CHRISTINA EICHELKRAUT / PVT Linda DeMeo, witnessed by Deputy Clerk Robert Carson, signs on at the Nye County clerk's office Wednesday afternoon. Advertisement

Linda DeMeo, Nye County Sheriff Tony DeMeo's wife, filed to run for justice of the peace on Thursday, Jan. 17.

"Many people came to me and asked if I would pursue this new position," DeMeo said. "I see the changes in this valley and I had to think about it. But if people have that kind of confidence in me, I decided to respond ... I think I can serve the community, and I believe I'm known for serving the community."

DeMeo is a member of a variety of community organizations, including the VFW Ladies Auxiliary and Kiwanis.

Voters will have plenty of candidates to chose from in November, some new to voters and others already familiar, as the last week of the early filing period has seen a number of people putting their names on the November ballot.

Mike Foley, currently the pro tempore justice of the peace, entered to run Friday, Jan. 11.

Foley unsuccessfully ran in the 2006 race against incumbent Tina Brisebill and garnered 1,031 votes.

Other familiar names who have filed for the November race include Kent Jasperson, a former deputy sheriff and candidate who received 1,097 votes in 2006, and Louis DeCanio, who received 442 votes in the same election.

Dorothy Oriondo, sole proprietor of All the Time/Anytime Mobile Notary Public and Paralegal services here has thrown her hat into the ring.

Oriando has a bachelor's degree in justice administration from the University of Hawaii and is working on a master's degree in legal studies.

She has been a resident of Nevada for 12 years.

According to her Web site, Oriando "believes she can bring honesty, fairness and impartiality to the bench and enhance Pahrump's judicial system with her knowledge and sense of fair play."

Another new candidate in the race is Barry Waggoner, who was first to file for the position.

Waggoner, a self-described "staunch conservative" entered the race willing to be trained in any way necessary and hopes to uphold not only the Constitution but the Nevada constitution as well.

Michael Neu, an attorney for the past 32 years with a wide range of experience including criminal defense, arbitration, real estate, and injury said his experience qualifies him for the position.

"It should be someone who is qualified, ready and willing to serve on the day they're sworn in, and I'm confident I can do it," Neu said.

Dennis Sugg, a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper, has also decided to enter the race.

"I'm honest and moral with a high degree of integrity," Sugg said. "I believe I can uphold the law in a prompt, fair, and specific manner."

Sugg has been a Highway Patrol trooper for 17 years and was a sheriff's deputy for a year and a half before that.

He has a degree in criminal justice and is a Vietnam veteran.

Another candidate, Leonardo Blundo, was unable to be reached for an interview as of this writing.

Pahrump qualified for a second justice of the peace position by state law when the population exceeded 34,000 residents.

According to Gov. Jim Gibbons' office, as of March 1, 2006 Pahrump's population was 37,466 residents.

The increasing population has strained Pahrump's Justice Court, with a continually increasing caseload.

In 2006, 2,733 non-traffic cases were filed, with 1,318 of them being criminal cases and the remaining 1,415 were civil cases.