Nevada Department of Transportation Director Jeff Fontaine will become the executive director of The Nevada Association of Counties. Outgoing association president Norm Frey, of Churchill County, said Fontaine will start in January, along with Elko County Commissioner John Ellison, who takes over as head of NACO. The NACO board met Monday to select a replacement for Bob Hadfield, who retired as director several years ago, but was brought back as interim director this year. Fontaine, 51, was recommended for the position by the association's executive committee. "I think he's pretty excited about this new challenge in his life," Frey said. "I'm excited. I think NACO is on its feet and ready for the new legislative session." He said he has been interested in county and local government for years from when he worked with county officials on water-quality issues at the health division. Fontaine said he leaves Gov.-elect Jim Gibbons with a solid staff at NDOT. "It's a department whose service and mission affect virtually everyone in the state," he said. "There's a lot going on, and, like I said, I can't give the 1,700 people who work there enough credit." Fontaine said he would stay until January to help Gibbons with the transition. He has been director of the Nevada Department of Transportation since April 2003, overseeing the agency during a huge expansion of major roadway projects in the state undertaken under the direction of Gov. Kenny Guinn. Fontaine was deputy director from 1995 to 2003 and a public health engineer with the Nevada Health Division for eight years before moving to NDOT. He holds a bachelor of arts degree from Temple University, a master's from Northeastern University and a master's in public health from the University of California, Berkeley. He is a registered public health engineer. He has also been a member of the Carson City Planning Commission and was an appointed member of the Carson City School Board, where he replaced Sheila Ward after she resigned. In November, he lost a bid for the board's district 6 seat to Barbara Howe.

A record number of Nevadans plan to travel during the upcoming holiday season, a travel industry group said yesterday. AAA estimates that more than 580,000 Nevadans will travel 50 miles or more from home over Christmas and New Year’s. Of those, about 466,000, or 80 percent, will travel by motor vehicle. About 15 percent, or 89,000, plan to fly, a 2.7 percent increase over 2005. The rest will use some other form of transportation like a bus or train, AAA said. "While Nevadans are still impacted by high travel expenses, the desire to travel during this festive time of the year far outweighs budget concerns," said Michael Geeser, spokesman for AAA Nevada. Geeser said the national average for a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline is $2.30, up 9 cents from the same time a year ago. In Nevada, the average price was $2.52, according to the association’s latest monthly survey taken last week. That was up 3 cents from November and is 30 cents higher than this time last year. Nationally, AAA said nearly 65 million people will travel during the holiday. Thanksgiving is the second busiest travel holiday weekend of the year, after the Fourth of July, AAA said. But the Christmas and New Year’s period lasts longer, providing an opportunity for the largest number of travelers.

A public/private partnership is making Nevada's public lands safer by permanently securing mine sites that are no longer operational and have been abandoned by their owners. The successful program, which includes government, land, mining and wildlife-related organizations and companies, has become a model for other states. The targeted mine sites pre-date the 1983 federal regulations governing mine closures, with some sites dating back to the 1840s. "The Abandoned Mines Permanent Closure Program is successful because of the tremendous cooperation, ‘can do' attitude and donation of manpower, services and equipment of all the partners," said Chris Ross, abandoned mine program leader for the Nevada Bureau of Land Management. "As a result, everyone in Nevada benefits from the elimination of potential safety hazards. Now other states also are benefitting by learning about our program." Ross has spoken to other government entities, land and mining groups and conferences that have expressed an interest in establishing a similar program. The Abandoned Mines Permanent Closure Program involves the BLM, the Nevada Division of Minerals, the Nevada Mining Association and its members, which include mining and industry supply companies. Assistance also comes from a diverse group of agencies and entities, such as the Nevada Department of Wildlife, university researchers and graduate students, and volunteers ranging from professional archaeologists to Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and Eagle Scouts. According to the BLM, about 25 people nationwide die each year from accidents related to abandoned mines. Bill Durbin, NDOM chief of Southern Nevada operations, said there hasn't been an abandoned mine-related death in Nevada since 1999, and there was only one injury incident involving a dog in 2006. "Abandoned mine hazards could include falls, loose ground, rotten timbers, bats, poisonous snakes and spiders, bad air, old explosives and hantavirus from rodents." Since the program began in 1999, 255 abandoned mines in urban areas and areas of high public use in Nevada have been permanently secured. The program continues to grow from six mines in 1999 to a new nationwide BLM record of 118 abandoned mines secured during 2005 and 2006 in or around Tonopah, Rhyolite, Beatty and Perry Canyon north of Reno. A backfilling process is used to permanently secure the mines with rock of no mineral value that was left around the mine opening. According to BLM estimates, between 200,000 and 300,000 abandoned mines are scattered throughout Nevada, and 50,000 of these sites are considered physical or safety hazards. Ross said Nevada has more abandoned mines than all other western states combined, primarily due to Nevada's long mining history and the state's many ores and minerals. Planning for each backfill project takes several months, and several surveys have to be completed to obtain the necessary clearances which the BLM coordinates. In addition to BLM, NDOM and NMA, private individuals and companies assisting with the Tonopah project included: Mary Kaye Cashman, Cashman Equipment, which provided the Caterpillar D-6 bulldozer; Paul DeLong, DeLong Heavy Hauling, which transported the bulldozer; Tinker Fannin, Round Mountain Gold, which provided the fuel drums; and Alfred Anderson, Round Mountain Gold, who operated the bulldozer. According to Ross, there is no formal agreement between participants in the program, which began in late 1999. "Everyone recognizes the benefit of working together to secure potential hazards," he said.

The Humboldt County Commission has confirmed their annual retreat in yesterday’s commission meeting. The retreat will take place in Orovada at 9AM on January 29. Items to be discussed in Orovada are agenda revision, succession planning, facilities planning, water basin transfers among other subjects. The Specific Location will be announced when reservations have been confirmed.

Bring your lunch and join us for an awareness forum on Domestic Violence in our community. This Lunch meeting will be Held in the Humboldt County Meeting Room on January 17 at 12P. Bring your lunch and join us for an open discussion on the cycle of violence and its impact on everyone. For More information please call 775-421-1028

Spare Time Bowling would like to announce their Angel Tree is up for this holiday Season. For questions or more information please contact Jessell Peters at 623-5444.

Your Winnemucca Weather today calls for sunny with winds light and variable and a high of 35.