Article #4 in Groom Lake Desert Rat #33

From the Newsroom

Links to recent published news articles on Area 51, including a major report by the Wall Street Journal.


Wall Street Journal Reports on Lawsuit

Wall Street Journal, 2/9/96: This lengthy article, printed on the front page of the Journal is the most comprehensive report to date on the hazardous waste lawsuit by former Groom Lake workers. (16k)

Note: A major TV news magazine is supposed to run a similiar story on the lawsuit within the next three weeks (February or early March 1996). We'll post details on alt.conspiracy.area51 when we have them.

Unions Win Representation Elections For Workers At Groom Lake

Las Vegas Review-Journal, 2/17/96: This article in the the Las Vegas Review-Journal is hard to decipher but may be rich in hidden meaning. It suggests the EG&G Special Projects is still the general contractor at Area 51, not Bechtel. This is a surprise to us, since we assumed that EG&G could not operate at Groom without the cover and infrastructure of the Nevada Test Site contract. Although the article states as fact that EG&G "is the contractor for the Air Force's operating location at Groom Lake," we would like the know the basis for this conclusion. Is EG&G the general contractor or a subcontactor--or a subcontractor masquerading as the general contractor? What is Bechtel's role at '51? After stocking up on Bechtel merchandise from their web site, we'd hate to think they're not important.

Aviation Week on Groom Lake Projects

Aviation Week & Space Technology, 2/5/96: This article reports on new stealth aircraft at Groom, confirming what is out there, while leaving the door open to other possibilities....
Pentagon officials confirmed last year that there were at least two fixed-wing black aircraft projects at the facility, but denied that either had yet taken to the air. A senior Defense Dept. officials echoed that assessment last week by saying, "If it's [already] flying, it belongs to some other agency." The industry official contends that the pure UAV, at least, has flown and evidenced some control or stability problems. These qualified affirmations leave open the possibility that more than two projects are involved.

Is one of those unnamed projects A FLYING SAUCER?

This report, like all others, should be taken with some skepticism, but "Pentagon officials" and "senior aerospace industry officials" are usually reliable sources. Typically, they are well-known generals, Ben Rich-level executives or their press secretaries who provide the information as "background" to avoid political problems but who nonetheless have a reputation to protect. In our view, they are more reliable than "aerospace specialists" or "industry observers" who could be almost anyone.

Route 375 Becomes Alien Highway

[Map (25k)] Las Vegas Review-Journal, 2/2/96: Ambassador Merlyn Merlin II of Draconis executed a surprising coup when he convinced the Nevada Highway Board to designate Route 375 the Extraterrestrial Highway. This act bypasses the Nevada Legislature, which failed to approve the bill earlier this year [DR#27|#29]. This means that four "Extraterrestrial Highway" signs will be erected on this highway, which is the closest to Area 51.

The Ambassador is a worthy opponent, and what he lacks in intelligence and personal hygiene he has made up for in perseverence. We are miffed, however, that the new action took us by surprise. What happened, in effect, is that the legislature took more interest in the desires of an alien ambassador than those of the the local residents or potential visitors. In Rachel, the State only informed the supporters of the measure--the Little A'Le'Inn--and failed to notify anyone else in town either of the hearings or the highway board's proposed action, so no one had an opportunity to object. This is the equivalent of building a power line or freeway through a Las Vegas neighborhood without giving the residents the opportunity to comment.

The state, in effect, is giving official sanction to the lights-in-the-sky stories here, and is also inviting näive tourists from Vegas to come up here and get arrested. The military border remains as poorly marked as ever, and the state's vague trespassing law assures that there will continue to be conflicts there. When the Nevada Assembly first passed the Alien Highway Bill (before it died in the Senate), representatives donned alien masks and antennae and supported the bill unanimously. They gave no attention to the serious effects that might result from this frivolous bill.

Dignitaries, journalists and maybe some Hollywood types are expected to come to town sometime within the next few weeks for an unveiling ceremony for the new signs. (We'll announce the date on alt.conspiracy.area51 when we know it.) We'll face you then, Ambassador Merlin!

KLAS-TV Information Request Denied

Las Vegas Review-Journal, 1/23/96: KLAS-TV's motion to have certain proceedings in the hazardous waste lawsuit opened to the public [DR#31] has been rejected by the judge in the case. A similar report appears in the Las Vegas Sun.

Presidential Determination on Groom Lake

Presidential Letter, 1/31/96: It is not clear to us what it means, but here is a letter from President Clinton to the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate regarding the presidential exemption granted to Groom Lake in September. [DR#31] Under this exemption, the base does not have to make its environmental reports public.

Cancer Man Says Nevada Base "Unviable"

The X-Files, 2/16/96. It's official... "Cancer Man" on The X-Files TV show has reported to his superiors that the Nevada base has become "unviable." Here is a transcript.

Other Articles

New articles published since last Desert Rat...

News Events Not Recorded

Haunted Garage Doors at Nellis

In Dec. or Jan., we heard rumors of radios and radio controlled garage doors not working properly in residential areas in the vicinity of Nellis Air Force Base in North Las Vegas. Nellis official had no explanation, and it was initially one of those Outer Limits-type stories with supernatural overtones. Later rumors said the problem had been traced to AWACS planes, but we don't know that for a fact. The story was supposedly reported on local TV stations but did not make the newspapers. We have no further info. Interested parties can probably contact Nellis Public Affairs about it.


Copyright © 1996, Glenn Campbell, PO Box 448, Rachel, NV 89001. All rights reserved.

2/18/96, revised 2/19/96