Fourth Solar Plant Planned For Mohave Co.

A new solar plant is planned for Mohave County, the fourth and largest now slated to be built in Arizona's northwest corner.

The 340-megawatt plant would be built about 27 miles northwest of Kingman by Mohave Sun Power, LLC, on land it plans to buy from Las Vegas developer Jim Rhodes. The facility will use a solar-thermal design, with parabolic mirrors concentrating the sun's energy on tubes carrying oil. The heated oil is piped to a central facility to generate steam to turn generators. Some of the energy will be stored in molten salt tanks for use after dark, and a secondary heating system using oil, gas or biofuels can also keep the plant running on cloudy days.

The $2.1 billion plant will be one of the largest of its type in the world, project director Greg Bartlett said Tuesday.

Another plant using the same technology is planned south of Kingman. That 200-megawatt facility is being developed by Albiasa Solar. A Mohave County housing development called The Ranch at White Hills is building a solar facility to power its homes, and a smaller solar project is slated for the Yucca area.

"This is proof that our (Arizona's) renewable energy standard is finally bearing fruit," said Arizona Corporation Commission Chairwoman Kris Mayes.

The company looked all over the Southwest before settling on Mohave County, Bartlett said. Some of the benefits to locating the project in Mohave County, as compared to Maricopa County, included a higher elevation, the remote area, the amount of water and the ability to acquire 4,000 acres from a private landholder. The company has a lease purchase agreement with Rhodes for the property.

According to information from Mohave County Supervisor Buster Johnson's office, the plant will use about 1,500 to 3,000 acre-feet of water per year to wash the mirrors and generate steam. The plant intends to recycle some of the water. The company says it's well aware of the water concerns in the county and is spending a lot of time upfront on the issue, Bartlett said.

The ACC is watching the water issue carefully, Mayes said.

"It's a good deal," Johnson said of the proposed plant. "It will attract a lot of attention to the area." It will also help in the battle for solar power with Phoenix, he said.

The company has applied for a federal loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy.

If the company secures the needed permits, financing and transmission capacity, the company expects to start construction in the fourth quarter of 2010 and complete the project in the second half of 2013.

The plant will create up to 1,500 jobs during its 2.5 to 3 year construction period, and more than 100 full-time operations jobs. It will operate under the name Hualapai Valley Solar, LLC.

Kingman police kill bear after break-ins

Kingman, Arizona police officers have shot and killed a bear that wandered into town and tried to break into several homes and the local post office.

Police spokesman Sgt. Bob Fisk says the black bear was spotted on Thursday morning by residents and the police switchboard was soon flooded with calls.

Officers spotted the young bruin as it tried to break into a window at the post office, then tracked it as it went through alleys, climbed fences and tried to get into several homes. Fisk says the bear was very aggressive and was seen pushing on a home's door.

Residents gathered to watch, and a police captain ordered officers to shoot it because of the danger to people. After being hit, the bear ran but was pinned in by a police cruiser before dying.

Mitzie Dawn Hadsall, Eleanor Ruth Hawes and Austin Lee Hildenbrand involved with horrible child abuse

UPDATE OCT. 6:

Four people are now facing child abuse charges after a woman inside a Wal-Mart reported seeing a 3-year-old boy with severe bruises over his body.

The Mohave County Attorney's Office has since reviewed the case and has charged Eleanor Ruth Hawes and Austin Lee Hildenbrand with child abuse per domestic violence.

Police have charged another roommate, Amber Lynn Alliger, 30, with child abuse per domestic violence.

Police say all four suspects live in an apartment in Bullhead City, along with the boy and Alliger's two children, ages 2 and 6. Alliger's children showed no signs of child abuse.

Police say the three roommates were all aware of the abuse the boy received at the hands of his mother and did nothing to protect or help him.

The 3-year-old boy was released from Sunrise Hospital on Sunday and is now in the care of Child Protective Services.

The four suspects are at the Mohave County Jail in Kingman.

ORIGINAL REPORT:

The following is a press release from the Bullhead City Police Department:

A local mother is facing several child abuse charges after her 3-year-old son was flown to Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas.

At approximately 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 1st, a woman inside Wal-Mart called police to report a suspected child abuse after seeing a little boy with bruises all over his face and body. The woman caller sounded very distraught while talking to dispatch about what she had seen.

Police responded to Wal-Mart and observed a boy slumped over in a shopping cart basket with bruises all over his body, dried blood around his mouth, marks around his wrists (consistent of being tied up) and was unresponsive to questions.

Fire Paramedics transported the 3-year-old boy to Western Arizona Regional Medical Center because he was dehydrated and malnourished. While police were at the hospital, several nurses were emotional and crying over the boy's injuries. One hospital staff member told police that the boy had asked her if she was going to tie him up.

After further investigation, detectives discovered the boy's mother, 25-year-old Mitzie Dawn Hadsall, had physically abused her son, would deny him food and water for several days and lock him in a closet as a form of punishment. The boy also slept locked inside the closet. Hadsall was arrested for aggravated assault, child neglect and endangerment.

Two of Hadsall's roommates, 50-year-old Eleanor Ruth Hawes and 23-year-old Austin Lee Hildenbrand, were also arrested in connection with this case. Hawes was arrested for endangerment and Hildenbrand was arrested for failing to report child neglect.

Child Protective Services will take care of the 3-year-old child victim after he is released from Sunrise Hospital. The boy is currently listed in stable condition.