February 14th is a day when love is in the air to offset the cold temperatures, and there’s no better time to express your affection than by taking your loved ones out on the town. Here are some fun happenings going on in Sparks to celebrate Saint Valentine: Valentine’s Cards for Seniors Sparks residents Rikki Melanaphy, Jose “Chava” Espana, and Donald Abbott and heading … [Read more...]
Officials break ground on Sparks affordable housing complex
The Reno Housing Authority (RHA) along with city and state officials celebrated breaking ground on the new Railyard Flats, a 15-unit affordable housing complex in the middle of downtown Sparks on 10th Street on Jan. 17. Standing at a podium in front of what will soon be the Railroad Flats parking lot, several city, county, and state officials shared what this project means … [Read more...]
Sparks mayor delivers State of the City address to packed house
It was a packed house the morning of January 22 at the Sparks Legislative Building on 4th Street as people gathered for Mayor Ed Lawson’s annual State of the City Address. In the hour-long special meeting attended by the city council, Sparks municipal judges, the city attorney, county/state officials, Lawson’s family, Washoe County School District trustees, and others, the … [Read more...]
Election season ramping up in Rail City
Election season is ramping up in America as presidential candidates vie for the attention of the public. In the City of Sparks, offices up for re-election this year include City Council representatives for Wards 1, 3, and 5, the position of City Attorney, and Municipal Court Judge Department 2. Filing for City Council and City Attorney positions will be … [Read more...]
Wingfield Springs dog park approved and expected to open around August
At the January 8, 2024, Sparks City Council meeting, councilmembers approved a $726,696 contract with Truckee Meadows Construction to build the approximately 2-acre Black Hills Dog Park on a vacant City-owned lot on the corner of Vista Boulevard and Black Hills Drive. The new dog park was approved by the City Council and added to the Foothills at Wingfield Springs HOA … [Read more...]
After mild, dry start to the season, cold and snow is on the way
By Kayla Anderson Sparks Tribune After one of the snowiest, wettest winters on record last year in Northern Nevada, the start to the 2023/24 season has seemed a bit warm. Besides Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe in Reno and Mammoth Mountain opening mid-November thanks to their high base elevations and snowmaking capabilities, other resorts in the Tahoe/Eastern Sierra region waited … [Read more...]
After quick vote, city rejects latest settlement offer from former fire chief
On December 4, 2023, former City of Sparks Fire Chief Mark Lawson representatives Hutchinson & Steffen Attorneys sent the City a Fourth Demand Letter requesting a final settlement of $600,000. “This sum will compensate Mr. Lawson for the economic and reputational damages that the City and Mr. Krutz inflicted upon Mr. Lawson. As you are aware, this lawsuit was filed … [Read more...]
City of Sparks pushes to save historic Machine Shop building
At its December 11 city council meeting, the City of Sparks passed a resolution to try to save the city’s oldest railroad building from demolition. The Machine Shop, located at 599 Nugget Avenue, was built 120 years ago and still stands in its original location. In 1903, Southern Pacific moved all its train equipment from Wadsworth to Sparks because of the train repair shop … [Read more...]