7-15 News - A Quiet Monday for the Sheriff's Department

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We got up to 90 yesterday.  Look for showers and thunderstorms today, with the best chance this afternoon.   Look for the high today around 89.

The White Pine County Sheriff's Office responded to a wide range of calls on Monday. Deputies investigated reports of a suspicious former employee inside a convenience store and possible elder abuse at a county residence. Both investigations remain active.

Officers also checked on an intoxicated person reportedly grinding rocks together in an unincorporated area over concerns they could start a wildfire, but found no problems. A social media stalking complaint was referred to the Las Vegas Metro Police because it involved another jurisdiction.

Deputies also handled welfare checks, civil disputes, a lost wallet and keys, a parking complaint, and a trespassing call at a local convenience store, where the individual was warned and left without further incident.

A federal lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court alleges 96 former juvenile detainees were sexually abused while in Nevada's juvenile justice system between 2004 and 2022. The 209-page complaint names the State of Nevada, Clark County and several current officials, claiming systemic failures allowed abuse to continue at multiple youth detention facilities across the state. The plaintiffs are seeking damages, medical and mental health treatment, and a jury trial. Attorneys representing the former detainees say the case is about holding institutions accountable for failing to protect children in their care. State and county officials had not responded to requests for comment before publication.

George Kelesis has now waited more than five months for any action on his nomination to become Nevada's next U.S. Attorney, making it one of the longest confirmation delays for the position in recent history. While the nomination remains pending in the U.S. Senate, Acting U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah continues leading the office. Her appointment is also the subject of a federal appeals court case challenging its legality. A ruling is still pending, and the outcome could determine whether Chattah remains in the position while the nomination process continues.

President Donald Trump has signed proclamations reducing the size of Utah's Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments by about 90 percent, reversing protections restored by former President Joe Biden.

The Trump administration says the move will return more control to the state and could open portions of the land to mining and other development. Utah leaders praised the decision, while tribal leaders and conservation groups criticized it, saying the monuments protect sacred cultural sites and important natural resources.

The action is expected to face legal challenges.

The U.S. House has passed the Sunshine Protection Act, a bill that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent and eliminate the twice-yearly clock changes. Nevada Congressman Mark Amodei voted in favor, saying the change would give Americans more evening daylight and improve the quality of life. However, the nation once tried year-round Daylight Saving Time during the 1973 energy crisis. The experiment proved unpopular after dark winter mornings raised safety concerns for schoolchildren and commuters, leading Congress to repeal the law less than a year later. The bill now moves to the Senate.

 

7-14 News - Mail Ballot Delays result in votes not being counted

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We got up to 91 yesterday.  Look for showers and thunderstorms today with the best chance this afternoon.   Look for the high today around 89.

The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch for White Pine County from 8 a.m. through this evening as monsoonal moisture moves into the region.

Forecasters say showers and thunderstorms could produce rainfall rates of an inch per hour or more, creating the potential for flash flooding. Low-lying areas, normally dry washes, creeks, and roads could quickly become dangerous if heavy rain develops.

Residents in Ely, McGill, Lund, Ruth, and surrounding communities are urged to monitor the latest forecasts and be prepared to take action if a Flash Flood Warning is issued.

The White Pine County Sheriff's Office handled a busy Sunday, with deputies responding to a variety of incidents across the county.

Deputies are investigating two separate vandalism cases after railroad crossing signs and several mailboxes were reportedly shot. Search and Rescue crews also located a motorist who became lost in the mountains southwest of Ely after an hours-long search. The individual was taken to a medical facility.

In Ely, deputies investigated a hit-and-run involving a parked vehicle at a local casino and detained several juveniles out past curfew before releasing them to their parents.

Other calls included multiple welfare checks, a report of two intoxicated people near a city street, and a county resident who was warned for burning plastic and creating a public nuisance. Highway-related calls were referred to the Nevada State Police.

Another reason not to mail your ballots…

James Wolfgang Perez writes in todays Nevada Independent that questions are being raised about delayed election mail in Nevada after more than 30 mail ballots from Lyon County’s June primary election went uncounted because they were delivered to the Nevada Secretary of State’s Office instead of the county clerk’s office.

Officials say 32 ballots — 24 from Dayton and eight from Fernley — were mailed before Election Day but were later marked undeliverable by the U.S. Postal Service and arrived weeks after the election. The ballots had the correct county address, and officials say they would not have changed the outcome of any races.

The issue comes after similar mail delays were reported in White Pine County. The White Pine County Clerk’s Office says it received about eight months’ worth of delayed business reply mail from the Postal Service on May 22nd. The delayed correspondence included voter registration updates, new registrations, and responses to official voter notices.

