Humboldt County News
Friday, November 17, 2006
County Commissioners move to protect Winnemucca Airport
Humboldt County Commissioners adopted a new Airport Hazard Combining District this week in an effort to protect the County and City from possible lawsuits in the future regarding the Winnemucca Airport. The Airport Hazard Combining District is to provide guidelines for future development of land near the Winnemucca Airport and in the flight path from the Airport.
Reno, and other communities across the United States, have faced lawsuits by residents living near the airports who have said the noise and aviation fuel fumes have harmed their use of their property. City Manager / Engineer, Steve West said Reno had to pay residents to purchase land near the airport and in the flight path to solve the problems between property owners and the airport.
Airport consultants, Dennis Coursey and Justin Pietz, working for the City's airport consulting firm, Armstrong Consultants had strongly recommended instituting the ordinance to avoid future liability from neighboring property owners with possible future complaints about noise, dust, fumes etc. The consultants were on hand this week to answer questions regarding the proposal for the new Airport Hazard Combining District. The Commissioners' main question was whether the new designation will adversely affect current property owners' rights. The consultants answered that it would not.
However, future uses of the property may be restricted to a point, and the property will carry a notice that any future efforts to parcel land in this area for residential use will require giving an "aviation easement" on each parcel. That easement is for the airway above the property and includes acceptance of some restrictions regarding height of buildings or even trees in the airport's flight paths. Land uses that could provide a hazard to air navigation would be prohibited. Possible future residents in those areas will not have a legal right to sue over the normal operations at the airport. West said similar ordinances have held up in court challenges in other cities.
While the areas surrounding the Winnemucca Airport, and in the Airport's flight path are pretty calm at this point in time, should Winnemucca's future include growth sufficient to attract regular air service, that situation could change. The new ordinance will put all property owners, current and future on notice.
Winnemucca Police investigating firearm discharges into vehicles
The Winnemucca Police Department is investigating two instances of firearms being discharged into vehicles in Winnemucca. Both instances occurred November 7th, one on Estates Road at 7:30 in the evening and the other on West Haskell Street at 8:05 p.m. Anyone with any information about either situation is asked to call the Winnemucca Police Department.
WPD Arrests another sex offender for
failure to comply with registration requirements
Winnemucca Police Chief Bob Davidson and Lieutenant Rick Waldie have said repeatedly that convicted sex offenders living in Winnemucca will be monitored and will be arrested and face felony charges should they fail to comply with all the sex offender registration requirements. One of those requirements is to complete an annual verification of address. A local man, Ray Allen Wharff, failed to complete the annual verification and was arrested and charged with felony failure to register. Wharff was booked into Humboldt County Detention Facility with bail set at $5,000.
Two local men charged with drug offenses
Humboldt County Sheriff's Office charged two local men with drug offenses after a traffic stop on Grass Valley Road at Callahan Street. 35 year-old Todd E. German and 25 year-old John P. Hiibel were arrested and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance With Intent to Sell, Trafficking in a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
During the traffic stop, a baggie consistent with used narcotics packaging was allegedly observed inside the vehicle. After both of the vehicle's occupants were arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, the vehicle was inventoried. During that inventory, Sheriff's deputies allegedly discovered 16 grams Psilocybin mushrooms, along with two separate packages Marijuana and other drug paraphernalia. Deputies also discovered 72 clear plastic baggies consistent with those used to package narcotics for sales. Both German and Hiibel were arrested and booked without incident - bail was set for $85,622 for each.
LHS to receive PLC training
Lowry High School will soon be joining other Winnemucca schools in implementing the highly successful Professional Learning Community model. Members of the Humboldt County School District Board of Trustees are supporting the school’s endeavors by providing the staff with two full Professional Learning Center training days next month on Dec. 11 and 12. High school students will have those days off from school so their teachers can get the training.
Lowry principal Kirk Brower said that several members of his staff have already completed PLC training and are ready to pass their knowledge on to their co-workers.
"The teachers are yearning for that training. They are excited about it and ready to move forward," he said.
The Professional Learning Center model is based on open communication among staff members, and particularly among the teachers teaching the same subjects. When teachers are comfortable talking with each other in a professional setting they are able to discuss strategies, goals, and new innovative ideas and to share teaching methods that are working well for them in the classroom. Studies have shown that students benefit when their teachers are able and encouraged to collaborate regarding their teaching methods.
The training will be paid for with funds out of the SB404 grant and will have no impact on the district’s general fund.
The release request was approved unanimously by the School Board.
School district still accepting applications for vacant board seat
Humboldt County School Board members voted unanimously Tuesday to extend the application deadline another week for those interested in becoming a board member.
Barbra Moss’ position on the board will soon be vacated due to relocation to Elko. So far the board has received only two applications for the position: one from Carrie Stringham and the other from Teresa Howell. In order to get the largest possible pool of applicants, board member Linda Schrempp suggested extending the deadline to Nov. 22. Interviews will take place on Nov. 28 and a board decision will be made that evening during the regularly scheduled board meeting.
Those interested in submitting an application for this particular seat must live within city limits.
McDermitt student program for teens against drunk driving to host dinner
McDermitt School's REZCUE group is inviting the community to a bar-b-que dinner at the McDermitt Community Hall from 1-3 in the afternoon tomorrow, Saturday, November 18. Dinner and activities are sponsored by State Farm Insurance Company and McDermitt Learn & Serve. REZCUE is a student program for teens against drunk driving and is part of State Farm's Project Ignition. Activities at the community event tomorrow afternoon will include student presentations on teens against drunk driving as well as Learn and Serve's past accomplishments and future plans.