine and heroin, both felonies, and six misdemeanor offenses: possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to stop behind the limit line, improper turn, driving on a suspended license, driving with a non-Nevada driver's license and no insurance. Bail amounts listed: $7,717.

— A 27-year-old Carson City man was arrested early Tuesday for suspicion of indecent exposure, a gross misdemeanor. According to the arrest report, a reporting party advised a male subject without clothes in the area of Gordon and Fairview.

A deputy located the subject, who was pulling his pants down. When a deputy spoke with the subject, the man pulled his pants down, exposing his private parts. This was in the area of a busy highway during morning vehicle traffic. The man was arrested. Bail: $2,500.

— A 25-year-old Carson City man, Eric Galyan, was arrested Sunday in the area of Winnie and Carson streets for suspicion of possession of a controlled substance and three alleged misdemeanor offenses: driving on a suspended/revoked license, driving using a cell phone and a failure to appear in traffic court warrant. Bail: $2,500 bondable.

All information for the crime log (unless otherwise noted) comes from the arrest reports supplied by the Carson City Sheriff's Office, and is considered by law to be public information. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The policy of Carson Now is to name anyone who is arrested for a felony offense.

Farming and ranching is all around in Northern Nevada, and some of those who are doing it may even be your neighbors.

Donna and Bill Murphy-Sharp have been “micro-farming” on their one acre property in Eastlake, Washoe Valley for many years, and became certified producers of produce in the area in 2011.

Tucked away on their property they call “Tea House Gardens” their micro-farm includes chickens, bees, heritage fruit trees, and a massive hoop house that allows them to grow three seasons out of the year.

“Green” farming is very important to the pair, not only for human’s sake, but for the sake of their beloved bees as well.

“We never use any pesticides or herbicides or anything chemical,” said Donna.

They are always growing a vast array of small-batch produce, from leafy greens to root vegetables, corn, cucumbers, zucchinis, bushels of herbs, among a myriad of others.

In a normal year, Donna and Bill can usually be found at their farm stand in front of their own home, or at the Washoe Valley Farmer’s Market, which they started around four years ago.

This year, however, due to COVID-19 concerns, they don’t think they’ll be hosting the Washoe Valley Farmer’s Market, but their farm stand is still open.

“It’s easier to control,” said Donna, and they are taking safety very seriously.

Even during a normal harvest they don’t touch the produce, but rather use gloves. Now though they’ve also added masks to the equation to be safer.

A rope was tied off across their driveway and a trailer full of coolers announcing what fresh vegetables could be found inside was parked eight feet away. Behind the rope they had a table set up full of seedlings people could plant themselves, including hybrid tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, corn, hot peppers, melons, and more.

For people interested in purchasing seedlings, Bill would place them in an old wooden cart and roll it beneath the rope, staying always six feet back.

Last week their produce involved lettuces, radishes, arugula, turnips, kale and more. Offerings change each week as the plants start producing. Free-range eggs and honey are often on the menu as well.

Each October, the pair sponsors the Washoe Valley Cider Squeeze in October, and they are serious about their heritage apple trees.

Bill is an apple tree expert, though he won’t boast about it. He was given a grant from the UNR Agriculture department to restore 40 heritage apple trees between Verdi and Washoe Valley, and intends to apply for another to continue the work.

You can often find Tea House Gardens at the Incline Farmer’s Market, and you can learn more about them here.

If you’re interested in stopping by their farm stand, you can find them on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 3220 Churchill Drive. Please wear a mask or other face covering.

The Carson City Seventh-day Adventist Church Food Pantry is participating with the Food Bank of Northern Nevada and other food pantries in the region in the Feed Nevada and the Sierra Drive-Thru Food Drive this Friday, May 29, 2020 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Now more than ever our community needs us to help feed Nevada! Please stop by 405 E. College Parkway (just west of Roop Street) between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and drop off some non-perishable food items. Everything helps!

Items most needed are entrees such as soups and stews, proteins such as canned tuna and chicken and canned fruits and vegetables.

Thanks for helping feed Nevada during this unprecedented time!

Gov. Steve Sisolak will discuss plans tonight on the Phase 2 plan to re-open Nevada as outlined in the Silver State's "Roadmap to Recovery" efforts following the March shutdown statewide due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The press conference will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the Nevada State Legislature in Carson City. It will be streamed online at leg.state.nv.us and live on Nevada network news channels.

