Our small Northern Nevada community witnessed many events last year – some of them inspiring, some of them challenging. Not only did we see the Changing of the Guard for some of those serving the city and county, but we also began waging war on the local housing crisis in the hopes of bringing ample and affordable housing back to the Lahontan Valley. We took on record-breaking winter snows and threats of devastating flooding through the major engineering feat of the V-Line Weir. We saw the runway rebuild for our NASF aircraft completed, water returned to Fernley through the Truckee Canal, and we watched one of our hometown boys head to State Legislature. We even got a winter ice skating rink.
We cheered as some of our sports teams dominated their competitors and we also witnessed some scary moments at our schools. Indeed, we met many challenges as a community. Yet, we prevailed in the usual way – by facing them together.
2023 Highlights
Swearing in of New Officials: At City Hall on Tuesday morning, Councilwoman Kelly Frost and Councilman Paul Harmon were sworn into office during a Ceremony of Protocol. The city council also thanked James Richardson for his commitment to the city through his 13-plus years as a Councilman to the citizens of the City of Fallon, the youth, and senior citizens throughout the community.
Newly elected and re-elected county officials were sworn in at the first 2023 commissioners’ meeting of the year by District Court Judge Tom Stockard. County Commissioner Myles Getto District 2; Churchill County School Board Trustees Julie Guerrero-Goetsch, Joe McFadden, Matt Hyde, and Amber Getto; Clerk-Treasurer Linda Rothery; Recorder Tasha Hessey; District Attorney Art Mallory; Public Administrator Bob Getto; Assessor Denise Mondhink-Felton; Sheriff, Richard Hickox; Mosquito & Noxious Weed Abatement District Richard Grondin all took the Oath of Office.
Koenig Headed to the Legislature and Olsen Retired: Outgoing Churchill County Commissioner Greg Koenig had high praise for the county employees and their ability to work together to address issues affecting residents. “No one shirks from duty, and all work together as a whole toward a common county goal,” he said, citing the county’s Covid response as a prime example of addressing an unknown problem with a “can-do” attitude.
Outgoing Churchill County Commissioner Pete Olsen was humbled to have had the opportunity to serve the community over the past 12 years, eight of those as commission chair, saying it has been “a good ride” but emphasizing that he has done nothing by himself. At his final commissioners’ meeting, he praised county employees as hard-working, dedicated public servants. “They always answer the call and take time to work for the community.
High Housing Demand Brings Development Approvals Despite Heavy Opposition: The commission unanimously approved the PUD for Old Stone Ranch, approving the tentative map application. Commissioners also considered an appeal of the denial by the Planning Commission of a Special Use Permit application for a multi-family development on Coleman Road. Riverstone Apartments is being developed by Vertex Fund 3, LLC, a Colorado company that answered a Request for Proposal by the county to provide apartments in this subdivision. The commission overturned the planning commission's decision and approved the Special Use Permit, authorizing a multi-family development on the subject property.
CCHS Archery Team Makes Nine State Titles: Coach Dean Schultz has coached the archery team at CCHS to nine state titles, encouraging several students who haven’t done any extracurricular activities before their archery experience to participate. He also coaches students who came up in athletics and through local 4-H archery programs. Congratulations to Schultz and his students on continuing this culture of excellence.
Community Schools Locked Down Due to “Swatting”: There is a new word we are being forced to accept into our modern glossary of daily terms. “Swatting” is an internet prank or crime where someone calls 911 anonymously and reports a fake emergency, which law enforcement or a SWAT team would be dispatched to the address. Churchill County schools were locked down for a few hours in February after the Fallon Police Department received a threat of a possible shooting at the high school. Oasis Academy and Logos Christian Academy were also locked down as multi-agency law enforcement units responded to the threat. According to the FPD, “This incident appears to be a hoax; however, the Fallon Police Department takes these threats seriously and will continue our efforts at the schools to ensure the safety of all.”
Heavy Storms Bring Fear of Flooding: On March 3, Churchill County Commissioners approved the precautionary emergency declaration needed to establish an Emergency Operations Center in preparation for flood mitigation efforts due to elevated snowpack from this winter’s snowfall upstream on the Carson River. The City of Fallon will be declaring a precautionary emergency declaration in the coming days.
New Chief of Police: March 13 was a special day for Captain Ronald Wenger as Mayor Ken Tedford swore him in as Fallon’s new police chief in the City Council Chambers. Mayor Tedford said Wenger has a long and successful law enforcement career that began with his service in the U.S. Coast Guard at the Soda Lake Road Loran Station. During that time, he was accepted into the Fallon Police Reserve Program and, after completing his Coast Guard enlistment, was hired as a full-time Fallon patrol officer.
