My friend Anne Combs Swanson asked me to do a bit of research into the question regarding President Obama signing a law legalizing the slaughter of horses for human consumption. After hearing numerous news reports about how he had done this — on no less than Thanksgiving Day — I’m happy to report that he signed H.R. 2112 on November…

The Copperheads, (now known as the Democrats) of Washoe Valley planned a barbecue in September 1864 for General George B. ‘Little Mac’ McClellan. He was their candidate to defeat the bid for reelection by Abe Lincoln. There would be a general feast and then political speeches for the soon-to-be Nevada voters. It was to be a grand political rally.…

While I’m not certain where this comes from, I thought I’d share it anyway. For me, making time to write has always be something of a struggle. It takes determination to make a writing schedule and stick to it. My time is limited. While my writing time isn’t the most important thing in my life,…

Baron Ferdinand Richthofen (uncle of World War I German fighter ace, the ‘Red Baron’) visited  in 1866 to examine the Comstock Lode for himself. He wrote a report of his trip that claimed the lode was a ‘true fissure vein.’ This meant the silver went down into the earth for thousands of feet. The quantity of…

In my experience, there are many places some folks would consider as haunted. One of those places is the Mizpah Hotel in Tonopah. According to legend, Wyatt Earp kept the saloon, Jack Dempsey was a bouncer, and Howard Hughes married Jean Peters at the Mizpah. But Wyatt Earp left Tonopah before the Mizpah was built,…

For the last couple of weeks, the media has simply identified him as the “74-year-old man who had a heart attack while evacuating from the Caughlin Fire.” Well, we now know his name and the events leading up to his death. Born in 1937, Gordon Cupples, grew up in Red Bluff and joined the U.S.…

It’s a memory I’ve kept to myself for years, fearful that the person it involves might not recall things as I do. But I’ve decided to share it anyway – since I ain’t getting any younger. We were playing along the fence line, jus’ beyond the swings and the twirler bar before school started at…

In 1864, the Crystal Peak Company founded a town in Washoe County near the mountain of that name, a couple of miles north of where the Truckee River exits Truckee Canyon. Part of the town was in Nevada, but part of it was in California. Fortunately, Sierra County, California did not squabble over taxation and…

For the last six months Kay has been working the Weight Watchers program. She’s have success with it too. This new eating life-style has led to some odd recipes; some having tasted rather delicious – while others, not so much. Either way, I try to encourage her to stick to the plan and try different…

In 1871, the newest EI Dorado in silver was Tuscarora in Independence Valley. The town was 25 miles away from one neighbor, Cornucopia, and 45 miles away from another, Columbia. At its liveliest, perhaps there were 4,000 inhabitants. A rush of men journeyed to the area when the silver was discovered. As usual, more went…