Silver Dollars & Wooden Nickels: Community helped nurse puppy back to health

The Nevada Appeal’s Silver Dollars & Wooden Nickels feature recognizes achievements from the capital region and, then warranted, points out other acts that missed the mark.

SILVER DOLLAR: The Bison fire was visible southeast of Carson City for days, a menacing reminder of Mother Nature’s power. Fortunately, while it prompted some voluntary evacuations, the structural damage was minimal. We thank firefighters for their always-brave work. Unfortunately, two of those firefighters suffered injuries, and the cost of fighting it has soared past $5 million.

WOODEN NICKEL: Western Nevada College President Carol Lucey’s resignation is bad news for a good college and community. She has been part of the fabric of Carson City for years, and we’re not going to weigh in on the reasons for her departure. Rather, we applaud her efforts to improve higher education in Northern Nevada.

SILVER DOLLAR: Charlie, the black Lab puppy who was discovered abandoned and near death June 20 outside the Dayton Community Center, is rambunctious and running happily. Veterinarian Dave Haebler helped nurse Charlie back to health; credit goes to both him and a community that ponied up more than $8,000 in a successful effort to keep the puppy alive.

WOODEN NICKEL: Three people were killed in a collision on U.S. Highway 50 on Wednesday afternoon. Statistics suggest Highway 50 near Carson City is an unusually treacherous stretch of road, and it’s heartbreaking when people pay a terrible price because of it. East of Dayton, Highway 50 basically becomes an interstate highway with intersections. Take extra care when driving on the first stretch of the Loneliest Road in America.

SILVER DOLLAR: Carson High School students Bianca Miranda and Guadalupe Diaz prepare meals on weekdays to be served to needy children as part of the Food for Thought Summer Lunch program. The culinary arts students want to run restaurants someday; they’re off to a great start.

SILVER DOLLAR: Tours of the shuttered Nevada State Prison could resume by Nevada Day. Kudos to the Nevada State Prison Preservation Society for pushing to make that happen. We’ve been inside the prison since it closed; it’s a fascinating and key piece of Carson City’s history that residents should be able to visit.