2-4 News - White Pine County employees paid well under market rates

KELY News sponsored by Sahara Motors.   Ready for all seasons? The Kawasaki RIDGE XR CREW Limited HVAC side-by-side keeps you cool in the summer, dry in the rain, and warm in the winter. Conquer any trail, creek, or blizzard—while staying comfortable the whole way.  Check one out today at Sahara Motors.

Showers in the forecast Monday and Tuesday, but until then, mostly fair skies, today’s high 58 degrees.   

White Pine County employees are being paid well below market rates, according to a new compensation and classification study.

KELY Radio has obtained a copy of the report commissioned by the county.  The independent review found county wages average about seven percent below comparable public employers across Nevada, with some departments falling much further behind. Human Resources pay was more than 30 percent below market, while Emergency Management and Fire Protection were each nearly 20 percent under market rates.

The study reviewed pay for 154 employees across 89 job classifications and found no positions paid above market levels. Consultants say the gaps are contributing to recruitment and retention challenges.

To address the issue, the report recommends phased salary adjustments totaling about 922-thousand dollars, with no wage reductions proposed. The largest increases would go to positions currently well below market and those affected by wage compression.

At the January 14th County Commission meeting, Commissioners approved a 2% cost-of-living increase for elected officials on a 3-2 vote, with Commissioners Vogler and Pauley voting no.  Included in the Cost of Living increase was approval of the Legislative-approved 35% increase in pay for commissioners from $24,513.60 to $33,660.  But Commissioners opposed a similar increase for rank-and-file employees on a 4-1 vote with former Commissioner Janet Vancamp voting no.  

County leaders will now decide whether and when to implement the recommendations, weighing budget impacts alongside workforce stability.

We told you on Monday that the White Pine Care Center may be closing.   A notice posted at the facility over the weekend says the center is no longer accepting new patients and plans to close on March 30.

The notice, attributed to owner-licensee Jose Kutty Jose, cites financial difficulties and the lack of a lease agreement with the landlord as reasons for the closure.

Now the William Bee Ririe Hospital Board of Trustees has scheduled a special meeting on Friday morning at 7am in the Hospital Conference Room to discuss the closure, including the feasibility of taking over the current business, starting a new business in the same location, or other ideas.  

The White Pine County Sheriff’s Office handled numerous calls on February second, ranging from traffic incidents to ongoing investigations. Deputies responded to a crash on a state highway caused by a driver swerving to avoid an animal, with the case referred to Nevada State Police. Two hit-and-run accidents were also reported in the city, one outside a local casino and another in a school parking lot.

Deputies are investigating several cases, including a family-related theft, damage to utility poles in an unincorporated area, and an embezzlement report involving a local business. Calls for suspicious vehicles and individuals were also handled, though no criminal activity was found.

Other incidents included a juvenile who left school without permission and was safely returned, a custody dispute referred to another agency, and a welfare check that led to the discovery of Chaunc L. Simms of Ely, whose death was ruled natural causes.

Former Nye County Republican Central Committee chairman Bill Carns was arrested Saturday, January thirty-first, facing five felony charges. Authorities say the charges include creating or distributing child pornography, using the internet to control explicit images of a minor, and multiple firearm violations, including possession of a sawed-off shotgun and an unserialized firearm.

Current Nye County GOP chairman Leo Blundo emphasized the party has no current association with Carns. Carns denies the allegations, saying he is unaware of the evidence and claims the accusations stem from a custody dispute. The Nye County Sheriff’s Office says the case remains under investigation and declined further comment.

Equine infectious anemia has been confirmed in a horse in Nye County. The Nevada Department of Agriculture has placed the affected facility under quarantine, along with other horses that may have been exposed. State Veterinarian Dr. Peter Rolfe says the department is working closely with local veterinarians to contain the situation and protect Nevada’s livestock. The disease spreads through blood contact between horses and cannot be passed through the air or casual contact. Officials say equine infectious anemia does not affect humans and poses no public health risk. Under state law, the exact location will not be released.

