Silver Dollars & wooden Nickels: Silver State unwraps early present in Halsey saddle

The Nevada Appeal's "Silver Dollars & Wooden Nickels" feature recognizes positive achievements from the capital region and, when warranted, points out others that missed the mark. Today’s installment was taken over by Santa and the Grinch.PRESENTS: To Washoe Family Court Judge Chuck Weller, Kai Wallis, president of the Reno Council of the Navy League and Peter Barton, administrator of Nevada’s Division of Museum’s and History, along with the E. L. Cord Foundation for working together to bring the famous Admiral Halsey Saddle back to the Silver State. The saddle was made in 1945 and sent as a gift to Admiral William Halsey to mark the surrender of Japanese forces in World War II. The making of the saddle followed Halsey’s comments that Japanese emperor’s palace was not a military target, adding, flippantly, “I’d hate to have them kill Hirohito’s white horse, because I want to ride it,” Weller, wrote in an essay on the history of the saddle.The saddle arrived in Nevada on Thursday and on three-year loan from Maryland and will be traveling around the state.COAL: To the legislative auditor findings last week that the Nevada Employment Security Division could be paying up to $5 million in jobless benefits to Nevada prison or jail inmates. The Employment Security Division is working on a fix that would automatically block claims for persons housed in a prison or a jail.PRESENTS: To the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Nevada’s Torch Club for its upcoming efforts to raise funds to purchase bulletproof vests for the Carson City Sheriff’s K9 deputies.The fundraiser is called Hot Cocoa for K9s and it will take place 2-5 p.m. Jan. 5 at the Arlington Square Ice Skating Rink. The club is hoping to raise $1,400 to cover the cost of two bulletproof vests for Rex and Tommy the Belgian Malinois who work as patrol and drug dogs.