Author: KYMA

Paul Vozzella

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Arizona Western hosted its Third Annual Pitch Competition Thursday, giving small business entrepreneurs in Yuma County and La Paz County the chance to grow their companies.

Several local entrepreneurs were able to give a five minute company pitch in front of a crowd that included over 100 community leaders, from board supervisors to council members.

“So many of us have great pitches,” said Jennifer Ericson, founder of Jennifer Ericson Consulting. “We have great ideas that are going to help our community, so it’s all about coming together as a community, and making Yuma stronger.”

Multiple awards were given out including first and second place finishers for entrepreneurs’ pitches, along with an award for the sponsor’s and audience’s favorite presenter.

John Peel, owner of Busy Drones Cleaners LLC, took home first place for his pressure-washing company that uses drones to clean and focus on elevated windows and solar panels.

“It’s just incredible,” Peel said about winning the competition. “The whole process, they helped us get here, but until you actually do it, until you go up there, it’s totally surreal, and a very cool experience to be able to represent my company.”

In second place was Ana Diaz, founder of ASD Online, a digital marketing agency that focuses on local businesses.

The sponsor’s favorite pick was Ericson with the short-lived, but successful, consulting company.

The audience chose the founder of Pathways Academy, Rebecca Robinette as their favorite pitch competitor of the night.

Outside of winning the audience’s pick, Robinette had other goals to accomplish during the event.

“Regardless of if I place in first or second, [or receive] any monetary prizes, I just want that connection, so that we’re not alone, and we can build our families future,” she said.

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Marcos Icahuate

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A local fundraiser is planned for October.

The Breast Cancer Motorcycle Fun Run will be held at Bobby’s Territorial Harley-Davidson between 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Admission is $20 per person, with lunch and a ride pin for the first 200 people who sign up.

The last stop of the run will be at Bobby’s for lunch and raffles.

All proceeds will go towards the Yuma Cancer Resource Center.

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Joaquin Hight

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Crossroads Mission in Yuma has revealed its needs list ahead of the holidays. They aims to provide families with the resources they need for everyday use.

The list includes meats, seasonings, vegetables, and canned goods.

Public relations director Sassa Culver shares how busy the holidays are for the mission.

“We feed a little over 5,000 people for the three days of Thanksgiving and the three days of Christmas,” Culver shared.

Culver also notes that people can contribute their time to the mission.

“If you’re looking to volunteer for the three days of Thanksgiving, come down. We always need help with delivering and just serving people here,” Culver explained.

If you would like to help the Crossroads Mission, drop off your donations at the mission, located on 10th Street just east of First Avenue.

Locals can bring their donations to 944 S. Arizona Avenue.

Donations are accepted 24/7.

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Marcos Icahuate

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A pumpkin patch for local families will be held at Yuma Palms Regional Center.

The free event will be at the parking lot near Five Below. The pumpkin patch is planned for Sunday, October 26 starting at 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Children ages 10 and under can pick their favorite pumpkin for free.

Other entertainment includes candy for kids in costume, face painting, games & more.

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Marcos Icahuate

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – One person was arrested for armed robbery at Wells Fargo on Avenue B, according to Yuma Police Department (YPD).

On Friday, October 24, at about 12:26 p.m., officers were called about a robbery at a Wells Fargo located in the area of S. Avenue B and W. 26th Street

YPD says a man entered the bank, said he had a gun but did not show it, then fled the scene with stolen money.

The suspect, identified as 41-year-old Ivan Soqui, was later found in Somerton and arrested. He’s been booked into the Yuma County Detention Center with an armed robbery charge.

No injuries were reported.

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Karina Bazarte

BRAWLEY, Calif. (KYMA) – A man was arrested while riding a bike after Brawley police found drugs and a firearm on him.

The Brawley Police Department (BPD) says officers stopped a 41-year-old man riding a bike on Cesar Chavez Street and Main Street.

Officers quickly learned the suspect was on active parole which lead to a search.

“The officers located drug paraphernalia as well as a firearm with a high-capacity magazine and the serial number removed from the firearm,” said Jonathan Blackstone, Assistant Chief for BPD.

The suspect was arrested and taken to the Imperial County Jail and is being charged with four felony counts.

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Eduardo Morales

WINTERHAVEN, Calif. (KYMA) – Monica Vargas is the mother who lost her two sons in a murder-suicide shares how she feels after their deaths.

“We need to get guns out of the streets,” expressed Monica Vargas, who is the mother of both Jonathan and Matthew Vargas.

Jonathan is accused of shooting Matthew and later taking his own life. Since then, Monica is advocating for stricter gun laws in the states.

