2011 City of Fallon Media Placements

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City of FallonTable of Contents

Date Publication Title

11/28/2011 NNBW Plan for dry‐milk facility heartens dairymen

10/27/2011 RGJ BestBets Lattin Farms Fall Festival

10/27/2011 RNR This Week Tractors and Truffles & Latin Farms Fall Festival

10/26/2011 RGJ Corn maze

10/20/2011 BestBets Lattin Farms Fall Festival

10/19/2011 RGJ African Crop Fallon Farm

10/18/2011 Sacramento Bee Stand‐Up promises many years of Wright stuff

10/5/2011 RGJ Tractors and Truffles Eating News & Notes

9/28/2011 RGJ Tractors & Truffles'Food, Art

8/26/2011 KTVN Lane Brothers Boxing

8/26/2011 Boxing.com DING, DING: Fallon Fights roars into fairgrounds Saturday

8/26/2011 Fighterheadlines.com DING, DING: Fallon Fights roars into fairgrounds Saturday

8/26/2011 Lahontan Valley News DING, DING: Fallon Fights roars into fairgrounds Saturday

8/26/2011 Saddoboxing.com DING, DING: Fallon Fights roars into fairgrounds Saturday

8/26/2011 taekwondowarriorsny.com DING, DING: Fallon Fights roars into fairgrounds Saturday

8/26/2011 Topix DING, DING: Fallon Fights roars into fairgrounds Saturday

8/25/2011 Dallasnews.com DING, DING: Fallon Fights roars into fairgrounds Saturday

8/25/2011 Lahontan Valley News City Hopes for exciting night at Rural Rumble

8/25/2011 RGJ Fallon boxing card taking shape

8/25/2011 Road Runner DING, DING: Fallon Fights roars into fairgrounds Saturday

8/25/2011 TravelNevada.com Fallon Fights: Rural Rumble '118/24/2011 KOLO 8 "Rural Rumble" Invades Fallon on Saturday8/24/2011 Lahontan Valley News RIDING THE PINE: Get ready to rumble8/23/2011 Lahontan Valley News Rural Rumble features Northern Nevada fighters

8/23/2011 The ExaminerRural Rumble in Fallon, Nevada Saturday, August 27 updated

fight card8/10/2011 This is Reno Tractors and Tuffle brings top chefs to Fallon

2/15/2011 American Birding Festivals ABA Birding Festivals

2/10/2011 Bird Freak.com Spring Wings Bird Festival ‐ Fallon Nevada

Shoe Tree Coverage 2/16/2011 Los Angeles Times End of the road for the shoe tree2/15/2011 The Daily SHOEDUNIT2/13/2011 RGJ.com Footwear tossers honor fallen Shoe Tree2/13/2011 Lahontan Valley News Paying Homage to the fallen 'Shoe Tree'2/13/2011 KOLOtv.com Saying Goodbye to the Show Tree2/13/2011 KTVN.com Shoe Tree Memorial on Sunday in Churchill County2/13/2011 KTVN.com Shoe Tree2/12/2011 The Record‐Courier Shoe Tree' memorial is Sunday

City of FallonTable of Contents

Date Publication Title12/8/2010 The Mailbox News Will the one who's at fault, please stand up11/16/2010 Lahontan Valley News Keeping Downtown Fallon alive

10/19/2010 Lahontan Valley News Workshop: How to submit to the LVN

10/4/2010Northern Nevada Business

WeeklyBucking up the spirits of the home team

10/4/2010Northern Nevada Business

WeeklyIndiana company plans reopening of joist plant in Fallon

10/4/2010 RN&R The local egg scramble

10/5/2011 Lahontan Valley News Local beer event to feature Sam Adams Longshot finalist10/4/2011 Nevada Magazine Lattin Farms Fall Festival 10/4/2011 Nevada Magazine Ales & Art9/25/2010 Beeradvocate Ales & Art9/24/2011 KoloTV Fallon Water Safe to Drink After Acid Spill9/22/2010 Reno Gazette‐ Journal Of grape & grain9/16/2010 Lahontan Valley News City of Fallon, businesses thank sailors, families9/16/2010 Lahontan Valley News Specialist arrive in Fallon to assess acid spill9/16/2010 Lahontan Valley News Emergency response for acid spill went as planned9/2/2010 Lahontan Valley News Third acid spill occurs at water treatment plant8/25/2010 Lahontan Valley News City water now being treated on reduced scale

8/1/2010 Edible Reno‐TahoeCustom Roasters: Fallon's Coffee PER creates a stir around the

world.7/22/2010 Lahontan Valley News Tourism authority approves bike tour7/8/2010 Lahontan Valley News City of Fallon seeks positive image campaign3/11/2010 Lahontan Valley News CEDA seeks to revitalize area's image

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Plan for dry-milk facility heartens dairymenRob Sabo, 11/28/2011

A proposed dehydrated milk processing facility in Fallon could increase the size of dairy herds in ChurchillCounty and give regional dairymen some much-needed financial security.

The processing facility proposed by Dairy Farmers of America for the New River Business Park in Fallon wouldcost upwards of $85 million and would employ between 40 to 50 fulltime workers, says Eric Grimes, executivedirector of the Churchill Economic Development Authority.

Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., Dairy Farmers of America is a cooperative of 16,000 dairy operatorsnationwide. It owns 27 dairy-products plants.

The plant would give relief to Churchill County dairymen who have been pressured by volatile milk prices andface a further pinch from a California initiative that discourages the sale within the Golden State of milkproduced in neighboring states.

The plant would provide a nearby place for Fallon dairymen to process their milk and alleviate the concerns overthe “Real California Milk” campaign that has left Nevada dairymen with fewer options for bottling liquid milk.

“It is huge for Fallon, and it will have an economic impact on the entire region,” Grimes says. “The herd sizes fornorthern Nevada dairymen are going to double in size.”

Currently, Churchill County dairymen ship most of their milk to the Golden State for bottling. But that couldchange if more California bottlers subscribe to the voluntary initiative to only sell milk from California-raisedcows.

Bill Christoph, co-owner of Liberty Jersey Farm with his brother-in-law, Alex Vanderstoel, says that if one largeclient — say Raley’s, for instance — demanded California-only milk Nevada dairymen would find themselves at atroubling crossroads.

“That would be a huge loss for us,” Christoph says. “They are a primary customer in California. The number ofbottlers that will accept Nevada milk already has been reduced, and that places us in a more precariousposition.”

A local processing facility could bring stability and security to northern Nevada dairies.

Churchill County currently has 18 operating dairies, says Grimes. Three dairies — including some largeproducers — closed due to the recession and low milk prices that eroded profits and years of hard-fought equity.Dairymen also would save significantly on transportation costs with a nearby processing facility. They are paid aset price for delivery of their milk, regardless of how far it travels. Additionally, says Newell Mills of MillsJerseys, dairymen wouldn’t have to fret over severe winter weather in the Sierra that often curtails shipments.

One recent winter, Newell says, several Fallon dairymen were forced to dump loads of milk because truckscouldn’t get over the Sierra and back to the farms to pick up fresh milk.

“The cows, they keep producing, and some people sustained great losses (that year) because their tanks weren’tbig enough to hold all the milk,” Mills says.

Fallon dairymen might be paid less for milk processed at the new facility because dry milk prices are slightlylower per hundredweight than liquid prices, but Liberty Jersey Farm will take that tradeoff.

“It is a very secure market, and that is a huge benefit for us,” Christoph says. “A plant like this is as dependent ona local supply as the local supply is dependent on the plant — it is a real marriage.”

Christoph says the dehydrated milk produced at the plant will primarily be exported to countries that lackadequate refrigeration for liquid milk. The dehydration process will be slightly different than most U.S.facilities, he says, and the end result is a power that can be reconstituted with water into a quality milk drinkunlike the powdered milk found on American store shelves.

