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NEVADA VIEWS: Protecting the Amargosa Valley’s lifeline

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NEVADA VIEWS: Protecting the Amargosa Valley’s lifeline


In the heart of the Amargosa Valley, the Amargosa River quietly winds its way through the hottest and driest desert in North America. Though invisible on most maps, this rare desert river is nothing short of miraculous. To the rural communities that call the Amargosa Valley home, it is essential.

As elsewhere in the Southwest, and especially in the Mojave Desert, water is the lifeblood of our communities. But due to the unique geology of the Amargosa Valley, the benefits the Amargosa River provides to our communities are fragile. That is why the proposed Amargosa Valley “mineral withdrawal” is a necessity, both to protect against immediate threats and to secure our future.

This initiative seeks to withdraw approximately 309,000 acres of public land in the Amargosa Valley from mineral exploration and new mining, with valid existing mining rights and operations remaining intact. While mineral extraction has played a role in the history of our region, the stakes today are far too high. The pressure on our water resources has never been greater. New mining in this fragile area would pose a significant risk of depleting, diverting and contaminating the Amargosa River, which is already stretched to its limits.

The communities of the Amargosa Valley have lived in the shadow of resource extraction for decades. And yet, this time is different. The threat of widespread mining and renewable energy development has united us, as it must. Our communities are rallying behind this proposal because we understand that water transcends boundaries, ideologies and political divides. Without water, there is no agriculture, no economy, no wildlife and no future.

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The Amargosa River’s reach is astonishing. For our rural towns, the river is the source of drinking water, irrigation for crop and a draw for ecotourism, which is an increasingly vital part of our local economy. Without the river, Amargosa Valley and our neighboring communities will become ghost towns.

The river also feeds Ash Meadows, an incredible desert oasis that is prized by locals, sought after by visitors from around the world and home to 26 species of plants and animals found nowhere else on Earth. It helps maintain the delicate balance of Death Valley’s ecosystems, where even the smallest disruption can have cascading effects. These interconnected concerns have forged an unprecedented coalition: local governments and federal agencies, conservationists and tribes, scientists and small-business owners. We are all standing together, urging the Department of the Interior to act swiftly and decisively by withdrawing these lands from new mineral exploration.

The stakes could not be clearer. Protecting the Amargosa Valley through this mineral withdrawal is not just an act of good stewardship, it is an act of common sense, of community survival. We cannot afford to wait. Every delay puts this fragile system and my town closer to irreversible harm.

President Donald Trump’s Interior Department has the power to make this vision a reality. By finalizing the proposed Amargosa Valley mineral withdrawal, they can help ensure that current and future generations of Nevadans that cherish their rural way of life can continue to not just survive, but prosper.

Let’s leave a legacy that proves we understand the value of both our natural resources and of the storied and unique rural communities like mine that are part of the fabric of the American West. Time is of the essence. Our community is calling for help, and we look to our leaders to answer.

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Carolyn Allen is the chair of the Amargosa Valley Town Board.



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Nevada State Police averts ‘udder chaos’ in Eureka County

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Nevada State Police averts ‘udder chaos’ in Eureka County


EUREKA COUNTY, Nev. (KOLO) – On Friday, Feb. 27, the Nevada State Police assisted with a cattle crossing on State Route 306 at Interstate 80 in Eureka County.

“While not an everyday part of our job, we like to do our part to assist our local ranchers while keeping traffic from turning into udder chaos,” according to an agency Facebook post. “It was a perfect opportunity to be outside (even if our animal friends were a little moo-dy).”



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Nye County Sheriff urges caution after deadly month on rural Nevada roads

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Nye County Sheriff urges caution after deadly month on rural Nevada roads


A string of deadly crashes in and around Pahrump has prompted Nye County Sheriff Joe McGill to push for more safety measures along dark, sidewalk-free roads.

“The worst penalty is death, if you consider that,” McGill said.

The recent deaths include a single-vehicle rollover on State Route 160 during the morning hours of the last Wednesday in January that killed one person and injured another.

Then, into February, two pedestrians were killed in less than three days.

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The first was a 7 p.m. crash on Quarter Horse Avenue. Investigators believe a 2006 Jeep Liberty was driving on the street when it hit a pedestrian, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

A few days later, this last Saturday, state troopers responded to a crash just after sundown at Charleston Park Avenue. A sedan hit a pedestrian, who was also pronounced dead at the scene.

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Nevada State Police investigators are still investigating both pedestrian cases before more details are released.

McGill said the recent crashes were enough to spur action.

“When the third one came out, I was sitting at home and watching TV. I looked at my wife and I said, ‘We got to do something about this,’” McGill said.

McGill is responding with a reflective vest giveaway, pointing to limited infrastructure as a possible factor. He noted a lack of street lights off State Route 160 and no sidewalks inside the community.

“The only light that you have is the ambient light from houses and cars so it is really dark,” McGill said.

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John Treanor of AAA Nevada said poor visibility can quickly turn dangerous for both drivers and pedestrians.

“It is very easy to be confronted with a situation that you cannot see coming because the visibility might be bad,” Treanor said.

Treanor encouraged pedestrians to carry lights and drivers to be prepared if they end up outside their vehicles in dark conditions.

“Having lights on you. Even carrying a flashlight allows something where a driver can see it,” Treanor said. “If you are a driver, make sure you have the right stuff in your car, in case you do get in a situation where you are on the side of the road and now you are in dark. Make sure you have a kit with some reflectors, some lights. Anything the trunk of your car in case you need it.”

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McGill said vigilance is important even in daylight.

“Any time of the day, you have got to be vigilant. You have to keep aware of your surroundings if you are a walker or on a bicycle or if you are the driver,” he said.

Authorities also urged caution as more people may pull off roads in rocky areas along the route toward Death Valley National Park during springtime blooms, increasing the need for drivers and pedestrians to stay alert.

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Mansion on the Nevada Side of Lake Tahoe Swiftly Sells for $46 Million

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Mansion on the Nevada Side of Lake Tahoe Swiftly Sells for  Million


A waterfront mansion on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe just sold for $46 million, less than three weeks after hitting the market. 

The speedy deal marks a departure from the typical U.S. market.

Nationwide, homes took a median 78 days to land a buyer in January, five more than the same time last year and the 22nd straight month of homes taking longer to sell on a year-over-year basis, according to data from Realtor.com. 

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The lavish log cabin-like residence, in Incline Village, listed on Jan. 24 for $47.5 million. It sold 20 days later, on Feb. 13, listing records show. 

The more than 7,000-square-foot residence was built in 2014, and has double-height living spaces, walls of windows, beamed ceilings, fireplaces, and plenty of rustic exposed stone and wood, listing images show. 

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There’s also a gym, a wet bar, a spa, a wine room, an office, two separate game rooms, seven bedrooms and dramatic Lake Tahoe views. Outside, there’s a private sandy beach, multiple decks, a heated driveway and two exterior fireplaces, according to listing information. 

MORE: Visited by Kings and Larger Than Manhattan, Giant Scottish Estate Asks £67 Million

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The seller and the buyer are both limited liability companies, according to property records. Both parties were represented by Jeff Brown of Tahoe Mountain Realty, who declined to comment on the deal. 

The median home price in Incline Village was $1.595 million as of December, a fall of 3.3% from a year earlier, according to data from Realtor.com. Listings, meanwhile, spent an average of 130 days on the market. 



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