Author: KYMA

Karina Bazarte

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – The Imperial Valley Mall will be hosting a fashion show this weekend in honor of the first week of school.

Alicia Swaim, General Manager of the mall, says the clothing store Dillard’s will be modeling their back to school and fall season clothing.

She says Dillard’s will have about 20 models and music will be provided by DJ Vibe.

“It has been a while since we’ve had a fashion show, so this will be the first one that we had in quite sometime. It will be one before out food court gets remodeled. We are going to do a complete remodel, [and] we are under new ownership,” Swaim expressed.

The fashion show is set to begin at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 16 at the Imperial Valley Food Court.

The event is free and open to the public.

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Madeline Murray

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A man is behind bars after hitting an 11-year-old girl on the corner of Woodard Junior High School and leaving the scene of the crash.

The Yuma Police Department (YPD) says the girl was riding her bike when she was hit by a car while using the crosswalk Friday.

When police arrived at the scene, the driver, a 31-year-old man, had already taken off, but he did turn himself in the next day.

YPD says if anyone is ever in this situation, do not panic and stay at the scene.

“One thing we want to ask the public is, you know, if you get into an accident, most of the time, it is a civil traffic violation, so you just get a small ticket, your not going to go to jail…just remain on scene, because once you leave the scene of an accident without remaining there until police arrival, it turns into a misdemeanor offense, and then, that’s when you get jail time.”

Hayato Johnson, Public Information Officer, Yuma Police Department

A neighbor, Flora Garcia, says she’s not surprised it happened saying, “It’s too much irresponsibility of the cars that go through here, they take U-turns in the middle of the street right in front of the entrance, I’ve seen them do it there before.”

Garcia says it can sometimes even be parents who cause chaos during drop-off and pick-up times.

“Parents come picking up their kids in a rush, I don’t know if it’s ’cause they are just getting out of work, but they are in a rush,” Garcia explained.

YPD says officers respond to similar issues in school zones on an average of one to two times a week, and would like to remind drivers to pay attention to the road.

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The City of Yuma has announced Tacos and Tunes will return this October.

The event will kick off Friday, October 3 with a car show happening from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Main Street.

People will have the chance to see an array of vintage cars while listening to live music from the Big Boss Band.

However, there will be a new feature for this year’s Tacos and Tunes is all the events will take place during the evening, which the City of Yuma calls “Tacos and Tunes Under the Stars.”

That event takes place Saturday, October 4 from 5:00 p.m. to midnight, where attendees can enjoy food and beverages, live music and cast their vote for their favorite taco vendor to be crowned this year’s Taco King.

“This event continues to grow and bring our community together through the things we all love—great food, music, and connection,” said Brissa Garcia, Special Events Coordinator. “We can’t wait to welcome everyone downtown for another unforgettable weekend!”

To learn more about this, click here.

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Dillon Fuhrman

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – The City of El Centro has announced they are launching the 2025 Mayor of the Day Essay Contest Monday.

According to a press release, the program is to help “engage young people in civic education and encourage the next generation of community leaders.”

“This program gives our youth a platform to express their ideas and be part of the conversation about our city’s future,” said Mayor Sonia Carter. “We’re excited to hear directly from students and give them a hands-on look at how local government works.”

The contest, according to the City of El Centro, is open for seventh through 12th grade students, with those who participates in the contest submitting an original essay answering the question, “If you were Mayor of El Centro for a Day, what action would you take?”

“Students are encouraged to be specific and thoughtful in describing what they would do to make El Centro a better place and how they would accomplish it,” the City said.

Participants are also required to follow these guidelines:

Essay must be at least 500 words

Typed and submitted on an 8.5 x 11 page format

One essay per student

“Five students will be selected to participate in the Mayor for a Day program,” the City says while adding that “each student will be paired with a City Council member and will have the opportunity to shadow them during a City Council meeting.”

The submission processed opened Monday and will go until September 19, with the winners being announced on October 8.

The Mayor for a Day Council meeting will take place on October 21.

To learn more about this, read the press release, written in English and Spanish, below.

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Skylar Heisey

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Local entrepreneurs will once again have the chance to pitch their business ideas in front of a live audience as the Arizona Western College Small Business Development Center (SBDC) hosts its third annual “Cultivating the Future: Plant, Pitch, and Prosper” event.

The competition, scheduled for October 23 from 4 to 6 p.m., will be held as part of the SBDC’s largest event of the year.

The event is like the TV show “Shark Tank,” but with a supportive twist as participants will deliver a five-minute pitch presentation to a panel of judges and a room full of community members and leaders.

SBDC Director Crystal Mendoza says the event is designed to encourage and prepare entrepreneurs in Yuma County, whether they’re in the early stages of developing a business or already running one.

“This event is specifically for those who want to bring their passion to life,” Mendoza said. “We’re here to support our entrepreneurs and help them develop their pitch presentation.”

To prepare for the competition, registered participants can attend a series of four workshops hosted by SBDC’s experienced business counselors.

These sessions are aimed at fine-tuning pitches and building presentation skills. Competitors will also have the opportunity to network with more than 100 expected attendees, including local business leaders.

The competition is open to all entrepreneurs and prizes will be awarded. For community members who want to attend, tickets are $40 and include dinner, networking opportunities, and a chance to cheer on local talent.

Those interested in competing or attending can register and find more information HERE.

“It’s going to be a gala atmosphere,” Mendoza added. “We want the community to come out, have dinner, and support the incredible talent we have here.”

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) is investigating a crash which left one person dead and one person injured.

