10 Years Ago

  • The Spring Peak fire was touched off by lightning August 18 about 10:30 a.m. At press time on Wednesday the blaze had consumed 12,300 acres of wild land near the old site of Aurora. On Aug. 19 the western edge of the fire crossed the state line into Nevada.
  • A vehicle struck and seriously injured Hawthorne resident Michael D. Spanier on Aug. 14. Spanier, an NDOT employee, was walking down Highway 50 when the accident happened. On Aug. 16 Spanier was listed in fair and stable condition.
  • Deniz Bolbol, with the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign, said wild horse advocates were at the auction site Saturday to check horses for brands and to ensure no unbranded animals were sold. She said they also were looking for any horses with newly applied identifying markings.

20 Years Ago

  • Lou Thompson of Hawthorne was officially appointed Coordinator of the Hawthorne Center of Western Nevada College. He replaces Roselyn Prodeau.
  • Helen Hart and Lana Treharne returned home from a trip in Alaska. The ladies caught halibut off the coast of Kodiak, Alaska.

30 Years Ago

  • “Praise the lord and pass the ammunition” was the theme of a Department of Defense assignment being conducted by personnel at the Hawthorne Army Ammunition Plant, COR Staff, DZB workers and crew members, of three Army CH47 Chinook Helicopters to transport 105mm ammunition from Hawthorne Army Depot to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Ca. The choppers were part of a helicopter squadron based in Ft. Campbell, KY. The ammo was brought from the base from The Hawthorne Airport then flown to Ft. Irwin.
  • An 18-wheeler driven by Henry Litton overturned on State Route b361, also known as the Gabbs Highway, about eight miles northeast of Luning. Litton was transporting a load of magnesium oxide from premier corps in Gabbs to Texas where it was to be used as a food supplement for cattle. Litton suffered a shoulder injury and was treated at Mt. Grant Hospital after being transported there by Mina/Luning ambulance; NHP Trooper Dave Lewis investigated the accident.

40 Years Ago

  • Undersecretary of the Army James R. Ambrose arrived in Hawthorne and spent a day making an on sight tour of facilities at the Ammunition Plant.
  • Three members of the management information system staff at Day & Zimmerman/Basil were shown in the newspaper with plaques awarded to them following the completion of DZB’s property book. Janet Coffin, Ruby Smith and Jerry Graves each received awards. The workers were responsible for keypunching data cards for more than 18,000 items in the property book.

50 Years Ago

  • A shooting incident that took place at Sierra Way near Sixth Street resulted in one man sustaining a leg wound.
  • A Grand Opening at the Log Cabin Bar was held with patrons invited to help celebrate with a free keg of beer, offered by owner Sue Fanton, Sandy and Charles Johnson.
  • Reorganization of the Mineral County Unit of the American Cancer Society was accompanied and plans were made for the Ann fund drive to be conducted in the county.

60 Years Ago

  • Arthur Turner, president of the county board of education ( the school board) indicated that he would reconsider his announced intention to resign following a special meeting of the board Turner said his decision to resign was made after the remaining six members of the board voted in favor of a proposed salary increase of approximately two percent of teachers and administrators. Turner said he was opposed to any increase in salaries of administrative personnel and was concerned with keeping school operations costs from rising.
  • Las Vegas topped Hawthorne in a junior league baseball final.
  • Bell Telephone Company started construction of 13 additional microwave stations throughout Central Nevada, including three in the Mineral County area.
  • Uncle Vane Day noted in his “Everyday by Vane Day “ column: “ A man can wear his hair three ways; parted, up, parted and departed. Jack Kennedy, Joe Viani, and Henry Eddy, for example…. all prominent names in the community.

70 Years Ago

  • The City of Hawthorne called for bids on a street paving project.
  • The firemen had three calls during the week, including one in Mina to assist in fighting a fire that broke out during a high windstorm. Mina’s residents were beating our small fires with blankets, gunny sacks, and garden hoses. One home and one small shed were burned to the ground and a small house across the valley was damaged. A smoldering ironing board caused another fire in a home in the new Lakeview subdivision in Hawthorne.

80 Years Ago

  • Mildred Bray, State superintendent of public instruction, and Guild Graym deputy superintendent for fourth district, were in Luning to discuss the matter of opening the Luning School.
  • William Merchant, well known Hawthorne resident, was appointed U.S. Commissioner for this area by Federal Judge Frank H. Norcross.
  • In an advertisement in the Independent-News, the Hawthorne Taxi Service announced it was now under management and could be reached by phoning 38 ( the Hawthorne Club).
  • The local price and rationing board announced that when applications were made for special mileage involving more than 100 miles of travel the applicant was required to have his tires inspected to be sure they were in a condition to complete the trip. If the tires were not in such condition, the board insisted they be recapped before the special mileage was granted.
  • Arrangements were being made to move the offices of the Nevada Auditing Company to the old Post Office north of the Golden Key Drug Store.

90 Years Ago

  • Congressman James Scrugham requested a town meeting be held in Hawthorne to a government forest camp which had been requested for this area by Scrugham, along with work projects suggested by Senator Pat McCarran and by Captain Babbitt at the naval depot. A Regional Reemployment Council was named for Mineral County by David E. Ericson, State Reemployment Director. Named were County Commissioner Guy McInnis, county clerk D. M. Buckingham, Captain H. S. Babbitt, NAD Commanding Officer, Martin Evansen, president of the Federal Employee Union, and John W. Connors, co-publisher of the Independent News.
  • Mike Gonzales, woodcutter from Chile, and Joe Garcia, a minor at Kincaid, both took floaters rather than face Federal charges of furnishing liquor to the Indians. The men were arrested during a brawl at Garcia’s cabin in Kincaid.