
Elko County Commission Chairman Demar Dahl holds up a sign in April that he said businesses could display to indicate they are ready to reopen under Nevada's "Phase 2" guidelines. Dahl's term ended in December.
ELKO – Rural Nevada is ready to say goodbye to 2020, a year that will be remembered for the deadly coronavirus as well as tragic losses from violent crimes.
Elko’s first cases of COVID-19 arrived in March just days after Gov. Steve Sisolak announced a statewide lockdown. By mid-December the county had seen more than 3,500 confirmed cases and 32 deaths related to the virus, many of them residents of a nursing home.
March also brought the beginning of a string of homicides that included a highway patrolman and four victims under the age of 25.
The year had started off bright enough, with citizens announcing their bids for political office and Komatsu Equipment Co. opening a massive $47 million facility on the west end of town. Then the first cases of COVID-19 began to be reported in Nevada.
Local officials declared the pandemic a state of emergency in mid-March but were reluctant to follow the governor’s guidance on business restrictions. The Elko City Council balked at the idea of having police enforce shutdowns.
Elko County’s first five coronavirus cases were confirmed during the latter half of March. Commissioner Delmo Andreozzi and Elko County Health Officer Dr. Bryce Putnam announced the launch of a COVID-19 hotline on Facebook Live.
The county’s first death was reported in early April, a West Wendover woman in her late 50s. It was Nevada’s first death outside Las Vegas and Reno.
Face masks were an unfamiliar commodity at that time in stores around the country, so several local residents got busy creating homemade versions.
Some local nurses traveled to New York City, where the pandemic was hitting hard. Nicole Sirotek said it was “like combat medicine … It’s non-stop.” In her grief, she made a video about the desperate situation that was shared across the internet.
When Sisolak announced a “Phase 1” reopening at the end of April, Elko County commissioners rejected parts of his plan. Commissioners Rex Steninger and Cliff Eklund described it as putting neighbors in the position of “snitching” on each other.
By that time many businesses had been suffering from the shutdown, while a new one was just preparing to open. The Newe Cannabis dispensary on the Elko Indian Colony did a booming business at its drive-through window after opponents – including city officials and some tribal members – failed to block its April 18 opening.
“It’s a good thing for us, for our community,” said Elko Band Council Chairman Davis Gonzales. “With its profits we can fix our roads, our buildings … instead of depending on the government.”
By the end of May there were still only a couple dozen confirmed virus cases in Elko County. But then businesses across the state began “Phase 2” reopening. Elko’s numbers rose quickly in June, and by July Putnam said “we’re having a full-blown outbreak.”
On the bright side, Elko’s mining-based economy thrived through the pandemic. The mining industry was deemed essential, and mines continued operating under COVID-19 restrictions.
Gold prices reached a record high this year, with the New York Mercantile Exchange closing at $2,019.40 per ounce on August 4. It was the first time gold had ever crossed the $2,000 threshold.
Mining activity continued with projects like the $300 million third-shaft project at NGM’s Turquoise Ridge Complex in Humboldt County and an expansion at KG Mining’s Bald Mountain mine in White Pine County.
“At the beginning of COVID-19, we actually reached out to the governor and had a talk with him about prepaying the net proceeds tax,” Nevada Gold Mines Executive Director Greg Walker said.
Despite that move, state lawmakers proposed changes to the Nevada Constitution that would allow for increased taxing of mining companies.
Unemployment in Elko County had climbed to over 8% but dropped back to 4.3% by fall – still higher than last year’s level of 2.5%.
Elko City Council worked with the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration to determine what events could be safely held. Large annual gatherings such as the Elko Mining Expo were forced to cancel because of the pandemic, but some events were allowed, including the Silver State Stampede and a car show.
The council provided license-fee breaks to some businesses that were forced to remain closed, which included the city’s legal brothels and a live entertainment venue.
With rising case numbers and pressure from Carson City, the council decided in August to revoke the business license of a downtown bar. Two weeks later they allowed it to reopen.
After that it would be up to the state OSHA office to decide whether a business was in violation. The agency cited an Elko auto parts store and a cellphone store, ordering fines that totaled over $13,000.
The virus also slowed the wheels of justice.
“The court has not been able to conclude cases with trials and final hearings as quickly as it normally does due to the pandemic,” said District Judge Al Kacin. At the end of 2020, eight jury trials in his department were rescheduled for next year.