Clerk’s Office staff are reviewing the delayed mail to update voter records and ensure compliance with Nevada election law.  The local postmaster has never responded to requests for comment. 

Officials are encouraging voters with questions about their registration or ballots to contact their county clerk’s office. The Postal Service and Nevada Secretary of State’s Office say they are investigating the delays.

An hours-long law enforcement standoff near Ryndon ended Thursday with the death of a suspect wanted in connection with a stolen vehicle and the alleged sexual assault of a minor. Elko Police say detectives located the stolen vehicle at a residence and later stopped a car carrying suspect Michael Kimery. During the stop, Kimery reportedly displayed a handgun and threatened to take his own life. After several hours of negotiations and the deployment of chemical agents by the Elko SWAT Team, police say Kimery died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The incident is being investigated by the Winnemucca Police Department.

Newly released body camera video shows Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo was pulled over by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police in May for an alleged red-light violation.

The stop happened near Mandalay Bay after a Metro sergeant said Lombardo failed to come to a complete stop while making a right turn. In the video, Lombardo identifies himself as the governor, and the officer allows him to leave without further action.

It is unclear whether a citation was issued. Lombardo’s campaign says he cooperated fully during the stop and thanked the officer for his professionalism.

A Nevada prosecutor is asking a judge to sanction a longtime defense attorney, accusing him of filing a legal brief that relied on artificial intelligence and included a citation to a case that does not exist.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Eckley Keach says attorney Dean Kajioka’s filing included a fabricated Nevada Supreme Court case citation in a motion connected to the November bombing of Piero’s Italian Cuisine near the Las Vegas Strip.

Kajioka, who has been licensed in Nevada since 1993, denies using AI, saying he does not even know how to use the technology.

Prosecutors are asking the court to strike the filing and consider sanctions, warning that AI-generated legal errors could create serious problems for the justice system. The judge will decide how to proceed.

7-13 News - Chance of rainfall this week.

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We got up to 98 yesterday.  Look for clouds and sun today with afternoon and evening thunderstorms.   Look for the high today around 93.

Monsoon moisture is moving into eastern Nevada, bringing more clouds and a chance of afternoon thunderstorms across the Ely area this week.

Meteorologists say the atmosphere is still fairly dry, so widespread storms are not expected right away. Through midweek, expect partly to mostly cloudy skies, breezy afternoon winds, and isolated storms, mainly over the higher terrain around White Pine County.

Storm chances increase by Thursday and continue into the weekend, with the best chances Friday and Saturday. Some storms could bring brief heavy rain, gusty winds, lightning, and small hail.

Temperatures will remain warm, with highs near 90 degrees through Thursday before cooling slightly as clouds and storms increase. In Ely, highs are expected in the upper 80s to lower 90s early in the week, with highs in the mid-80s by the weekend.

A Nevada governor’s race controversy is heating up over questions about Medicaid fraud investigations.

The campaign of Republican Governor Joe Lombardo is criticizing Attorney General Aaron Ford, claiming Nevada’s Medicaid agency says 60 percent of fraud referrals sent to Ford’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit since 2019 were not accepted for criminal prosecution.

Lombardo’s campaign is also questioning Ford’s claim that his office recovered more than 40 million dollars in Medicaid fraud restitution, saying Nevada Medicaid could not verify that figure.

Ford’s campaign has pushed back, accusing critics of creating distractions instead of addressing the work of the Attorney General’s Office.

White Pine County Sheriff's deputies stayed busy from Thursday through Saturday, responding to fires, traffic hazards, domestic disturbances, thefts, and welfare checks.

On Thursday, deputies arrested 42-year-old Cody Jakubisin of Ely for driving with a suspended license, expired registration, and no proof of insurance. Deputies also responded to a house fire in Ely that was quickly extinguished and investigated a stalking complaint and the theft of license plates.

Friday brought reports of reckless drivers, fireworks, property damage, and several welfare checks.

On Saturday, deputies arrested 42-year-old Seth Davis of McGill on charges of child abuse, DUI, and speeding following a traffic stop. Deputies also responded to a brush fire, an e-bike injury crash, domestic disturbance calls, and a wallet theft investigation. Two natural deaths reported during the three-day period were determined to be from natural causes.

Firefighters are responding to a new wildfire in northeastern Elko County. The 18 Mile Fire was reported around 6:10 Sunday evening north of Montello and northwest of the Jim Mountain Fire. The blaze is estimated at about 300 acres. Resources already assigned to the Jim Mountain Fire were immediately redirected, with additional crews and equipment dispatched through Elko Interagency Dispatch and Elko County. Motorists are urged to avoid the area and watch for emergency vehicles as firefighting operations continue.

