Author: KYMA

Madeline Murray

UPDATE (4:29 PM): The San Luis Police Department has provided an update saying the investigation involved a 17-year-old San Luis High School student.

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KYMA) – A high school teacher was arrested for alleged sexual conduct with a minor.

27-year-old Genesis Alvarado, a digital photography teacher at San Luis High School, was taken into custody last Friday.

He is currently facing three felony charges, including luring a minor for sexual exploitation and sexual conduct with a minor.

The charges date back to March.

Courtesy: Yuma County Sheriff’s Office

News 11 reached out to the Yuma Union High School District (YUHSD) regarding the arrest, and here’s what they had to say:

“Alvarado is no longer employed by YUHSD. San Luis High School immediately reported the allegations to the San Luis Police Department upon being notified, and the district took action to terminate Alvarado’s employment on August 7. The safety and well-being of all students is the district’s top priority, and YUHSD will continue to cooperate with law enforcement throughout the investigation.”

Alvarado is being held at the Yuma County Detention Center on a $200,000, and he is scheduled to be back in court Tuesday.

News 11 will have the latest information on this developing story.

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Andrea Turisk

IMPERIAL, Calif. (KYMA) – Imperial Valley College (IVC) has welcomed a new interim superintendent/president.

Dr. James Limbaugh brings more than 30 years of higher education leadership experience to the college.

Dr. Limbaugh will provide leadership during the transition as IVC conducts its search for a permanent superintendent/president.

Courtesy: Imperial Valley College

His appointment ensured support from the college’s vision and the momentum established through recent achievements.

Limbaugh said he looks forward to working with the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, students and the community as they continue building on the college’s foundation.

He is serving as a temporary replacement for Dr. Lennor Johnson, who accepted a similar role at Mira-Costa College in San Diego.

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Adrik Vargas

WINTERHAVEN, Calif. (KYMA) – Firefighters are continuing to battle the Foster Fire in Winterhaven Monday.

The Yuma Fire Department (YFD) responded to a call of a trailer fire in Winterhaven Sunday near the area of Foster and Arnold Road.

Upon arrival, firefighters observed the fire had expanded to nearby brush.

YFD was able to extinguish the initial trailer fire, but required more resources from nearby agencies.

The Imperial County Fire Department and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) also assisted in battling the fire.

In an updated post on Facebook, YFD said they’re continuing to help BLM, with crews currently “supporting mop-up and suppression efforts,” and said they’ll remain on scene until 8 p.m.

The fire has burned over 300 acres and is 0% contained. To keep up-to-date on the fire, click here.

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Dillon Fuhrman

TUCSON, Ariz. (KYMA) – A Yuma teen is dead after police in Tucson said her boyfriend strangled her, and then tried to leave the country.

19-year-old Julissa Rub Salazar is a Yuma native who was found dead in a Tucson apartment last week.

The Tucson Police Department said her boyfriend, 20-year-old Varun Batchigari, strangled her, and then fled the same day, using Salazar’s bank card and phone, trying to leave the country.

The FBI detained Batchigari upon arrival in Germany, and he is now facing charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping while awaiting extradition.

Salazar’s roommate told investigators she planned on ending the relationship and feared Batchigari due to his history of violence.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help the Salazar family. It has a goal of $22,000, with over $18,180 raised so far.

If anyone wants to donate to the GoFundMe, click here.

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Wesley Williamson

WINTERHAVEN Calif. (KYMA) – The Quechan Parks and Recreation held a career event Saturday.

The free event was held at the Quechan Community Center.

Those in attendance we able to receive educational information and career path opportunities with numerous businesses.

Employer booths and vendors, along side traditional native American singers and dancers made for a day of fun and entertainment, while focusing on the future youth of the community.

The Quechan Parks and Recreation Department would like to say a special thank you to Jonathon Brown the events organizer and the numerous sponsors and businesses that helped make Saturdays event a success. 

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Wesley Williamson

SOMERTON, Ariz. (KYMA) – Sunset Health held a ribbon cutting ceremony for their new facility in Somerton.

The event took place just off Main Street in Somerton, at the site of the new Sunset Health Clinic.

The state of the art facility will provide the local and surrounding areas with top of the line health care and services.

Those involved say todays ceremony is a celebration of the hard work it took to get to this point. 