With limited group sizes, the court employed technology such as the meeting platform Zoom that allowed defendants, witnesses and attorneys to participate in a hearing from their home or office.
Nonprofit groups were unable to hold their typical fundraisers, prompting a group of motor vehicle dealers to donate $100 from every purchase.
“We ended up raising almost $32,000 across the board and took that and donated it back to local nonprofits,” said J.B. Anderson, general manager at Riverton Elko Chevrolet Buick GMC.
Millions of dollars in CARES Act funding were funneled from the state to the county and city.
City Manager Curtis Calder said the city's efforts in heading up a Shop Local campaign resulted in higher sales tax revenue -- roughly 30% above budget for the first quarter of the fiscal year that began July 1.
After being closed throughout the spring, schools were also shuttered to in-person instruction in August.
“As we headed into the new school year, we had to find a way to protect our teachers, staff and students while providing an education during a pandemic,” Superintendent Michele Robinson recalled.
Coronavirus case numbers dropped in September, but by then the virus had entered Highland Manor, killing five patients in two weeks.
White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx visited Elko at the end of October. She warned of dark days ahead, once the weather turned colder.
Nevada held its General Election with mostly mail-in voting, a controversial move that President Donald Trump said resulted in election fraud. Voters in Elko County stood firmly behind Trump, handing him 77% of the vote.
The election resulted in some big changes on the local level, with voters refusing to renew Elko County’s pay-as-you-go school construction tax. The decision followed complaints about new buildings under construction on the Elko High School campus, and calls for local governments to be able to use a portion of the money on other construction needs.
An incumbent district judge and a school board member lost their seats. Public Defender Kriston Hill will be sworn in to replace Judge Nancy Porter in January. Businessman Robert Leonhardt will replace Tammie Cracraft Dickenson on the school board.
Elko Justice of the Peace Mason Simons was elected to fill the newly created District Court Dept. 3 bench, and former police chief Clair Morris was chosen to replace Robert Schmidtlein on the Elko City Council after he decided not to run again.
In early November, Governor Sisolak told Nevadans to stay home whenever possible. Two weeks later he lowered occupancy limits in some businesses to 25% of capacity and public gatherings to a maximum 50 people.
Schools began resuming classes in phases in November, at the same time coronavirus case numbers were surging again.
Coronavirus task force leader Caleb Cage specifically called out Elko County for a “lack of clear, coherent messaging from elected officials.” The governor was accused of the same, as he invited tourist to Las Vegas while asking Nevadans to stay in their homes.
As cold weather set in, Elko County’s virus numbers exploded to their highest levels, reaching more than 600 active cases in early December. A second string of deaths at Elko’s nursing home sent fatalities higher in December.
Death also came to Elko County in the form of violence.
Elko County’s string of homicides began on March 8 when a 16-year-old Spring Creek girl vanished. The body of Gabrielle “Britney” Ujlaky was discovered three days later near Elko. Another Spring Creek student, Bryce Dickey, 18, was later arrested and charged with murder.
Later in March, 47-year-old NHP trooper Ben Jenkins of Elko was shot and killed while stopping to help a motorist parked on U.S. Highway 93 in neighboring White Pine County. John L. Dabritz, 65, of Ely was bound over to district court on a murder charge in November.
In May, a 7-month-old baby boy who had stopped breathing was flown from Elko to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City where he died two days later. He had been left in the care of Nathan O’Dell, 24, who was charged with murder. He pleaded guilty in September and is awaiting sentencing.
In June, April Heather Zavala, 24, was strangled to death and her 61-year-old mother Judith was arrested on a murder charge.
The region’s fifth homicide occurred on the night of Nov. 1, when 16-year-old Kylee Leniz of Elko was shot to death by a man who walked up to the drive-through window where she worked at the east-end McDonald’s. Justin M. Mullis, 24, of Winnemucca was arrested the following day.
Residents were shocked by the crimes, along with deaths from the pandemic that totaled 32 by Christmas.
While 2020 will go down in history as a year to be forgotten it will leave lasting memories for those who lost loved ones. Highland Manor reported that residents would be getting vaccinated in the New Year, following healthcare workers and first responders.
Many questions about the future remained unanswered but Elko residents were looking forward to what they hoped would be a fresh start in 2021.
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Elko 2020: The year in photos:
Socially distanced graduation

