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Year 2012: Moapa Valley News In Review

Editor’s Note: The past year has been another active year for news events in Moapa Valley. What follows is a brief recap of the local news highlights for the year 2012.

January:

Progress Move Returns Paper To Original Digs

The Moapa Valley Progress moved its office from downtown Overton to its current location at 2885 N. Moapa Valley Blvd in the same Logandale office building with Foremost Realty.

In addition, later in the summer, the Progress celebrated the 25th anniversary of its founding. Progress founder John Z. Robison started the paper in 1987. Today the Progress is the longest running community newspaper in northeastern Clark County and the only independently owned news voice in the region.

The January office move closed the circle for the local newspaper which had its early beginnings with its parent publication, the Lake Mead Monitor, which was located in the same office space where the Progress moved to.

February:

Republican Caucus

While there was widespread confusion throughout the state during the Republican caucuses, those held in Moapa Valley were orderly and largely efficient.

Turnout to the caucus was low with only about 12% of local Republicans showing up.

Frontrunner Mitt Romney was the clear local favorite taking 78% of the local caucus vote.

March:

Historic St. Thomas Comes To Life

Laughter, music and storytelling returned to the old ghost town of St. Thomas as over 1,500 people attended the St. Thomas Alive! event. Descendants of families who once settled and lived in St. Thomas brought the town back to life with photos, memorabilia, displays and live historical reenactments.

An LDS Youth Conference also took place which took local youth on an overnight pioneer handcart expedition through the valley ending in downtown St. Thomas.

The event was organized by community members in coordination with National Park Service officials. It included blading a dirt road and a parking lot from the bluffs overlooking the town down into the town itself to allow public access. This was done through donations of construction equipment and manpower by local residents.

April:

Stormy Forecast For The Fair

Though the weather never got as gloomy as what was expect, a stormy forecast kept the crowds down at the Clark County Fair.

It ended up being the lowest attendance year on record for the Fair with only 61,274 visitors attending.

May:

Phase 1 Of M.V. Trails System Under Construction

The long awaited trail project which was intended to connect Grant Bowler Elementary to Moapa Valley High School and all points in between, began construction in May.

The system included walking/cycling trails on Whipple, Lyman, Heyer, Frehner, Gubler and St. Joseph all in Logandale. It also included an ATV-dedicated trail on the north side of Whipple Ave.

The project was completed a couple of months later in July and cost just under $1 million.

June:

M.V. Credit Union Merges With America First

After more than 50 years in business, the Moapa Valley Federal Credit Union merged with America First Credit Union, an institution out of Riverdale, Utah.

The merger wasn’t official until July 1. The complex transition of all the detailed shareholder account information from MVCU to the America First system is still ongoing as the year comes to a close.

July:

Community Tragedy

The Moapa Valley community mourned with Overton resident Cody Fox and his family when local mother Dani Fox and her 3 year old son Zachary were killed in an automobile accident on July 18.

Community members mobilized quickly to raise funds and provide help to the young family. At short notice, volunteer firefighters from the three local stations organized a carwash event which was held in the Lins Marketplace parking lot in Overton. The event raised more than $8,000 to assist the family.

August:

CCSD Trustees Approve New MVHS Gym

After fifteen years of begging, pleading, waiting and wishing, local advocates finally prevailed with the Clark County School District Board of Trustees on funding a new gymnasium at Moapa Valley High School.

In a bitterly contentious meeting lasting nearly three hours, the board voted 4-3 to approve the $6.6 million gym project.

The new gym would have an audience capacity of 2,206 people, about twice that of the current gym. With the bleachers put away, it would have the space for three full size practice courts. Also included in the plans is an expanded wrestling room and weight room.

Construction is expected to begin on the new gym this spring. The facility should be completed and in use by around this time next year.

September:

OPD Board Increases Rates Amidst Sharp Criticism

The Overton Power District Board instituted the second phase of a power rate increase which became effective on October 1. The increase affected residential customers and large commercial ratepayers.

During the month-long discussion period, Mesquite residents expressed anger at the board’s decision. Some voiced concerns about the legal status of the board and raised questions on whether two of the most senior OPD board members were seated on the board in compliance with the State’s term limit laws.

To avoid the threat of a likely legal battle, board members Craig Anderson and David Anderson ended up resigning their positions.

Family Dollar Opens

A new commercial building housing the new Family Dollar opened its doors after nearly two years of approvals and construction. A grand opening event was held on Saturday, September 15 where the first 50 customers received gift cards to the store. The new business was welcomed by local consumers.

October:

Moapa Paiute Solar Project Finds Power Purchaser

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) entered into a formal agreement to buy all of the power produced by a 250 megawatt solar generating facility proposed on the Moapa Paiute Indian Reservation.

The proposed plant, using hundreds of photovoltaic cells to harness the suns rays, is expected to be built on about 2,000 acres of land just across I-15 from the Moapa Paiute Travel Plaza.

LADWP approved a 25-year contract with site developer K Road for up to 250 megawatts of power from the plant, enough to supply about 118,000 Los Angeles homes at a locked in rate of 9.4 cents per kilowatt hour.

November:

Moapa Valley Votes In General Election

About 82% of all registered voters in Moapa Valley turned out to the polls on November 6 to cast their ballots in the various races.

In the Presidential race, Republican candidate Mitt Romney was the overwhelming favorite with nearly 80% of the local vote. Of course, Romney went on to lose the national election by a clear margin.

Pirates Lose Another State Game To Truckee

After an exceptional season playing in the new southern I-A division, the Moapa Valley High School Football team earned another shot at the Nevada State Championship against the team’s old rival Truckee. But the Pirates lost once again against the Wolverines. The game, played at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, ended with a score of 34-10.

December:

Local Cops And Community Makes Christmas Merrier

Local Metro officers, assisted by local individuals and businesses, hosted about a dozen local children in a Christmas shopping spree. The Shop With A Cop program had its biggest year thus far in Overton. Police officer picked up the kids at school and took them Christmas shopping for their families. They even helped with the gift wrapping.

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