Author: KYMA

Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Arizona Western College (AWC) is celebrating Dr. Reetika Dhawan’s first day as their 10th president Monday.

According to a press release, Dr. Dhawan, who served the college since 2008, “brings both an insider’s perspective and a strategic vision for expanding the college’s impact on student success, workforce development, and regional economic growth.”

AWC says Dhawan, who is the campus’ first female president and first immigrant president, reflects their “commitment to leadership that understands the daily realities of students and employees while driving innovation and community partnerships.”

“This moment is not about a title to me. It is about people,” Dhawan shared. “It is about students whose lives can change because someone believed in them. It is about faculty and staff who show up every day with compassion, resilience, and dedication, often without recognition. And it is about protecting and strengthening an institution that has transformed lives for generations.”

AWC says Dhawan began her teaching career in India back in 2001 before moving to the United States back in 2007, where she taught mathematics at Parker High School.

She then joined AWC a year later, serving as an adjunct instructor in mathematics and physics, according to the campus.

“Dr. Dhawan comes to the presidency as a dedicated member of the AWC family,” said District Governing Board Chair Dennis Booth. “Her experience as a faculty member and her deep understanding of our institution and the communities we serve position her to lead with insight, authenticity, and a strong commitment to student success.”

To learn more about Dhawan and her new role as AWC President, read the press release below.

Arizona Western College celebrates first day under new presidentDownload

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Lynette Niebla

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – California Election Day is Tuesday, and voting centers across Imperial County will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. as voters cast ballots in several key races.

These include the races for California Governor, Lieutenant Governor, U.S. Representative for District 25, State Senate District 18, State Assembly District 36, and several local contests including the Imperial County Board of Supervisors and Imperial Irrigation District.

If anyone still has a mail-in ballot, they can drop it off at any official drop box or voting center before the polls close.

Join us Tuesday night at 10 p.m. on News 11 for live election coverage, including results, candidate reaction and updates from the races shaping Imperial County.

For a list of voting centers and ballot drop box locations, click here.

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Madeline Murray

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Chick-fil-A teams up with the Yuma Fire and Police Departments for the Touch-the-Truck event over the weekend.

The event took place at the Chick-fil-A parking lot Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon.

During the event, families got the change to meet police officers and firefighters face-to-face, climb aboard a fire truck and police vehicles, and learn about the gear they use to save lives.

Kevin Carryon, Chick-fil-A’s Director of Sales and Brand Deals, talked about how beneficial it was for Chick-fil-A to team up with both YFD and YPD.

“It’s just a fun event for the kids to explore the police department and all their vehicles and the fire department and their big trucks…and just get to know some of the officer in the area and that they get to know them and stuff,” Carryon explained.

Carryon also said the purpose of the event was to bring the community together and be all about being a part of Yuma.

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Dillon Fuhrman

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) – El Centro Regional Medical Center (ECRMC) says they received an $11 million California Distressed Hospital grant.

According to a press release, the grant will help ECRMC strengthen medical services across the Imperial Valley, and reinforce the community’s access to top-tier healthcare.

“We’re grateful to our state lawmakers and regulators for recognizing the immediate and prolonged impact this investment will have on the Imperial Valley,” said Pablo Velez, CEO of ECRMC. “Our healthcare system has endured challenging times. Our elected officials recognize these challenging times and support struggling rural hospitals.”

The grant comes after California AB 108, signed into law earlier this month, outlined “criteria and a process for struggling hospitals to apply for economic assistance grants,” ECRMC says, with the bill’s authors aiming to “support facilities confronting financial difficulties, ensuring they can maintain essential medical services in Golden State communities with limited access to care.”

In addition, Velez said state lawmakers who represent Imperial County, like California State Senator Steve Padilla (D), played an important role in maintaining support for local hospitals.

“Our state Senator and Representative have been vigilant about keeping a pulse on both hospitals in our community. They have worked relentlessly in Sacramento to advocate for solutions that benefit our residents. We are very appreciative of their effort,” Velez expressed.

