Parker Live News from the Parker Strip since 2009.

October, 2018

• 21 October

  To The Editor: On Sandy Giles ‘Cold Case’

  

  In May 2017, Parker Live was one of the few news outlets to cover the disappearance of an Alabama woman called Sandy Giles. The story generated a lot of interest and speculation in the Parker area, because Sandy’s car was discovered not far outside of town, a few miles west on CA-62. There were precious few clues as to where …

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• 17 October

  River Cribs II

  

  You know you wanna see inside this place. Parker Live ‘River Cribs’ is back! This 5,517 square-foot vacation home is the ultimate way to enjoy the Parker Strip.

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• 15 October

  Another murder case dismissed, lack of evidence

  

  After hearing evidence for several days in a murder case in Parker, the trial judge dismissed the entire case due to a lack of evidence, chastising prosecutor Karen Hobbs in the process, dismissing the jury and letting the defendant go free. The unusual ruling was made in response to a motion by the defendant under Rule 20, which states that …

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• 8 October

  Viewfinder: Running Man II

  

  The second fuel station by the Colorado River Indian Tribes opened to the public last week in a Grand Opening ceremony on the north side of the town of Parker. It was attended by Tribal Council, bird singers and dancers, other local dignitaries and members of the public. Photos by Josh Savino.

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• 2 October

  Purple Badge: Parker school principal tells story of domestic violence

  

  It’s National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. 1 in 4 women has experienced some form of domestic violence, and the Principal of Blake Primary School in Parker, AZ is one of them.   In this exclusive video by Parker Live, Joanna Hermes opens up about her experience in an abusive relationship over 15 years ago, and how receiving help as a …

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• 1 October

  To The Editor: River so low!

  

  The elevation of the Colorado River on the Parker Strip has been low, and people have been noticing! Any news or ideas of why river has been so low this last week?” – Margaret It’s a good question, because when the river level is lower than usual, it can cause sandbars and rock to be exposed that isn’t ordinarily, which …

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September, 2018

• 26 September

  Triple murder case dismissed, judge blames prosecutor

  

  The triple murder trial of Kitage Lynch has been dismissed after the judge ruled that prosecutors were “playing games” with the rules “rather than actually properly preparing [the] case for trial.” Parker Live has been following developments in the case since the killings near Salome, AZ in April 2016. Three elderly winter visitors were found dead, and Lynch was quickly …

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• 17 September

  AWC is reducing poverty for its students

  

  Arizona Western College (AWC) ranks in the top 2 percent of the nation’s community colleges for changing people’s income, and has the grand goal of eliminating poverty. A National Community College Benchmark Project survey used data from government sources covering all students from 1999 to 2013. The data reports estimates of students’ household income before and after earning a credential …

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• 13 September

  Parker man allegedly stabs two people in Big River

  

  A Parker man was arrested for attempted murder in Big River, CA after two stabbing victims were located by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. At around 1:05 p.m. on Thursday, deputies from the Sheriff’s Colorado River Station responded to the report of a stabbing in the 7100 block of Nokomis Trail. Prior to the deputies’ arrival they located a …

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• 13 September

  Fact Check: The Town Manager and the gift cards

  

  Since Parker Live’s coverage of a widely-distributed letter sent earlier this week accusing the Parker Town Manager of misappropriating gift cards, a lively discussion has emerged about the case. But some things can be settled on the basis of fact. Here’s what we know about the situation at this point. (This may be updated if information changes.) Is this ‘old …

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• 11 September

  Assessment error amounts to a million dollars in revenue

  

  UPDATE: La Paz County Assessor Anna Camacho says taxpayers will pay less this year due to the overstated valuations, but some taxing entities may choose to increase their tax rate next year. Full statement attached at bottom. — ORIGINAL STORY: The accounting error at the La Paz County Assessor’s Office amounts to around a million dollars of tax revenue, according …

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• 10 September

  Parker Town Manager accused, Town lawyer responds

  

  Our latest information on this original story is included in our ‘Fact Check’ article HERE. — A Town of Parker employee accused the Town Manager of buying almost $49,000 in gift cards on town credit cards and keeping no records of where they went. Corina Crispin, who is a specialist in the town’s Finance Department, made the accusations in a …

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• 8 September

  Property tax mistake to leave entities short

  

  UPDATE HERE. — ORIGINAL STORY: A mistake in property tax values will leave fire departments, schools and county departments short of their projected budgets for the current fiscal year, Parker Live has learned. The La Paz County Assessor’s Office, which is responsible for appraising and valuing taxable property countywide, reportedly made a mistake earlier this year when locking in the …

