10 Years Ago

  • Former Hawthorne resident Colleen Muhl, 56 (Colleen Vigil when she lived in Hawthorne) is the subject of an intense missing person search in the Reno area where she has a home. Washoe County deputies believe foul play is a possible cause of Colleen disappearance.
  • An approximately three hour power outage struck parts of Mineral County and surrounding areas affecting about 2,400 homes. A spokesperson for NV Energy said the cause was a malfunctioning breaker switch at the Fort Churchill  Power Station.
  • Nevada’s President Mary Stroud of Hawthorne, a member of John Franklin Shain Auxiliary 2313, was honored during the National Mid-Year Conference of the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, held Feb. 8-13.

20 Years Ago

  • Nevada Highway Patrolman Fred Wurster was promoted to segment at ceremonies held in Carson City. His first duty assignment was in Hawthorne where he resides with wife. Tina and sons Kalin and Dawson.
  • Charles Kilburn and Charles Jackson Jr. escaped serious injury when the GMC pickup truck they were riding in ended up on its side. Both men were on their way to work at the Aurora Mine when the truck slid on the icy road. Kilburn was taken to Mt. Grant Hospital for treatment.
  • Michael and Glenda Mansfield, of Mina were fatally injured in an accident. Lou Owen of Walker Lake was in the hospital and improving.

30 Years Ago

  • The Lady Serpents went into the Zone Championship basketball game against the second place Fernley Vaqueros with a 1000 record and came out on top by defeating Fernley by a score of 78-22. Coach Dave Gelmstedt said: “The game was a crowded game and it didn’t make a difference which member of the team was on the court, as they all played outstanding ball to prove that they are truly champions.” Team members were: Echo Dillard, Kari Emm, Misty Fenison, Mandy Glazier, Gina Gomez, Shawna Hick, Sarana Mullins, Angela Munger, Jeri Munden, Janis Nixon, and Dawn Winters,
  • The Nevada Division of Wildlife made a donation of a new 22-ft. Boston Whaler, Cutty Cabin model , 235 hp engine rescue boat to the Walker Lake Fire Department & Rescue to be used for rescue work on Walker Lake. The new boat will accommodate six crew members and six rescue victims.
  • Club Scout Pack 32 held their annual Blue & Gold Dinner at the Hawthorne L.D.S. Church who sponsors the Pack.
  • The MCHS “Mystery Person on the School Page of the Independent” was a young lady that has played a big part in the Mineral County School District for many years, both as a student and later as an employee in the District Our own Millie “Dondero” Hansen. Millie is still beside her home across the street from the Old 6th Street Grade School (now the Hawthorne Cultural Arts Center.)

40 Years Ago

  • The director of the Care & Share Program in Hawthorne for more than 8 years, resigned that position in a letter to the country commissioners it was stated the resignation was due to “peer” pressure.
  • Gloria Williams, the Business teacher at MCHS, attended Mina Elementary School until the 9th grade and then attended MCHS. She was a graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno and at the time of the interview had taught for eight years at the High School.
  • Lola Trombley attended all her years of school in Hawthorne and graduated college from the Reno Business College prior to going to work for the school district as a teacher’s for the kindergarten class. Mrs Trombley said one of her favorite subjects in school was English and that she really enjoyed having Mrs Catherine Barlow as a teacher.

50 Years Ago

  • Eighth Grade students listed on the Honor Roll were: Lisa Byrd, Brain Krish, Chris Perterson, Anna Rosemore, Bill Sanchez, Pat Tablet and Cheryl Robinson.
  • The Hawthorne Lions Club set a date for the Club’s annual Indoor Carnival to be held at the Civic Center building. The funds raised helps support the sight conservation programs of the Club. Members were also selling brooms for $2.75 each.

60 Years Ago

  • The MCHS Serpents won the zone baseball crown for the second consecutive year in the “A” Division.
  • Two Hawthorne High School students were winners in two speaking contests. Gay Keegan won the Lion Club Speaking Contest, and Don Sarnowski won the American Legion Oratorical Contest.
  • In recalling some of the happiest times of days gone by Uncle Vane Day wrote in his column 50 Years Ago: “Honest good humor is the oil and wine of a merry meeting, and there is no jovial championship equal to that where the jokes are rather small and the laughter abundant. “It was Navy Day last Sunday, a day that is recognized throughout the country and abroad. And here in our little community the observance sparked magnificently at the Officers Club at the Navy Base.” A get together party sponsored by the local Navy League aided and abetted by the military found some 150 guests present, each and all enriched with “honest god humor” and the laughter abundant. It was indeed an inspiration to witness the many present laying aside formality and joining in a most friendly spirit, one for all and all for one.

“So on with the dance, let joy be unconfined. Let us find. Ways and means, and excuses, if necessary, to continue the meeting of good people in friendly association, gaining us the name of the ‘World’s friendliest people’ in the Littlest Big Town in the World.”

70 Years Ago

  • Jasper stated in his column “If the frequent “high” winds we have been having in January and February are political winds then we had better change the primary election back to September. Spring clean up time is soon enough to have to fight the dust.”
  • The State bowling tournament was held in Babbitt and with more than 200 bowlers competing for trophies and titles.
  • MCHS girls’ tumbles entertained basketball fans during halftime at the game between Hawthorne and Yerington. Girls participating in the show were Joann Kinsfather, Karel  Johnson, Gail Yerington, Dorothy Belzer, Diane Harris, Azalia Phealen, Priscilla Vallegos, Loretta Frost, and Phyllis Boak.
  • Don Dawson of Hawthorne caught a 16 pound cutthroat at Walker Lake.

80 Years Ago

  • The possible presence of a case of Spinal Meningitis resulted in a belief but general quarantine of the Hawthorne community, which included the ban of public meetings.
  • Grant Rice of Reno was named sad head lineman of Mineral County Power System and was placed in charge of the municipally owned utility. It was expected from the statutory maximum of $250 monthly.
  • An advertisement was placed in the paper indicating it had been paid for by a Hawthorne business man interested in the establishment of local government for Hawthorne. The ad asked that residents give some thought of incorporating Hawthorne as a city or by special charter.
  • Commissioners voted to purchase a $6000 two way radio system and a new car for police work in Hawthorne.

90 Years Ago

  • Senators Pat McCarran of Nevada, Hugo Black of Alabama and Wallace White , were named  as a special committee to investigate all air Mail contacts with the government, and recommend that all contacts be canceled and that the contracting procedure “ be started all over again.”
  • John Marcelja, a Slav miner who had worked at Rawhide and Broken Hills died at the county hospital in Hawthorne of miner’s consumption.
  • Twenty men were employed at the Langtry Lease Mining operation at Aurora. The mile operation was operating three shifts.