According to a press release, the crash happened before 6:00 a.m. Sunday in the area of W. Eighth Street and S. Alicia Avenue.

YCSO says a 1993 GMC Sierra 3500 dually was driving westbound on Eighth Street when a 2019 Kia Forte LXS crashed “into the rear of the GMC Sierra at high speed.”

YCSO says their deputies, along with Rural Metro Fire, responded to the area to perform “life-saving measures on the driver of the Kia Forte.”

However, the driver, identified as 20-year-old Izaak Dominguez of Somerton, was pronounced dead at the scene. Next of kin was notified, YCSO says.

The driver of the GMC Sierra was taken to Onvida Health for minor injuries, according to YCSO.

While alcohol appears to be a factor in the crash, the investigation remains ongoing. If anyone has any information regarding the case, call YCSO at (928) 783-4427, or 78-CRIME to remain anonymous.

You can also visit YCSO’s website to submit an anonymous tip.

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Paul Vozzella

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – An MX park recently opened up in Yuma and the new owners are ready to draw in bike riders near and far.

The park is located at 13000 S Carlotta Ave, in the area of W. County 13th Street and the East Main Canal.

Co-owners Jeren Ostberg and Bobby Lee are preparing a local track for riders of all ages and experiences. Even in their short span of time, they have gotten a glimpse of how bright the future could be.

After spending close to ninety hours renovating the park in their first week of ownership, Happy Track opened up to the public and the results wowed the owners.

“When I seen the people that showed up, I was like ‘woah,’ I’m like, ‘they really did come,’ and it’s kind of, it’s, it’s, even to us it’s kind of, like, going way better than we thought. You know what I mean? It kind of lifts your morale to everybody because you see, kinda, that hope and light at the end of the tunnel.”

Even for owners who have dreamt of what they can turn the park into for riders of all ages, they have one priority set straight: make the bike park a special place for the younger generation.

“Where we can see this thing going surpasses anything I can fathom, but like I said, we’re trying to get all these little guys out here and just have somewhere to go to have an outlet to go out there and relieve stress, and bike therapy,” Ostberg shared.

Ostberg and Lee have rental bikes available for first-timers and are welcoming anyone to drive up with their own bikes. They are offering membership deals along with per-park trip fees and spectator fees.

You can follow them on Instagram and Facebook, or contact them directly for more information at (619) 928-8297.

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Manoah Tuiasosopo

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The Yuma Union High School District (YUHSD) is reminding families and students about key resources available to help ensure a successful school year.

One of those tools is Paper.co, a 24/7 online tutoring platform where students can get live academic support at any time.

There’s also Parentsquare and Studentsquare, communication apps which allows parents, guardians and students to connect directly with teachers and school staff for announcements, questions and important updates.

YUHSD says taking just a few moments to use these tools can make a big difference in a student’s success.

“Making our students even more alert and savvy about about technology is really how we’re arming our students to be prepared for their next steps,” said Bibi Frazine, Director of Educational Technologies at YUHSD.

“And the parent involvement in that education even though they’re, you know, teenagers and sometimes in some cases, as seniors…adults…it’s still crucially important for that village to help you know get that student to their their last step of being college career and community ready when they graduate,” said Eric Patten, Chief Communications Officer at YUHSD.

The district is also promoting its Anonymous Alerts System, a confidential way for students or others to report issues like bullying or safety concerns without fear or discomfort.

For more information on these resources, click here.

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Manoah Tuiasosopo

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A traffic enforcement detail by the Yuma Police Department (YPD) resulted in multiple arrests and several seizures of illegal narcotics and ammunition.

According to a post on Facebook, YPD performed 12 traffic stops, eight individual contacts, and three arrests on the night of August 7.

Courtesy: Yuma Police Department

Courtesy: Yuma Police Department

YPD says officers seized nearly 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately three ounces of cocaine, nearly two grams of crystalized fentanyl, drug paraphernalia, a firearm and over 300 rounds of ammunition, including rounds designed for a machine gun.

YPD applauds their graveyard crew for their vigilance and dedication to Yuma’s safety.

Courtesy: Yuma Police Department

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Paul Vozzella

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The City of Yuma Parks and Recreation hosted the Donnie Crump Over the Line (OTL) Late Night Tournament this weekend.

The tournament took place at Pacific Avenue Athletics Complex, located at 1700 E. Eighth Street, at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, with check in starting at 5:30 p.m.

Teams of two gathered from Yuma, and as far as the greater Los Angeles area, to face off in the tournament.

For many, it’s more than just a game. It’s a tradition.

“They’re always great out here. The people out here are great…the competition, crazy, you know, playing all night,” said Jeff Briggs, one of the players.

While the group of regulars share a strong passion for the sport, they are looking to bring a new generation of competitors who can appreciate it the way they do.

“I would say it’s definitely a very tight-knit community…We’re trying to keep tournaments in town and continue to grow and get a new class of younger players to come out,” said Louden Young, program coordinator.

The person whom the tournament is named after embraced the local sports community like no other as Donnie Crump spent much of his time involved in the Yuma sports scene.

“He did the open gyms. He was at the softball leagues. He was here at the two-man late night OTL Tournament. He ran, you know, helped come out and run the softball leagues and everything, so he was just one of those guys that was out every single event and you knew who he was if you played sports,” Young shared.

The winner in the men’s bracket took home $1,000 cash while the winner in the women’s bracket walked away with $500.

However, even with the cash prize on the line, OTL players took the field for the love of the game and a passion for the community, something Crump exemplified in his everyday life.

The tournament lasted until at least 7:00 a.m. Sunday.

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