7-22 News - Data Centers at the top of Commission Agenda

 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 88 yesterday, and 17/100 of an inch of precipitation at Yellend Field yesterday afternoon.  Look for mostly fair skies today, with a chance of afternoon or evening showers or thunderstorms.   Look for the high today around 87.

The White Pine County Commission is meeting this morning, with a proposed temporary moratorium on new data center development applications expected to be one of the day's biggest issues.

Commissioners will consider pausing acceptance of new data center proposals while the county develops zoning regulations specifically tailored for future projects.

Also on today's agenda are county road updates, transferring the county's 2026 Private Activity Bond allocation to the Nevada Rural Housing Authority, natural resource matters, and a temporary liquor license for the Ely Rotary Club Golf Tournament this weekend.

Commissioners will also consider accepting the Charters of Freedom Project donation, creating a committee to address new state master planning requirements, approving a 10 percent pay raise for county IT employees, creating a county paralegal position, and several other administrative items.

You can hear live coverage of the meeting beginning at 9 a.m. here on KELY.

The White Pine County Sheriff's Office stayed busy over the weekend, responding to dozens of calls across the county. Sunday's incidents included a burglary from a storage shed, a travel trailer fire, a fight at a local bar, and two juveniles accused of trying to start a fire on a county road. On Monday, deputies arrested 67-year-old Robert Pope of Ely on a trespassing charge. They also investigated a report of a person allegedly pointing a gun at a domestic partner. That case has been forwarded to the White Pine County District Attorney's Office. Deputies also responded to several welfare checks, multiple brush fires, and a variety of juvenile, civil, and suspicious activity calls.

Four California residents were killed, and several others remain in critical condition following a head-on crash Monday morning on U.S. Highway 93 north of Wells. The Nevada Highway Patrol says a southbound Honda Odyssey crossed the centerline while attempting to pass another vehicle and collided with a northbound Toyota Tacoma near mile marker 79. Killed were 44-year-old Nazia Salma, 19-year-old Nihaa Shaik, and a 13-year-old boy, all of Union City, California, along with 23-year-old Sophia Weiniger of San Diego. The crash remains under investigation.

New campaign finance reports show Governor Joe Lombardo continues to dominate fundraising in Nevada's 2026 election cycle. Lombardo has raised more than $16 million this year, with much of that support coming through political action committees and affiliated groups. He reports about $9 million in cash on hand after spending roughly $13 million on advertising since late 2025.

Democratic challenger Attorney General Aaron Ford reports about $3.7 million in campaign funds, with nearly two-thirds of his donations over $100 coming from out-of-state contributors. Political science professor Fred Lokken says voters should expect campaign spending to accelerate after the summer, adding that negative advertising is likely to dominate the race.

In other statewide contests, Attorney General candidate Nicole Cannizzaro has raised more than $700,000, while Republican Adriana Guzman Fralick reports more than $165,000. Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar has topped $1 million in campaign funds, while challenger Jim Marchant reports only a small remaining balance. In Northern Nevada's Congressional District Two, Democrat Teresa Benitez-Thompson has outraised Republican David Flippo in cash on hand, setting up what some analysts say could become a closely watched race.

A Reno man has filed an ethics complaint against Governor Joe Lombardo over a May traffic stop in Las Vegas. The complaint alleges Lombardo improperly used his position by telling the officer, "I'm Joe Lombardo," in an effort to receive favorable treatment and avoid a citation. The Nevada Commission on Ethics will decide whether there's enough evidence to open an investigation. Lombardo's campaign declined to comment on the complaint but has previously said the governor fully cooperated with the officer and praised the professionalism of law enforcement.

That’s your morning news from the state of Nevada

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

 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 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.

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

 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 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.

7-8 News - Drought a Concern for Local Co-op

 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 92 yesterday and we expect another scorcher today.  Look for the high today around 94.

Governor Lombardo with Mt. Wheeler Power CEO Kevin Robison
during the weekend of March 15th, 2016

Yesterday’s story about how the decline in hydroelectric power from Lake Mead is affecting small electric companies in Rural Nevada is of indirect concern to Mt. Wheeler Power CEO Kevin Robison.  He told us in a telephone interview yesterday morning that while the cooperative doesn’t get any of it’s power from Lake Mead and Hoover Dam, it does get a lot of power from Lake Powell and Glen Canyon Dam.  Robison told us they’ve seen a 50% reduction in power from Lake Powell as a result of the ongoing drought affecting the Colorado River.  Other carbon-based solutions, such as Natural Gas and other sources from Deseret Power Electric Cooperative, are covering the power generation deficit.  Having access to lower-cost hydroelectric power is important to cooperatives like Mt. Wheeler, as 70 percent of the co-op's expenses are directly related to wholesale power costs.  

