Author: KYMA

Eduardo Morales

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – In this week’s Home Grown report, we are previewing the upcoming Farm Film Festival in Downtown Yuma.

The festival is set to highlight Yuma’s massive impact on the world’s agricultural landscape. People will be able to learn more about the technology and this driving economic industry.

It will also show how Yuma supplies over 90% of America’s leafy greens during the winter months and other important statistics.

The festival will take place on Thursday, December 11 at the Historic Yuma Downtown Theater from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

To learn more about the festival, and to purchase tickets, click here.

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Andrea Turisk

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Holiday Country Christmas Dinner and Dance presented by the Yuma Farmers Market is December 13 at the Elks Lodge from 5:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

To purchase ticket call Barbara at (928)-510-0738 or Clyde at (928)-941-1417. 

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Adrik Vargas

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – More than 1,500 Arizonans are calling for stronger protections for workers facing extreme heat.

The Arizona Heat Standards Coalition delivered a petition to Governor Katie Hobbs’ office Tuesday, pushing for enforceable rules on water, shade, and breaks for farmworkers, construction workers, and welders.

“We need to act now to prevent the death of all of these workers,” said Jazmin Moreno, a steering committee member.

She added, “I hope that this forces the task force to collectively come up with an enforceable heat standard that is genuinely going to be in force and is going to have the basic requirements that farmworkers, that construction workers, that welders need.”

Official numbers report only one heat-related farmworker death in Yuma in 2023, but Moreno says the real toll is unaccounted for.

“Numbers surrounding death, numbers surrounding illness are extremely vague…we also know that undocumented communities don’t go in to receive medical care after, you know, having a heat stroke or heat illness, they often don’t go reported, if they do pass away,” Moreno added.

University of Arizona research shows Yuma County alone is home to 81% of the state’s crop workers, about 65,000 people.

“It’s called the Arizona Farm Worker Enumeration Profile Study…it was both qualitative and quantitative. But what we ended up doing is just creating a baseline number of farmworkers,” said Priscila Ruedas, a U of A research program officer.

The petition delivery sends the clear message that Arizonans want urgent action.

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Joaquin Hight

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Tuesday, December 2, is Giving Tuesday, and nonprofits across the nation are asking for support from communities.

One Yuma nonprofit, Helping Hand, is asking volunteers to help support transportation for seniors in the area.

The scheduling coordinator, Keegan Obney, says that they are constantly asking for more resources to help seniors.

“Coming together, giving, and helping these places exist, is not only great for the community, it’s great for the soul,” Obney expressed.

Giving Tuesday is an opportunity for people to support local nonprofits the most by donating, volunteering, and recognizing the organizations for their hard work.

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Joaquin Hight

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The City of Yuma is looking at new ways to respond to mental-health related calls.

The Yuma City Council observed a presentation for the co-response unit, which included members of the Yuma Police and Fire Departments.

The program would send a specially trained officer and a mental-health clinician to certain calls, such as welfare checks, or someone in a crisis.

“They go out into the community and, anybody who’s having a crisis situation, they go and deescalate it, and then they provide resources, and get the person the help they need,” said Officer Raul Fiveash with the Yuma Police Department.

If approved, the unit could roll out as a pilot program sometime next year.

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Danyelle Burke North

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Ballet Yuma is bringing a brand new addition to this year’s 31st Annual Nutcracker production. For the first time ever, they’re introducing a sensory-friendly performance designed to make this holiday tradition accessible to all.

There will be three classic performances plus a fourth sensory-friendly performance at McBride Auditorium at Snider Hall at Yuma High School December 12-14.

“Many times there are parents of children who don’t feel their kids might be able to come to the Nutcracker if they’re a little wiggly, or if they have any type of special needs or anything like that, so we just want to make it all inclusive,” said Ballet Yuma artistic director Emma M.K. Cong.

They say a private donor helped make it all possible and share what it includes.

“Our lights are not going to be all the way dimmed. They’re not going to be all the way off. Our music’s going to be down a little bit. I’m taking out some of the explosions that we have on stage, and we’ve also rented an extra room that we have filled with sensory-friendly toys if kids need to step out for a moment,” said Cong.

Ballet Yuma is also showing gratitude to our military families.

“We partnered with MCAS their EFMP program, Exceptional Family Members Program, to sponsor 90 children’s tickets to families that really are in need of this, and we just thought it was a great way to honor and give thanks and gratitude to our military families,” said Ballet Yuma administrative assistant Alexandria Urias.

Here’s the event schedule & ticket prices:

Friday, December 12 at 7:00 pm

Tickets: $20.00, $25.00, $30.00

Saturday, December 13 at 10:30 am

Tickets: $20.00 “sensory friendly”

Saturday, December 13 at 3:00 pm

Tickets: $20.00, $25.00, $30.00

Sunday, December 14 at 1:00 pm

Tickets: $20.00, $25.00, $30.00

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Andrea Turisk

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Help us keep locals warm this holiday season as the 13 On Your Side Blankets from the Heart Drive is happening this week.

The annual event is taking place Friday, December 5, at the Yuma Palms roundabout from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

We will be accepting new or gently used blankets, coats, socks, pants, and anything else that can help keep someone warm. We will also be accepting cash donations.

All proceeds will go towards Crossroads Mission.

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Eduardo Morales

UPDATE (2:28 PM): The Yuma Fire Department (YFD) responded to a fire that burned down a trailer Monday morning.

The fire happened on Second Street, near Avenue A, in the backyard of someone’s home.

YFD says there was one person home, but they were not injured.

After extinguishing the fire, YFD was able to confirm that the trailer did burn down, along with what appears to be a shed, but it is too badly damaged to tell.

Jennifer Garber, a neighbor, saw the fire and shared what she witnessed.

“When my other client came outside, like, I got all ash like on the jackets and then, when we were driving off, that’s when we saw the smoke up in the air that it was she neighbors house,” Garber explained.

YFD says the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

UPDATE (9:13 AM): According to a reporter on scene, the fire was on Second Street, near Avenue A.

The Yuma Fire Department (YFD) says a shed caught on fire.

The reporter on scene says both YFD and Rural Metro are on scene.

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma Fire Department (YPD) is responding to a palm tree fire Monday morning.

According to a reporter on scene, the fire is happening in the area of E. Main Canal Road, near Avenue A.

KYMA will have more information as it becomes available.

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Marcos Icahuate

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – An event to help locals is being held in December.

The K9 Officer Partner Support Foundation is hosting Hams for Heroes at the Yuma Foothills Walmart.

Ham donations will be going towards locals.

You can donate on Monday, December 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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Eduardo Morales

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Locals gathered Monday evening to show support for indigenous women who have either gone missing or who have been murdered.

They highlighted cases such as Challistia Colelay and Emily Pike.

Roxanne Barley, who organized the event, says her and others are tired of not having answers.

“We have to save ourselves, we have to reach it from the bottom and pull ourselves up, and by doing so, I hope just to inspire someone to say, ‘Okay. Enough is enough. Now is the time to do something. Now is the time for action,'” Barley says.

She says she’s putting herself in those people’s shoes.

“If it was me in that situation, I would want my loved ones to look for me, I would want someone to look for me and fight as hard for me as my loved ones are doing. As long as these people are still missing, people are going to fight up, and stand up and unite together,” Barley said.

She also describes how everyone can do their part to help.

“Try to look for details, new details, new information. If you see something say something, it means something to the family, it means something to the loved ones that’s missing, it means something to everyone so please do your part,” Barley says.

Roxanne and others are working to create more movements to bring answers for those who are missing.

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