“Combined with water, it is a reasonable equivalent to what you get in the store. It comes as close as you can tobeing an instant milk.”

Herd sizes could increase, too, since the plant would be designed to accommodate greater volumes of milk thanis currently produced by Churchill County dairies.

“This gives our industry the possibility of a future,” Christoph says. “Given the exposure that we have had as anindustry and being subjected to the political situation in California, everybody is reluctant to make an invest in

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this industry. We could be put out of business if something should happen in the California market, andinsulating ourselves from that situation frees us up and gives us the potential for a future.”

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John Ascuaga's Nugget

Comedian, actor and writer Steven Wright likes one-liners because, "They're to be said in front of a live audience."

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By Mel ShieldsBee CorrespondentPublished: Sunday, Oct. 9, 2011 - 12:00 am | Page 2I

Last Modified: Sunday, Oct. 9, 2011 - 11:36 am

It seems there is this boy named Harold. He is a painter, among other things, and he's colored in the patterns on his ceilingwith India ink and nail polish remover.

He also has dreams, like the one about the man who invented the mirror. He counts Chinese restaurants in his neighborhood,and he's just turned in a paper to his Asian teacher whom he finds attractive.

Harold is a creation of Steven Wright, the stand-up comedian who performs Saturday at John Ascuaga's Nugget. His story isunfolding in tiny segments, necessary because it's on Twitter. Don't look for it to go any further, though, or at least to do sowith any speed. Wright is not sure he'll do more with it.

"I wrote a story a long time ago, a short story, but it went on and on and on. So, I thought I would write another one, but I'm amaster at procrastination and I quit easily.

"One-liners, not extended stories, have been so much in my career. They're to be said in front of a live audience."

The use of Chinese restaurants in Wright's story is an echo of his origins. After graduating from Emerson College, he attendedan open-mike night and became a regular at Ding Ho's Comedy Club and Chinese Restaurant in Cambridge.

Johnny Carson put him on "The Tonight Show" and promptly brought him back the next week.

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HBO appearances, albums ("I Have a Pony," "I Still Have a Pony," "When the Leaves Blow Away"), and film appearances("Half-Baked, "The Muse," "Mixed Nuts") followed. As did an Academy Award (for his short film "The Appointments of DennisJennings" in which he starred and which he co-wrote).

Asked what he's been doing lately, Wright's response goes into stream-of-consciousness mode, issuing a nonstop list rangingfrom "doing shows" to "losing a hammer." Somewhere between "taking walks with my brother" and "going to basketballgames" comes "reading (Kurt) Vonnegut and (Gabriel García) Márquez."

"Geniuses, pure geniuses who jazz your mind. There is more in five pages of '100 Years of Solitude' than in six books by anyother author."

Wright promises his show will be "a combination of all the stuff over the years put together." One thing is sure: He'll take yousomewhere you've never been. There's just enough magical realism in his comedy that it's natural he would like Márquez.Only Steven Wright would suspect that somebody comes in at night and replaces all his furniture – with pieces identical tothe originals. (9 p.m.; $50; 800-648-1177 or www.janugget.com)

Around the Silver Circle

Called "the oasis of Nevada," the city of Fallon has usually been associated with cantaloupes, specifically the "Hearts of Gold"variety grown in the area. Now, it's becoming known for another culinary aspect, and Saturday welcomes "Tractors andTruffles" with special guest Chef John Ash, former Food Network host, leading farm tours and giving cooking demonstrations.Singer-songwriter Susan Werner will perform in the evening (8 p.m.; Barkley Theater). $125 gets the whole day, including atour and lunch at Lattin Farms, wine tasting at Churchill Vineyards, the Ash demonstration, a visit with Werner, cocktails,dinner, and the show. $100 gets dinner and show. (775) 423-4556.

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Live Local Fallon campaign kicks off Saturday nightSpecial to the LVN

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The city of Fallon and Fallon Chamber of Commercewill kick off a new Live Local Fallon campaign in anoutdoor community party and concert at Oats Park onSaturday at 7 p.m.

Live Local Fallon is a comprehensive campaign thatencourages consumers to re-connect with localbusinesses, urges local businesses to adapt to localneeds, and promotes local events and volunteerism.Live Local Fallon's end goal is to educate localresidents on how their shopping, dining andvolunteering can preserve and enhance Fallon as avibrant and healthy community.

Each piece of the Live Local Fallon campaign — EatLocal, Shop Local, Work Local and Dine Local —combines to make the campaign a full-fledged effortto build a stronger Fallon economy and community.

Eat Local: Fallon's multi-generational family farms and strong military presence perfectly position it toreap the benefits of the Live Local Fallon campaign. Fallon's fertile agriculture industry producesworld-class fruits and vegetables. Live Local Fallon's “eat local” program will highlight these offerings,connecting residents to the freshest produce possible, and encouraging them to patronize family farmsthat form the backbone of Fallon's agricultural heritage.

Shop Local: Live Local Fallon's “shop local” program will encourage locals to buy from locally owned,independent businesses. But the program will also work with local businesses to help them meet theneeds of local consumers. Live Local Fallon is launching a shopping rewards program in conjunction withthe “shop local” campaign to give residents a reason to choose local businesses.

“Hopefully it will inspire businesses to think outside of the box,” said Natalie Parrish, executive directorof the Fallon Chamber of Commerce.

Dine Local: This portion of the campaign will highlight Fallon's locally owned, independent restaurants— restaurants that cook and serve ingredients grown by local farmers.

Local restaurants and businesses involved in the Live Local Fallon campaign will be identified by “LiveLocal Fallon” stickers in their windows, so that shoppers and diners can easily recognize them.

Work Local: Using a database of volunteers and community organizations, “work local” will connectcommunity volunteers with community needs. The campaign will pair volunteers with communityorganizations or events that will utilize their specific skills and passion.

“One of the things I see in this community is there are a lot of people who are willing to volunteer, butthey do not know where to go,” said Parrish.

A major focus of the campaign will be educating Fallon residents on what they have in their ownbackyard, said Parrish.

“There is so many great local resources here that people don't know about,” said Parrish. “Live LocalFallon's goal is to change that, and in the process change the way we shop, dine, eat and volunteer.”

Fallon's year-round menu of community events will also be incorporated into the Live Local Falloncampaign. Community concerts that are gathering places for local residents and events like Tractors &Truffles and Spring Wings that highlight Fallon's agriculture and natural beauty will be recognized as

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KOLO 8 News Now ‐ John Tyson's Journal

May 21, 2011

Churchill Vineyards

http://localsearch.rgj.com/localevents/event/100/45302‐Fallons‐Spring‐Wings‐Festival

Fallon's Spring Wings Festival Oats Park Art Center 151 E. Park St., Fallon, Nevada 89406-3443 Fallon Sunday, May 15 5:30 p.m.

Ticket Pricing: Call for cost Three-day celebration May 13-15 of bird watching with tours, educational workshops, craft activities, food and vendors, live birds and family fun. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with a cash bar available. Call for further information.

http://www.rgj.com/article/20110505/LIV08/105050319/Q‐Bob‐Goodman‐Lahontan‐Audubon‐Society‐leader‐Birds‐Truckee‐Meadows‐

class?odyssey=mod|newswell|img|Frontpage|pl

Q&A: Bob Goodman of the Lahontan Audubon Society, leader of a 'Birds of the Truckee Meadows' class May. 4, 2011

Cedar Waxwing enjoying a crab apple treat in a yard in west Reno last summer. / Ed Oakes/Special to the RGJ

Whether they're busying themselves building a nest in your outdoor speakers -- as they have been at my house -- or chirping away in the mornings outside your bedroom window, it's easy to see our birds are back. And just in time.

