Nevada
‘Doing guy stuff’: Inmates at Nevada women’s prison embrace job-training program
Inside the halls of Nevada’s only women’s prison, the word ‘Cosmetology’ is painted on a light blue door. The room houses a job-training program that for a while, inmates said was the only one available to them.
But today, the facility has a new classroom: an HVAC, or heating, ventilation and air conditioning, laboratory. And for the 12 inmates selected for the lab’s inaugural class, HVAC represents a life-changing opportunity that defies gender-based norms.
Florence McClure Women’s Correctional Center’s new HVAC program, offered by the College of Southern Nevada and supported by a nearly $1.4 million dollar grant from T-Mobile, is the first of its kind, providing inmates with the kind of vocational training that has traditionally been offered in men’s prisons.
“I’m turning my life around,” said 58-year-old incarcerated HVAC student Karen Kincaid, through tears.
‘I can do anything a man can do’
For Kaitlyn Fugate, another student in the program, the class represents an opportunity that has been a long-time coming for female inmates.
“I can do anything a man can do,” Fugate, 24, said. “The discrimination is crazy, because if you give me the knowledge, I can figure it out.”
The first program at the facility was cosmetology, or the study of various beauty treatments, explained William Reubart, the prison’s warden. But Associate Warden Gabriela Najera said that over time, the Nevada Department of Corrections recognized that female offenders need diverse opportunities afforded to them.
“Just because you’re a female, that doesn’t mean that there’s only specific things that you should do, because that’s what society used to tell us before,” Najera said.
Several students said that heading to a male-dominated industry felt more empowering than daunting.
“Women are definitely a minority,” said incarcerated HVAC student Gabrielle Moore. “That gives us an asset, that gives us some leverage. Companies want diversity.”
Jason Mitchell, head of the HVAC Schoolhouse at the College of Southern Nevada and instructor for the new program, said that even outside prison walls, women are severely underrepresented in the industry.
“How many people are going to give them a chance? Because they’re convicted felons, and they’re women,” Mitchell said.
“We like doing ‘guy’ stuff,” Moore, 32, said. “We can get dirty.”
The fight for funding
The more than $100,000 worth of equipment needed to teach the class was made possible by the grant from T-Mobile that Reubart said is unlike one he’s ever seen before.
There are approximately 750 women incarcerated in Nevada, meaning that women make up less than 10 percent of the prison population statewide, Reubart said.
Female inmates receive a similarly low rate of funding, meaning that the facility is left “fighting for dollars,” Reubart said.
But for the College of Southern Nevada, launching the new program for female offenders was an important investment.
“When all of them get out, they’re all going to have a felony attached to their name,” said Genevieve Minter, prison education program manager at the college. Minter hopes that the program will help the women, once they are released, find jobs and stay out of prison.
The facility does see repeat offenders, such as Kincaid, who said that she has been in and out of prison since she was 17 years old.
One reason for this, Minter said, is that without opportunities like the new HVAC program, offenders tend to return to what they know.
“We’re not excusing anything that they did. We’re just trying to give them other opportunities so that they stop going back in there,” Minter said. “We view it as a good investment in our females, and so T-Mobile did too.”
Opening the door to a career
Mitchell said that one of his concerns about the program was ensuring that at the end of it, the students could find work.
“If they come to school, and we train them and then they don’t get a job, then what was it for?” Mitchell said.
While some businesses do not hire convicted felons, there are contractors that Mitchell said are willing to give his students a chance.
Organizations such as Women in HVACR, a group supporting women in the industry, and Hope for Prisoners, an organization that helps inmates reenter their community, are prepared to be a resource for students when they are released, Mitchell explained.
In Las Vegas, which this year saw record temperatures, there is a “huge need” for HVAC technicians, Mitchell said. The certificate that the students earn through the program will give them a leg up over other applicants.
Many students said they will definitely be pursuing HVAC work when they are released. “I have a trade,” Moore said. “I have something that I’m excited about.”
“We’re the poster child”
The program’s 12 students were carefully selected, Najera explained. Inmates whose crimes would not prevent them from getting hired and who will be released soon were prioritized.
The class’s instructor, Spencer Dunwoody, said that so far, his students are receptive, engaged and ask good questions.
