Storey community center and BLM funding coming out of latest federal appropriations bill

Lyon and Storey counties will both be affected if President George W. Bush signs the federal omnibus appropriations bill passed by Congress.

Storey County will benefit from $200,000 slated to go toward Phase I of its $2 million community center.

Shaun Griffin, executive director of Community Chest Inc., which is raising funds for the center and will be among the organizations with offices there.

"This gets us up to $550,000," he said. "We're $100,000 shy of funding Phase I."

The Storey County Commissioners have approved formal construction to begin on Phase I as soon as the first $650,000 is raised.

Griffin said the rest of the funds will be raised through donations and grants.

He said Health Access Washoe County have applied for a $150,000 federal grant to fund a satellite health center in the community center.

"They believe we have a very strong chance of receiving that," he said, adding the grant will be awarded in August. "I'm going to several foundations to try to raise the $150,000 sooner. If anyone wants to contribute, we'd be delighted."

The 6,000-square-foot center will be built on the little-used tennis courts near the swimming pool at Carson and H streets.

When completed, it will provide space for the public health nurse's offices, for child-care programs and for a business center with free computers and phones provided by NevadaWorks.

It also will provide a community gathering place and even house some nonprofit groups such as the Comstock Arts Council and UNR Cooperative Extension.

Lyon County's impact will be seen through the Bureau of Land Management's Wild Horse and Burro Program, which will receive the same $35 million it received last year.

Jolynn Worley, spokesman for the BLM's Reno office, said that amount will be sufficient to pay for the gathers of wild horses the agency does as well as its adoption program and administration.

She said costs haven't gone up, but needs change due to time and circumstance, for example, they may have to thin a wild horse herd that is in an area affected by wildfires.

"I think it's more having enough money to conduct the gathers and fund the adoption program at levels we'd like," she said. "We have gathers scheduled for the next two years."

• Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111 ext. 351.