Chasing the dream of opening a bowling alley, Don and Jessel Peters opened the Spare Time Bowling Center on May 18, 1984, converting the old Dyer Lumber Co. store (owned by Jessel’s parents Joe and Gertrude deArrieta) into a gathering place for the community. On May 18, 2024, Spare Time celebrated its 40th anniversary with free bowling open to the community, raffle prizes, and of course, a great deal of their notorious fry baskets.
The Humboldt County Chamber of Commerce held its Candidates Night on May 21 in the East Hall of the Winnemucca Convention Center, hosting local election candidates and the public. In a different form than previous years, the night began with a meet and greet for candidates and voters and then allowed for a three-minute introduction by the candidates and a one-on-one question and answer forum as opposed to the questions which are regularly answered on stage by candidates.
A total of 432 students earned their degrees this year as a part of the entire Great Basin College (GBC) graduating class of 2024; 74 of those students earned their degrees at the local GBC campus and walked in the ceremony on May 18 with multiple students earning their degrees while also attending high school concurrently.
Water quality is vital for everyone and Humboldt County is hosting the 2024 Water Quality Summit on May 30 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the west hall of the Convention Center. “Water is one of our number one resources. We as a community need to understand what measures are being taken to protect our drinking water and what they can do to help,” said Humboldt County Economic Development Officer Michelle Hammond-Allen.
The Brain Health Summit, hosted by Age & Dementia Friendly Winnemucca and Humboldt Connections Suicide Prevention Task Force, presented many different community stakeholders and brain health advisors to highlight the vastness of mental health.
Back in August 2023, the Winnemucca Airport Board approved the beginning design phases of a project with Armstron Consultants to update the Magnetic variation (MAGVAR) displayed on the Winnemucca Municipal Airport runway, wind cones, and lighting, all necessary for pilot and public safety, costing $89,590. The next phase of the project will cost $56,020 and will involve entering into an agreement for professional services from Armstrong Consultants for bidding, construction and the closeout phase of the updates.
By Julia Maestrejuan julia@winnemuccapublishing.net Recently the Humboldt County Public Works Department implemented a watering schedule for users of Grass Valley's Star City and Gold Country watering systems with the intent of lowering creeping nitrate levels that tend to surge during the summer. “It’s a tool. It’s not a fix, and it’s something that we can do away with if we get another solution in place and operating in the near future,” explained Public Works Director Dan Ferraro during the most recent meeting of the Humboldt County Board of Commissioners on May 6 (Commissioner Mark Evatz absent from the meeting). Ferraro said that the idea is to reduce the overall nitrates going into the water supply and eventually back into the system itself throughout the heavy water usage months. The county’s domestic well near the airport area can handle the volumes and pressures during the winter season independently, See WATER, Page 5 WATER — From Page 1 but as water usage ramps up in the summer months to water lawns, fill pools, and other activities, the secondary well becomes active, which is higher in nitrates, according to Ferarro. “We don’t have a lot of enforcement, but it is just for overall water quality and users of the water system to protect them and keep their interests in mind and we can reduce the volume [of nitrates] through the summer,” said Ferarro. Humboldt County Code pertaining to water resource planning and Nevada revised Statute does allow the Public Works Department to implement water schedules in order to conserve water and/or protect users from things like dangerous levels of nitrates (NRS 540). The schedule has some users watering on certain days based on their address to keep it simple and users were notified via pamphlets, letters and on their water bills. However, Ferarro said there is no real way that the schedule can be enforced, so it is voluntary for users and the schedule only applies to those on the Star City and Gold Country watering systems. “Anybody that’s on a well or has their own system we have no say and they can do as they please,” said Ferarro. Commissioner Tom Hoss questioned the validity of the water schedule and its enforceability. Regulatory laws at the state level require that nitrate levels be measured and not exceed a level 10. During winter, according to Ferarro, the levels measure at a two or three with water coming primarily from the primary domestic well, but during the summer when the secondary is active, they are measuring between 12 and 15. With the blending of the domestic well and the secondary well though, the levels are currently between seven and nine. “We’re right on the cusp of playing with some state involvement,” said Ferarro. Commissioner Jesse Hill questioned whether the implementation of a water schedule should be brought before the board before application. “We should probably have a conversation as a board or an agenda item, whether this sort of thing goes out—is it a commission decision or is it a public works decision? And if it is going to be mandatory on the letter that is sent out then we make it mandatory, we figure out how to enforce it or we just call it a voluntary thing and when we change our wording so that everybody’s on the same page,” said Hill.
On April 30, 2024, Deputies from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area of Button Point adjacent to Interstate 80 after a report of a male victim being shot was received via 911.
In 2023 there were 84,000 dementia family caregivers, providing 142 million hours of unpaid care valued at $2.68 billion, according to the Alzheimer’s Association 2024 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report. This year the cost of caring for people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias is projected to reach $360 billion — a $15 billion increase from a year ago which does not include unpaid care provided by family caregivers and friends.
Staff report A perceived gun threat last week concerning Lowry High School ultimately led to the arrest of a juvenile, according to law enforcement officials. Officials with the Winnemucca Police Department updated their social media April 29 while events transpired, assuring the community and parents through multiple posts throughout the day that rumors of a gun on campus were unfounded. Photos of the student holding the weapon had circulated the preceding weekend on social media, leading some students to fear that the weapon had been brought to LHS.
Spring is here and hot air balloons will soon be too! The 2024 Winnemucca Balloon Festival is taking place May 17 to 19 with multiple opportunities to see some balloons on the ground and in the air. This year’s theme, Magic in the Sky, was inspired by a local student’s imagination.
Earlier in April, Humboldt County School District (HCSD) Superintendent of 13 years, Dr. Dave Jensen, announced that he will be retiring in June of 2025 during a regular meeting of the Humboldt County School Board of Trustees, but the Board has already appointed a new superintendent at their meeting on April 23 (Trustee Lori Woodland was present online).
On May 29, from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Humboldt County Emergency Management will be conducting a functional earthquake drill at the Convention Center. The purpose of this exercise is to test our County Emergency Operations Plan and our coordination with local, private, and state agencies.
Main Street Winnemucca (MSW) and the Humboldt General Hospital Employee Committee (HGHEC) are partnering up to sponsor 16 of the banners that run along Haskell Street displaying military photos of veterans. “This benefits the community by celebrating our veterans and showcasing them on the flag/light poles along Haskell St. It is so neat to drive down the road and see all those who have served,” explained Kim Hayes, HGHEC Event Coordinator in an email.
The Winnemucca City Council met for their regular meeting on April 23, at which they received the first cost estimates for the construction of a new aquatics center that will be located in the City’s recreation complex in east Winnemucca. All council members were present. Estimates were prepared based on design work by KNIT Studios, of which the City has been working with over the past year to design a facility that meets the needs of the community.