It's a great time for birding in Northern Nevada. Ahead of a five-week series, "Birds of the Truckee Meadows," sponsored by the Lahontan Audubon Society, we caught up with local bird expert and instructor Bob Goodman, who is retired from the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, for a Q&A on what you need to know to appreciate our flying friends this spring and summer.

RGJ: What species would Northern Nevadans be surprised to learn makes regular visits to their backyards?

Bob Goodman: One that comes to mind is the American Kestrel, of the falcon family. This species is a cavity nester, that is, likes to raise its family in a tree cavity either made by a woodpecker, or a natural decaying phase of a tree. They have been found in peaks of shed roofs, and any other place that offers the feel of a cavity.

RGJ: Does the extended cold change things for birders?

Goodman: The late arrival of warmer weather only changes the comfort level of birders. We are active year-round, anyway, so wearing a coat during this activity for spring birding is no big deal. More importantly, it doesn't really change the bird activity, either, as courtship and mating is not as weather dependent as on internal changes of hormones in the birds. A really cold spring may have a negative effect by causing eggs in a nest to freeze should some activity -- such as humans hanging around too long -- keep the adult bird from tending the nest.

RGJ: What is a dawn chorus?

Goodman: The dawn chorus is an activity that can be found wherever there are birds. They start the day in spring with a variety of vocalizations, and so the more species found in a small area, the more voices can be heard, hence the "chorus" of sound near dawn. Local wetlands are a good source of dawn chorus songs, as there is a good diversity of species there. It is very loud at times, and though enjoyed by birders, perhaps not so for folks living near these spots who are trying to sleep.

Birds of the Truckee Meadows

WHAT: The Lahontan Audubon Society will present its Birds of the Truckee Meadows classes from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, starting May 10 at the Nevada Department of Wildlife, 1100 Valley Road. The series is designed for new birders, birders new to the area and birders seeking a review. COST: $40 for all five classes or $10 per single class, payable at the door. Please arrive early. REGISTRATION: Bob Goodman at [email protected] or 775-972-7848. ON THE WEB: www.nevadaaububon.org CLASS SCHEDULE: » Tuesday: Introduction to birding, taught by Dave Jickling » May 17: Mountain birds, taught by Jim Eidel » May 24: Birds of lakes and marshes, taught by Larry Neel » May 31: Backyard birds, taught by Alan Gubanich » June 7: Birds of prey, taught by Bob Goodman SPRING WINGS FESTIVAL WHAT: Guided tours allow bird-watchers of all levels to view some of the 280 bird species known to frequent the Lahontan Valley, including Black-necked Stilts, Long-billed Dowitchers and the American Avocet. Also, Oats Park will host family fun, educational workshops, craft activities, food and vendors. WHEN: May 13-15 WHERE: Oats Park in Fallon, with trips to Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge Details: www.springwings.org.

http://www.reno.com/article/20110413/EVENTS/110419991&parentprofile=search#1

Spring Wings Festival Celebrate bird watching with tours, live birds and family fun April 1, 2011 A migration of birds and bird-watchers will meet this May to view and celebrate one of nature's most impressive seasonal journeys at one of North America's richest wetlands. The Spring Wings Festival runs from May 13-15 in Fallon, with trips to nearby Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge, which has received national and international recognition as a premier bird-watching hotspot. During the three-day event, guided tours allow bird-watchers of all levels to view some of the 280 bird species known to frequent the Lahontan Valley, including Black-necked Stilts, Long-billed Dowitchers and the American Avocet. In addition to the guided tours, Oats Park will host family fun, educational workshops, craft activities, food and vendors that will make the festival an exciting, entertaining event for everyone. The Spring Wings Festival is held in conjunction with International Migratory Bird Day, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife-recognized celebration of conservation and bird migration. The sheer magnitude of the annual bird migration along the Pacific Flyway is staggering. Millions of birds travel all or part of the way between feeding grounds as far south as Patagonia and breeding grounds as far north as the Arctic tundra. Millions stop in the Lahontan Valley each spring to rest and feed before continuing north. Bird-watching is one of the fastest growing outdoor activities in the United States, with an estimated 100 million participants according to a recent U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service survey. The Festival weekend kicks off with a special presentation by Jennifer Hajj, Education Director for Hawk Watch International. Ms. Hajj will incorporate original music, audience participation and visual aids into her “Raptor Rapture” program that explores the natural history and importance of birds of prey. The program is Friday, May 13 at the Barkley Theatre in Fallon's Oats Park Complex. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with a cash bar available from the Churchill Arts Council and light appetizers by the Friends of Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge. A live bird of prey (hawks and owls) demonstration and talk will open the program at 6:30 p.m., followed at 7:30 p.m. by the Raptor Rapture show. Spring Wings attendees can choose from various birding-focused guided tours throughout the Lahontan Valley beginning Friday afternoon and continuing through Sunday morning. There will be a full day of free educational activities, exhibits and family fun at Oats Park in Fallon on Saturday May 14. Parents and children can learn about everything from birds of prey to the ancient history of the Great Basin in interactive presentations featuring live birds and well-known experts. All Spring Wings events begin at Oats Park on West Park Street in downtown Fallon. For more information about the Spring Wings Festival and to register for tours and the Friday night Raptor Rapture program, go to www.springwings.org. Tickets will be available the first week of February. For more information on activities around Fallon, call the Fallon Tourism office at 775-423-4556 or 1-866.232.5566.

http://www.lahontanvalleynews.com/article/20110429/NEWS/110429808/1055&ParentProfile=1045

Spring Wings festival prepares to fly Friday, April 29, 2011

Fallon … Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge and the Friends of Stillwater NWR will be hosting the 14th annual Spring Wings Birding and Outdoor Festival on May 13‐15, at Oats Park in Fallon . ‘Raptor Rapture!' opens the Festival weekend on May 13 at the Barkley Theatre. HawkWatch International explores the amazing world of eagles, falcons, hawks and owls from many perspectives, through stunning visuals, original music and live birds of prey. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with the show beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available for adults and youth at www.springwings.org, with limited seating for this one‐of‐a‐kind family show. Expertly guided tours are offered throughout the weekend at Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge, Carson Lake & Pasture, Pyramid Lake, and several other ‘hot spots' within the Lahontan Valley Wetlands. Tour tickets can be purchased online at: www.springwings.org. Festival brochures and registration forms are also available at the Refuge office, 1000 Auction Road in Fallon, or you can call 423‐5128 to have one mailed. Friday afternoon featured tours are Birding Hot Spots, Carson Lake/Pasture, Tule Trail Trek (the new trail at Stillwater refuge), and Heavy Metal Birds — a behind the scenes visit to Naval Air Station Fallon's TOPGUN flight line and control tower. There will be a Free Festival Fun Day on May 14 in Oats Park, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free talks on Falconry, Cabela's Optics, local Audubon programs, and Birds of Prey are scheduled throughout the day along with many interactive, fun and educational displays and workshops. Children's craft activities include making bird nests, feeders and sculptures. Food, craft and other vendors will have items for sale, and the Spring Wings Store will have Festival shirts, mugs, art, jewelry and more. Raffles include a refuge airboat tour, a Pyramid Lake tour, a Tahoe kayak tour, and a Basic Birder kit of binoculars, bird book, backpack and bird feeder. Also on May 14, “Wild for the Woodies” offers a chance to help with Wood duck nest box research along the Carson River in Fallon. Learn how and why biologists trap, band and mark adult and hatchling ducks. Or, if you prefer to capture wildlife on camera, take the “Wild Images” nature photography workshop with local wildlife photographer Bob Goodman, as he teaches the best tips and tricks for outdoor photos in a 1⁄2 day course suitable for anyone and any camera. “Pelicans, Paiutes and a Pyramid” is an easy driving tour around Pyramid Lake, with several stops for wildlife viewing, most notably of Anaho Island to see thousands of nesting American white pelicans. Marble Bluff Fish Hatchery and the Pyramid Lake Paiute museum are included on this Saturday tour. Birding Hot Spots tours are scheduled for Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, and are suitable for anyone interested in learning about the diverse wildlife sites within Churchill County. Sunday morning the Festival concludes with “Singing on the Wing,” a migratory songbird tour, and a “Wet and Wild” tour of Stillwater refuge with biologist Bill Henry. A special workshop and tour for “Beginning Birders” is scheduled May 15. University of Nevada Ornithology Professor Emeritus, Dr. Alan Gubanich, offers a fun, basic “how to” workshop, followed by a visit to local wetlands to practice new birding skills. Seats are limited on this tour, binoculars and field guides are provided. Cost is $10 per person. Spring Wings is an annual fundraising event for Friends of Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Proceeds help support outreach, conservation education and onsite refuge projects which benefit wildlife and the community. For more information on the Spring Wings Festival and the Friends of Stillwater NWR, visit www.friendsofstillwaternwr.org. The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov; for Stillwater Refuge, visit www.fws.gov/stillwater.

