Author: KYMA

Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The man accused of murdering a missing San Luis, Arizona teen has been formally charged.

Mark Alan Spadt, 52, is facing seven felony charges, including first-degree murder, sexual conduct with a minor, custodial interference and evidence tampering.

Spadt was arrested Thursday, August 13, in connection to the murder of 15-year-old Diana Walle, whose body was found in the area of Adams Avenue and Tera Lane back in June of this year.

16 days after the body was found, Spadt, who was considered by the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) as a person of interest, was arrested on drug charges.

After an extensive investigation and collecting evidence, YCSO identified Spadt as the suspect, leading to his arrest.

“The bond remain as previously set, being in the amount of $1 million cash only,” Judge Gregory S. Stewart said.

Spadt, who is currently being held at the Yuma County Detention Center, will be back in court this Friday at 4 p.m.

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Dillon Fuhrman

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KYMA) – Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC) Family Assistance is partnering with regional SNAP agencies to host an event offering community resources.

The event, according to CPLC, is taking place at Comite de Bien Estar, located at 963 E. B Street, in San Luis, Arizona Wednesday, August 19, and Thursday, August 20, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

During the event, CPLC is offering an APS crisis bill utility assistance and SNAP eligibility and application assistance.

While walk-ins are welcomed for APS bill assistance, residents are urged to schedule an appointment for SNAP assistance.

Courtesy: Chicanos Por La Causa

In addition, CPLC said, “Utility assistance is an income and crisis based program that requires eligibility,” and said to qualify, those who attend the event will need to bring the following required documentation:

Proof of ID from all adults over 18+ in the household

Current APS bill

Must have crisis/hardship with supportive documentation

Proof of incone from everyone 18+ in the household:

Most recent paystubs from the last 30 days

AHCCCS/SNAP award letter

Social Security award letter

VA benefits

Child support

Alimony

To learn more about the upcoming event, see attached flyer and application, written in English and Spanish, below.

CPLC Family Assistance APS & SNAP San Luis Event. ENGLISHDownload

CPLC Family Assistance APS & SNAP San Luis Event. SPANISHDownload

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Madeline Murray

YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA) – Two of the five suspects arrested in a child sex trafficking operation in Yuma were in court Monday.

In addition, News 11 has learned another suspect committed suicide while being held at the Yuma County Detention Center.

Jacob David Vasquez, 24, and Eduardo Jesus Martinez, 27, pleaded not guilty during their court appearance.

Both were arrested after the Yuma Police Department conducted “Operation Teardrop” to catch child predators.

They, along with three other suspects, were charged with luring a minor for sexual exploitation and sex trafficking.

News 11 spoke with the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO), who confirmed one of the five inmates arrested committed suicide inside the jail.

YCSO provided a statement saying, “Detention officers immediately initiated lifesaving measures until EMS arrived and transported him to Onvida Health for further treatment. During his hospitalization, the inmate was released from custody.”

YCSO also said he was taken to a Phoenix area hospital where he later died.

Vasquez and Martinez are both scheduled to be back in court later this month.

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA) – Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said Cal-Maine Foods delivered 17 pallets of eggs of the Yuma Community Food Bank (YCFB).

In a press release, the delivery followed a settlement, announced by Attorney General Mayes back in June, after an investigation found Cal-Maine Foods, Versova/Centrum and Hickman’s Egg Ranch illegally coordinating “to manipulate a daily egg price index, artificially inflating prices for retailers and consumers nationwide.”

“Many Arizonans are struggling to make ends meet because of illegal tariffs, inflation, and corporate greed,” Mayes said. “When major egg producers engaged in illegal price-fixing that drove prices up even further, my office stepped in to stop them. This delivery is proof that when companies break the law and drive up costs for Arizonans, we will hold them accountable and get real relief for Arizonans.”

The eggs were delivered to YCFB Friday, August 14, and will be distributed to food banks, food pantries and other partner agencies across Yuma and La Paz Counties.

“Additional deliveries as part of this settlement will be announced at a later date,” the press release said.

YCFB is one of four regional food banks within the Arizona Food Bank Network, along with St. Mary’s Food Bank, United Food Bank and Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.

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Lynette Niebla

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) – Imperial County residents turned their weekend thrift shopping into direct community action for National Thrift Shop Day.

The Goodwill hub in El Centro celebrated the occasion with a vibrant two-day celebration focused entirely on local sustainability and community empowerment.

Organizers used the event to show that giving clothes a second life does much more than just find shoppers a good deal. It keeps usable items out of landfills and fights fast-fashion waste.

The two-day celebration took place on Friday, August 14, and Saturday, August 15. Shoppers toured the facility to collect stamps across different departments during an interactive passport challenge.

The festive atmosphere on-site featured curated clothing displays, free dessert tables, and pop-up raffle drawings. Attendees also had chances to win exclusive giveaway prizes ranging from movie theater gift cards to a digital air fryer.

While the giveaways and snacks brought high energy to the showroom floor, officials say the true heartbeat of the event was mission education.

The El Centro hub stands out as a unique three-in-one powerhouse. Under one roof, it operates a traditional retail storefront, an outlet center, and a Community Employment Center.

Every single retail dollar spent at the storefront stays local. This revenue completely funds free, year-round bilingual career coaching, resume building, and digital computer access for Imperial County residents.

“We want to reach further and let everyone know that they are welcome here and that they can receive any services,” said Chris Owens, Imperial County Goodwill District Manager. “It’s just a way for us to give back as well, kind of celebrate a little bit, and have some fun.”