Spring Creek High School Principal Shaun Taylor fist-bumps a graduate on June 5. The subdued ceremony for about 195 seniors started with a car parade at the Spring Creek Marina and ended at the high school's parking lot.
County, city respond to virus

Elko County Director of Human Resources Amanda Osborne films Elko County Commissioner Delmo Andreozzi (in mask) and Mayor Reece Keener (no mask) as they worked in June to encourage the safe reopening of local shops and restaurants.
Rally for social justice

Tiffiny Wamsley and Nicole Bowers created the Elko Solidarity Network to show support for those around the country who rallied following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
County declares emergency

Elko County declared a coronavirus emergency in mid-March, recruiting Annette Kerr to manage the situation. She speaks with Sheriff Aitor Narvaiza, left, and Undersheriff Jim Carpenter.
Mail-in ballot law protest

A woman wears a politically charged face covering in front of the Elko County Courthouse on Aug. 4, 2020, during a protest of legislation converting Nevada’s election to mail-in ballots
Nurses serve in New York City

Stacie Richins (front center) appears with her coworkers in this selfie taken while Elko nurses were serving in New York City during the early weeks of the coronavirus pandemic, before cases began surging at home.
Kylee Leniz memorial service

Candles were lit at the Elko County Fairgrounds on the night of Nov. 6 in remembrance of 16-year-old Kylee Leniz, who was killed at the McDonald's drive-up window on Nov. 1. She was one of four homicide victims in Elko County this year.
Reopen schools supporters

A family of protesters stands outside of Elko County School District's Central Office on Oct. 13, 2020, where trustees were to decide whether to reopen schools in November.
Standing up for gun rights

The public turned out in droves for a February meeting in which county commissioners voted to join a lawsuit against Nevada's new "red flag" gun law.
School district controversies

Dr. Michelle Robinson, center, joined the Elko County School District as superintendent in 2020. In this photo she views the progress of controversial construction projects at Elko High School with board members Tammy Dickenson and Theresa Dastrup. Dastrup won re-election while Dickenson was replaced.
Efforts to recall the governor

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak was not a popular figure in Elko County even before he issued coronavirus restrictions, but he survived efforts to petition for a recall. Here, Kathy Edwards speaks during an April 25 rally in the Commercial Casino parking lot.
A year of tragedies

The year 2020 will be remembered as a violent one in Elko County that included four homicides. A fifth in adjacent White Pine County took the life of Nevada Highway Patrol Sgt. Ben Jenkins of Elko. Here, NHP Capt. James Simpson presents a U.S. flag to Jenkins' widow, Jodi Jenkins, on July 8 at Warrior Field.
A different dining experience

Restaurants that were shut down when the coronavirus pandemic hit began reopening in May under strict rules. Here, waitress Erin Lister fills cups for patrons at the Coffee Mug on May 12.
Fire threatens Spring Creek

Elko County escaped major property damage from wildfires in 2020, including this July blaze in the heart of Spring Creek. Many fires broke out across the county but a rapid and thorough first response keep most of them at a few acres or less.
Year in Review: Building stronger schools: State superintendent hears from Elko-area residents

ELKO – Training for special service aides and a better understanding of accommodations for disabled students were among several issues brought to the attention of State Superintendent Jhone Ebert during her statewide listening tour of Nevada school districts.
Ebert made Elko County her seventh stop on Oct. 22, 2019, touring schools and meeting with administrators, teachers, parents and community members.
“We’ve learned a lot on the way,” Ebert said. “We’ve learned some wonderful things around the state.”
Many in attendance were parents of a current Elko County School District student and shared their thoughts on a wide range of topics.
One of those topics was the funding formula that raised concerns during this year’s legislative session. Other in attendance raised concerns regarding students with disabilities and the need for more autonomy in rural school districts.
To read the story, click here.
Year in Review: What's changing this year?

ELKO – If a proposed education funding formula is signed into law, the Elko County School District would be “forced to make major staffing and programming cuts.”
That is the prognosis stated by Superintendent Todd Pehrson in his testimony to a joint meeting of the Senate Committee on Finance and Assembly Committee on Ways and Means on May 21.
The nearly seven-hour-long session this week included input from school superintendents and representatives from other entities affected by the education bill.
The potential impacts of the education formula were unknown in January when it was addressed by school district officials. Now, more than four months later, the district is taking a hard look at what challenges lie ahead.
If SB543 becomes law, the district’s budget would be frozen for multiple years, Pehrson said. The effects would be felt at all schools throughout the school district, including one-room schools, combined schools and more populated schools in Elko, Spring Creek and West Wendover.
To read the story, click here.
Year in Review: Liberty Peak opens

ELKO – Cheers and applause rang out as school board members cut the ribbon to open Liberty Peak Elementary in Spring Creek Thursday evening.
About 1,200 people toured the newly constructed school that also doubled as an open house for students and parents to meet teachers and staff a few days ahead of the first day of school on Aug. 26.
Teresa Dastrup, Elko County School trustee and board president, welcomed the parents and children gathered outside the school.
“This is your school and we know you’re excited to come and be here and be part of a great new location, this beautiful view that you get to see every day,” Dastrup said. “We’ve had a lot of thought that’s gone into this school, and we’re excited for you to be here, so welcome to Liberty Peak.”
Year in Review: Construction begins on $9.5 million science building

