39 years ago this month

Nye County Commissioner Bob Ruud said the county needed to tighten up on its subdivision laws. He said Pahrump in particular needed a master plan and immediate zoning laws.

"Can you imagine 10,000 one-eighth acre parcels side by side, each with its own septic tank?" he asked.

Tom Parsons, owner-operator of Denny's Cafe, was named the local agent for the Las Vegas-Tonopah-Reno Stage Lines, the first such agency in Pahrump's history. (LTR was created in 1927 and served Nevada, California and Arizona.)

30 years ago

Pahrump Valley's longest, and wettest, cotton season since 1948 finally came to a close. The last bales from Bob Ruud's and Ted Blosser's ranches. About 1,300 bales were noted. Compared to nearly 1,600 the year before, and the price dropped from 70 cents per pound to 60 cents.

State Fire Marshal Tom Huddleston announced a suspect in the firebombing of the Chicken Ranch brothel was in custody, with more arrests likely.

While he was not named, Huddleston said he had every reason to expect cooperation. The ranch was burned in June 1978.

Meanwhile, despite the county's vote to eliminate brothels, Mignon Clayson's Filly Dude Ranch opened near the Chicken Ranch.

The new Pahrump Valley elementary school was to include a gym. Michael Kevershan and Leila Fuson were named to fill vacancies on the Nye County School Board.

The Masons and Lions each donated $50 to a fund for assistance to the Jim Daniels family, whose mobile home was destroyed by fire.

The Nevada Test Site announced an underground atomic test in the range of from 30 to 150 kilotons took place Feb. 8, 1979.

20 years ago

Sheriff Harold "Stick" Davis' rights were violated by DA Phil Dunleavy in his efforts to bring Davis to court over charges that included fraud, District Judge Thomas Stringfield ruled.

But the specifics of the cases brought by Dunleavy remained in place: two counts of wrongfully collecting travel money and the grand jury's accusation that Davis never booked two men who had been busted for possession of marijuana.

The original charges involving wrongful payment for travel had involved $3,500.

Cassius Conger was imprisoned on seven counts of attempted murder after he allegedly rammed his car into the house of his sister, Carmen Bohannon. She was critically injured, and Conger's bail was set at $550,312.

Five of the seven members of the Pahrump Community Medical Center board resigned at the request of the facility's doctors and employees. The staff demanded the resignations because of low morale.

Pahrump will grow at such a rapid rate, said Assistant Superintendent Rod Pakarek, that plans to meet future needs had to be considered or "it's just going to catch up with us someday."

He said if a $30 million bond issue failed March 14, the school would be crippled in its ability to address a variety of critical issues.

The Calvada Inn advertised a special brunch buffet for $5.95, either roast beef or baked chicken.

10 years ago

NDOT said Nye County would have to widen the roads at Highway 160 and Basin Avenue, but it would be willing to put up traffic signals. Commissioner Cameron McRae said the NDOT contract, which called for no improvements to either avenue, was unacceptable.

NDOT said it could have the lights up and running in seven to eight months.

With warmer weather on the way, concerns about Africanized honeybees -- the dreaded "killer bees" -- were swelling. First noted in town in 1978, exterminator Monica Peterson said four of five hives destroyed the previous fall involved the Africanized version.

After two years in a position that was created for him, Dan Simmons planned to step down as southern Nye County coordinator for the Community College of Southern Nevada.

His replacement was designated as Reggie Knight.

With McRae predicting the possibility of interim storage of nuclear waste in Nye County sooner than some might expect, the town board prepared its agenda for a wide-ranging meeting. Also on the agenda was the creation of an airport advisory board.

Beatty was feeling frisky with the announcement of a suggestion that the commissioners pump $200,000 into the town for its community center. The motion was quickly seconded and passed unanimously.

Not a bad deal -- Saddle West was advertising steak and eggs for $3.49 and a half-pound burger pegged at $2.49. Two eggs, sausage or bacon, hash browns and coffee would set you back $1.59.

Dinielli's on Emery Street was offering its Friday fish special at $4.95