Most recent updates
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{{item.categories.join(', ')}}November 22, 2020
September 29, 2020
Today, Governor Sisolak gave new guidance for celebrations, ceremonies and events: Nevada Guidance for Safe Gatherings .
September 16, 2020
Bars, taverns, pubs, breweries, distilleries and wineries in Washoe County can reopen tonight, Sept. 16, at 11:59 p.m., under safe COVID-19 operating guidelines. Click here for more info.
For the most up-to-date regional information on COVID-19, please go to: www.covid19washoe.com
August 1, 2020
All tournaments have been cancelled through the end of August.
The City of Sparks Kid Konnection before and after school program will operate at the following schools: Alyce Taylor, Bud Beasley, Jesse Hall, Katherine Dunn, Lena Juniper, Lloyd Diedrichsen, Miguel Sepulveda, Spanish Springs and Edward Van Gorder, and an after school only program at Jerry Whitehead Elementary.
We are also offering a program from 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday – Friday at the city of Sparks recreation gym with a 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. option to accommodate families with alternative school schedules or for those that can provide transportation from another location to us in the afternoon.
All programs are subject to minimum enrollment requirements.
July 17, 2020
The Regional COVID-19 Incident Management Team is supporting and implementing White House Coronavirus Task Force recommendations to preempt exponential COVID-19 community spread. Press release.
Washoe County as a whole and the Reno metropolitan area were localities identified to be in the “Yellow Zone,” which means that cases of COVID-19 reported here last week were between 10-100 per 100,000 population and that COVID-19 test positivity was between 5-10 percent. The “Red Zone”, a category for which Clark County falls into, had cases reported above 100 per 100,000 population and test positivity above 10 percent.
The Regional Information Center is reminding residents to adhere to following Governor Directives, Federal and State recommendations:
July 2, 2020
Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Business and Industry’s COVID-19 Reopening Response Plan 6 30 20 (3)
June 29, 2020
Governor Sisolak announces emergency directive extending Phase 2 reopening plans
June 24, 2020
Governor Sisolak issues mandatory face coverings directive 024:
June 12, 2020
Updated Regional Guidance on Youth Sports
On June 10, 2020, Nevada Health Response released guidance on youth sports, which allowed local agencies to begin the process of reopening fields for youth sports. This updated guidance allows for contactless outdoor youth sports practices only. At this time, only spectator-less outdoor practice sessions are allowed.
The guidance outlines the mandatory procedures that must be followed and the recommended best practices including specific guidance for baseball, softball and soccer.
Regional partners from Washoe County, City of Reno and City of Sparks have coordinated on a consolidated reopening plan. It’s important for representatives of leagues and youth sports organizations to know that they must submit a safety plan that complies with the updated Nevada Health Response guidance before they will be allowed access to fields throughout the region.
The City of Sparks will accept applications beginning on Monday, June 15 for travel teams that want to rent fields for practices. Youth and adult tournaments will remain closed through June.
Groups that are part of the Sparks Youth Sports Foundation will be able to practice beginning June 15, if their organization decides to have some sort of spring/summer season. Otherwise, the fall season for youth sports begins August 1.
Joint-use school sites remain closed until released by the Washoe County School District.
May 28, 2020
Parks and Recreation Information
Parks: All neighborhood and community parks are open. The City will continue to limit the general public’s use of shared recreational equipment, including playgrounds basketball courts, volleyball courts, baseball fields, football fields and the Sparks Marina beach, in a manner that does not allow for the congregation of 50 or more people and will continue to encourage social distancing policies.
Pools: Deer Park and Alf Sorensen pools may open per direction from Governor Sisolak. The City will open pools open once staff and lifeguards are in place and under the strict guidelines from the Governor’s office.
Day Camps: City staff is evaluating best practices in moving forward with summer programs at the recreation gym and at the Larry D. Johnson Community Center. Based on facility size, Summer Outburst may be able to register about half the number of participants the program usually accommodates. Staff will send a notification to parents with Epact emergency information on file to gage interest in the Summer Outburst Program and determine its viability.
Tournaments: Under Phase 2 guidelines, congregation of 50 or more people at a facility is not allowed. Therefore, tournaments at Golden Eagle Regional Park and Show Mountain Park will remain canceled at least through the end of June, pending further guidance from the Governor’s Office.
Recreation Softball: Staff continues to evaluate opening a summer league schedule for recreational softball at Golden Eagle Regional Park and Shadow Mountain Park will an anticipated start date of July 6. Again, no more than 50 people will be allowed to congregate and social distancing policies will be in place.
Youth sports and Recreation: The state is working with the local districts and youth sports districts to announce plans in Phase 2.
General Guidelines: In Phase 2, public and private gatherings can increase from no more than 10 people to no more than 50 people, while continuing to follow strict social distancing.
