Pahrump found itself in the national spotlight several times during the course of 2007, although some would say it wasn't exactly the kind of publicity the town needed. If you're a believer in the old adage that there's no such thing as bad publicity, however, than 2007 really was a banner year for the town.

Pahrump became a focus point for the national debate on illegal immigration and English language requirements when the current town board repealed the controversial "English only ordinance" in February by passing PTO 61.

The original ordinance, PTO 54, which served to establish English as the official language of Pahrump, had passed amidst much media attention and packed the Bob Ruud Community Center to capacity in the closing months of 2006.

Part of the reason for the publicity lay in the most controversial (and constitutionally questionable) parts of the original ordinance, which included a section forbidding the lending of money to or hiring illegal immigrants (i.e., anyone who could not provide documentation proving their U.S. citizenship) or closing a business in support of another nation.

In addition, the ordinance originally attempted to dictate rules for flying of the American flag.

Although many of those rules had already been established in the U.S. Code, the sticking point was the section saying no foreign flags could be flown without the Stars and Stripes accompanying it.

The ordinance drew just about everyone to Pahrump, including major national media outlets, representatives from the ACLU ominously hinting at future lawsuits, and just about any organization or activist group involved in immigration issues, despite the fact that the ordinance did not address immigration.

Another reason for the excessive publicity the ordinance attracted was a very common public misperception (evidenced by much of the public comment at meetings, international and national blog posts, letters to the editor, etc.) that the ordinance would make it illegal to speak Spanish.

It didn't, but that did little to stop public outcry that either supported or derided the measure. The town seemed clearly divided among those who felt it was a needed measure and those who saw the proposed law as nothing more than discrimination.

Everyone from soldiers in Iraq to Lou Dobbs had something to say about it, and Pahrump even garnered a few minutes on MSNBC, CNN, FOX and an Australian television news show.

PTO 54 underwent several revisions prior to its passage, mostly deleting the sections mentioned above.

By the time it passed on a 3-2 vote by the former town board (tellingly, none of the three who voted in favor of the ordinance had been elected), all it did was ensure official documents for the town would have to be in English, which they were anyway.

That was it.

But by then it was too late and 2007 opened up with the new town board proposing the ordinance, PTO 61, that effectively eradicated the "English-only ordinance."

FOX news showed up to the final reading with their cameras rolling, as did representatives from the Mexican-American Political Association. Once again, the Bob Ruud was filled with concerned citizens, albeit not to capacity.

The board kept its promise, unanimously eliminating the ordinance.

The effect of the controversy still remains, however.

The Mexican American Political Association formed a chapter here in response to the hubbub, and the Pahrump Minutemen, a group of anti-illegal immigration activists, can still be seen carrying American flags and protest banners on Fridays at the corner of Highways 160 and 372.

This summer, Pahrump found itself getting national coverage yet again when the former For Love of Cats and Kittens, or FLOCK, sanctuary turned out to be anything but a safe haven.

The sanctuary, on Bond Street, was taken over by Nye County Animal Control after more than 400 cats were found at it, sick, dehydrated and starving.

Animal control officers enlisted the aid of the Best Friends Animal Society, who shipped volunteers and supplies down to the sanctuary.

While the cats were getting cataloged and cared for and the sanctuary began to get cleaned up, the ugly finger-pointing as to who was responsible for the situation began.

Initially, Sherri Allen, who was president of FLOCK and took over the sanctuary in January was implicated, although formal charges have yet to be pressed against her.

The executive board of FLOCK, a nonprofit corporation, said they had no idea how bad conditions at the sanctuary had gotten.

Maggie Ward, president of FLOCK, said May 28 the board members inspected the facility and found it in horrible condition.

They decided to have a meeting with Allen two days later but arrived at the sanctuary to find Allen gone.

Allen has repeatedly claimed in prepared statements that although she did resign from FLOCK and leave the facility on May 30, she left well-cared for cats behind in a clean facility.

Ward alleged that prior to the abrupt resignation, Allen had begun taking in more cats than she, the volunteers or the facility could handle.

Nye County took over the facility on July 19.

In August, Allen was arrested and booked on 125 charges of animal cruelty for animals confiscated by animal control officers from her own home.

She has yet to be formally charged for that arrest as well.

Despite escaping formal charges, however, Allen found herself nonetheless entrenched in a legal battle when she filed a defamation suit against the parent companies of Channel 3 in Las Vegas and Best Friends.

A friend or supporter of Allen's had videotaped animal control officers loading the animals into their truck.

Allen sent to the video to Channel 3 ostensibly to show that her pets were living in clean condition.

Because the news station broadcast footage from the video Allen sent them and spliced it with footage from animals at the FLOCK sanctuary, Allen alleges the news station implied her arrest was a result of the FLOCK sanctuary.

Best Friends and Channel 3 have joined together in a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

Meanwhile, for the cats at least, there has been a slightly happier ending.

Numerous adoption events and the generous time of volunteers have led to nearly all the cats being adopted or transferred to the Best Friends sanctuary in Kenab, Utah.

There are still cats that remain at the sanctuary, however, so if you're looking for a new member of the family, be sure to stop by.