High Water Mitigation Continued: Local officials held a town hall meeting on April 13 at the Rafter 3C to provide an update on local high-water mitigation efforts. Churchill County developed predictive mapping that was presented and available on the county website. The mapping showed potential flows in the event water begins flowing over the top of the flashboards at Lahontan Reservoir. At the time, the Carson River below the dam flowed at 1,000 cubic feet per second.
Maps depicted potential flows in different scenarios, including 2,000 cfs and 4,000 cfs. “This information is all meant to be precautionary,” said County Manager Jim Barbee, “it is meant for you to prepare and is not inevitable. These predictions are at least a month out; we are talking the end of May, the beginning of June.” The county has also scheduled local area youth to fill and deliver sandbags to anyone over 60.
The First Edition of The Fallon Post on Newsprint Occurred on April 21
CCSD Superintendent Selected: After what proved to be a very intense and time-consuming process, the ChurchillCSD Board of Trustees selected Fallon’s own Derlid Parsons as the new superintendent. The last CCSD employee hired as superintendent was Ron Flores in 1995. Parsons, who has 23 years with ChurchillCSD, currently holds an administrative position as the Director of Learning and Innovation, which he has had since 2020. Formerly, he was the Director of Special Services, coordinating special education district-wide. Parsons holds a master’s degree in education administration from Grand Canyon University and a Bachelor of Science in Special Education and Elementary Education from the UNR.
Lloyd Retired as Library Director: When retiring Library Director Carol Lloyd came to Fallon in 2012, she was drawn to the opportunity to put all her experience in libraries and bookselling to use for the good of the community. “I could say yes to suggestions and ideas without having to ask permission and was pretty much responsible for what did or didn’t happen,” Lloyd said. “It was exciting to have the latitude to try what I thought would be best for the community.” She quickly credits her staff with bringing new projects and ideas to interest library patrons. “The staff is enthusiastic and get things done.” When she first stepped into the library, Lloyd saw a world of opportunity to make things more accessible for the community. After learning the county had been putting aside resources for a new building, she garnered the approval of the Library Board of Directors to offer to repurpose the current library rather than build a new facility. This was accomplished with great success.
New Weir Completed to Safeguard Water Supply and Prevent Flooding: The new weir was completed and stands ready to take water from the V-Line canal should Lahontan Reservoir fill and water come over the flashboards. Water inflow into the reservoir from the Carson River continues to increase as snow in the Sierras begins to melt, with the gauge at Fort Churchill flowing at 4,860 cubic feet per second. On May 16, that flow was right at 3,000 cfs. Pictured on Front Page.
Cottage School Buildings Open for Childcare: Renovations to the second of the three Cottage School buildings used for Churchill County’s after-school and day camp programs were completed in time to welcome children for the 2023 SUMFUN program. The three-man county facilities crew of Gary Rothery, Sean Hessey, and Mike Nolan, along with several local contractors, added new flooring, redid the majority of the plumbing, painted the interior, replaced broken windows, and got the HVAC and water heater running. The City of Fallon had replaced the roof of each building in previous years to help preserve the historical integrity of the facilities. While some aspects of the building were replaced or repaired, many original features remain, including the chalkboards, window fixtures, kid-sized sinks, toilets, drinking fountains, and shelving and cabinet units.
Turmoil at the Arts Council: On May 30, the Oats Park Art Center staff arrived to discover that more than 100 pieces from the Permanent Art Collection had disappeared. The works, curated over 30-plus years, were a beloved community asset and the legacy of past Executive Director Valerie Serpa and her husband, Kirk Robertson, on behalf of the Churchill Arts Council. The Churchill Arts Council Board of Directors believes that now-resigned Executive Director Michael Scott undertook an unauthorized, intentional effort to dismantle the collection. “We are shocked and devastated that this collection has been gutted by the actions of one man,” said Board Chair Theresa Guillen. “This is a complete betrayal of the memory and hard work done by Valerie to build this collection and was completely unauthorized by the board. We are exploring all of our legal options to remedy the situation.”
New Library Director C.L. Quillen: After being introduced to Northern Nevada while attending a professional conference, C.L. Quillen, Churchill County Library’s new director, was hooked on the area. When the opportunity arose to move to Fallon for the library director’s position, she jumped at the chance and has enjoyed getting to know the region better since landing her job.
Arts Council Builds a New Permanent Collection and Hires New Director: Members of the Churchill Arts Council banded together to share pieces of their personal art collections with the community. They filled the Arts Center with a new Permanent Collection called “Fallon Stands Together.” At the beginning of July, the board offered the executive director position to Jessica Rowe. “Jessica is a force of nature,” said Jaime Sammons, who serves on the Arts Council Board. “She has big ideas and a sense of who she is that will serve the community well and will help the Arts Council as we work to define who we are and what we will be.”
