60 Years Ago – An old grave in the ghost town of Aurora was opened by persons unknown and the contents removed, according to Sheriff John Bailey.

10 Years Ago

(From the MCIN Files of July 5, 2007)

• The National Judicial College (NJC) is pleased to announce that the Honorable Jay T. Gunter, recently completed the Special Court Jurisdiction course at The National Judicial College. Judge Gunter indicated that the educational opportunity to go to the NJC was great. It increased his understanding of the Nevada Laws (NRS) and legal terminology and classes will help on the bench.

• DZHC held Safety and Security Stand Down Day. Each year Day and Zimmermann Hawthorne Corporation makes time out from regular operations to support not just one, but many of its corporate values. The Safety and Security Stand refocus and enjoy their day with fellow co-workers. Presentations and skits benefit employees while providing enlightenment, laughter and ultimately learning.

• The Walker River Paiute Tribes Diabetes Program presents The Annual Rez Challenge. A 14-mile relay to raise awareness of diabetes in surrounding communities. The Annual Relay Run/Walk was held on July 21.

• Youth on the Walker River Paiute Indian Reservation in fifth through eighth grades participated in a science enrichment camp in Schurz, which exposed the youth to the world of water resources. The program, funded by Mineral County School District and the Walker River Paiute Tribe Education Department, focused on the properties of water along with the water cycle of the Walker River basin and watershed.

20 Years Ago

• Steady progress was being made on the construction of the new primary school in Hawthorne.

• At the end of school in June several Mineral County High School students were presented with certificates for achieving excellence in the “Nevada AA League Academics”. Those receiving the certificates were Joey Barta; Jeff Bryant; Jeremy Bryant; Jed Cornell;, Kim Demen;, Courtney Ewing; Steve Gustafson; Keith Johnson; Chris Mann; Shane Mann; Coleman Miller; Bridget Peterson; Sodeea Qureshi; Brandon Rather; Brandi Salisbury; Jared West and Matt West.

• Congressional Certificates of Achievements and National Consortium for Academic and Sports and the National Collegiate Athletics Associations Certifications were presented MCHS students at the close of school. Winners were: Aaron Combs; Amber Dow; Steve Gustafson; Keith Johnson; Jennifer Munger; Ashley Orndorff; Brandon Rather, and Salon Worthen.

30 Years Ago

• Plans were being formulated for the 21st annual “Walker Lake 100” to be held July 12. The race also was known the “Jack Roark Memorial” race. The race was held in memory of Jack Roark, of Walker Lake, who lost his life in a championship race held at Parker, Ariz. Roark was defending his world championship title that he had held for several years. He was one of the “founders” of the Walker 100 which brought big-time boat racing to Walker Lake.

• Winners at the local stock car races this week 30 years ago were Floyd Griffin, Dan Donahue, Randy Canady and Mike Weier. Dean Oberhansli won the trophy dash in the special Quad Races.

• Robert Jenkins Jr. of Hawthorne proudly displayed the Blue Gill Fish he caught at Weber Reservoir near Schurz. This breed of fish is rare in this area and his fish weighed 14 ounces, only a few ounces less than the state record.

40 Years Ago

• Commander Frank Kimzey, USN, was temporarily the Commanding Officer at Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot. He held that position until Colonel Royce Powell, US Army, arrived in August 1977. CDR Kimzey was the last Naval officer to serve as commanding officer of the Hawthorne base.

• The El Capitan softball team won the Ridgecrest (Calif.) tourney by defeating Bakersfield 5-1, Lancaster 5-4, Port Hueneme 2-1 and a Ridgecrest team 3-2.

• A grant of $74,762 was received from the Max C. Fleishmann Foundation for the park at West Fifth Street and Armory Road.

50 Years Ago

• Curtis Cline, prominent Mineral County businessman, who owned and operated the “Cline’s Y” restaurant and service station in Schurz, lost his life in a plane crash that happened just a few miles south of Schurz in the mountains at a location near the area where the road-side rest is presently located. Cline was enroute from Schurz to Tonopah at the time of the fatal crash.

• Roy E. Nickson, comptroller at Hawthorne NAD for four years, was appointed secretary of the Nevada Tax Commission by Governor Paul Laxalt.

• A contract for the construction of a “comfort station” at Ladybird Park in Hawthorne was awarded after the second bid opening by the Nevada State Highway Department. The “superjohn”, estimated to cost $13,400 and later raised to $16,000, was awarded to Andy L. Zoppi Construction Co. of Reno. It was the first brick commode in Hawthorne.

60 Years Ago

• Mike Dondero, pioneer Hawthorne resident died at Mount Grant Hospital. Dondero was a teamster by occupation and was engaged in hauling merchandise from the various mining camps in the area, first by mule team and later by truck. He served as Constable of Hawthorne and also worked for the Mineral County Road Department. Dondero was the father of Millie Hansen who was a long-time Hawthorne resident.

• Beverly Seher was the winner of the beauty contest held at the annual Ordnance Picnic held at Walker Lake.

• The George E. Miller Contracting Co. of Reno was awarded the contract for street repair and the installation of curbs in the Babbitt housing area.

• Hanson’s Food Market in Babbitt and the Bank Club in Hawthorne were burglarized.

70 Years Ago

• Albert Curtis of Hawthorne resigned from the Board of County Commissioners after serving six months of a two-year term, and returned to his former position at NAD. Former commissioner, Farrell L. Seevers, was appointed by Governor Vail Pittman to fill the vacancy on the board.

• Named to serve on the new Mineral County Fish and Game Management Board were Mrs. Peggy McKinney and Ed Culbertson of Hawthorne and Henry Eddy of Mina.

80 Years Ago

• A public meeting was held in Mina to discuss ways of continuing a project of providing recreational facilities for children that had been started by E.B. Stinson, juvenile officer, prior to his death. Leading the discussion was Judge W.D. Hatton and named as a committee to continue the effort were Deputy Sheriff E.S. Perry, Larry Walsh, Dale Ritchie and Jim Wright.

• President Roosevelt signed a bill that continued for another year the requirement that mine claim holders perform another annual assessment work on mining claims. The memorandum had been effect since 1933.

• Gallo’s Inn advertised a very special weekend featuring two of the world’s greatest accordion players, Guido Deiro and Adolph Bergklint, in concert and playing for dancing.

• Hawthorne 20-30 Club had its semi-annual election of officers. Elected to succeed W. H. Tracy as president was Jack McCloskey, and others chosen for the second half of 1937 were Charles Scatena, vice president; William Merchant, secretary-treasurer; Martin Evansen, sergeant-at-arms; directors, Leo Perrier, Wally Whitson and Jacob Buterus.