Triple-digit heat could return to Ely this weekend.

Forecasters say highs will flirt with the century mark. If Ely hits 100, it’ll be the first time since July of 2024.

Because of Ely’s mile-high elevation, 100-degree days are incredibly rare—happening only a handful of times since weather records began in the late 1800s.

The city’s all-time record high is 101 degrees, last seen back in 2002.

White Pine County Commissioners will meet this morning at 9 in the White Pine County Library Conference Room in Ely.

Among the agenda items, county officials will receive updates from the Health Officer and local fire chiefs on fire district operations and wildfire preparedness. Commissioners will also consider submitting comments on proposed Bureau of Land Management grazing regulations before a July 13th deadline.

The commission is expected to discuss accepting ownership of the old Lund School property at no cost from the White Pine County School District and consider supporting a nearly half-million-dollar parking lot improvement project at the Kinnear Library in McGill.

Other agenda items include several state grant awards for emergency management, social services, specialty courts, and approval of a temporary management assignment for the White Pine County Golf Course. The meeting will be broadcast live here on K-E-L-Y.

The Ely City Council meets tomorrow evening with several major funding and community development items on its agenda. Council members will consider transferring the city's 2026 private activity bond allocation to the Nevada Rural Housing Authority and decide who will represent Ely at this year's Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities Conference. The council will also receive updates on efforts to secure additional state and federal funding and hear a quarterly report from the White Pine Chamber of Commerce. Other business includes accepting a $603,750 Community Development Block Grant for upgrades to the city's wastewater treatment plant and considering an abatement order to remove trash and debris from two properties on Fay Avenue. The meeting begins at 5 p.m. at the Ely Volunteer Fire Hall.

White Pine County Sheriff's deputies handled a variety of calls on July 6th. Welfare checks in Ely confirmed that family members and children reported as concerns were safe. Deputies also responded to a reported shoplifting attempt at a local business, with the investigation continuing. In the county, deputies are investigating the shooting of a calf after a livestock owner reported the animal had been shot. A juvenile riding a dirt bike on a county roadway received a warning, and a loose dog was picked up and taken to the animal shelter. Other calls included unattended children at a business, a semi-truck creating a traffic hazard on a state highway that was referred to the Nevada State Police, and a dispute over property that deputies determined was a civil matter.

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 that is now under control 

Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar is criticizing the U.S. Department of Justice after it sent Nevada a letter reminding state officials of federal requirements to ensure only U.S. citizens vote in federal elections. The Justice Department requested a response within five days outlining Nevada's compliance efforts. Aguilar says the state already complies with federal law and called the letter an unnecessary political move that could undermine confidence in Nevada's elections. He added that safeguards are already in place to prevent ineligible voting and said Nevada's elections remain secure.  That despite at least a dozen reports from some Green Card holders that they were registered to vote despite not being eligible.  

Three men have been convicted in federal court for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl in southern Nevada.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Darrell Glen Harris, Joey Lamar McRoyal, and Lamar Deshawn Rosser conspired to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl between August 2022 and June 2023. Prosecutors said Harris supplied McRoyal and Rosser with methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and other illegal drugs for distribution in the Las Vegas area.

Harris was convicted of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute. McRoyal and Rosser were also found guilty of conspiracy and distribution charges, along with possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes.

The three men are scheduled to be sentenced October 1 and each faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Nevada's voter registration numbers have shifted, with Democrats once again holding a slight edge over Republicans in active registered voters.

A new report from the Nevada Secretary of State's Office shows the state added nearly 21,600 active voters in June. Nonpartisan voters saw the largest increase, adding almost 10,900 registrations and remaining the state's largest voting bloc.

Democrats gained 7,792 voters during the month, compared with 3,681 new Republican registrations, giving Democrats a narrow lead of just 502 active voters statewide.

Nevada now has more than 2.09 million active registered voters, with Nonpartisan voters making up just over 38 percent of the electorate. Democrats and Republicans each account for just under 28 percent, while the remaining voters are affiliated with minor political parties.

