Author: KYMA

Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Local businesses and community leaders gathered in Yuma Thursday for the ATHENA Awards. Five local women were nominated for this prestigious award.

Wendy Lobeck McKay was the recipient of the ATEHNA award. She shared how it feels to have won, “I am surprised. I am humble. I am grateful. I am in the company of some amazing women in this community and to be nominated let alone be named Athena 2025 I’m just speechless.”

The ATHENA Award celebrates outstanding leadership in the community. Being nominated for this prestigious award means a lot to those who were selected.

This year’s nominees were Nancy Turner Blitz, Emilia Cortez-Sharkey, Wendy Lobeck McKay, Dr. Danielle Muñoz, and Wendy Steward.

“It doesn’t feel real; I will tell you that right now it doesn’t feel real. It just feels like you’re doing the thing that you want to do and love to do, so to have people see that it means a lot,” said Wendy Steward, nominee and presenter.

The ATHENA Award is presented by the Yuma County Chamber of Commerce to women who excel in business and helping the community.

The winner of the ATHENA Award serves on the board of directors at the Yuma Humane Society and has worked in the agriculture business for over 40 years. She shared how impactful it is to volunteer in the community.

“There are many opportunities for service organizations. There is something that speaks to your heart. For instance, I volunteer as a board member for Yuma Humane Society. If animals are your love, reach out to the Humane Society and find out how to volunteer. The food bank always has volunteer opportunities, and to see the impact on those who you help is just amazing,” McKay said.

All five ATHENA Award nominees are trailblazers in the community. It’s important to recognize the stellar leadership they exhibit.

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A local scam is targeting Medicare recipients. The Yuma Police Department (YPD) partnered with Onvida Health to inform the community about what you need to look out for so you’re not the next victim.

“The fraud impacts the most vulnerable in our community which is the elderly community on Medicare,” said Jesse with Onvida Health.

YPD say if you receive a phone call from a scammer, never ever give them your personal information.

“If anything sounds fishy or doesn’t seem right, always call…hang up,” Sgt. Lori Franklin advised.

Scammers are placing calls that appear to come from an Onvida Health phone number.

During these calls, individuals falsely claim that a patient’s Medicare card has expired and request personal information to “verify” or “update” records.

YPD say this is what you need to do if you get one of these calls.

“Call Medicare. Hang up. Call Onvida. Hang up. And call us so we can look into it,” Sgt. Franklin said.

Medicare will never call to verify a card number over the phone, and Medicare cards do not expire.

Onvida Health is working with Yuma Police to make sure locals know about this scam.

“Always look into it, but again you can always call us. You can call the hospital. You can always call whatever company you think is trying to scam you and verify it through them,” Franklin said.

If you receive a phone call from a scammer, never ever give out your personal information.

“Just because caller ID says it’s somebody, you have to use your best judgment on that. With technology progressing, it’s easier to take advantage of people because people just have a trust for things they have in their life,” Jesse with Onvida Health warned.

Scam artists have the ability to create false caller IDs. It’s important to trust your gut if you feel like something’s fishy.

Remember: Medicare will never be the first to call you.

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Abigahil Padilla

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KYMA) – Thursday morning at 10:30 a.m., Comité de Bienestar held a ribbon cutting ceremony and gave homes in San Luis, Arizona.

An emotional ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to celebrate the official handover of eight homes belonging to Group 86 of the Self-Help program, sponsored by USDA Rural Development.

The event brought together beneficiary families, organization representatives, and community members, who gathered to commemorate this significant milestone that promotes access to housing.

During the ceremony, special emphasis was placed on the effort and commitment of the participating families, who actively contributed to the construction of their own homes as part of the self-help model.

The self-help program, backed by USDA Rural Development, aims to support low-income families in becoming homeowners through a framework of community collaboration and technical assistance.

Officials and organizers highlighted the importance of such initiatives, noting that they not only facilitate access to housing but also strengthen the social fabric and foster family stability.

With the handover of these eight homes, the Comité de Bienestar reaffirms its commitment to continue working for the benefit of the community, creating opportunities that enhance the quality of life for families in the region.

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Adrik Vargas

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Students at Northern Arizona University’s (NAU) Yuma campus recently had the chance to share not just their research, but their perspective.

The school hosted its Third Annual Student Research Symposium, where students from a range of programs presented their in-depth research.

The event opened with a keynote address from Yuma native Dr. Stephanie Parra, who encouraged students to see the value in their own experiences.

“The message that I want the students to take from today is that their perspectives matter and their lived experience will actually enrich our solutions going forward,” Dr. Parra said.

From psychology and social work to engineering, students explored topics that connect directly to the region like food insecurity in U.S.-Mexico border communities and youth homelessness.

Parra says those closest to these challenges are often the ones best positioned to help solve them.

