Editor’s Note: The past year has been a busy one for news events in the Moapa Valley communities. What follows is a brief recap of some of the major news highlights for the year 2015.
January
Reid Gardner Prepares for Demolition of Units 1, 2 and 3
The three oldest coal-burning units at Reid Gardner Generating Station in Moapa were actually shut down for the last time on December 17, 2014. But in early 2015 crews were working through the details of how the units would go through the demolition process. That process is still ongoing.
BLM Revising Resource Management Plan
During the end of 2014 and the beginning of 2015, the Bureau of Land Management held a series of public hearings as part of the process of revising the Las Vegas Resource Management Plan. This plan is a master document that will provide management direction for 3.1 million acres of public land in southern Nevada managed by the BLM over the next two decades.
The PROGRESS published a series of 6 articles which looked over the 2,000 page document and highlighted areas of specific interest to residents of northeastern Clark County.
These included a variety of different public lands topics. For example, the plan proposes to place additional restrictions on virtually all BLM land surrounding the Moapa Valley and Virgin Valley communities, making them Areas of Critical Environmental Concern. It also proposes to remove almost 28,000 acres of land surrounding the town of Moapa which had been tagged for sale and future development, taking it off of the disposal list.
Other subjects included the treatment of lands with “Wilderness Characteristics,” the measurement and oversight of lands deemed to have “Scenic Value,” the effect that the plan would have on local utility rights of way and more.
Local stakeholders were successful in extending the public comment period for the RMP document into February. After public comment was concluded, BLM continued work on the document. The final draft is expected to be completed next summer with a Record of Decision expected by winter of 2016-2017.
February
OHV Friendly Moapa Valley
The Clark County Commissioners approved an ordinance officially declaring Moapa Valley as the first Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) friendly community in the county.
The decision came after more than five years of local leaders advocating for the ordinance. Their goal was to allow access over local roads when travelling to and from public lands surrounding the community. The ordinance specified nearly 100 county roads in Logandale/Overton as officially designated for OHV use. This did not include State Highway 169 through town. But state law allows OHVs to cross perpendicular to the highway in travel to and from public lands beyond.
Local advocates hailed the ordinance as a potential boon for the commercial sectors in the community.
March
PROGRESS Rolls Out New Format
The Moapa Valley Progress adopted a new and improved broadsheet format in the first week of March. The new format offered readers a more sectional layout with larger photos, additional features and a more convenient and scannable layout.
New Tourism Signs At Exit 93
After continued efforts by members of the Moapa Valley Revitalization Project (MVRP), the Nevada Department of Transportation placed new recreational destination signs on both sides of I-15 at the Logandale/Overton Exit 93.
The new signs listed the Valley of Fire State Park as one of the main attractions accessible through the Moapa Valley community. Previous signs in that location had included only the Lost City Museum and Lake Mead National Recreation area.
The new signs coordinated well with additional signage, placed in earlier weeks along State Highway 169, which directed visitors through Logandale and Overton towards the State Park.
Legislature Passes Bill Allowing Election of TABs
Senate Bill 115 was passed on March 12. It mandates for the election, rather than the appointment, of rural town advisory boards (TABs) in Clark County. Going forward, the names of those wishing to serve on the TABs will appear on the election ballot and be chosen by the people of the community. If no one files to run for a TAB seat, the County Commission is still empowered to fill the vacancies by appointment.
M.V. Days Festival Held
The Moapa Valley Chamber of Commerce, in coordination with a host of other community organizations held its second annual Moapa Valley Days festival over the weekend of March 13-14.
The Chamber helped to promote a series of events organized by various organizations including the Rotary Club’s Community Wide Yard Sale, the Art Guild’s Spring Art Show, and the Chamber’s Classic Car Cruise-In.
April
C.A.N. Parade
The seventh annual Child Abuse and Neglect (C.A.N.) Parade and Health Fair was held at the Moapa River Indian Reservation. Highlighted in the celebration was the community’s youth who appeared in the parade. The theme of this year’s event was “Break the Cycle” with the goal to bring awareness to the problem of child abuse and neglect in the comunity.
Perfect Weather For CC Fair
The Clark County Fair saw beautiful, mild weather drawing crowds to Logandale from across the region. Attendance numbers came in just 800 short of the 2008 record, with a total of nearly 83,000 people attending the Fair.
LDS Logandale Chapel Completed
The newly constructed LDS Logandale Chapel reached completion and received its dedication services. The chapel replaced a historic chapel that burned down in February of 2009. The chapel took several years going through planning and permitting. It took just over a year for construction.
Utilities Cut Connection Fees
In an effort to encourage growth in the community both Overton Power District (OPD) and Moapa Valley Water District (MVWD) cut fees for new service last year.
The OPD board had led the way in March, cutting the average cost for a residential service hookup from about $1,500 to around $750. A typical commercial connection was reduced from about $1,750 to around $753.
Then in April, the MVWD made a similar cut to water hookup fees. The board cut water impact fees by 50 percent for both residential and commercial developments. Fees for payment in lieu of dedication of water rights was cut to $2,500 from the previous $7,500.
May
Ute Perkins Elementary Gets New Principal
Principal Mary Scialabba, who had led the school since 2013, was reassigned to a new principal post in Las Vegas. Long-time local school administrator, Hal Mortensen was appointed as interim principal in her place. Later in the year, Mortensen was named as principal officially at the school.
MVHS Pole Vaulter Breaks State Record
Moapa Valley High School senior Caleb Witsken shattered the Division IA state pole vault record by 8 1/4 inches. In the state championship track meet, Witsken cleared the bar at 16 feet and 1/4 inch.
At the same meet, MVHS senior RJ Hubert won the state championship in the 110 meter hurdles with a time of 14.84.
