Water is emerging as a make-or-break issue for solar developers hoping to build massive megawatt solar power plants in the desert Southwest.

Turnout was reported as low throughout the county, Pahrump, which would have gained a new grade school and five new rooms at the high school, was for the plan, and Amargosa Valley, which stood to acquire four new grade school classrooms, was just barely in favor, but Beatty, Gabbs, Tonopah and Round Mountain lined up solidly against it the bond.

VEA, Nye exchange barbs Both Valley Electric Association Chief Executive Officer Tom Husted and Nye County commissioners were steamed up Tuesday, and it wasn't because they were immersed in a solar-powered water heater.

Pahrump gained 81 residents in the third quarter of 2009, increasing the population to 38,275, which is still 346 residents less than a year ago, according to estimates from the Nye County Planning Department.

A resolution waiving permit fees for a solar hot water heater program by Valley Electric Association is on the agenda for the Nye County Commission meeting at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Beatty has now arrived in the 911 age, Milan Dimac, manager of information systems, told Nye County commissioners Tuesday.

HORACE LANGFORD JR. / PVT Picketers Deborah Reilly and Dave McConkey, stand at the entrance to the federal detention site Monday.

Nye County commissioners have more items on the consent agenda for the 10 a.m. meeting Tuesday at the Bob Ruud Community Center than on the regular agenda.

We are at a crossroads to our future. Nye County has the opportunity to become a center for solar power technology and development.

Tom and Gerry Duke expanded their Tomken Enterprises feed operation to include "a spacious western clothing and supply store." At the same time, Sam Gray announced he would open the Pahrump Welding Works at the corner of Highway 160 and Mesquite.

Fire Fest 2009, held last Saturday at the Amargosa Valley Community Center, should net $6,800 to go towards a new fire department water tender, Fire Chief Lon Fuller said.

MARK WAITE / PVT Construction workers at the federal detention center look Lilliputian as they began installing the huge, tilt-up walls for the project last week.

Send this Headwaters page to a friend or colleague: Solar power project's water needs stalls Nevada proposal The plans of Germany-based Solar Millennium to build two large solar-power plants in Nevada's Amargosa Valley was good news indeed to the rural corner of Nevada where the national recession hit hard, but when it was revealed that the planned ...

"If you don't know where you came from, you're not going anywhere." - Guiding philosophy of the Pahrump Valley Museum There are two principles that ordinarily have more to do with success than anything else.

In a rural corner of Nevada reeling from the recession, a bit of salvation seemed to arrive last year.