A 33-year-old Las Vegas woman has pleaded guilty in what prosecutors say was a marriage scam that defrauded victims of more than $100,000. Jiaying Chen admitted to one count of bigamy and one count of attempting to obtain money by false pretenses. Investigators say she entered into multiple fraudulent marriages before asking victims for money, claiming she needed help caring for sick relatives. Prosecutors allege the scheme involved more than a dozen victims. Chen is scheduled to be sentenced August 20 and could face up to 20 years in prison.

7-10 News - Heat Advisory posted for this weekend

 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. 

We got up to 94 yesterday, and we expect another scorcher today.  Look for the high today around 96.

The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory for White Pine County beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday and continuing through 11 p.m. Sunday. Afternoon temperatures are expected to climb into the mid-90s to as high as 105 degrees in some lower elevations, creating a risk of heat-related illness. Residents are urged to drink plenty of water, limit time outdoors during the hottest part of the day, and take frequent breaks in air-conditioned spaces. Officials also encourage checking on elderly neighbors, young children, and anyone without adequate cooling. While Ely is expected to remain cooler than lower elevations, the weekend will still bring some of the hottest temperatures of the summer across the county.

The White Pine County School District has been recognized for excellence in risk management. The district received the Enterprise Risk Management Excellence Program Award from POOL/PACT following an independent review of its governance, policies, and operational practices. The award was presented during the June 30th School Board meeting, along with a $10,375 grant to support future risk management efforts. Superintendent Adam Young says the recognition reflects the district's ongoing commitment to serving students, staff, and the community through continuous improvement.

White Pine County Sheriff's deputies made two arrests Wednesday while responding to a variety of calls throughout the county. Twenty-seven-year-old Ana G. Mastin of Ely was arrested for driving with a revoked license following a traffic stop in the city. Fifty-eight-year-old Jeffrey Lay of Prescott, Arizona, was arrested on suspicion of DUI after deputies investigated a crash in the county. Deputies also investigated reports of a prowler, stalking, suspected fraud, shoplifting, and alleged child abuse, with that investigation continuing. Other calls included welfare checks, a loose dog, found property, and reports of gunshots in downtown Ely, although deputies found no evidence of a problem.

Lightning from recent thunderstorms has kept firefighters busy across northeastern Nevada, with 18 new wildfires reported to our north in the Elko District since Tuesday. Thanks to a coordinated response by federal, state, and local fire agencies, all of the fires received a rapid initial attack, helping keep most of them small.

The largest is the Jim Fire, about 17 miles north of Montello, which has burned 564 acres and remains zero percent contained. The Pinion Fire, located about 15 miles west of Jiggs, has burned nearly 164 acres and is now 70 percent contained.

With more thunderstorms in the forecast next week, fire officials are reminding residents of White Pine County and surrounding areas to stay alert for new wildfire starts and report any signs of smoke immediately.

The former owner of Reno-based internet provider Uprise has pleaded not guilty to 16 federal felony charges tied to an alleged 7-point-8 million dollar embezzlement scheme. Prosecutors say Stephen Kromer diverted money from a federal grant intended to expand high-speed internet service in rural Lovelock, then concealed millions through cryptocurrency transactions. Kromer was arraigned Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Nevada. His federal trial is scheduled to begin September 14 in Las Vegas. If convicted on all counts, he could face decades in federal prison.

A new traffic safety report ranks Nevada 15th in the nation for fatal crashes involving speeding drivers ages 15 to 20. The study found 166 people were killed in those crashes between 2020 and 2024, with the state's rate running nearly 18 percent above the national average. As summer travel continues on rural highways in White Pine County and across the rest of Nevada, safety officials remind young drivers that the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is known as the "100 Deadliest Days," when fatal teen crashes historically increase.

Getting homeowners' insurance in Nevada may not be as easy as it once was. State officials say more homeowners are seeing policies canceled, not renewed, or denied because of wildfire concerns. Amy Alonzo at the Nevada Independent writes this morning that more than 2,700 policies were canceled or not renewed in 2024, with most cases in Washoe County. Still, insurance denials are spreading to other parts of the state, including Elko County. Insurance Commissioner Ned Gaines says Nevada's wildfire risk is far lower than California's, but insurers are increasingly treating the entire West as a higher-risk region.

Nevada airports are receiving nearly 30 million dollars in federal funding for runway, taxiway, and terminal improvements. The largest grant, almost 13-point-7 million dollars, will help rebuild the terminal at Reno-Tahoe International Airport, while Harry Reid International in Las Vegas will receive 3-point-6 million for pavement upgrades. Smaller grants are headed to airports in Lincoln County and Wells, but White Pine County's Yelland Field was not included in this latest round of FAA funding announced by Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen.