Teaching inside prison has led to bumps in the road. The class textbook first arrived in hardcover, which is not allowed as it could be used to hide contraband, Mitchell explained.
But Minter, who has taught in prisons, said that she believes once softcover books arrive, students will start reading ahead.
“They’re so grateful,” she said. “They know that not everybody wants to come and teach in prison.”
Staff and offenders alike hope to see the program continue beyond its inaugural class. But its students said they know there is a spotlight shining on them, and their actions will directly impact the program’s success.
To remain in the program, inmates cannot receive any write-ups for infractions, Kincaid explained.
“We’re the poster child,” Moore said. “But that’s also exciting, because it gives us even more of an incentive to try even harder.”
Contact Estelle Atkinson at eatkinson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @estellelilym on X and @estelleatkinsonreports on Instagram.
Towns like Elko, Ely, and Panaca host some of Nevada’s most distinctive summer county fairs. Some of them are also among the state’s oldest such gatherings, with Winnemucca’s Tri-County Fair a staple since 1885, the Elko County Fair running since 1920, and Ely’s White Pine County races organized in 1934 to lift Depression-era spirits. For sheer natural beauty, Panaca takes top spot for its proximity to Cathedral Gorge State Park, while Eureka stages its fair just off US-50, the highway tagged the Loneliest Road in America. Discover what each has to offer.
Elko
The largest county seat in northeastern Nevada, Elko hosts the state’s marquee summer fair. The Elko County Fair was first held in September 1920 and now runs over two weekends around Labor Day at the Elko County Fairgrounds. The main event for the 20,000 or so visitors who attend is the live parimutuel horse racing, a betting format with no fixed odds in which payouts are split among the holders of winning tickets.
Over several race days, Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses compete in front of the fairground’s historic grandstand. Other equestrian draws include the Livestock Show and Sale, a rodeo, and night barrel racing, while non-horse events include a carnival, livestock barns, and art exhibits.
Ely
Over in the remote mining town of Ely on the eastern edge of the state, the White Pine County Fair and Horse Races dominate the summer social calendar. Held the third weekend of August, the first races were organized by local ranchers and business owners in 1934 to lift spirits during the Great Depression. They have run nearly every year since at the White Pine County Fairgrounds.
A field of about 150 Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses competes over the three days of the event, with parimutuel betting with no fixed odds, making it fun for everyone. Things kick off on Friday with a ranch rodeo featuring bronc riding, team roping, and mutton busting, a children’s event in which kids ride sheep. Live music, a barbecue, youth events and exhibits, and a livestock auction round out the fairground fun.
Panaca
Tucked away in the high desert of southeastern Nevada, Panaca holds the Lincoln County Fair and Rodeo at the fairgrounds, Lincoln County Recreational Park, in early August. Now in its 58th year, the weekend centers around a rodeo and junior rodeo events for younger riders, as well as a gymkhana featuring horseback games like barrel racing and pole bending.
A celebratory pageant is also part of the fun and crowns local riders. The fair’s exhibit building fills with educational projects, baked goods, and produce grown in the surrounding Meadow Valley region. In the same week, the fairgrounds host Nevada’s Best Cow Dog Trial, a stock dog competition in which trained herding dogs move cattle through a timed course. An amateur ranch rodeo is also part of the fun and includes roping and bronc riding open to local competitors.
Gardnerville
Located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada in Carson Valley, Gardnerville hosts the Nevada Agricultural Fair over four days each July at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. One of the newest fairs in the state (it started in 2021 as the Silver and Sage Fair), this free event highlights the role of younger generations of farmers in agriculture.
Highlights include a livestock show and sale featuring cattle, goats, pigs, sheep, rabbits, and poultry raised by local youth farming groups. Stick around for the Nevada State Ewe Lamb Futurity, a unique competition spread out over three years that follows the progress of young breeding ewes. Indoor halls display canning, baked goods, garden produce, and art, and a youth livestock auction closes the fair on the final Sunday.
After dark, the fair hands its arena over to MAYHEMilition. This always-popular demolition derby sees drivers ram junk cars and pick-ups into one another until only one is left running. The lawnmower and figure-eight races are also fun.
Eureka
The small town of Eureka celebrates its county fair and rodeo in early August. The community’s most important summer gathering, the Eureka County Fair, keeps things traditional and old-fashioned, with an authentic working rodeo, livestock displays, and exhibits dedicated to young farmers.