ELKO – Construction on the new Elko High School science building is underway.
Ground was broken Nov. 11 on the two-story building, which is estimated to cost $9.5 million, paid for with pay-as-you-go tax funds.
It will include 11 classrooms and lab space to house new equipment for physics, chemistry and biology classes.
The science building will be on the site of the former Elko General Hospital. The school district in 2001 purchased the 3.2-acre parcel at the corner of 13th Street and College Avenue.
The property will also be the site of a future performing arts building that would be the home to the Elko High School Band of Indians, Choraliers and drama department.
To read the rest, click here.
Year in Review: Carlin seeks four-day school week

ELKO – Carlin Combined Schools could be following in the footsteps of other Elko County schools that now have a four-day week.
Elko County School District board of trustees will hear a presentation Tuesday from Carlin school officials who are interested in a four-day schedule. Wells and Jackpot combined schools have already converted to the shorter weeks.
“If the board decides to approve this, Carlin would be on a two-year pilot, just like the other schools,” said Superintendent Todd Pehrson.
Carlin could join West Wendover’s elementary, middle school and high school in the fall of 2020, as their request to start a pilot program was approved on Oct. 8.
To read the story, click here.
Year in Review: Homeowners show support for Southwest Gas Extension

SPRING CREEK – Spring Creek residents, along with public officials, voiced their support this week for a natural gas pipeline that would extend service into the area.
More than 100 people in attendance raised their hands at one point during the Thursday evening consumer session to show their approval. The consumer session was hosted by the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada and attended by representatives from the state Bureau of Consumer Protection and Southwest Gas Inc.
The utility filed an application with the PUCN on June 13 requesting to extend service into the area. The $61.9 million dollar project will be paid for through a monthly surcharge of approximately $33.50 per customer
The need for utilities to serve a growing residential and business community is part of the Spring Creek Association’s strategic plan, said SCA president and general manager Jessie Bahr.
Multiple utility providers are necessary to keep homeowner and business costs affordable, she said.
To read the story, click here.
Year in Review: SCA reopens shooting range

SPRING CREEK – Spring Creek Association’s board of directors reopened the shooting range after property owners spoke in favor of keeping the amenity open, but with some additions to reduce fire risk and abuse of the grounds.
The board unanimously approved a motion to reopen the range on Sept. 25 after about a dozen residents showed their support for keeping it open and offered suggestions on how to reduce fire danger and prevent unauthorized access.
The range was closed Aug. 26 after a fire started that afternoon, burning approximately 19 acres. The Elko County Fire Protection District reported it started just beyond the 200-yard target mark.
It was the second fire to start in the vicinity of the shooting range within a year. The Range 2 Fire started above the shooting range on Sept. 30, 2018, and went on to burn more than 9,000 acres in the Ruby Mountains.
Residents who were present at the meeting spoke in favor of keeping the amenity open, with some recommending the association implement several fire safety and accessibility measures.
To read the story, click here.
Year in Review: Sheriff to post full-time deputy in Sprng Creek

SPRING CREEK – A new year is bringing changes to law enforcement in Spring Creek, with a full-time deputy to be stationed in the homeowners association in the coming months.
Elko County Sheriff Aitor Narvaiza made the announcement to the Spring Creek Association board of directors on Jan. 23, outlining his department’s vision to open communication lines and strengthen their presence in the community.
“Everyone is paying for our service and we need to step up,” Narvaiza told the board.
To read the rest of the story, click here.
Year in Review Internet companies compete for Spring Creek service

SPRING CREEK – Could high-speed internet be in Spring Creek’s future?
SafeLink and CC Communications were selected to be the first and second options to provide internet to the Spring Creek Association, each proposing fiber optic services to the area.
“We will work with SafeLink first to see what they need to make this deployment successful and see how it works for the Spring Creek community,” said Jessie Bahr, association president and general manager. “We’ll see if their final proposal matches the community’s needs. If not, we’ll proceed to CC Communications.”
The two broadband providers, along with Commnet Wireless, showed interest in bringing broadband services to Spring Creek, responding to a request for information by the Governor’s Office of Innovation, Science and Technology.
The need for reliable broadband prompted the search for internet providers to “try to get as much information as we can,” Bahr said.
To read the full story, click here.