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$1.50 | TheEurekaCountyStar.com | Vol. 3 No. 41 | e Week of April 2, 2026
Shining a light on all of Eureka County. Our Mission: Inform, enlighten, educate and entertain—Enjoy the journey.
Is this you? Quality Swabs By Trina Machacek I woke up the other morning and the thought of Q-Tips came to the forefront of my mind. You know. Like waking up and thinking about why cows lick at their nose with their tongues? I suppose that is answered the same way as people answering the joke about why dogs lick—well you know. e answer is “Because they can.” But! Yes, a soly swabbed “but.” What other reason is there for a cotton swab, aka, Q-Tip®, other than for your ears? Which! All doctors will tell you not to use these magical ditties in your ears. I have always been taught to use nothing except my elbow in my ears. Well since I can’t seem to get my elbow to my ears, that leaves—nothing to use in my ears. I’d like to see someone who could actually put their elbow in their ears. Quite a visual for sure. So. If you take away using a Q-Tip® for any medical purpose, any art purpose, and any make-up purpose. What are uses for these little ear diggers? Let me say here that I find these “cotton candy wrapped little bug barbells,” an inspired invention. Did you know that in 1923 Leo Gerstenzang was watching his wife roll little pieces of tissue around the ends of a toothpick to clean their baby’s ears when he got an epiphany to make the first cotton swab? Yes, Ole Leo is the king of the swab. He started all the rage, started marketing them and called them “Baby Gays.” I suppose because they made babies so happy to get their ears cleaned with the so tipped sticks. So. Why can babies get the swab but as an adult we are told the elbows story? Because we, as adults, cannot be trusted to not hurt ourselves. We humans, yes, I have been guilty of this. Digging clear down in our ears to places we should not enter into. I suppose we could always ask any passing mother to use a swab on our ears. Apparently, moms are the only people on mother earth that are qualified to bring swab and ear together! Although this “new” product was originally called Baby Gays, in 1926, the labels were changed to read Q-Tips® Baby Gays. Later, the name Baby Gays was discarded and Q-Tips® became the identifying mark for cotton swabs. e “Q” in Q-Tips® stands for quality and the word “tips” describes the cotton swab at the end of the stick. I was on a trip with a friend and we shared hotel rooms as we traveled along. One morning as we were just waking up, okay she was waking up as I was already laying in my bed thinking of this Q-Tip® problem. I mentioned to her to try to think of anything other than ears, medical, art or make-up that these swabs could be used for. She had been a medic for wildland fire. She listed hundreds of icky applications to use them for medical purposes. I am here to tell you that I never knew you could roll an eyelid back with a swab so you could look into someone’s eye to get out a piece of whatever was in there. Man I could have used that little trick several times on my husband. He oen got pieces of metal in his eyes while working in his machine shop. I would twist up the end of a tissue, calling it a ninny, hold his eye open with one hand and get whatever was swimming in his eye with my ninny. A Q-Tip® makes much more sense. Live and learn. e thing is that neither of us could think of anything but ears to use these magical teeny tiny batons for. Truth be told, it took up several miles of roadway that day on our trip talking about just the medical uses. e doctors used an innumerable amount of those long ones during Covid. How many do you suppose were stuck up noses? I bet over his life, Bob Ross, the guy on TV that teaches painting, has used his fair share of paint dipped swabs. Oh and craers. Talk about an innumerable number of Q-tips! From getting in those little corners of shadow boxes to spreading glue or glitter on the latest creation, the swab is the go-to tool and has a place in every craer’s room. Today someone has decided the rolled stiff stick in my swabs needed to be made of plastic. Come on, leave well enough alone. I mean how are all those bugs supposed to use the swabs as barbells if they bend in the middle. Just saying. Trina lives in Diamond Valley, north of Eureka, Nevada. She loves to hear from readers. Email her at itybytrina@yahoo. Really!
McEwen Hits An Amazing Mark of Safety By Trina Machacek In a recent post on Facebook, McEwen announced the following good news. “Safety Milestone!” “Our Gold Bar Nevada operations have reached 6 years with zero Lost Time Incidents — a remarkable achievement made possible by a strong safety culture and an engaged workforce. ank you to every employee and contractor who makes safety a daily priority.”
We at the Star would like to take this time to thank McEwen for the support they have shown to this paper. We truly believe that responsible mining is good for Nevada and exceptional for Eureka County. McEwen hits that mark respectively. Congratualtions to the crews and management on reaching this milestone. For more information on this and other news from McEwen Mining go to: #SafetyMilestone #McEwen #mining #gold #nevada
TIDDLES-N-BITTLES Volunteers Needed for VBS Eureka Community Church is gearing up for its annual Vacation Bible School. is year ages 4-year-old through 6th grade will be introduced to Psalm 23 on July 20-24 at the Community Church. All children are invited. If you would like to volunteer to help with VBS, contact Galen or Marion Byler or Judy Covarrubias.
Soball Home Game is Week
Pool Table on the Road
Come support our girls at the Eureka Soball Field located at 31 Tannehill Rd., in Eureka. e concession stand will be open for Friday and Saturday games only! April 3rd Lady Vandals vs. Mineral Co. double header at noon and 2 p.m. April 4th Lady Vandals vs. White Pine JV Double Header at noon and 2 p.m.
A couple of shady looking guys were seen recently, rolling a pool table down, or maybe up Main Street in Eureka. Ralph Cuda and Lloyd Morrison took to Highway 50 for the move. It was not clear if they were going up the highway or down the highway? We doubt they will be available for hire, so don’t even try.
IN THIS EDITION Commissioners News & Notes . . . . . .2 Market Prices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Editor’s Desk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Johnny’s Tech Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Our Little Ants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Senior Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Worship Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 From Our Past . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Tried and True . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Arrests, Courts & Meetings . . . . . . . . .5 Classified and Legal Ads . . . . . . . . . . .6 Business Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 April Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8