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.

Parker Police Department awarded new RADAR units

On March 8th 2016, The Town of Parker Police Department was awarded $7,364.16 for the purchase of four new RADAR units by the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. Parker P.D. says the purchase of the RADAR units will help Parker Police Officers with traffic enforcement on speeding and reckless drivers. A press release reads: “Public safety is Parker Police …

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New group of doctors to staff La Paz Regional Hospital

La Paz Regional Hospital will be teaming up with Yuma Regional Medical Center to provide supportive Emergency Department care, staffing physicians and nurse practitioners, and supportive hospitalist care. The new affiliation between the pair of not-for-profit community hospitals will begin in August and replace the existing physician group that staffs La Paz Regional. “As the community hospital for Parker and …

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One firefighter injured at Parker fireworks show

One firefighter sustained non- life threatening injuries at a fireworks show in Parker Monday night, according to the Colorado River Indian Tribes. One of the pyrotechnics used in the show was defective and did not discharge completely into the air, CRIT Chairman Dennis Patch said in a press release. “Acting according to their training and experience, one firefighter alerted the …

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Viewfinder: Idiot Rock

The rock spray-painted last year in an act of vandalism that outraged many is looking much better now. It appears that someone has tried to match the color of the rock and cover over the ugly white spray-paint that had been there since August 2015. Last year, Parker Live reported that a Corona, CA man who appeared to fess up …

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Ackerman sentenced to 10.5 years for manslaughter

An alcohol-augmented fight which escalated into a fatal shooting over two years ago in the BlueWater Lagoon neighborhood of Parker, AZ was the center of a court proceeding Monday which saw Sean Ackerman get 10.5 years in prison for manslaughter. Ackerman, 46, who was originally charged with homicide for the shooting death of his older neighbor Daniel Porter, had already pleaded …

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120 degrees is uncommon, epic, and dangerous

UPDATED to add Monday’s temps. The number is kind of legendary around here. ‘A hundred and twenty degrees’ is one of those numbers that people throw around when they talk about life in the desert. People in the Parker area act like they own it, but the truth is that people talk about 120 degrees in the same reverent tones in …

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U.S. Fish & Wildlife withdraws restrictions plan for Lake Havasu

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFW) has suspended its draft proposal to limit recreational boating activities at Havasu National Wildlife Refuge on Lake Havasu, according to Senator John McCain’s office. The formal public comment period ended Monday, and by Thursday morning the federal agency had notified the Arizona senator of its intention to back down after receiving many protests. …

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First food served at new China Garden to waiting crowd

A popular Parker restaurant that made news when it burned down in late 2014 opened again to the public at lunchtime Wednesday. A line of hungry people queued up outside China Garden ahead of its 11am opening, eager to get back to eating at one of the community’s favorite food spots.  When the restaurant went up in flames, an outpouring …

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Tube Float 2016 Recap

The Parker Tube Float kicked off Saturday morning with thousands of people pushing off from the shoreline and floating on inflatable tubes together for several hours. It was the second weekend marking the start of summer on the Parker Strip, and packed the river even more than Memorial Day weekend. An estimated 10,000 to 12,000 people joined the party on …

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Parker girls heading to state pageant

Photo credit: Fenix Arae Greenwood Three Parker girls are competing in the Miss Arizona and Miss Arizona’s Outstanding Teen pageants later this month after winning local pageants earlier this year. Allayzia Brault, Guadalupe Balderrama and Hailey Ferris will compete in private interview, fitness, talent, evening gown, and on stage question categories. Allayzia will be doing a tap dance for her …

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