Author: KYMA

KYMA News Team

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – We are so excited to finally announce the Mother of the Year contest.

Thank you to everyone who submitted. We are going to surprise one very special mother.

Her name is Brandi Mattias, and we surprised her with some special gifts. Brandi’s mom submitted the entry, saying Brandi has so much love for her kids that she drives every morning.

“Thank you, thank you to my mom for the entry. I wouldn’t be a mom without this beautiful little one,” said Brandi Mattias.

Brandi will be receiving a beautiful bouquet, courtesy of The Flower Mine, every month for a full year.

Thank you to The Flower Mine for sponsoring this special contest.

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Madeline Murray

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Showing love to the ones who help keep families together as Sunday is Mother’s Day.

Mother’s Day is dedicated to honoring mothers and the influence of maternal figures in our families.

Whether it’s your mother, stepmother, aunt or someone who has been like a mother to you, Mother’s Day is a chance to thank them for all they do.

Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May.

Over at The Flower Mine, owner Mike Esquivel shared how they are getting ready to celebrate mothers this holiday.

“It’s a long process…it starts maybe like go back two months because you gotta place your orders with your vendors at least you know a month 30 days 45 days, but then…you have to prepare for things you gotta pre order…so it’s a long process and it’s long hours,” Esquivel explained.

Flower shops and stores all across Yuma will be available to help anyone looking for last minute gifts while supplies last.

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KYMA News Team

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – After dozens of submissions, we have a winner for the Fox 9 2026 Mother’s Day Photo Contest!

Congratulations to Brenda Arroyo! She is the winner of our Mother’s Day Photo Contest. She’s winning a grand prize valued at $400.

We would like to thank our sponsors: Bubba’s 33, Ashley furniture, El Centro Motors and Liberty Motorsports.

Congrats once again to Brenda and thank you to everyone else who entered this contest!

You can enter more contests by clicking here.

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Moses Femino

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Local entrepreneurs and small business owners gathered in Yuma on Wednesday for the Small Business Resource Fair hosted by the Small Business Development Center, also known as SBDC.

The event was held as part of National Small Business Week and brought together more than 25 agencies and organizations at the Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Career Center.

Attendees had the opportunity to connect with local partners offering information on business services, funding opportunities, marketing support and other resources aimed at helping startups and existing businesses grow.

Organizers said the fair was designed to help entrepreneurs build relationships and learn more about the support systems available within the community.

“It’s very, very important for our entrepreneurs to be able to make connections,” Crystal Mendoza, the Director of SBDC at Arizona Western College, said. “Because you want to make sure that you know what resources are available to you. But also to in a networking status, right.”

In addition to networking opportunities, attendees were also able to receive one-on-one guidance and speak directly with representatives from participating agencies.

Organizers encouraged local business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs to continue taking advantage of resources offered through the SBDC and other community organizations year-round.

“I invite our community, our entrepreneurs to take advantage of the resources that are available to you. Starting off with SBDC,” Mendoza said. “The Small Business Development Center is here to support our entrepreneurs. And I would like to invite our community to use us as almost a little buffer.”

The event was free and open to the public. The SBDC looks to continue helping grow Yuma with future planned events.

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Moses Femino

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma City Council addressed several community focused items during Wednesday night’s meeting, including a proclamation recognizing Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Day and a tribute to honor a fallen Yuma police officer.

Community members gathered inside Yuma City Hall wearing red in support of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, also known as MMIW. During the meeting, councilmembers read a proclamation recognizing the month of May as a month of remembrance and awareness for Indigenous women who are missing or have been victims of violence.

The MMIW movement aims to bring attention to the disproportionately high rates of violence experienced by Indigenous women and girls across the United States and Canada. While also encouraging advocacy, awareness and support for affected families and communities.

Councilmembers also approved naming the city’s new Public Safety Evidence Storage Facility after Lt. Daniel Elkins, a Yuma Police Department officer who was killed in the line of duty.

Mayor Doug Nicholls said both actions reflected the importance of bringing the community together while honoring those who have served and sacrificed for public safety in Yuma.

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Marcos Icahuate

BRAWLEY, Calif. (KYMA) – The Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation (IVEDC) introduced other organizations to Southern California to show potential growth.