It is a format that serves the locals well, with an unhurried pace that attracts ranching families from across the high desert region. The event has long served as a yearly reunion for the county’s scattered ranches and remains the busiest weekend on Eureka’s summer calendar. The fairgrounds lie just outside the downtown Eureka core, which looks much as it did in the 1880s.
Winnemucca
The seat of Humboldt County at the crossroads of Interstate 80 and US-95, Winnemucca celebrates its farming and ranching traditions with its Tri-County Fair and Stampede. Held over the Labor Day weekend, Humboldt County Agricultural District has staged the fair since 1885, making it one of the oldest continuous events of its kind in Nevada.
The star attraction is the Labor Day rodeo. Held at the Winnemucca Events Complex, it is accompanied by a downtown parade and live music. Other weekend fun includes a carnival complete with rides, farming exhibits, antique tractor displays, and a quirky pig wrestling contest in which teams chase a greased hog through a muddy pen.
Logandale
Set in Moapa Valley, northeast of Las Vegas, Logandale hosts the Clark County Fair & Rodeo each April at the Clark County Fairgrounds. Since 1988, this small southern Nevada community has built the event into one of the region’s biggest spring traditions, pairing a full county fair with five nights of professional PRCA and WPRA rodeo action.
More than 600 professional competitors come to town for classic rodeo events backed by top western stock contractors, while the fairgrounds fill with a carnival midway, livestock shows, 4-H and FFA exhibits, food stands, live entertainment, and family attractions. Held at 1301 W. Whipple Avenue, the event draws visitors from across southern Nevada and gives Clark County its own high-energy version of a rural fair weekend.
A Fun Summer Tradition
There is no doubt that the best Nevada county fairs succeed because of the communities they serve. Horses, livestock, and music have held these rural communities together for well over a century, giving each an opportunity not only to showcase their skills and traditions but also to let their hair down and have some old-fashioned fun.
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Nevada Youth Sports is working to keep thousands of young athletes on the field after a fire believed to have been sparked by illegal fireworks caused nearly a quarter of a million dollars in damage to its facility.
The fire broke out late on the night of July 4. Jane Ramos, chief administrative officer for Nevada Youth Sports, said she received a call from the organization’s landlord telling her there had been a fire at the building.
“We got a call from our landlord saying I needed to come out here right away because there had been a fire,” Ramos said. “We didn’t really understand the scope of what had happened until we could hardly open the door because of the fumes, the smoke, and the smell.”
According to Ramos, firefighters responded shortly before midnight after flames were reported on the roof of the building. In the days since, the organization says it has learned the fire is believed to have started when embers from illegal fireworks landed on the roof.
“It’s something that was preventable if it truly was illegal fireworks,” Ramos said.
Early damage assessments estimate nearly $250,000 in structural, electrical and water damage. Ramos said the organization is still working to understand the full financial impact.
“We’re trying to assess where we are financially in all of this,” she said. “It’s really a question mark.”
The damage has forced Nevada Youth Sports to temporarily close its facility, affecting the thousands of athletes and families who rely on the organization for leagues, clinics and training programs.
Nevada Youth Sports serves more than 14,000 athletes and families across the Las Vegas Valley each year. Ramos said the organization’s immediate priority is finding alternate locations so programs can continue with as little disruption as possible.
“We’re definitely allocating our resources toward those efforts,” Ramos said. “Whatever the cost is to continue programming outside of this building, that’s where we’re focusing our efforts right now.”
While investigators continue looking into the cause of the fire, Ramos said the organization hopes whoever is responsible will be held accountable. She said neighboring businesses have provided surveillance video that could help determine exactly what happened.
“I’m hopeful that we can point some accountability somewhere,” Ramos said. “Our commercial neighbors have been very kind to offer their camera footage, so we’re still collecting all of that information before we pursue anything further.”
Despite the damage, Ramos said the organization’s commitment to local families remains unchanged.
“We’ll continue to be steadfast and patient,” she said. “Our mission is being a partner to our athletes and families. We’re here for a bigger purpose than just this building, and we’ll see it through.”
Nevada Youth Sports expects to have a better understanding of the repair timeline by the end of the week. In the meantime, leaders say they’re grateful for the community support they’ve already received as they work to restore operations.
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