Emergency vehicles make their way down Main Street in Hawthorne during the 2018 Armed Forces Parade.
Mineral County each year has its ups and downs. 2018 was no different. The Independent-News is highlighting stories that made people laugh, cry, mad or glad.
January
• The Mineral County ‘Dream Team’ give the junior high bathroom a much needed facelift.
• The Lady Serpents topped Sierra Lutheran 50-26. Perla Gutierrez scored 19 points and Julieanna Williams finished with 12.
• Mineral County Sheriff’s Office entered into agreement with surrounding counties to be involved with a tactical team (SWAT) to be based out of Lyon County Sheriff’s Office.
• Mineral County Assessor Dorothy Fowler resigned after 22 years of service to the county in a letter to the county commissioners. Heather Drake was appointed interim assessor.
February
• Billie Williams, Todd Wright, Carlos Hernandez and Dan Moss competed in the Ultimate Arm Wrestling League event.
• Raymond Wallace Shuman died on Feb. 2 at the Carson Tahoe Medical Center at the age of 83. Schuman had been committed to the Nevada Prison system in 1958 for committing a murder near Schurz.
• Mineral County High School boy’s basketball team head to state for the third season straight. The boy’s title repeat would fall short against Spring Mountain.
• The Mineral County Sheriff’s Office is honored for the arrest of Christopher Montoya, who was wanted in Phoenix for the murder of Abbigail Rinaldi.
March
• The Mineral County Independent-News celebrates 85 years of bringing the news of the county to its readers.
• Kevin Chisum is appointed interim assessor after the previous assessor stepped down from the position.
• Laticha Bonner Mitchell, employee of Mineral County Senior Services, is recognized for her help to the seniors in Mineral County. She received a certificate and a check for $300.
• Mineral County resident showed up despite a wind storm to voice their thoughts and concerns of the proposed Interstate 11 project.
• Vietnam veteran John Johnson is joined by Pastor Robert Cox for the dedication of the dog park at the Veterans Memorial Park on Tenth Street in Hawthorne.
April
• Congressman Ruben Kihuen makes a visit to Mineral County. He stopped off at Schurz Elementary where he delivered books. He also met with representatives of the Hawthorne Army Depot for a tour as well as those supporters of the Interstate 11 project.
• Ledcor Mining Group held a career fair with the Mineral County Economic Development Authority. The group is looking for personnel for the opening of the Isabella Pearl mine outside of Luning.
• Mineral County School District purchases two 2018 Thomas Saf-T-Liner C2, 72 passenger buses.
• Independent-News readers want answers from Nevada Department of Transportation regarding the dangerous traveling conditions due to the wind on U.S. Highway 95.
May
• The Hawthorne Elementary School third graders were rewarded with a “bike day” outdoor excursion to Veterans Memorial Park. The students were also treated to dessert at McDonald’s after lunch.
• Ryann Nelms is crowned Miss Armed Forces Day 2018 at the annual pageant. Ava Lukaszka was named Junior Miss Armed Forces Day; Sofeya Madrid was named Mini Miss Armed Forces Day. This year, boys were allowed to participate. Miles King was named Mr. Armed Forces Day and Martin Waggoner, Junior Mr. Armed Forces Day. The candidates started off the beginning of the Hawthorne tradition.
• Isabella Pearl Gold Project is awarded its last permit for the open pit heap leach gold project.
• The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled in favor of Walker Lake need for water and the Walker River Paiute Tribe’s claims for unrecognized water rights.
June
• Keith Neville, vice president of the Mineral County School Board received his certified public official notice from the University of Nevada, Reno.
• Maggie’s Once More, a Hawthorne restaurant, closed their doors the week of June 7.
• Philip Neal joined the Mineral County High School Class of 2018 for graduation. Neal, a Vietnam veteran was serving his country when his class graduated in 1966.
• LTC Dustin G. Bishop is welcomed to the Hawthorne Army Depot for the change of command presentation hosted by outgoing commander, LTC Scott M. Bishop.
July
• Karen Watson is named the next Mineral County School District superintendent.
• Hawthorne Army Depot celebrates its 90th anniversary the week of July 19. The first ground breaking took place in 1928 with Governor Fred B. Balzar turning the first shovel of dirt.
• A flashflood on July 22 wreaked havoc on Mineral County. Cory Canyon flooded out due to the moisture. Roads throughout the county were also affected.
August
• Mineral County received $781,024 in Federal Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funds.
• Local business owner, Jack Desai with America’s Best Inn and Suites and Monarch Motel as well as Gary Moody with G-Dubs Construction and Glass, donated to the 911 Memorial Mount Grant Challenge.
• Two firefighters were injured in a rollover accident outside of Hawthorne. The firefighters from Arizona had been on the Carr Fire in California.
• Sergeant Gabe Andrada and Deputy Johnny Bateman of the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office were awarded life saving medal’s for their work when responding to a crash outside of Hawthorne on U.S. Highway 95 at mile marker 53.
September
• The story of Kelly Coltrain, a young woman who died at the Mineral County Detention Center, went viral after the Reno Gazette Journal published the story a day before the Labor Day weekend.
• Lance West returned to Schurz as the principal of Schurz Elementary School. West was raised in the community.
• Miss Indian World 2018 Taylor Susan was guest at this year’s Walker River Paiute Tribe’s Pinenut Festival.
• Mineral County commissioners set the framework to allow marijuana businesses in Mineral County.
October
• Members of Copper Queen 1915 E Clampus Vitus gathered at 9-Mile Ranch to help with the clean-up of Mineral County’s oldest standing building. The ranch house suffered damage after a pair of 5.7 magnitude earthquakes hit in late 2016.
• The Kenny Bostic Memorial Youth Athletic Fund hosted their annual dinner with entertainment provided by “Meatwood Flack – A Rock n Roll Murder Mystery”.
• Nevada Department of Transportation announced that Mineral County roads will benefit from $8.7 million in transportation funds.
• Robert McFalls and McKenna Cardenas are named Mineral County High School 2018 Homecoming Royalty.
November
• Mineral County showed up at the election polls with 65 percent of registered voters casting their ballots. Sheriff Randy Adams was re-elected; Mike James won the Hawthorne Township Justice of the Peace seat; Christine Hoferer earned 58.94 percent of the votes for county commissioner, Seat C; Kevin Chisum was re-elected for assessor and Cindy Nixon won the recorder-auditor race.
• Mineral County commissioners discussed the elimination of the Mineral County Regional Planning Commission. After a heated discussion, no decision was made.
• The American Legion of Hawthorne and the Merritt family of Mina handed out Thanksgiving meals to those in need this year.
December
• LTC Dustin G. Bishop of the Hawthorne Army Depot brought back the tradition of the depot Christmas tree. The blue spruce was lit the beginning of December to start off the holiday season.
• Expansion of the Fallon Range Training Complex was discussed with Mineral and Nye County residents. Capt. David Halloran, explained the need for training land to better prepare the warfighters. He explained that the current training grounds are 30 years outdated.
• Commissioner Jerrie Tipton sat in her last commissioner meeting on Dec. 19 after serving as Mineral County Commissioner for 12 years. When asked what she will do now that she is no longer in office, she expressed her desire to finish the house she and husband, Tony have been building.
• The Hawthorne Rocket boy’s 7th and 8th grade basketball team’s captured titles at the Sagebrush League Mountain Division.
