Parker Live News from the Parker Strip since 2009.

June, 2017

• 22 June

  Code Red: Bob “Weatherman” Steinberger passes away

  

    Parker’s own Bob “Weatherman” Steinberger has passed away at the age of 80, according to his wife Sharlene and multiple reports. Steinberger was an icon in the off-road racing community, where he made a name for himself by providing radio communications systems to big races like the Baja 1000. He was a staple at events operated by racing associations …

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• 21 June

  LISTEN: Sheriff finds elderly in need of “immediate aid”

  

  Sheriff Bill Risen stopped by KLPZ’s studio Wednesday morning to talk about his department’s findings after checking in on vulnerable elderly people during the current extreme heat wave (listen above, 15 mins). Risen said the deputies coordinated with Parker Police Department, Quartzsite Police Department and others Tuesday to try to reach some of the county’s most isolated population to ensure …

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• 21 June

  Eggstreme Heat: 120-Degree Egg Challenge winner!

  

  At KLPZ 1380am and Parker Live, we challenged you to cook an egg outdoors in the 120-degree temperatures and send us the results in pictures. And you delivered! Here are some of the most interesting results, captured on a day when Parker’s official high temp was 123 degrees. Winner announced at the bottom! —– Cesar D.L.C. – 2 hr Chuck …

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• 20 June

  Brooke Water outage for Parker Dam area Tuesday

  

  UPDATE 6/21: This outage has been postponed until tonight, Wednesday at 9pm through Thursday at 6am. Original story below. — Brooke Water is to have a planned outage Tuesday, June 20th from 9pm until 6am on Wednesday, June 21st affecting the Parker Dam area. The utility will be replacing its hydropneumatic pressure tank at the Parker Dam site, which is …

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• 20 June

  County’s ‘volunteer prosecutor’ case under scrutiny

  

  The La Paz County Attorney’s decision to use the services of a volunteer prosecutor came under more scrutiny this month after the Arizona Court of Appeals sent the case back to the Superior Court for more consideration. County Attorney Tony Rogers had appointed James Schilder as a Special Deputy County Attorney without pay, as a volunteer who wanted to help …

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• 19 June

  Scorching heatwave hits the Parker area Monday

  

  The National Weather Service has issued a series of warnings and watch alerts in advance of a significant heatwave which began Monday and is set to last throughout the week. This extreme weather event is expected to challenge some records. The peak will be Monday through Thursday, when the Parker area is forecast to reach high temps of between 118 …

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• 11 June

  Viewfinder: Tube Float 2017 Photos

  

  With a new route and new finish area, the Parker Tube Float was all fresh for 2017. Parker Live was there, cameras in hand! (This page may take a little time to fully load.)

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• 8 June

  Viewfinder: Where boats go to die?

  

  Desert near Parker.

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• 8 June

  Three structures lost in Lakeside fire

  

  Three structures are a “total loss” after Wednesday’s fire in Lakeside 2, according to Buckskin Fire Chief Chris Chambers. Photo by Araceli L. “It started in a garage,” Chambers told Parker Live, “and then quickly spread to each trailer on both sides.” The fire was driven by wind gusts on the hilly area, and worsened by the close proximity of …

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• 7 June

  Houses on fire north of Parker

  

  UPDATE 6/8: Three structures are a “total loss” after Wednesday’s fire in Lakeside 2, according to Buckskin Fire Chief Chris Chambers. Full update HERE. — ORIGINAL STORY: Two, possibly three, houses are on fire north of Parker in the area known locally as ‘Bean Pot Hill’. The houses, clustered between Captain Lane and Horizon Blvd, ignited sometime after 5 o’clock …

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• 5 June

  The Tube Float is back this Saturday!

  

  The Parker Tube Float is back for 2017 with a whole new route! Starting at Buckskin Mountain State Park and floating along the Colorado River for 3 miles to the south end of La Paz County Park north of Parker, Arizona, floaters are in for a treat on Saturday, June 10th, 2017. The new route makes for a shorter float, …

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• 2 June

  Column: What a Mess!

  

  It’s a phrase I keep hearing over and over again lately. It’s being said about national, international and local events. It’s being said by men, women and yes, even some kids I know. It’s usually said with a large side order of anger or disgust but at times it also comes with sheer resignation. “What a mess!” It seems that …

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May, 2017

• 30 May

  Crash kills 4 people in homebound weekend traffic

  

  UPDATE 12:33pm: Added identities of two of those who died. — Four people died on the road between Parker and Desert Center on Monday, according to news reports. Photo courtesy Brian Mumey and the Los Angeles Times Two soccer coaches from a Chino Hills high school were among those killed. Matt Hodges, 30, was the head coach of the varsity …

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• 26 May

  Where is Sandy Giles?

