Month: May 2025

Samuel Kirk

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – After working across three continents, Bryan Alvin Bautista is bringing a world of experience to the Desert Southwest.

Bautista was recently named the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) at Exceptional Community Hospital – Yuma. Born and trained in the Philippines, his career has taken him through hospitals in Ireland and the United States, earning nursing licenses across Asia, Europe, and North America.

“My experiences are all in my heart and in my head,” Bautista said. “Those are the culmination of who I am today.:

At the heart of his leadership philosophy: People. Bautista says he’s committed to fostering a culture where both patients and providers feel valued.

“I want us to be the preferred choice for healthcare,” he said. “And I want us to be the preferred choice for our caregivers to practice their competent quality healthcare.”

That goal includes developing more staff training programs, prioritizing workplace communication, and improving support for nurses and medical teams across the board.

Exceptional Community Hospital – Yuma is part of the Texas-based Exceptional Healthcare Network, which operates small-format hospitals designed to provide quick, high-quality care in underserved communities.

Bautista says his international background gives him a unique perspective, but it’s Yuma’s sense of community that inspires his next chapter.

“This is home now,” he said. “And I want to help make it a place people trust to care for them at every stage of life.”

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Marcos Icahuate

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – La Cosecha is celebrating Arizona Western College (AWC) students who will be transferring to universities.

The celebration event recognizes students who are continuing their education and received a transfer degree.

Students will be celebrated on Thursday, May 15 at the Schoening Conference Center at the AWC Yuma Campus. Registration to enter begins at 5:45 p.m. and dinner starts at 6:30 p.m.

Graduates will also receive a certificate of recognition and a sash.

Scholarships are planned to be awarded at the event. You can find more information here.

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Marcos Icahuate

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Yuma School District One announced a drill will be in place Friday afternoon.

A Reunification Drill will be held at the Castle Dome Middle School campus on May 2 starting at 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

District One says parents should not plan to visit the campus at that time due to increased traffic and more people than usual in the area.

A Reunification Drill is when a school campus is evacuated and taken to a different school to be reunified with parents/ guardians.

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Eduardo Morales

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Yuma locals gathered Thursday morning to create awareness for what they say is worker’s rights being taken away as part of a nationwide May Day protest.

“We will not be silenced, no kings, no tyrants,” chanted protesters.

The protesters spoke out against President Trump, his administration, and Elon Musk.

They say they want to bring attention to the federal firings.

The group also spoke up for migrant workers.

“Every person has a right to work and he’s just getting rid of a lot of that, so we just need to focus on our rights,” said Nancy Patrick, a protestor.

The protesters say they will continue to speak out and use their voice until they see changes being made.

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Eduardo Morales

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – 48-year-old Eric Martinez is still in critical condition in a Phoenix hospital after being hit by a car earlier this week.

Martinez was hit by a grey or white Chrysler 300C on Monday.

Chris McGinnis, his cousin, lives near the area where he was hit, and says his neighbor alerted him of the possibility that it was Martinez who was struck.

“I got dressed, I ran out there and…yeah, it was him…so I don’t know. I’m just exhausted and I’m just hoping for the best,” McGinnis says.

The family says the prayers and the support from the community have been overwhelming and much appreciated.

“I want to thank the Yuma community. It’s really great that they responded and I want to send out a shoutout to the Yuma Police Department, cause they’ve been very very helpful,” said Larry Munoz, Martinez’s stepfather.

McGinnis is able to describe the type of person Martinez is.

“Definitely strong in the family, the strong one. He’s bright. Like I said, he has his own business. He has his kids, [and] he has a lot to do with them and his family,” McGinnis says.

The case is still under investigation if you have any information make sure to contact the police or call 78-CRIME to remain anonymous.

If you would like to donate to Martinez’s GoFundMe, click the link here.

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Andrea Turisk

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY)-  The Elisabeth Solar Project is set to take shape on public land near Dateland and is designed to generate and store hundreds of megawatts of renewable energy.

The Elisabeth Solar Project will soon be located in the heart of the Agua Caliente solar energy zone.

Approved by The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the facility will include solar panels and battery storage.

Derek Eysenbach, Project Manager with BLM, says, “It’s going to span a little over 1400 acres and out of that 1400 acres the project will have a nameplate capacity of 270 megawatts.”

The power will feed into the Arizona Public Service and California Independent System operator grids, improving energy stability for consumers across the Desert Southwest.

“By charging up these batteries during the day, and then discharging the batteries at night, it’s able to have power on call virtually around the clock,” Eysenbach shared.

Some locals are glad to see clean energy come into the area and see an alternative to fossil fuels.

Brian Jacuinde, a local says, “It’s clean energy, and in other cases where we have to depend on coal or gas. It’s better because there is no pollution and we know that solution brings a lot of air born syndrome and diseases.”

The Elisabeth Solar Project is still in the early stages, but BLM says construction is set to begin this June.

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Andrea Turisk

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – It’s not everyday a middle school student walks across the stage at a college graduation, before she even starts high school, but that’s exactly what one 14-year-old is doing.

Darianna Castillo isn’t just finishing eighth grade at southwest junior high, she’s also completing a two-year associate’s degree from Arizona Western College (AWC), becoming the youngest student in her district to complete this milestone.

At just 14-years-old, Castillo is doing something most students don’t even consider — graduating from college. Through the Gadsden School District’s early college program, she earned 64 credits and a full Associate’s Degree before starting high school.

Castillo says, “When Mr. Chavez offered me to take my first course, Math 81, I felt inspired to do it. Not exactly that is was a duty of mine to do but more or less because I knew that I could do it.”

Southwest Junior High Principal Luis Reyes says by fostering an environment where students can feel supported, they can excel just like Darianna.

“I think a lot of our students will look up to her and say ‘Can I do this?’ and we have the tools and the resources for them to achieve that,” Principal Reyes expressed.

And while she’s getting her degree early, Castillo says she’s just getting started stating, “I’d like to enroll in university once I get to high school. Maybe get another Associate’s Degree.”

Castillo’s accomplishments are already inspiring others across the district and school leaders say they hope students follow in her footsteps.

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