http://www.lvrj.com/living/cerca‐calendar‐120563484.html?ref=484

Cerca Calendar Posted: Apr. 24, 2011 | 2:14 a.m.

May means beautiful weather in Cerca Country. Don't miss these events that will leave you having a good time while enjoying the weather.

Wednesday-May 1, Laughlin: Laughlin River Run. More than 50,000 bikers descend on this Colorado River town each year for entertainment, poker runs, competitions, and to visit the booths of thousands of vendors set up throughout the area. (949) 502-3434. www.laughlinriverrun.com.

Saturday, Flagstaff, Ariz.: Arbor Day at the Arboretum. This celebration of trees includes a general tour of the gardens, live birds of prey demonstration, snake displays and a mass tree planting. (928) 774-1442. www.thearb.org.

Saturday-May 1, Minden: Carson Valley Chili Cookoff and Craft Fair. This event features a chili cook-off, live music and crafts. Carson Valley Inn. (775) 265-5463. www. visitcarsonvalley.org.

May 1, Seligman, Ariz.: Historic Route 66 Fun Run. This three-day event travels 140 miles from Seligman to Topock/Golden Shores. This run is open to all street-legal vehicles, buses, RVs and roadsters and usually has more than 900 participants. (928) 753-5001. www.kingmanchamber.org/

May 5-8, Genoa: Genoa Cowboy Poetry and Music Festival. Award-winning poets, entertainers, artists and cowboys celebrate the old West. Dinners and vendors. Trail rides. (775) 782-8696. www.cowboypoetrygenoa.com/

May 6-8, Reno: Reno River Festival. One of the nation's top kayaking competitions will also feature product demos, instructional clinics and live music. Truckee River Whitewater Park. (775) 788-2131. www.renoriverfestival.com/

May 7, Chloride, Ariz.: Chloride All-Town Yard Sale. This is an event where the residents of Chloride go all out to offer visitors bargains on antiques and some useful and not-so-useful junk. The Historical Society also has a bake sale. (928) 565-2204. www.chloridearizona.com/

May 7, Kingman, Ariz.: Route 66 Race for Hospice. This event features a 10K/5K and 3-mile walk. Prizes will be awarded to the top 10K and 5K finishers for each age group and by gender. Powerhouse Visitor Center. (928) 757-0664. www.kingmantourism.org/

May 7, Lone Pine, Calif.: Wild Wild West Marathon. This event takes place in the foothills of Mount Whitney and throughout the Alabama Hills. There is a race for all ages and abilities including a 50K, a marathon, 10-mile and a three-mile race. (760) 876-4444. www.lonepinechamber.org/

May 7-8, Prescott, Ariz.: 25th Annual Fine Art and Wine Festival. This juried festival showcases a select group of fine artists and craftspersons. Art includes ceramics, photography, sculpture, baskets and mixed media. Food and entertainment. Prescott Courthouse Plaza. (928) 445-2510. www.prescottartfestivals.com/

May 12-14, Springdale, Utah: Zion Flute Festival. OC Tanner Amphitheater. Workshops and concerts are featured in this event dedicated to the promotion of the Native American flute and art. (801) 651-6631. www.scenicsouthernutah.com/

May 13, Zion National Park, Utah: Kolob Wildflowers. Join botanist Walt Fertig in the Kolob Canyon section of the park to view wildflowers and hike Taylor Creek. Reservations needed. Zion Canyon Field Institute. (435) 772-3264. www.zionpark.org/

May 13-15, Fallon: Spring Wings Bird Festival. This is the height of spring migration to the Lahonton Valley wetlands, which become a temporary home to 260 species of birds. (775) 423-5128. www.springwings.org/

May 14-15, Dayton: Annual Oodles of Noodles. This festival celebrates Dayton's Chinese and Italian heritage. Amateur and professional cooks serve up pasta dishes. Craft fair and live bands. (775) 246-7909. www.travelnevada.com/

May 15-21, Kanab, Utah: Amazing Earthfest. This festival celebrates public lands through scientific and cultural presentations, arts and entertainment and guided hikes and tours. Various venues throughout the area. (800) 733-5263. www.amazingearthfest.com/

May 18, Zion National Park, Utah: Geology: Kolob Canyons and Beyond. Join instructor Mark Colberg in a workshop that surveys 800 million years of geologic activity that shaped the Basin and Range provinces on the Colorado Plateau. Moderate hiking up to four miles. Reservations needed. Zion Canyon Field Institute. (435) 772-3264. www.zionpark.org/

May 20 and May 28, Zion National Park, Utah: Rim to Floor. This 10-mile ranger-led hike starts at the East Rim and travels down into Zion Canyon while exploring the geology, botany and desert ecosystems along the way. Participants must be in fit hiking shape. Reservations needed. Zion Canyon Field Institute. (435) 772-3264. www.zionpark.org/

May 21, Zion National Park, Utah: Hanging Gardens of Zion. Explore the hanging gardens of Zion with botanist Walt Fertig. Wildflowers in these wet environments include monkey flowers, orchids and ferns. Reservations needed. Zion Canyon Field Institute. (435) 772-3264. www.zionpark.org/

May 21-22, Silver Springs: Lyon County Fly-in. This annual event features fly-bys, demonstrations, antique aircraft, military planes and rocket displays. Silver Springs Airport. (775) 887-1294. www.lyoncountyflyin. com/

May 24-29, Bishop, Calif.: Bishop Mule Days Celebration. About 700 mules will compete in 181 events during the nation's premier mule show. Mule Days Parade on May 28 features the country's longest running nonmotorized parade. (760) 872-4263. www.muledays.org/

May 28-29, Flagstaff, Ariz.: Zuni Festival of Arts and Culture. Learn about the Zuni way of life including their language, lifeways, dance and music. Demonstrations by weavers, inlay jewelers, fetish carvers, potters and painters. Museum of Northern Arizona. (928) 774-5213. www.musnaz.org/

May 28-31, Tonopah: 41st Annual Jim Butler Days. The event features a parade, mining competitions, children's activities, food and entertainment. (775) 482-6336. www.tonopahnevada.com.

http://thisisreno.com/2011/04/fallon%E2%80%99s‐spring‐wings‐festival‐celebrates‐bird‐watching‐with‐tours‐live‐birds‐and‐family‐fun‐in‐oats‐

park/

Fallon’s Spring Wings Festival celebrates bird watching with tours, live birds, and family fun in Oats Park April 13, 2011

SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE

FALLON, NEV. — A migration of birds and bird-watchers will meet in Fallon, NV this May to view and celebrate one of nature’s most impressive seasonal journeys at one of North America’s richest wetlands.

