38 years ago this week

The superstructure for the first phase of the Calvada shopping center was up, with flooring slabs to be poured later in the month.

The front page featured a piece on B.L. "Barney" Barnett, who was in charge of trying to convert the Spring Meadows Ranch in the Ash Meadows area to "grass country that will support one of the most ambitious cattle-ranching projects in the western U.S., possibly 60,000 head."

In keeping with its early artistic temperament, the front page also featured a Boat Show Queen Glenda Gouletta posing atop a boat in a two-piece bathing suit. Not the boat -- Glenda.

A major two-day rodeo was set for the arena at Lathrop Wells.

Cutback rumors were flying at a brisk pace out at the Nevada Test Site. One gent, named Charles Bullion, said he hoped any cutbacks would not be a political slap in the face for the state's rejection of the Nixon's administration's "political ticket." "If that's true," said Bullion, "then we've got problems."

30 years ago

Pahrump thought it rated a $40 million dollar property tax increase, but the state Board of Equalization quashed those hopes and forced the county commission to start figuring out how to trim its budget -- which had been conceived with the additional money glittering in its administrative eyes.

Said County Assessor Bernie Merlino, "Let's put the monkey on the state's back. They're the reason we did the appraisal in the first place." He said he had no plans to do another.

About 100 workers being brought to the Nevada Test Site to work on "a missile testing project" might get homes in Pahrump, according to Boeing Aircraft officials who met with the chamber of commerce.

Faye and Frank Winsor were noted as having taken over operations of the Calvada Inn restaurant, lounge, market and bar.

Pahrump Valley's spellers did well in Tonopah and prepared to send three students -- Gene Russell, Gary Nerger and Claire Barnes -- to Reno for the state finals. Mary Baca provided the coaching.

20 years ago

Nye County voters provided a running start into the 1990s as they voted 2-1 in favor of a $30 million school bond issue. Amargosa Valley was the lone area holdout against the bond.

Staying well and well-off: Eight criminal indictments were handed up by the district attorney's office in the wake of a large-scale embezzlement of money as well as vitamins from the International Consumer Products Inc. vitamin factory here.

State Sen. William O'Donnell said he wouldn't introduce a bill banning brothels after discerning a distinct lack of support in the state Legislature. He said, "You wouldn't want your daughter or your wife working in a brothel." He didn't say whether those not eager for a political fight did.

His decision appeared to pull the plug on what had looked like a major effort by the resort industry to end the rural county option of legal brothels.

A new dump site off Bell Vista Road was OK'd by the town board. One feature the board appreciated was its position outside the town borders.

The town's accountant, Michael Cox, warned the board it needed to get its cost-cutting gears in motion if it didn't want to keep its financial reserves from dwindling away.

10 years ago

With dreadful visions of Y2K already worrying people, Ben DePue said he had a 5,000-gallon water tank to help anyone who might need a drink in the event of a serious power outage, so long as they "don't mind 'hearing about Jesus' while they fill up."

In the event, Y2K passed quietly, but in 2007 it was determined by practical application that a hunter with a rifle or shotgun could kill power to most of Pahrump.

A meeting of residents failed to set up a foundation to raise money to build a hospital in in Pahrump, but "it did lay the foundation for a foundation."

Columnist Hank Bond urged readers to support the hospital project. "We will not have a burn unit, nor a trauma unit, but basic health care needs will be met," he wrote.

Terrible's Lakeside had its grand opening gala splashed across two pages of the PVT, offering the first 300 customers free gasoline.

The town board was cautious about laying out $22,000 for a "present worth analysis" of Central Nevada Utilities Corp., especially when there were "no guarantees the town will be able to purchase the utility after the appraisal is completed."