With the Memorial Day holiday weekend coming up, many people are planning their first boat-in camping or exploring trip of the year on the Colorado River or on public lands in Western Arizona.

“Typically, the Memorial Day weekend is the single busiest weekend of the year for boat-in camping on Lake Havasu,” said Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lake Havasu Field Manager Kim Liebhauser. “Some years, all 87 of the boat-in camp sites are filled by Saturday afternoon. It’s first-come, first-served for these very popular camp sites.”

Liebhauser added that the sites are $10 per day for day-use for up to 6 people; and $10 for overnight use for total of $20. For more than 6 people, there is an additional $2 per person charge for using the site. Annual passes are available for $100 for the year. The sites have restrooms, barbeque grills, tables, and shade ramadas. People should bring their own firewood and most importantly take plenty of water.

The following Fire Restrictions are in effect for public areas of Western Arizona (including Lake Havasu):

1. Open campfires, charcoal grills, and stove fires. Campfires and charcoal grills are only permitted in developed recreation sites or improved sites, where agency-built fire rings or grills are provided. The use of petroleum-fueled stoves, lanterns, or heating devices is allowed on public lands provided such devices meet the fire underwriter’s specifications for safety.

2. Smoking. Smoking is restricted to enclosed buildings, within a vehicle and on a paved or surface road, within a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least six feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material.

3. Use of fireworks, flares, or other incendiary devices.

4. Welding or the use of any torch or metal cutting implement.

“If people are hiking or climbing around the hills, they should always listen and watch where they step and put their hands – there are creatures that bite and sting out there. Be sure to take plenty of water with you during your outing. We want folks to enjoy their weekend in Arizona’s great outdoors,” Liebhauser concluded.

John I found this little guy on the bridge he almost got hit. I thought if you had any place to put the pics online we might find his owner. He appears to be well cared for and he is very friendly.

If anyone knows who this doggie is, please call us: (928) 669-9274.

On May 9th, 2012, Benjamin Paul Brodie, 21, of Parker, was sentenced by La Paz County Superior Court Judge Michael Burke to 10.5 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections. Brodie previously pled guilty on April 5th, 2012, to two counts of Manslaughter and one count of Aggravated Assault. Brodie is not eligible for probation or early release.

On October 6th, 2011, Brodie was driving a vehicle on Shea Rd., in Parker, with three passengers. Brodie lost control of the vehicle and went off the road. It caused the vehicle to be launched in the air and the vehicle collided into a natural desert structure. The investigation revealed that Brodie was driving at approximately 75mph when he applied the brakes leading up to the collision and he had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .111 which is over the legal limit of .080. As a result of the collision two of Brodie’s passengers were killed and one became paralyzed from the neck down.

The case was prosecuted by La Paz County Attorney Sam Vederman. The case was investigated by Sgt. John Quandel, Dep. Frank Vidrine, Dep. Doug Williams, Sgt. Richard Epps and Lt. Curt Bagby all of the La Paz County Sheriff’s Office, Det. D. J. Hansen of the Arizona Department of Public Safety and Ofc. Sonny Fisher of the Colorado River Indian Tribes Police Department.

The first unofficial results of the Quartzsite General Election are in, and they say that anti-administration candidate Ed Foster took 56.97% of the vote in the race for mayor, with 42.27% of the vote going to his competitor Jerry Lukkasson.

This will be the second time Foster has served as mayor. Last time, he dissented from the rest of the council while serving as mayor, sometimes stepping down from his seat to sit with the audience in protest, sometimes filing legal complaints against them or the town administration. Foster is also an avowed adversary of Quartzsite Town Manager Alex Taft, Town Attorney Martin Brannan and Police Chief Jeff Gilbert.

In addition, opponents of the current council and administration Mark Orgeron and Pat Workman received the most votes in their run for council, defeating Barbara Cowell and Joe Winslow. Both Orgeron and Workman are supporters of Ed Foster.

If the wins are confirmed, they will put the three candidates into office with three of the original council. The seventh council member remains to be determined as Mike Jewitt and Foster supporter John Prutch engage in a legal fight over the seat.

On October 11th 2011, at approximately midnight, a male subject picked up three of his friends and took them for a ride in his car. The driver did not tell the three occupants that he had been drinking alcohol prior to picking them up. Initially, one of the passengers had asked the driver to take them to pick up her young child from the babysitter’s house, however; prior to doing that, he decided to take them out to Shea Road.

While driving down Shea Road, the driver reached speeds up to (approximately) 100 miles per hour in a 25 mile per hour zone. He then lost control on a corner and launched the vehicle into the air, landing nose down into the ground. At the time of impact, nobody in the vehicle was wearing seatbelts. When the vehicle did a “nose dive” into the ground, all of the passengers came out of their seats striking the dashboards with their heads. This caused all three passengers to suffer spinal chord injuries to their necks. Two of the passengers died as a result, the third is now a quadriplegic.

The driver of the vehicle was saved by the fact that his airbag pinned him in place and he only suffered fractures to his wrists and ankles.

We have placed this vehicle on display in front of the Parker High School (16th Street and Laguna). There are two points I would like the teachers to make to their students.

First; please notice that the passenger compartment is in good condition and if everyone had been wearing seatbelts, they would have most likely walked away from the scene.

Second; if the driver had not been under the influence of alcohol, he may not have made the bad decision to go drive out on Shea Road at unreasonable speeds. Remember, alcohol not only affects your ability to react quickly but it also affects judgment.

Please keep this incident in mind the next time you or someone you know is considering drinking and driving and please always wear your seatbelt. There are three things I would like the reader to take away from this incident. 1st: Do not drink and drive 2nd: Do not get into a vehicle with someone who has been drinking 3rd: Always wear your seatbelt.

Curt Bagby
La Paz County Sheriff’s Office

Next stop: Williams, AZ. Passengers climbed back aboard the Santa Fe 3751 bound for Williams this morning after an overnight stop in Parker. Passengers waved from windows as the steam engine powered up – its bell ringing, horn sounding, steam escaping from every opening – and slowly moved off before a quick top-up with water, provided by Parker Fire and San Bernardino County Fire Departments.

Coaches from numerous old passenger lines around the southwest were pulled with some extra power from two diesel engines, including California Zephyr coaches at the back, their Airstream styling harkening back to 1959 (the year they were put into service).

Many people turned out to see the locomotive, which dates to the late 1920s – the only one in its class still operating – including many locals. One Parker area resident, realtor Betty Hunter, got a seat on the train, doing this leg of the ride for a rare opportunity to see Arizona desert by rail.

The Santa Fe 3751 will be back for another overnight stay on Friday, on its way back to Los Angeles.

Aerial shot via Michael Collins:

via Michael Collins.