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• 6 September

  Man’s jet ski joyride ends in arrest

  

  A man joyrode several jet skis he stole from multiple locations on the Parker Strip Wednesday before being arrested by a Sheriff’s Sergeant with the help of Buckskin Fire Department. Sergeant S. Maya from the La Paz County Sheriff’s Department was dispatched to the area of Moovalya Keys north of Parker for a theft of a jet ski. Upon his …

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• 5 September

  Gold Star mom from Parker named Honorary Miss America

  

  Parker area resident Lori Deysie, mother of Army Private First Class Ara Tyler Deysie, will be one of ten Gold Star mothers to be named an Honorary Miss America as part of Project Gratitude, a program co-founded by another former Parker resident. Tyler was killed May 9th, 2008, of wounds sustained when his unit came under rocket-propelled grenade fire while …

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August, 2018

• 30 August

  Hobbs, Dyer win Republican nominations in primary

  

  Tiffany Dyer won the Republican nomination for Justice of the Peace in Precinct 6, while Karen Hobbs narrowly won the Republican nomination for Judge of the Superior Court in La Paz County. Both will be going forward to the general election in November, when they will face opponents from the other parties. The Republican races were the only contested races …

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• 28 August

  La Paz County votes: unofficial results

  

  La Paz County voted in Tuesday’s Arizona primary election, with races including Town of Parker Council, Town of Quartzsite Council, Justices of the Peace, Superior Court Judge and others with results on the ballot. With approximately 400 countywide votes still to be counted – the so-called ‘late earlies’ (which exist when people request an early ballot but don’t return it …

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• 27 August

  Triple homicide suspect transported to Parker for trial

  

  A man accused of killing three elderly people in a remote area of La Paz County, AZ has been transported to Parker to face charges in the killings. Kitage Lynch, 26, is now an inmate at the La Paz County Jail after taking up residence there last week. Prosecutors with the County Attorney’s Office are preparing their case against Lynch …

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• 24 August

  La Paz County Sheriff’s deputy arrested

  

  A deputy with the La Paz County Sheriff’s Department has reportedly been arrested after allegations against him surfaced, demanding an outside review. The nature of the alleged crime is unconfirmed, but was evidently serious enough that the Sheriff’s Department asked Yuma County Sheriff’s Department to conduct an investigation. Detectives with Yuma County reportedly responded, conducted an investigation and then placed …

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• 24 August

  Agencies partner up for Labor Day DUI detail

  

  The Parker Police Department, La Paz County Sheriff’s Department and Quartzsite Police Department will be partnering up with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to conduct a multi-agency Labor Day holiday weekend DUI saturation detail. The goal of the enforcement detail will be to deter impaired drivers, according to a press release, using overtime funds to allow additional officers to …

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• 23 August

  Viewfinder: BLM burro roundup in photos

  

  The Bureau of Land Management conducted an emergency ‘gather’ of wild burros on the Parker Strip in the last week to reduce the size of the local population. All photos courtesy Greg Albaugh, who tells Parker Live he counted around 67 burros in the pictured area (BLM said they intended to gather 100).

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• 23 August

  Quartzsite Police evidence tech pleads guilty

  

  A former evidence technician for the Quartzsite Police Department has pleaded guilty to stealing about $25,000 from the department, according to the Associated Press. Christy Conley, 46, was indicted in May for stealing about $20,000 in cash from an evidence safe in 2017, including $13,000 that belonged to a deceased man’s estate. Investigators say she also charged more than $4,000 …

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• 23 August

  COLUMN: Digital detox

  

  Recently I returned from a trip to South East Asia. I spent two weeks overseas doing some teaching, encouraging and visiting with friends and new acquaintances alike. It was a good trip, but a very soggy one. Now I know what they mean by “rainy season”, and let me tell you, they aren’t kidding around with the rain over there. …

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• 22 August

  CRIT to make $2 million per year for fallowed farmland

  

  The Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) Tribal Council has approved a System Conservation Agreement which will provide the Tribes with more than $2 million per year in exchange for fallowing 1,884 acres of farmland on the reservation. The agreement with the Lower Colorado Region of the Bureau of Reclamation will make the conserved water available for storage in Lake Mead. …

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• 13 August

  Parker burro herd to be thinned by 100

  

  The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is to conduct an emergency ‘gather’ of wild burros along the Parker Strip this week, thinning the herd by 100 animals. The gathers follow others last week in Bullhead City, for a total of 470 animals. BLM says the gathers are needed after “discussions and concerns brought forth by private landowners and community leaders …

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• 13 August

  River Cribs

  

  Have you ever wanted to see inside one of the riverfront homes on the Parker Strip? Us too! Watch here as Parker Live takes you in for a quick tour of this River Crib. River Cribs Leave a comment on Facebook HERE.

