WINNEMUCCA — Shooting the West participants are looking for subjects and they hope you and your employees will play along.  The project promotes Shooting the West and winnemuccaworks.com, so it's win-win.

WinnemuccaWorks.Com is a free website to connect employers and potential employees with the goal is to provide a better workforce for the benefit of businesses and the community. The project was a joint effort by the Chamber of Commerce and the Humboldt Development Authority (HDA).

The website is up and running and is filled with great photos taken last year at the inaugural session of Shooting the West’s Winnemucca at Work workshop.  Our plan is to once again provide this workshop to produce a new set of images for the site.   The ten students in the workshop will photograph in participating businesses, then submit 10-20 images for use on the WinnemuccaWorks website.

WINNEMUCCA — The Nevada Gaming Control Board (GCB) released its December dispositions on Monday.  Among them was the nonrestricted license for 777 Gaming, of Las Vegas, now licensed to operate the gaming section of the Model T and five other Northern Nevada casinos currently in foreclosure.   

The Model T is operated by The Holder Group.  Representatives of that business filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in  June after an unsuccessful two-year effort to sell six of their casinos.  The properties remained on the market due, in large part, to a bad economy with scarce credit for investing.  Holding a $33 million dollar note against the properties was Northern Nevada Asset Holdings (NNAH), whose representatives received the go-ahead in November from the Federal Bankruptcy Court to proceed with foreclosure.

The properties are slated to be auctioned off.  However, NNAH attorney Jeff Silver told SPJ last month it’s the intention of his clients to bid on the properties themselves then turn the gaming operations over to 777 Gaming.  NNAH has received permission from the GCB to participate in operations.

WINNEMUCCA — Union Pacific Railroad recently opened the Donner Pass route after a year-long construction project designed to facilitate taller and longer trains.  The improved route can now handle up to 9,000 feet of train with double-stacked freight containers.

The improved route is without question good for the railroad as it cuts  three hours off the travel time between California and Chicago, UP noted.  However, there was some question the improved route might bring more train traffic through Winnemucca and across Bridge St.

According to UP Spokesman Tom Lange, the amount of train traffic crossing the country largely depends on the economy.  During times of economic growth consumers buy and more goods are shipped.  The opposite is also true.  As consumers scale back their buying and spending, retailers reduce their shipping.