SILVER DOLLARS AND WOODEN NICKELS: Carson High has its lab of dreams

The Nevada Appeal’s Silver Dollars & Wooden Nickels feature recognizes achievements from the capital region and, when warranted, points out other acts that missed the mark.

SILVER DOLLAR: Thanks to the efforts of many at Carson High and the community, the school now has its lab of dreams, a true engineering lab. Instead of a makeshift approach the school has had to use in the past when instructing in the engineering field, the engineering lab now provides an invaluable resource for CHS students looking to enter any number of engineering fields.

SILVER DOLLAR: To all those involved in collecting and donating shoes and coats for children in need in Carson City. While it’s a time-honored tradition for adults to share with children how difficult they had it, we hope there’s enough coats and shoes so no Carson City child has to “walk barefoot in the snow” this winter.

WOODEN NICKEL: To the U.S. Supreme Court and Justice Anthony Kennedy. No matter where you stand on the gay marriage issue, the confusing legalese as the result of the U.S. Supreme Court and Kennedy’s rulings made it difficult for local officials to know exactly what to do for a couple of days.

SILVER DOLLAR: To the Nevada Department of Transportation and the construction crews for their work on Kingsbury Grade. The news mid-week about Kingsbury is that the proposed closure next May to wrap up work probably won’t be necessary thanks to progress made this season. That’s a welcome change from previous adventures working on the Grade. The state still has a lot of work to do over the coming weeks and next spring, but without the spectre of a barrier at the summit. The area’s tourist industries are breathing easier and can start to plan for next spring and summer without worrying about losing their customers.