Hawthorne The Week of June 29, 2017 America’s Patriotic Home Mineral County 75¢ | Vol. 86 • No. 22 | A BattleIndependent-NewsIndependent-News Born Media newspaper The oldest continuous privately owned business in Mineral County. Published in Hawthorne, Nevada, since 1933 community | 2 opinion | 10 Walker Lake Day brings good crowd Dems wrong in effort to gag free speech a boy lost 44 years later, case of missing Hawthorne child remains cold Editor’s note: The Mineral County inches; he had been wearing a dress shirt, the area. The Churchill County Sheriff’s Independent-News takes a look at a tragic white in color with a paisley type design Office would be contacted. cold case from 1973 (fairly common during that time) with blue Upon the body, were the clothes that By Heidi Bunch jeans and shoes that contained a buckle. person had last worn. A white shirt with a MCIN Staff His Mineral County High School photo paisley type design and blue jeans. taken when school started that year shows It would take nearly a month for the state On Nov. 14, 1973, crowds of well-wishers Jones with a large smile on his face. This pathologist to confirm that the body was cheered for Princess Anne and Captain would be the last picture the family of that of a 15-year-old male. He had died of a Mark Phillips as they wed in the Westmin- Jones would have of the missing boy. skull fracture. The Churchill County Sher- ster Abbey in England, but in Hawthorne, Months would go by. Nothing about iff’s office reported to the Fallon Eagle- a boy was lost. the missing child would be in the Min- Standard that the youth had been killed Last seen on that Wednesday night eral County Independent and Hawthorne elsewhere and dumped in the desert. around 7:30 p.m. near the El Capitan Ca- News. Christmas would pass, then Eas- The parents of Michael (Vivian “Rocky” sino, where he worked as a bus boy, Mi- ter. No calls home. He would miss family and Dorothy) would celebrate his six- chael David Jones would not be heard or events and special moments. teenth birthday on Oct. 14 without their seen live, again. Almost a year later, in Churchill County, son. No “sweet 16” celebration would be A photo taken at Mineral County The 15-year-old boy with brown hair, a near Brady Hot Springs (between Fallon had by these parents. They would not be High School of then 15-year-old cowlick towards the back of his head which and Lovelock) on Sept. 17, 1974, the skeletal preparing for their child to drive. Instead – Michael David Jones was the last made his hair stand up near the part, had remains of a human were found by a State they waited. known picture of the boy who blue eyes and an innocent looking face. of Nevada Highway Department surveyor went missing on Nov. 14, 1973. Small in stature, he was only five foot, five who had been checking survey markers in > See JONES, Page 11 community esmeralda county Search & Rescue saves injured man on Boundary Peak By Heidi Bunch MCIN Staff Mineral County Search & Rescue (SAR) made a success- ful rescue after a California man found himself stranded on the top of Boundary Peak in neigh- boring Esmeralda County. SAR was called out on Wednesday, June 21 in the mid-afternoon after a 911 dis- patch call to Esmeralda County was made informing the dis- patcher that the California man was stranded near the peak of Boundary and had suffered in- juries while hiking. He was ac- Courtesy photo Sheri Samson companied by his dog but was Mineral County Search & Res- Hawthorne’s Michael Stephens is heavily involved in local youth sports, and is also the man be- hiking solo. cue volunteer Jeremy Williams hind bringing back the 4th of July fireworks show. Esmeralda County has been is photographed by fellow using the Mineral County volunteer Russell Blinco on Search & Rescue team for a few the steep terrain of Boundary years and through those expe- Peak. The group was on its Local man uses own life lessons to riences, a group of three SAR way to reach a stranded hiker members have become quite that was injured last Wednes- familiar with the terrain and day. help guide Mineral County youths routes on the mountain. Boundary Peak is the highest low members Jeremy Williams and that was Ann Kee. “Local involvement means point in the state of Nevada at and Russell Blinco, to guide the Stephens behind “When I screwed up, she early morning trips away, trav- 13,147 feet. The extreme eleva- rescuers out after dark. showed me how I could do bet- eling to games that aren’t nearby tion changes can