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Expect a sunny sky with warmer conditions today as we head into Fire and Ice weekend, with a high of around 56.
In a leadership shake-up at yesterday's White Pine County Commission meeting, Vice Chair Paula Carson was elected the new Chair, stepping in to replace outgoing Chair Janet Van Camp. Commissioner Tim Pauley takes over as the new Vice Chair.
Commissioner Pauley, calling for stronger community participation on county advisory boards and town councils, successfully moved to table reappointments to several key groups, including Ag District 14, the Lund Town Council, and the Tour and Recreation Board. Pauley argued that the current recruitment through newspaper ads and Facebook posts just isn't bringing in fresh candidates.
An anonymous source close to the commission tells KELY that at least one commissioner may be pushing to place more friends and relatives on these advisory positions. On the public safety front, commissioners voted to renew White Pine County's membership in the AirMedCare Network - the vital air ambulance service - for another year at $33,000. That program remains a critical lifeline in our remote region.
In a pair of close votes on compensation, 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 any discussion of a similar raise for county employees was tabled on a 4-1 vote, with only Commissioner Van Camp opposed to delaying the conversation.
Court records detail the case of an inmate identified as Scott, who was incarcerated at Ely State Prison, and says repeated delays in medical care led to a diagnosis of stage three colon cancer in 2020. After collapsing during a firefighting training assignment, Scott was hospitalized and later underwent major surgery, chemotherapy, and additional treatments after his release. He claims earlier treatment could have prevented the cancer from advancing. The Nevada Department of Corrections denies wrongdoing.
Another case involves Gregory Wolf, who says he repeatedly requested cataract surgery while incarcerated, including at Ely, but faced years of delays. When surgery was finally performed, doctors reportedly described his condition as severe. Wolf is now blind in one eye with limited vision in the other. NDOC attorneys also deny those claims.
These cases come as Ely State Prison faces severe staffing shortages. State officials say the prison has no permanent medical doctor on site, relying instead on physician assistants, forcing inmates to be transported elsewhere for advanced care. As we reported yesterday, the Board of Examiners this week approved a critical labor shortage designation for Ely State Prison, enabling the temporary rehiring of retired correctional officers and physicians.
Governor Joe Lombardo and NDOC leaders say recruitment challenges, especially in remote areas like Ely, remain a major issue as inmate deaths and legal costs continue to rise statewide.
The White Pine County Sheriff’s Office handled a range of calls Tuesday, according to the January 13th blotter.
In Ely, deputies investigated a minor accident at a county facility after a driver backed into another vehicle. Several juvenile-related calls were reported, including a student turning in a vaping device, complaints of name-calling at school, and juveniles riding bikes and scooters in a church parking lot before leaving the area.
Deputies also responded to a trespassing complaint and conducted welfare checks, including one at an Ely apartment complex where an individual was later found deceased. The death of Cory C. Cameron of Ely remains under investigation. Other calls included an ongoing fraud case involving a payroll phishing email and a vandalism report involving eggs thrown on a vehicle.
A federal prosecutor in Nevada has announced the creation of a new public corruption strike force. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says the unit, part of its criminal division, will focus on investigating bribery, election crimes, and other misconduct involving government integrity. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah called public corruption a long-standing problem affecting Nevada’s economy and quality of life. The announcement marks Chattah’s first major initiative since a legal challenge questioned her appointment as acting U.S. attorney, a case now on appeal before the Ninth Circuit.
A new lawsuit claims Nevada’s law requiring the removal of so-called “useless grass” in Southern Nevada has had unintended consequences. Filed in Clark County District Court, the suit alleges the policy has led to the loss of as many as 100-thousand mature trees across the Las Vegas Valley, causing an estimated 300-million dollars in damage. The law, passed in 2021, bans irrigation of certain turf with Colorado River water starting in 2027. Plaintiffs argue grass removal near sidewalks and streets is killing shade trees and hurting neighborhoods, while the Southern Nevada Water Authority has declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Nevada’s public colleges and universities may be facing significant tuition increases to close a growing budget gap. The Nevada System of Higher Education says a shortfall of nearly 46-and-a-half million dollars a year, largely driven by faculty pay raises, could be covered by tuition hikes of up to 12 percent.
A report ahead of a Board of Regents meeting next week outlines several options. The preferred plan would raise tuition over three years — up to 12 percent at four-year institutions and upper-division courses, and 9 percent for lower-division community college classes. System leaders say that approach would protect more than 300 positions statewide.
Regents are also considering smaller increases or delaying the hikes until 2027, but those alternatives could result in the elimination of more than 100 jobs. NSHE officials warn that without any increase, campuses could face hiring freezes, program cuts, and reduced student services, with UNR and UNLV both cautioning that students could see delayed graduations.
The Carlin City Council has unanimously rejected a proposal from the Elko County Sheriff’s Office to replace city police with county law enforcement services. The idea was considered as a potential cost-saving measure, as Carlin looks to reduce its one-point-three million-dollar annual police department budget. Council members removed the item from consideration after hearing concerns from residents and former sheriff’s office employees. City officials say preliminary budget discussions will continue as Carlin prepares for rising costs and reduced revenue in the coming fiscal year.