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• 10 August

  AMBER ALERT: 1 year old girl taken from Havasu

  

  UPDATE: The girl has apparently been found. — ORIGINAL STORY: An Amber Alert has been issued for a one-year-old Lake Havasu girl. Joanne McLaskey, 1, was taken from her home Friday by 55-year-old Patrick Colley in a stolen silver 2007 Hummer H3 with Arizona licence plate CDJ0796, according to authorities. The suspect was staying at the home before taking the …

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• 10 August

  Viewfinder: Aftermath of the Storm

  

  A storm last night whipped through Parker, AZ and left some damage in its wake, including the canopy at one of the playgrounds at Pop Harvey Park.

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• 9 August

  Over 1700 marijuana plants seized in Big River and Vidal

  

  The Marijuana Enforcement Team of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department seized 1,709 cannabis plants at two locations in Big River and the town of Vidal, CA and arrested a man. On Tuesday, investigators from the team served two search warrants at locations in the unincorporated communities. Both locations had outdoor marijuana cultivations on the property. In addition to the …

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• 7 August

  Parker biker couple killed in South Dakota accident

  

  A couple from Parker, AZ were riding their motorcycle in South Dakota when they collided with a semi truck and died. Photo: KOTA TV According to KOTA TV, James and Deanna Bradley, 54 and 45, were killed when their motorcycle slammed into the side of a semi on Highway 14-16 as they crossed the intersection with South Ellsworth Road. Another …

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• 6 August

  Big River man accidentally shoots self, arrested for possession of the gun

  

  A Big River man accidentally shot himself with a .22 caliber rifle and was later arrested for possessing it, according to law enforcement. On July 15th at 4:52 p.m., deputies from the Colorado River Station/Parker Dam station of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department responded to La Paz Regional Hospital for a shooting victim. During the investigation it was determined …

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• 1 August

  AWC to offer Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program

  

  The Arizona Western College Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program is returning to La Paz County in the spring of 2019. Students interested in a career in the nursing field can earn their certified or licensed nursing assistant certificate through the program. Nursing assistants work under the supervision of nurses to provide high quality care to patients in nursing homes, assisted …

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July, 2018

• 30 July

  Road closure and detour Tuesday and Wednesday

  

  Mohave Road is to be closed between 1st Avenue and Navajo Avenue on Tuesday and Wednesday for construction. The road will be closed to all vehicle traffic in both directions between 1st Avenue and South Navajo Avenue due to construction on the new CRIT Fire Station. “The construction company will be digging a trench across the road and the road …

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• 24 July

  U.S. House votes to transfer land to La Paz County

  

  C-SPAN: WATCH THE BILL ON THE HOUSE FLOOR HERE. A big bill for La Paz County passed the U.S. House of Representatives Monday, with the support of several members of Congress and the Colorado River Indian Tribes. The bill, known as H.R. 2630, the ‘La Paz County Land Conveyance Act’, would transfer 8,800 acres of federal land to the County …

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• 24 July

  Solar cars roll through Parker

  

  If you were on the roads to or from the Parker Strip over the weekend, you may have run across slow-moving traffic marked with signs designated “solar car”. Photos: Solar Car Challenge on Facebook The route for the 2018 Solar Car Challenge included AZ-72 and CA-62, which meant that the event came right through Parker, AZ. The Challenge is the …

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• 17 July

  Mosley now accused of sexism at the legislature

  

  A state representative who made international news last week after Parker Live first reported his fateful traffic stop in Parker, AZ is now under fire for allegedly sexist comments made at the legislature. Photo: VoteMosley.com According to The Arizona Republic, the freshman lawmaker “has asked whether people are married, why they don’t have children and why working mothers aren’t, instead, …

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• 16 July

  Rock House to be closed for maintenance

  

  The Rock House Recreation Area, visitor center and boat launch, managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will not be available for public use from July 23rd to August 1st, 2018, in order to ensure safety during maintenance and repaving. The parking lot repair will enhance the recreational experiences at the site and improve facilities. During the construction, parking, …

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• 16 July

  Parker schools to have free lunch for all students

  

