30 years ago this week

A recall petition targeting Sheriff Joni Wines called her "an embarrassing failure as our county sheriff."

The petition charges that the sheriff "has all but destroyed our sheriff's department, both as to personnel and as to reputation."

Twenty-five percent of those who voted in the prior election had to sign the petition to get a recall election approved.

Wines was in Oregon and could not be reached for comment.

At the same time, former Nye County Commissioner Bob Cornell of Gabbs called much of what had appeared in the L.A. Times hogwash.

"As far as I know it's a lie," he said. "I've never seen any strong arm tactics, abuse or hint of murder or anything like that."

School enrollment passed 700 this week, and Don Worden said passage of a $2.5 million school bond was needed to maintain rising quality in local education.

Lt. Gov. Myron Leavitt threatened to use his powers to close the Beatty nuclear waste dump when Gov. Bob List left the state. List could countermand the action as soon as he got back, however.

Bill Martin, who may have been William Louis Apfel of Manhattan, N.Y., allegedly beat women he hired as prostitutes at the Shamrock Motel in Lathrop Wells.

20 years ago

Harry Lilly signed a plea bargain and agreed that he deliberately killed his wife, Terry Lilly, and committed grand larceny.

Her body was found Sept. 3.

According to DA Phil Dunleavy, he could have tried the case as a death penalty matter but would likely have failed. "You have to be practical," he said.

A surprise entry in the Harvest Festival team-roping event was TV star Wilfred Brimley, a member of the PRCA for "a lot of years."

Lt. Jim Hertz, of the Pahrump sheriff's substation, resigned, telling Undersheriff Mark Zane it was because of the "stressful situation that was affecting his health."

Undersheriff's Zane's trial for interfering with an arrest by a deputy and the possibility of his running for the office of sheriff along with Wade Lieseke and Sheriff Stick Davis may have produced the stress, the PVT wrote.

U.S. Sen. Harry Reid said a decision on the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear repository might not be made for 12 to 15 years.

This was 29 years ago.

The 695th nuclear test shot at the Nevada Test Site was fired 850 feet under the surface of Rainier Mesa.

Evidence that Bob's Feed Barn was burned down was discovered in the wake of the 1987 fire that destroyed it.

10 years ago

Department of Energy representatives were expected in Amargosa Valley and Pahrump to conduct the first set of hearings in 10 years.

"Somebody dial 911 before the Pahrump Valley Fire-Rescue Service bleeds itself dry," wrote Doug McMurdo in a lead article about the $400,000 ambulance deficit.

The town board learned unexpectedly that the $700,000 annual budget had been overspent by 55 percent, and Chairman Gary Hollis ricocheted off the ceiling.

"If staff is going to set policy and procedures for the town, then we don't need five elected people on this board," he stormed.

A Nevada Highway Patrol officer said it might be time to cancel the annual Harvest Festival parade along highway 160.

The town acquired the deed to the 120 acres of the Pahrump/Nye County Fairgrounds.

Sheriff Wade Lieseke said he'd been run off Highway 95 10 or 12 times since being elected sheriff, and this time he went right off Dandelion to avoid a pickup truck.

"It was either go off the road or hit him," Lieseke said.