The developer of what would become Nevada’s largest solar and battery storage project is facing allegations of illegally using water for construction.

Amy Alonzo at the Nevada Independent reports this morning that the Nevada State Engineer’s Office has issued cease-and-desist orders to Libra Solar and a geothermal company, accusing them of diverting water from unauthorized sources in Lyon County. State officials say water trucks were used to transport water from a geothermal facility and a local rancher’s property for construction of the $2.3 billion project.

Libra Solar says contractors were working to secure additional water supplies, and the company has agreed to stop using the disputed sources while permits are obtained. The project is expected to generate enough electricity to power more than 200,000 homes.

And if you needed more reasons to oppose data centers…

Eglė Krištopaitytė in the trade publication Cybernews reports that a contractor working on Meta’s data center in Cheyenne, Wyoming, has been blamed for contaminating the city’s wastewater system with a rare bacterium.

Officials with Cheyenne’s Board of Public Utilities say Goat Systems LLC violated industrial wastewater regulations, leading to the discovery of *Cupriavidus gilardii* earlier this year. The bacteria affected wastewater operations, but officials say it was never found in the city’s drinking water and no human infections have been reported.

The city has stopped accepting industrial wastewater tied to data center operations while cleanup and investigations continue. The incident comes as communities nationwide debate the environmental impacts of large-scale data centers.

6-26 News - Ely City Council votes to accept NNRY trackage agreement

 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. 

A windy weekend in store with a Red Flag Warning posted today and a Fire Weather Watch posted tomorrow.  Wind gusts in excess of 40 to 50 miles per hour today and tomorrow.  Cooler weather is ahead.  Look for today’s high around 85, cooling to 66 by Sunday. 

The Ely City Council voted to approve a trackage rights agreement involving the Nevada Northern Railway and the Great Basin & Northern Railway in an attempt to secure federal funding for the rehabilitation of the line from Ely to Cobre.  The agreement saw some pushback from citizens as ongoing criticism of the Nevada Northern Railway management board not complying with Nevada Open Meeting Law despite the affiliation with the City of Ely.  The City also accepted a Community Development Block Grant of more than $603,000 to help fund upgrades to Ely's wastewater treatment plant.

The Council issued a proclamation recognizing Ely an International Mountain Bicycling Association Trail Town, honored retiring White Pine School Superintendent Adam Young for 24 years of service, and approved a new liquor license for Hometown Pizza.

White Pine County Commissioners will hold a special meeting on Monday afternoon at 1 to conduct a public hearing and consider approval of a budget augmentation for Fiscal Year 2026. The proposed resolution would appropriate funds from the county's Emergency Medical Services Fund for payment to the White Pine County Fire District.

Fire crews continue battling two large wildfires south of Caliente in Lincoln County. The Grapevine Fire has grown to more than 23,000 acres and remains zero percent contained as firefighters work in steep terrain within the Clover Mountain Wilderness Area. Active fire behavior continues on the fire's eastern flank.

Meanwhile, the Kane Springs Fire is now 50 percent contained at just over 17,000 acres, with crews making steady progress securing fire lines and extinguishing hotspots.

A Red Flag Warning remains in effect through Saturday, bringing strong winds, low humidity, and critical fire conditions. Beaver Dam State Park remains closed until further notice due to the Grapevine Fire.

Nevada drivers are getting a break at the pump. AAA Nevada reports gas prices have fallen for the fifth straight week, with the statewide average dropping 13 cents over the past week to $4.71 per gallon.

AAA says lower crude oil prices are helping drive the decline as the U.S. and Iran work toward a long-term agreement. The average price is now $4.98 per gallon in Reno and $4.70 in Las Vegas.  The average price in White Pine County is $4.13 per gallon, second lowest only to Lander County at $3.97 per gallon. 

Despite the lower prices, AAA expects heavy holiday travel, with a record number of Americans expected to hit the road for the Independence Day weekend.

An inmate at Ely State Prison has died. The Nevada Department of Corrections says 24-year-old Otis Bishop died Wednesday at University Medical Center in Las Vegas. Bishop was serving a sentence of four to 15 years for attempted lewdness with a child under 14 and had been in state custody since September.

Corrections officials also reported the deaths of two other inmates this week at facilities in Southern Nevada. Causes of death have not been released, and autopsies have been requested in all three cases.