39 years ago

Well, ask and ye shall receive.

Several readers responded to my question about the meaning of NERVA, and now I know.

NERVA stands for, quite simply, Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application.

Thanks to Wayne Bradshaw and William Tomany, as well as several others, for the answer.

According to the Web site suggested by Bradshaw, it was "an American rocket program, started in 1963, to develop a thermal nuclear propulsion system for use on long-range (lunar and interplanetary) manned space missions. The goal of the NERVA program was to take the graphite-based nuclear reactor built at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) under the Rover program, which had begun in 1956, and create a functioning rocket engine ... The NERVA/Rover programs were cancelled, however, in 1973 for a variety of reasons including environmental concerns, loss of public and political interest in a manned mission to Mars in the wake of Apollo, and the growing use low-cost unmanned, robotic space probes."

Something like 23 different reactor tests were conducted into 1973.

And now we all know.

30 years ago

"Pahrump Valley made it through the April gasoline squeeze in reasonably good shape," the PVT reported, "and is gearing up for another month of reduced gas allotments."

But it also wasn't even dreaming of $4-plus costs per gallon of unleaded such as we experienced last spring.

For the first time, the PVHS Trojans were champions of the Southern "A" Conference in baseball and were aiming toward a state title. Coach Rod Poteete oversaw the team.

Preferred Equities announced it had plans to develop 3,928 lots, including both low- and high-density areas, on 2,384 acres.

Janel Thomie and Oscar Gardea were, respectively, queen and king of the 1979 Junior-Senior.

Sheriff's Lt. John Adams announced stricter enforcement of motorcycle traffic laws after public complaints. He also outlined what was required for a bike to be street legal.

Just as it did last weeknd, the VEA held its annual meeting in Dyer.

"Power for the future is going to be expensive and complicated to get," the PVT wrote following the meeting.

20 years ago

SB463 was scheduled to go before the state supreme court to determine its constitutionality.

The law had been ruled unconstitutional by Judge William Beko. It "gave Pahrump the power of a third class city, including the authority to create a master plan, devise a planning ordinance and approve subdivisions."

Representing Pahrump, attorney Frank Daykin said it is not a "special" law but a "local" law and was consitutional "because it meets the needs of a community that is different because of the long distance to the county seat..."

Philip Kolberg, who oversaw " B&P Industries in Pahrump, was sentenced to 20 months in jail on top of a 30-month term ordered the year before.

B&P was an illegal telemarketing scheme that had been raided the year before by the Las Vegas Boiler Room Task Force.

Chuck and Bev Cosner celebrated the seventh anniversary of their Pizza Factory on Charleston Park Avenue. (Today it is Charleston Pizza and remains in the same family.)

10 years ago

Two of three suspects in the alleged theft of the late Ted Binion's silver opposed any move to turn the material over to the Binion estate.

Attorneys for Rick Tabish and Mike Milot said the 48,000 pounds of silver in bars and coins is critical to their defense.

Modeling it after the Harvest Festival, 34 years old, Joe Fera wanted to undertake the town's first ever Spring Celebration.

Mike Fortin was lucky to be breathing in and out after falling from the roof of the nearly completed Commercial Center across from Saddle West -- a 35-foot drop.

He was quickly flown over the hump to University Medical Center in Las Vegas.

It was the 54th anniversary of Adolf Hitler's suicide, but PVHS Principal Jerry Hill said he doubted there was any connection between that and the bogus bomb threat that was phoned in.

The adolescent girl who called was reportedly giggling when she made the threat. School was not called off, but in the wake of the Columbine, Colo., high school shootings April 20, school officials were nonetheless being careful.