By Jack Johnson, Boulder City Review

Boulder City can rest assured that its energy costs will remain somewhat stable in the future thanks to the U.S. Congress extending the city’s allocation of Hoover Dam power for the next 55 years.

The Hoover Power Allocation Act of 2011, a bill signed by President Barack Obama on Dec. 20, extends the contract for the various entities using dam power until the year 2067.

Hoover Dam is seen from the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tilman Memorial Bridge in August 2010. Photo by Steve Andrascik

The current agreement dates back to 1984 and was set to expire in 2017, leaving the power contractors in California, Arizona and Nevada with the possibility that allocations could have been altered with the contract’s renewal.

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By Jack Johnson, Boulder City Review

An exhibition featuring the photography of the late artist and photographer Cliff Segerblom, who lived in Boulder City for many years, will be opening today at the Nevada State Museum in Carson City.

“Nevada: The Photography of Cliff Segerblom” will feature 25 large-format, black-and-white photographs of Hoover Dam and rural Nevada that were taken between 1938 and 1980. The exhibit will show until Aug. 2.

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By Arnold M. Knightly, Boulder City Review

Major search and rescue operations for a 16-year old boy last known to be hiking near Hoover Dam have been suspended until Tuesday morning, the National Park Service said at 9:15 p.m.

Park rangers will continue to patrol the area near Shane McNeil’s last known location. Verizon Wireless told the park service his last location was along the Colorado River nearly 3.7 miles from the dam.

The search will resume at 6:30 a.m., the park service said.

McNeil was reported missing by his mother 10 p.m. Saturday when he did not show up at a preaaranged meeting point near Hoover Dam.

Authorities searched for him until 3 a.m. Sunday, resuming the search at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday and Monday.

McNeil is a 16-year-old white male, 150 pounds, with short-blonde hair and blue eyes.

Shane McNeil

He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, gray shorts, white sunglasses and carrying a black backpack. He had bottled water and was carrying a couple Bibles.

Anyone who may have seen McNeil hiking or has information regarding his whereabouts should contact the National Park Service at 293-8998 or 1-800-680-5851.

Monday’s search concentrated on areas south of Hoover Dam along the Colorado River. Three helicopters, two from Las Vegas Metro Police and one from Arizona Department of Public Safety, were part of the search.

A helicopter and a search and resuce team from U.S. Air Force 58th Rescue Squadron based at Nellis Air Force Base will join the search Tuesday.

Ground search teams will include park rangers from Lake mead National Recreation Area, Grand Canyon National Park, and Zion National Park in Utah. Hoover Dam Police Department, and Mohave County Sheriff’s Office in Arizona will also continue its search.

The area that rangers believe McNeil may be in is a popular hiking destination. However if he decided to go off trail, he would face sheer cliff faces and loose rock.

The National Park Service with crews from Mohave County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue and Las Vegas Metro Police Search and Rescue will be on the ground and water searching.

By Arnold M. Knightly, Boulder City Review

Hoover Dam will host a series of activities starting Sept. 30 to mark the 75th anniversary of the dam’s dedication by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the Bureau of Reclamation announced today.

An hour-long commemorative ceremony will be held in the parking area near the Winged Figures of the Republic statues starting at 11:30 a.m.. The keynote speakers will be Department of Interior Assistant Secretary of Water and Science Ann Castle, and Bureau Commissioner Michael Connor.

U.S. Postal Service will be at the dam to sell limited edition envelopes for $7.50 commemorating the 75th anniversary. The postal service will also have a collector postmark that day to apply to postcard.

The dam will sell 75th anniversary coins made of copper from the dam until supplies run out, the bureau said.

“Hoover Dam has significantly and positively impacted the American Southwest as well as the design and construction of dams and the development of water resources management projects around the world,” said Lorri Gray-Lee, Director of reclamation lower Colorado region.  “It is fitting to commemorate its 75th anniversary, and to look forward to its continued service to the people of the Southwest and the Nation.”

Admission to the dam’s visitors center and power plant tour will be $7.50 that weekend, Sept. 30 through Oct. 3. Regular admission is $8 for the visitors center or $11 for the center plus power plant tour.

Vendors will be selling hot dogs and bottled water for 75 cents that weekend.

By Arnold M. Knightly, Boulder City Review

The bypass bridge will open to vehicles on or around Oct. 18, nearly two weeks ahead of schedule, according to Boulder City officials.

According to an update released on the city government’s website, the $240 million project will open “approximately two days” after a public walking tour of the bridge, called “Bridging America.”

Reservations for that event are closed.

Inspectors examine the roadway on the $240 million Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge on Aug. 19. The bridge will open to vehicular traffic on Oct. 18, according to Boulder City officials.

A formal bridge dedication is scheduled for Oct. 14.

The state transportation department has estimated 21,000 vehicles will pass through Boulder City when the bypass bridge opens. Between 2,000 and 4,000 are expected to be large trucks.

Nearly 14,000 vehicles cross Hoover Dam daily. Large trucks have been banned since Sept. 11, 2001 due to terrorist concerns.

The bridge is officially named Mike O’Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge.

O’Callaghan was a former governor of Nevada. Tillman was a football star with Arizona State University and then the professional football team, the Arizona Cardinals. He left football to join the U.S. Army in June 2002.

He was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan in April 2004.

The Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge is seen from the observation deck of Hoover Dam on Aug. 19.

By Jack Johnson, Boulder City Review

The economy may be in a slump but the amenities of the 21st Century are still far better than those of the 1930s.

However, in celebration of the 75th anniversary of Hoover Dam the organizers of this year’s annual pre-Chautauqua reception Sept. 16 at the Boulder Dam Hotel decided attendees would walk the walk of embracing history, and eat like Boulder City’s founders.

The menu consisted of cornbread, vegetable beef stew, chicken, rice, pickled beets, carrot and onion salad, green beans, watermelon, cantaloupe, a special non-perishable cake and a Baby Ruth candy bar.

“Basically, we had to think about what was available in the local grocery markets at that time. Also, you have to step back in time and think that they did not have the freezers and local shopping and conveniences that we had. Most of the things would have to be things that would keep,” Chautauqua volunteer Barbara Adams said.

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By Arnold M. Knightly, Boulder City Review

Boulder City is about to get its due from the learned class of higher education.

The town will be the focus of a College of Southern Nevada history class offered at the Boulder City campus for the fall semester.

The class, called “The History of Boulder City and Hoover Dam,” will focus on the impact of the dam on the evolution of the city in a historical and social context, said Shirley Johnston, who is helping develop the curriculum and will co-teach the course.

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