Moapa Valley Progress

Biologists performed a semi-annual snorkel count last week of the Moapa dace, a small fish which exists only in the spring flows at the headwaters of the Muddy River. Photo by Mike Donahue.

A two-day snorkel survey of the Moapa dace, tiny endangered fish that live only in the waters in and around Warm Springs, counted an estimated 654 fish last week. This was only a slight decrease from the August 2011 assessment.

But while the numbers are 59 lower than six months ago, Lee Simons, a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), said the slight drop isn’t especially important since there are typically fewer fish in the winter.

“It’s more significant that the numbers are up 80 fish over the 574 counted in February 2011,” he explained. “These are pretty good numbers for us. This actually shows the population is improving and that’s a good thing.”

The USFWS is charged with taking care of Moapa dace which includes estimating their population. Simons, who headed up the Warm Springs count, said the agency conducts the snorkel survey twice a year – in August and February.

“A key requirement for managing the species is to track it through time,” he said. “That’s our way of knowing how things are going for Moapa dace populations.”

A biologist snorkels through shallow spring flows to account for Moapa dace and other fish in the Warm Springs area. Photo by Mike Donahue.

To count the fish wetsuit-clad, goggle-wearing biologists, breathing through snorkels carefully swim upstream noting the numbers of each species of fish they see including any non-natives such as mollies as well as native populations of the Moapa speckled dace, Moapa White River springfish and the Moapa dace. They call out their count to others walking streamside who record the numbers.

Agencies represented last week include biologists and staff from USFWS, Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW), and a graduate student from the University of Arizona.

“It’s a pretty good technique,” Simons said. “When we’ve gone back to double check our numbers (with different counters) our counts usually dovetail pretty well.”

Springs and tributaries surveyed included the Apcar Springs, Pedersen Springs, Refuge Springs (also known as Plummer Springs), the North Fork Tributary, South Fork Tributary and Muddy Springs Tributary (on LDS Church property). Waters survey range from a few inches deep down to 6 feet or more.

“During the survey we’re also looking at the life stages of the Moapa dace (larval, juvenile and adult),” said Crystal Shanley, a SNWA biologist who plays a major role in the restoration of habitat for the endangered fish. “It’s not an exact age classification as much as it’s a size classification.”

Robert Johnson, a biologist and SNWA manager of the Warm Springs Natural Area where many of the fish were counted, explained Moapa dace populations have been steadily increasing for the past several years despite suffering a catastrophic setback between 2007 and 2008.

“For some unknown reason, the population plummeted from 1,172 in February 2007 to 459 in February 2008,” Johnson said. “Since then, however, we’ve seen through successive counts that they’ve been steadily climbing.”

A member of the Cyprinidae family and the sole species in the genus Moapa, the Moapa dace lives only in the warm springs of the upper Muddy River and has a distinctive leathery appearance — hence the scientific name coriacea , which means “leathery,” according to the Center for Biological Diversity’s website.

When first discovered in 1938, the dace was considered common, all living within a 10-mile range that included 25 thermal springs, the website says. “Today its habitat is limited to three springs and a less-than two-mile stretch of the Muddy River.”

Moapa dace has been under protection since 1967, actually predating the Endangered Species Act by six years.

The only areas where Moapa dace are currently found include springs, streams and tributaries in the Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge, on private land owned by the LDS Church and on a 1,220-acre tract SNWA purchased for $69 million in 2007 directly across the Warm Springs loop road from the refuge, Johnson said. All areas include thermal waters from the White River Ground-water Flow System which bubble to the surface from several primeval springs.

The 116 acres that make up the wildlife refuge was purchased in 1979 by the USFWS in an effort to protect the species.

“About 85 percent of the dace habitat is on SWNA property, although the majority of the source population of the fish is on USFWS refuge property,” Johnson said.

SNWA and USFWS, with help from other agencies including the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) which participated in the recent count, have been doing substantial habitat restoration in an effort return the area to its original most native state.

“I’m not talking about the ‘historic’ state of the habitat,” Simons said, “because in recent history there were man-made swimming pools here. We’re talking about returning the habitat to what it was like originally.”