And not a very a-MOO-sing morning for Las Vegas motorists as crews are working to get an overturned semi tractor-trailer off a major freeway ramp this morning.

The truck, which was loaded with 28 cattle, nearly rolled off the side of the I-15 southbound ramp to US95/I-11 southbound around 12:30 a.m.

Nevada State Police said it is unknown how long the ramp will be closed. The truck’s driver was not injured. There is no word on the condition of the cattle.

2-2 News - Emergency County Commisison meeting today-UPDATED - Care Center Closing

KELY News sponsored by Sahara Motors.   Ready for all seasons? The Kawasaki RIDGE XR CREW Limited HVAC side-by-side keeps you cool in the summer, dry in the rain, and warm in the winter. Conquer any trail, creek, or blizzard—while staying comfortable the whole way.  Check one out today at Sahara Motors.

Look for skies to clear this afternoon with the high today of 55 degrees.  

White Pine County is facing significant financial uncertainty following the dismissal of the County Finance Director on Wednesday. 

The White Pine County Commission on Monday voted to advertise for a new Finance Director and Assistant Finance Director following Wednesday’s dismissal of Kathy Workman and the Friday resignation of Deputy Finance Director Courtney Thornal.  The Commission was rebuked by County Treasurer Catherine Bakaric, warning that if the commission did not take action to reverse their actions and rehire Workman and Thornal, she would proceed with actions of her own.  State Assemblyman Bert Gurr attended the meeting virtually and told me after the meeting that he was keeping an eye on the situation and ready to take any action he could in support of White Pine County residents. 

The White Pine Care Center may be closing. A notice posted at the facility over the weekend says the center is no longer accepting new patients and plans to close on March 30.

The notice, attributed to owner-licensee Jose Kutty Jose, cites financial difficulties and the lack of a lease agreement with the landlord as reasons for the closure.

Public records show the property owner, Adventist Holdings, LLC, owes more than forty-seven thousand dollars in property taxes to White Pine County. The facility has also faced regulatory issues in recent years, including nearly forty thousand dollars in Medicare fines in 2023. The most recent inspection report, from May of last year, documented significant deficiencies. (Click for link to report) 

The closure is not uncommon as the American Health Care Association reports that nursing homes have shut down at an alarming rate, driven by economic pressures and workforce shortages, with the recent federal mandate only threatening to exacerbate the situation. (Click for link to report) 

The 2024 Access to Care report notes that at least 774 facilities closed their doors between February 2020 and July 2024, displacing over 28,000 residents.

The White Pine County Sheriff’s Office reports multiple calls for service in its January 29th blotter.

Deputies responded to a shoplifting report at a local business, but the suspect had left before officers arrived. An injured deer was also removed from a county roadway.

In the city, deputies investigated a dog bite involving a loose dog at a county park, and handled several juvenile complaints involving pocket bikes and a dirt bike. One juvenile was contacted and issued a warning.

Deputies also investigated reports of reckless driving on both city streets and a state highway, with one case referred to Nevada State Police and another resulting in a warning. Additional calls included a parking complaint, a suspicious person going door to door, and a report of a possibly intoxicated driver, though no issues were found.

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To those old-school intimidators who don't like our news reporting...

1-29 News - County Commission fires Finance Director; Dissenting Commissioner resigns in disgust

KELY News sponsored by Sahara Motors.   Ready for all seasons? The Kawasaki RIDGE XR CREW Limited HVAC side-by-side keeps you cool in the summer, dry in the rain, and warm in the winter. Conquer any trail, creek, or blizzard—while staying comfortable the whole way.  Check one out today at Sahara Motors.

Look for sunny skies today.    The high today should be around 48. 

The White Pine County Commission on a 4-1 vote yesterday fired Finance Director Kathy Workman.  The vote comes during the busiest time of the year for the county as budget submission to the state is upcoming very quickly.  Commission chair Paula Carson. 

   The only negative vote came from Commissioner Janet Vancamp, who resigned from the commission during the closing public comment, and aimed comments at the four remaining commissioners on their treatment of county staff.  

