Month: May 2026

Marcos Icahuate

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Dine and donate while raising funds for the family of a Yuma local who passed away.

76-year-old Herb Townsend passed away Wednesday. He was a Veteran who served in the Air Force for several years. He was also a deputy at the Fresno Sheriff’s Department.

Townsend served as an original member for the K9 Ops Foundation.

There will be a fundraising event for him Monday, May 18 at Black Bear Diner at Yuma Palms Mall from open to close.

Present the code on the flyer when you dine.

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Marcos Icahuate

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) – One person was arrested after a hit-and-run killed a man, according to El Centro Police Department (ECPD).

On Thursday, at about 9:20 p.m., El Centro officers were called about a crash in the area of Imperial Avenue and Pico Avenue.

Once on scene, officers found an adult man suffering from critical injuries, according to ECPD.

ECPD says the vehicle fled the scene after hitting the man.

Lifesaving measures were given to the man, but he died from his injuries on scene.

Officers were able to find the suspected vehicle and driver due to witness testimony and additional investigative leads.

The driver was arrested for a felony hit-and-run causing death, according to ECPD.

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Moses Femino

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Arizona Western College (AWC) celebrated a historic milestone Friday night as thousands of students gathered at Veterans Memorial Stadium for the school’s 2026 commencement ceremony.

According to AWC, more than 3,200 degrees and occupational certificates were awarded this year, making it the largest commencement in the college’s history.

The ceremony included graduates from AWC, as well as local branches of the University of Arizona, Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University.

Students from across Yuma and La Paz counties participated in the event. Including local high school students who earned associate degrees through AWC’s Dual Credit program.

Serving as this year’s student commencement speaker was Jeff Kleinwachter, a Gila Ridge High School graduate, Army veteran and current Military and Veteran Services Specialist at AWC.

Before addressing his fellow graduates, Kleinwachter reflected on the challenges many students faced while working toward their degrees.

“I just want everyone to know, no matter how long it took to get here or the struggles it took, you know, the thing is we all made it,” Kleinwachter said.

His speech focused on resilience and perseverance, encouraging graduates to remember that success does not always follow a perfect timeline.

Graduates and families filled the stadium Friday evening to celebrate the accomplishment. One graduate, Leociry Mora, said earning her degree in business represented more than personal success.

“It’s a big accomplishment for me. I think also coming from a Mexican family, these moments are big,” Mora said. “They really mean progress in our community.”

Friday’s commencement marked not only a major milestone for students and families, but also a historic achievement for higher education in the Yuma area.

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Jessamyn Dodd

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – The Imperial County Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance aimed at boosting local hiring and protecting wage standards.

The County said the ordinance does not need a full environmental review because it does not actually approve or build any projects.

Bari Bean, the Deputy CEO of Natural Resources in Imperial County, said the rule only sets job and worker requirements for future developments.

Bean said, “The primary purpose of the ordinance is to promote high quality construction jobs, strengthen local workforce participation, and ensure safe and skilled project development.”

During public comments after the presentation, the rdinance received olverwhelming support from local union members and construction workers.

Imperial County Building and Trades Council member Rene Felix encouraged the ordinance, saying it will benefit people in the county.

“This ordinance helps make sure local workers and families benefit from the growth coming to our region. It supports good jobs, apprenticeships, proper workforce training, and long-term opportunities for the Imperial County residents,” he said.

Major Lithium Valley projects would still require separate environmental review under California law before any construction can begin.

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Humane Society of Yuma (HSOY) is still in need of the community’s help with an ongoing influx of kittens.

Kitten season peaks around April or May, putting the shelter at close to full capacity.

HSOY is currently taking care of 81 kittens in the shelter, and 121 kittens have been placed in foster homes. They rely on donations and community support in order to help these animals.

Hilary Mulherin of HSOY said, “If you want to volunteer or foster come on down, we always need the help.”

The first step to volunteering or fostering an animal is to fill out an application online.

One volunteer, Jackie Homan, says that volunteering at HSOY makes her heart proud.

“These guys, they need help. And it makes my heart so proud when you can get a baby to eat,” Homan expressed.

The shelter is in need of these important items to help these kittens grow.

Mulherin said, “We need KMR kitten formula, powdered formula that comes in the can, we need kitten wet food, Fancy Feast, we need baby wipes and Miracle Nipples. All of these things that we need to take care of these babies.”