“The USFWS has a recovery plan and we’re (SNWA) trying to assist in the implementation of action that helps meet the goals of that plan,” Johnson said.

Moapa Valley Progress

The National Park Service (NPS) last week issued the first of three permits that organizers need in order to hold two Moapa Valley-related events next month involving Lake Mead.

Although the two events, the Logandale LDS Stake Handcart Trek and St. Thomas Alive, in which the public is invited to participate in bringing the city back to life for a day, are separate activities, they are related in that the conclusion of the first is the beginning of the second, according to Lindsey Dalley, who has been working on both since last fall.

During the trek, some 300 people in period dress will form a traveling handcart company reminiscent of the pioneers crossing the plains that will start at the Logandale LDS Stake Center on Friday, March 2. After a nine-mile walk through various parts of Moapa Valley, the trek will conclude an additional three or four miles later Saturday, March 3, at the ruins of St. Thomas, a once-thriving city that was inundated by Lake Mead in the 1930s.

St. Thomas Alive is set to kick off at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 3, just before the handcarts are scheduled to arrive. During the event, community members are encouraged to visit the ruins south of Overton and see what life was like before Lake Mead flooded the city.

“The NPS permit we just got allows us to improve the road from the bluff overlooking St. Thomas down to the actual townsite,” Dalley said. “We’re expecting a lot of people – the elderly and others — who have trouble walking will want to participant in St. Thomas Alive, so we’ve received permission to allow them to drive to the town site and park.”

The permit also allows organizers to blade a small, limited-vehicle parking area on land that has been mostly under water since the 1930s.

“Use of the road and the parking area is being limited to four-wheel-drive vehicles that have at least six people inside,” Dalley said.

The other two permits yet to be issued include giving the handcart expedition the permission to pull the wheeled vehicles from the Overton Wildlife Management Area across the one-time lake bottom; and a permit to allow St. Thomas Alive to happen at all, Dalley said.

“The park service has been absolutely wonderful about all of this,” he continued. “There are going to be a few restrictions like no glass or Styrofoam at St. Thomas, but the park service has been very good about working with us.”

He added that attendees also need to be aware that, other than a few port-a-potties, there will be no services at St. Thomas for attendees.

“They’re going to have to carry down their own food, water and anything else they might need,” he said.

Moapa Valley Progress

Moapa Valley Town Advisory Board (MVTAB) members were presented with a problem at a meeting on Wednesday February 15 and were asked to consider two options for resolving the problem.

Clark County Engineer, Kaizad Yazdani explained to the board that the county had received a complaint regarding a parking issue at the corner of Virginia Ave. and Moapa Valley Blvd. in downtown Overton. Yazdani displayed an aerial photograph of the intersection which showed cars parked alongside the commercial buildings on either side of the street.

“As you can see from the photograph, there are a couple of cars parked in the right of way and close to where there is a stop sign on the southwest corner,” Yazdani told the board. “The person who called in was complaining that the cars are so close to the stop sign that it is hard to see the stop sign.”

Yazdani explained that the existing right of way on Virginia Ave. west of the Boulevard is eighty feet. Thus perpendicular parking on the south side of the Ace Hardware building or along the north side of the Sage Health and Empowerment building would be straddling the Virginia Ave. right of way.

Yazdani said he had brought two possible solutions to present to the board. The first option would be to vacate 10 feet of right of way on either side of the street and then require cars to do only parallel parking in those areas. The second option was to have County Public Works to specify striped diagonal parking within the right of way on either side of the road, and change the placement of the stop sign to make it more visible.

MVTAB member Dustin Nelson asked why the right of way on the west side of the Boulevard couldn’t be adjusted to match that of the east side which is 40 feet. Yazdani responded that new county standards require at least a 50 ft right of way. So it couldn’t be brought less than that on the west side.

MVTAB member Gene Houston observed that, once the striping is done, the road would effectively be brought down to about a 40 ft. right of way anyway. Yazdani agreed.

Houston said that the angled striped parking would be the best solution as long as the county was going to foot the cost of the striping.

