As a pre-teen, obsessed with writing and journaling, I was always searching for a new way to say things. I wanted to express myself as profoundly as possible – and I thought I had a lot to say. When I wasn’t writing or causing mischief, I was reading. If fact, one entire summer I was…

Mrs. Crivelli was my sixth grade teacher. She was known for instructing the class in penmanship and choir for the most part — however she did teach other things. One late morning she surprised the class by holding a pop-quiz. I was sitting there lost in my own world, hoping she wouldn’t call my name…

Dear Mom — Thank you for raising me with a firm hand. I know now as a parent myself that I needed it. Thank you for making me take a bite out of a bar of soap and chew it till gone because I lied; thank you also for sending me out side to select…

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says construction on the world’s first hybrid power plant is starting in northern Nevada. Reid says Enel Green Power North America’s geothermal plant in Churchill County is adding a solar project. The plant will combine geothermal and solar power for maximum generation on hot summer days.  Geothermal energy is…

As settlers continued to arrive along the North Coast of California and move in on what had been traditionally Indian lands, trouble when from being jus’ violent confrontations on the local front, to the creation of legal proceedings. This of course left the Native population at a serious disadvantage. In April 1849, the Alta California,…

Reno  2011 — A Reno soldier was found dead in his barracks room at Fort Carson, Colorado.  Army officials say they discovered Sgt. Jacob Sitko’s body on August 13th. Post officials launched a full investigation into the soldier’s death. So far they have not released any information discovered during their investigation. Sitko was returned to…

As a kid I loved to watch the TV program, “Kids Say the Darndest Things,” with Art Linkletter. This was back when it came on in the afternoon. One afternoon, I told Mom, “I’m going to be on that show one day!” “Really,” she said in a factual tone of voice. “And I plan to…

Reno 2011 — A sociology researcher says Tea Party voters are more likely than other voters to fear change and harbor negative attitudes toward immigrants. The study, called “Cultures of the Tea Party,” is being presented in Las Vegas at the American Sociological Association’s annual meeting. Of course the key word, “illegal,” is left out…

It was Mrs. Valeria Damm who first introduced me to Laura Ingalls-Wilder and “Little House on the Praire.” When I say “me,” I actually mean the entire third grade class she was reading the book too. Later on, my sister Deirdre received the book and as soon as I saw that she had finished it,…

While stationed at Brooks Air Force Base for technical school, I decided to go buy some postcards to send to family and friends. I also needed to buy some stamps since I forgot to get some at the base post office before they closed. After finding about a dozen postcards, I headed to the downtown…