By Arnold M. Knightly, Boulder City Review

State Sen. Joe Hardy fought for the Boulder City Bypass issue in Carson City for eight years before finally squeezing out enough votes to change state law that will allow a toll road funded by a private-public partnership.

Now it’s time for the private investors to deliver more than promises, he said.

“I’ve had people approach me that they want to either pay for the whole thing or be involved with the payment of the whole thing,” said Hardy, who lives in Boulder City. “Now we’ll find out if they’re really serious about this.”

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By Pedro F. Fonteboa, Boulder City Review

The killing of terrorist Osama bin Laden this past Sunday is as important as the killing of Adolph Hitler at the end of World War II. At least that is how many veterans saw it this week when they heard the news at the Nevada State Veterans Home in Boulder City.

Military veterans Charles Demos, left, and Todd LyBarger, right, play chess as Ken Mayfield, center watches Tuesday at the Nevada State Veterans Home. Demos said bin Laden had to die by U.S. hands and was a mass murderer the same as Hitler. Photo by Steve Andrascik.

“He (bin Laden) had to die at U.S. hands, just like Hitler had to be eliminated,” said Charles Demos, retired Navy petty officer 3rd class. “Hitler was a mass murderer and so was bin Laden. This absolutely compares with the death of Hitler. It is the end of a huge evil.

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Special to the Boulder City Review

California resident Marion Cook had been to Hoover Dam years ago, but he wanted to visit it one more time to see the new Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge.

On April 27, Cook boarded a private plane in Visalia, Calif., heading for parts unknown. In Boulder City, the 88-year-old was met by his sister and her husband from Missouri, an unexpected surprise.

The group embarked on a raft tour of Hoover Dam and the Colorado River by Kathleen Wood from Black Canyon/Willow Beach River Adventures.

“This dam has a lot of great history and breathtaking views,” Cook said. “I wanted to visit the Hoover Dam to see the new bridge. I have been to 21 countries and four different islands and this beats everything yet.”

The trip was put together by “Dreams Come True,” a program run by California-based Magnolia Health Corp., which owns Twin Oaks Assisted Living Center where Cook lives.

California resident Marion (Sarge) Cook, left, is pictured with his brother-in-law, Adrian Carlson, visiting the new Hoover Dam bypass bridge on Wednesday, April 27. The 88-year-old Cook had his wish of seeing the new structure granted by "Dreams Come True," a program by California-based Magnolia Health Corp.

Magnolia Chief Executive Officer Kenny Moyle said the trip was coordinated with the Boulder City Chamber of Commerce, which put Magnolia in contact with Wood.

“We started planning this dream a couple months ago.” Moyle said. “Sarge has been a resident at Twin Oaks Assisted Living Center for several years and has expressed his desire to visit the Hoover Dam many times.”

By Arnold M. Knightly, Boulder City Review

The Boulder City Bypass took a big step forward Tuesday night with the state Senate passing a bill directing the state Transportation Department to establish a public-private partnership to finance a toll road around the city.

Senate Bill 214, authored by Sen. Joe Hardy of Boulder City, passed by a vote of 19-2.

The bill will now move to the Assembly where it will likely be referred to the Assembly Transportation Committee, according to a Nevada Department of Transportation spokesman.

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By Arnold M. Knightly, Boulder City Review

Two bills that would allow toll roads in Nevada were passed out of the Senate Transportation Committee by a unanimous vote on Friday, setting the stage for possible Senate votes next week.

However, a state transportation official said that if the Senate does not vote on the measure by Tuesday, April 26, the bills will die.

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By Thomas Finn, Police Chief

Saturday afternoon was quite eventful for Boulder City’s Police and Fire Departments. I received a call at home at approximately 3:30 p.m. to advise me that Boulder City Police and Fire personnel were being dispatched to a motor home fire on the shoulder of U.S. Highway 93 northbound between Ville Drive and Lake Mountain Drive.

At the same time, a two-vehicle crash occurred at Wyoming Street and Avenue G, where a motorist disregarded a stop sign and struck a vehicle on Wyoming.

There were no officers available to respond to the crash so I responded and, to my surprise, found former Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Jerry Keller on the scene directing traffic around the debris in the roadway.

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By Jack Johnson, Boulder City Review

State Sen. Joe Hardy introduced a bill in the Nevada Legislature March 2 that could legalize toll roads in an effort to expedite construction of the Boulder City bypass.

The move would allow the state to pay for the 14-mile bypass by partnering with a private company, speeding up a project that could take at least 20 years if only government funds are used, Hardy said.

“It would behoove us to use money in private industry to form a public-private partnership to form a road around Boulder City,” he said.

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By Arnold M. Knightly, From the Editor’s Desk

Developments on the road-widening of U.S. Highway 93 and the push for a city bypass have been coming fast and furious. From Carson City to Washington, D.C., this little town of 15,000 has been the topic of discussion more so than probably any other time in recent history.

But beyond the road-widening, which seems by all indications to be coming this fall, will the momentum sustain enough to fund a bypass? And how will the bypass be funded — by state, federal or even private dollars?

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Boulder City Police Chief Thomas Finn, Public Safety

Last Saturday the walking tour of the new Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge took place, and despite the predictions of up to 40,000 visitors, less than 15,000 people took advantage of the opportunity.

Law enforcement agencies from throughout the Las Vegas Valley developed and participated in a well-coordinated plan to control traffic and ensure the safety of the participants.

I worked the entire day on the road with 15 other Boulder City officers assigned to work the event, and I’m happy to report that it was a flawless day. Boulder City’s finest heavily patrolled the truck route and issued dozens of speeding citations to those who ignored the 45 mph posted speed limit. Radar and laser enforcement sent out a loud and clear message that exceeding the speed limit will not be tolerated.

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By Arnold M. Knightly, Boulder City Review

The opening of the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge will bring a new set of safety concerns to the region, but will alleviate others, law enforcement officials said.

The most obvious change will be the return of large commercial trucks to the area. Since Sept. 11, 2001, tractor-trailers have been barred from crossing Hoover Dam due to terrorist concerns. The trucks were redirected nearly 30 miles through Laughlin; many came up U.S. Highway 95 and headed into Henderson by Railroad Pass.

The bridge will create several concerns, authorities said.

– Traffic into town. The bridge increases safety concerns along U.S. Highway 93, especially along the nearly 5-mile stretch from where the bridge traffic enters the highway near the Hacienda down to the U.S. 93-Buchanan Boulevard intersection.

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