Parker Live News from the Parker Strip since 2009.

December, 2020

• 1 December

  KLPZ’s 12 Days of Christmas is back!

  

  Win a mountain bike, a 55-inch TV, a karaoke machine, some cash, or one of the other great gifts at this year’s 12 Days of Christmas! Just go into one of the participating locations listed below and register your name, or a child’s name. Then, on December 22nd and 23rd, live on KLPZ 1380am, drawings will be made and winners …

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November, 2020

• 29 November

  “Someone shot at me in Parker, oh my God”: Victim’s account, suspects in custody

  

  Three people suspected of a series of shootings across three states are in custody after an officer-involved shooting near Bouse, AZ on Thanksgiving Day. Below, one of the victims, Christine Curry, tells Parker Live what happened as she was passing the Osborne Wash area of Highway 95 north of Parker, when a bullet came through her window 5 inches from …

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• 25 November

  As COVID surges in La Paz County, hospital implements new measures

  

  La Paz County is experiencing a surge in cases of COVID-19 in recent days, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 771 and the total number of related deaths to 19. In response, La Paz Regional Hospital is implementing new measures around safety. 1. The only public entry to the main hospital is through the front lobby. The surgery …

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• 24 November

  Boater airlifted to hospital after high-speed crash

  

  A boater was airlifted to hospital for injuries suffered during a high-speed crash on the Parker Strip. On Monday, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Marine Enforcement Unit responded to a boating accident that occurred near Echo Lodge Resort. At approximately 1:50 pm, a Cole flat bottom was being operated southbound on the river at a high rate of speed. For …

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• 9 November

  Local woman still waterskis 3 times a week, at 92 years young

  

  A boat pulls up at a private dock on the Parker Strip. Longtime Parker resident Reta Bunge comes out, ready to go with her suit on and ski in hand. Her neighbor and friend John Croteau smiles from the driver’s seat when he sees her; she is an inspiration to everyone. Reta is 92 years old and still waterskis 3 …

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• 6 November

  Plunkett, Ponce and Garcia win, La Paz turnout not high

  

  David Plunkett, William Ponce and Richard Garcia are local election winners in the unofficial vote count in La Paz County. None of the results were close. Voter turnout was on the lower side of normal. Plunkett ran for District 1 Supervisor after DL Wilson announced he was not going to seek re-election for his seat. Wilson later decided to mount …

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• 3 November

  Tribes take issue with Town of Parker directive over business taxes

  

  The Chairman of the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) has written a public letter to the Town of Parker over a recent directive telling businesses within Town limits that they do not need to pay taxes to the Tribes. The letter, which says that the Tribes are “deeply concerned” about the Town’s “grave error”, cites various cases that amount to …

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October, 2020

• 29 October

  Missing woman found dead north of Parker

  

  La Paz County Sheriff’s Department Press Release: On Thursday, October 22nd, 2020, the La Paz County Sheriff’s Office was notified of an alleged Missing Person that lived in the unincorporated area of the Parker Strip. Deputies responded to the initial call for service and then requested the investigative unit to respond when they found suspicious circumstances. During the Investigation, the …

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• 29 October

  USDA to invest millions in Bouse water system

  

  The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is to invest millions in the Bouse Domestic Water Improvement District, according to a letter from the agency to the La Paz County Board of Supervisors. The investment will use a $400,000 loan and a $2,985,000 grant to make improvements that will being it up to Arizona Department of Environmental Quality standards. “The …

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• 27 October

  La Paz County gears up for unusual election

  

  An incumbent who changed his mind and will be running for his own seat despite not being on the ballot; a Sheriff’s race with a prominent independent candidate after the incumbent lost re-election; and a County Attorney seat left unopposed because of a court challenge. This year’s general election on Tuesday has some oddities to talk about in La Paz …

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• 25 October

  PAID: Duce Minor supports David Plunkett

  

  Endorsed by Duce Minor, Randy Hartless, Anna Camacho. Paid for by the Committee to Elect David Plunkett Supervisor District 1.

