WINNEMUCCA — After months of meetings and compromises, the Northern Nevada Racing Association got the go-ahead from the City Council to once again host the Good Times Street Drags held in conjunction with Fifties Fever.  The council voted unanimously on Tuesday (Feb. 16) to approve the street closures necessary for the drags.

Although a long-time local tradition, the street drags became the subject of controversy after a driver crashed into a utility pole at the 2009 event.  Business owners AB and Rosalyn Beck, who own the building where the crash occurred, expressed safety concerns to the council. 

WINNEMUCCA —Tuesday's City Council meeting featured a presentation from Jim French, a private citizen with concerns about the landfill Recology hopes to operate in Desert Valley. Recology Chief Operating Officer George McGrath and Chief Counsel John Frankovich were on hand to address French's concerns, and others, and update City officials on the company's plans and progress.

Recology has been granted a conditional use permit by Humboldt County, but still lacks the state-level regulatory permits needed to operate a landfill. It hopes to operate a Class I facility on a site about 25 miles west-southwest of Winnemucca, on property near Jungo flats that was purchased by its wholly owned subsidiary, Jungo Land & Investments.

Discussion of the proposed landfill has proven contentious in previous local government meetings. This time attendees were mostly well-behaved with Mayor Putnum having to play "adult-in-the-room" only a couple of times.

The Winnemucca City Council’s efforts to purchase the Restoration Shop, which was part of the now-defunct car museum, is moving forward.  The city intends to use the two buildings for the city’s public safety headquarters and the complex will house both the Winnemucca Police Department and the Winnemucca Volunteer Fire Department.

The Winnemucca Golf Course is coming closer to having the water hazards locals have been talking about for more than 20 years.  Operators with heavy equipment are on scene digging out the two one-acre ponds, which will be ten-feet deep.