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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.