  

  UPDATE: Any new updates can be found at the Help Find Sandy Giles Facebook page, which is being run by Cal Advocates for the Missing, a nonprofit organization working with private investigators on Sandy’s case. Visit the page at the link for more. UPDATE: A search party of concerned locals is being organized for Saturday morning at 6am. If you’d …

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• 16 May

  LISTEN: Sheriff Risen, Captain Bagby on reduced funding

  

  Sheriff Bill Risen and Captain Curt Bagby stopped by the studio of KLPZ 1380am Monday to talk about the challenges of operating the La Paz County Sheriff’s Department on reduced funding. Risen, elected in November, told Parker Live‘s John Wright that he has been asked to cut $30,000 per month from the department’s budget, and has not resolved how to …

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• 15 May

  Department running on “bare minimum”, Sheriff says

  

  Sheriff Bill Risen is running on the bare minimum in funding, he says, and is worried that it may not be enough. Speaking to the Board of Supervisors on Monday morning, Risen said that his department has handled 1,295 calls in the last 30 days with minimal staff, including: vehicle collision investigations medical calls disturbance calls assistance calls assaults thefts …

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• 15 May

  Schools locked down as suspect apprehended

  

  Some Parker schools were locked down while law enforcement arrested a suspect armed with a knife Monday morning. Parker High School, Wallace Junior High School and Wallace Elementary School were placed into lockdown as a precautionary measure, according to Parker Police Department. “Law enforcement received information there was an adult male, possibly armed with a knife, running toward Parker High …

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• 12 May

  Supervisors not laughing at Goatman intervention

  

  “You can’t make this stuff up.” So said District 2 Supervisor Duce Minor in a special meeting of the La Paz County Board of Supervisors this past week, addressing an agenda item which came after an online posting by someone purporting to be the legendary ‘Goatman’. Item 2 on Wednesday’s agenda asked the Board to vote to send a ‘cease …

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• 4 May

  Column: Found On Roadside Dumped

  

  When I bought my first Ford Ranger (I’m on my second one now) I got some teasing from people telling me that Ford stood for ‘Found On Roadside Dead’, among other things. As it turns out, my two Rangers have been great little trucks, and I’m hanging on to my current one since they don’t make them anymore. All of …

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• 2 May

  Matt Newman named Superior Court judge by Governor

  

  Arizona Governor Doug Ducey has announced the appointment of Matthew Newman to the La Paz County Superior Court. Current judge Samuel Vederman announced his retirement at the end of December, saying that he had sent a letter to the Governor’s office about his intention to step down in June. Newman has been an attorney in private practice in the Parker …

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• 2 May

  $191,000 settlement to family in custody death case

  

  On a Friday afternoon two summers ago, police stopped a car in the parking lot at Safeway in Parker. Beverly Pool, a passenger in the vehicle, was taken into custody. She died of a morphine overdose in her cell during the night. Now, $191,000 is set to be paid to 8 of Beverly’s family members in a proposed settlement in …

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• 2 May

  30 pounds of meth discovered in I-10 detail

  

  A multi-agency interdiction detail has netted approximately 30 pounds of suspected methamphetamine on Interstate 10 in Quartzsite. Last Wednesday the La Paz County Sheriff’s Department hosted an interdiction detail on Interstate 10. The agencies involved were the La Paz County Sheriff’s Department, Narcotics Task Force, Colorado River Indian Tribes Police Department, U.S. Border Patrol and the Quartzsite Police Department. At …

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• 1 May

  Kathy Field out as Public Defender

  

  UPDATE 3pm: Added details about supervision of the Public Defender role. — Kathy Field was dismissed Monday as La Paz County’s Public Defender after the Board of Supervisors emerged from an executive session on the topic of her employment. In a 2-1 decision, with dissent from Supervisor Holly Irwin, the majority of the Board voted to let Field go from …

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• 1 May

  Parker Strip river road to reopen to traffic

  

  The river road on the Parker Strip is to reopen north of Sundance Saloon after a unanimous decision by the La Paz County Board of Supervisors Monday. Photo by Melissa Wright Photography. The scenic stretch of road has been closed since 2014 when heavy rains led to a rockslide of several large boulders which landed on the narrow two-lane roadway, …

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April, 2017

• 26 April

  Viewfinder: Sometimes the Desert Does Gross Things

  

  Like dropping a sudden plague of black beetles over the night sky, where they get attracted to the bright lights of a grocery store or gas station and end up being swept up by the thousands the next morning. Sometimes the desert does gross things.

