WNC News & Notes: Truck driving school has made a difference

As a professional truck driver, Fallon resident Arni Ares traveled many highways during the years. But in 2009, he put the brakes on driving. Together with his wife, Smokie, he started the Advanced Truck School, affiliated with Western Nevada College.Since then, more than 200 students from throughout the region have completed the truck-driving program, learning the skills for a new career. Now the pair says it’s time to hit the road again, this time to California and retirement. Arni says he’s proud of the work they did on campus over the past three years. He loved teaching and putting safe, qualified drivers on the road.“Nothing made me happier than getting a call from a trucking company saying, ‘Thanks, you sent us a good one,’” he said.“The program had a very high job placement rate,” said David Steiger, WNC’s director of Economic Development. “The school did a great job of helping students find career jobs.”Ares said that despite the country’s economic troubles, qualified truck drivers are in demand. “I really enjoyed helping people get good jobs with good companies,” he said.Now, the couple is set to travel the next road. “We’ve learned that life is feeling a little more fragile, and that at this point in our lives, family is what’s important,” Smokie said. With that in mind, she is looking forward to spending more time with her seven grandchildren.259 Students Earn Dean’s List HonorWestern Nevada College has named 259 students to the Fall 2012 Dean’s List. To qualify for WNC’s Dean’s List, students must complete at least 12 credits during the semester and accumulate a grade point average of 3.50 or higher.They include:Blue Diamond: Connor Klein; Boise, Idaho: Antonio Roque; Carson City: Scott Albiter, Brittney Allen, Adam Anderson, Nicollette Arnn, Joseph Baggs, Randi Behrendt, Katheryn Brown, Taja Brown, Lynette Carlson, Nichole Carter, David Castle, Larissa Chamousis, Aline Chan-Hunter, Christina Connell, Alia Cox, Alexander Crathers, Robin Cunningham, Olivia Cyr, Terry Czerwien, Jordan Dargert, Sebastian De La Torre, Kristina Diamond, Spenser Dorsey, Lauren Ely, Christopher Estrada, Mark Lester Evangelio, Jennifer Evans, Isabel Flores, Arnold Flores-Estrada, Kassandra Fuentes, Timothy Gamroth, Leana Garcia, Bethany Giurlani, Amanda Godin, Stevi Goletto, Madison Gonzalez, Maxwell Greb, Lisa Hardin, Sarah Hernandez, Kleine Hernandez, Ariel Hobdy, January Hurlbert, Lynn Jackson, Alan Johnson, Kelly Keefe, Tammy Kinsley, Leah Kniffen, James Lewandowski, Brittany Lewis, Jared Link, Ali-Marie Lostra, Mandy May, Tiana McAllister-Daggs, Cheyenne McBride, Brian Mcelrath, Cathy Mello, Sean Merritt, Luis Montoya, Andres Moya, Robert Nellis, Shon Nelson, Jacob Nicholson, Krysta Palmer, Zachary Palmer, Corey Pool, Shelby Price, Britannia Propster, Nicholas Redwine, Stephanie Reynolds, Racheal Reynolds-Strange, Austin Richmond, Jennifer Robbins, Sarah Robinson, Julie Ryan, Victoria Salas, Daniel Salas, Irving Enrique Sanchez, Rosalee Sauer, Dylan Singleton, Rebecca Singleton, Jessica Smith, Erick Solis, Meagen Spraycar, Becki Stankus, Alicia Stimka, Jazmyn Stokes, Jackson Sutton, Priscilla Sweatt, Alexandra Taylor, Scott Taylor, Nicholas Thornhill, Michael Umscheid, Matthew Vallarino, James Vincent, Stephen Wadsworth, Michael Walters, Alec Whipple, Angela Whisler, Zachary White, Megan Wilhelm, Brian Williams, Wednesday Wirkus, Frank Wolford, Gerald Young, Nereyda Zarate; Dayton: Kathie Arias, Cassandra Avendano, Jacob Avendano, Jose Barajas, Tori Beck, Andrew Boucher, Katie Bowlin, Rhonda Bruno, Arthur Callan, Dustin Cheney, Jacob Council, Stevie De Taranto, Danielle Del Prete, Cherrice Dotson, Diego Flores, Mariah Flores, Amber Gaab, Cristol Greer, Matthew Heimerman, William Jones, Alexander Knudson, Raul Leon, Amanda Lovelady, Mitzi Mueller, Amber Nutting, Jacob Paterson, David Phillips, Honey Tapley, Brenda Tidwell, Adilia Toledo, Marie Wagner, Eric Waski; Edgewood, Wash.: Joseph Crunkilton; Fallon: Kitti Bennett, Brandi Boothe, Shana Carlson, Lynn Danny, Cheryl Danny Lundberg, Britt Delcarlo, Deborah Devoss, James Ditmars, James Houck, Jeremy Kannin, Jessica Kannin-Devoss, Brenna King, Jacque Manley, Jasmine Mauga, Cheyenne Mcerquiaga, Kimberly Moore, Mallory Morgan, Nalani Page, Donita Petean, Nilzara Pietri, Amber Ryle, Charles Wadsworth, Elena Wolf, Caitlin Wright; Fernley: Aaron Gyll, Robert Meisner, Mark Premo; Forest Grove, Ore.: Jacob Bennett; Gardnerville: Jason Bates, Quentin Blue Horse, Natalie Boggs, Allyson Boss, Joni Box, Zachary Brady, Mary Coker, Riley Curry, Dan Gonzales, Ashley Greenameyer, Christina Henning, Joel Hohenstein, Ann-Rose Ical, Sarah Jardine, Brittney Kashuba, Kathleen Kenney, Page Kirby, Katy Knapp, Laura Kruse, Joshua Lee, Michaelyn Mcelhiney, Kayla Mitchell, Autumn Newton, Jillian Olivera, Mia Orlando, Sarah Owens, Anneliese Peters, John Rempt, Shannon Roberson, Clay Sedgwick, David Skalecki, Romaine Smokey, Elspeth Summersgill, Rachel Tewalt, Theresa Vaughn, Nicholas Verbanac, Abrahm Viles, Joseph Warden; Genoa: Lucila Martinez; Huntsville, Utah: Jack Hall; Kenmore, Wash.: Rex Carlin; Las Vegas: Alexia Alley, Justin Smith, Sydney Peterson; Minden: Amanda Alltizer, Shandi Anderson-Freer, Coraleigh Bales, Paul Belt, Joseph Clark, Joseph Heindl, Jack Hollingshead, Elana Ketchian, Marissa Knight, Janelle Martin, Jamie Nelson, Rebecca Nelson, Turia Seiger-Todd, Aaron Smith, Whitney Snider, Victoria Theriault; Reno: Cheryl Bailey, Clinton Hohenstein, Lisa Marx, Amanda Meeks, Lisa Moya, Emily Nagel, Daonne Sequeira, Lyssa Springer, Taylor Sundberg; Salem, Ore.: Brenden Shaffer; Silver City: Gary Christy; Silver Springs: Mae Calmese, Tammy McNeill, Steven Vaughn, Stephanie Wozniak; Sparks: Barbara Gonzalez, Caroline McCarthy; Stagecoach: Kristina Hoopes, Andria Love, Jason Woolman; Virginia City: Ty O’Neil; Virginia City Highlands: Virginia Curls; Washoe Valley: Robert McCoy, Donald McKay, Sara Shores; Wellington: Jenna Calloway, Caitlyn Calloway, Jesseca Pacheco Larios; Yerington: Aubrey Corkern, Paige Moreda, Daniela Sanchez.