People in attendance were able to meet the staff and tour the brand new facility.

Sunset Health operates 17 clinics and entry points across Yuma County. 

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Wesley Williamson

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A helicopter workshop for children was held at the Yuma County Main Library over the weekend.

The workshop was a one-hour class focused on helping kids make their own choppers. The free event was held in the arts and crafts area of the library.

Children and their families were encouraged to be creative and get hands on with provided art supplies. The final product was a flyable helicopter the kids could take home.

Organizers say the event was a great way to escape the extreme heat this weekend.

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Wesley Williamson

WINTERHAVEN, Calif. (NBC, KYMA) – Massive clouds of smoke were seen across the skies in Yuma County Sunday morning.

The Yuma Fire Department (YFD) responded to a call of a trailer fire in Winterhaven near the area of Foster and Arnold Road.

Upon arrival, firefighters observed the fire had expanded to nearby brush.

YFD was able to extinguish the initial trailer fire, but required more resources from nearby agencies.

The Imperial County Fire Department (ICFD) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) also assisted in battling the fire.

Capt. Diego Galindo with ICFD says, “We were able to save the main residence, the structure, we did a defensive attack on that. It has spread to a near by brush. Right now, it’s about 50 acres burning from what they reported, we have a potential of about 100 acres.”

BLM has been assigned to extinguish the brush fire, which is currently under investigation.

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Moses Femino

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Yuma County officials are continuing efforts to reduce illegal dumping through expanded cleanup initiatives, free disposal resources and strict enforcement.

Yuma County Public Works says illegal dumping remains a persistent issue, particularly in remote desert areas throughout the county.

“Illegal dumping has been a big issue for Yuma County,” Michael Herrera, Public Works Waste Management Supervisor said. “It’s more in the deserts, here in South County especially. This has been the reason why we have free transfer sites for residents.”

To address the problem, Public Works has spent more than a year working through its “Desert Strong, Yuma Clean” campaign.

The initiative is supported by a nearly $80,000 grant from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, helping fund cleanup projects, community outreach and expanded disposal options for residents.

While county officials say education and public awareness are important, the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office says enforcement also plays a critical role.

“The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) does have a zero tolerance policy for illegal dumping,” Tania Pavlak, Public Affairs Specialist for YCSO said. “If somebody is caught illegal dumping, they can face anywhere from a misdemeanor up to a felony charge. And those penalties can range up to $150,000 in fines and up to two years in prison.”

To help residents dispose of waste legally, Yuma County currently operates five free transfer stations, allowing residents to bring one load of household waste per day at no cost.

“We got five free transfer stations now with this one just being established for Yuma County,” Herrera said. “There shouldn’t be really that much of an issue of people going out there and wanting to dump in deserts. Call Yuma County if you guys have any concerns, any issues about where to dispose of your waste.”

County officials encourage residents to use the free transfer stations, report illegal dumping when they see it and volunteer during community desert cleanup events as part of the ongoing effort to keep Yuma County’s deserts clean.

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Jessamyn Dodd

CALEXICO, Calif. (KYMA) – With the general election happening in a few months, News 11 is introducing a candidate running for the Calexico City Council.

Alexis Rangel, a former member of the Calexico Police Advisory Traffic and Code Enforcement Commission, has officially filed for a position on the Calexico City Council.

One of her main focuses is bringing businesses back to the downtown area.

“Regarding downtown, I think that’s where public safety is important also,” Rangel shared. “I know we don’t have that much money to be spending. That’s a reality. But at the same time, police officers on the, on the beat over there deters a lot, could deter a lot of the crime.”

One project she is focused on is a recreation center.

“We need to start talking about that recreation gym for the Recreation Department,” Rangel spoke. “There’s a lot of revenue there we could bring into the city with that, but we’re nor really moving on it.”

Meantime, the City of Calexico is weighing a ban on data centers within city limits.

“I don’t want a data center in my backyard. I completely sympathize with people who don’t want a data center in their backyard…have kids here and I worry about what the potential health concerns are. They’re fairly new…We don’t know,” Rangel expressed. “Maybe down the road we will know. So I definitely want to get the facts before I give a statement on that.”

Candidate filing is open through Friday at 5 p.m., with an extension to August 12 for offices where an incumbent does not seek reelection.

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