36 years ago this month

More than 2,400 visitors partook of the barbecue and almost 200 horsemen rode in the gymkhana in the record-breaking eighth annual Pahrump Valley Fall Festival. Riders from four western states competed in 37 classes with high point trophies finally going to Ronald Hagen of Las Vegas, seniors; Cheryl Sieg of Las Vegas, 14-17; and Ronda Newman of Las Vegas, 11-13. The net profit on the barbecue was $600 and a net profit of $3,000 for the Festival will be spent on community and youth projects.

Tom and Gerry Duke have expanded their Tomken Enterprises feed operations to include a spacious western clothing and supply store at the corner of Highway 372 and West Street. Grand opening of the new department will take place this month. The store will include such name brands as Levi and Nacona boots and will continue to be open seven days a week. The Dukes have been in Pahrump since 1966.

30 years ago this week

The halfway mark has been reached in the renovation of the historic Mizpah Hotel-Casino in Tonopah. Frank Scott, owner of the Mizpah as well as the Union Plaza Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas, reports that over $400,000 of the $1 million allocated for the project has been expended.

The state fire marshal's office, a division of the Commerce Department, ordered repairs for the 70-year-old structure one year ago.

The Pahrump Valley Jaycees have decided to disband, according to President Wayne Floyd. "We just haven't been able to get enough support from the guys, so it is best that we fold the group," said Floyd. "Some irresponsible people said that the Burro Races were held to rip off local people -- that is simply not the truth and it hurt the organization."

The treasury of the Jaycees said as much as $3,000 will be donated to the town's new library.

20 years ago this week

A gold-mining operation that could employ 200 people within a year appears to be a good bet for the Bullfrog district near Beatty. Four drilling rigs rolled in to the site to expand the core testing at the property located about 1.5 miles northeast from the Rhyolite depot.

Reports appeared over a week ago about the bright prospects in the old Bullfrog district, but similar reports have been common in Nye County through the years.

The 23rd annual Amargosa Days celebration begins this weekend with the crowning of the Amargosa Days king and queen, and naming of the citizen of the year, all taking place at Death Valley High School in Shoshone Friday night.

Saturday morning kicks off with early morning coffee and the tailgater's flea market opening, followed by the horseshoe tourney and the annual parade. There will also be a barbecue, children's games and a dance Saturday evening.

Sunday will host the hard rock miner's drilling contest and a pool tournament.

Bids will be taken for construction of the Pahrump animal shelter. They must be in writing and received by the town board no later than Nov. 24. The project, according to the invitation to bid statement, will total approximately 3,200 square feet.

Bidders must furnish a bond equal to 100 percent of their bid. Prospective builders may view plans for the shelter at the town administrator's office in the Pahrump Community Center.

10 years ago this week

County Commissioner Cameron McRae characterizes his upcoming trip to Washington, D.C., to begin PETT negotiations with the Department of Energy as a delicate balancing act.

At stake is continued federal funding flowing to the county in the form of Payments Equal to Taxes for ongoing DOE work on Yucca Mountain, which is being studied as the possible site for the storage of the nation's nuclear waste.

The delicate nature involves getting the best deal for the county while making sure any agreement that is sent to Congress for ratification isn't viewed as exorbitant. That task is made more difficult as the Nevada congressional delegation maintains its steadfast opposition to the Yucca Mountain Project.

The clash of the chili titans returns to Saddle West Hotel and Casino this weekend. The International Chili Society-sanctioned event figures to draw about 35 or so entries from all over the Western U.S., most from Arizona, California and Nevada.

"They come from all over," Saddle West marketing director Rich Patino said. "I guess it gets in your blood."

Once Tuesday's lightning quick Beatty Town Board meeting was adjourned, time was turned over to Earl C. Dixon, technical advisor to the Nevada Test Site Community Advisory Board, for a presentation on the impact of nuclear testing on groundwater in the area.

Dixon's presentation, in a nutshell, depicted current programs to deal with the problem of groundwater contamination on the test site as underfunded and embroiled in bureaucracy and politics.

An early hydrological model that predicted radioactive tritium, the fastest traveling radionuclide in water, could migrate to the Oasis Valley near Beatty in as little as 10-20 years (albeit a very low level of 40 pico-curies per liter, nothing near the current safety standard of 20,000 pico-curies) had created concern among area residents.

Dixon said the model that made the prediction was flawed. Dixon, a chemical hydrologist, said that most hydrologists put little faith in such a model's ability to real-world events.