Author: KYMA

Marcos Icahuate

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – At the Yuma Humane Society, puppies arrive every day with different stories, but one thing in common: They all need a second chance.

April is widely recognized as Animal Cruelty Prevention Month by organizations like the ASPCA and many local shelters. This month is dedicated to raising awareness about animal cruelty, promoting animal well-being, and fostering compassion for all animals.

“Although we’ve decreased the number of animals coming into the shelter, we still see a lot of really sad animals coming into the shelter and animals that have been neglected, and we really hope to raise awareness about that this April,” said Annette Lagunas, director of the Yuma Humane Society.

Amy Linn, a veterinarian technician who works at the Humane Society, shares that she and her family lovingly care for the animals they bring into their home.

“The way my family thinks is that they’re like babies; they don’t ask for it, so why do they have to suffer? So if we take care of them, we’ll just spoil them, love them, and then send them off to be adopted…that’s how we think,” Linn said.

Roobee’s Cruelty and Denver’s Medical Fund is the fund where you can donate money to help all these little animals.

You can be part of this change, whether by donating, fostering, or adopting an animal.

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Karina Bazarte

BRAWLEY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – Six workers at Spreckels sugar traveled to bargain with Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative (SMBSC) as they still don’t know what the future holds.

Workers at Spreckels Sugar Company received a warn notice letter Tuesday morning saying the factory will be closing.

The Spreckels Sugar Company in Brawley announced it will be closing and jobs will be eliminated in July.

Workers say they are now left in the dark as they still don’t know why the company is closing.

“It was a surprise for us, we weren’t ready for this. We know it’s going to affect a lot in the Imperial Valley, not only for us workers, but the community. Many people depend on this factory. It’s not only four-hundred workers left without a job but their families as well,” said Miguel Ramirez, a Spreckels Sugar worker.

In a Zoom interview, Todd Walters, President of UFCW Local 135, says the company reached out to them saying they were in negotiations with their sugar beet farmers over fees and how workers were getting paid.

“Stuck in the middle are the workers and the problem is that the company because of the contract with the sugar beet growers. The company made the choice to go ahead and close down the factory,” Walters added.

However, SMBSC mentioned in a press release that the facility has been facing long-term financial and operational challenges since the pandemic.

The company also added that there’s inflation and pressure from foreign sugar sources in domestic markets due to the increased volume of tier-2 imports.

We reached out to the company, which provided us with a statement: “This was a difficult decision brought about by factors largely out of our control. Despite our extensive investments in the facility, the economic challenges facing the sugar industry have been building for several years as the costs of operating the Spreckels facility have continued to escalate.”

In the press release, SMBSC says they are engaging with local stakeholders to repurpose the property to support economic development within the community.

They also say they want to continue to have a great relationship with the community.

Workers say about 26 employees will be let go in July, 28 workers will be let go in August and the factory is expected to fully close June of next year. 

“I am going to do everything I can to try and protect those jobs and keep them here if we can, and that’s working with elected officials to help bring both sides together,” said Walters.

Spreckels Sugar Factory is the last sugar beet factory in California.

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Jalen Fong

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and a pair of local organizations are teaming up to host an event aimed at helping families navigate through this ordeal.

The Healing Journey and Crossroads Mission are hosting their Celebrate the Child Abuse Prevention Fair taking place Friday, April 25 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Kennedy Memorial Park located on 2363 South Kennedy Lane.

Crossroads Mission is a proud partner to be involved in the Celebrate the Child event, which raises awareness for child abuse prevention and provides resources to those in need in our community.

The event is two hours of games free food and fun. The goal is to educate local families and prevent child abuse by offering resource booths. There is a section of the of the fair that remind families how many children have died in Arizona and how many children have suffered injuries because of child abuse.

Both The Healing Journey and Crossroads Mission want to remind the public that families are always welcome to gain more knowledge about child abuse prevention for families who seek out these services and information.

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Eduardo Morales

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) held a safety event Friday morning to talk about the border.

Multiple officials, including the Yuma Sector’s Chief Patrol Agent Justin De La Torre, gave border updates on how recent initiatives have been effective.

CBP says 186 border arrests have been made last month, comparing to the 3,000 arrests made in May 2022.

Chief De La Torre noted how some employers have been hiring illegal labor, which led to recent human smugglings.

“Do not use criminal organizations to come here. If you do, you’re risking your lives,” said Chief De La Torre.

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Samuel Kirk

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The Somerton High “Toros Locos” Wrestling Team rolled up their sleeves and got sudsy Saturday at Taco Monster in Yuma, hosting a car wash fundraiser to support their growing high school wrestling program.

With water flying, towels waving, and plenty of team spirit, the community was invited to swing by, get their cars cleaned, and contribute to a great cause.

Coach Jose Nunez, who’s been instrumental in building the program from the ground up, shared why events like these are vital:

“We’re a fairly new school, so we’re trying to get warmups. We already got singlets, headgears…but this year, we’re trying to get the kids warm-ups for the boys, girls, and then also varsity and and JV. So we’re out here doing this.”

The team has already made strides by securing basic wrestling gear, and now they’re focused on leveling up with full warmups for all athletes: JV and varsity, boys and girls alike.

Coach Nunez also mentioned upcoming fundraising events, including a golf tournament at Cocopah Resort on June 7, which will help keep the momentum going throughout the summer. For those wanting to stay connected, more details are available on the team’s Instagram and Facebook pages.