“We are trying to have businesses here,” Houston said. “We are not trying to add to the cost of staying in business. We are trying to keep them here. So if you were going to come in and do that with the county, to me that is a good fix. We’re not adding additional cost to them. (Parking along there) is something that they’ve done for the past, I don’t know, 50 years. Now if you say you can’t do that, then it is a problem because I think they’d have a prescriptive right of way.”

“We are just trying to make the situation safe,” Yazdani responded.

“I understand that and safety is a good thing,” Houston said. “So under the circumstances, I think that the striping is the best option.”

During public comment, Logandale resident Ralph Starita asked if the complaint had come from an anonymous caller. Yazdani confirmed that it had.

“Then it should have been thrown out,” Starita said. “If their not willing to face the people here and stand up for it, I don’t agree with it. This anonymous stuff has got to stop.”

“The county doesn’t have the luxury of picking and choosing,” said Janice Ridondo, Community Liaison to Commissioner Tom Collins’ office. “In the (Las Vegas) valley when folks live so close to one another, there has been so much retaliation when someone is named, than anonymous is a very important tool in town. It may not be here and I won’t argue that. But I appreciate that you want the folks to come forward. But at this point it is a safety concern and I think this will improve the businesses and be good for everyone.”

Logandale resident Corey Dalley asked that a period of time be given for public input on the matter.

“It would be good if a timeframe were given for business input and community input so that we don’t end up with another fence along Bunnell,” Dalley said.

Ace Hardware owner Dan Hopkins said he was fine with the idea of striped parking along Virginia Ave.

“We have never had a problem there,” he said. “There has never been a problem there. I spoke with Metro and they’ve never had a problem there. I think that you are making mountains out of molehills here. I don’t really see a reason for it. But if you want to do it, we can live with it.”

Houston made a motion to go forward with the option of doing striped angled parking along both sides of Virginia Ave. in the area just west of Moapa Valley Blvd. The board approved the motion with a unanimous vote.

At that time, the Beckstrands say they could find no place in Nevada where they could receive support in dealing with such serious childhood heart disease. So they made it their mission to found an organization to serve that purpose.

“My husband and I started the Children’s Heart Foundation with the help of other heart families and the doctors from the Children’s Heart Center,” said Carrie Beckstrand. “We wanted to develop a foundation where families with heart kids could turn for help.”

The foundation will be holding its 9th annual “Walk With The Heart Of a Child” event at the Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas on Saturday, February 25 beginning at 8:00 a.m. The event will benefit several of the foundation’s initiatives and efforts throughout the region, including “Camp Mend A Heart” a summer camp designed especially for heart children in the region.

The foundation has provided support to several families right here in the Moapa Valley area, Beckstrand said.

The Jacobsmeyer family of Overton became involved with the Foundation after their daughter Jenni, now a freshman at Moapa Valley High School, underwent her third open heart surgery at the age of 10.

“Jenni has been to heart camp for the last four summers and it has done amazing things for her,” Natalie said. “She has been able to bond with other kids who have similar struggles.”

Braeden St. John of Logandale was diagnosed with a heart condition and underwent open heart surgery a little over a year ago. Now, thirteen months later, the only indication of the surgery is a long scar on his chest that people refer to as a “zipper”, said his mom Kristy St. John.

“Since Braeden had his surgery he is back to playing football and basketball and he even earned a first place trophy for the 2011 race season on his motorcycle,” Kristy said. “He was also able to participate in Camp Mend A Heart this past summer and had fun hanging out with other kids with similar experiences.”

This year, the Moapa Valley team for the “Walk With The Heart Of a Child” event is calling itself the Queen Victoria team after another local heart kid. Twelve year-old Victoria Pray of Overton was diagnosed with a serious heart disease when she was only three months old. Back then, doctors didn’t expect Victoria to live for very long. She has spent her life receiving treatment for her condition. Fortunately, she is now in a much more stable condition.

“Today Victoria is growing by leaps and bounds,” said her mother, Jacqulyn Pray. “She still has the disease and always will but she has a chance to try to do normal things that she never could before.”

The Moapa Valley team nickname comes from a story when Victoria, only 5 at the time, was in the intensive care unit at Sunrise Hospital.

