News Briefs, Nov. 28

Trial date set for former City Council candidate

The trial in the appeal of former City Council candidate Brent Foutz has been set for 10 a.m. Jan. 6 in District Court. It is for charges in Boulder City Municipal Court stemming from a confrontation last year.

On July 18, Judge Pro-Tem Margaret Whitaker found Foutz guilty of trespassing, not amounting to burglary, and resisting a public officer for a December confrontation in which he refused to leave the Southern Nevada State Veterans Home in Boulder City after being told he had trespassed and must leave. Whitaker fined him $500 for each charge and sentenced him to seven days in jail with credit for time served.

Foutz appealed the decision in District Court and requested a jury trial. Judge Richard Scotti denied the request for a jury, which Foutz appealed to the Nevada Supreme Court. That court dismissed his appeal for a jury trial Oct. 15.

Scotti set the trial date for Foutz to appear before him on Nov. 20, according to the order filed in the court.

Pedestrian killed in crash on US 95 near Searchlight

A pedestrian was killed after a crash Monday night on southbound U.S. Highway 95 near Searchlight.

The crash was reported just before 6:15 p.m. near mile marker 31, according to Nevada Highway Patrol trooper Travis Smaka.

The driver of the vehicle suffered minor injuries and remained at the scene.

Early information provided by NHP had said a second pedestrian was involved and injured, but Smaka later said there was some confusion at the scene and the earlier information was incorrect.

Southbound U.S. 95 near Interstate 11 was closed for the investigation for nearly four hours.

Switching station commissioned

The GridLiance 230-kV Sloan Canyon Switching Station in Boulder City was commissioned during ceremonies Nov. 19.

The switching station and high-voltage transmission upgrades improve the regional electric system’s reliability and resiliency.

“The Sloan Canyon Project will provide additional connections to the power transmission grid that are vital to the effective use of renewable energy in the Southwest,” said Mayor Kiernan McManus. “Boulder City was built as the home of Hoover Dam and our tradition in leading the way for renewable energy is further enhanced by the work that GridLiance is completing.”

The switching station is part of the independent electric transmission utility’s 16-month, approximately $50 million transmission improvement project, which also includes building a 3-mile transmission line, connecting the GridLiance transmission system into the California Independent System Operator region.

In 2017, GridLiance subsidiary GridLiance West acquired 165 miles of 230-kV transmission lines and related substation infrastructure from Valley Electric Association. The company also acquired the rights to the Sloan Canyon Improvement Project from VEA.

Ground broken for Arizona Heritage Trail

Ground for the Arizona Heritage Trail along the Colorado River was broken Friday, Nov. 22, in Mohave County, Arizona.

The future multiuse trail will travel through Lake Mead National Recreation Area and across the Davis Dam, connecting to the Colorado River Heritage Trail in Nevada.

“Today is a great day for recreation,” said Margaret Goodro, superintendent of Lake Mead National Recreation Area. “Public servants over the past 20 years have helped to design this and support it and make sure that it came to reality.”

According to Bullhead City Mayor Tom Brady, the idea for the trail began in 1999 when the Bureau of Reclamation developed a model plan for the loop trail project. In 2012, the Nevada portion was completed, and in 2016, Reclamation was awarded a $6.7 million Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act grant to complete the Arizona portion.

“This trail comes at the best time in the evolution of Bullhead City and Mohave County,” added Mohave County Supervisor (District 2) Hildy Angius. “Our community is booming with recreational tourism. This trail will allow our visitors and all the citizens of Bullhead City and Mohave County the opportunity to enjoy the recreational lands adjacent to the Colorado River and Lake Mohave.