The Spring Wings Festival runs from May 13-15 in Fallon, with trips to nearby Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge, which has received national and international recognition as a premier bird-watching hotspot. During the three-day event, guided tours allow bird-watchers of all levels to view some of the 280 bird species known to frequent the Lahontan Valley, including Black-necked Stilts, Long-billed Dowitchers and the American Avocet. In addition to the guided tours, Oats Park will host family fun, educational workshops, craft activities, food and vendors that will make the festival an exciting, entertaining event for everyone.

The Spring Wings Festival is held in conjunction with International Migratory Bird Day, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife-recognized celebration of conservation and bird migration. The sheer magnitude of the annual bird migration along the Pacific Flyway is staggering. Millions of birds travel all or part of the way between feeding grounds as far south as Patagonia and breeding grounds as far north as the Arctic tundra. Millions stop in the Lahontan Valley each spring to rest and feed before continuing north.

Bird-watching is one of the fastest growing outdoor activities in the United States, with an estimated 100 million participants according to a recent U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service survey.

The Festival weekend kicks off with a special presentation by Jennifer Hajj, Education Director for Hawk Watch International. Ms. Hajj will incorporate original music, audience participation and visual aids into her “Raptor Rapture” program that explores the natural history and importance of birds of prey. The program is Friday, May 13 at the Barkley Theatre in Fallon’s Oats Park Complex. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with a cash bar available from the Churchill Arts Council and light appetizers by the Friends of Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge. A live bird of prey (hawks and owls) demonstration and talk will open the program at 6:30 p.m., followed at 7:30 p.m. by the Raptor Rapture show.

Spring Wings attendees can choose from various birding-focused guided tours throughout the Lahontan Valley beginning Friday afternoon and continuing through Sunday morning. There will be a full day of free educational activities, exhibits and family fun at Oats Park in Fallon on Saturday May 14.

Parents and children can learn about everything from birds of prey to the ancient history of the Great Basin in interactive presentations featuring live birds and well-known experts.

All Spring Wings events begin at Oats Park on West Park Street in downtown Fallon. For more information about the Spring Wings Festival and to register for tours and the Friday night Raptor Rapture program, go to www.springwings.org. Tickets will be available the first week of February. For more information on activities around Fallon, call the Fallon Tourism office at 775-423-4556 or 1-866.232.5566.

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Winter Wings18 Feb 2011 — 20 Feb 2011

The Winter Wings Festival, prod. by the Klamath Basin Aud. Society, is the longest running bird festival in the nation. Visit theKlamath Basin, located in southern Oregon, a migratory stop on the Pacific Flyway and host to the largest congregation ofwintering bald eagles in the lower 48 states. Keynoters for 2011 include naturalist Jeffrey Gordon and photogr Arthur Morris.Field trips, workshops

LocationKlamath Falls, OR, US

Organization InformationOrganization Name: Klamath Basin Aud. SocietyContact Person: Tom SimpsonPhone Number: 1.877.541.BIRDWebsite: http://www.WinterWingsFest.org

Family Bird Fest20 Feb 2011

Learn more about the diverse bird life in the Garden and participate in the “Great Backyard Bird Count,” a national citizen-science project.

LocationClaremont, CA, US

Organization InformationOrganization Name: Rancho Santa Ana Botanic GardenContact Person: Pauline NashPhone Number: (909) 625-8767Website: http://www.rsabg.org

9th Annual International Festival of Owls04 Mar 2011 — 06 Mar 2011

Immerse yourself in owls at the only full-weekend, all-owl festival in the North America. Highlights include 7 species of liveowls, an outdoor photo session with the owls, and owl prowls to call in wild owls. A banquet features Roar Solheim, owl biologistfrom Norway, and the presentation of the World Owl Hall of Fame Awards. Plenty of fun and excitement for all interest levels.

LocationHouston, MN, US

Organization InformationOrganization Name: Houston Nature CenterContact Person: Karla BloemPhone Number: 507-896-4668Website: http://www.festivalofowls.com

Greene County Marsh Madness Festival04 Mar 2011 — 06 Mar 2011

The Marsh Madness Festival is a destination for visitors to celebrate the county's richly abundant & inherently beautiful naturalareas, the centerpiece of which will be the spring migration of waterfowl & cranes to Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area.Events: Bus tours of the Goose Pond FWA, Hardy Lake Bird Rehab Program with live birds of prey, Kids Activities, Speakers,Workshops, Arts & crafts.

LocationLinton, IN, US

Organization InformationOrganization Name: Friends of Goose PondContact Person: Brad FeasterPhone Number: (812) 659-9901Website: http://www.marshmadness.info

Rivers and Wildlife Celebration17 Mar 2011 — 20 Mar 2011

Come to the Sandhill Crane Capital of the World in the heart of the Central Flyway to witness North America's greatest migrationspectacle. See 500,000 cranes, 10 million snow geese, and countless other migrating waterfowl. Sign up for birding trips, craneblind viewing trips, prairie grouse lek viewing, workshops, talks from bird experts, enjoy wildlife art and photography, andmore.

LocationKearney, NE, US

About ABA Membership Publications Events Conservation Birder Resources Community ABA Sales Young Birders

ABA Festival Search Results http://www.aba.org/festivals/index.php/search/results

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Website: http://www.aleutiangoosefestival.org/CRBN/

Great Salt Lake Bird Festival12 May 2011 — 16 May 2011

13th Annual Great Salt Lake Bird Festival is May 12-16, 2011 in Farmington, Utah! Saturday’s Keynote speaker is Bill Thompson III,Editor of Bird Watcher’s Digest, author and creator of Bill of the Birds Blog. “Behind-the-Gates” guided field trips to birdinghot-spots. Bird by bus, van, boat, kayak, horseback. Free workshops, booths, live birds and reptiles.

LocationFarmington, UT, US

Organization InformationOrganization Name: Great Salt Lake Bird FestivalContact Person: Neka RoundyPhone Number: 801-451-3286Website: http://www.greatsaltlakebirdfest.com

15th Annual Migratory Songbird Festival13 May 2011 — 15 May 2011

Join the Friends of Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge and US Fish & Wildlife Staff as we celebrate the coming of spring andreturn of migratory songbirds and other wildlife to the Refuge. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the spring migration and a fullslate of family-friendly activities and programs for all ages!

LocationSherwood, OR, US

Organization InformationOrganization Name: Friends of Tualatin River National Wildlife RefugeContact Person: David DelvalleePhone Number: 503-625-5944Website: http://www.friendsoftualatinrefuge.org

Spring Wings Bird Festival13 May 2011 — 15 May 2011

2011 SPRING WINGS BIRD FESTIVAL - FALLON, NEVADA May 13, 14, & 15, 2011 - Come Join the Migration Celebration! The SpringWings Bird Festival introduces the connection between all aspects of the Lahontan Valley: habitat, wildlife, history, humans,and how the community works together to protect and preserve natural resources.

LocationFallon, NV, US

Organization InformationOrganization Name: Friends of The Stillwater Wildlife RefugeContact Person: Susan SawyerPhone Number: (775) 423-5128Website: http://www.springwings.org/

Kenai Birding Festival19 May 2011 — 22 May 2011

Programs and presentations for all ages. Free Event.Kenai Visitors & Cultural Center.www.kenaibirdfest.com

LocationKenai, AK, US

Organization InformationOrganization Name: Kenai Birding FestivalContact Person: Natasha AlaPhone Number: 907-283-1991Website: http://www.kenaibirdfest.com

Detroit Lakes Festival of Birds19 May 2011 — 22 May 2011

Join the spring migration where prairie meets hardwood & conifer forests! Nearly 200 species recorded annually. Daily fieldtrips(5 new sites!), workshops, socials, exhibitors. Featured presenters: Al Batt kicks off the festival with MN humor; CarrolHenderson-neotropical bird migration; Drew Wheelan- BP oil disaster in Gulf Coast; Jeb Barzen-Latest on Sandhill Cranes. Onlineprogram/registration.