Residents should continue to wear face coverings in public and maintain at least six feet of social distancing when out in public and around people from other households. Nevada’s vulnerable populations should continue to shelter in place.
Phase 2 Directive and Business Guidelines
Washoe County Phase 2 Guidelines
Declaration of Emergency Directive 021 – Phase Two Reopening (5/28/2020)
Phase Two Reopening: General Guidance (5/28/2020)
Sparks Municipal Courts Reopening June 1
The Sparks Municipal Court will open for arraignment and trial calendars beginning June 1, 2020 with the following guidelines and restrictions:
Sparks, NV – El tribunal esta abierto para los calendarios de lectura de cargos y el juicio a partiir del 1 de junio de 2020.
April 3, 2020
***COVID-19 Essential vs. Non Essential Business information can be found here: https://covid19washoe.com/businesses/
Visiting parks in the City of Sparks
Per Governor Sisolak’s Emergency Declaration (007), we ask if you visit a park, please do not do so in groups. The Governor’s emergency directive prohibits gatherings of groups of 10 or more in any indoor or outdoor public area to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, this includes parks, trails and other outdoor activities.
Under the direction of the Washoe County COVID-19 Incident Management Team, a Homeless Services division has been created and is actively working to ensure essential services are provided to our region’s homeless population during this crisis.
As part of that of that emergency response, 19 Sani-Hut portable restrooms with hand sanitizer have been temporarily placed in a variety of areas throughout Washoe County to provide our homeless population with access to restrooms. Four Sani-Huts have been placed in Sparks, and 15 have been placed in Reno, the majority of those in the downtown corridor.
Bottled water has also been secured, for general distribution among the homeless population.
About a dozen hand-washing stations will be temporarily deployed soon in the region, once the weather warms up (so the water doesn’t freeze).
The Reno Events Center has been established as a temporary overnight homeless shelter. Nightly operational hours are from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. There are 375 mats/beds currently available. Running water is also available inside the Events Center.
Screening process: Individuals are assessed at entry. If COVID indicators are suspected, individuals are directed to the Community Assistance Center (CAC) Record Street campus for medical screening and isolation. There is a limit of one personal bag per admittance, with some exceptions. Potential occupants are also being screened for weapons, drugs and alcohol – all of which are not allowed in the Events Center or CAC.
Those being housed at the CAC are limited to Veterans, those who need to be isolated, or those with special needs.There are 35 beds available at the CAC.
There are currently no known COVID cases at the Events Center or CAC. Social distancing is being strongly enforced at both locations.
COVID19BusinessOperations update 3.31.2020
Parks and Recreation will not be taking any new registrations until further notice. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Business Operations Guide
A regional COVID-19 Business Operations Guide has been established to be implemented in Reno, Sparks and unincorporated Washoe County. Please be advised, this document may be updated as the COVID-19 situation changes. Due to health and safety concerns for the public in light of COVID-19, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak and his administration took actions starting on March 17, 2020 with regard to the operations of essential and non-essential businesses. This guide summarizes operational restrictions and mandatory closures for certain types of businesses during this public health emergency. Restrictions remain in effect until April 16, 2020.
Park Use
Please see our Park Use During COVID-19 Public Health Emergency: COVID PARK USE (Joint Message from Reno, Sparks and Washoe County).
Recreation Programs
All recreation programs are cancelled at least until April 16. Parents, guardians and participants, please fill out this Cancellation Form COVID-19(2) to request a refund or credit and return it by email to recinfo@cityofsparks.us. Please note, no processing fee will be charged.
Please see below about extended closures of programs/classes/leagues/etc. The following dates are tentative and may change, please check the City’s website regularly.
Some programs may be reduced in number of participation days or extended. If your program begins and the number of class days is reduced a credit/refund will be prorated to your household.
March 21, 2020
The Monday, March 23, 2020, Sparks City Council Meeting at 2:00 pm is still scheduled. The City of Sparks will be implementing social distancing at this meeting and following additional guidelines from the CDC and Washoe County Health District. In addition, we encourage citizens to email public comment to cityclerk@cityofsparks.us. A public comment period will still be provided at the meeting. In-person capacity for meeting attendance at City Hall has been reduced to 13 people. We encourage those wishing to attend to meeting to consider watching via our livestream on the City of Sparks Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/cityofsparks or online.