Fallon Noon Whistle Escapes the Siren Bill: SB 391, which prohibits local governments from sounding sirens, bells, or alarms for specific purposes, passed the legislature. It would have also prevented the Fallon noon whistle had it not been for an amendment brought about by Fallon’s freshman Assemblyman Greg Koenig. Thorough research by a team of the Churchill County Museum, City of Fallon staff, and the support of citizen lobbyist Kelli Kelly assisted Koenig in preparing the amendment. The bill passed the Senate with seven yes and four no votes. It was amended in the Assembly Government Affairs committee before it passed out of the Assembly on a 41-1 vote.
CCHS Summer Intern Program is a Huge Success: The school-to-careers program at CCHS, led by Dr. Sue Segura, hit the ground running to connect students with valuable summer internships at local businesses. Through Dr. Sue's dedication and extensive partnerships, nearly two dozen students have secured internships, providing them with practical experience and skills in various fields and trades. Even students as young as 14 have been allowed to learn and grow under the guidance of area businesses. Thanks to the business partners' generosity, the interns are receiving compensation, giving them a taste of what being an employee means and how good it feels to earn a paycheck.
Fallon/Churchill Volunteer Fire Department Named Nevada Department of the Year: The Nevada State Firefighters’ Association recognized the Fallon/Churchill VFD organization for its exceptional dedication and commitment to its community. Mayor Ken Tedford and Fallon City Council members honored the department last week during a ceremony where each member received a custom-made plaque acknowledging their outstanding achievement and the city’s appreciation of their exceptional efforts. “We don’t take you for granted,” said Mayor Tedford, “We know what you do.” Pictured above.
New CAPS Facility in Design Phase: County commissioners approved their annual $20,000 contribution to the Churchill Animal Protection Society after receiving a report from Public Works Director Chris Spross about the status of the new building and a report from CAPS Executive Director Julia Ameil. Spross anticipates that CAPS could be in the new facility by the end of June 2024 between the bid process and the building time. The new facility will be located off Moody Lane near the water treatment facility and is a partnership with the City of Fallon.
Truckee Canal Lining Project Through Fernley: The TCID Board met on August 17 with representatives from the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) and several members of the public to discuss extending the outage of the Truckee Canal in Fernley for 30 days to accommodate delays in the project due to poor weather conditions. The 31-mile-long canal delivers water to more than 50,000 acres of farmland, wildlife, and area residents. Phase I of the Truckee Canal Public Safety Improvement Project began in December 2022. The multiphase federally funded project aims to restore the safe, long-term operation of the Truckee Canal, increase public safety, and improve water supply reliability.
Troy Driver’s Guilt Decided in Murder of Naomi Irion: When Troy Driver committed suicide in the Lyon County jail on August 6, he deprived the family of Naomi Irion the opportunity to hear a jury pronounce him guilty of kidnapping, sexually assaulting, and murdering her. Instead, Sheriff Brad Pope and District Attorney Steve Rye declared Driver’s guilt at a press conference Wednesday morning at the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office in Yerington. “The evidence of guilt in the case was overwhelming. Troy Driver kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and murdered Naomi, explained Rye. There was nobody else involved,” he said. “We, like the sheriff’s office, wanted to see justice for Naomi and her family with a guilty verdict and death sentence for Troy Driver. Unfortunately, that will not happen in this case.
However, it is important that the family know about what happened to Naomi and what Driver did to her.” Pope opened the press conference by providing a detailed timeline of Driver’s time in the Lyon County jail after his March 25, 2022 arrest.
“The evidence is insurmountable that he was the perpetrator of this despicable act, and he is dead,” Pope said. “He continually chose the path of a coward and ended his life with a cowardly act. I know this is not the closure the family or law enforcement wanted or anticipated. I empathize with them; however, I do not have any empathy for the damned soul of Troy Driver.” Following Pope’s comments, Detective Lt. Tyrell Joyner narrated a video timeline of the investigation.
Fallon Tribe Planning Retail Development Near Fox Peak: Laura Ines, the new Economic Director with Fallon Tribal Economic Development, apprised the County Planning Commission in September of the Tribe's ongoing plans for a 35-acre development between the Fox Peak gas station mini-market and Fox Peak Cinema. Ines, formerly with Churchill Economic Development Authority (CEDA), also mentioned a forthcoming 1.32-acre development adjacent to Fernley's Fox Peak gas station. The primary intent behind these projects is retail space. Ines stated, “We are starting to figure out which architectural plan we will be going with,” and indicated they would also move toward paving the roads for the development shortly. Plans include provisions for food outlets and outdoor seating. Ines expressed eagerness to kickstart these ventures. “We want to get the word out that we want to work with you,” she said. Ines also mentioned plans to develop over seven acres in Mound House, intending to introduce another Fox Peak store.
