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Look for sunny skies today with a high around 88.
With just two days remaining in early voting, turnout is still considered low with only 14% of registered voters casting ballots. In-person early voting at the Clerk's Office has totaled 242 over the first nine days, with 32 votes cast on Wednesday. As of yesterday, 638 Mail ballots have been received. Voting continues today from 9 until 6 at the County Clerk’s office. Mail ballots can be dropped off anytime at the drop box in front of the new courthouse.
A monthlong narcotics investigation in Ely has led to the arrest of a local man on drug trafficking charges. The Nevada State Police Eastern Nevada Narcotic Task Force executed a search warrant at an Ely residence on May twenty-seventh. Investigators say they recovered nearly 194 grams of suspected methamphetamine, a small amount of suspected cocaine, along with drug paraphernalia and evidence consistent with narcotics sales and distribution. Authorities identified Joseph Grapes as a suspect in the trafficking and sale of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the community. Grapes was booked into the White Pine County Jail on charges including trafficking a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, and unlawful possession for sales. His bail was set at $65,000.
The White Pine County Sheriff’s Office responded to a variety of incidents on Monday and Tuesday, including arrests, juvenile investigations, thefts, and emergency calls throughout Ely and the county.
On Tuesday, deputies investigated a report of a juvenile allegedly bringing a gun to school in a vehicle. The case was forwarded to Juvenile Probation. Deputies also arrested 34-year-old Dustin Faris of Ely following a disturbance at a local healthcare facility. He faces charges including assault with a deadly weapon on a healthcare provider, child abuse or neglect, disturbing the peace, and resisting a public officer.
Monday night, deputies arrested 38-year-old Justin Barragan and 39-year-old Jeffery Miotke after locating a suspicious vehicle inside the Ely landfill. The pair face charges including trespassing, petit larceny, and illegal salvaging. Barragan was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.
Other calls included reports of thefts, reckless dirt bike driving, possible elder abuse, hit-and-run accidents, welfare checks, and a carbon monoxide alarm.
We reported yesterday on the political firestorm growing in Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District race after sealed court records involving candidate James Settelmeyer surfaced online. The records relate to a 2005 domestic violence case in which Settelmeyer was ultimately found not guilty. Now, the controversy has shifted to how those sealed records became public.
Now the Nevada Independent reports on allegations from the Settelmeyer’s campaign that the documents passed through individuals connected to the Tarkanian family before reaching political operatives tied to rival candidate David Flippo’s campaign. Amy Tarkanian, wife of Douglas County Commissioner and Attorney General Candidate Danny Tarkanian, acknowledged on social media that she helped move Settelmeyer’s ex-wife from the home years ago, but has not responded to requests for comment. Douglas County prosecutors confirm they are now investigating whether sealed court records were improperly accessed or distributed.
Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo is joining more than 20 Republican governors in calling on Congress to increase funding for U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In a letter to congressional leaders, the governors urged passage of the Secure America Act, which would provide long-term funding for immigration enforcement and border security operations. Lombardo, a former sheriff, says CBP and ICE officers need additional personnel and resources to combat drug trafficking, human trafficking, and violent crime.
Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford sharply criticized Lombardo’s position, accusing the governor of supporting what he called wasteful and harmful immigration policies during a time when Nevadans are struggling with rising living costs. Ford says he supports directing federal funding toward housing, groceries, and healthcare instead.
After more than three decades, the Elko County Sheriff’s Office says it has finally identified both the victim and suspected killer in the cold case known as “Shafter Jane.” Investigators say the woman found murdered near the Shafter Interstate 80 exit in 1993 was Marion Hertha Alexander, a German-born woman who had become estranged from her family and was never reported missing.
Using advances in DNA testing, forensic genealogy, fingerprint analysis, and digital evidence, detectives identified Roger Lee Durkee of Wisconsin as the prime suspect. Authorities say Durkee’s DNA matched evidence collected during the original investigation, and investigators later discovered he had repeatedly searched online for information about the Shafter Jane case. Detectives were preparing to charge Durkee with homicide when they learned he had died in November of 2025.
The Elko County Sheriff’s Office credited multiple agencies, including the FBI, Washoe County Crime Lab, and Identifinders International, for helping solve the 32-year-old homicide investigation.