CLAIM UNDER REVIEW
Mayor Douglas Nicholls' private firm was awarded a $57,044,316 public contract to reconstruct Cesar Chavez Boulevard in San Luis.
A release crediting Pedro Osuna's research says Nicholls' firm won the $57 million Cesar Chavez Boulevard contract. State records show DPE Construction won it.
Assessment
The reviewed evidence conflicts with the claim as stated.
This is an editorial assessment of the cited evidence, not a finding by a court or public authority.
Evidence summary
The Arizona State Transportation Board awarded the Cesar Chavez Boulevard reconstruction contract (SZ01801C) to DPE Construction, Inc., for $57,044,316.00 on Dec. 19, 2025. ADOT's bid results show DPE bid that exact amount when bids opened Nov. 7, 2025, and the City of San Luis announced the award to DPE on Dec. 23, 2025. The release does not name a firm in the sentence but identifies Nicholls as the founder of Core Engineering Group.
What the evidence establishes
The $57,044,316 construction contract was awarded to DPE Construction, not to Core Engineering Group or any other firm founded by Nicholls.
What it does not establish
It does not establish whether Core has any subcontract or support role in the construction phase. It does not establish who wrote that specific sentence or who paid for the release. It does not address the release's other allegations. A 2024 city water improvements contract lists a Core engineer as project engineer and designer; that is separate work and not evidence of wrongdoing.
What remains unknown
The source of the $57 million claim; whether Core has any construction-phase role (asked of Core and ADOT); whether a correction is planned. Osuna replied on Nov. 6, 2026, without providing a supporting record.
Attributed to 1
First seen
Supporting sources
No published supporting sources are attached.
Contradicting sources 3
- Primary source · Government recordArizona State Transportation Board project awards, Dec. 19, 2025
Original Arizona State Transportation Board project awards PDF dated December 19, 2025. The original publisher URL returned HTTP 404 when checked on November 6, 2026. An authentic Internet Archive capture from January 16, 2026 is linked here, and a downloadable copy is preserved by Yuma Informed. Page 4 lists the Cesar Chavez Boulevard contract (SZ01801C) awarded to DPE Construction, Inc., for $57,044,316.00.
- Primary source · Government recordADOT as-read bid results, Cesar Chavez Boulevard (SZ01801C)
Bid results for the reconstruction of Cesar Chavez Blvd between Escondido Street and Avenue E, bids opened Nov. 7, 2025.
- Primary source · Public statementCity of San Luis: ADOT approves Cesar Chavez Boulevard expansion
Original City of San Luis announcement posted December 23, 2025, stating the project was awarded to DPE Construction. Automated retrieval returned HTTP 502 on November 6, 2026; this access failure does not establish that the original page is removed. See the separately linked October 30, 2026 City project update for later construction status.
Sources 7
- Primary source · Government recordADOT as-read bid results, Cesar Chavez Boulevard (SZ01801C)
Bid results for the reconstruction of Cesar Chavez Blvd between Escondido Street and Avenue E, bids opened Nov. 7, 2025.
- Primary source · Government recordArizona State Transportation Board project awards, Dec. 19, 2025
Original Arizona State Transportation Board project awards PDF dated December 19, 2025. The original publisher URL returned HTTP 404 when checked on November 6, 2026. An authentic Internet Archive capture from January 16, 2026 is linked here, and a downloadable copy is preserved by Yuma Informed. Page 4 lists the Cesar Chavez Boulevard contract (SZ01801C) awarded to DPE Construction, Inc., for $57,044,316.00.
- Primary source · ContractCity of San Luis contract: Cesar Chavez Boulevard Water Improvements (November 2024)
Contract between the City of San Luis and Gutierrez Canales Engineering, PC, for $942,054.30 in water improvements along Cesar Chavez Blvd. Lists Tomas Sanchez, PE, RLS, of Core Engineering Group, PLLC, as project engineer/designer.
- Primary source · Public statementCity of San Luis: ADOT approves Cesar Chavez Boulevard expansion
Original City of San Luis announcement posted December 23, 2025, stating the project was awarded to DPE Construction. Automated retrieval returned HTTP 502 on November 6, 2026; this access failure does not establish that the original page is removed. See the separately linked October 30, 2026 City project update for later construction status.
- Primary source · Public statementCity of San Luis: Cesar Chavez Boulevard project update, Oct. 30, 2026
Official City of San Luis traffic and construction update. It identifies DPE Construction, Inc. as performing work at Cesar Chavez Boulevard and 7th Avenue as part of the Cesar Chavez Boulevard Widening - ADOT Project. This is later project-status evidence, not the contract award record.
- Primary source · OtherPinion Newswire: Investigation Exposes Entangled Public-Private Networks of Yuma County Leadership
Release crediting findings to Dr. Pedro Osuna. Contains the $57,044,316 contract claim and the $78 million aggregate claim. Carries Pinion's third-party/sponsored content disclaimer and says Pinion has not verified the claims.
View 1 more sources
- Secondary source / research lead · News reportYuma Sun: $63M expansion of César Chávez Boulevard set to begin
Reports that construction was awarded to local contractor DPE Construction, with comments from Mayor Nieves Riedel.
Related articles 1
- NewsThe $57 million road contract that went to someone else
A release crediting Pedro Osuna’s research says Mayor Nicholls’ firm won a $57 million San Luis road contract. State records show it went to DPE Construction.
People 1
- Pedro Osuna
Credited in a May 2026 Pinion Newswire release as the research journalist behind allegations about Yuma County leadership.
Source documents 1
- Arizona State Transportation Board project awards, Dec. 19, 2025
Official Arizona Department of Transportation Transportation Board Project Awards dated December 19, 2025. Preserved from the Internet Archive capture dated January 16, 2026; retrieved by Yuma Informed on November 6, 2026. The original publisher URL returned HTTP 404 when checked on November 6, 2026. Page 4 lists SZ01801C, DPE Construction, Inc., AWARD, $57,044,316.00. Current Board URL, verified November 6, 2026: https://aztransportationboard.gov/sites/default/files/2026-09/ASTB-Awards-121925.pdf