Author: KYMA

Eduardo Morales

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – One of the original owners of local popular Mexican food restaurant, La Fonda, is back in charge.

“La Fonda” had a soft opening in February and is currently open from Thursday through Sunday. However, they plan to open seven days a week beginning next Monday.

The owner, Franchesca Ramos, shares how thankful they are for the community’s support.

“This was a part of my life for so long and so having to say goodbye, it kind of broke me, but reopening, it’s healing those broken pieces,” said Ramos.

“La Fonda” will have a hard-launch opening in the fall with new merchandise including the new restaurant logo, so you’ll want to be on the lookout for that!

Andrea Turisk

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Here in Yuma, we rely on the Colorado River, but instead of looking upstream for solutions, experts say we should also look at the water we’ve already used.

UCLA Environmental Science Practicum Director Noah Garrison says the Colorado River is facing a two-to-four million acre feet shortage projected for future years.

A new report from UCLA and The Natural Resource Defense Council says wastewater recycling could help solve the west’s water crisis.

“If were facing a shortfall on the Colorado River, creating additional water supply based on municipal wastewater can really offset that loss were facing,” Director Garrison shared.

According to the report, Arizona recycles about 78% of wastewater. In Yuma, the city says wastewater plays a growing role in the conservation strategy.

Jeremy McCall, the City of Yuma Utilities Director says, “About 40% of the water we treat ends up at the waste water plants. Those go through different processes and both wastewater plants discharge to the environment. One discharges into the Colorado River. One discharges into the aquifer.”

Arizona leads the region in wastewater recycling. If other basin states followed suit, the west could save up to 1.3 million acre- feet of water each year.

McCall says wastewater is the source for a lot of environmental accounting: “In our community and I’d say even outside the City of Yuma. Our friends in Somerton and San Luis, they also discharge into waterways of the U.S. and that water is recycled into their communities.”

Experts say water reuse is one of the most powerful tools we have to protect the Colorado River, cities like Yuma are showing whats possible when you make every drop count.

Danyelle Burke North

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls announced Tuesday that an Amazon facility is being built in Yuma County.

During his State of the City address, Mayor Nicholls said the project will bring over 250 jobs within the delivery service station including delivery drivers.

The facility construction started in January and the project is expected to launch by the end of October on Avenue 4E and 36th Street.

“This is a delivery center as opposed to fulfillment center. Fulfillment center is what you have in really really big cities. This is the last mile as they call it where the big semis will come in, the product will get redistributed to the delivery vehicle. So, it’s already ready to go. It just needs to be put in the vehicles that go to our neighborhoods,” said Mayor Doug Nicholls.

The project is expected to be completed by the end of the year. It comes with an investment of $23 million.

Jalen Fong

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The Yuma Police Department (YPD) is on the lookout for a suspect related to a hit & run crash.

The crash happened Monday night at around 8:00 p.m. in the area of Eighth Street and Pima Lane. Two vehicles were involved and one of them left the scene.

YPD says there’s no information on the suspect and no injuries were reported.

If you have any information regarding the crash, call YPD or 78-CRIME to remain anonymous.

Jalen Fong

EHRENBERG, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A Tren de Aragua gang member is in Border Patrol custody, according to a post on Facebook.

The post said the 19-year-old gang member was arrested after a vehicle stop early Saturday morning near Ehrenberg, Arizona, which is by Blythe, California, about an hour and a half from Yuma.

The post also said Border Patrol agents arrested three other Venezuelan migrants and all are facing criminal charges for illegal entry.

To learn more about the arrest, click here.

Scott Gross

YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Nearly two dozen agencies took part in the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics.

The 43rd annual event started in San Luis, where the Flame of Hope was lit, and then it was carried throughout Yuma County.

22 local agencies, including law enforcement, participated in guiding the torch over 26 miles.

In all, the event raised over $2,500 for the Special Olympics and the athletes. The Summer Games take place at the end of the month in Glendale.

To learn which agenices participated in the Torch Run, click here.

Dillon Fuhrman

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article previously referred to Ochoa as the second suspect, but he is the first.

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A suspect involved in a shooting at Platinum Cabaret has been sentenced to 3.5 years in prison.

23-year-old Jiovanny Isaiah Ochoa pled guilty last month to one count of aggravated assault after accepting a plea deal.

Court documents says Ochoa was the getaway driver in the shooting, which happened in March of last year.

Ochoa has received a credit of 350 days.

Eduardo Morales

Yuma School District 1 is set to have a new superintendent after almost a decade.

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Yuma School District 1 has announced that current Chief Financial Officer Denis Ponder was voted as the new superintendent.

Ponder has been working for the district for about the past nine years, he shares that he was excited with the news, but knows it is a lot of work.

Ponder shared with us what he would like to focus on in this new role.

“What’s the best way forward in terms of being able to provide what our community needs and deserves, and then being able to deliver that with the resources we have,” said Ponder.

Current superintendent James Sheldahl served in the position for the previous nine years.

He has some words of advice for Ponder.

“Never lose sight of the fact that you’re here for a period of time to lead an organization that has a huge impact on the community,” said Sheldahl.

He describes what the position meant to him.

“Really, the highlight of my career, and I just can’t express what an honor it’s been to be able to have this experience and hold this position,” said Sheldahl.

While Ponder has a message for the parents of the district.

“We’re going to continue to be community oriented and community focused, and we want feedback, we want engagement from parents, we know that engaged families, engaged parents generally lead to better success for the kids,” said Ponder.

If the school board approves Ponder’s contract he will take over as superintendent on July 1.