Scott Schrantz's Blog

The Nevada Appeal has a profile of the new Carson City Diner & Catering restaurant, which is open at the Corner of Carson and Winnie streets. It's in the space where Juicy's Hamburgers was for the longest time (more recently Panithias Grill), and it's co-owned by the owner of Kim Lee's Sushi.

I got this comment on an old post about the Mapes Hotel in Reno, memories from someone who used to work there.

I worked at the Mapes Hotel restaurant in 1968, and again in the mid-70's as an elevator operator. I was working the day that a theatre just next to the Mapes was demolished (we were informed of the time, and told to halt running the elavators for that short span because of possible seismic activity, that never really was noticed inside the hotel or elevator car); that event had caused a lot of controversy, as I'm sure the razing of the lovely old hotel caused. Public outcry didn't count for much in either case. I used to love it when the Sky Room was open for luncheons or special occasions. Such a nice view...from such a nostalgic room.

I was saddened when I learned of the demise of the place. It really was a special place. With all the ups and downs (pun intended), I thoroughly enjoyed working there.

The Record Courier has a list of all the Christmas events that are coming up in the Carson Valley over the next couple of weeks, with the big ones being the lighting of the Gardnerville Christmas tree, Wednesday Dec 3rd at 5:30pm in Heritage Park, and the big Parade of Lights which travels from Lampe Park to downtown Minden along Hwy 395. That's Saturday night, Dec 6th, starting at 5:00pm.

And also remember the Carson City Christmas tree lighting, Thursday night, Dec 4th, on the Capitol grounds at 5:30pm.

The residents of South Division Street have been upset for quite some time about people speeding down their street. Division is just about the closest thing the West Side has to a north-south thoroughfare, stretching from Winnie on the north all the way to Tenth street on the south, broken up only by about three or four stop signs. So people sometimes use it to bypass the traffic on Carson Street, and as such they tend to travel much faster than the posted 25 MPH limit.

The residents finally got the city's attention a couple of months ago, and the city budgeted some money to look into the speeding problems on Division and other streets. One thing they did was step up enforcement, with more patrol cars clocking people on the street. And one of the other reported options was to put a speed bump on Division Street. They finally did that this week, installing a speed bump near the corner of Division and Seventh. Coincidentally right next to the house that has posted the sign above.

The speed bump looks like a temporary arrangement. It's not made out of asphalt or concrete or anything, it's just a rubber mat that's been bolted down to the pavement. Sturdy enough to put up with the daily traffic along the road, but easily removed if the city decides it's not working. Probably they're just trying out the concept of putting speed bumps in certain areas of town. The Appeal article said this would be the first speed bump on any city street. So I'm sure they'll have a sharp eye on Division to see if the speed bump has any impact on traffic, or if people just mostly ignore it. They'll also have to watch out when it snows, because I can't imagine the snow plows having an easy time with this installation. If it turns out to be effective, look for it to come to other streets around town soon.

On closer inspection of the first photo, this is actually called a "speed table". Sorry.

So Carson City may be in some of the worst financial straits in recent memory, but at least they're keeping their promises. Too bad those promises only benefit a few, at the expense of everyone else, including the city itself.

If we roll back the clock a few years we'll see a time where things weren't looking good for Carson City. A new Target and Home Depot had just opened in Douglas County, and the city's only Wal*Mart had also jumped over the county line. All the city's sales tax, which they relied on for most of the budget, was leaving town. And then came word that the city's car dealers were buying up land in Douglas County, with the intent of teaming up to build a regional auto mall. An auto mall that would be outside of Carson City and sap even more tax revenue.

So the city panicked and started making deals, giving money away to keep existing businesses in town and attract new ones. Two of these deals have already come to life, incentive deals to bring Burlington Coat Factory and Sportsman's Warehouse to town. That cost the city $2 million each. And now a third deal is coming due, right when the city can afford it least.

During the panic about the auto dealers leaving town, the city approached Dick Campagni, who owns the Toyota and Ford dealerships, with an offer: We'll give you cash to stay in town. They offered a $3.6 million bribe, which he accepted, because duh, and used the money to buy land on South Carson Street for a new dealership. Signs went up on the land, then came down, and now they're back up again.

And now that the city is millions of dollars in the hole, they're still honoring the deal with Dick Campagni. In fact, they just extended the deadline for him to start working on the new dealership. The city, I'm sure, can justify this by saying that they're spending money now to keep the sales taxes flowing. Part of the deal is that Dick Campagni can't move his dealerships out of town for 20 years. But you have to wonder if that money couldn't be better used elsewhere. And you also have to wonder if building a new dealership in this climate is the best move for Dick Campagni.

Well, if everything goes to plan, ground will be broken here in March for a new car dealership. And the residents of Carson City will all have a hand in it.

I missed this last summer when they first put it up. The Carson City Convention and Visitors Bureau put up on YouTube a three-part look at the Carson City Ghost Walk, with footage from the 2006 walk.

Sue Ballew has the story of the Financial Panic of 1907, and how banks in Carson City were affected.

I got to do a little balloon chasing this morning on my way to work. Usually I only see them off in the distance over the Carson Valley, as they take off from Lampe Park and land again nearby. It's been a long time since they've even flown over my house. So I don't see a lot of balloons like I used to, but this morning there were two hanging over Carson City. I chased them as far as the Capitol, but then I had to go to work so I let them get away.

Guy Farmer asks, re: the proposed sale of the Carson Nugget, What is a ‘nonprofit’ casino?

Huh? After more than 45 years in Nevada, including three years with the State Gaming Control Board, this is the first time I’ve heard of a casino that wasn’t in business to make a profit.

Does a nonprofit casino play by the same rules as a for-profit casino? Or is it more like an Indian casino, which plays by its own rules?

There are no answers, only questions.

Flickr user Angie C has some pictures of Fort Churchill posted here.

Photo by Flickr user Angie C

Photo by Flickr user Angie C

Photo by Flickr user Angie C