“The nurses at the ICU decided that this sweet little girl had to have a nick name,” Jacqulyn said. “They began calling her Queen Victoria. They would curtsy whenever they entered her room. Then the doctors started to do it too. Pretty soon that was her name.”

The experience was the inspiration for the naming of this year’s Moapa Valley team.

For more information on the “Walk For The Heart Of a Child” event or to get involved call Carrie Beckstrand at 397-6039.

Moapa Valley Progress

An ambitious calendar is underway for the MV Art Guild through the guidance of the 2012 Officers: President: Jackie Worthen; Vice-President – Scott Simper; Secretary – Aimee Potts (taking over for Bonnie Koopman who stepped down after 10 years of dedicated service); and Treasurer: Jerry Howe. The Hospitality Chairperson is Shanalee Simper.

Through February and March the Guild members are displaying “Desert Scenes” at the Lost City Museum in Overton. All art medias are represented, from oil to watercolor to creatively decorated gourds to photography to art on wood. This is a wonderful opportunity to shop for a unique gift for that loved one.

An interesting modern art piece “Moon Over The Mesa” by member Barbara Rowley is one of many delightful pieces in the exhibit. Barbara was named the artist of the month at the Mesquite Fine Arts Show. In addition to her drawing, Barbara does beaded purses and jewelry.

The Guild’s Spring Art Show is scheduled to be held on March 16-17 during the Community Wide Yard Sale. It will be held at the Old Logandale School from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. both days. Members and non-members are encouraged to take part in this popular show. Entries will be accepted March 15 from 9 to noon at the Old Logandale School. Interested artists should call 397-6444 before March 6. The Chairperson for the exhibit is Janet Trobough (397-2631).

The winners of the MV Art Guild Scholarships will be featured in a special exhibit at the Overton Library in July and August. There will be a reception opening this exhibit, which will be announced later.

The popular Kids’ Art Workshop will be held in July. This free workshop is for young artists ages 12 to 18 years. Details will be announced at a later date.

The Pomegranate Art Festival is scheduled for November 2-3 at the Clark County Fairgrounds. This year, the member only Poster Contest is to be decided in April. The entries will also be donated to the Scholarship Raffle prizes.

The Moapa Valley Art Guild is dedicated to bringing the fine arts and crafts to the community and to helping nurture the talents of its members as well as community artists at large. If you would like to be a part of this active community organization, you are welcomed with open arms – call 397-6444.

No one asked me but… The issue in Syria has become toxic as multitudes of citizens have rebelled against the government. The Syrian government is a dictatorship and the American people find that offensive. However, a vast majority of the people of the world are living under dictatorships. Those dictatorships are the legal governments of those countries. We are highly offended by the Syrian dictatorship but are not so by the dictatorship of Saudi Arabia. We go to war when the dictator of Iraq invades the country run by the dictator of Kuwait. We condemn the President of Syria because he turns troops loose on citizens who are in open rebellion against his government. We are calling for Assad to step down and turn the government over to the rebels.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t give a whit about Syria or Assad but I do care about the hypocrisy of the American government. While we rant about the dictatorship of Syria, we support the dictatorship in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

We are concerned about the violence of a civil war that is breaking out and feel it could be avoided if only Assad would step down and let the rebels have the country.

Let me direct your attention to the United States in 1861. Had Abe Lincoln allowed the Southern States to withdraw peacefully, 600,000 Americans would not have died over the next four years. If Assad is committing genocide and crimes against humanity, what was Sherman doing during his no quarters march to the sea in 1864?

The United States government has brought Sedition charges against nine members of the Hutaree, an anti-government group. Sedition is defined as revolting or inciting revolt against government. A person may be punished for sedition when he or she makes statements that create a Clear and Present Danger to rights that the government may lawfully protect. (SCHENCK V. UNITED STATES, 249 U.S. 47, 39 S. Ct. 247, 63 L. Ed. 470 [1919]).

Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Graveline stated in his opening argument that the members of Hutaree were looking for some type of conflict to trigger an attack.

