4-6 News - County Commission to hire HR and Finance Director

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Look for fair skies through Wednesday. Look for today’s high 69 degrees with a chance of showers Thursday heading into the weekend. 

White Pine County Commissioners will tackle key hiring decisions and a potential new lease at the county golf course when they meet Wednesday, April 8th at 9 a.m. in the Historic Courthouse courtroom.  KELY will broadcast the meeting live. 

Leading the agenda, commissioners will interview candidates for two top administrative positions—Human Resources Director and Finance Director/Comptroller. Two candidates are scheduled for HR Director interviews late in the morning, followed by possible action to extend a job offer. Immediately after, the board will interview a candidate for Finance Director and could also move to authorize an employment offer, pending background checks and contract terms.

Sources tell KELY the HR Director resigned just prior to the Commission’s firing of Finance Director Kathy Workman over the planned method of Workman’s termination. 

Also drawing attention, the commission will consider whether to move forward with leasing out the commercial kitchen and bar facility at the White Pine County Golf Course. The item calls for approval to advertise the lease, a step toward reopening or repurposing the space.  The Commission will also consider the budget for the Golf Course.  

Earlier in the meeting, commissioners will hear updates from fire officials on district progress and consider approval of more than $54,000 in grant funding for juvenile services and emergency response equipment, including resources for hazardous materials and electric vehicle fires.

A public hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. on the fair market value of a county parcel, followed by additional discussion on property matters.

The agenda also includes an update from the Great Basin Children’s Advocacy Center, a possible proclamation recognizing April as Child Abuse Prevention Month, and consideration of up to $100,000 in continued county support.

Commissioner Pat Robison also placed an item on the agenda to ask that the meetings be moved back to the Library Conference Room, citing accessibility concerns for people with disabilities. 

Additional items include resolutions on property transfers and several approvals involving county offices and interlocal agreements.

The White Pine County Sheriff’s Office responded to a variety of calls on Thursday, including threats, domestic disturbances, and welfare checks.

Deputies investigated a report of threats from an out-of-state ex-partner, along with a harassment complaint involving repeated phone calls. Several domestic incidents were also reported in Ely, with deputies providing guidance on protection orders and separating those involved.

Welfare checks included concerns about individuals possibly considering self-harm. In each case, deputies made contact and reported the individuals were safe, providing resources where needed.

On the roads, deputies handled a two-vehicle crash in the city and a collision with a deer on a state highway, which was referred to Nevada State Police. Additional calls included stranded motorists, a public nuisance involving illegal burning, and a pedestrian welfare check along a county roadway.

4-3 News - Statewide Distracted Driving Campaign begins today

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Look for fair skies and a warming trend ahead. Look for today’s high 52 degrees warming to 63 tomorrow and by Monday we’ll be back to 70 degrees. 

Pay attention over the next couple of weeks as you drive. 

The White Pine County Sheriff’s Office is joining law enforcement agencies statewide for a distracted driving enforcement campaign running April 3rd through April 20th.

The effort is part of Nevada’s “Joining Forces” initiative, aimed at increasing high-visibility patrols and educating drivers about the dangers of distracted driving.

Officials say distractions can include cell phones, passengers, eating, or anything that takes a driver’s attention off the road. Sending or reading a text for just five seconds at highway speeds is equivalent to driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed.

The campaign is supported by the Nevada Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety and is part of the state’s Zero Fatalities goal.

Authorities are urging drivers to stay focused and remember: every decision behind the wheel can be life or death.

The White Pine County Sheriff’s Office reports a range of calls on April 1st, including one arrest in Ely.

Deputies responded to multiple crashes and reckless driver reports on state highways, with several cases referred to the Nevada State Police, including one triggered by cellphone crash detection.

In Ely, a welfare check involving possible self-harm ended with the individual found safe, and a school resource officer located a student who had left campus without permission.

Other incidents included trespassing, suspicious activity, and a vandalism case involving a rock thrown at a vehicle, which remains under investigation.

Deputies also arrested 31-year-old Jessie Berrocal of Ely for domestic battery following a disturbance. Bail was set at 3-thousand dollars.

4-2 News - Ely City Council has special meeting tonight

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A wind advisory has been posted until 8 o’clock tonight.  Winds could gust as high as 40 mph.  Rain and snow showers this morning will give way to mostly sunny skies, look for a high of 48.  

