SPORTS Flag football falls in finals Page 1B MESQUITE NEWS Donkey Jamboree raises funds Page 2A LOCATHE WEEK OF MARCH 8, 2018 L NEWSVol. 14, No. 21 WATER DISTRICT Board reviews budget By Linda Faas creases previously voted by the board. MLN He noted that renegotiation of district bond interest rates will yield a 70 cent reduction for Virgin Valley Water District began its fiscal each water user on their monthly debt service year 2019 budget process at a special meeting surcharge. He also noted that on March 1 the March 6. The review was a first pass at putting district paid off a 2008 bond. Other current together a robust budget of nearly $12 million VVWD debt will not be completely retired un- that will guide district operations for 12 months til 2033. beginning July 1. Water revenues do not completely pay for next District finance manager Wes Smith opened year’s planned expenditures, however. Cash on discussion of district revenues forecasts with hand from several district accounts will be used the encouraging news that the district had sur- to balance the budget. Approximately $6.2 mil- passed his projections of revenue in the current lion held in money market, settlement account, year, so he has raised his operating revenue capital replacement reserves, and SDC reserves Linda Faas projections for FY2019 to $9 million. He attri- will supplement operating revenues and non- The Virgin Valley Water District is considering future projects as butes the bump to more new construction per- the replacement water tank at Flat Top Mesa nears completion. mits and hookups as well as water user rate in- > See VVWD, Page 7A TOURISM UTILITIES January visitor count starts new year right By Barbara Ellestad MLN The number of visitors in Mesquite for January barely got in the six-digit num- bers but was enough for a 2.2 percent gain year over year. January 2017 saw 98,600 people visiting Mesquite. That number hit 100,700 this year. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitor Authority report had more good news for Mesquite’s tourism industry with a 4.0 percent gain in total occupancy for all hotel rooms hitting 69.2 percent. That’s > See VISITORS, Page 6A ELECTIONS Hardy files for Linda Faas Southwest Gas representatives Amy Timpeley and Catherine Mazzeo discuss projected gas pipeline extension with Mes- District 4 seat quite resident Gary Elgort. MLN Residents comment on prospect of natural gas service Cresent Hardy has officially filed to run for Nevada’s 4th Congressional Dis- By Linda Faas trict, currently held by Congressman MLN for bringing gas from the Kern River According to SW Gas documents, es- Ruben Kihuen. pipeline that angles across the Mor- timated cost for infrastructure needed “I’m ready to get back to work for the The Public Utilities Commission of mon Mesa area 15 miles north and to serve the city is about $30 million. 4th Congressional District. I look for- Nevada held a consumer session at west of Mesquite has been the deter- They calculated a cost recovery plan ward to not only representing the citi- Mesquite City Hall on Feb. 28 to gath- rent to gas hookup during Mesquite’s that would levy two special rates. The zens of this great district in Washington er public comments on the application huge growth spurts since the 1990s. proposed SB 151 rate applies to all gas D.C., but also continuing my commit- by Southwest Gas proposing a plan to In 2015, Nevada passed SB 151, al- users in southern Nevada. ment to having the most effective and en- finance the extension of natural gas lowing utilities to propose alterna- A proposed Mesquite Area Expan- gaged constituent services operation in pipelines to Mesquite. Commissioner tive cost recovery methods to finance sion Charge applies only to custom- the country,” said former Congressman Bruce Breslow of PUCN opened the projects, possibly extending recov- ers in the expanded service territory Hardy. “Now, more than ever, Nevada meeting by clarifying that the meeting ery costs over a number of years and in Mesquite. The charge applicable to needs proven leadership in Washington, was not a decision-making session. spreading costs among all users in a all Southern Nevada customers would and I’m the only candidate in this race He urged speakers to provide quan- region. The Southwest Gas proposal increase monthly bills system-wide who is ready to get to work for the 4th tifiable financial data in their state- is the first application submitted to from a low of .06 percent for some District on day one.” ments. the PUCN requesting authorization residential users, to as high as 