36 years ago this month:

Flash Bam, a short-necked palomino owned by Kay Connely of Pahrump Valley, dazzled the judges in a multitude of events to edge Lorain Kelly's Santana's Cotton Candy to become the grand champion winner at the Pahrump-El Riatas fourth annual horse show in mid-June.

Ridden by Burnell Kinslow and Connely, the graceful 'Bam racked up enough firsts and runner-up points to edge Santana's great showing, which included five blue ribbons.

At dusk on a bench in front of the Amargosa Opera House, Tom Williams and Marta Becket recalled the night William Morris, the theatrical agent, came to the show. He introduced himself and they responded. Then someone mentioned, how nice -- an agent not looking for a client and a performer not looking for an agent.

30 years ago this week:

Nearly 50 well-wishers turned out July 1 for the presentation of an $18,725 grant to the local AARP for the construction of a seniors activity building to be built on Basin Road near Leslie. John Sweeney, administrator for the state's Division for the Aging was on hand. Jim Cain, president of the local AARP, accepted the check. Additional funds for the project will be forth coming from Nye County and the Bicentennial Commission. The choice acreage for the seniors' center was donated by Carl and Bea Floyd.

Tim Hafen, local rancher and former state assemblyman, took issue with several statements made by Jim Spicer, president of Bullfrog Mining District and William Kissam of Las Vegas at the June 30 town board meeting.

According to Spicer, the convention center in Tonopah cost $2.5 million and was financed by a county bond issue. Not so, said Hafen -- it cost $90,000 and was financed by the room tax in Tonopah. Spicer also claimed there is $15 million in county funds drawing only 2.5 percent interest, when according to Hafen there is less than $5 million drawing 5 percent.

20 years ago this week:

The Nye County Commission agreed to increase the ad valorem property tax rate this week in order to solve some of the county's tight budget problems. About $650,000 is expected to be raised by the move and another $150,000 is to be added to county revenues thanks to the state changing how proceeds from mine revenues are counted.

It has been discovered that a portion of the unincorporated town of Amargosa Valley has been included within Bullfrog County. Bullfrog County -- a 12-by-12-square-mile patch atop Yucca Mountain -- was created in the middle of Nye County by the Nevada legislature last month.

Nye County officials received a copy of the bill last week and, in looking over it, determined that the Bullfrog boundary, apparently by accident, includes about seven square miles of Amargosa town.

Continued major expansion of the Las Vegas economy was reported in a lengthy article in the Los Angeles Times last month. The report said that Las Vegas has proven false in dramatic fashion worries a few years ago that it was headed for oblivion.

Major projects in Las Vegas include the $500 million Golden Nugget Hotel and groundbreaking on a $650 million cluster of 10 hotels on the extreme south end of the Las Vegas Strip.

10 years ago this week:

Any plans to take college courses at the new hi-tech learning center will have to be postponed.

When the Nevada Legislature adjourned for the final time this session early Monday morning, Pahrump's hopes for a high-tech learning center went with them, at least for the next two years.

The bill for the center sponsored by Assemblyman Roy Neighbors and pushed by Sen. Mike McGinness, received strong support from a number of prominent local residents. Community College of Southern Nevada would have operated the center had funding been approved.

Larry Searles made his first round at Calvada's Executive Golf Course a memorable one. The Las Vegan shot a two-under 57 there to win the second Pahrump Valley Open Inferno championship on the Fourth of July.

Searles, who said he's a four-handicap golfer, birdied five holes on his way to the title.

Officials for the Nevada Department of Transportation are "cautiously optimistic" that $10 million in federal funds set aside for the expansion of Highway 160 will be restored in the coming months. Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Harry Reid and his staff are just trying to figure out what happened.

Last fall Reid made an appearance in Pahrump to report that he had secured $10 million for the final phase of a six-phase project to improve the road. He was as surprised as many local residents were to hear the NDOT had not received the money from the Federal Highway Administration.

Saturday night was all right for fighting at the Pahrump Valley Speedway. Nobody had to worry about getting his ears chewed on, though, as the combatants were behind the wheel of an IMCA modified racecar tearing around a quarter-mile dirt oval track. But it couldn't have been more bizarre had Jim Pike Tysonized Jim Perkins for deliberately trying to injure Pike's son Jason, the defending four-time track champion.

An incredibly reckless Perkins rammed his car into the rear-end of race leader Jason Pike's number 23 a number of times during the 20-lap main event. Jim Pike, Jason's dad, pulled his maroon number 17 up next to Perkins and reportedly told him to back off. Perkins responded by side-swiping Pike.

Pike roared around the track to the main straightaway and struck Perkins car with enough force to damn near send it flying to Perkins' home town of Lake Mojave, Ariz. The crowd cheered.

Relay for Life

Applications for walkers and donations for the relay team will be taken after Masses Saturday and Sunday at Our Lady of the Valley Church on Gamebird.

Chances will be available for five handmade afghans (at $1). The Angels in the Outfield team will also be selling luminary bags for $10 to be placed in honor of cancer survivors or in memory of those who have lost the battle against cancer at the Aug. 18 Relay candle lighting ceremony.