39 years ago this week

Bob Perchetti was inviting locals and visitors alike to "Raise a little hell at the Tonopah Belle."

Hafen and Hafen Realty was offering "choice" five-acre parcels just off Mesquite Avenue at $750 an acre, with only 10 percent down.

Meanwhile, Ron Floyd had Chaparral Ranchos for sale, bordered by Leslie and Basin, at from $2,995 to $4,995 with payments as low as $39 per month.

Bill Collins, a Las Vegas TV, film and show producer, announced he would walk across Death Valley on the Fourth of July and had no plans to "do any of that sissy stuff like sleeping in air-conditioned trailers at night."

30 years ago

The first grand jury in Nye County in 10 years was preparing to gear up.

It was specifically requested by the county commission to look into allegations of corruption made against a whole group of officials, including the commission itself, the district attorney, the sheriff and unspecified Nye County employees.

Brothel owners Walter Plankinton and Jim Spicer were expected to be called as witnesses to present material supporting their claims against county officials.

In the meantime, District Judge John Mendoza ordered the trial in which Plankinton hoped to challenge the county's ban on brothels should be heard in Nye County, not Las Vegas.

Arlamay Rogers was named valedictorian of Pahrump Valley High School for 1979, while Janelle Ward was salutatorian, Principal Don Worden announced.

Also in the news, Joan and Bob Bieganski announced their readiness to break ground on a 10-acre shopping area just south of Saddle West.

20 years ago

Cynthia Duff was sentenced to 24 years in jail for her role in the brutal beating of a Terrible's clerk.

Joe Richards took the fifth and decided against testifying before a Nye County grand jury. District Attorney Phil Dunleavy said he was surprised it took Richards "two appearances" before he fell back on the clause that protects a man from self-incrimination.

Production at the Bond Bullfrog gold mine just west of Beatty was expected to get under way in June.

Three new schools in Nye County were expected to be ready for business by fall 1991, including a new high school in Pahrump, a new Beatty-Amargosa Valley high school, and a new high school in Tonopah.

Jeff Morrison, deputy district attorney here since January 1987, left to take up a position at a law firm in Reno.

More than 100 people were busted during the annual Lenten Desert Experience protest at the Nuclear Test Site.

10 years ago

Landlord Paolo LaPinta said he could not afford to repair the $17,000 in damages caused by two women to whom he rented a property.

Funding was found for a fourth fire station in Pahrump, to be located in the North End. It was estimated to cost around $250,000.

The RPC voted 7-0 to approve the first tentative map of the proposed Front Sight Firearms Training Institute plan.

In a wild ad titled "Invasion of the Saturns -- They came from Las Vegas," a hostile-looking gent with a ray gun suggested to residents, "You will buy!" New and used cars from $4,995.

The Pahrump Airport Advisory Board ID'd four separate potential sites for local airports.

A roundup of burros north of town seemed to do the trick, according to the BLM's man in charge. At least no one was reporting having run over any of the critters.

Two protests were on file regarding the town fairgrounds site on the South End -- two wit, the landowners said they were promised the land around them would "always be owned by the BLM."

Town Manager Mike Cosgrove said they didn't realize how the valley was growing.