The other major item on the agenda saw the attempt to restrict public comment at the beginning of the meeting to agenda items only lost by a 2-3 vote.  Only Commission Chair Paula Carson and Vice Chair Tim Pawley voted for the item.  

The Elko Police Department reports two arrests made Tuesday.

Officers took Shaun Herzog of Elko into custody on a charge of luring a child or person with a mental illness using a computer. Due to the seriousness of the charge, the Elko SWAT Team was called in. Police say Herzog initially refused to come out but was arrested after a distraction device was deployed.

Earlier in the day, Corey Pavlinek of Spring Creek was arrested following a traffic stop near Mountain City Highway. A police K-9 alerted to narcotics, and officers reportedly found about 17 grams of methamphetamine. Pavlinek was booked into the Elko County Jail on drug and paraphernalia charges.

The State of Nevada has moved to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the Trump Administration over access to the state’s voter rolls.

The motion was filed Wednesday in response to a Justice Department request seeking Nevada’s full computerized voter registration list, covering nearly 2.2 million voters.

State officials say they have offered to provide publicly available voter data through normal procedures, but refuse to release sensitive information such as Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, or ID card data.

Nevada argues the DOJ has misapplied federal law and failed to properly justify its request, adding that the data sought is protected under multiple federal privacy statutes.

The push toward electric vehicles is losing steam, as federal EV tax credits expired last month and charging problems persist across Nevada.

EV driver and blogger Scott Allison says much of the state’s charging network no longer works. While planning a trip north, Allison reviewed all 29 fast-charging sites built under the Nevada Electric Highway program and found only seven still operational.

He confirmed multiple chargers offline in places like Alamo, Amargosa Valley, Jean, and Indian Springs. The failures leave gaps of more than 200 miles on major routes, forcing EV drivers to detour through California or risk running out of power.

Allison says while Tesla has expanded charging along Interstate 15, rural Nevada has largely been left behind.

A judge has set an emergency hearing for February 4th as Southern Nevada residents seek to stop parts of the state’s water conservation law.

The lawsuit challenges rules requiring the removal of so-called nonfunctional grass and limits on irrigation by the end of the year. The residents claim enforcement by the Southern Nevada Water Authority has led to the loss of thousands of trees and millions of dollars in damage.

They argue SNWA is overstepping its authority by deciding which grass must be removed and say homeowners have no way to appeal those decisions.

If the judge grants a temporary restraining order, SNWA would temporarily lose the power to label grass as nonfunctional.

1-27 News - State College tuition heading higher

KELY News sponsored by Sahara Motors.   Ready for all seasons? The Kawasaki RIDGE XR CREW Limited HVAC side-by-side keeps you cool in the summer, dry in the rain, and warm in the winter. Conquer any trail, creek, or blizzard—while staying comfortable the whole way.  Check one out today at Sahara Motors.

Look for more sun than clouds this week.  The high today should be around 50. 

Nevada’s higher education regents have approved a multi-year tuition hike for the state’s colleges and universities, following hours of public comment and debate.

Under the plan, tuition at UNR and UNLV will rise a total of 12 percent over the next three years, beginning with a 3 percent increase in the 2026–27 academic year. Community college students will see smaller increases totaling 9 percent over the same period.

Students largely opposed the move, warning higher costs could put college out of reach for some. Regents and faculty countered that the additional revenue is needed to protect hundreds of jobs and maintain academic quality.

State Treasurer Zach Conine says the increases will not affect families already enrolled in Nevada’s Prepaid Tuition program. He says current account holders are locked in at today’s in-state tuition rates, even as the new increases take effect through the 2028–29 school year.

Despite dissent from some board members, the measure passed, with regents saying Nevada’s colleges and universities will remain among the most affordable in the nation.

The Eastern Nevada Narcotics Task Force continued its drug enforcement roundup Monday with two arrests in Ely.

Authorities arrested 43-year-old Jerry Edwards on charges of selling a controlled substance. He is being held on 50-thousand dollars bail.