The Ely City Council will hold a special meeting tonight at 5 p.m. in the Volunteer Fire Hall to consider approval of a city gaming license for a William Hill Race and Sports Book kiosk at the Hotel Nevada.

The item was on last week’s agenda but was tabled to correct the hotel’s address. The kiosk has already received approval from the state Gaming Commission.

White Pine County Sheriff’s deputies handled a range of calls on March 31st across Ely and the county.

Crews responded to a reported explosion and fire at a substation. Deputies and local fire departments arrived on scene and the fire was quickly extinguished.

Several highway-related incidents—including a traffic hazard, crash, reckless driver, and a stranded motorist—were referred to Nevada State Police.

In Ely, deputies investigated reports of threats, harassment, drug paraphernalia, and disturbances. One person was trespassed from a county facility, and another was referred for medical assistance.

Other calls included a domestic disturbance, a report of missing property, and a lost firearm.

One arrest was made—24-year-old Jeremy Moreno of Ely was booked for possession of a controlled substance, with bail set at 15-thousand dollars. 

3-31 News - Morning Fire at Gonder Substation on US-93 snarls traffic

KELY News sponsored by Sahara Motors.   The Kawasaki KX450 is built out of the box with everything you need to dominate the track. Check it out today at Sahara Motors and let the Good Times Roll. 

After yesterday’s 71-degree high, cooler weather is settling in. Expect cloudy skies today with a strong chance of showers and a possible afternoon thunderstorm. High temperatures will top out around 59 degrees.

Photo:  Kirstan Lee Van Horn on Facebook

A Fire at the Gonder Substation on US-93 between McGill and Ely just after 6am is now out, but for much of the morning commute had traffic on US-93 down to one lane.  

Mt Wheeler Power advises that the fire involves an NV Energy Transformer and that they anticipate no service outages related to the fire.  

Photo: Ginger May Jensen on Facebook

The Ely City Council will have a special meeting on Thursday at 5pm in the Volunteer Fire Hall to approve a City Gaming License for a William Hill Race and Sports Book kiosk in the Hotel Nevada.  The matter was on last weeks meeting agenda but had to be tabled to correct the Hotel’s address.  The kiosk has already been approved by the state Gaming commission.  

White Pine County Sheriff’s deputies handled a variety of calls across Ely and the county on Sunday.

In the city, officers responded to reports of suspicious activity, alarms, and two separate vehicle crashes, with no major issues reported. Several domestic disturbance calls were also investigated.

One incident led to the arrest of 28-year-old Rodney Lesher Junior of Ely on charges including domestic battery, battery on a protected person, and resisting and obstructing a public officer. His bail is set at 85-hundred dollars.

In a separate case, 43-year-old Deleah Kaamasee was arrested following a traffic stop for driving on a suspended license, with bail set at 740 dollars.

Deputies also handled a theft report, a barking dog complaint, and a welfare check on a juvenile, who was reported safe.

3-26 News - New Golf Course Manager Hired

 KELY News sponsored by Sahara Motors.   The Kawasaki KX450 is built out of the box with everything you need to dominate the track. Check it out today at Sahara Motors and let the Good Times Roll. 

Another record high temperature yesterday as Ely surpassed  the 2022 record of 74 by climbing to 81 degrees.  Look for much cooler temperatures today with a high of just 70 degrees.  

The White Pine County Commission voted to hire Bruce Towle as the new Golf Course Director.  Towle is a Reno area native who graduated from Reed High School and the PGA Business School and was formerly the Assistant Golf Pro at the Tahoe Donner Golf and Country Club in Truckee.  

The Commission agreed to join other communities in fighting the Pine Valley Water Supply Project and committed up to $20,000 toward legal fees should the appeal go to court.  The Commission appointed Thomas Cox and April Bath to the Local Emergency Planning Committee with Bath replacing Bodie Golla who resigned.  

The County Clerks office is moving as well.  The Commission approved the moving of the Clerk’s office back to the previous office in the Historic Courthouse.  No date has been set for the relocation. 

The White Pine County Sheriff’s Office reports a busy day of mostly minor calls in its Tuesday blotter.

Deputies handled multiple parking complaints, along with reports of trespassing, vandalism, and reckless driving—one case referred to the Nevada State Police.

A reported theft involving a vehicle title and several harassment complaints were also investigated.

More serious incidents include an active sex crime investigation and a custody dispute.

In other calls, a runaway juvenile was safely reunited with family.