Crescent Valley board tackles exotic rescue and rural crime

The Crescent Valley Town Advisory Board gathered for a meeting that spanned the spectrum from African servals to Indiana fugitives. The session highlighted the arrival of a major exotic animal sanctuary, a significant law enforcement crackdown on narcotics and the ongoing struggle to navigate a rapidly changing Medicaid system.

The meeting was led by Chairwoman Diana Kersey and attended by all board members.

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The Tiger Preservation Center

The evening’s most unusual presentation came from Robert Ringo, co-owner of the Tiger Preservation Center. Ringo, who has over 40 years of experience with exotic animals, appeared before the board to introduce himself and his facility, which is in the process of relocating from Oregon to a 40-acre plot in Crescent Valley.

Ringo was quick to dispel any notion that the facility is a tourist attraction. “We are not here to harm anybody,” Ringo explained. “We just give retirement for these big cats and other animals.” 

“It’s not a petting zoo,” Board member Laura Shivers explained. 

The current roster: The sanctuary currently houses a male lion, three tigers and a male and female “liliger” – the rare hybrid offspring of a male lion and a female liger. Plans are in place to eventually house up to 30 animals, including leopards, servals, lemurs and wolves.

Safety and security: Public safety was a primary concern for the board. Ringo detailed a rigorous security protocol:

• Perimeter: A 12-foot-tall perimeter fence with a double-entry gate system.
• Housing: Animals are locked inside insulated, heated barns at night.
• Emergency response: Ringo, a former firefighter, plans to keep 5,000 gallons of water on-site with dedicated pumps.

Vice Chair/Fire Chief Jeremy Rice and EMS Director Nicole Cooley emphasized the need for a unified emergency management plan. “I feel like you need to get together with the emergency management team, the sheriff’s department, the fire department and the EMS department,” Cooley said, “so that all of our teams are safe going in.”

When asked why he chose Crescent Valley, Ringo cited a desire for freedom. “Oregon is a communist state,” he remarked, noting high taxes and heavy regulation. “I want a little freedom in my last years.”

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Sheriff reports major busts

Eureka County Sheriff Miles Umina delivered an update on recent criminal activity.

“When people say that Eureka is Mayberry, Mayberry is a myth,” Umina told the board. “We have just as many crazy things happen here in Eureka County as in a big city.”

The Owl Club Raid: Umina detailed an operation in Eureka involving a search warrant at the Owl Club. The raid required assistance from the Lincoln County Sheriff, Elko County, the NHP and the Eastern Nevada Narcotics Task Force.

The sheriff praised the “top-of-the-line” equipment provided by Las Vegas Metro, which can detect drug residue at the nanogram level. “They find a piece of clothing, they can swipe it and they can tell if that person had been around methamphetamine,” Umina said. The business owner, Eleny Mentaberry, was taken into custody, and the establishment has remained closed since the raid.

Crescent Valley incidents: Crime wasn’t limited to the southern end of the county. Umina reported the arrest of two subjects in Crescent Valley on Indiana warrants and a Friday incident where a trespassing suspect engaged in a physical fight with a deputy. “You don’t mess with my cops,” Umina warned. “They just wanted to see if the cop could fight, and he lost.”

Over the past year, Umina reported the department has removed more than two and a half pounds of methamphetamine from the streets.

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Navigating the Medicaid maze

For some residents, the transition of Rural Medicaid to a managed care organization can be perplexing. Dawn Warner, a rural health liaison with CareSource, appeared to offer guidance.

“It’s very confusing right now,” Warner admitted. As of January 1, significant changes took effect regarding eligibility and plan management. Warner, who has over a decade of experience in health and human services, encouraged residents – especially seniors – to reach out to her for help navigating the new system.

Commissioner Mike Schoenwald suggested Warner visit the local senior center to connect with those most in need of assistance. Warner can be reached at 775-927-1924.

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Modernizing the county’s ‘voice’

The board discussed a significant investment in technology, specifically a $359,000 upgrade for the Eureka Opera House’s audio-visual systems. While the price tag is high, Commissioner Schoenwald and Public Works Director Jeb Rowley explained the cost is necessary to bring the county into the 21st century.

Rowley, speaking via telelink, explained that the new system would allow the Opera House to integrate with systems in Crescent Valley and at the courthouse. This would enable public events, such as candidate forums or emergency town halls, to be broadcast or held remotely between the two ends of the county.

“We can’t just purchase off Amazon or Radio Shack,” Rowley noted.

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Local updates: Fire, roads and geothermal

• Training success: Fire Chief Rice announced that Training Captain Adam Barron is becoming a Nevada state-certified instructor, a “huge win” for the Crescent Valley Fire Department.
• Pancake Breakfast: The community is invited to the CVFD’s pancake breakfast on March 22 from 9 to 11 a.m.
• Geothermal progress: Residents reported that Ormat is preparing for water injection testing at local wells, a sign that the geothermal project is moving toward active operations.
• Safety first: The board approved writing a formal letter to the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) requesting a push-button pedestrian crosswalk at the junction of Highway 306 and 4th Street to protect children crossing the highway.