WNC News & Notes: Sign up now for Nevada Small Farm Conference

Registration is going on now for the Nevada Small Farm Conference set for Feb. 21-23. The conference has moved this year from Fallon to a larger venue — John Ascuaga’s Nugget in Sparks — to accommodate more attendees, as well as additional workshops and seminars. There also is a Friday night social mixer. The conference will cover a variety of topics, including livestock and poultry production, hoop houses, agritourism, organic farming, local food systems, business planning and more. Preconference workshops will offer insight about the growth of Nevada agriculture, commercial hops production, seed starting and saving, value-added production and small farm business planning. For conference details, registration information and fees, visit WNC’s website, www.wnc.edu/sci, or contact Ann Louhela at 775-351-2551 or ann.louhela@wnc.edu.February Class to Benefit Substitutes Substitute teachers can improve their classroom skills and strategies by enrolling in Management Methods for Substitutes at Western Nevada College. The class is offered on two Saturdays, Feb. 9 and Feb. 23, and meets from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Cedar Building Room 111 on WNC’s Carson City Campus.The course is designed to assist kindergarten through 12th-grade substitute teachers with developing successful classroom management strategies to create a better environment for themselves and their students. Dr. Michelle Rousselle will serve as the course instructor. “We’ll offer an opportunity for substitute teachers to network with their peers and try out activities that have been proven to make the experience better,” Rousselle said. Register online at my.wnc.edu. The course prefix is EPD 276 and class number is 20745. For more information, 775-445-3141. Spring Driver Education CourseNew driver education courses for teenagers, 15 and older, will be offered by Western Nevada College this spring for $95. Each session includes four days of instruction, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.Three courses will meet on the WNC Carson City Campus; Saturdays, Feb. 2 to March 2 (no class Feb. 16); April 1-4 (spring break) and Saturdays, April 13 to May 4. Two classes will be offered in Douglas, Saturdays, Feb. 2-March 2 (no class Feb. 16, President’s Day weekend) and Saturdays, April 20-May 11.Drivers will learn safe driving techniques through lectures, class discussion, guest speakers, and films that cover Nevada driving regulations, basic vehicle control, and driving maneuvers in various situations and environments. Nevada state law requires new drivers under age 18 to take a 30-hour new driver education course if one is offered within 30 miles of their home.The course also covers how to handle distractions, peer pressure, how to prevent falling asleep at the wheel and the effects of driving under the influence. Speakers include public safety officials and insurance representatives. To register for the noncredit class, go to www.wnc.edu/drivereducation, for more information call 775-445-4458.Improving Campus Accessibility Western Nevada College recently hosted the Northern Nevada Facilities Management Association as part of the group’s ongoing focus on exploring best practices to meet the challenges facing regional facilities personnel. At the meeting were representatives from the Carson City School District, State Buildings & Grounds, NDOC, Truckee Meadows Community College, City of Reno, State Parks and Recreation, Douglas County School District, and International Gaming Technology, as well as WNC personnel. On Jan. 17, more than 50 individuals visited the college’s Carson City campus and reviewed the effect of the Americans With Disabilities Act, Title II and III legislation as it relates to building and property access with an emphasis on mandatory barrier removal. Presenting for the Nevada State Public Works Board were Building Official Dennis Nolan, ADA Project Manager Steve Barron and Facility Condition Analyst Michael Rife. This team of specialists reviewed issues as diverse as compliance and code enforcement on buildings and facilities located on state-owned property, facility condition review processes for all state-owned buildings, and the status of enforcement related to the Title II and III legislation. “The (State Public Works Board) personnel did an exceptional job at presenting the complex compliance requirements related to the federal DOJ legislation and the record participation indicates the importance of the issues,” said Dave Rollings, college director of Facilities and Planning.