In cooperation with the City of Reno, The City of Sparks, and Washoe County, the Community Foundation opened a charitable relief fund to help address needs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic in northern Nevada. The COVID-19 Relief Fund will distribute grants to individuals, businesses, governmental services and charitable nonprofits. A fund advisory committee made up of representatives from local organizations, local governments, the Community Foundation and experts on the impact of the virus will decide and recommend the grants to the Community Foundation Board of Trustees. People are asked to contribute to the COVID-19 Relief Fund on the Community Foundation Website, nevadafund.org. The COVID-19 Relief Fund is intended to address the larger and long-term picture and take action where it will be most effective at helping people in our community. To address individual’s and families’ basic needs the United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra has set up The United Way Emergency Assistance Fund. For more information visit the United Way website at www.uwnns.org. View a list of resources to learn more about Northern Nevada’s situation and the organizations working to serve residents during this emergency.
March 20, 2020
The Washoe County School District, in partnership with the Food Bank of Northern Nevada, is providing free meals to any child aged 18 and under. Families are not asked to provide identification or information in order to receive free meals. The Food Bank and District will be providing multi-day meals at more than 20 schools and community sites at varying times and dates next week. Log onto www.washoeschools.net for more information about a variety of community resources for food, and this information will be updated as needed. In addition, you may call 2-1-1 for a list of schools, dates, and times for food distribution.
Click here for the Regional Response Team message and follow us on Twitter @COVID19Washoe.
University suspending non-essential operations and services for at least 30 days: https://www.unr.edu/president
FEMA rumor control page: https://www.fema.gov/coronavirus-rumor-control
Available programs and resources:
Messages from Mayor Ron Smith:
March 17, 2020 7:00 pm –
This evening, Governor Steve Sisolak requested statewide closures of non-essential businesses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The City of Sparks fully supports the Governor’s decision and thanks him for his leadership.
Casinos, bars, gyms, salons and malls will be affected by the closure directive. Restaurants will be able to provide takeout and delivery service, but no in-restaurant dining is allowed. Essential businesses, including grocery stores, will remain open.
The directive is for 30 days starting at noon tomorrow and will be reevaluated after the 30-day period.
___________
To facilitate community-wide restocking and delivery of goods and supplies in the Truckee Meadows in response to a recent spike in consumer demand driven by the COVID-19 pandemic event, the City of Sparks is temporarily suspending restrictions on delivery hours to local businesses. Through at least April 30, 2020, the City is encouraging local retailers, suppliers, vendors and logistics companies to use this operational flexibility to replenish their respective inventories as best they can. “Our goal is to help businesses in Sparks receive deliveries as quickly and efficiently as they can, reduce detention time for shipping companies so that they can get on to their next stop, and get shelves in Sparks filled with the products on which our citizens rely,” said Mayor Ron Smith.” Combatting COVID-19 is a community-wide effort; making proactive temporary adjustments to the way we do business to better facilitate the well-being of individuals and businesses makes sense.”
Update: March 17, 2020
We have suspended all in-person services through at least April 30.
Update: March 16, 2020 COVID-19 Cancellation/Refund/Credit Request
All recreation programs are cancelled from March 16th – April 5th. Parents, guardians and participants, please fill out this Cancellation Form COVID-19 to request a refund or credit and return it by email to recinfo@cityofsparks.us. Please note, no processing fee will be charged.
The safety and well-being of our employees, residents and visitors is of the upmost importance to us. We are actively monitoring information from Governor Sisolak, the Washoe County Health District, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and are working with our regional partners to bring you up to date information concerning COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus).
We strongly urge the public to practice good hygiene, stay home when feeling unwell, and call your health practitioner if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms (fever, fatigue, cough, and aches).
Update: March 15, 2020
Sparks Mayor Ron Smith has declared a State of Emergency in response to COVID-19. Please read the official media release here: https://cityofsparks.us/news/city-of-sparks-mayor-declares-state-of-emergency-in-response-to-covid-19/
Important notice to parents of Washoe County school age children. In conjunction with the state’s decision to close all Nevada K-12 schools until at least April 6, the City will be closing spring break and before and after school programming scheduled through City of Sparks Parks and Recreation. Parents and guardians will need to make alternative arrangements for the care of their children.
Kid Konnection
Spring Vacation Fun
SVF2
Small Wonders Learning Center
Parents and guardians will need to make alternative arrangements for the care of their children.
Additionally, all City of Sparks community centers will be closed at least until April 6 including the Larry D. Johnson and Alf Sorensen Community Centers and the City Recreation Center. All programs, classes and lessons scheduled at these facilities are also cancelled. Parents, guardians and participants can expect a household credit or refund and will receive more detailed communication from City of Sparks Parks and Recreation in the coming week.
All youth and adult leagues have also been cancelled until at least April 6 as well.
The City has also cancelled all tournaments and special events through Thursday, April 30, 2020, including but not limited to this weekend’s Dublin Dirty adult softball tournament and the following:
Tournaments
Special Events
Please go to https://www.washoecounty.us/health for important updates, information and resources from the Washoe County Health District.
For City of Reno updates, please click here: https://www.reno.gov/community/emergency-preparedness/covid-19