She says Jonathan had problems with mental health in the past and was under the influence of alcohol when it happened.

“In the flash of a moment, he argued with my son and went to the car, and loaded up the gun, and shot my other son, so I didn’t lose one life, I lost two,” said Monica.

The grieving mother also has a message of mental health awareness for everyone.

“See the signs, respond. Don’t just judge the person, don’t just judge the youth or the young adults…they have it hard already. They’re trying to find a purpose in their life,” Monica says.

However, she is thankful for all the support she has received from the community.

“My fellow classmates in NAU, with the all the support I’ve received, the churches, I appreciate all of your prayers, I think I couldn’t handle this without their prayers and my faith,” Monica said.

There will be a community car wash fundraiser for the brothers this Sunday at the Torch Lite Lodge on Fourth Avenue at 10:30 a.m.

If you would like to help out the family, you can make a donation here.

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Andrea Turisk

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Halloween night is full of costumes, candy, and fun, but it also brings some real health and safety risks.

Leala Martinez, nurse practitioner at Exceptional Community Hospital in Yuma, shares what parents should watch out for and to keep kids safe and healthy.

“We often see falls from costumes that are too long or shoes that don’t fit, as well as minor cuts and scrapes in darker neighborhoods. There’s also a higher risk for pedestrian injuries. Parents can help by choosing safe costumes, adding reflective tape, and making sure kids carry a flashlight,” says Martinez.

Martinez adds some medical concerns to keep in mind about candy.

“For children with peanut, tree nut, or milk allergies, Halloween can be tricky. Also read labels carefully before letting them eat, and if a child has a history of severe reactions, keep an EpiPen nearby. Parents should also check candy to make sure it’s sealed and safe,” says Martinez.

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Adrik Vargas

IMPERIAL, Calif. (KYMA) – A new state law, originally introduced as Senate Bill 461, will allow the City of Imperial to take over a soon to be vacated California Highway Patrol (CHP) building and turn it into a new police station.

Around 24 Imperial police officers will move into the CHP offices on Imperial Avenue once the highway patrol relocates next year. The current police facilities are too small to meet the needs of the growing community.

“Our existing facility right now is the original probation slash juvenile hall. It’s not a purpose built law enforcement facility. The highway patrol, on the other hand, is a purpose built law enforcement facility,” said Imperial Police Chief Aaron Reel.

Chief Reel said Imperial is one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, and the department will benefit from the extra space.

“This gives us an additional 1200 square feet of building size, but even more facility when it comes to parking, the radio tower, just the covered areas where we can actually park police cars, park personal vehicles collected, maintain evidence,” Reel said.

Before the move can happen, the city must work with the Department of Governmental Services to finalize the transfer.

“And once that takes place, we first we have to wait for CHP to leave. And then when CHP is out, we can start that process of designing a renovation and updating it to meet our needs. And I would hope, fingers crossed, to be in there this time next year,” Reel said.

The building was constructed in 1960 and will soon serve as the new home of the Imperial Police Department.

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Abraham Retana

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KYMA) – When it comes to court cases, sometimes there’s a misconception on why a defendant walks out of custody without any charges filed.

Some people think this means the defendant will never be charged, however, this is not always the case.

When a person gets arrested, the judge has to look for a probable cause to keep them in custody.

Based on that information, they look for any victims and if the victim received a notification.

“Based on that information is where we determine if we are going to release the person or set a bond, a high bond, a low bond, do they have a criminal history,” said Scarlett Harper, Justice of the Peace Precinct 2.

In Arizona, the county attorney or the prosecutor has 48 hours to collect the police reports and all the information needed to file charges.

“Now that time is for the officer to summit the report to the city prosecutor or county attorneys, now if if they didn’t receive the report then the person get a no complaint filed, no charges are filed,” explained Judge Harper.

In the case the prosecutor needs more information, they will do what’s called a follow up.

Even if charges are not filed while the suspect is still in custody, they can be filed later.

“A misdemeanor, if no charges are filed after the 48 hours, then we advised them they have up to a year to file charges on a misdemeanor and on felonies they got up to seven years to file charges,” said Harper.

Harper clarifies that the prosecutor or the county attorney is the one who can charge the defendant.

“It is clear that the judge does not charge a person, it’s the state, it’s the prosecutor, the county attorneys, the city prosecutor. They make the charges that they are the state of Arizona. The judge in these cases we are like the referee,” said Harper.

The judge reads the charges, goes over advisement, lets the defendant know their rights and helps assign an attorney if needed.

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