  All students at Parker schools will get free breakfast and lunch, starting on the first day of school this year, thanks to a new federal program. The program is the National School Lunch Program’s Community Eligibility Provision, which is in turn part of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. It was made available to all states in 2014-2015. For …

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• 16 July

  BLM lifts fire restrictions

  

  The federal Bureau of Land Management has lifted all fire restrictions for the public lands it administers in the Parker area. Due to widespread precipitation across the area, additional rain in the weather forecast, and a rise in fuel moistures, BLM has determined that the likelihood of wildfire has lessened to the degree that the restrictions can be rescinded. The …

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• 12 July

  Mystery solved: Floating hazards were swim area markers

  

  The mystery of how a collection of miscellaneous chains and padlocks came to be floating just under the surface of the Colorado River may have been solved. Deputies from San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department were made aware of the floating hazards on Monday. At least two foam noodle tubes were found floating just below the water’s surface on the Parker …

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• 12 July

  Sheriff says deputy acted according to state law

  

  The Sheriff’s Deputy who pulled over Arizona State Representative Paul Mosley for speeding acting properly in letting him go on his way, according to a statement by the La Paz County Sheriff’s Department. Paul Mosley cited his legislative immunity under the following section of the law: “Members of the legislature shall be privileged from arrest in all cases except treason, …

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• 11 July

  WATCH: Arizona lawmaker brags to cop about speeding

  

  UPDATE: Mosley apologized on his Facebook page to his constituents, saying: ”I would like to apologize to my colleagues and constituents, as well as law enforcement, for my conduct on March 27th, 2018, which is shown in the recently-released video. My desire to get home to see my family does not justify how fast I was speeding nor my reference …

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• 9 July

  Patch re-gains seat as CRIT Chairman

  

  Dennis Patch is back in office as Chairman of the Executive Council of the Colorado River Indian Tribes after he ran for the seat he held before a recall earlier this year. Patch was one of only two out of nine council members recalled in the special election at the end of April. He was challenged in Saturday’s election by …

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• 9 July

  Is someone purposely trying to harm boaters?

  

  A river-goer in Parker, AZ made an alarming discovery last weekend: several of these floating boobytraps not far from Parker Dam. “I was on a jetski today and I saw four of these floating in the water up river about a half mile down from Parker Dam,” a Facebook user called Maria posted to a Parker-area page. “I could only …

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• 5 July

  San Bernardino Sheriff conducts Operation Dry Water

  

  The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Colorado River Station Marine Enforcement Unit conducted it’s 2018 Fourth of July Weekend Operation in conjunction with Operation Dry Water, from June 29th through July 1st. Operation Dry Water is a national year-round campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of boating under the influence. The operation was conducted along the Colorado River from …

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• 5 July

  CRIT at the table as Arizona talks drought contingencies

  

  The Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) was one of many Arizona entities and stakeholders who met to discuss contingency plans to deal with the worsening drought conditions in the southwestern United States. The water officials committed last Thursday to reach a multi-state plan by the end of the year to stave off potential shortages. The move comes after the U.S. …

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• 5 July

  Big River woman arrested for drugs, stolen vehicle

  

  A Big River woman has been arrested for possession of a controlled substance for sale and possession of a stolen vehicle. On Tuesday, July 3rd at about 9 a.m., the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department’s Parker Dam Resident Deputy along with two Detectives from the Colorado River Sheriff’s station served a search warrant at a business in the 7100 block of …

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• 5 July

  Cops: Which state’s laws are enforced on the Parker Strip?

  

    Which state’s laws are enforced on the Parker Strip? California’s or Arizona’s? Does it depend on what side of the river you’re on? Or what state you’re a resident of? Or what state your boat is registered in? Or what agency pulls you over? How do boating cops do their job, and what should people expect when they encounter …

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• 5 July

  New traffic signals to bring Parker area total to just 6

  

  The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) is adding new traffic signals, widening lanes and making pavement improvements at the intersection of State Route 95 and Mohave Road on the south-east end of town. The $800,000 project will aim to improve traffic flow and safety at the intersection, which handles a high volume of traffic, according to a news release from …

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June, 2018

• 25 June

  COLUMN: A theory about kids and energy

  

  Last week I experienced (endured, underwent?) an annual tradition at Christ’s Church on the River, and many other churches, called VBS. For those of you who don’t know VBS stands for Vacation Bible School. And it’s something else! Vacation Bible School began in Hopedale, Illinois way back in 1894. Sunday school teacher D. T. Miles, who also was a public …

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