Month: April 2026

Lynette Niebla

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Do you have unused or expired prescription medications you need to get rid of? If so, the Yuma Police Department (YPD) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are partnering to host the biannual National Take Back Initiative this Saturday.

Residents have the opportunity to dispose of unwanted, unused, or expired medications completely free and anonymously at YPD headquarters. The service will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1500 S. 1st Avenue.

“All you got to do is come by the station, drive up…you don’t even have to get out of your car,” said Sgt. Lori Franklin with YPD. “We’ll be waiting there and we’ll take everything that you have.”

It is important to note that YPD will not accept syringes, sharps, liquid products, or illegal drugs “due to the hazardous conditions they pose during the disposal process.”

The initiative, a familiar fixture in Yuma County, is designed to prevent the misuse of prescription drugs and help combat addiction.

Nationwide, Take Back Day has removed more than 20 million pounds of unwanted medications from communities across the United States.

Beyond clearing space in your medicine cabinets, the event also helps keep residents safe from potential theft.

Sgt. Franklin noted that for “winter visitors” preparing to return home for the summer, leaving drugs behind creates a risk.

“Somebody breaks in [and] they’re gonna get their hands on it,” Franklin said. “These are narcotics. We don’t want them to get into the wrong hands.”

The San Luis Police Department will also be hosting a take-back event this Saturday.

If you cannot make it to either location, local pharmacies like Walgreens or CVS offer year-round kiosks to dispose of medication properly.

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Lynette Niebla

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – The Becoming Project, a Calipatria-based nonprofit, has introduced its Youth Civic Engagement Initiative.

The campaign focuses on increasing voter registration among high school seniors ahead of the upcoming June 2 primary.

Launched on March 22, this initiative runs until May 20, wrapping up just before high school graduations and the statewide primary.

Its goal is to inspire Imperial County youth to engage in politics and vote, addressing the county’s historically low rates of voter registration and turnout.

By fostering a friendly competition among neighboring high schools across Imperial County, the initiative aims to show seniors that they have the potential to become local leaders and politicians as they enter adulthood.

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A Yuma woman accused of sexually abusing a child was back in court Friday.

31-year-old Amanda Kotlinski was arrested last month, along with her husband, 28-year-old Ethan Kotlinski.

Yuma police say the alleged abuse involved a 13-year-old child and happened near 18th Street and Avenue B.

Both suspects pleaded not guilty to all counts of sexual abuse in late March.

“We are going to be requesting a 30-day continuance,” said the legal defense.

Amanda is still in custody and will be back in court on May 22 while Ethan is set to appear in court next Monday. 

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – April is Alcohol Awareness Month, and liver disease may be on the rise. New evidence suggests alcohol related liver disease may be nearly twice as widespread as earlier estimates.

According to the Institute of Addiction Medicine, alcohol-related liver disease may be nearly twice as widespread as previously thought largely because people often do not report how much they drink.

Dr. Joseph Volpicelli, executive director of the Institute of Addiction Medicine, said, “It’s really important that you tell your doctor honestly which or how much you’re drinking because if you diagnose the problem early, it’s much more easy to treat.”

If you or someone you know may be struggling with alcohol use, help is available. For more information and resources, please visit Responsibility.org, pcss-maud.org, and niaaa.nih.gov.

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Andrea Turisk

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – We all get headaches, but how do you know when it’s something more serious?

Mitzy Pacheco, nurse practitioner with Exceptional Community Hospital in Yuma, says sometimes headaches can be more serious then you think.

“If you have the worst headache of your life, sudden onset pain, vision changes, confusion, or weakness, those could be signs of something more serious like a bleed or a stroke,” says Pacheco.

ECH Yuma is open 24/7 with low wait times. If anyone experiencing symptoms of headaches, go to the ER.

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Jalen Fong

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A crash involving three vehicles sends two people to the hospital with serious injuries.

The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash around 8 a.m. Thursday morning on East Airport Loop between Avenue A and West County 14th Street, just south of the Yuma International Airport.

Investigators say a Toyota Tacoma was traveling southbound when it crossed the centerline into oncoming traffic and crashed head-on with a Toyota Corolla. 

A Ford Explorer traveling behind the Corolla avoided the crash by steering onto the gravel shoulder damaging the vehicle. 

Rural Metro arrived on scene and sent the drivers of the Tacoma and Corolla to Onvida Health with critical injuries.

Both drivers were later flown to a Phoenix area hospital for further medical treatment.

The crash is still under investigation.

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Abraham Retana

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The sentencing of a San Luis city council member has been rescheduled.

Tadeo de la Hoya was scheduled to appear in court Thursday morning.

The defense attorney met with the court and the district attorney and agreed that the best way to manage this case was to cancel this sentencing hearing and set a mitigation/aggravation hearing.

The recommendation from the court is to place Councilman de la Hoya on standard probation for 36 months.

His next court appearance will be next Thursday, April 30. De la Hoya is accused of fleeing from law enforcement in October of last year.

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Adrik Vargas

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma County Board of Supervisors has approved joining a new national opioid settlement.

This is the second round of settlements, following an initial agreement in 2021. By joining, the county agrees not to pursue future claims against the companies involved.

The latest agreement includes six additional pharmaceutical companies. Payments from the settlement can be spread out over time, ranging from one year up to 18 years.

County officials say the money will be shared across the region, with a portion going to Yuma County and the rest distributed to cities like Somerton, Wellton, San Luis, and Yuma.

Officials say the funding could support treatment, education, and awareness efforts in the community. Some of that work already includes providing free naloxone, a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses through local partners.

Health leaders say many opioids are easy to access and are often mixed with substances like fentanyl, where even a small amount can be deadly.

They say raising awareness and expanding resources is key to preventing overdoses.

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Adrik Vargas

UPDATE (Friday, April 24): Day three of jury deliberations ends with no verdict in the trial of a Yuma man accused of murdering a man in a home in Yuma County.

The jury wrapped of their third day of deliberations and jury members were not able to reach a verdict on Friday.

Deliberations will continue on Monday.

The jury has to decide whether the suspect, 40-year-old Nicholas Harder, is guilty of first degree premeditated murder and aggravated assault, in the death of 57-year-old Anthony Jordinelli.

Harder has been in custody since his arrest in May of 2023. He’s being held at the Yuma County Adult Detention center on a bond of $1 million.

Keep it tuned to our newscasts, our website and download our News 11 app for the latest updates.

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The fate of a Yuma man accused of murdering a man in a Yuma County home is now in the hands of the jury.

Deliberations began Wednesday in the trial of 40-year-old Nicholas Harder as he is accused of murdering 57-year-old Anthony Jordinelli back in May of 2023.

Harder claims that Jordinelli attacked him first and that he acted in self defense.

Jury deliberations continued into the afternoon.

We have our reporter at Yuma County Superior Court waiting for that verdict, and we will update this article as soon as we learn of a verdict.

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