During World War II, Japanese Americans were held captive in 10 internment camps throughout the US. Two of them in Arizona, built on reservations without tribal consent.

In our last story, we heard how the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) in western Arizona have made a point to preserve the remnants of one such war-time prison.

Today, KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio takes us to the state’s other site, which sits well-hidden in the shadows of Phoenix – slowly fading away atop of the Gila River Indian Community.

He had the privilege to see this restricted site twice this year with the tribe’s Wally Jones, who supervised his trip.

“I can’t give, really the location. I wanted to, but people do search it.”

They first met in April at the Chevron gas station in Bapchule, Ariz. about 30 miles south of downtown Phoenix.

The tribe did not allow KJZZ to record inside the camp itself, but Jones agreed to let Pietrorazio document their short ride there.

No matter who is coming out, Jones stresses they’re not tours.

“This is not a tourist camp. This is a regulated entry that the department processes for the council’s consideration for your visit. It’s not just anyone can come out here. These are one of the few sites that the community allows non-members to come in and kind of experience what was here.”

What was here in 1942 would’ve equated to Arizona’s fourth-largest city, home to over 13,000 internees stuck in the Sonoran Desert.

“The camp is not maintained. The community has decided to let nature recapture its natural state, but there are remnants of various barracks, facilities.”

And there are at least 230 ornate garden ponds – now dried up – that prisoners built.

“It always amazes me that we find these ponds out here, that it was a signal of their tradition and their hope that they would not let their culture fade away.”

Seven months later, Pietrorazio returned – this time not on his own, but as a guest of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) in a caravan of at least 20 vehicles.

Bill Staples Jr. is president of the JACL Arizona chapter.

“And I was really touched by how emotionally connected the Gila River Indian Community was in welcoming the Japanese Americans…”

Pietrorazio caught up with Staples at the tribe’s Huhugam Heritage Center after a November ceremony. Also there, making the trip from Seattle, was 85-year-old camp survivor Sylvia Domoto.

“They’ve been so welcoming and continue to respect and to keep the land there, so that we can say, ‘Yes, this really happened. It isn’t just a fantasy.’”

Suicide prevention sign and phone on the east sidewalk of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Calif. (Photo: Guillaume Paumier / Wikimedia)

A new law in California aimed at preventing suicides is taking effect in the new year.

The measure requires the transportation and public health departments to identify best practices and countermeasures to avoid suicides on state bridges and overpasses.

The bill by Assemblymember James Ramos (Serrano/Cahuilla/D-CA) builds on his previous work, which includes efforts to improve mental health services and the establishment of a suicide prevention office.

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