“I’m proud to have helped secure this funding to support El Centro Regional Medical Center,” State Senator Steve Padilla added. “Imperial County residents deserve access to quality health care, and this support is critical to continue delivering that care. While challenges remain, this victory will help stabilize services and protect health care in our community.”

ECRMC says receiving the $11 million grant is also beneficial to Pioneers Memorial Hospital and the Imperial Valley Healthcare District (IVHD) as they are about to acquire ECRMC to create a “unified healthcare district in Imperial County.”

“Our board and our entire staff celebrate today. The grant arrives at a crucial time for sustaining healthcare services in the entire Imperial Valley,” said Katherine Burnworth, President of the IVHD Board of Directors. “These funds will help us stabilize key operations and protect access to essential services. It’s an important step in supporting our staff and the patients we serve.”

To learn more about this, read the press release below.

Press Release_ IVHD_ECRMC-Grant – v2Download

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Lynette Niebla

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – We are just days away from the June 2 primary election, and the race for the Imperial County Board of Supervisors District 5 seat is entering its final, critical stretch.

District 5 spans the largest geographical territory on the county map. Incumbent John Hawk is currently fighting to retain his seat against challengers Patricia Lizarraga and Lorena Minor-Montes.

We recently sat down with John Hawk to discuss his re-election campaign, addressing local unemployment, infrastructure deficits, and growing community rifts.

“We’re looking at ways to make things work,” Hawk said regarding political divisions. “That just takes a phone call to say, ‘Hey, I can get over a difference with you, but let’s work together on issues.'”

One of the most contentious issues facing the district is the debate over incoming data centers. While Hawk acknowledged the community concern surrounding their placement, he emphasized the legal constraints faced by local leadership.

“No, it’s not a great location, but it was a permitted use for that area,” Hawk explained. “So as a supervisor, you’re required to follow the laws, but at the same time, you understand the issue that Imperial was in.”

If new data centers continue to move into the region, Hawk is demanding a strict set of new regulations. His proposed protections include double-spectrum noise studies, mandatory landscaping, local hiring mandates, and an official “good neighbor” policy.

Hawk is leveraging regional partnerships to secure federal funding for infrastructure. He confirmed plans for a joint trip to Washington, D.C., alongside representatives from the Bard Water District and the Quechan Nation to lobby for financial support.

Beyond infrastructure, Hawk plans to address border issues during his capital visit.

“We do honor those that come to our country and want to work,” Hawk said. “We wanna have a place for them.”

While Hawk remains a strong supporter of the local agricultural sector, he stressed that farming alone can no longer sustain the regional economy. He points to the ongoing development of Lithium Valley as the key to future job creation.

“We need to bring industry,” Hawk said. “We could provide jobs and all kinds of measures for graduates of Imperial Valley College (IVC) or San Diego State University.”

The incumbent also noted that his platform addresses the area’s growing homelessness crisis. He stated that the county is currently looking at developing new areas dedicated to providing aid and rehabilitation sessions for unhoused residents.

Voters will decide this Tuesday whether Hawk keeps his seat or if a challenger will take the reins.

Under local election rules, if no candidate secures a clear majority of the vote on Tuesday night, the top two vote-getters will advance to a runoff in the November general election.

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Friends of the Lower Colorado River hosted a trash clean-up Saturday morning.

The event took place at Gateway Park at 7 a.m., with over 30 people volunteering to help clean the Colorado River, according to the organization’s post on Facebook.

The organization asked volunteers to wear study shoes, and said the cleanup supplies and water were provided.

Visit Yuma, who sponsored the event, provided coffee and donuts to the volunteers while WaFd Bank provided the gloves and Walmart on Avenue B provided the snacks and drinks, according to the organization.

During the event, the organization said the volunteers found a mattress, box springs and tires.

Joseph Browne, Vice President of the Friends of the Lower Colorado River, shared the significance of cleaning up the Colorado River.

“It’s our resource. This is what we use for recreation. And, a lot of times government solution is if they can’t keep it clean, they shut it off to everyone. So we’re trying to prevent that from happening…create that awareness that people clean up after themselves,” Browne explained.