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• 21 October

  Two dead after a boat ran into a dock near Fox’s

  

  UPDATED 10/22 to add names of the deceased: Ethel Fisher and Walter Fouts. — Two people are dead after a boat accident on the Parker Strip on Tuesday morning. It is the deadliest such incident in some time. A 21-foot open bow jet boat with 6 occupants was traveling south on the river in front of Fox’s Resort & RV …

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• 6 October

  PAID: If you’re not growing, you’re dying – David Plunkett

  

  Hello Neighbors- My name is David Plunkett and I’m your candidate for District 1 Supervisor. I want to thank everyone who voted for me at the Primary Election in August! I committed to running for District 1 Supervisor back in No- vember 2019… and I haven’t looked back. You most likely know me from my business, David Plunkett Re- alty. …

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September, 2020

• 24 September

  1 person injured, 2 homes destroyed in accidental Hillcrest Bay fire

  

  One person was seriously injured and two homes were completely destroyed in a fire last evening in the Hillcrest Bay neighborhood north of Parker. 20 firefighters fought back the blaze. Gasoline exploded in a garage accidentally and was determined to be the cause. Picture: La Paz County Sheriff’s Department “We were pretty concerned when we first got there that we …

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• 21 September

  To The Editor: Do wakesurfing boats belong on the river?

  

  “John, Parker Live needs to address the controversy over wake / surf boats on the river. Many private docks have been damaged by the huge wakes this summer alone. The river isn’t big enough for what they want to do. Everybody likes to have fun but people are really mad at this point. Can you please talk about this? There …

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• 14 September

  Man exposed to mystery substance near courthouse

  

  Avoid the Parker Justice Court, law enforcement say 4:57pm- “At approximately 1400 hours, officers from the Parker Police Department responded to a call of possible exposure to a suspicious substance. The subject was transported by medical to La Paz Regional Hospital as a precaution. Due to the nature and circumstances regarding the incident, Arizona Avenue is closed from Kofa Avenue …

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• 6 September

  High temps for Labor Day weekend in Parker

  

  Temps exceeded 120 degrees on Labor Day weekend in the Parker area, something that only happens officially once every few years on average. The heat wave saw records broken across the region. Woodland Hills reached 121 degrees on Sunday afternoon, the highest ever recorded in Los Angeles County. Paso Robles in San Luis Obispo County hit a record 117 degrees. …

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• 6 September

  Man struck by vessel on Parker Strip flown to hospital in Goodyear

  

  UPDATED with info from GoFundMe — A man was struck by a vessel on the Parker Strip Saturday. He sustained major injuries and was flown to hospital in Goodyear, AZ. On Saturday, September 5th, 2020 at approximately 5:15 pm, deputies from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s Colorado River Station Marine Enforcement Unit responded to a boating collision near the …

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• 3 September

  La Paz County passes 500 confirmed cases of COVID-19

  

  Cases are falling, but spreading primarily through families Younger people are spreading it to older family members CRIT has been hit hardest At an average of 100 cases every month for the last 5 months, La Paz County has passed a milestone: the 500th confirmed case of COVID-19. There have been 15 deaths from complications of the virus. The tribal …

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August, 2020

• 29 August

  Body found on California Avenue in Parker

  

  A body was discovered in the 500 block of South California Avenue in Parker last week, according to the Colorado River Indian Tribes. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) was contacted to respond to the location at around 11:53 a.m. on Wednesday, August 19th. A BIA agent arrived an hour later. The body was removed and taken to Parker Funeral …

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• 20 August

  Bars can apply for a new grant from Thursday morning

  

  The Governor’s Office is partnering with Local First Arizona Foundation to launch the Arizona Small Business Rent and Mortgage Relief Grant program and distribute $10 million in grants to small businesses who have had to shutter their doors during this pandemic. The partnership leverages the grantmaking experience and small business expertise of Local First Arizona Foundation, which has already distributed …

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• 17 August

  Brooke Water to become part of EPCOR this week, new rates

  

  The water utility serving the Upriver area north of Parker, AZ changes ownership officially this week, bringing with it improvements and 25 percent higher rates to match. The Arizona Corporation Commission approved the ownership transition on July 22nd, which means Brooke Water is now part of a much larger corporation, EPCOR. The company already owns many water utilities in the …

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• 13 August

  County’s emergency manager Steve Biro has died

  

  Steve Biro, La Paz County Emergency Management Director for the past 18 years, has died. The County released the following obituary. — It is with great sadness that we announce the La Paz County Emergency Management Director, Steve Biro passed away from lung disease on August 9th, 2020. He is survived by his wife, Anita Biro, his daughters, Tiara Biro …

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• 11 August

  Supervisor DL Wilson reverses course, decides to run as write-in candidate

  

  La Paz County District 1 Supervisor DL Wilson, who had earlier decided not to run for re-election and will not be on the ballot in November, has reversed course and decided to run for his seat as a write-in candidate. The only candidate actually on the general election ballot is David Plunkett, a well-known local realtor. Wilson, who was first elected …

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• 5 August

  Primary election upset for Sheriff Risen

  