If you’re interested in fostering or are able to donate, please visit the HSOY’s website.

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Lynette Niebla

CALIPATRIA, Calif. (KYMA) – In a dramatic turnaround inside Calipatria City Hall, the City Council voted 3-1 in an emergency session to rescind its previous decision to terminate City Manager Laura Gutierrez, fully reinstating her contract, which runs through June 1, 2027.

The emergency meeting, called by Mayor Michael Luellen, took place after a month of intense uncertainty.

Gutierrez’s job had been hanging in the balance since the council initially announced her termination on April 14.

The decision to keep Gutierrez follows a massive wave of public backing from local residents. One council member was absent from the vote, but the remaining majority chose to honor the community’s wishes.

Reacting to the decision, Gutierrez expressed her deep gratitude for the local outreach.

Gutierrez has held her post in Calipatria since June 2023. With her contract now fully secure, she is set to serve out the remainder of her current term.

The vote ensures continuity at the highest level of city staff. Gutierrez will remain at the helm of Calipatria’s infrastructure projects, protecting her ongoing initiatives to transform and beautify the town.

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A Yuma man charged with aggravated assault after shooting his neighbor is heading back to court for a retrial.

25-year-old Gabriel Taddei was accused of shooting the 29-year-old victim in October of 2024. Taddei admitted he fired his gun in self defense.

The trial ran for several days, but once it went to the jury, they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict, leading to a hung jury.

Taddei will face charges again of aggravated assault with a firearm and aggravated assault. The second trial is set to begin Tuesday, May 19, 2026.

We will have a camera in the courtroom and will keep you updated as the trial unfolds.

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA,(Ariz).-Each year, Yuma experiences a significant population boost during the winter months.

“Snowbirds” flock to Yuma to escape the cold in their home states, but with summer right around the corner, snowbird season is coming to an end.

Yuma typically receives 70 to 90,000 snowbird visitors each year. Some visitors come from out of the country to escape the cold.

Marcus Carney with Visit Yuma said, “Roughly 20% of those typically are made up of Canadians, but a little less than that since Canadian travel is down this year.”

Some Canadian travelers have boycotted U.S. goods and travel due to controversial political remarks made by President Donald Trump, according to CBS News.

Despite some Canadian travel being down, snowbird travel still boosts our local economy, contributing around $450 million annually according to Yuma County.

“They are helping us sustain our economy, they are helping sustain jobs in Yuma, and they really are a huge economic driver to our community, and they are incredibly important to a lot of jobs and careers in this community,” Carney said.

With the departure of snowbirds, we are reminded of how important these seasonal visitors are to our local economy.

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Several residents of a local RV park say they’re being left in the dark.

Residents at Westwind RV and Golf Resort say they haven’t had power sometimes for days, and that this has been an ongoing issue for years.

This means they can’t use their air conditioning and other items that use electricity.

They say this has even led to heat illnesses.

They’re concerned these outages will keep happening, especially with high summer temps right around the corner.

We spoke to one resident there who wanted us to identify her as “Nana” for fear of retaliation.

“That is unacceptable because it puts us, the residents in danger as you can see I’m very sensitive and every time the power goes out. It can be for three days it can be for four days,” explained Nana.

Nana says that management has told her they don’t want to spend the money needed to fix the issues.

We’ve been reaching out trying to get a comment from the management at Westwind RV for weeks now, but they have not commented.

We’ll update this story as soon as we receive more information.

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Fraternal Order of Police hosted its 49th Annual Memorial Day Service Friday, honoring fallen and current law enforcement officers.

The event honors law enforcement professionals who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

Franscisco Saenz, Vice President of FOP Yuma Lodge #24, said, “What we do here is really spend some time to remember them and spend some time with their family and give them an opportunity and time to dedicate to them on what they did during their service to our community.”

During this special event, the Yuma Police Department Honor Guard team conducts a 21-gun salute, a long-standing tradition honoring the fallen.

Yuma Police Chief Thomas Garrity said, “These are the men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our community that they care about. It’s important for us to remember their sacrifice but it’s also a beacon of what our officers do every day.”

Organizers say it’s important to recognize the sacrifices law enforcement officers make every day to keep our community safe.

Garrity added, “It’s important for them to remember and you know this is a chance for the community to show their gratitude towards people who are willing to give that ultimate sacrifice to the community.”

Friday is an important day to honor those who currently service our community and to remember those who we have lost.

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