Phase 1 of the United Nevada Roadmap to Recovery plan began May 9. Businesses allowed to reopen were dine-in restaurants, retail stores — including grocery stores, open air malls and big box establishments that previously were not subject to capacity limits. marijuana dispensaries, personal care services, including barbershops, hair and nail salons.

Businesses that were not part of Phase 1 include bars, nightclubs, massage establishments, spas, gyms, fitness studios, brothels, strip clubs, movie theaters (except for drive-ins), bowling alleys, live sporting events and casinos.

On Friday, the governor announced a target opening for Nevada's casinos on June 4.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

Two California residents were arrested Sunday in connection to multiple vehicle burglaries at trailheads in the Carson Valley area and at Lake Tahoe, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office reports Tuesday.

The suspects are Carolyn Brinkman, 33, of Newark, Calif., and Harvis Berry, 35, of Elk Grove, Calif. Both were arrested and are currently charged with four counts of alleged vehicle burglary and four counts of fraudulent use of a credit card.

Between May 16 and May 23, six vehicle burglaries occurred at trailhead parking areas around Douglas County. Four of the vehicle burglaries occurred at trailheads at Lake Tahoe and two vehicle burglaries occurred at trailheads in the Carson Valley, according to DCSO.

The suspects in the vehicle burglaries stole cash and credit cards and then used the victim’s credit cards at local stores immediately after the burglaries to purchase gift cards among other items.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Investigators obtained video of the suspects using the credit cards during a number of the transactions.

On Sunday, investigators set up surveillance at a number of trailheads around Douglas County and within an hour the suspects were spotted casing vehicles at the Jacks Valley trailhead parking area.

The suspects were followed away from Jacks Valley and a traffic stop was initiated when the suspect vehicle entered Carson City.

A search warrant was executed on the suspect’s vehicle and Investigators located a set of sophisticated vehicle burglary tools and over $6,000 in gift cards.

Bail was set for both suspects at $112,000 each.

In addition to the many adaptations local 4-H programs have made in Nevada communities the last couple of months amid COVID-19 to keep 4-H youth engaged, the Nevada 4-H Youth Development Program has developed a variety of activities to engage 4-H youth throughout the state during the summer months.

“Of course, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to cancel all summer Nevada 4-H in-person residential overnight camps, for the health and safety of our campers, volunteers and staff,” explained Carrie Stark, Nevada 4-H program director with University of Nevada, Reno Extension.“We know that 4-H summer camps are a valued tradition. So in the spirit of keeping our 4-H youth connected with each other, engaged and learning, we have developed several programs that our youth can participate in whether they are in Reno, Las Vegas or Elko, for example.”

Several programs have already begun, such as the Hygge 31-Day Challenge. Hygge is the Danish practice of mindfulness and finding joy in the simple things. Each day in May, 4-H youth participating in the challenge shared a photo of themselves exhibiting this practice, using social media and the appropriate hashtag.

The Nevada 4-H Spirit Week was also held in mid-May, with 4-H youth joining in a common task or activity each day. For example, on Monday participants wore their favorite 4-H shirt and posted a photo of themselves in it, and on Tuesday, they sent a thank-you note to someone in the community who has made special efforts to help others during the pandemic. The week concluded with a 5-minute virtual dance party on Friday, led by two Nevada 4-H Teen Leaders.

There was also a STEM-learning activity for younger 4-H youth, Cloverbuds, called Cloverbot Challenge. Youth learned about a given topic via Zoom learning sessions, then built a model (such as with Legos) to illustrate what they learned, and shared a photo of their model with other participants.

Thoughtful Thursdays began in mid-May and are in full swing. These are five- to eight-minute videos by 4-H staff of volunteers on topics that might be especially helpful to teens at home coping with the pandemic, such as how to express and manage feelings, exercise tips or helping with the family’s meal planning and preparation.

A Virtual Graduation Celebration will be held May 31 - June 6, highlighting the graduating Nevada 4-H seniors and their accomplishments. Photos, plans after graduation, favorite 4-H memories and more will be shared virtually, online.

Beginning in June, Nevada 4-H will launch an eight-week animal science-related project, focused on animal by-products. Youth don’t have to be participating in an animal science project already to participate in this project; they just need to have an interest in learning about animals. The program blends online and at-home learning, with lessons and activities focused on learning about beef, dairy, goats, sheep, swine, poultry, rabbits and bees.