June
MVHS Graduation Held in New Gym
The 2015 Commencement exercises for Moapa Valley High School took place on Friday, June 5 in the newly built gymnasium facility with a class of 125 graduates. It was the first commencement services held in the new Gym. The facility was packed to near capacity with more than 2,000 people in attendance.
July
Cooper Bridge Completed
Construction was completed in early July on the new bridge at Cooper crossing in Overton. The $13.6 million project included the new concrete bridge structure as well as a concrete-lined segment of the channel below the bridge measuring 1,300 feet long and 250 feet wide at its widest point.
The construction project was riddled with bad luck along the way. A substantial flood event occurred on August 9, 2014 which caused some minor damage to the project. Then a month later, on September 9, the community was hit by a major storm event and accompanying flood. That event put the whole project under water, both literally and financially.
Though no federal or state emergency dollars were made available to assist the project contractor, Meadow Valley Construction brought the project to a successful completion.
August
Rough Patch For ‘Roos N More’ Zoo
The owners of Roos N More Zoo in Moapa were surprised in early August when they presented a request for approval of a Use Permit and several other zoning items before the Board of County Commissioners. After a period of contentious and heated comment, the board denied the requests in a 6-1 vote. Commissioner Tom Collins was the only vote in favor of approval.
The zoo had been closed since the beginning of the year because of compliance issues. But this action would have closed down the nine acre facility permanently, requiring the owners to find new homes for the roughly 280 animals on site.
Later that week, however, hope was restored when Commissioner Mary Beth Scow requested a reconsideration of the denial. This came after thousands of emails and social media messages from members of the public who supported the zoo came flooding in.
The matter was reheard in October and the zoo was given the go-ahead, with a number of strict conditions to be met.
The zoo is still working to meet all of those conditions in order to re-open.
Collins Resigns, Kirkpatrick Appointed
County Commissioner Tom Collins resigned his Commission seat on August 10 in a letter to Governor Brian Sandoval. Collins, who had represented District B since 2005, said that he was leaving office “due to family matters.”
Assembly Democrat minority leader Marilyn Kirkpatrick was appointed by Sandoval to fill the remainder of Collins’ term. Kirkpatrick took on the Roos N More zoo issue as her first project as county commissioner. She guided it through the process to a successful conclusion in October.
September
MVCEAB Appoints Task Force On AB 394
The Moapa Valley Community Education Advisory Board (MVCEAB) formed a task force to research the newly passed Assembly Bill 394, a measure mandating the reorganization of the Clark County School District into local precincts.
After several weeks of studying the bill and communicating with legislators, the task force reported on its findings to the MVCEAB. The report detailed several options for the board to take action. The preferred option was to advocate openly for an autonomous Moapa Valley precinct with its own superintendent and elected board members. MVCEAB authorized the task force to pursue that option.
October
Tennis Firsts
It was a first in MVHS history. The doubles tennis team of Andy Beckstrand and Koby Frei made it to the Nevada State Championship tournament. They fell just short of winning the state championship, but it was a historic moment nonetheless.
Moapa Valley in Mourning
M.V. residents mourned with a local family after their 10 year old son Scott Hill was killed in an ATV accident on October 21 near the Bowman Reservoir on his way to a Cub Scout meeting.
A group assembled the following day at the Logandale Fairgrounds to solemnly circulated through the boy’s neighborhood tying hundreds of blue ribbons to fence posts and trees as a sign of support for the family. Classmates at Perkins Elementary, where Hill had gone to school, planned and held memorial ceremonies in the days that followed.
November
CCSD Trustee Disbands MVCEAB
Clark County School District Trustee Chris Garvey attended a meeting of the Moapa Valley Community Education Advisory Board (MVCEAB) on November 13. At the beginning of the meeting she informed board members that their organization, which had been functioning for nearly two decades, hadn’t really existed since 2001.
Garvey said that she had been doing research into the CCSD practices surrounding CEABs and had found a procedural mixup which had occurred 14 years ago. The Board of Trustees had deleted the policy regarding CEABs back in 2001, she said.
Garvey claimed that in order for MVCEAB to operate again as an official entity under CCSD, the matter would have to be brought before the trustees again for review.
MVCEAB members were incensed at the timing of the announcement saying that it had been done because Garvey wanted to derail the board’s efforts regarding forming a Moapa Valley Precinct under Assembly Bill 394 to reorganize CCSD.
In the end, the MVCEAB voted to continue operating as it has for 14 years until it received further notice from the Board of Trustees.
The 20th Pomegranate Festival & the first OHV Roundup
The Moapa Valley Art Guild celebrated its 20th anniversary of the Pomegranate Arts Festival this year.
The following weekend, Moapa Valley held its first OHV Roundup celebrating the official designation of Moapa Valley as the county’s first officially OHV-friendly community. The event was organized by members of the Moapa Valley Revitalization Project (MVRP) in coordination with the Chamber of Commerce.
December
Exit 118 Project Gets Started
The City of Mesquite broke ground on a construction project that will bring a new interchange to Interstate 15 near mile marker 118. The project will include a diamond freeway interchange, an arched underpass and a connection to the existing Lower Flat Top Drive.
It is planned to bring enhanced access to the Mesquite Industrial Park on the western end of the City. Mesquite officials are optimistic that it will bring economic growth that will help all of northeastern Clark County.
Faraday Future!
Chinese-backed electric car company start-up, Faraday Future, announced plans to build a $1 billion plant at the Apex Industrial Complex in North Las Vegas. With a proposed 3 million square foot plan on 900 acres, the facility is expected to bring 4,500 skilled jobs to the area.
The Nevada State Legislature met in special session a week later to approve a huge tax incentive package for the company to locate in southern Nevada.
Local leaders and business owners expressed excitement about the growth that the project promises to bring to the Moapa Valley community.