The war to them meant patriots rising up against the government and he produced automatic weapons the members of Hutaree had collected. He produced a video taken by an informant who had infiltrated the group under the pay of the government. In the video, the Hutaree leader David Stone was shown stating, “Welcome to the revolution.”

Stone’s attorney indicated that indeed there were a number of inflammatory statements on the video but that the revolution was to take place only after the anti-Christ from overseas had taken over the American government. He further indicated the group was so financially handicapped it could not even muster up enough money to attend the regional militia meeting.

The only one in the group with the financial means to revolt was the undercover agent who supplied the van, gas, and camera that the group used to spread their message. Of the nine defendants, only one has copped a plea and the sedition charges have been dropped. The government used an un-Constitutional gun law to sentence him to five years in prison.

For me, the issues are free speech and hypocrisy. How can we condemn the Syrian government for defending itself from rebellion when we imprison those who oppose our government? In some cases, it is merely a failure to cooperate with over-zealous federal agents; ask Randy Weaver and those sacrificed at Ruby Ridge. Or, the unpopular church members in Waco.

What would happen to a group of citizens who took to the streets in America? I would direct you to Detroit in 1967. Early in the morning on Sunday, 23 July, 1967, the Detroit police raided an after-hours drinking establishment where more than 80 men and women were celebrating the return of two Vietnam veterans. The issue escalated from a confrontation with the Detroit police to a full-blown shooting war with the National Guard. Before the week was over, there were 43 dead, 467 injured, more than 7,200 arrests, and more than 2,000 buildings destroyed as tanks rolled through the streets of Detroit.

While I have no love for the dictator of Syria, I have a great deal of reluctance to think we should get involved. We tried that in Iraq; how has that worked out?

No one asked me but… I find the opening of the Mob Museum in Las Vegas absurd. What next? A statue and a shrine for murderers? Oh, wait, there are those in the museum. How about a hall of fame for burglars and drug dealers? I suppose a city built by gangsters and a state that is financed on debauchery should not be too sensitive to the correctness of glorifying criminals.

I moved to Las Vegas in 1967 and lived through the mobs hey day in that city. I even taught some of the children of the mobsters. I remember them as very polite children and good students.

For the average person living in Las Vegas, it was a better place to live than it is today. You could walk anywhere in the city and know you were safe. It was neutral ground for the gangsters and they wanted the town quiet.

Sheriff Ralph Lamb was the “baddest” man in town and no one messed with him either. If you messed with either side of the law you might wake up dead in the desert or at the bottom of Lake Mead wearing cement scuffies.

Prices were down and a low paid teacher could have a night on the town for very little or nothing. I remember the free lounge shows that cost you at most the price of a cola; Shecky Green was a favorite of mine. Johnny Carson could be seen for fourteen dollars a couple and that included a dinner. If you really splurged for an anniversary, a twenty-five dollar night would get you a major show and dinner.

That being said and with all due respect to Oscar Goodman, is a mob museum really a good idea? I must admit I would vote for Oscar for governor and I think he is the best mayor Las Vegas has ever had. But really, Oscar, a mob museum?

Thought of the week…American presidents always avoid shaking hands with brutal dictators, except when it’s advantageous to do so.

– Elizabeth A. Sherman

In the Declaration of Independence, it is noted that King George was establishing an “absolute tyranny” over the people in the colonies, from the fact that “He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.”

These “substances” are taken from us now, by our own government, as taxes, people, and if you think about it, we aren’t being represented any better at the top than were those Colonists back then.

Our government, over time, has become a collection of administrative services. The problem with developing an administrative state is that it raises the welfare of the group or of the community above the rights and liberties of the individual people. Constitutionally, our government gains ability only from the consent of the governed, and power only from the sovereignty of the people. Anything else is unconstitutional federally, and demands to be relegated to States’ Rights and local governments, so the Fed stays small and manageable.

Our founding Fathers mentioned a need for small and limited government. These are two distinct concepts. The size and scope of our federal leadership, and our responsibility for the management of that leadership should be, for us, a high priority. However, I look around and find most of us are more than willing to expect that somebody else will manage these responsibilities in our stead, yet keep our well-being in mind.

