Author: KYMA

Paul Vozzella

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – 27-year-old Nofoa Fagaima was charged with aggravated assault and temporary disfigurement after he was arrested for a fight that happened Saturday night during a men’s softball game at the Pacific Avenue Athletic Complex.

The victim of the fight was left with injuries to the face, specifically the orbital bone and jaw.

At the hearing, the victim’s cousin stated that the injuries could lead to long-term consequences including the inability to drive and trouble eating.

Fagaima’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 15 at 4 p.m. He is no longer in custody.

Click here to follow the original article.

Moses Femino

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – United Cerebral Palsy of Souther Arizona (UCPSA) officially broke ground on a new facility in Yuma designed to support the organization’s continued growth and expand services for individuals with disabilities across the region.

The new two-story building will total more than 24,000 square feet and comes after years of expansion in Yuma County.

UCPSA leaders say the organization has outgrown multiple previous locations while continuing to meet the increasing demand for home-based services.

UCPSA currently serves more than 500 individuals and families in Yuma County and employs hundreds of workers locally.

The Yuma Regional Director of UCPSA, Lupita Cuestas, says the new facility will help bring staff and services together while allowing the organization to better respond to community needs.

“We’re looking forward to this building being built so that we can come back and be together again,” Cuestas said. “And that will help us pay attention to the needs in the community so that we are able to meet those needs.”

UCP was founded more than 72 years ago and provides services for individuals living with disabilities. The organization’s programs are designed to help individuals remain in their homes while living independently or with family support.

Yuma city leaders also attended the groundbreaking ceremony and expressed support for the project.

“As a council member, anytime that I can see a new facility being constructed that gives the people of Yuma an opportunity to get the services here rather than having to go to Phoenix or San Diego, I fully support that,” Arturo Morales, a City of Yuma Council member, said. “So just to be here, whether it be symbolically or just to clap my hands and applaud them. I just wanted to show my support on behalf of the City of Yuma.”

Pilkington Construction is leading the project. Company President Clint Harrington says the opportunity to help build the facility carries special meaning for the local construction company.

“I feel very blessed that we’ve been selected to bring this project from concept to commissioning,” Harrington said. “There’s a lot of choice out there and I thank UCP for picking Pilkington Construction to make their dream come true.”

UCPSA leaders say the new facility reflects both the growing need for services in Yuma County and the continued support they have received from the community over the years.

Click here to follow the original article.

Jessamyn Dodd

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – A man who had his death sentence overturned is heading back to court.

57-year-old Omar Richard Deen was sentenced to death in 1998 for fatally shooting his mother and Calipatria Police Chief J. Leonard Speer.

His conviction was overturned in April of 2026 by the California Supreme Court due to a juror’s personal connection to Chief Speer.

Deen was transferred from state prison to local custody in Imperial County, where a judge ordered him to be held without bail as a pre-trial defendant, while the District Attorney’s Office, and Deen’s defense team review the case.

He is due back in court this November.

Click here to follow the original article.

Jessamyn Dodd

IMPERIAL, Calif. (KYMA) – Students walking near the library at Imperial Valley College (IVC) were met with an increased safety reminder from campus staff. This comes after an incident was reported outside of the library in the evening of May 15.

Staff are encouraging students to use the buddy system at night, stay in well-lit areas, and keep emergency contact numbers accessible, and immediately report any suspicious activity.

“We just want to encourage all of our students to, if they feel any concerns on campus, to see something, to say something, by reaching out to our campus safety team,” said Celeste Alvarez, Executive Director of Marketing, Communication, and Public Relations at IVC.

Staff say resources are available for students who may feel unsafe or need support. The college partners with the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office, in addition to having campus safety patrols who monitor and secure the area.

“We have an incredible campus safety team. And our dedicated on-site deputy sheriffs. Our most powerful security asset is our community,” Alvarez explained.

Despite the incident, many students say they feel safe on campus and appreciate the security measures in place.

“We have security that’s actively throughout the campus, and whenever there’s something. That needs to be done. They’re always on top of it. So for myself, I do feel safe,” said Elaine Valdez, an IVC student.

Campus staff say the incident is no longer a threat and the suspect has been arrested. However, anyone with any information on any crime on campus is urged to call campus police.

Click here to follow the original article.

Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma Police Department (YPD) says a man has been arrested and indicted for sexually assaulting a minor.

According to a press release, YPD says they received information Friday, May 15, 2026, about a sex offense between the suspect, identified as 38-year-old Jesus Plantillas, and a 14-year-old girl.

During the investigation, YPD learned that Plantillas had two other prior allegations of sexually assaulting a minor, one back in 2015 when the victim was three-years-old at the time, and the other back in 2022 when the victim was 15-years-old at that time.

With the U.S. Border Patrol’s help, Plantillas was found Saturday, May 16, 2026, at around 11 p.m. in the area of Fifth Avenue and First Street, where he was arrested and booked into the Yuma County Detention Center, according to YPD.

Last Thursday, YPD says Plantillas was indicted for one count of molestation of a child, four counts of sexual abuse and five counts of sexual conduct with a minor.

Plantillas is currently being held at the Yuma County Detention Center on a bond of $250,000.

If anyone has information regarding the case, call YPD at 928-373-4700, or 78-CRIME at 928-782-7463 to remain anonymous.

Sexual assault of a minor 26-34235Download

Click here to follow the original article.

Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Yuma residents of all ages are invited to attend the Community Wellness Movie Night, happening this summer.

The event is taking place every Tuesday, from June 2 to July 14, at 6 p.m. at the MLK Youth Center, located at 300 S. 13th Avenue.

During the event, there will be free popcorn, drinks and hot dogs.

Several sponsors for the event include Yuma Crossing Rotary Club, Arizona Complete Health, Arizona@Work, Yuma Farmer’s Market, and more.

To learn more about the event, call 928-783-9347, or email mlk@ypic.com.

Click here to follow the original article.

Jalen Fong

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Many scams come to your phone through fake texts or visiting scam websites. While smartphones have built in scam protections, you may not be keeping your phone safe.

Those annoying updates you see. Do you install them? You should as threats targeting phones are real.

Recently, Apple says they “identified web-based attacks targeting out-of-date versions of the iPhone operating systems.”

Click a malicious link or visit a compromised site, the data on your iPhone could be stolen. The fix was included in an update.

Think of what we have stored: Personal photos, financial information, passwords. All of it could be used against us.

Ransomware attacks are becoming a regular occurrence

Ransomware attacks are the fastest growing type of cybercrime. These attacks, which can target individuals or businesses, lock computers and networks using file encryption software, with hackers demanding payment by Bitcoin or other non-traceable crypto-currency to release the data.

The attack typically enters through a phishing email and then spreads to other machines on the same network.

Enable automatic updates. On all your devices, turn on automatic updates for your operating system, applications, and security software. This ensures that your devices are always running the latest security patches and fixes that protect against vulnerabilities that ransomware attackers might exploit.

Don’t click on links from unfamiliar sources. Even if you think you know the sender, be cautious about clicking on email links. When in doubt, delete it. Be especially wary of messages requiring you to act quickly, asking for personal information, or threatening you in any way. Read BBB’s tips on how to identify fake communications.

Keep clean machines and stay up-to-date with software. Prevent infections by updating critical software as soon as patches or new operating system versions are available. This includes mobile and other internet-connected devices. You should also always update your web browser(s) when updates are available.

Use multi-factor authentication, requiring more than a username and password, to access accounts, especially critical networks, to prevent access through stolen or hacked credentials. 

Conduct regular system backups. Systems can be restored in cases of ransomware, and having a current backup of all data speeds the recovery process.

Make better passwords. In cases where passwords are still used, require long, strong and unique passwords to better harden accounts against intrusions. Never use the same password for multiple accounts.

Enable pop-up blockers. Scammers regularly use pop-ups to spread malware. Adjust your browser settings to prevent them from appearing.

More on the latest Apple iPhone attacks and updates: https://support.apple.com/en-us/126776

Google updates for Android devices: https://support.google.com/android/answer/7680439?hl=en-GB

Check reviews and complaints for any business BBB.org.

Keep up with all the latest scams at BBB’s Scam Tracker and joeknowsbetter.com.

Click here to follow the original article.

Adrik Vargas

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A fight during an adult softball tournament in Yuma left one man seriously injured and another under arrest.

Officers responded Saturday night to the Pacific Avenue Athletic Complex after a large fight broke out between two teams.

In court, the judge shared one man punched another man during the fight, causing a fractured orbital bone and a fractured nose.

The suspect was arrested Monday on one felony count of aggravated assault and temporary disfigurement. His bond is set at $50,000.

The suspect is expected to be back in court Thursday to see whether formal charges will be presented.

You can donate here.

Click here to follow the original article.

Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) was in Yuma for a rally Tuesday as he runs for Arizona state governor.

Rep. Biggs spoke to Yuma voters Tuesday, telling them the city of Yuma plays a major role in securing the governor’s seat.

“I try to understand the issues that are happening down here, and Yuma will be, you know, just a priority for us. I mean, it’s an important economic area, important food security area,” Biggs said.

Biggs is one of the top contenders for the position as we head into the primary.

The Yuma County Republican Party held their monthly meeting tonight where he and other guest speakers had the opportunity to talk about how they plan to make improvements to Arizona and its cities.

“We need some governors who know how the system works, but we also know how the state system works so we can begin reverting back to what we used to be a true federalist system, where the states actually are the ones that put a check on the federal government, and we don’t get owned by the federal government,” Biggs said.

Biggs advocates for protecting Arizona’s water rights and urges the release of federal drought mitigation funds, while supporting infrastructure projects to expand the region’s water supply.

“I’m here trying to elevate not just my candidacy, but also to elevate Yuma’s importance to this administration, the Trump Administration, but particularly the Bureau of Reclamation, so we get a better deal, a fairer deal with regard to water,” Biggs said.

He says he wants to give more power to the states so that they can act as a check on the federal government.

“We’ve seen over the last four years, under this administration, I’m talking about Katie Hobbs’ administration, we’ve gone from being a top five in job growth again, from the top five in affordability, and we’re now in the bottom five in both. And this is the type of thing I think we need to acknowledge,” Biggs said.

Biggs says he wants to work across the aisle in both the state and at the federal level

Click here to follow the original article.

Marcos Icahuate

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) – A block party is coming to El Centro for the 4th of July.

The party is planned to be held the El Centro Aquatic Center (540 Park Ave) from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

There will be a DJ, foam parties, contests, and more.

This year’s event is expanding along Park Avenue as a block party celebration.

Click here to follow the original article.