Institute gets $100,000 pledge

RENO -- A Reno couple has pledged $100,000 over four years to the Desert Research Institute to buy equipment for its archaeology lab.

Institute officials said the gift from Tom E. and Mary Kay Gallagher will allow the lab to identify biological and archaeological materials such as hair, charcoal and bone.

DRI President Stephen Wells said the gift also will allow the research institute to expand its projects and seek more federal grants.

In honor of the donation, DRI will name the archaeology and paleoecology laboratory after the Gallaghers.

The Desert Research Institute is a nonprofit research arm of the Nevada System of Higher Education.