Good morning, Sparks.

Appointments for a free spay and neuter event (for local pet owners) filled within minutes, showing strong community interest (additional scheduling details are pending).

Residents in Reno and Sparks will join the 22nd annual Truckee River Cleanup Saturday, Sept.

26 from 9 a.m. to noon at more than 20 sites — volunteers will collect trash, remove invasive weeds, plant native vegetation, and wrap up with a picnic by NextEra Energy Resources.

The Street Vibrations Fall Rally will kick off Thursday — giving Sparks residents a chance to join a local community rally and enjoy a festive atmosphere.

Andelin Family Farm opens its 17th season on Saturday, Sept.

26 with the Pumpkins for Autism fundraiser benefiting the Autism Coalition of Nevada & new attractions including Corn Creepers Haunted Attraction, Zombie Paintball, and a $5 USA 250 Corn Maze encouraging guests to wear red, white, & blue.

United Nissan Reno and IBEW Local 401 donated $20,000 to Ashlee’s Toy Closet to help Hawk Fire survivors rebuild their lives locally.

The funds were organized into 50 envelopes of $500 each and are being distributed as a *welcome boost* for families still recovering.

Reno gas prices increased by two cents per gallon on Sep.

22, and Sparks residents may notice a higher price when refueling nearby.

The George W. Gillemot Foundation and Pathways to Aviation are awarding nearly $60,000 in scholarships to 49 northern Nevada students pursuing aviation, drone, and aerospace education.

A ceremony (with the Washoe County School District) will soon recognize the recipients.

The Nevada Department of Education released new star ratings for Washoe schools today.

More than half of Washoe's 119 schools ranked in the bottom two tiers while Natchez Elementary improved to 4 stars from earlier lower ratings amid high poverty and chronic absenteeism, with 47% of schools raising their scores.

On Sep. 22, the last evacuation warning was lifted near the Floriston Fire, which was 96% contained over 622 acres.

Fire crews continue to monitor the area and stand ready to respond if conditions change.

Federal officials expect to allocate $5 million to expand housing for the Washoe Tribe; the funding aims to boost housing opportunities and was announced on Tuesday, Sep.

22.

Crews in Sparks will remove dead trees from city parks over the next few weeks to prevent falling branches during winter storms — some areas will have new trees planted.

Renown broke ground on a 120,000 sqft medical center in Sparks Tuesday.

The center will house 134 exam rooms, a pharmacy and other facilities, and it will open to patients by the end of 2027 & offer faster local care for the growing community.

Renown held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new facility in Sparks on Tuesday, Sep.

22, where officials outlined plans for modern patient services. Further project details will be announced soon + updates are expected.