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$1.50 | TheEurekaCountyStar.com | Vol. 3 No. 35 | e Week of February 19, 2026
Shining a light on all of Eureka County. Our Mission: Inform, enlighten, educate and entertain—Enjoy the journey.
Is this you?
Lithium
Waiting for the Ketchup
Nevada’s Other Gold is Golden to Goldfield, Nevada
By Trina Machacek I was thinking about when ketchup only came in a glass bottle. ere was no squeezing to get to come out faster. You waited. And waited. Oh you could hit the bottom to aid the red sauce to hurry out to smother your hot dog. (Yes, I heard screams of, “You only put mustard on HOT DOGS!” HAHA). But there is not much waiting for mustard, just for the ketchup. Oh you could stick a knife up in the bottle to cause an air bubble to make it come out faster. But mostly, you waited. Sigh.
Goldfield, Nevada Cir 1904 Wikipedia photo. By Trina Machacek Doing math gives me pleasure. Just regular math though. I like numbers. Figuring that two pieces of taffy equals one more inch on my backside are numbers I count. Yes, that kind of numbering. So when I was waiting for the ketchup to fall out of the bottle onto the bread I had slathered with mayo and mustard to make a cold meatloaf sandwich, I began this silly journey. Counting the amount of time spent having the patience to wait. Waiting. Yes, a sit down and wait “but.” How patient do I have to be? Of course the ketchup wait is not the only wait we have in our waiting game of life. Oh no. Recently I was introduced to a food truck that sold corn dogs. Served with honey. How long had it been since I used honey? Longer than I can remember actually. Bees are working their little bee butts off and I have not eaten so much as one sticky line of honey in a long time. So I watched the lady putting honey on that corn dog with high anticipation. Like I was an overly dramatic teenager, I felt like it took “aarrgghh forever! “for the honey to come out of the squeeze bottle. It was worth the wait. Like most of the things we wait for. Over the years of life I have had more than a few haircuts. On occasion there have been home cuts of bangs. Several were fine but some. Well some needed a lot of patience waiting for them to grow out. en there is the wait for a flower to open. e gi of a bloom is worth the wait. But that wait can sometimes feel like that same honey waiting period, “aarrgghh FOREVER!” It’s truly amazing that without really learning to wait, we have been able to learn to wait. It’s done in various ways. I was in a public restroom that had more than one place of use. About six if I remember correctly. One woman had to wait. She had no patience to wait for the facility I was in. ere were others free and available, but for some reason she needed that number three seat. As people came and went (no pun intended) and I finished up, she let people know that she was waiting and waiting. I felt the urge to see how long she would complain and show her lack of patience. I however am not that gal. Wink. Wink. I finally slowly exited as she nearly knocked me over to get to that number three seat. Patience was clearly not in her vocabulary. ere are those that have patience, and those who use a knife to get the ketchup out faster. Just one more. Glue! I have never gotten along with glue. I was one of the first graders that ate paste. I wonder, really, if there is anyone that did not eat paste. At least once. Just a little! Paste and glue are not the same though. You do not need patience with paste. Paste is the finger food of first grade. Glue is built to try your patience. I really think that glue could be made thinner, but the guy that invented it was a troublemaker. at guy knew that waiting for glue can make even the most evenly patient person come to nearly explode. Why, oh why does glue have to be so thick? Now you are beginning to think of all the things you have to be patient for. As you sit in a waiting room, at a table as a cook makes you the perfect stack of pancakes that will be delivered to you by a server working mainly for tips, in a line at a store, bank, movie theater, or a long line of other waits, just keep waiting. Nothing has humbled me faster than realizing I too need to have patience. How’s your patience meter? Trina lives in Diamond Valley, north of Eureka, Nevada. She loves to hear from readers. Email her at itybytrina@yahoo. Really!
Nevada is proudly the home to the only operating lithium mine in the United States. e Albemarle’s Silver Peak Mine is located in Esmerelda County, Nevada. For those who are unfamiliar with the make-up of the state of Nevada, Esmerelda County is located on the western diagonal edge of the state and the county seat is Goldfield. Goldfield is located approximately 26 miles south of Tonopah, Nevada which is in Nye County, Nevada. Esmerelda is the least populated county in Nevada reporting in 2024 a grand total of 724 residents.
Esmerelda county is home to this great important mine which produces lithium which is used to power lithium-ion batteries to power the newly and rapidly growing industry of the EV (electric vehicles.) e other side of the coin. All the news of lithium mining is not good however. Reports of the negativity of lithium are significant. Lithium mining in Nevada presents significant environmental and social risks, despite being promoted as a key component for green energy. Major concerns include substantial water depletion, potential chemical contamination, and destruction of habitats and cultural sites, raising questions about the overall “safety” of the extraction processes. BLM reports state: Major lithium mine approved in Nevada in latest effort to support a domestic supply of critical minerals Final decision reflects best-available science and careful balance of development and conservation; includes significant protections for habitat conservation. e reports from BLM working on the record of decision to expand the Silver Peak Mining District towards Rhyolite reads: “Acting Deputy Secretary of the Interior Laura Daniel-Davis and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management Dr. Steve Feldgus joined Bureau of Land Management (BLM) leaders in Reno, Nevada today to announce the approval of the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron mining project, a major step towards the nation’s efforts to strengthen domestic
UL Research Laboratory graphic.
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TIDDLES-N-BITTLES It’s Calving time in Eureka County Without disturbing the momma and babies, if you are traveling up to Elko in the next few weeks, if you have time, stop and watch the antics of the new life happening through Pine Valley. is is a unique time we get to enjoy every year. Again, please do not go inside the fences, or holler at the animals. Just safely pull off the side of the road and enjoy seeing what the ranchers in our county are putting their efforts toward this time of the year. See the sights, listen to the activity, smell the air. Enjoy living in our rural county.
2026 Eureka Grant Summit
We Are Seeking Secrets! Be sure to read our Eureka Cooks section this week, and if you dare—send us your kitchen secrets.
IN THIS EDITION
Save the date and join us June 1-3, 2026. Hosted by the Governor’s Office of Federal Assistance. e summit will be held at the Eureka County Opera House.
Crescent Valley News . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Senior Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Our Little Ants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Tried and True . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Worship Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 From Our Past . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Commissioners News & Notes . . . . . .5 Market Prices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Johnny’s Tech Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Courts & Arrest Recaps . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Classified and Legal Ads . . . . . . . . . . .6 Business Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 February Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8