“It’s important for leaders to step up, and I believe that young people, and the people closest to the problems we’re navigating…have solutions,” she said.

For some students, that message is already shaping how they approach their work.

“You can’t just let the opportunity come to you. You have to reach for it and actually seize it,” said student John Beler, whose group built their vehicular project from the ground up.

While presenting that work can be intimidating, many say it’s also rewarding., especially after weeks of effort.

“It feels really relieving to get this far because this was probably 40 hours of work just to put it all together,” Beler said.

For many of these students, what starts as a research project could become something more, a step toward future careers, and solutions that extend beyond the classroom.

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Adrik Vargas

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Day three of the trial of a Yuma man accused of murder focused on forensic evidence, including testimony from the medical examiner.

40-year-old Nicholas Harder faces one count of first-degree murder in the death of 57-year-old Anthony Jordinelli in May 2023.

In court, Deputy County Attorney Rachel Allocca Guerrero walked the jury through 41 injuries found on Jordinelli.

The medical examiner testified that more than 15 of those injuries were blunt force trauma to the head and neck.

The toxicology report also showed the presence of marijuana, Xanax within a therapeutic range, and methamphetamine.

The medical examiner explained that acute methamphetamine intoxication means a person is under the influence of the drug, affecting them physically, emotionally, or psychologically.

Prosecutors also asked what those levels of methamphetamine could indicate, with testimony suggesting the levels could be consistent with a regular user.

The medical examiner also discussed the victim’s medical history, including a prior brain tumor and surgery.

Prosecutors asked whether that could make someone more vulnerable to injury, and the medical examiner said it could in some cases.

Another key detail shared in court was that the victim was likely still alive when he was placed in the shower where he was later found.

The trial is set to continue Friday.

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Moses Femino

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma Art Center is preparing to welcome families back for a longtime community tradition as the Children’s Festival of the Arts returns this weekend.

Now in its 33rd year, the annual event is designed to celebrate creativity and give local children a chance to explore the arts in a hands-on way.

This year’s festival also ties into America’s upcoming 250th celebration, adding a patriotic theme to the activities.

Organizers say more than 50 “make and take” art booths will be set up, allowing kids to create and take home their own artwork.

Activities will range from simple crafts to interactive projects aimed at inspiring imagination and self-expression.

In addition to the booths, attendees can check out a large student art showcase inside the Yuma Art Center.

“We have over a thousand art pieces from students from Yuma County and Winterhaven,” Christian Magana, the City of Yuma Public Information Officer, said. “So, a lot of things to see and a lot of things to do here at downtown Yuma.”

Organizers say the festival is all about brining the community together while giving children a space to be creative.

The free event begins Saturday at 10 a.m. in Downtown Yuma, both inside and outside the Yuma Art Center.

Families are encourage to attend and take part in one of the region’s largest youth art celebrations.

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Moses Femino

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Yuma City Councilmember Carol Smith is launching her bid for reelection, emphasizing a platform center on smart growth and responsible spending.

Smith held her campign kickoff event party, brining together supporters as she reflected on her last four years in office and outlined her vision moving forward.

“It’s been a pleasure serving these last four years and I’m just hopeful that the community has seen my dedication to their health and well being,” Smith said. “And I would love to serve for another four years.”

Looking ahead, Smith says one of her top priorities is ensuring the city’s growth is carefully planned and financially sustainable.

She stressed the importance of aligning future decisions with Yuma’s long-term plans while making sure infrastructure and public services can keep pace.

“We talk about growth but what does that mean. We have to have the infrastructure to grow,” Smith said. “We have to have water, utilities, roads, public safety. If we don’t have those in place before we continue to grow, we have a problem.”

Smith added that responsible growth begins with strong planning, ensuring the city is prepared before taking its next steps forward.

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, (ARIZ)-Day four of the Nicholas Harder murder trial continued today as the defense called a witness to the stand to describe what he heard over a phone call.

Jesse Adams, a friend of 40-year-old defendant Nicholas Harder, took the stand and told jurors he was on the phone with Harder when he heard what sounded like a fight.

“You can tell that they were wrestling or fighting and that the other guy clearly was attacking him,” Adams said.

Adams described noises he heard during the roughly 15-minute call: “They knocked over chairs. The table. It sounded like they were fighting in the kitchen. You could tell there was a struggle going on.”

Under questioning from the state, Adams was asked about his ability to observe the incident from Nebraska. When asked whether he could see what was happening, Adams replied, “I can’t see through the phone, no,” and when asked if he knew who, if anyone, attacked the defendant, he said, “I know there was a struggle and that Nick was attacked.”

Harder is charged with first-degree murder and four counts of aggravated assault. He is accused of killing 57-year-old Anthony Jordinelli in May 2023. It is not clear whether the phone call Adams described occurred the night Jordinelli was murdered.

The trial is scheduled to resume next Tuesday, when Harder is expected to testify.

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