Also arrested was 38-year-old Brandy Robinson, also charged with sales of a controlled substance. She is being held on 100-thousand dollars bail.

Both are innocent until convicted in a court of law. The investigation remains ongoing.

The White Pine County Board of Commissioners convenes tomorrow in a meeting packed with hot-button procedural and personnel issues.

Newly seated Commission Chair Paula Carson is set to push for tighter public comment rules: restricting opening comments to agenda items only, shifting general public input to the meeting's close (potentially after a four-hour session), and steering away from written submissions in favor of live, in-person testimony—while curbing the practice of reading aloud submitted statements.

The commission will also tackle reassigning duties once managed by the former county manager. Backup documents stress that leaving these responsibilities in limbo risks county liability, project delays, and friction with other agencies.

Ongoing friction in the finance office remains front and center, with the agenda calling for a formal job performance review of Finance Director Kathy Workman. Outcomes could range from retention to outright termination.

The session kicks off at 9 a.m. Wednesday in the White Pine County Library Conference Room

Nevada Congressman Mark Amodei says federal immigration enforcement needs a “pivot” following the fatal shooting of a nurse by federal agents in Minneapolis over the weekend.

Amodei, who chairs the House Homeland Security appropriations subcommittee, told Mini Racker at the Nevada Independent he wants more transparency from the Department of Homeland Security and questioned the agency’s response to the incident. While stopping short of calling for the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Amodei criticized what he described as a reflexive defense of the operation.

He says DHS must ensure enforcement efforts focus on serious offenders and rejected calls to defund the agency, noting it also includes the Coast Guard, FEMA, and TSA.

We haven't talked much about fuel prices lately for a good reason.  Fuel prices are either stable or inching upward.  Prices for 85-octane unleaded fuel are largely stable in Ely, averaging about $2.60 at the Great Basin Shell and Sinclair, and $2.65 to $2.66 at most other stations.

Diesel prices have edged higher and vary widely. Diesel is $3.16 per gallon in East Ely at the Shell, Golden Gate, and Chevron, while the Silver Sage station lists diesel at $3.41. At most other Ely locations, diesel is priced at $3.94 per gallon.

The Bobcats and Ladycats are in action tonight as Lincoln County comes to town.  The Ladycats and the Lady Lynx tip off at 5pm with the Bobcats and the Lynx tipping off at 6:30.  

Gold prices briefly topped 5,100 dollars an ounce for the first time this week, and that surge is good news for Nevada, one of the world’s top gold-producing regions.

Mining experts say higher gold prices typically lead to more jobs, increased tax revenue, and expanded exploration across the state. Nevada officials say mining already supports tens of thousands of high-paying jobs and remains a cornerstone of the state’s economy.

Analysts point to global uncertainty as investors turn to gold as a safe haven. Silver also hit a record this week, adding to optimism across the mining industry.

Experts say the price surge could especially benefit smaller mining and exploration companies, bringing new investment and job growth to rural Nevada.

The Nevada Commission of Ethics is reviewing conflict-of-interest allegations against Mesquite Mayor Jesse Whipple and has sent the case to a settlement judge.

The claims stem from allegations that Whipple failed to properly disclose a conflict of interest while voting on city matters and that his pest control business, “Got Bugs?” held a city contract. The commission says a settlement conference has already taken place, with the case expected to return to the agenda in March.

Whipple says he disclosed his business ties in financial filings and argues the city is getting below-market rates. The City of Mesquite declined to comment.

Another potential change is coming in Nevada high school football realignment.

The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association will revisit its recently approved football alignment plan during Board of Control meetings Tuesday and Wednesday in Reno. The review follows legal warnings from the Archdiocese of Las Vegas, which claims the board may have violated state and federal laws by approving a new Open Division format last November.

That plan scrapped the HRM rating system and created a 10-team Southern Nevada Open Division, a move that could limit out-of-state games for powerhouse Bishop Gorman. The Archdiocese has threatened legal action unless the board rescinds the vote.

The meetings will be streamed online, and the board could vote to reverse or amend the plan.