4.0 per- As of Wednesday, March 7, Hardy was Natural gas service is not currently for such a cost recovery plan. They es- cent for large commercial users. That the only Republican candidate to file. In available to the city, in large part due timate they will serve about 780 Mes- surcharge would yield about $3 mil- what is expected to be a large field, only to prior public utility policy that re- quite customers within five years, in- lion a year in revenues to SW Gas. quired up-front financing for extend- cluding 31 commercial customers and > See HARDY, Page 2A ing existing lines. The huge price tag 150 new construction homes per year. > See GAS, Page 7A Get your daily news in our newsletter! Sign up at MesquiteLocalNews.com 2A MESQUITE LOCAL NEWS The Week of March 8, 2018 Jamboree in Mesquite turns into a blustery day for the burros By Teri Nehrenz the rescues but unless there are obvious MLN signs of illness or injury, don’t normally get tested for certain issues. The winds were whipping across the Scenic had just gotten some new don- Golden West parking lot but the band keys from the Texas training center and played on and people still came to the hadn’t had much time to familiarize Fifth Annual Donkey Jamboree to help themselves with the new herd before Ol- the plight of these beasts of burden. ivia gave them quite the surprise. The money needed to care for these One of the volunteers found some animals is quite the strain on our federal placenta in the pasture; everyone was government so Mark Myers, founder of shocked and set out to find the new ar- Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue is will- rival. It wasn’t long before they spotted ing to take action and ease the federal one of the new Jennies, Olivia, in the cor- “burden of these beasts;” but he needs ner nuzzling her new foal that they have money. named Phoebe. The actions Myers takes is traveling The team at the adoption center knows the country, fundraising, contracting, the herd now and they are hoping for rounding up the donkeys and placing and, appear as if, they are expecting an- them in the Peaceful Valley Donkey Res- other new arrival of the ‘foalish’ kind but Teri Nehrenz cues on the ranch in Texas or right here Myers has plans that are far larger. BDS is now hosting a weekend flea market. For just $10 a space, vendors of all in Scenic, Arizona. His current mission is another round- kinds can set their wares along the corner of Old Highway 91 and Old Pioneer Fundraising projects, such as the up of over 300-400 this year from Mo- Road in Beaver Dam. Donkey Jamboree, help considerably have and Death Valley, he’s currently in with raising funds for the Scenic rescue/ contract negotiations with the BLM and adoption center which was started by after they are blood-tested and medical- Joan Dunkle and Fred Clark. ly approved, the Scenic rescue/training A ‘Dam’ fine flea market Dunkle and Clark take every oppor- center is getting them all. tunity they have in Mesquite that allows The new training center will keep the By Teri Nehrenz According to some of the volunteers them to raise funds and care for the don- females and the babies who will be made MLN who help with the flea market, vendors keys until they are adopted. adoption ready at the center then walked have been setting up at the BDS since Myers is otherwise engaged, being the across the street where the adoption When you’ve got a small community, the second week of January and, despite voice for the donkeys and raising money, center will house them and ultimately there can be a lack of things to do and some cooler temperatures a weekend or somewhere else in the country but he al- find them their forever homes. see but not when you’re a member of two, many have sold out their wares. ways manages to be in Mesquite for the The males will then go to Texas where the Arizona Strip if Beaver Dam Station If you’re a flea market flipper, a -ga Jamboree. they will be neutered and possibly re- store owner Bill Evans has anything to rage sale junkie or have treasures to sell, Myers spends this time in Mesquite turned to Dunkle and Clark’s adoption say about it. you’ll love the variety of both goods and because of the love and support the com- center. From the Beaver Dam Jam, Lawn- buyers that you’ll find each week at the munity shows for the donkeys and the Community members who ride the mower races and “Irrational Recreation BDS. The flea market is open Friday, Sat- importance of the Scenic rescue, which storm out and weather the blustery Area” otherwise known as the “Dam urday and Sunday from 8 a.m.