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• 25 April

  30 employees laid off at La Paz County, more may come

  

  Emotions were high at La Paz County when approximately 30 employees were laid off after the Board of Supervisors voted to reduce the County’s workforce with immediate effect. The cuts came in response to an ongoing financial crisis, which the Supervisors have been publicly addressing since their new term began in January. “This is the horrible day we’ve all known …

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• 19 April

  To The Editor: Does Parker hate tents?

  

  Here’s an email: “The Parker Strip is awesome and we love to camp on the river. But almost every camp site is for RVs only and tents are not allowed! Even in places that are managed by BLM, like the Parker Dam Road on the California side, we couldn’t find a single tent site, and most of them are day …

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• 17 April

  County’s 4-day workweek is to stay

  

  La Paz County’s 4-day workweek will stay, after the Board of Supervisors considered a proposal to change it to 5 days in a public meeting. County employees and members of the public filled the boardroom for Monday’s meeting, which included an agenda item added by Supervisor Duce Minor proposing a return to 5-day opening hours for County offices. Eleven of …

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• 13 April

  Supervisors to discuss moving to a 5-day workweek

  

  UPDATE 4/17: Changing to a 5-day workweek has now had its day in front of the Board of Supervisors and failed 2-1. See the update HERE for more. — ORIGINAL STORY: The La Paz County Board of Supervisors is to publicly discuss changing the County’s hours to a 5-day week. The item on the agenda for Monday, April 17th reads: …

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• 12 April

  Column: The Perils of Persistence

  

  Last month I talked a little bit about how important persistence is in our lives. Nothing worth doing happens without it, that’s for sure. And, come to think of it, nothing much worth doing gets done without at least some of it either! So persistence is a critical factor in all our lives. But – you knew that big “but” …

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• 9 April

  Woman barely escapes car fire at river’s edge

  

  UPDATED to add the woman’s name and other info. A woman escaped with her life after being helped out by a good Samaritan just moments before fire engulfed her car. Early on Sunday afternoon Cathy McClellan, 60 years old from Parker, reportedly lost control while driving a blue Corvette on the winding river road designated as Business-95. Her car ended …

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• 6 April

  70 federal inmates arrive at La Paz County Jail Thursday

  

  The inmate population at La Paz County Detention facility doubled on Thursday from just over 70 inmates to over 140. The jail received 70 inmates Thursday from the federal government in response to the closure of a private prison in San Luis, AZ. It is not known how long the arrangement will be in place or if it represents a …

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• 6 April

  Supervisors terminate Administrator agreement

  

  The La Paz County Board of Supervisors voted to terminate the agreement they had with the firm that provided Robert Smith as Interim County Administrator, citing the high costs and the necessity of filling the position on a permanent basis. Supervisor Holly Irwin placed the item on Monday’s agenda, saying she “about fell off [her] chair” when she saw the …

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March, 2017

• 31 March

  SPECIAL REPORT: Inside La Paz County Jail

  

  UPDATE 4/6: The jail just received 70 federal inmates, less than a week after the below article was written. For more information, go HERE. “Door Seven,” Commander Suffle said into his radio. A few moments later a buzzing sound came from the metal door in front of us, and he opened it and showed us through. It was me, Sheriff …

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• 30 March

  Man arrested for threat to County

  

  A man was arrested and taken into custody by the La Paz County Sheriff’s Department on Thursday after he allegedly threatened the County after a visit to the Treasurer’s Office. According to a press release by La Paz County Sheriff’s Department, Rickey Shamblin was arrested at approximately 3 pm after he reportedly became upset with the staff at the County’s …

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• 24 March

  Juvenile arrested for high school stabbing

  

  A juvenile has been arrested for the stabbing assault of a custodian at Parker High School. Late on Thursday night, authorities with the Colorado River Indian Tribes Police Department arrested a male juvenile subject in connection with the stabbing of Maria Salcedo. The arrest was made around 11 pm, according to Parker P.D. It is an ongoing investigation and anyone …

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• 23 March

  Viewfinder: Spring Evening

  

  Springtime in Parker.

