Author: KYMA

Adrik Vargas

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Florecer is opening doors to higher education for students who might otherwise feel shut out.

The nonprofit launched in 2024 and focuses on mentoring migrant, Indigenous, and first-generation students, as well as youth in the juvenile justice system. Its mission is to guide families in Yuma and Imperial County through the often complicated process of getting to college.

“The students that have been left behind and left out of opportunities. It’s not because theyre not qualified. It’s not because they are not capable. It’s because they don’t have the information,” said founder Audren Morris-Sandoval.

That support can mean help with FAFSA applications, college visits, and building digital skills. Florecer also partners with Arizona Western College to bring in federal work study students who serve as peer advisors.

“Through a partnership with Arizona Western College, we hire federal work study students that serve as peer advisors. These are students with real time college experience that can help walk the students through,” Morris-Sandoval said.

Recently, the nonprofit began using artificial intelligence as part of its programming. Students learn how to use AI prompts to write and refine their own stories for college applications.

“Campuses want to know who is the student that I’m bringing to campus. Why should I give this student an opportunity to be on our campus? And so being able to tell their story is very powerful,” Morris-Sandoval said.

For her, the work goes beyond college applications. She sees it as a way to strengthen the community.

“This is something that can bring us all together and be together on the same page, working to make sure that students have college opportunities,” she said.

Florecer’s message is clear: College is not just for someone else. It’s for local students right here at home.

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Andrea Turisk

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – As monsoon season winds down and Arizona’s desert soil begins to dry out, another risk rises.

Valley fever, the serious respiratory illness, is caused by a fungus that lives in our soil and becomes airborne when the ground is disturbed.

Dr. Donald Hubbard, Medical Director and Emergency Medicine Physician at Exceptional Community Hospital, says a lot of valley fever symptoms resemble COVID-19 symptoms.

“COVID was real and it made people sick and it was deadly, but it’s mutated and it’s not nearly as serious as it was. So now, you get sick, fever, feel bad, no energy, you’re probably going to be better within a week. With Valley fever, it doesn’t get better. You just stay sick until you’re treated,” he said.

Dr. Hubbard shares what you should do if you feel you may have valley fever.

“Talk with your doctor if you’re having trouble breathing, either go to an urgent care and emergency room, discuss the symptoms with the doctor. People kind of make fun of or make jokes about is Doctor Google. I don’t think that’s a bad thing. It’s always good to be educated,” he explained.

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Adrik Vargas

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – Congressman Raul Ruiz toured Imperial Valley Thursday to see the damage left behind by the remnants of Tropical Storm Mario.

He visited the City of Holtville, where the impact of the storm is still visible. Thousands of people lost electricity and some had to be evacuated.

Local officials were on hand to walk Ruiz through the damage.

Chief David Lantzer said, “There was about four miles worth of power poles that were knocked down by the storm. But damage like this is scattered throughout, including trees…fences.”

Ruiz met with local officials and IID crews to hear about the challenges residents face while recovering.

“As you can see these downed, electrical pole lines. It’s devastating. Nearly 100 pole lines went down,” Ruiz said. He added, “The plan is to shorten the distance between the poles right now and make it more resilient. I think that’s a good step.”

The congressman also emphasized long-term support for the region.

“We’ve been working with IID, throughout the years. We’ve identified different funding and grants and moneys for them to build out their operations so they can be more resilient. And we’ll continue to do so,” he said.

While the storm has passed, cleanup continues, and residents hope visits like Ruiz’s help bring additional support to the community.

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Abraham Retana

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A local family owned market is ready to open its doors in Yuma. The new Del Sol Market at the Yuma Foothills received a blessing Thursday morning.

Del Sol Market says this milestone represents not only growth as a business but also continues a tradition to be part of the community for over 40 years.

“We welcome everyone to come out and check the new store at the Foothills we want to continue with our tradition having families, love here in the community and always trying to do better,” said Lucy Rodriguez, Del Sol Market family spokesperson.

The new Del Sol Market is located on Foothills Boulevard and 38th Street.

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Adrik Vargas

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – The Pioneers’ Museum in Imperial Valley is pulling clothing out of storage for the first time in more than a decade, revealing the region’s fashion and history through the people who wore it.

The new exhibit, Pioneers’ Style: Weaving Cotton, Culture, and Fashion Through the Ages, features pieces from a collection of about 3,000 garments, many dating back to the early 1900s.

Helping to curate the exhibit, Arizona State University student and Imperial Valley native Mia Higginbotham said she was especially drawn to a blue riding outfit.

“It’s from around 1906,” she said. “It’s a riding outfit that likely came with someone to the Valley before the Valley even existed.”

Each piece tells its own story. One bag, Higginbotham explained, traveled by train with a newly married woman moving to the Valley.

It was later passed down to her granddaughter, donated to an antique collection, and eventually given to the museum.

Choosing which garments to display wasn’t about style, Higginbotham said, but condition. Some items show the effects of heat, light, and time. Fading colors and brittle fabric highlight the challenges of preservation.

“This is an example of heat and light damage that causes discoloration or fading,” she said, pointing to a piece in the exhibit. “You can see it in the orange-yellow color. It also makes the fabric really brittle.”

Archivist Tyler Brinkerhoff said preservation is a key part of the museum’s mission.