Cantaloupe Festival Bigger and Better than Ever: Organizers of the Cantaloupe Festival and Country Fair are calling this year a “massive success,” with nearly 20,000 tickets coming through the gates, in addition to the vendors, volunteers, and staff of the various events. Despite the huge attendance, the festival ends the year in a weaker financial position because of strategic investments made to improve the festival for the future.
“We really tried to put a lot of things in place for the long run. Big picture investments,” said Adrienne Snow, the festival's Executive Director. “We’re positioning the festival to take advantage of the improvements the county is making to the grounds. We’ve invested in safety: cooling tents, extra lighting, extra golf carts so people not as mobile could get around.” In addition to those investments, there is a long-standing tradition of supporting volunteer organizations that bring groups of volunteers to help at the festival with contributions to those “sister” non-profit organizations. “To have the caliber of human beings there helping with tickets, driving the carts, helping out, we could not have had better folks,” said Snow.
City of Fallon on Ice: Fallon locals discovered the magic of ice skating at Fallon on Ice this winter, beginning November 18, in the parking lot just south of the Douglass House at 10 S. Carson Street. There was free skating all day with food trucks and vendors. Fallon has an old history of ice skating. Back in the day, early settlers in Fallon would ice skate on the S-line Reservoir behind Rattlesnake Hill. For years, Mayor Ken Tedford has wanted ice skating in Fallon. Over ten years ago, the city was gifted a hockey rink from a community in Southern California, but it wasn’t in very good shape, so the city sent it to auction. But the idea hung on with Tedford, and he’s been thinking of the concept as an economic development anchor, “With the communities surrounding Fallon coming in where they will use it and then shop with local merchants and use the restaurants and gas stations as well. I talked to the council, and they agreed,” he said.
Rancharrah Equestrian Center Changes and Endures: The iconic Rancharrah brand will continue in Northern Nevada despite the demolition of the former Rancharrah Equestrian Center in Reno, newly named RanchHarrah. On November 8, during a special meeting, Churchill County Commissioners agreed to enter into a Donation Agreement with Locus Development Group for approximately $2 million in fixtures, equipment, and memorabilia from the RanchHarrah Equestrian Center in Reno. Rancharrah's expansive and illustrious history dates back to the golden age of Reno. In 1957, casino magnate and owner of the Harrah's Hotel & Casino empire, Bill Harrah, purchased the estate, renaming it Rancharrah. Regular guests of the ranch included John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Waylon Jennings, among others.
Since 2016, Rancharrah has undergone extensive changes and is now home to a master-planned development with luxury homes, dining, and shopping areas. Churchill County had discussions with RanchHarrah regarding donating part of the ranch's equipment, coral panels, and iconic memorabilia associated with the Equestrian Center and Rancharrah.
The donation is considered significant in terms of financial and historical value to the citizens of Northern Nevada and its Western heritage. Churchill County Manager Jim Barbee told the commission, “The donation is north of $2 million, plus a substantial art donation as well.” Chief Civil Deputy District Attorney Joe Sanford told the commission that the idea behind the donation is to reconstruct the panels, fixtures, and equipment here so the Rancharrah brand will continue for them.
First Responders Holiday Food Drive – Long Time Success: When it comes to Fallon’s First Responder Food Drive, there is nothing like a little healthy competition between agencies to rev up the giving. This year's event yielded an outstanding result of 23,666 pounds of food, which will be distributed to area residents in need this holiday season. The program's cumulative impact, reaching a total of 146,454 pounds of donated food since its inception in 2016, highlights the generosity of Fallon's First Responders and underscores the exceptional sense of community that makes Fallon the caring and compassionate town it is. The department bringing in the most contributions in 2023 was the Fallon Police Department at 6,506 pounds, with the Churchill County Sheriff's Office a close second at 5,060. A special acknowledgment goes to Beth Riley for orchestrating this annual event. Her dedication and the collaborative efforts of the entire community have made this year fabulous.
NAS Fallon Celebrates Runway
Completion: NAS Fallon marked the official reopening of the Bravo Taxiway. After the three-and-a-half-year reconstruction effort, the project was officially complete. On November 28, a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated the successful completion of the project, which has transformed the airfield's critical taxiway. The revitalized Bravo Taxiway involved a large-scale upgrade, incorporating 19,000 cubic yards of new concrete, improved lighting systems, and freshly painted runway markings. This extensive overhaul demonstrates the Navy’s commitment to maintaining cutting-edge infrastructure supporting vital air operations at NAS Fallon. Photo courteys of NASF.
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