  UPDATED to correct the general election sheriff candidates for November. — The voters have chosen to replace Bill Risen as Sheriff after primary challenger William Ponce got more votes in Tuesday’s election. According to the unofficial election results posted by La Paz County, Ponce received 934 votes, Sheriff Risen had 582 and Frank Vidrine had 248. The results mean that …

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July, 2020

• 30 July

  CRIT extends stay-at-home order, casino closure until end of August

  

  UPDATE: Parker schools Superintendent Brad Sale responded to a question by Parker Live about how this would affect schools, saying: “We are currently working with tribal officials to determine how the stay-at-home order affects our schools and the ability to attend school in person. We will also be following the benchmarks that AZDHS will release next week. These benchmarks will have schools …

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• 20 July

  COLUMN: Reaching the breaking point

  

  I’ve been thinking about writing this column for quite a while now. But I’ve kept putting it off. In fact I actively looked for reasons not to write it. But it keeps coming up in many of my conversations and I see it all over the place, nearly everywhere I look in fact. So, for better or worse, I decided …

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• 20 July

  $20,000 reward for hay bale arsonist

  

  UPDATED to reflect doubled amount (original $10,000). — A $20,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for burning down several stacks of hay bales in the valley south of Parker last week. Eight stacks in total were burned on July 14th at four locations in the valley, the product of months …

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• 16 July

  Viewfinder: FLOG 2020

  

  Photos by Michael Collins.

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• 13 July

  Parker schools to use distance learning for at least the first 2 weeks

  

  Parker schools will begin the 2020-21 year on August 3rd with at least two weeks of distance learning. The Parker Unified School District Governing Board approved a re-opening plan last Wednesday authorizing Superintendent Brad Sale to proceed with one of three options for learning, depending on the severity of the COVID-19 virus in the community. “Our Number One priority is …

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• 13 July

  Man arrested for allegedly holding woman against her will

  

  A man in Big River was arrested by the SWAT team for allegedly holding a woman against her will. On Thursday, July 9th at 6:35 a.m., deputies from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department were dispatched to a residence in the 7000 block of Yakima Trail in Big River for a call of a disturbance. The Department says its investigation …

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• 8 July

  Sheriff’s Department gets $325,000 in grants

  

  The La Paz County Sheriff’s Department has been awarded $300,000 by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), a component of the Department of Homeland Security, and another $25,000 by the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. The bigger grant was awarded under Operation Stonegarden, which exists to fund law enforcement agencies in efforts to secure U.S. borders and improve overall border security. …

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• 8 July

  LISTEN: Documentary to depict Quartzsite people and politics

  

  A new documentary film by Cyle O’Donnell is set to depict the town of Quartzsite, AZ and its politics, rivalries and melodrama. O’Donnell describes the film like this: “From allegations of corruption, police harassment and embezzlement, to a murder-for-hire scandal between the first two mayors, the tiny, desert town of Quartzsite, Arizona has seen conflict reserved only for major cities. …

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• 8 July

  7 COVID-related deaths in County, hospital announces same-day testing

  

  Seven people have now died from complications of the coronavirus in La Paz County. La Paz Regional Hospital has announced COVID-19 tests that will give same-day results. The 6th death was reported June 29th by the Colorado River Indian Tribes, the second tribal member to die in connection with the virus. The 7th death was from the Parker service district, …

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• 2 July

  To the Editor: Why are some bars still open after orders to close?

  

  Let’s try to answer this reader question about bars in Parker that are seemingly open during the month of July: “Dear Editor, If all the bars in Arizona were ordered closed, how is it that _________________ is still open?” – Bemused About Rules Thanks for the question, BAR. The answer isn’t as clear as it may seem. On June 29th, …

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June, 2020

• 30 June

  FLOG still on, but Tube Float cancelled

  

  The Flog (Baseball Golf) tournament is still on, but the Parker Tube Float has been cancelled for 2020. Flog (‘golf’ spelled backwards) takes place every July, and involves playing 9 holes of golf with baseball bats in fancy dress. The tournament will be held this year on Saturday, July 11th at Emerald Canyon Golf Course as planned. Some changes are …

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• 29 June

  Bars ordered to close again, school delayed, County cases quadruple during June

  

  Amid a spike in cases of coronavirus, bars are being ordered to close again by state order. A look at the data for La Paz County tells a sobering story: cases quadrupled in the County during the month of June. Total cases of coronavirus in La Paz County over time   At first, La Paz County got off relatively lightly. …

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• 24 June

  WATCH: ‘Meet the Candidates’ live from Parker, AZ

  

      The Parker Regional Chamber of Commerce & Tourism presented ‘Meet the Candidates’ in Parker, AZ Wednesday night. This event was streamed by the Chamber live, and the video replay is available.

