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$1.50 | TheEurekaCountyStar.com | Vol. 3 No. 36 | e Week of February 26, 2026
Shining a light on all of Eureka County. Our Mission: Inform, enlighten, educate and entertain—Enjoy the journey.
Is this you?
Hello Winter Finally
Driving’s P.M’s.
Here are a few winter scenes around Eureka the morning of February 18, 2026.
By Trina Machacek Oen times we all have those moments when we have to do something that we really know we should either reschedule or just cancel altogether. It could very easily involve driving in inclement weather. But. Yes, an inclement, cold, wet, windy “but.” It’s a human nature thing to always think, “I can do it.” When in reality that little voice gnashing and gnawing a tunnel in the back of our heads tells us we are either crazy or an idiot to even try to travel on ice and snow, through mud, muck and flooding water or through wind that blows 50-plus miles per hour. Yes, we are all that person. Forever we will always think all those people in the ditch off the side of the road will never be us. However, that does not stop us from having a series of what I call P.M’s. Or Pucker Moments. I was very, very careful with my first new car. When it was new. But aer the first time someone ran into the back of it and it had to go to the car surgeon, it became more of a tank rather than the princess. As a tank my 1973 and one half, (made in June) and I went places that a Ford Pinto should have never gone. ere was a time when we drove off a teeny cliff and ended up in the bottom of a gravel pit out in the middle of an in descript piece of sagebrush where there was a party going on. Yes, that was one of the first of many pucker moments I can remember. It’s amazing as we all get more and more candles on our birthday cupcakes, how many good, bad and laughable PMs we have come through. P.M.’s where luck certainly plays a major roll. I do think that skill also plays a roll. Recently winter arrived with fury to my neck of the woods. I had to get to an appointment that would take me a couple of hundred miles. I could have easily changed the date. I could have easily rescheduled without any trouble or cause nary a bubble in the atmosphere. But did I? Did I become the grown-up and use my head for something besides a hat rack? Nope. I watched the weather. e western forecast comes on the weather channel every hour at ten to the hour. I waited several times for ten to the hour to come along as my appointment date got closer and closer. e red and blue blobs of weather started to seep into the Pacific Ocean side and then onto the western shores of the U.S.A. Did I think about how stupid I was for even thinking about driving in winter? Yes, but I am not the one that would end up in some ditch. No way. Does that sound familiar to you? Besides that, my P.M.’s have amazing power. e morning of travel started at 6 a.m. and it was dark and surprisingly enough the roads at my house were clear. Off we go, into the wild blue—well black yonder. About 20 some miles into the drive the road turned wet. Twentyfive miles in and I was on ice and thirty miles in and through the next 75 there was ice and snow and wind. I’m here to tell you the P.M. moments were many as I was sliding along. e story ends well. Well at least the snow and ice were cleared off the road on the trip home. e frozen road was replaced by winds the strength of what could be described as bean produced gasses coming from the back side of Godzilla. Yes, that strong. So the pucker moments got a good work out going and coming home that day. We can, and do, convince ourselves of many things. at just one donut will not lead to another. With sprinkles. at because we are approved for a half a million-dollar home that we can actually afford it comfortably and still put a bean on the dinner table every night. And that we will never be that person in the ditch in a snow storm because we can drive in any condition. I need to pay attention to my P.M.’s more. As do we all. ose pucker moments, when the back end of your vehicle slides just a little bit, when you meet a semi coming at you in a rain or snow storm and your windshield gets covered before you can turn on your wipers, when a sudden strong gust of wind pushes on your vehicle and the steering wheel gets pulled from your hand for a split second… Each one is a pucker moment, that I hope I and you can learn from. And try to avoid in the future. Trina lives in Diamond Valley, north of Eureka, Nevada. She loves to hear from readers. Email her at itybytrina@yahoo. Really!
By Trina Machacek-and Mother Nature
Rural Nevada is as unique as her people. ey live where the air is so clean and clear you can see forever! at is never so true as it is aer a winter snow storm when the air has been “cleaned” by the falling of the snow. Well, it took waiting out the first 60 days of winter to finally see an appreciable amount of snow in Nevada.
If there were milk in these cans, it would be ice cream! 24 degrees. Photo by Trina Machacek.
Take time to sit for a spell and enjoy where you live. Main Street in Eureka. Photo Trina Machacek.
If you know Trina and her kitties, you know of her pink slippers! Photo by Dana Lee Fruend.
Of course the Sierra’s got a good dump, as one would expect. e midsection of the state also got blizzard conditions that were seen from the northern border down to Pioche. And if you were up at 3 a.m. you would have seen the blowing snow circling around street lights like fairy dust. For the past couple of weeks the weather men and women nearly screamed at us the “e snow is coming! e snow is coming!” Well over night on February 17-18 moisture did arrive, on wings of wind that blew up to 50 miles per hour through Eureka County. With it came snow. e mountain passes were treacherous and the valleys were attacked by the Eureka County Road Department with plows and sand and salt. roughout the county the crews hit the roads early in the morning and kept up the pace until the main roads were sanded and safe for all to travel on. ank you, gentlemen, and to Scooter Mentaberry for his leadership of his crew since taking over as Assistant Public Works Director, from Ray Hodson who retired this past spring. Eureka townsite was covered with about 3 - 4 inches of snow that holds some moisture, but not enough to catch us up to what will be needed this coming spring and summer. Central Nevada averages about 47-48 inches of snow in a winter. is storm put down 3-5 inches in Diamond Valley; the inches [ Continued on page 2 ]
Repairs in Full Swing at Eureka County Swimming Pool e Eureka County Swimming Pool is closed beginning for at least six weeks while we resurface the pool and make updates to the floors and deck. is work will help keep the space safe, clean, and ready for years of use. From Crystal Rikalo, the director at the pool, the project is expected to take about six weeks. We appreciate your patience while these improvements are underway and look forward to welcoming you back soon! Scan the QR code to learn more about pool programs and hours here:
TIDDLES-N-BITTLES Honor Roll in is Issue! We are proud to announce the Honor Roll for the first semester of the 2025-26 school year in this issue. See the story and full list on page 3.
Drive-Up Window
Happy Birthday America
Eureka is about to get its first drive-up window! Yes, according to Shawn at the newly designed EZ Stop, when it opens up there will be a drive-up window on the front side of the building. e window will be open for late night needs when the door will at times be locked at 9 p.m. for safety reasons. More to come as the build continues.
What do you want to do with the 250 Celebration in Eureka?! Brenna Rogne is the Eureka County Events Coordinator and she may need some ideas of what we can do in our communities to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the creation of the United States in 2026. What say you Eureka County? Any wants, needs and ideas. Contact us at the Star with your ideas email trina@theeurekacountystar.com, or let Brenna in on your ideas email BRogne@eurekacountynv.gov.
IN THIS EDITION
Johnny’s Tech Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Senior Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 EC School Honor Roll . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Our Little Ants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Worship Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 From Our Past . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Commissioners News & Notes . . . . . .5 Market Prices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Courts & Arrest Recaps . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Classified and Legal Ads . . . . . . . . . . .6 Word of the Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Business Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 February Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8