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• 23 March

  Court of Appeals sides with La Paz court in Silva case

  

  The Arizona Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction of a man who was found guilty of the murder of his accomplice while fleeing from cops on a crime spree two years ago. A La Paz County jury convicted Victor Silva after a unique and interesting trial in December 2015. Silva then filed motions for mistrial and judgment of acquittal, …

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• 23 March

  Attendance down at Parker schools on first day after assault

  

  UPDATE: A juvenile suspect was arrested late Thursday, March 23rd. UPDATE: Parker Police Department Sergeant Michael Bailey tells Parker Live the department does not believe there is an active ongoing threat to students, and says there are school resource officers and patrol officers allocated to schools by both Parker P.D. and CRIT P.D. for security. “We don’t know the reason …

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• 22 March

  Stabbing suspect still wanted by police, victim stable

  

  UPDATE: A juvenile suspect was arrested late Thursday, March 23rd. — ORIGINAL STORY: The suspect in the stabbing assault of a Parker High School employee on Tuesday night is still not in custody and is wanted by police. The victim, Maria Salcedo, was stabbed in the neck several times and was transported to La Paz Regional Hospital and then Lake …

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• 21 March

  Parker High School staff member stabbed

  

  UPDATE: A juvenile suspect was arrested late Thursday, March 23rd. UPDATE: Parker schools are closed Wednesday due to this incident, according to emails from PUSD. ORIGINAL STORY: A member of staff at Parker High School was stabbed late on Tuesday evening, according to police. A white male with dark hair, believed to be a student, is the primary suspect in …

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• 15 March

  “Shocked” judge apologizes for County’s financial “disaster”

  

  An email from Judge Samuel Vederman to Superior Court appointees Wednesday apologized on behalf of La Paz County for its outstanding payments to them. The email, which described the County’s finances as “a disaster”, was sent to appointed counsel, judges, the County Attorney and the Public Defender’s office. Parker Live obtained the email from a third party early on Wednesday …

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• 13 March

  County suspends hiring, offers employees voluntary unpaid leave

  

  UPDATE #2: The County’s Finance Director resigned on Tuesday morning, according to La Paz County Human Resources Director Mary Frantz. “Mr. Mancuso resigned from his position this morning. We wish him good luck in his future endeavors,” she said in an email to Parker Live Tuesday. UPDATE #1: “Our most pressing problem is not having enough funds in the bank …

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• 10 March

  Parker P.D. awarded new patrol vehicle

  

  The Parker Police Department says it has been awarded a grant for the purchase of a new patrol vehicle. The grant, from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, is to be used for enforcement of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) laws in Parker. “Parker Police Department’s goal is to reduce the incidences of alcohol and drug related driving fatalities and …

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• 9 March

  LISTEN: New route, big changes for Parker Tube Float

  

  The Parker Regional Chamber of Commerce and Tourism has announced a new route and big changes for the 2017 Parker Tube Float. Making the announcement live on KLPZ 1380am, event organizer Mary Hamilton said that the Float will be held on June 10th, 2017 on an entirely new stretch of the Colorado River north of Parker. “The route has been …

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• 9 March

  Crash kills 22 year old local man

  

  Julio Salcedo, 22 from Parker, AZ has been tragically killed in an auto accident on a stretch of AZ-72 in Parker South on Wednesday afternoon. Julio was driving a white Jeep westbound toward Parker town, according to Parker Police Department Sergeant Michael Bailey, and collided head-on with a tractor-trailer coming the other direction. Julio died at the scene. The semi …

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• 2 March

  LISTEN: County officials speak on financial situation

  

  Four officials from La Paz County sat down for over an hour Thursday with Parker Live‘s John Wright live on KLPZ 1380am’s morning show to talk about the financial situation at the County. Recently elected Sheriff Bill Risen, recently promoted Sheriff’s Captain Curt Bagby, recently elected District 2 Supervisor Duce Minor and recently appointed Interim County Administrator Robert Smith spoke …

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• 2 March

  Column: The Power of Persistence

  

  Somewhere around 426 B.C. Herodotus published his greatest work, “The Histories.” More than just a history it’s also an inquiry into many things, including what he called “custom” which is what we call “culture.” “One can see by this what custom can do, and Pindar, in my opinion, was right when he called it king of all.” -Herodotus, The Histories, Book 3 …

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February, 2017

• 27 February

  Inside the financial crisis at La Paz County

  

  A cash shortage, outstanding accounts payable and a deficit of over $13 million: challenges mount for new Board of Supervisors as they get help to formulate a recovery plan A new review has revealed a “financial crisis” at La Paz County. The findings were detailed in a well-attended public meeting on Tuesday that, for the first time in many years, …

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• 16 February

  Viewfinder: Railroad Ties on Fire

  

  A stack of railroad ties went up in flames on Thursday afternoon and multiple people contacted Parker Live with photos, below. No structures were threatened by the fire, according to law enforcement.

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