7-9 News - More Fireworks over Golf Course at Commission meeting

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We got up to 93 yesterday and we expect another scorcher today.  Look for the high today around 93.

Yesterday’s White Pine County Commission meeting was a firestorm at the very beginning of the meeting, following confrontations between members of the Golf Course Advisory Board and two commissioners at the June 29th meeting.  James Linney of the board took the commissioners to task at yesterday’s meeting, particularly Commissioner Pat Robinson, requesting that she be replaced as liaison to the board. "Commissioner Robinson has shown through her actions, in her words, her true thoughts of the golfing community. She has been going around the county telling individuals that this commission should disband our board because, quote, you don't need us.  I also have a text message in writing from Commissioner Robinson that I do not feel sharing because of the vulgarity in which the writing was done.  But if anybody would like to see it, I'm more than happy to share.  But it definitely speaks her true her true views on what she thinks of our golfers.  Does this sound like a supportive liaison, Madam Chair?”  

Commissioner Robinson responded, "I have never seen such a juvenile display of seventh grade mean girls by two professional men and a gum chewing professional woman on the golf advisory board. It was extraordinary loud and volatile with a high school employee working. I'm sorry, with a high school employee working for the county golf course at the time, during business hours. So with that being said, I'm advising no more golf meetings at the clubhouse during business hours because it was very, very loud and not a pleasant thing." 

Commission Chair Paula Carson echoed those sentiments.  Mr Linney shared the text message sent by Commissioner Robinson to me in which she referred to golfers and members of the Golf Advisory Board as a derogatory term for a male appendage.   

In other actions from yesterday’s meeting, Commissioners agreed to support a grant application to improve parking at the McGill Library, a project designed to add parking spaces and improve safety and ADA accessibility. The county also accepted ownership of the old Lund School building from the White Pine County School District, ensuring the facility can continue serving as a community gathering place.

The commission also accepted more than $44,000 in additional federal Community Services Block Grant funding for local social service programs.

County Health Officer Noah Walker reported that William B. Ririe Hospital has secured $1.3 million in Rural Health Transformation funding for equipment upgrades, including a new MRI machine, while a community health survey identified housing and food access as top concerns.

Commissioners also approved sending a letter to the Ely City Council urging the city to hire a code compliance officer and planner, citing staffing shortages that are delaying building inspections and enforcement. The meeting concluded with approval of a new leave request policy for department heads and the appointment of a new member to the county Wildlife Board.

The White Pine County Sheriff's Office responded to a wide range of calls Tuesday. Deputies investigated two public nuisance complaints involving trash and abandoned vehicles, with property owners receiving warnings. An abandoned school bus parked on a city street was ordered removed within 72 hours.

Deputies also investigated a hit-and-run crash in a local business parking lot, while a report of a reckless driver on a state highway was referred to the Nevada State Police.

Authorities are also warning residents about scam calls after someone reported receiving a phone call from a person posing as a family member requesting money for bail.

The Sheriff's Office reports one new booking. Michael T. Seader was arrested by the Nevada State Police on a Pahranagat Valley Justice Court warrant.

The Ely City Council heads into chambers this evening with a packed agenda focused on community development and infrastructure funding.

Topping the ticket tonight, council members will vote on transferring the city’s 2026 private activity bond allocation to the Nevada Rural Housing Authority. They are also set to officially accept a hefty six-hundred and three-thousand dollar Community Development Block Grant, which is earmarked for much-needed upgrades at the city’s wastewater treatment plant.

In addition to funding updates, the council will look at some neighborhood cleanup, considering an abatement order to clear out trash and debris from two properties on Fay Avenue. They’ll also lock in who will represent Ely at this year’s Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities Conference and hear the latest quarterly report from the White Pine Chamber of Commerce.

That meeting kicks off tonight at 5:00 p.m. over at the Ely Volunteer Fire Hall.

Good news from Lincoln County as the Grapevine Fire is now 99% contained and command is being transferred to local teams today.  It was the largest of four wildfires across Lincoln County over the past month, which is now under control 

Brightline West's planned high-speed rail line connecting Las Vegas and Southern California is facing growing financial challenges as project costs continue to climb and a key federal loan remains pending. Oona Milliken in this morning’s Nevada Independent reports that the project, originally expected to cost $12 billion, is now estimated at $21 billion, with only about $5.5 billion secured so far. Brightline is awaiting approval of a $6 billion federal loan from the U.S. Department of Transportation, while seeking another $9.5 billion from private investors. The rail line, once expected to open before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, is now projected to be completed in late 2029. Company officials say work is continuing as planned, but transportation experts say additional federal support will likely be necessary to keep the project on track.