Silver Dollars & Wooden Nickels

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.

SILVER DOLLAR: To the Carson City Board of Supervisors, for doing the right thing by putting the City Center Project's quarter-cent tax increase on the November ballot. For a project that has generated such deeply held views on both sides, this is a matter for the people to decide.

WOODEN NICKEL: To the elm seed bug, an invasive species that has somehow hitchhiked from south-central Europe to our part of the country and which has been detected in southwestern Idaho. Federal authorities are investigating how the creatures got here.

SILVER DOLLAR: To performing-arts groups in Carson City, for giving the community a cornucopia of pleasant diversions. Whether you're a fan of ballet, jazz, children's theater or Senior Follies, the offerings these days can only serve to enrich the quality of life. Performers, directors, stage hands and publicists, take a bow!

Silver Dollar: To the Nugget, for donating $2,000 to the Carson area chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America in its effort to bring the Traveling Memorial Wall to the city this fall.

The casino held a Bingo event in May to support the group, which hopes to raise a total of $10,000 to have the mobile tribute to the war's fallen soldiers at Mill Park during the inaugural celebration of Battle Born Days from Oct. 25-28.

Said the chapter leader Rick Arnold last week: "The casino has always been there for Nevada veterans and for us, no matter what."

We think that the memorial wall would be a poignant and powerful reminder at Battle Born Days of the ultimate sacrifice made in the name of freedom.

If you'd like to learn more about the memorial wall effort, visit www.battleborndays.com.