AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images

Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

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Grady Armstrong, a fourth grader from Virginia City, Nevada, helped U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and members of the Nevada Congressional Delegation light the Capitol Christmas tree on Tuesday night.

The tree is a 53-foot-tall red fir from the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in Nevada. It’s the first time in 61 years that a tree from Nevada is featured on the West Lawn of the Capitol.

The tree traveled roughly 3,000 miles to D.C., and is decorated with about 6,000 LED lights and more than 5,000 ornaments, many of them made by children from across Nevada.

Armstrong earned the honor of lighting the tree after winning an essay contest.

“You don’t have to go far to enjoy Nevada. Right from my school playground, you can look east for hundreds of miles over the mountain ranges that make up the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest,” he said.

“I want the country to know how special Nevada’s public land and national forests are. These lands are full of wonder, from big animals like elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep and even moose,” Armstrong added.

The tree, nicknamed “Silver Belle” as a nod to Nevada being the “Silver State,” will be lit from dusk until 11 p.m. every night through early January 2026.

WTOP’s Alan Etter contributed to this report.

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Northern Nevada organizations are marking Giving Tuesday with community-focused fundraising campaigns aimed at expanding services, improving access and supporting local families.

The May Arboretum Society at Rancho San Rafael Regional Park launched a $10,000 Giving Tuesday goal to support two new enhancement projects within the arboretum. The organization says the improvements will elevate the visitor experience and reinforce its mission of conservation and community education. Donors can participate by visiting mayarboretumsociety.org and selecting the “Get Involved” tab.

Note-Able Music Therapy Services (NMTS) in Reno is also seeking to raise $10,000 today to expand access to its music therapy programs. The nonprofit says its services help children and adults build confidence, communication skills and emotional well-being. A $50 donation can fund a monthlong scholarship for a client, while $300 can provide six months of classes for a child working on social skill development or help support local caregivers who rely on the program. Contributions can be made at nmtsreno.org.

Other local organizations participating in Giving Tuesday include Safe Embrace, Veterans Guest House and Nevada Humane Society, each encouraging northern Nevadans to support programs that stay entirely within the community.

Many Giving Tuesday campaigns run through midnight, offering residents a chance to make an immediate impact on local nonprofits serving the region.

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – Nevada Health Centers in Carson City is looking for people to participate in clinical research trials for norovirus and an oral GLP-1 medication.

“We’ve been very excited to be able to bring opportunities of major biopharmaceutical, clinical research, new, innovative medications and such to our patient population,” said Dr. Sangeeta Wagner, Nevada Health Centers.

NVHC joined forces with Javara, a leading integrated research organization (IRO), in 2023 to bring clinical research to Nevadans, beginning in the greater Carson City area.

Nevada Health Centers has conducted fourteen trial opportunities over the years. They’re recruiting for 5 trials right now, including norovirus and an oral GLP-1 medication. “This medication is an oral medication for adults that will help them in the same ways. It’s nice because it will give patients the alternative instead of having to inject themselves once a week,” added Dr. Wagner.

NVHC is looking for people who are 18 or older, with diabetes, obesity, heart failure prevention, hypothyroidism, and covid.

The norovirus trial is for people 60 or older. The CDC reports, there are 2,500 norovirus outbreaks in the U.S. each year, and the virus is responsible for 58% of foodborne illnesses.

“For most of us, otherwise healthy adults, we can just have a few days of some mild discomfort. But in the vulnerable population, adult patients or those very young, it can lead to dehydration or death. Important to decrease the spread of it as much as we can. Currently, there is no approved vaccine for it, nor is there an antiviral,” said Dr. Wagner.

Dr. Wagner says Clinical trials are an essential step in developing new medications and therapies, and the norovirus vaccine trial, part of a national study, aims to reduce the impact of the disease that sickens thousands of people every year, leading to lost work productivity, school absences, hospitalizations, and more.

The deadline to apply is closing in 4 to 6 weeks. Plans are in place to expand the clinical research program to other NVHC facilities in the state.

If you are interested in participating or would like to learn more, please contact Jason Elenberger at jason.elenberger@javararesearch.com or our research team phone line at 775.200.9775.

You can also call Nevada Health Centers.

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