John Wright

John is Editor of Parker Live. He is also the host of a daily afternoon radio show on KLPZ 1380am and a documentary filmmaker.

Viewfinder: A Gathering for Aly

People from many cities came out Sunday night to say goodbye to Alyson Tozer one last time. It was amazing. Beautiful vibe. Hundreds of people. Balloons released. Tears rolled. Live music. Photos and video. Tributes all around. Laughter and smiling. A true celebration. And at the end of the night, a few of us stood in the river with Aly’s …

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Parker Livecast #5: Bird Singing

In this special edition of the Parker Livecast, we chat with a group of Native American Bird Singers, local Parker guys, members of the CRIT (Colorado River Indian Tribes) reservation. Where did these songs come from? How old are they? How many are there? What are they about? Plus they perform some live for us in the studio. This segment …

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Pro basketball player Shoni Schimmel visits Parker

Renowned Atlanta Dream player Shoni Schimmel stopped in Parker for a 3-day trip last week that included school visits and an appearance at Native Visions Film Festival. Schimmel, a noted Native American sportsperson, had an enthusiastic reception wherever she went, with Parker community kids swarming her at every appearance and some extra security requirements being discussed for her trip. A …

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Chinese restaurant gone in flames

UPDATE July 2016: China Garden has reopened and it’s better than ever. China Garden, a popular Chinese restaurant in Parker, AZ, went up in flames sometime after 10am Thursday. An employee said he smelled smoke in the kitchen and everybody got out before it was consumed in flames. Agencies responded quickly as employees gathered at the side of the road, …

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Parker Treasure Hunt: October

Ah, Fall is here and the promise of cooler temps! The Parker Treasure Hunt is back for the month of October. We’ll add a clue every day until the prize marker is found, when it can be traded for $100 in cold, hard cash at Lane’s Auto Care & Tire Pros. Good luck, happy hunting and may your search be …

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Two great states joined by a new bridge: opening ceremony

Representatives of many agencies and offices were in attendance Wednesday morning at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to mark the opening of a new bridge between Parker, AZ and Earp, CA. A sizable crowd showed up to be a part of history, an echo of the grand opening of the original bridge 77 years before. Tribal birdsingers started the ceremony, before …

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Parker nonprofit awarded new 5-year grant

After years of applying, the Parker Area Alliance for Community Empowerment (PAACE) has been awarded the White House’s 5-year Drug-Free Communities (DFC) grant. The DFC program was instituted by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1997 with the aim of providing funding to community-based coalitions that organize to prevent youth substance use. The philosophy behind the program is that …

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Parker Livecast #4: “Topless Pizza”

On this week’s edition of the Parker Livecast, John Wright, Josh Savino, Jim Beaver and Michael Collins are joined by Anthony Rothacher, owner of a legendary local pizza joint in Parker called La Piazza. We try to get him angry with a prank phonecall, but he doesn’t buckle. Listener discretion: this episode contains adult language. 00:57 – Introducing Mike Collins …

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House fire leads to owner being airlifted to hospital

UPDATE: An account has been opened at National Bank of Arizona for donations to the Forbis Family. Donations can be called in at (928) 669-6173 or mailed in to National Bank of Arizona, 1001 Eagle Ave, Parker, AZ, 85344. —– A blaze consumed a house on Bighorn Drive on the Parker Strip Thursday night. The owner of the house was …

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Event planned in memory of Alyson Tozer

The community is invited to celebrate the life of Alyson Tozer with her family and friends at La Paz County Park. The event will be held Sunday, October 5th starting at 6 p.m. Aly passed away Tuesday, September 16th after a lifelong battle with cystic fibrosis. Her parents Rich and Teresa want to have a time during which people can …

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