Behind Roff Way

We call it the Roff Building, mostly because we don't know what else to call it and it sits on the corner of Roff Way and West 1st Street.  Roff Way gets its name from a prominent Reno family that helped settle the area in the 1860's. Built in 1936, my wife and her business partners …

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Services For Two Aurora Shooting Victims

Praised for her boundless energy,  family and friends gathered in San Antonio to remember her.  Jessica Ghawi, who narrowly escaped a shooting in Toronto earlier this year, has been laid to rest. "If this coward could have done this with this much hate, imagine what we can do with this much love," her brother, Jordan told …

Reflections on a Needless Death

Odd how the national media grabs onto a particular person involved in a tragedy. In the 1999 Columbine High School shootings, in Littleton, Colorado, it was Rachael Scott, one of 15 people to die that April 20th. At the time of her death, the 17-year old senior was an aspiring writer and actress. Shortly before her …

“The Dark Knight Rises” Massacre

The suspect in the shooting at a Colorado theater is reportedly telling police he's the Joker, Batman's arch nemesis and is known for chaotic violence. This, according to New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly.  The suspect is 24-year-old James Holmes and is in the Arapahoe County Jail in Centennial, a suburb of Denver.  Aurora police …

Reunion, Part 5 and Final

"Ugh!" I thought as I blinked awake, "My eye's feel like two piss-holes in the snow!" It felt as if I had jus’ fallen asleep when my alarm sounded. And as soon as I looked at the time it occurred to me that I had jus’ fallen asleep. It took me only a few seconds to …

Reunion, Part 4

Perhaps it was that I was in a rush -- or maybe it is old age -- but I knew as I drove north on US 101 I was heading to the Elks Club on H Street. But that didn't prevent me from turning onto Front Street and then into the parking lot between Enderts …

Silver Tailings: Bombing Run Over Elko

Somebody shouted smoke was pouring from the old warehouse behind the Post Office, the one used to house roofing and construction materials along with electrical equipment. Immediately, a call went out to the fire department. Elko only had a volunteer fire department, with five trained members and several dozen volunteers in August 1964. By the time the …

Bye-Bye, Good Sam

Friday the 13th. Usually it's a good day -- no different from any other for me. However en route to work, things went bad about the time I saw what I thought was a man struck and knocked out of a cross walk at Vassar and Harvard Ways. I immediately turned around to go give …

Reunion, Part 3

One of the things I like about staying in motels is the “in-room” coffee that many offer. There’s something refreshing about the strong aroma of brewing coffee in such a small space. It’s the simple things with me. After showering, getting dressed and polishing off three cups of java I was ready to take on …

Reunion, Part 2

It was about 4:30 pm when I checked into my room. The first event, an icebreaker, wasn’t set to begin for another two-and-half-hours, so I figured I had enough time to relax before getting ready. All went according to planning, that is until I got in my truck and started towards the Kings Valley Golf …

Hangman

A neighbor, who lives down the street,  brought over an object he’d purchased at a flea market. He gave it to me, saying, “I thought of you when I heard what it was.” Instantly I was in love with the contraption – which was a hangman harness – used by stunt performers in movies and …

Reunion, Part 1

It had been nearly five-years since I last visited the North Coast. I was a little nervous and excited at the same time and wasn’t sure what to expect. My trip began on a rather rocky note as I had worked the night before and didn’t make it home until after midnight. Then because of …

Mitt’s Mexican Background

While researching the historical background on the book written by Walter Van Tilburg Clark and later the movie, "The Ox bow Incident," directed by William Wellman, I happened on the name of William Flake. He found the three innocent men hanged by a vigilantes near Heber, Arizona -- and played a roll in the life …

Saying Goodbye to Educational Freedom in Nevada

July 6, 2012 When I first heard the State of Nevada had opted to combine No Child Left Behind with Common Core, in late 2007 – I knew it was a plan to ‘take over and remake our local school system.’ By the time the Nevada State Board of Education adopted the Common Core State …

Silver Tailings: Mina is for Ferminia

Mina was founded as a railroad town in 1905 and was named for Ferminia Sarras, also  known as the "Copper Queen."  Sarras came to Nevada sometime around 1881, which was the date she was first listed on Esmeralda County tax records, described as "Spanish Lady, Belleville." Writing in the September/October 2011 edition of "Nevada Magazine," …

Andy Griffith Remembered in Northern Nevada

Andy Griffith, who played Sheriff Andy Taylor in the fictional town of Mayberry, died at the age of 86. Born in Mount Airy, North Carolina, in 1926, Griffith graduated from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1949 with a degree in music. He originally planned on being a preacher, but instead became a teacher. After …

From Trinidad to Klamath

The major mining districts of northern California from 1850-1853, were the Trinity River mines, of which Weaverville was the center, and the Klamath and Salmon River diggings, of which Orleans Bar was the focal point. It was from the diggings on the Trinity that the Gregg party started on the expedition resulting in the rediscovery of …

The Victorian Secret

The heat beating down on the sidewalk seemed to exhaust everything including my good mood. It had been a difficult day at the radio station and the walk seemed like a nice idea at the time. Yet the temperature was another factor I had not counted on as I trudged up the long hill. It seemed as if …

Grace

Running ten minutes late as usual, I pulled up to the sidewalk.  I set the brake and turned off the motor. No one else was on board but I did not want to take chances, especially since a company vehicle had been stolen in Las Vegas three days before. I opened the side door and stepped out …

The Glass Eye

"Roger that,” the engine operator said as he slipped the gear into drive. The large fire-rescue truck moved forward, slowly building up speed. Reaching over, I flipped on the lights and sounded the siren. I then pulled out the map book and started thumbing through the index for the street name. “You don’t have to bother with that,” …

Chased Down

1997 The wind howled hard An' carried my father's voice. I did not want to listen Though I had no other choice. The winter blow comes bitter An' chills me to my bone. I hear my father's voice With his unmistakable tone. My horse paws the ground As the wind bites an' howls. I push …

Dog House

1997 He's in the dog house now After drinkin' too much hooch, He kicked his wife, An' kissed their pooch.