A week-long project called “Engineering and Design at Home” will be offered June 15-19 for 11- to 15-year-olds Students will be challenged to develop a purposeful/useful artifact from reclaimed materials, while exploring their creative abilities and reducing their consumption and waste production. The week will include online learning and sharing sessions, and participants will need to dedicate about three hours a day to creating their project. Participants will share their completed projects with each other, friends and family online via a Zoom session at the end of the week, and awards in various categories will be presented.

“So much of education today is about rote memorization and standardized testing,” said Sarah Monique Somma, Extension’s Clark County 4-H STEAM coordinator. “But if you can’t actually do or apply what’s on the test in real life, is it useful? In this design camp, students will be given an opportunity to show not only what they know but what they can do in a creative way. The engineering and design process facilitates authentic learning, creativity, collaboration, critical thinking and communication.”

Also June 15-19, the 4-H Pledge Challenge will take place, where 4-H youth will post photos and/or writings each day on the ways they are exhibiting the four “Hs” during the pandemic: Heart (things they are doing to show love and generosity), Head (creative ways they are overcoming challenges), Hands (things they are doing to help others), Health (ways they are staying healthy).

More projects are in the works for July, including a Virtual Camp Out, a State Communications Contest, a Monday Night Dinner activity and more. For more information on Nevada 4-H’s summer programs for youth, contact your local Extension office here or nevada4h@unce.unr.edu. Or, in northern Nevada email chviliceks@unr.edu, and in southern Nevada email lunan@unr.edu.

Carson City Fire Department and sheriff's deputies were called Tuesday afternoon to a fire at Benson's Feeds in the 2700 block of Highway 50 East.

According to dispatch, a report came in at around 2:15 p.m. regarding a fork lift on fire near a hay bale barn at Benson's, 2750 Highway 50 East.

Arriving firefighters on scene were able to knock down the bulk of the fire before it began to spread into the hay, according to a CCSO battalion chief on scene.

Carson City Sheriff's Office deputies were conducting traffic control in the area. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The Carson City Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division is asking for assistance in identifying an unknown suspect who is alleged to have broken into a home and assaulted the resident.

On May 13, 2020 a male suspect entered a residence, without permission, in the area of Colorado and Kansas. The home owner returned home for lunch, found the male suspect in a back room, and they had an altercation before the suspect fled on foot.

The suspect is described as an average build Caucasian male, in his 40s, and approximately six feet tall. He was also bald and may have a tattoo on his right forearm. The suspect was wearing a red t-shirt and blue jeans and may have sustained minor facial injuries from the altercation with the home owner and was seen holding his chest when he fled.

There are not photos available of the suspect. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Carson City Sheriff’s Office, Dispatch (775) 887-2677, Investigation Division, Detective Darin Riggin (775) 283-7853, Investigations Sgt. Daniel Gonzales (775) 283-7850 or Secret Witness (775) 322-4900. Refer to Case No. 2020-2556.

OUR Center — a local nonprofit providing the Northern Nevada LGBTQ+ community access to support, resources, educational programs and more — will recognize the exceptional efforts that members of the community make in support of Northern Nevada GLBTQA (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Ally) rights at the Harvey Milk Day & Milk Made Awards.

The annual Harvey Milk-inspired event honors six members of the local GLBTQA community who embody the spirit and mission of Milk — to build, strengthen and connect the lives of those who identify with the community. Awards will be given in the following categories: Community Builder, Political Groundbreaker, Proud Parents, Leader of Tomorrow (under 30 years of age) and Outstanding Ally.

“Harvey Milk Day is one of the Center’s longest running events,” said Meredith Tanzer, Vice President of OUR Center. “It is important that we honor and uplift people in the community that are doing great work. Harvey Milk worked on many projects in his community that brought people together. We hope that by highlighting some rock stars in our community that others will be inspired to get more involved.”

Nominations are closed and are currently being reviewed by an internal nominations committee anonymously for complete transparency. Awardees will be chosen based on community achievement and the number of nominations received on behalf of the nominee.

The Harvey Milk Day & Milk Made Awards will take place on Friday, May 22 from 7 - 9 p.m. online. Details regarding the virtual event will be available on the OUR Center Facebook event page. Northern Nevada residents and community supporters who are interested in attending can learn more and RSVP via the event page here: https://bit.ly/3dRNAV6