Archive for August, 2011
County Recorder on Foster recall
Aug 31st
La Paz County Recorder Shelly Baker stopped by the studios of KLPZ 1380am to talk with me about yesterday’s recall election which unseated Mayor Ed Foster in the town of Quartzsite. Watch below (click the small play button to stay on this page; requires Flash).
Substance Abuse Court holds first graduation ceremony
Aug 31st
County Attorney Press Release
On August 25, 2011, the La Paz County Substance Abuse Court held its first ever graduation ceremony. The graduates were Frederico Ricardo “Freddy” Torres and Steven Grimes. Freddy and Steven are the first two participants to successfully complete the program and were released from probation as a result of their outstanding performance.
The La Paz County Substance Abuse Court was first established in September 2010. The Court is an intensive program that requires a minimum of nine months to complete. All participants are drug tested extensively and required to attend weekly counseling sessions.
The participants are required to have a job, or perform community work service, and they must appear before Judge Michael Burke two times per month to discuss all aspects of their probationary requirements, recovery from drugs and alcohol and any future plans they have. Both Freddy and Steven never had a positive drug test while in the program.
The graduation party, which included food, refreshments and cake, was sponsored by Walmart. The entire Substance Abuse Court team would like to thank Walmart for its generous donation.
The Substance Abuse Court is a collaborative effort and would not be possible without the participation of Superior Court Judge Michael Burke, Clerk of the Court Sheri Newman, Chief Probation Officer John Dyess, Probation Officer Tyson Ross, Probation Officer Don Stokes, Probation Officer Kelly Brandon, La Paz Counseling, Community Intervention Associates (CIA), Arizona Counseling and Treatment Services (ACTS), Crossroads Mission and the La Paz County Attorney’s Office.
“Where’s the fire?”
Aug 31st
8/30 8:14am– Fire authorities confirm there is a wildland fire near Cibola, AZ. The direction of yesterday’s winds helped move its smoke north through the valley toward the Parker area. Smoke was also heavy in Blythe, CA and Ehrenberg, AZ.
8/30 10:21am– Reports say 11 structures have been engulfed by the fire in Cibola.
8/31 1:26pm– According to KYMA:
Fire crews are fighting to get the upper hand on a fire burning near Blythe.
The Bureau of Land Management says the Edison Fire has grown to more than 1,000 acres. A BLM spokesperson says that a downed powerline sparked the blaze.
The fire is zero percent contained, and crews say that thick vegetation is making it difficult to fight the fire. Firefighters are back-burning to try to slow the progress of the fire.
Quartzsite to get new Mayor
Aug 30th
In tonight’s recall election results, Quartzsite Mayor Ed Foster lost to Jose Lizzaragga, despite a rally on Saturday pledging support for his fight to bring openness and transparency to Quartzsite politics.
The unofficial results show that Lizzaragga won by around 60 votes. The new mayor is a former councilman who resigned to run against Foster.
Foster vows to run again in the spring.
2nd Red Ribbon Week Planning Meeting
Aug 30th
First, I want to thank everyone for making the first Red Ribbon Week Planning meeting a HUGE success. We had over 60 people in attendance which is amazing.
Our next Red Ribbon Week Planning Meeting will be held here at Players 9th Street Youth Center on Wednesday, August 31st at 12:00 noon. We will be finalizing logos and slogans for the tshirts and posters as well as discussing Family Fun Day and other Red Ribbon Week events. Feel free to bring your lunch to the meeting. Water and cookies will be available.
We appreciate all your help and support greatly!
Reader question:
Aug 29th
Hello. I used to come to this site multiple times a day, as it seemed like a great place to come for things that were happening in Parker. Now it seems like the only thing you are covering are Quartzsite. What happen to covering other things before the Pioneer did? – Anonymous
Take a look at the Pioneer this past week; it’s dominated by Quartzsite news too. This is due to a combination of factors: the newsworthiness of what’s happening in the town of Quartzsite this month; the relative quiet in Parker; the slow news month of August. Things generally begin to pick up in September. Don’t worry, nothing has changed! If you think there’s any news missing, please pass it on.
Quartzsite rally attracts hundreds
Aug 29th
Saturday’s Quartzsite Liberty Festival made its mark on Quartzsite Saturday as planned, despite temperatures of 114 to 117 degrees.
The rally was arranged to protest the actions of the town’s council and police chief, most conspicuously the treatment of Quartzsite police officers who were suspended or fired in what the protestors say was retaliation for bringing formal allegations against Chief Jeff Gilbert.
Marchers chanted “Quartzsite Ten, oath-keeping men” as they walked over 2.5 miles from an RV park south of I-10, over the freeway bridge and along the streets of Quartzsite to Town Hall.
Several politically active groups were in attendance, including Oath Keepers, the Tea Party Patriots, the Sons of Liberty Riders and campaigners for Ron Paul for President 2012.
Many attendees carried flags, banners and signs. Some were armed with pistols or rifles, and cameras of all sorts. Law enforcement and other authorities were largely absent from the demonstration.