As citizens, we are widely known for our independent spirit; a freedom-loving nation. But have we forgotten the blood spilled by others to grant us these liberties? With every added freedom and right comes a new responsibility. Are we up to the challenge? We tend to forget that our freedoms were bought for us by our predecessors. They were not free. Not even cheap. But worthwhile.

It’s almost time to elect new people. Do we have the stomach for it? If that means closing down federal administrative offices, I hope we will vote people in who will do that for us. Remember, smaller government will cost us less in taxes.

A special thanks to two sets of friends who were there for Dorene. Tom and Terrie Ryan drove her to the hospital the first day and stayed until we knew Ralph was okay to leave him for the night and then made sure she got home again. Lee and Flo Seckinger happily placed themselves on standby until we heard Ralph was being discharged and, while Flo did the driving to and from the hospital that day, Lee was there to make sure Dorene’s car had enough fuel and that everything under the hood was in good order before they took the ride to Las Vegas.

To the rest who called or emailed their support of Dorene and well wishes for Ralph, thanks, thanks, thanks!

Ralph and Dorene Starita

Brinkoetter/Harris

Tony and Dorothy Brinkoetter of Winnemucca/Logandale, Nevada along with Jack and Chyrel Harris of Ontario, Oregon are proud to announce the engagement and upcoming marriage of their respective children; Ann Brinkoetter to Cody Harris, both currently of Winnemucca, Nevada.

Ann received her education at Geyserville High School, in Geyserville, California, class of 1998. She received her Bachelor of Art’s Degree in Social Science, specializing in History, Psychology, and Anthropology from The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, class of 2002. She is self employed and is in the equipment rental business.

Cody received his education at Huntington High School, in Huntington, Oregon, class of 2000. For the last seven years Cody has been in the Operating Engineers Union, Local 3. He is a heavy equipment operator, specializing in Dozer work. His career takes him all over the state of Nevada. He enjoys his profession immensely.

The couple plans to wed in April, in Sparks, Nevada.

Moapa Valley Progress

PFCs Jacob Ham (left) and James Martin were selected as Ceremonial Marchers for the U.S. Marines.

PFC Jacob Ham and PFC James Martin, both of Moapa Valley, were recently chosen to participate with the Ceremonial Marchers of the Alpha Company of Marines in Washington, DC as a Drill and Ceremony Marcher.

The Ceremonial Marchers of Alpha Company are comprised of the 1st and 2nd platoons. They handle hundreds of ceremonial commitments throughout the Capitol and surrounding areas each year. Among these commitments are occasions like funerals at Arlington National Cemetery, wreath ceremonies at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider, and arrivals at the White House, Pentagon, and Washington Navy Yard.

In addition, during the summer season, the Ceremonial Marchers perform in the Sunset Parades held at the Washington Memorial as well as parades held at the Marine Barracks in Washington, DC.

PFC Ham and PFC Martin enlisted in the US Marine Corps under the delayed enlistment program during their senior year at Moapa Valley High School in 2011. They shipped out in July and graduated from the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, CA on October 16, 2011. Then they both went on to the Marine Corps school of infantry at the Infantry Training Battalion, Delta Company, at Camp Pendleton, CA, to graduate on January 16, 2012.

Ceremonial Marchers are selected on screening trips to the recruit depots and schools of infantry. Their selection is based on a rigorous checklist of military appearance and composure, along with thorough background qualification. The Marchers undergo an intense training period upon arriving at the Marine Barracks in Washington, DC. This period of training can last up to a month. Once training is completed, marchers are fully qualified to participate in all ceremonial commitments.

Ceremonial Marchers are, first and foremost, infantry Marines. Upon leaving the barracks in Washington, DC, Ham and Martin will report to Infantry Battalions throughout the Marine Corps and deploy throughout the world. In addition to their ceremonial duties, Marines must complete annual training requirements in rifle, swim, and martial arts as well as to conduct field operations to train the Marines in fire team and squad-level tactics.

Martin and Ham enlisted in the Marines under the “Buddy System”. Throughout this program the two men were in the same company and platoon. They graduated together and completed similar training. They are currently serving together in Washington, DC.