Here are a few clips from our local news sources for your perusal:
e-Press --
HavasuÂ’s Busy Weekend
LAKE HAVASU CITY, AZ - Lake Havasu City Police and Fire Departments report a relatively mild 2007 Labor Day holiday weekend, despite a slight increase in the total number of arrests and calls for service. Police responded to 1,215 calls during the long weekend, which officially began at 12:01am Friday and ended at midnight Monday. (The number of calls increased from 1,128 during the same period in 2006.)
The majority of the activity centered on the area known as the Bridgewater Channel, London Bridge Beach, Rotary Community Park and the English Village. Police arrested 161 adults and 8 juveniles, many for alcohol-related offenses, primarily underage possession/consumption. Police noted that the average blood alcohol concentration for those arrested for alcohol offenses was .25%. (There was even one young female passed out on the sidewalk with a .27% BAC.) There were a total of 9 DUI offenses and 60 were charged with underage possession/consumption of liquor. Six men and three females were also arrested under the offensive Behavior code. (Police Chief Dan Doyle said three others - all female - were almost arrested for that offense, but were instead charged with disorderly conduct.)
Boat traffic was restricted only twice during the weekend due to elevated carbon monoxide levels. The Bridgewater Channel was closed for about 30 minutes - at 7pm Saturday - and again on Sunday for about ten minutes at 4:50pm. There were no boating related deaths or serious injuries reported in the city over the holiday weekend. However, a Valley Village, California man, identified as Marc Hart, drowned in Steamboat Cove, a popular spot for boats south of the City.
Detectives are also continuing to investigate the Sunday murder of William Wright, 73. He was shot multiple times and his wife Candace Wright has been charged with the crime. Doyle said the gun has still not been found.
The Lake Havasu City Fire Department also reported 106 total calls for service, a 21% increase from the 87 listed last year. The majority of those (69) were for emergency medical incidents, including nine for fire, six rescues and four vehicle accidents.
MCSO Labor Day
Holiday Weekend Statistics
LAKE HAVASU, AZ - Over this past Labor Day weekend, the Mohave County SheriffÂ’s Office Waterways deputies handled a total of the following calls on Lake Havasu:
12 - Operating Under the Influence (OUI)
0 - Boating Accidents without Injury
1 - Boating Accidents with Minor Injury
1 - Drowning
2 - Minor Alcohol Consumption
72 - Safety Violation Citations (Includes insufficient PFDÂ’s, Overloaded watercraft, etc.)
4 - Reckless Operation Citations
37 - Boater Assists
85 - Boating/Safety Warnings
4 - Agency Assists
Today's News Herald -
66 percent arrested during the weekend were Californians
By TONY RAAP
Tuesday, September 4, 2007 6:42 PM MST
Many who came to town on vacation this past weekend left on probation.
The holidayÂ’s crime statistics, released Tuesday by the cityÂ’s Police Department, show that two-thirds of the people arrested during Labor Day weekend were from California.
In all, 169 people were arrested this past weekend, 11 more than last year. Of that, 112, or 66 percent, were from the sunshine state.
“That does appear to be normal and right in line with previous holidays,” police Lt. Rich Sloma said.
The majority of arrests, 60, were for underage possession/consumption of alcohol. Disorderly conduct, 25, and drinking in public, 10, rounded out the top three categories.
Nine people were charged with offensive conduct, a city ordinance aimed at preventing unruly behavior before it becomes a more serious crime.
The ordinance was in effect for the 2006 Labor Day weekend, but this was the first year it had been enforced for the entire summer, giving visitors an increased awareness, Sloma said.
Nine people also were arrested on suspicion of drunken driving, a drop from past years, police Chief Dan Doyle said.
“That’s a little bit low for a holiday weekend, but there was a lot of awareness. There was a DUI task force going on. Hopefully, people are getting the idea,” he said.
Police are seeing the same thing with OUI arrests, noting that the number of OUI arrests in the Channel is “down significantly” compared to last year, Doyle said.
“We’re attributing that to the emphasis we placed on it the last boating season. We’re seeing more designated drivers, so I think the increased awareness is helping,” he said.
The cityÂ’s Fire Department also had a busy holiday. Firefighters this past weekend responded to 106 emergencies, up from 87 last year.
The majority of those, 78, were medical calls. Firefighers also responded to nine fire-related calls and four vehicle accidents.
“Even though the total number of emergency incidents increased from last year’s totals, we were fortunate enough to have a fairly safe weekend,” fire Chief Dennis Mueller said.
David Bell contributed to this article. You may contact the reporter at raap@havasunews.com.
Hava a great day! - Charlie