Chilled water bottles were available to the heat-weary crowd, and Grubstake bar and restaurant was flooded with people during a stop-off along the route. Some were seen pouring water over their heads. Others’ clothing appeared to be almost entirely soaked with sweat.
Quartzsite Mayor Ed Foster said people had flown in from around the United States for the rally, from states as far and wide as Alaska, Florida, Texas and Connecticut. “I live here and I’m having a hard time in this heat, so I know, for these people from [colder states], it’s gotta be tough on them”, he said.
Local activist Jennifer Jones, the video of whose arrest at a public meeting provoked outrage on the internet, said the people had braved the weather to send a strong message about the importance of liberty.
Standing in front of the doors of the council chambers that she was hauled out of months earlier, Jones told a cheering crowd, “God bless each and every one of you for coming and standing with the citizens of this town today. Right is right and wrong is wrong, and the rule of law applies to everyone.”
Among the speakers at the event were Arizona State Legislators Carl Seel and Judy Burges, and Libertarian Party activist Barry Hess.
Legislators to speak at ‘Quartzsite Liberty Fest’ Saturday
Aug 25th
Two Arizona state legislators are among those set to attend a demonstration march and rally organized for this Saturday, August 27th in Quartzsite. The ‘Quartzsite Liberty Fest’ is being arranged by organizations sympathetic to the cause of the town’s mayor, embattled police officers who have been suspended or fired recently, and local activists including Jennifer Jones.
Representative Carl Seel, House District 6 (Chairman of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee) and Representative Judy M. Burges, House District 4 (Chairman of the House Committee on Government) will be at the head of the march on Saturday morning.
The Oath Keepers website says in a press release:
They will be there to honor the “Quartzsite Ten” police officers when the march stops at the Quartzsite Town Hall, and both of these fine legislators will be the keynote speakers at the Liberty Festival after the march, which starts at 1pm. Representatives Seel and Burges are attending to show their support for brave and principled peace officers who are willing to risk their careers to honor the rights of the citizens of Arizona, and in support of citizens who desire open and transparent government.
Police Chief Jeff Gilbert, strongly reviled in thousands of comments from around the country sent to Quartzsite Town Hall which prompted a ‘state of emergency’ to be declared by the town’s council, has extended an olive branch to those planning to attend the rally, saying:
[The] actions of Mayor Ed Foster and his group, is what I referred to as “domestic terrorism” in a recent Coffee with Cops gathering, and I stand by that statement. However, I did not call the Oath Keepers, the Tea Party, the Sons of Liberty Riders or other groups “terrorist”. I am sure that most of the followers of these groups are civil law abiding citizens who would not participate in this type of activity or condone it. I am certain that the “Quartzsite Liberty Festival” planned for August 27th and 28th will be a peaceful event and we welcome any visitors that are planning on attending.
No word on whether Chief Gilbert will be in Quartzsite himself on Saturday.
Among the groups planning to attend the rally are the Greater Phoenix Tea Party Patriots, the Campaign for Liberty, Sons of Liberty Riders, RidersUSA and Freedom’s Phoenix (which plans to air a radio show hosted by Ernest Hancock live from Quartzsite on Saturday afternoon).
Over 300 people are reportedly planning to fly into Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix from around the nation for the rally, after being transported to Quartzsite by bus. The plans include a ‘muster’ at 8:30am, a march to Town Hall at 10:00am, speeches and presentations at Vito’s RV Park from 1:00pm, a pot luck at 4:00pm and entertainment/music from 5:00pm.
Giveaway winners
Aug 25th
This morning, KLPZ gave away an Apple iPhone after registering listeners’ names for several weeks. The first name called was Cherre Hooper, and the second Marty Pretends-Eagle; both of them hadn’t called the studio within one minute and thirty-eight seconds. The third name called was Jay Clagg, who called within fifteen seconds to claim his prize: an iPhone Gift Card worth $300 and a $50 bill toward his first month of service.
KLPZ also chose Sherrie Irwin’s planking picture as the winning entry, so she gets a KLPZ goodie bag along with her registrations to the giveaway, and Shauna Marler as a runner-up, who also gets a prize. Call (928) 669-2507 to claim your winnings!
Thanks all for playing.
Your planking photos revealed
Aug 24th
This is an open thread for today only! If you have a planking picture to submit, it needs to be emailed to johnwright@klpz1380.com by midnight tonight. We’ll post your submissions below, and each valid submission (per person) will receive 11 registrations to KLPZ’s iPhone Giveaway.
Below: Sherrie Irwin, Randy Hartless, Mary Hamilton, Shauna Marler, Claudia Woodhouse, Jay Clagg, Eddy Bernini, Cate Mueller, Cherre Hooper, Lindee Woody, Debbie Bazilius, Devin Norris, Erin Woody, Katie Turnbow, Greg Bachmann, Dave Judy, Jesse Newton & Frank Goodyear.