“We’ll be transferring the items off of display into archival-safe boxes so that they’ll be here another hundred years to be able to put on display again,” Brinkerhoff said.

The exhibit is open to the public through late November.

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Danyelle Burke North

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Arizona Public Service (APS) recognized exceptional teachers Friday morning at Gila Ridge High School.

65 teachers from Yuma, San Luis, and Somerton were selected for the 2025 APS Supply My Class program. The program celebrates educators’ hard work and positive influence on students and the community.

Five Gila Ridge teachers were surprised and honored at their classrooms Friday. A few of them share their gratitude.

“I had no idea this was happening, and I’m really excited. I apply to it every year since I became a teacher, so I’m really happy I finally won,” said Gila Ridge teacher Lena Wilde.

“It was, surprising! It’s a nice surprise, too. It’s not a bad surprise, so yeah, I’m just excited that, you know, I get some funds for my classroom,” said Gila Ridge teacher Jesus Pena.

“We just want to make sure that we present ourselves and support our community and let everybody know that you can also get these $500 certificates as long as you apply,” said APS material coordinator Shannon Olson.

Each teacher received an award, goodie bag, and $500 virtual gift card to buy classroom supplies. Over 10,000 teachers applied and 500 teachers were randomly selected as winners from the state of Arizona.

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Danyelle Burke North

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Starting this Friday, September 26, a new Arizona age verification law will go into effect to stop minors from accessing adult websites.

The law requires websites to verify a user’s age before granting access. If the companies violate the law, they could face steep penalties, including fines of up to $250,000.

Arizona State Representative Nick Kupper (R-District 25) sponsored the bill and says the law will help protect kids.

“They’re going to be children who find ways around this and different things like that. However, the vast majority of children who may have currently been exposed to pornography are going to not be exposed now as early,” said Rep. Kupper.

Companies must get rid of the information entered by people afterwards, even though some question whether their information will be protected.

Arizona now joins more than 20 states with similar laws.

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Eduardo Morales

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma City Council turned down an amendment requiring elevators for new multi-story buildings regardless of size.

On a three-to-three vote, the council did not pass codes requiring multi-story buildings less than three-thousand square feet to have an elevator or a lula.

The amendment would have only applied to future commercial buildings built.

Still, the council argued not many buildings met these requirements to begin with, and it would cost future building owners even more money to install.

Council member Chris Morris sent us a statement saying: 

“The City Council made the appointments for the board members that make up the Building Advisory Board, and I think it’s important that us as a council, that we try to follow those recommendations provided by those professionals.”

City Council member Leslie McClendon says that while she is disappointed in the vote, she is still grateful for the improvements the board has made towards ADA compliance.

“They did their due diligence in allowing Chapter 11 to go through with a little bit more of some stipulations to approve, improve, what we need moving forward, so I’m very happy,” she says.

But Alexis Liggett, a local mother of a disabled child, says she is disappointed the amendment did not pass.

“I recognize that substantial changes are being made to improve accessibility and I’m really grateful for that, but at the same time these updates are really just kind of catching us up to barriers that shouldn’t exist today,” Ligget said.

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Danyelle Burke North

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A local school is without a building after flooding from the recent storms. Positive Expressionz is a micro school in Yuma that serves children with disabilities and special needs.

For the past two and a half weeks, students have been without a classroom because of flooding damage. Money continues to be spent for things that are essential, but with no building, no students can attend, meaning no funds are coming in.

“Not only was the building physically devastated, but it also impacted not only the lives of ourselves because we were out of work, and we weren’t able to see these wonderful children every day,” said para professional Michael Acosta. “But it also devastated their lives as well as their parents’ lives because now they’re out of that service as well.”

The school set up a GoFundMe to help secure a safe new building and replace damaged materials. If you’d like to help, you can find the GoFundMe here.

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Eduardo Morales

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – After winning the seat for Arizona’s 7th Congressional District, Adelita Grijalva had a strong message for the Trump administration.

“We reject the MAGA agenda, and we will hold this administration accountable,” she said.

Grijalva received almost 70% of the vote, currently totaling over 61,000 votes.

She beat out Republican candidate Daniel Butierez who received about 30% of the vote, getting over 26,000 votes.

Grijalva says she already has plans for when she takes office. 

“On my very first day in office, I will be the deceive 218th signature on the discharge petition to force the vote on the release of the Epstein files,” Grijalva says.

Meanwhile, some Yuma locals have mixed reviews about election’s outcome.

“I’m not very happy about it. I think it would have been better if we had had a Republican that was able to win because I’ve had some issues with Grijalva before,” said Yuma local Joanne Schickle.

“I think that, being Democratic myself, that’s a good thing, so whenever I hear of any Democrat winning anything, I’m all for it,” said Josh Hudgens, another Yuma local.

The Yuma County Recorder’s Office says almost 9,000 turned in their ballots, which amounts to a local voter turnout of about 15%. 

Yuma County Recorder David Lara shares why it’s important to come out and vote.

“If you don’t vote, don’t complain. That’s how you voice your complaints and it’s sad but this happens nationwide…It’s not just locally here, so that’s one of the things I’ve been trying to do since I got elected as recorder is bring up those numbers,” Lara said.

Grijalva is taking the seat of her father, the late Congressman Raul Grijalva.

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