cause prob- A command post was set 4th of July ter. I knew I could go to her with and a lot of out-of-pocket costs, lems with hikers not acclimated up on Boundary Peak to help anything and never feel judged but it is so worth it. I count it to the area, causing altitude communicate with the hikers fireworks show because she believed in me. all as a dedication toward see- sickness. The terrain can be while a member remained in By Sheri Samson That’s what kids need - espe- ing the goals of our local kids tricky due to the rugged terrain. Hawthorne trying to get the as- MCIN Correspondent cially when their home life and met and my own family reach- The hiker was only a few hun- sistance of a helicopter to help circumstances aren’t perfect. ing experiences they normally dred feet from the peak when he bring down the injured. One never knows how a Everyone needs someone they wouldn’t have.” was rescued. The three hikers were able to young boy will turn out when trust who really cares about When Stephens graduated, Able to pinpoint the hiker’s reach the California man where he is raised by a single mother in them and she taught me how he had a full ride to the Uni- location, SAR was dispatched they evaluated him for shock, a fatherless home, but Michael to help kids like I do now,” Ste- versity of Washington to play to the mountain to begin the assessed his injuries and helped Stephens used his own child- phens shared. football with the Huskies, but long and grueling trek to find to get his body temperature hood experiences to strengthen With a passion for sports and admittedly bad choices put the injured man. back up before making their him as the father and mentor he kids, Stephens has found his him working a minimal job in Knowing the amount of time way back down the mountain. is today. way into the hearts of local chil- Reno for a few years, until he that was needed to make it to After securing the injury and When he graduated from dren and teens who may never returned to Hawthorne to assist the peak from the trailhead finding a walking stick, the Mineral County High School in have had the chance to play his mother. (and noting that night and a party made their way down the 1998, he admits having rough team sports. As a family man, Stephens worked with YCAC storm were coming fast) SAR mountain – while waiting for times and not always making his own children are immersed (Young Citizens Activity Cen- member James Richards inge- air support. good choices, but he credits one into seasonal sports, with an ter) and within the school sys- niously snapped glow sticks Following the glow sticks, the school mentor for believing in emphasis in football and bas- and dropped them along the him throughout his journey ketball. > See STEPHENS, Page 3 trail on the way up behind fel- > See RESCUE, Page 2 page 2 Mineral County Independent-News || The Week of June 29, 2017 your seven-day forecast today friday saturday sunday monday tuesday wednesday 93/58 97/59 97/61 98/60 95/56 93/58 97/64 Plenty of sun Mostly sunny and hot Mostly sunny Hot with brilliant Mostly sunny Partly sunny Sunshine sunshine Walker Lake Day brings good crowd By Sheri Samson MCIN Correspondent Over 20 kayaks, paddle boards and boats were lined up at Monument Beach for a sponsored Walker Lake Day in the sun on Saturday. With shade covers erected and a trough full of iced water and sodas, the shoreline was an inviting spot of enjoyment as a family day. Assisting in making this happen were the efforts of the 9/11 Memorial Mt. Grant Challenge group, the local Lion’s Club, Mineral County Search & Rescue with Sheri Samson Glenn Bunch available in the county A group of kayakers enjoy a beautiful boat and many attending were from the day at Walker Lake Saturday. Courtesy photo Sportsmans Club. They shared the same Mineral County Search & Rescue volunteers, James Richards, Russell Blinco and intentions in mind – “create a commu- weekend of Sept. 9, as a remembrance to Jeremy Williams, take a quick “selfie” while waiting for an injured hiker to warm nity event at the county beach to cele- the 9/11 Memorial. up prior to making their way off Boundary Peak. brate the excitement of rising waters and “This is the pre-kickoff toward the spur on the return of lake recreation.” marathon dream we see the Challenge us,” Richards continued. Vehicles lined up on the leveled ar- becoming. Each year it is growing larger Joining Richards, Williams told the In- eas, with children bounding toward the since it started in 2011.