In addition, the volunteers also clean-up the river on the California side, with the organization saying they worked with the Quechan community to cleanup highly used areas of the river.

If anyone missed out on Saturday’s clean-up, the organization will host another one in June. For when and where it will happen, follow the organization’s Facebook page HERE.

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Paul Vozzella

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A newly formed non-profit organization is working to preserve Yuma’s history by restoring Pioneer Cemetery, one of the city’s oldest burial grounds.

Yuma Neighbors United was created with the goal of cleaning and maintaining the cemetery to honor the citizens who helped establish the community.

The City of Yuma has provided the group with cleaning equipment to assist in the restoration effort.

Volunteers are scheduled to participate in the cemetery’s first official cleanup Saturday morning at 6:30 a.m. Following that, more cleanings are scheduled to take place towards the fall.

Founders Allan and Cheri Marx said the project is focused on preserving the dignity of the gravesites and restoring the cemetery’s appearance.

“This is, you know, who helped build this town and, you know, we gotta show them that we still care for them,” said Marx. “Helping the families who have these graves, get ’em back, you know, cut the trees out. As you can see this big tree here…get that taken care of, and get the gravesite back to where it’s looking nice.”

If interested in joining Yuma Neighbors United’s efforts, you can reach out via their Facebook profile here, or via email: yumaneighborsunited@gmail.com.

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Paul Vozzella

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Dog owners in Yuma will soon have another option to bring their furry friends on a walk.

Yuma’s Bark Park is set to re-open Saturday.

The park underwent construction work including new shade structures, new trash receptacles and a new drinking fountain.

The park is located at 1705 E. Palo Verde Street.

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Paul Vozzella

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – As summer break begins, Yuma school districts are continuing to support local families by providing free meals to children throughout the summer months.

Yuma School District One will begin offering free breakfast and lunch meals to children on June 1.

The program is available to all children ages 18 and younger and will be offered at six designated locations across the district: Fourth Avenue Junior High, McGraw Elementary, Carver Elementary, OC Johnson Elementary, Palmcroft Elementary and Desert Mesa Elementary.

Adults may accompany their children and purchase a meal for a fee of $3.00 for breakfast and $5.00 for lunch.

The summer meal service will operate Monday through Friday and continue through July 17. The only exception will be July 3, in which there will be no meals provided.

Breakfast will be served from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. while lunch will be available from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

“A lot of times, families aren’t able to provide meals outside of the times that they are going to school, so it’s very important to support our community and help those kids,” said Lisa Thrower, District One Child Nutrition Director.

Children participating in the program must receive and consume their meals on site. Families are not allowed to pick up a meal for a child or children and bring it off-site.

Crane School District and Yuma Union High School District are also putting together similar programs this summer, but children can attend available locations within any district.

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Paul Vozzella

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – El Charro Cafe is hosting a fundraiser for Maria Ruan, a waitress who has worked at the restaurant for 26 years, and her husband, Cesar.

The couple has been in Phoenix while Cesar undergoes medical treatment following surgery.

According to the restaurant’s owners, the couple is facing significant costs associated with travel and an extended hotel stay during Cesar’s recovery. In response, El Charro Cafe has organized a fundraiser to help ease the financial burden.

“Her husband had surgery, and they’re in Phoenix, and they’re having to stay in a hotel for approximately 30 days, maybe longer, so we decided we would see if anyone wanted to help us getting a box together, see if anyone would like to donate and help her get through the 30 days without working,” said Anna Martinez, co-owner of El Charro Cafe.

The fundraiser was initially planned as a one-day event, but due to strong community interest and support, the restaurant expanded it to two days.

Restaurant co-owner Pauline Villa said Ruan’s dedication and personal connections with customers have inspired an overwhelming response from the community.

“She knows her customers’ orders. She knows their names. Everything about Maria is just kind and personal, and I think that’s why she’s had such an incredible support for this upcoming event,” Villa said.

A portion of the proceeds from sales next Thursday and Friday will be donated to help cover Maria and Cesar Ruan’s expenses as they navigate his recovery.

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