LocationDetroit Lakes, MN, US

Organization InformationOrganization Name: Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of CommerceContact Person: Cleone StewartPhone Number: 800.542.3992Website: http://www.visitdetroitlakes.com/things-to-do/events/festival-of-birds/

North Lakeland Discovery Center 7th Annual Birding Festival20 May 2011 — 21 May 2011

Join Great Lakes area birding experts for seminars and engaging birding expeditions on land and water. Friday welcomereception with appetizers, beverages and a guest speaker. Saturday birding treks, breakfast, kenote speaker Laura Erickson,raffles, seminars, and concluding reflections.

LocationManitowish Waters, WI, US

Organization InformationOrganization Name: North Lakeland Discovery CenterContact Person: Licia Johnson

ABA Festival Search Results http://www.aba.org/festivals/index.php/search/results

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http://birdfreak.com/page/3/

Spring Wings Bird Festival – Fallon, Nevada

by The Birdfreak Team on February 10, 2011

The Friends of the Stillwater Wildlife Refuge, Nevada is hosting their annual “Spring Wings Bird Festival“, May 13, 14, & 15, 2011 in Fallon, Nevada.

From the Friends of the Stillwater Wildlife Refuge:

Spring Wings Bird Festival is an annual celebration of shorebird and waterfowl migration through the Lahontan Valley. Our mission is to encourage growth of this educational event, promote interest in and awareness of the Lahontan Valley Wetlands.

The Lahontan Valley Wetlands are recognized as a site of international importance by the Western Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve Network, a ‘Globally Important Bird Area’ by the American Bird Conservancy, and an ‘Important Bird Area’ by the Audubon Society.

The Spring Wings Festival introduces the connection between all aspects of the Lahontan Valley: habitat, wildlife, history, humans, and how the community works together to protect and preserve natural resources.

Take Part in the festival – go on an expertly guided tour, visit the fascinating exhibits, see special talks and demonstrations, discover nature through hands-on activities, or volunteer.

I’ve never attended this festival but it sounds like a lot of fun. So if you’re in the area or need an idea for a vacation destination, this is the place to go!

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la‐na‐shoe‐tree‐20110217,0,7203285.story

End of the road for the shoe tree On the 'Loneliest Road in America,' a stately cottonwood filled with the footwear of passersby was something in the middle of nothing. Now locals are mourning it like an old friend.

In this Aug. 27, 1998 file photo, shoes hang from the landmark "shoe tree" on U.S. 50 in Nevada. (Marilyn Newton / Associated Press)

By Ashley Powers, Los Angeles Times February 16, 2011, 8:26 p.m.

Fredda Stevenson sized up the despondent young man who'd slunk into her remote watering hole on U.S. Highway 50. He was thirsting for beer and, as Stevenson learned, advice. His new bride, he grumbled, had blown all their cash on slot machines in Reno. Then they'd sped east through 100 miles of sagebrush and hills as dark and lumpy as mud pies. They camped down the road from Stevenson's bar, near a large cottonwood tree that had inexplicably thrived in Nevada's badlands. The couple started quarreling. She threatened to walk home. He snatched her shoes, hurled them into the cottonwood's branches and

said: Go ahead. Try. He stormed off with the car and ended up two miles away, at Old Middlegate Station. He polished off two beers before listening to Stevenson's sage counsel: "You want to be married for the rest of your life? You better learn to say 'I'm sorry' now." As Stevenson told it, the groom shuffled back and apologized. Then, at his bride's insistence, he hurled his own shoes into the tree. That was in the late 1980s. Ever since, other passersby have pulled over and added their footwear — worn-out sneakers and too-tight pumps, ballet slippers and snowshoes. Horseshoes knotted with baling twine. Plastic stilettos from brothel courtesans (or so locals claim). The roadside spectacle provided Middlegate — a 17-person cluster of RVs and modest homes — with an identity, and weary drivers with a rare and towering landmark on the 280-mile stretch of highway known as the "Loneliest Road in America." The shoe tree was something in the middle of nothing, and perhaps that's why its destruction has been so deeply felt. On Dec. 30, under an inky sky, one vandal, or maybe more, downed the tree with a chainsaw. The roughly 80-year-old cottonwood toppled into a gully, its branches jutting out like arms trying to flag down help. Though shoe trees have sprouted in California, Oregon, Oklahoma and New York, the depth of the mourning for Nevada's cottonwood is remarkable. Facebook groups lamented the tree's "murder." "Middlegate Shoe Tree — Rest in Peace" has nearly 1,500 members. The group "The Shoe Tree Conspiracy" intends to create art, perhaps sculpture, from the cottonwood's Nikes and Keds. The Churchill County history museum in Fallon scooped up cowboy boots and flippers to display alongside a chunk of the tree. Even Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval chimed in, telling the Las Vegas Review-Journal, "I was devastated, just devastated, that some vandals would cut down the shoe tree." There's a kinship between man and tree that's not easily explained. Trees have starred in Greek mythology, Native American traditions, Christian parables and modern literature, often personifying wisdom and durability. A tree usually outlasts those who relish its beauty and shade. Chopping one down? Sacrilege. Along Highway 50, locals marveled at the shoe tree's ability to withstand punishing environs where even tumbleweeds are rare. Wind is fierce and water scarce. Charles Brown, a 53-year-old truck driver who lives nearby, often winced at the footwear weighing down the cottonwood's branches. "I felt sorry for the tree. It degraded it. Trees take a lifetime to grow out here," he said. There were so many shoes in the tree that, every few months, state workers hauled off several truckloads' worth — as well as couches, bicycles and kitchen sinks that littered the ground nearby. Neither Brown nor his fiancée, Cheryl Holokan, 53, ever added their shoes. (If anything, Holokan said, locals were more inclined to swipe the gently worn pairs that were sometimes discarded.) But when the couple learned of the tree's untimely end, the news landed like a gut punch. "That tree deserved more respect," Holokan said. In Middlegate, Stevenson cried. Her husband, Russ, did too. "It was like a good friend had just died," said

Stevenson, who was startled by the intensity of her reaction. Why was she weeping for a tree? For weeks, she mulled the answer. Stevenson, who declined to give her age, arrived at this former Pony Express stop in 1984, determined to revive a bar abandoned by previous caretakers. She nicknamed the roughly 70-foot-tall cottonwood down the highway "Mother Tree"; it towered over a few other cottonwoods nearby.

