Christer Schmidt
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY, Calif. – An adult male mountain biker on a guided tour sustained a head injury after falling from his bike around 9:43 am this morning.
Firefighter paramedics used a UTV to reach the patient and provide care.
He was moved to an open area for a hoist transport from a helicopter and was transported to SB Cottage Hospital in critical condition.
Eduardo Morales
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The Yuma City Council voted to approve an annual purchase of technology and services worth over $8 million.
It will be used for the technology used for all departments within the city.
The city explains what kind of technology this money will be used for.
“It encompasses software to cyber security tools and software that we can use as well as enterprise applications just like Word or productivity tools just like that,” said Jason Smith, the assistant in I.T.
Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls explains why it is important to stay on top of the technology.
“By doing this year after year and staying current, it is in the long run the most efficient and effective way. You don’t get lag issues. You don’t get unsupportive software issues,” Mayor Nicholls says.
The city also explains why it is so important to keep up to date with this technology.
“Every day, every hour, there are bad actors out there trying to find different ways to get in, so it’s extremely important that we stay ahead of them and with industry best practices and standards,” Smith said.
Eduardo Morales
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The trial of the twin brothers charged with murdering a Yuma teen has been dismissed, and the brothers are no longer in custody.
Defense Attorney Aaron J. Reed explained that Wednesday, around noon, they received an email saying the state found out about additional exculpatory evidence.
This is evidence that tends to exonerate the accused party and evidence that is helpful to the defense.
Reed says the brother of the victim changed his story about what happened the night of the shooting.
The state then filed a motion to dismiss the charges based on that information.
“It was previous information that none of the parties knew, including the prosecutor, including the police officers, the detectives, nobody knew the information,” said Reed.
The suspects in the case are 25-year-old twins David and Adrian Perez-Arzola.
Both were charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, aggravated assault and attempted armed robbery.
Reed says the case has been dismissed with prejudice meaning it can never be re-tried.
The brothers were released from custody Wednesday evening.
We reached out to the Yuma County Attorney’s Office for comment and are still waiting for a response.
Marcos Icahuate
EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – An El Centro doctor is facing charges Thursday tied to insurance fraud and drug prescriptions.
The California Department of Justice charged Doctor Creighton with healthcare fraud, insurance fraud, and knowingly prescribing a controlled substance for something other than a legitimate medical purpose.
The criminal complaint was filed on June 27.
They say Creighton wrote prescriptions for promethazine with codeine between October 2023 and April 2024.
Creighton is facing 18 felony counts.
The charges are part of a national fraud take down, targeting unethical medical practices across the United States.
Marcos Icahuate
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The Travis Manion Foundation (TMF) of Yuma will be hosting a running event in September.
Collaborating with MCAS Yuma, YPG and other local organizations, the 9/11 Heroes Run invites the community to honor those who impacted by 9/11.
The event will be on September 13 at the PAAC east parking lot starting at 5 a.m.
Running participants, sponsors and volunteers can sign up here.
Marcos Icahuate
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A local backpack giveaway is set for students who are getting ready to go back to school.
The Travis Manion Foundation and The Lab will be giving out backpacks with school supplies to students from sixth to 12th grade.
An event will be held offering games, fitness activities and leadership development.
Students, along with their parent/guardian, can pick up the backpacks at The Lab Training Center after the 2 hour-long event is over.
The event will be on August 2 with a maximum of 72 kids.
Registration is required. For more information, you can email yuma.chapter@travismanion.com
Marcos Icahuate
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Locals around Yuma County are setting up to prepare for Fourth of July with fireworks, food, drinks and more.
The City of San Luis is hosting a Freedom Celebration at Joe Orduno Park starting at 7 p.m.
A Fireworks Spectacular will be at Desert Sun Stadium with gates opening at 6 p.m. and fireworks starting at 9 p.m.
Somerton held their celebration early on July 3 with local bands and games, plus a drone light show.
One Yuma local is also bringing awareness to the dangers of shooting bullets into the sky.
Other Desert Southwest cities are emphasizing fireworks safety.
Christer Schmidt
SANTA MARGARITA, Calif. – A vegetation fire in Santa Margarita was quickly extinguished by CAL FIRE SLO and SLO County Fire crews.
The fire broke out near the intersection of Parkhill Road and Black Mountain Road.
The fire burned approximately 3 acres of grass but was stopped by the first-arriving engines before it could spread further.
Danyelle Burke North
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Locals are rallying to support a local man and his dog who were separated after being homeless for several years.
Tom and Cranky have been facing the harsh journey of homelessness together. Nothing could keep them apart, even when the world once tried.
Tom and Cranky are familiar faces in the Yuma community. They’ve been living by the local Yuma Walmart parking lot for several years, but people noticed something was up when they didn’t see him or his belongings around anymore.
“Someone messaged me on Facebook and said Tom’s getting arrested right now,” said Courtney Sellers, Tom’s friend.
“They had given him two weeks notice to vacate, and he did not abide by that, so that’s when all it took place, and he was arrested and then taken away,” said Tom’s friend Zarmineh Begijanian Moody, Tom’s friend.
Strangers Sellers and Moody met at Tom’s court and realized they were both there for Tom. They then worked together to help bring him back home to Cranky.
“Saturday, we found them in the hotel, and then Sunday, we went to the Humane Society, got Cranky, brought him over here,” said Moody.
The ladies posted Tom and Cranky’s journey on social media. Their friendship sparked a lot of generosity from the community to help find them a home.
The hotel owner Carlos Desouza shares how amazing it is to see all the visitors stop by and the community outpour of love.
“The sense of community that we’ve seen here has made us so happy,” said Carlos. “It’s incredible and to meet all those people that’s one thing. To me, Tom is another thing. He’s a character. It’s super fun. So I love that experience,” said Desouza.
If you would like to help Tom and Cranky and their housing needs, you can donate at the Oyo Arizona Inn and Suites in Yuma to help get them through the summer.
They say their main needs right now are water and grocery gift cards.
Adrik Vargas
IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – Two Imperial Valley creatives are gaining attention for using film to highlight social issues.
Filmmaker Roy Dorantes and actor Anthony De La Cruz recently represented the region at the San Diego Film Awards.
Dorantes’ film Not One More!, which focuses on domestic violence, has earned international recognition, with 41 festival selections and 9 major awards.
“You can be a filmmaker anywhere you are and you can speak out on issues, especially in these times, which are very uncertain,” Dorantes said. “We need filmmakers with a passion for society and a passion for freedom.”
De La Cruz, who grew up in Brawley, has worked on both independent and major productions. He said returning to the Imperial Valley to inspire others has become part of his mission.
“You know, I was always trying to get out of the Valley, because there was not what I wanted to do there, but then now I’m coming back where if I can deliver a message or inspire anyone, you can do it from anywhere in the Valley,” he said. “You don’t need to go to LA or Hollywood.”
Both artists say they hope their work encourages others in the Valley to tell stories that matter.
Keep an eye out for their upcoming film Night Children, and visit RoyDorantes.com to see more of Dorantes’ work.