SelectUSA and Team California were welcomed to show the economic landscape of Imperial County, Riverside County, and San Bernardino County.

For Imperial County, IVEDC introduced SDSU-Imperial Valley’s STEM Campus.

Then, the investors were given a tour of Imperial County, starting at the Mexican border in Calexico.

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Marcos Icahuate

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KYMA) – Kevin Padilla, a teacher from San Luis, has been accepted into an education program taking place in Germany.

The Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) Germany Program has educators participate in learning with others in a global setting.

Participants will learn about educational, community and sustainability-based models in Germany to bring those ideas back to the classroom.

“Being accepted into the Germany STEAM program means a lot to me because it gives me the opportunity to grow as both a person and an educator,” said Padilla. “I am excited to learn from other educators, observe different classroom environments and bring back new ideas and hands-on experiences that make learning more engaging, meaningful and exciting for my students.”

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Marcos Icahuate

WINTERHAVEN, Calif. (KYMA) – Tribute bands are set to play in the summer months at Quechan Casino Resort.

The following bands will be playing on these dates:

Wanted “Tribute to Bon Jovi” – Saturday, June 20 

Crazy Train “Tribute to Ozzy” – Friday, August 21

Voyager “Tribute to Journey” – Friday, September 18

Shows start at 8 p.m. and are 21 and over.

You can buy tickets here.

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Lynette Niebla

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) – A Brawley murder suspect was back in an El Centro courtroom Thursday. 

23-year-old Genaro Lemus appeared before a judge for a second pre-trial conference.

Lemus is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of 43-year-old Steven Angulo back in February of this year.

During Thursday’s proceedings, the judge ruled to maintain Lemus’ bail at $1 million.

Lemus is due back in court on June 5 for a prelim setting hearing and bail review hearing.

His attorney says they are currently waiting to receive and process an extensive amount of evidence in the case.

“It’s difficult to move forward while we’re awaiting discovery and arrests of other individuals. We just can’t move that quickly unfortunately,” said Veronica Henderson, attorney at law.

Meanwhile, authorities are still working to extradite a second suspect, Nathan Matthew Garnica. He remains behind bars in Prescott, Arizona, awaiting his return to Imperial County.

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Moses Femino

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Nurses across Yuma County are being recognized during National Nurses Week for the care, compassion and support they provide to patients every day.

The Yuma County Nurses Foundation hosted its annual gala with this year’s theme “Nurses in the Spotlight.”

The event took place last Saturday at Quechan Casino Resort, bringing together healthcare professionals, community members and sponsors to celebrate excellence in nursing.

The gala was held ahead of National Nurses Week, which began Wednesday and runs through May 12.

Over 60 nurses were nominated across several categories recognizing leadership, mentorship and clinical excellence in healthcare.

Among the award winners was Briana Smith, recipient of the Clinical Nurse Excellence Award. She said the recognition reflects the teamwork involved in patient care.

“Being recognized during Nurses Week is incredibly meaningful because nursing truly is a team effort,” Smith, a Family Nurse Practitioner at Onvida Health Transitional Care, said. “It’s an honor to receive the award, but I think it speaks to the support of my colleagues, mentors and the patients that trust us to care for them during vulnerable moments in their lives.”

A second award winner, Ha’Ani Patchen, recipient of the Excellence in Nursing Mentorship and Nurse of the Year Awards, said some of the most meaningful parts of nursing often come through simple acts of comfort and compassion for patients during difficult moments.

“If you see your patient on the table and they’re shaking because they’re terrified, it’s holding their hand until they fall asleep. So they know they’re not alone,” Patchen, a Clinical Educator with Workforce Development at Onvida Health, said. “That’s really part of what nursing is, it’s just being there for your patient. It’s not always the big dramatic things.”

The third and final award winner, Kristin Parra, recipient of the Excellence in Nursing Leadership Award, said simply being nominated alongside other nurses in the community was meaningful.

“It was an honor just to be nominated honestly,” Parra, CEO of the Yuma Rehabilitation Hospital, said. “I was shocked and humbled that I won because the list of nominees is truly exceptional, stellar group of nurses and leaders. It means a lot to me. The foundation does great work in recognizing nurses.”

Organizers say the event serves as a way to celebrate the dedication nurses show every day while highlighting the impact they make throughout the Yuma community.

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