Saturday’s car wash was more than just a scrub-down. It was a show of community support and team pride. Let’s keep showing up for the Toros Locos!

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Danyelle Burke North

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Yuma’s Northern Arizona University (NAU) held their Second Annual Student Research Symposium.

Several students are putting in the research for their future careers. Over 200 students attended in-person and online to present their projects to reviewers.

Many students said they are grateful for this opportunity to network into their career.

“Just to show off some of our work and what our education is doing for us, what we can do, and hopefully in professional application,” said NAU researcher Cesar Duarte.

“We’re here to advocate, and this is the start of our career, so presenting this is a big thing for us,” said NAU researcher Alejandra Lara.

Each researcher received a digital badge they can add to their LinkedIn profile or digital resume. The co-chair of research symposium says the goal for presenters is to be career ready by 2030.

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Adrik Vargas

CALEXICO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – The final phase of a $200 million expansion to the Calexico West Land Port of Entry is moving ahead after the city approved the sale of a portion of Heffernan Avenue to the federal government.

The land transfer clears the way for a temporary pedestrian facility that will allow for the demolition of the aging port and the construction of a larger, modern facility with increased capacity.

“The facility will in large be to increase the processing capacity by 100%,” said Michael Coyne, Calexico’s Planning and Building Director. “Right now, there’s six booths, and now that’ll be 12.”

Local merchants are also hopeful the project will drive more foot traffic into downtown Calexico.

“I ask them to make sure that when people are walking, people have shade,” said Joong Kim, a business owner in the area. “Because when it’s over 100 degrees, people can’t handle it.”

City officials say the improvements are not only about efficiency, but also comfort and safety for those who cross the border daily.

The full expansion is expected to be completed by the end of 2028.

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Adrik Vargas

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – Laughter, pizza, and the sound of bowling pins filled the air at PlayZone on Thursday as dozens of families gathered for the third annual George’s Kids Bowling Day, an inclusive spring break tradition for children with autism and their families.

The event is hosted by the El Centro Rotary Club in partnership with Autism Support of Imperial County and the San Diego Regional Center.

It’s named in honor of the late George McFaddin, an El Centro Rotarian who, alongside his wife Audrey, helped found ASIC after their grandson received an autism diagnosis.

“We named it George’s Kids in honor of George McFaddin, him and his wife founded Autism Support of Imperial County,” said co-organizer Caitlin Chavez.

For many parents, the day offers more than just a few games of bowling, it’s about feeling seen, supported, and included.

“There’s not usually these types of events for kids with special needs. Usually, they’re catered to neurotypical kids, and our kids are usually excluded,” said Laura Galvan, a parent in attendance. “So it’s a good time to normalize this type of inclusion.”

Jenny Martinez, another parent, shared a similar sentiment.

“We’re here to support our son. He’s autistic and we want him to spend quality time with other children that have the same condition,” Martinez said. “I wish there were more events like this. It’s hard for autistic children to have friends they have things in common with, and I think this is a great experience for them.”

Organizers say the event continues to grow each year, offering a safe and welcoming space for neurodivergent children, and their siblings, to play, connect, and just be kids.

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Adrik Vargas

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – A new gym made specifically for kids and young adults with autism is opening soon in El Centro, and it’s the first of its kind in the Imperial Valley.

It’s called Kidisthenics, pronounced kid-is-thenics, and what makes it different is how it mixes fitness with therapeutic movement.

Instead of regular gym workouts, this space offers fun, guided activities that help with things like coordination, confidence, and letting go of stress.

“We’re doing primitive movement training, sensory integration, rhythmic movement, and we’re even developing our own audio training,” said Ryan Bigelow, COO of Kidisthenics.

The idea came from the founder Arlene Lopez Martinez. who grew up in the Valley, and wanted to give local families more access to support for neurodiverse kids.

“With a lot of autistic individuals, they can get very stressed, very stuck in fight or flight,” said Anthony Thomé, one of Kidisthenics movement specialists. “Our goal is to help them feel safe and empowered.”

The gym opens to the public on May 7 and will be open all year round.

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The Yuma Police Department (YPD) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) teamed up to host the National Take Back Day this weekend.

The event started at 10:00 p.m. and took place at the YPD station, located on South First Avenue.

Officer Christina Fernandez, Public Information Officer for YPD, says the event was for people who wanted to get rid of unwanted or expired prescription medication in a safe way.

“We really want the community to take every opportunity they can to come and dispose of their prescription medication safely. We really want to make sure that we’re safely disposing of these so that children or other people don’t have any access to them in the home,” Officer Fernandez explained.

However, they didn’t accept liquids, needs or illegal drugs during the event.

Fernandez says 12 boxes were filled during the event.

MCAS Yuma’s Drug Demand Reduction Program was also on hand to participate in the event.

No ID was needed and the service was free and anonymous.

According to YPD, the medication drop-off box in the entrance hall of the station has been permanently removed and “additional information will be released once a safe and secure alternative for medication disposal has been established.”

In the meantime, they are asking those who want to drop-off unused, unwanted and expired prescription medication to scan the QR code, which is on a poster where the drop-off box used to be, as it provides other locations who have drop-off boxes.

The event lasted until 2:00 p.m.

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