She eventually transformed the foreclosed bar's carcass into a homey, wood-paneled restaurant and bar with a small motel and two fuel pumps: one for diesel, one for regular gas. (Want premium? Keep driving. Fallon, the nearest city, is about 50 miles away.) Regulars included Gold Dust Bob, Drifter Dave and Sleeping Bag Bill, the last so named for the bedding strapped to his motorcycle. For a time, Stevenson did without a phone — if she needed help, she flicked on a CB radio to call another bar, which called a brothel, which had a landline. These days, there's cell service, though a generator still keeps the place humming. As a sign outside the bar says, Middlegate remains "The Middle of Nowhere, Elevation 4,600 feet. Population: 17." That didn't include the shoe tree, but it might as well have. In 1991, Stevenson married cowboy-hatted Russ, 64, who'd proposed over a dinner of "spamaroni" — macaroni and cheese with Spam and chili peppers. Over the years, the cottonwood bloomed with water skis and high heels, which the couple admired while exploring the desert. "I think she enjoyed all the attention," Stevenson said of the tree. "She thrived. She seemed to become bigger, fluffier, more impressive." Middlegate Station thrived too. Many patrons dropped by during shoe tree pilgrimages. They downed Miller High Life and hamburgers, tacked signed dollar bills to the ceiling, maybe bought a shoe tree postcard to remember the Loneliest Road. "Good thing shoes come in pairs," it says, "they can keep each other company!" Once the shoe tree was chopped down, Stevenson was overwhelmed by calls and letters from fellow mourners. So she planned a memorial for Sunday, just before Valentine's Day, to acknowledge that the tree was so beloved. A friend who couldn't make it — she'd been hospitalized — sent Stevenson a poem to read: Who did this dastardly, hateful thing? We'll likely never know. But, against society as a whole He has struck a mighty blow. The afternoon of the memorial, dozens of people crowded into a turnout off Highway 50, near the ditch where the shoe tree had pitched over: leather-clad bikers, dreadlocked artists, giggling children, retirees toting cameras and camping chairs. Dozens more peered across the two-lane road. The sky was blue, the wind gentle. Native American activist Adam Fortunate Eagle, who lives nearby,

burned sage and fanned it with an eagle feather. His wife's sneakers had been flung into the tree years ago. He presented colorful scraps of cloth bound together and holding tobacco. A young man took the bundle, scurried into the ditch and fastened it to a tree branch that had been cleared of shoes. On the way back, he stepped over a rose someone had placed near the stump. Stevenson, who'd hauled a microphone and speaker to the edge of the ditch, walked the crowd through various remembrances of the shoe tree. There were some photos. A wire stand bedecked with gold strappy heels. A sign at the turnout to commemorate the tree, and a sculpture to do the same at the bar. Also, a pair of dice — this is Nevada, after all — carved from a branch. Down the gully, folks lobbed grimy footwear at a smaller cottonwood, where pranksters had unsuccessfully tried to start a "bra tree" years ago. Stevenson watched. She swallowed hard. She'd snuck out here a few hours before the memorial. One glance at the felled cottonwood and, as she'd expected, her eyes welled with tears. She sat on the stump and thanked the Mother Tree for such fond memories. Then she whispered goodbye.

http://www.rgj.com/article/20110213/NEWS/110213016/1321

Footwear tossers honor fallen Shoe Tree Churchill County landmark to be replaced by a nearby cottonwood By Susan Skorupa • [email protected] • February 13, 2011

Nearly eight years ago, Roger Bivens of Dayton Valley chucked a pair of red Converse sneakers into the Shoe Tree east of Fallon on U.S. 50. He recovered them today during a roadside memorial for the Churchill County landmark.

“I walked down there and looked up and there they were,” he said of his finding his sneakers amid the ruins of the tree and its thousands of shoes in the ravine where the tree fell.

While the red canvas was sunbleached, the initials of Bivens and his wife, Judy, remained legible.

Since about 1988, passers-by have tossed shoes into the 70-foot cottonwood tree where they’ve dangled even from the highest branches. But in January, someone cut down the landmark, angering locals and visitors alike.

At today’s memorial, Fredda Stevenson, event organizer and owner of the Old Middlegate Station tavern just down the highway from the tree, told the crowd of several hundred shoe-tree friends that law enforcement officials have a suspect in the cutting, but have not made an arrest or released a suspect’s name.

During the hour-long memorial, local artist and activist Adam Fortunate Eagle offered a blessing, followed by comments from Stevenson, artist Marshall Compton, who is heading up The Shoe Tree Conspiracy art project to include art installations in remembrance of the landmark, and others.

“Did you ever lose a friend and have to have a memorial?” Stevenson said before the event began. “You need closure, time to say goodbye.”

Lots of the people gathered beside the fallen tree felt the same way.

“I can’t tell you how many times I stopped here. There’s nothing like it in the world,” said Pete Beers of Reno.

“The tree has a life of its own,” said Fortunate Eagle, before beginning his blessing. “It becomes a legendary tree in its own right. It’s unique.”

The U.S. Forest Service estimated the tree was about 88 years old. The trunk was about four feet in diameter and was severed a couple inches above ground.

“It was a genetic wonder,” Stevenson said. “It was healthy; no signs of rot.”

Newer trees growing in the Shoe Tree’s ravine are relatives of the cottonwood. One is designated as the new Shoe Tree and has a number of pairs of shoes already hanging from its branches.

Those at the ceremony were asked to fill garbage bags with some of the thousands of shoes that remain on the ground and among the branches of the cottonwood. Children clamored around the branches, some of which bore leaf buds that would have matured in the coming weeks as the weather warmed.

Dennis Murphy, a University of Nevada, Reno biology professor, and his 10-year-old son, Matthew, went to the memorial because they had spent time at the tree.

“My son threw his first pair of shoes when he was 4,” Murphy said. “We’ve stopped and paid homage to the tree since he was 9 months old... For an ecologist, this was an extraordinary tree... It was one of the biggest cottonwoods in Central Nevada. And it had a future.”

Shawn Hall of Tonopah said he first drove through the area on his first trip to Nevada in 1979. And he’s traveled the region every since as the author of books about ghost towns.

“I’m very disappointed,” he said of the destruction of the Shoe Tree. “It was a new icon.” Charlie Hall came from Eldorado Hills, Calif., for the memorial.

“I’ve got six or seven pairs of shoes in this tree,” he said.

Hall’s friend Ray LeVitt of Coloma, Calif., said the tree was often a stopping place on their frequent Nevada ghost-town trips.

“It’s years and years of going by on the road,” said Gary Butrick of Minden. “We would stop here on our camping trips.”

The Shoe Tree is well off the road having fallen mostly within the ravine in which it grew. Stevenson said it will stay there because it provides wildlife habitat.

http://www.lahontanvalleynews.com/article/20110213/NEWS/110219949/1055&ParentProfile=1045

Paying homage to the fallen 'Shoe Tree' By Steve Ranson

MIDDLEGATE -- Some visitors made a 17-hour trip to pay homage to a fallen tree. Others drove from California to see the “tree” one last time. Locals came from as far away as Reno to the west and Eureka to the east to listen to longtime residents praise the “Shoe Tree” and what it meant to them. More than 200 people traveled on a spring-like day to the fallen “Shoe Tree,” an iconic Nevada symbol in which thousands of shoes dangled from its sturdy limbs. The tree stood on the north side of U.S. Highway 50, about two miles east of Middlegate and about an hour east from Fallon. Yet, the tree stands upright no more. Sometime before New Year's Eve, one or more people used a chainsaw to topple the 70-foot cottonwood into a shallow ravine, a nature-made coffin for the tree

which had stood for at least half a century. “As people, we need something to cling to our culture, our history,” said Fredda Stevenson, who has owned the Middlegate Bar for 26 years. It was her idea to have a memorial at the tree. “We don't have any heroes; the tree was our hero.” Eventually, Stevenson said she would like to collect enough money to erect a permanent monument near the site. Stevenson said she envisions a tall metal structure designed like a tree Standing on the edge of the ravine and looking down at one of the limbs, Dayton resident Roger Bivens noticed a pair of high-top sneaks, faded over time. Bivens slid down the side of the ravine and picked up the shoes, still tied together. “I stood at the edge seeing if I could find my old shoes,” said Bivens. After he spotted them, he retrieved what were brightly red sneakers, now a light pink faded with time. “I first started going here seven years ago with my wife,” he said. “Then my wife and I would spend some of our anniversaries coming out here.” Bivens wasn't alone. Others who spotted familiar shoes also balanced themselves down the ravine wall and fetched one, perhaps two or three pairs of shoes. “We came by with my kids several times and threw their shoes -– as a matter of fact ,” said Red Kittell of

