June 11, 2025, Letters to the Editor

More than a celebration

Editor:

Carson Valley Days is almost here, and like so many locals, I’m counting down the days. I’ve never missed one, even the years I was too young to remember, and I can honestly say it feels more like a holiday than a weekend event. But what makes it all possible is something a lot of people don’t see.

I’m proud to be an active, second-generation member of the Carson Valley Active 20-30 Club, the nonprofit behind Carson Valley Days. Our club has played a role in this event since its early days and officially took over running it in 1946. For nearly a century, generations of Active and Past Active members have worked behind the scenes to make this tradition what it is today, and they’ve done it all to give back to the community.

Carson Valley Days is more than a celebration. It’s a fundraiser. Every dollar raised whether from parade entries, beer booth sales, or carnival fun helps support local kids in need. That mission has been at the heart of the Carson Valley Active 20-30 Club for generations, and it’s what keeps us going year after year.

So while you’re out enjoying the parade, the music, the rides, and the memories being made, take a moment to think about the people who’ve made it happen. This event exists because of the hard work and heart of volunteers — past and present who care deeply about this valley and its future.

To every Active and Past Active member who’s ever had a hand in putting on Carson Valley Days: thank you. You’ve helped build something truly special. And if you see someone in a red vest this weekend, take a second to thank them. They’re out there making it all happen.

See you at the parade!

David Hochgurtel

Public Relation Director, Carson Valley Active 20-30 Club

Second-Generation Member | Lifelong Attendee

Thanks for supporting concert series

Editor:

May marked the end of another successful Concert Series for the Carson Valley Arts Council Concert. 2025 celebrates more than 18 years of the concert series beginning in 2007. Carson Valley Arts Council just celebrated our 20th anniversary.

The concert series would not happen without the support of our sponsors and volunteers. We want to thank all of our sponsors and supporters for their continued help in making the ARTS important in our community. Members of our Events Committee, Judy Larquier, Bill Magladry, Mary Ann Crosby, Doug O’dell and Jean Hay work during the year to identify outstanding performers in our multi-state region. CVAC volunteers make sure chairs are set up and taken down, they clean up the CVIC Hall for each performance, staff the bar, usher and hand out programs, and sell concert tickets and raffle tickets to support our youth arts education. Volunteers make things happen, so thank you.

Our 2024-25 sponsors included: Nevada Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Creative West, Carson Valley Inn, Douglas County, BDR Construction, Coffee on Main, Record Courier, Sierra View Dental Center, Carson Valley United Methodist Church, Douglas Democrats/DCDemocratic Women, Breaux Accounting Group, Double J Auto, Mort’s Auto Body, Custom Framing & Design, Art Gallery @ Prism, Gadzooks, Bike Habitat, Towns of Minden and Gardnerville, Carson Valley Visitor’s Authority and Chamber of Commerce, the Smallwood Foundation, Heritage Bank, Nevada State Bank, American Century Championship, Holiday Inn Express, Minden Rotary, Leavitt Meadows Pack, Station, Sharon Hoelscher Day, Anne Vondruska, and Karen and Brian Fitzgerald.

Because of our sponsors and concert audiences, the Carson Valley Arts Council was able to offer four free music assemblies at Douglas County Elementary and Middle schools this past year.

We are excited about next year’s concert series which begins on Oct. 10. Carson Valley Arts Council is now recruiting sponsors and advertisers for our 2025-26 season and other arts projects. Visit our website at https://www.cvartscouncil.com/sponsors/ for details or call our office at 775-782-8207 for more information.

Thank you, residents of Douglas County for supporting the arts.

Sharon Schlegel, Executive Director

Brian Fitzgerald, CVAC President

Sharon Hoelscher Day, Events Coordinator

Libs are Americans and Nevadans too

Editor:

I have been all over the map during my life politically.  As many have said, this time is different.  Sadly.  We’ve seen stories about other countries and people being jailed or even injured/killed because of their political stances or beliefs.  We tell ourselves that can’t happen here in the US, but don’t fool yourself, it has.

I’ve lived here now for over 5 years, and have heard locals gripe about people moving in from out of state, driving up housing costs, etc.  Of course, they don’t mind selling their homes or land for 100 times what they paid, but we won’t go there.  What really gripes me is the notion that they’re allowed to live here, but we’re not.  They seem to want a political litmus test for anyone moving into the area.  Like, we’re conservatives here, and if you aren’t, you shouldn’t be here.  So much so, that those of us who aren’t ardent conservatives, or even worse, Trump supporters, feel threatened by our neighbors if we dare to put up yard signs or anything else that shows where we stand politically.  There have been instances of verbal threats and vandalism.  It’s really disturbing to me that the implied threat is always there.   Anyone that was here in August 2019, when the Black Lives Matters protestors came to town and were bullied by our kind conservative, AR-15 toting neighbors knows what I’m talking about.  Even more disturbing, our “non-partisan” sheriff rallied the counter protestors for weeks prior to the demonstration that day.

This community prides itself on being welcoming, supportive and caring about neighbors.  Anytime there’s a tragedy or emergency, the community really steps up to help, and it’s wonderful to see.  But it doesn’t exactly comport with their political attitudes and behaviors.  I’ve recently had arguments with people I care about on social media comments about this administration’s actions in cutting support for poverty programs, research programs, federal employees, and some of the really questionable immigration actions involving college students expressing their 1st amendment right of free speech.  In those comments, I accused people who voted for this administration being responsible for these actions, some of which blatantly violate the law or constitution.  I spoke of yearning for the time in our history, not long ago, when we didn’t know our friends, neighbors or even family’s political leanings, and didn’t care.  We certainly didn’t consider those “on the other side” to be enemies, or threats to our way of life.  I wish we could go back to those attitudes.  But I fear that can’t happen as long as we have political leadership in the executive and legislative branches that encourage that behavior.  I hope that changes in the near future and we can fully be the caring kind community we see most of the time.

Deb Huelsman

Gardnerville