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• 19 June

  CRIT requires face masks in public, Town of Parker rejects similar measure

  

  The Colorado River Indian Tribes has implemented a mandate requiring people to wear face masks in public places, the Town of Parker has rejected a similar measure and the County Board of Supervisors meets Monday to decide County policy. CRIT’s requirement applies to the whole CRIT reservation, including popular stores and fast food outlets like Walmart, Safeway, McDonald’s, Subway and …

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• 15 June

  A third and fourth person have died from COVID in La Paz County

  

  A third person and fourth person have died from complications of COVID-19 in La Paz County amid an uptick in cases. The latest was an individual from the Parker service district who was over the age of 65 and hospitalized outside the County. The other was also over 65, hospitalized outside the County. The individual is from the Ehrenberg service …

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May, 2020

• 30 May

  Viewfinder: County tests over 300 people for COVID in testing blitz

  

  UPDATE: 303 people were tested, 5 were positive, and 97 percent tested were asymptomatic. — ORIGINAL STORY: La Paz County has tested over 300 people for COVID-19 in its 2-day testing blitz last weekend. “The results will be available for everyone within 2 to 4 days and we will put out an updated message on any new positive cases,” said …

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• 28 May

  County officially receives title to solar property from BLM

  

  La Paz County has officially received title to 5,939 acres of land from the Bureau of Land Management to further its economic development efforts. The County approved an Economic Development Agreement with a company called 174 Power Global to use the site for solar energy that will produce up to 850 Megawatts of energy. “Our vision is to attract new …

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• 24 May

  Gun store owner dies by suicide after illness, following negotiation with police

  

  UPDATED to add details about Mr. Shepherd’s illness and quotes from his wife Theresa. — An owner of a Parker gun store died by suicide in front of local law enforcement officers after negotiations with police following a long illness. Kevin Shepherd, who ran Gold Pan Dan’s Guns and Gold on California Avenue in Parker, AZ with his wife Theresa …

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• 18 May

  On busy river weekend, 3 boats crash into same dock

  

  Three boats crashed into the same docks at Rio Lindo Shores on an unusually busy weekend on the Parker Strip. Two of the crashes happened on Saturday, the third on Sunday. The docks are located directly between two popular riverfront bars and directly across from a popular beach. UPDATE: Parker Live spoke to La Paz County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Donald Schlect …

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• 15 May

  Parker Tube Float is set for August

  

  The annual Parker Tube Float, normally held in June, is set for August 1st, 2020. “This Float’s For You” is the theme this year for an event that has happened every year since 1977, typically drawing thousands of people floating together down the Parker Strip. The new director of the Chamber of Commerce, Melissa Newton, says it’s been a challenge …

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• 13 May

  Arizona’s stay-at-home order will expire on Friday

  

  The state of Arizona’s stay-at-home order will expire on Friday as the state implements ‘Phase 1’ reopening. The Colorado River Indian Tribes order remains in effect. Dine-in restaurants, pools and gyms, spas, salons and barber shops can all now legally open their doors to the public with CDC guidance around social distancing. This Saturday, major league sports can resume limited …

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• 8 May

  COLUMN: There’s something happening here

  

  I’ve been noticing something lately with a lot of the people I interact with and that I see and hear online. There seems to be a certain feeling they are projecting that I’ve had a hard time putting my finger on. It’s there, it’s real, but what is it? Yesterday I remembered a song from my youth that seems to …

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• 1 May

  First case of COVID-19 on CRIT reservation

  

  CRIT has its first case of COVID-19 on the reservation, according to the Colorado River Indian Tribes Department of Health and Social Services. The first presumptive positive case resulting from an individual seeking medical care at the Parker Indian Health Center was announced Friday night. The individual is a resident of the CRIT reservation. The Department of Health and Social …

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April, 2020

• 29 April

  Most cases of COVID-19 in County are now connected by a single workplace

  

  CORRECTION: The La Paz County Health Department has corrected its previously issued information, saying that the cases discussed in this article linked by workplace contact are in the Quartzsite service district, rather than the McMullen Valley district as previously stated. The article below has been updated to reflect this correction. In addition, there is one new case to add, bringing …

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• 29 April

  Arizona Governor extends modified Arizona stay-at-home order by 2 weeks

  

  Arizona Governor Doug Ducey held a press conference Wednesday in which he announced the extension of the state’s stay-at-home order through May 15th, with some modifications. Ducey said Arizona will be ‘phasing in’ a gradual economic return over the next number of weeks, balancing it with public health. “I have a sense of urgency and I want to reopen,” Ducey …

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