Reno. The toppling of the “Shoe Tree” moved Kittell so much that he wrote an eulogy. “All living things have a story,” Kittell explained. “I spent quite a bit of time out here hunting and fishing. I am from Old Nevada.” Kittell said his family threw their old shoes onto a limb, and years ago, he tossed his combat boots that he wore in Vietnam on one of the limbs. Adam Fortunate Eagle gave a ceremonial Native American of the tree, telling the crowd that he was paying tribute to an old friend of many years. He looked toward the spot where the tree stood and then looked back to the people. “My wife's shoes were placed in that tree 10 years ago,” he said. “They were an offering to the tree. Today we make an offering to the spirit of our friend.” For Sunday, though, Fortunate Eagle said the ceremony should not be unhappy. “Love, joy and laughter is part of our life,” he said. “We pay tribute to a fallen friend. The spirits of the tree are all around us. But it is sad to look at the ravine to our fallen brother” Fortunate Eagle explained trees are important to the Native American people. Others like Bill Dixon from Carson City and some of his friends rode their motorcycles out to the tree to pay their own respects. “One of our rides is to come out to the ‘Shoe Tree' every year,” he said, reflecting on the memories associated with the thrown shoes and tree. For Dixon, he has traveled to the tree for the past seven years, while this was the first time Deidra Johnson rode to the site. Both are members of the Carson-Tahoe Nevada Chapter of the Harley Riders Group. Kittlell's eulogy, though, sums up the many feelings those offered to the tree. “It was a welcome sight, until recently, respected and valued for its whimsy which truly reflected the unique spirit of endurance, tenacity and accommodation that distinguishes the great state of Nevada.”

Investigation

The Bureau of Land Management is still investigating the destruction of the "Shoe Tree." According to the BLM on Monday morning, they will not release any specific information until the perpetrators are arrested and charged.

http://www.kolotv.com/news/headlines/Saying_Goodbye_to_The_Shoe_Tree_116142534.html?ref=534

Saying Goodbye to the Shoe Tree A final goodbye, and a new beginning, for the Shoe Tree that was a fixture of Northern Nevada for decades. Posted: 10:49 PM Feb 13, 2011 Reporter: Lauren Garber

Randall Chiu drove for 17 hours from Boulder, Colorado to pay his last respects to a tree beside Highway 50 in Middlegate, Nevada.

It's a tree that holds thousands of old shoes, and many memories for travelers and locals alike.

"I have come to visit this tree several times a year for probably the past ten years," said Chiu. "It's a work of art, because people get together and they throw shoes on this tree, and they don't know who's participating."

The once 70-foot majestic Cottonwood now lays on the desert floor.

"It's just the saddest thing I've experienced," said Sunny Aaron, who threw her own shoes up into the tree more than 10 years ago.

Fredda Stevenson organized the Shoe Tree memorial.

"After the tragedy we were all so upset and like in shock. And we thought, well, some way or another, we have to be able to say goodbye to our tree," said Stevenson.

To say goodbye, they held a Native American ritual to bless the tree, and remember its significance.

"People travel The Loneliest Highway, and they come this way from all parts, and it's just got to be a place where they come," said Aaron.

"It's a stop we always make. Always," said Toni Wissenbeck, who came to say goodbye.

There are many Nevada folklore stories about how the Shoe Tree became just that, but Stevenson was there when the first pair of shoes was tossed in the tree.

She says a young married couple had to camp beneath the tree after the wife had gambled away all of their money. They got into a lover's quarrel, and the wife said she was going to walk home. Her husband threw her shoes up into the tree to stop her. But they reconciled.

"About 18 months later, they came through, and they had had a baby, and they threw the baby's shoes up in the tree," said Stevenson.

Since then, hundreds of people contributed, until the Shoe Tree's life was cut short by vandals in December.

"'Why?' is the only question," said Randy Buchanan, who came with his family to the Shoe Tree memorial.

But the tree could have a new beginning. They've saved a clipping from the original shoe tree that will germinate over the next year. Then, they'll plant the seedling near the original Shoe Tree as a memorial.

In the meantime, a nearby Cottonwood tree will serve as the new shoe tree. People have already started filling it with the shoes that the original Shoe Tree left behind.

http://www.ktvn.com/Global/story.asp?S=14020501

Shoe Tree Memorial on Sunday in Churchill County Posted: Feb 12, 2011 10:38 PM PST Sunday, February 13, 2011 1:38 AM EST

A memorial will be held for the famous Shoe Tree in northern Nevada Sunday.

It was located along U.S. Highway 50 in Churchill County for decades. Authorities say the 70-foot cottonwood tree was recently cut down by vandals at the end of last year.

And now, Churchill County officials and the city of Fallon will hold a memorial Sunday afternoon around 2:30 p.m. at the site of the legendary tree in the Middlegate area, east of Fallon.

http://www.recordcourier.com/article/20110212/NEWS/110219945/1062&ParentProfile=1049

‘Shoe Tree' memorial is Sunday A memorial at the stump where the “Shoe Tree” was cut down sometime before New Year's Eve will be held Sunday at 2:30 p.m. The tree is located two miles east of Middlegate along Highway 50. Steve Ranson/LVN photo A memorial to remember the “Shoe Tree” on Highway 50 two miles east of Middlegate will take place 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The 70-foot cottonwood tree was cut down sometime before New Year's Eve. The rustic landmark had become a favorite stopping place for those traveling the highway. Hundreds of people flung their shoes, boots, sneakers and other footwear onto the tree.

The Bureau of Land Management is handling the investigation of the tree's destruction. In early January Fredda Stevenson, who bought the Middlegate Bar and Restaurant 26 years ago, began planning the memorial at the site of the tree. The destruction of the Shoe Tree bothers Stevenson. “I watched it grow up as a little tree,” said Stevenson, who has lived in the area for more than 40 years. A reward has not been established, but at the memorial, Stevenson said she will take up a collection if someone hasn't come forward to turn himself in. “We cried. It's like losing a member of the family,” she said. Travis Anderson, a Middlegte bartender and Stevenson's grandson, said he first learned of the incident when several customers stopped at the Middlegate Bar and Restaurant and told him. Anderton said one patron told him the cut was fresh. “Sawdust was over the snow. But I am curious why someone wants to do that,” he said. Adam Fortunate Eagle, Fallon artist and activist, along with his family, will begin the memorial by offering a blessing to the spirit of the tree that is still living in the remaining stump. He will also offer a blessing to those who attend the memorial. Sunday's memorial will begin with ceremonial songs offered by the Native Americans, and then Stevenson who will begin the community memorial portion of the service. Stevenson said readings of the poems, announcements concerning the tree and the disposal or the fate of the shoes will be discussed. She said people with special meaning shoes are invited to retrieve them and

to put them in the daughter tree at the site. A plaque will be placed at the site. “Also, all art work and photographs will be displayed at Middlegate with an open invitaion to share yours,” she said. “Finger snacks will be served. Please bring some to share.” The “Shoe Tree Conspiracy,” a group of Northern Nevada and Burning Man artists who believe the tree was not only a landmark but also a work of art created by each individual who added their shoes to the tree, are working to create a permanent tribute to the “Shoe Tree.” Carpooling and caravanning to the “Shoe Tree” Memorial is encouraged. “Shoe Tree Conspiracy” organizer Marshall Compton says those from Reno can meet at Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in the Ironhorse Shopping Center parking lot on the corner of Prater Way and McCarran Blvd. Scheduled departure time is 10 a.m. People coming from other Northern Nevada rural communities can meet at the Fox Peak gas station in Fallon at 615 E. Williams Ave., next to Banner Churchill Community Hospital at 10:45 a.m.,

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