Owens noted that the local facility is experiencing massive community momentum. “This store is very busy and it’s doing very well. We’ve had a great response from the community. It is doing wonderful, and we get nothing but praise for what we’re doing here.”

The business model creates a literal circular economy right in El Centro. Shoppers buy affordable goods, utilize them, and often return them back to the donation cycle to fund employment programs for neighbors facing barriers to work.

“We have a lot of people who come shop, then after a month they come and re-donate the items and then shop again, so they’re continuously helping our mission,” explained Amelia Hernandez, Goodwill El Centro Store Supervisor.

Hernandez emphasizes that the process of upcycling clothes serves a deep local purpose. By bringing in closet items you no longer wear, you help fund job placement services for individuals with disabilities or employment barriers.

“Every donation counts, we make everything count here, and everything goes back to the community,” Hernandez said. “If you’re looking for a job and you come to the employment center, they’re going to be able to help you out with training, help you with your resume, and help you apply to different jobs either with us or somewhere else in the community.”

If you missed the weekend festivities, the free career services remain open and available to all Imperial County residents. Assistance can be accessed in person at the El Centro hub or online in both English and Spanish.

To learn more about job training programs or find donation guidelines, you can visit their website here.

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma County Republican Party is hosting their monthly meeting next week.

The meeting is taking place Tuesday, August 25, at the Yuma Community Food Bank from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., with check-in starting at 5:30 p.m.

State Rep. Michael Carbone (R-District 25), who is running for reelection, and Chris Larson, who is running for the Yuma Union High School District Governing Board, will serve as guest speakers.

For more information on the upcoming event, click here, call 928-317-9120, email secretary@yumagop.com, or visit the office located at 255 W. 24th Street Suite 1.

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Madeline Murray

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma County Board of Supervisors approved property tax rates for the 2026-27 fiscal year during its biweekly meeting Monday and received an update on the county’s strategic plan.

Yuma County District 2 Supervisor Jonathan Lines said the county controlled tax rate will remain virtually unchanged.

“We approved the new tax rate which virtually is unchanged,” Lines said.

He explained that the county was able to save half a cent through financing a bond at the library district and move that amount to the general fund to maintain the same rate.

Lines said the only change is related to the levee and is based on inflation.

“Every cent we can keep in the pockets of taxpayers is critical,” Lines said, adding that residents have the right to decide how they want to spend their money.

Supervisors also received an update on the county’s strategic plan, which is designed to guide county operations and long term planning.

Assistant County Administrator Robyn Pouquette said the county is making progress on the plan.

“We’re 49% complete with 13 initiatives on track, three initiatives completed and one has experienced a minor disruption,” Pouquette said.

The plan focuses on improving customer service, effective governance, operational excellence, growth and development, and keeping the community healthy and safe.

Lines said the plan helps the county identify areas where employees and services can improve.

“We just won a national award last year for service. We want to ramp that up,” Lines said. “We’re not perfect, but we identify where we can make those improvements.”

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Arizona Western College (AWC) says Luis Barajas and Richard H. Schuman have been inducted into the 2026 AWC Hall of Fame.

AWC said the Hall of Fame is honor alumni, faculty and community leaders across Yuma and La Paz Counties “who have made a significant contribution to the mission and goals of the college or distinguished themselves in service to the community and beyond.”

Luis Barajas. Courtesy: Arizona Western College

Barajas served as AWC’s Director of Financial Aid, dedicating 40 years to expand educational access at the college, secure more than $120 million in aid, scholarships, loans and work-study opportunities, AWC said.

Schuman, who passed away in 1993, not only championed the creation of AWC, but he also was a member of the Arizona State Junior College Board, helping “secure voter approval for the district and established a legacy that continues to benefit generations of students and the community.”

Richard H. Schuman (1926-1993). Courtesy: Arizona Western College

“Both of this year’s Hall of Fame honorees – Richard and Luis – each helped spark the transformation for our communities when AWC was just a great idea, or an early effort,” said Lorainne Stofft, Vice President for Advancement and Executive Director of the AWC Foundation. “Each of them in their own way paved the way for hundreds of thousands of learners over a 63 year history. It’s a great honor to induct them into the college Hall of Fame.”

The AWC Foundation will recognize the inductees during their annual Schoolhouse Soiree Friday, October 2.

Barajas and Schuman inducted to AWC Hall of FameDownload

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Jessamyn Dodd

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) – A police chase unfolded in El Centro, ending early Tuesday morning with one person in custody.

The El Centro Police Department (ECPD) was assisted by the California Highway Patrol as officers pursued the suspect Monday night.

Authorities eventually deployed spike strips, bringing the chase to an end.

“At about 11:30 last night, one of our patrol officers conducted a traffic stop, or attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a motorist,” said Sgt. Adrian Chilpa with ECPD. “That motorist failed to yield and took our officers on about an one hour long pursuit within the City of El Centro.”

One man was taken into custody without incident, and is now facing charges of felony failure to yield for an officer and possession of a stolen vehicle.

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Dillon Fuhrman

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) – What started as a traffic stop in El Centro turned into a high-speed chase.

Video posted to the El Centro Police Department’s (ECPD) Facebook page shows them trying to conduct a traffic stop on Wednesday, August 12, but when the driver failed to stop, the chase began.

After a brief pursuit, the driver crashed the car and all three passengers fled on foot.

ECPD deployed their drone team and found all three suspects and arrested them.

During the investigation, officers discovered the car they were driving was reported stolen.

All three suspects were booked into the Imperial County Jail.

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