Former Sen. Bryan to speak at annual Democratic dinner

Former U.S. Sen. Richard Bryan headlines this year’s annual Churchill County Democrats Sawyer-Bryan Dinner on Saturday at the Fallon Convention Center.

Seating is limited. For information on dinner tickets, contact Chairwoman Nyla Howell at 775-867-4229. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. followed by social hour at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m.

Bryan also spoke at the dinner two years ago along with U.S. Catherine Cortez Masto, who was a candidate for retiring Harry Reid’s seat. He served as Nevada’s 25th governor from 1983 to 1989 and as a U.S. senator from 1989 to 2001. Bryan graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno in 1959 and earned his law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of Law. In 1963 he was admitted to the Nevada Bar.

Bryan also received a commission in the U.S. Army and attended his officer basic course at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana.

From 1972 to 1978, Bryan served in the Nevada Senate, and in 1979, he became the state’s attorney general. He served until 1983.

As a U.S. senator, he served on the following Senate Committees: Finance, Banking, Vice Chairman-U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and Commerce.

After attending the 2016 Fallon dinner, UNR unveiled a statue of one of the university’s acclaimed and admired alumnus. The unveiling occurred at the south side of the William N. Pennington Student Achievement Center.

The Richard H. Bryan Plaza is at the heart of campus in an area highly frequented by students, faculty, staff and campus guests, located between Lincoln Hall and the Mackay Mines Building and in close proximity to the new student achievement center. The project includes a diagonal sidewalk leading from the university’s historic Quad to the statue.

When he served as an elected official, Bryan had a fondness for anything Fallon. He attended the annual Kiwanis pancake breakfast that is held before the Labor Day parade. Bryan never missed a Labor Day event in Fallon.

“The best pancake breakfast in the state — bar none and not for the Hearts of Gold cantaloupes — are pancakes served with hot butter,” he previously told the LVN.

Additionally, Bryan also made extra trips to Fallon because his sister taught school in Fallon for several years.

In addition to Bryan’s appearance at the Churchill County Democrats dinner, other candidates for federal, state and local offices have confirmed their attendance: David Drew Knight, U.S. Senate; Vance Alm, Patrick Fogarty, Clint Koble and Rick Shepherd, Congressional District 2; Chris Giunchigliani and Henry Thorns, governor; Kate Marshall, lieutenant governor; Catherine Byrne, controller; Curtis Cannon, State Senate District 17.