Category: kyma-local-news

Eduardo Morales

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Arizona Western College (AWC) is currently searching for its new president after Dr. Daniel Corr announced his retirement.

This past week, AWC held four town halls with candidate Rheetika Dhawan.

In search for their new president, the college says they have decided not to spend a lot of money because they have a well-experienced candidate within the college.

Olivia Zepeda, the secretary of the AWC governing board, shares what kind of qualities they are looking for in the future president.

“We want someone who is committed to supporting the community, committed to students, committed to the growth of the college, and who has experience with that, who has experience with looking for funding for the college,” Zepeda says.

Dr. Corr has been president of the school for almost a decade.

The governing board has a message for him as he is getting to ready to retire in July of next year.

“We are going to miss Dr. Corr, Dr. Corr came in ten years ago, he took us to the next level, we made tremendous growth under his leadership, and definitely we are going to miss him,” Zepeda said.

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Joaquin Hight

Reporter Joaquin Hight spoke to several businesses in Downtown Yuma to see how they are preparing for the visitors, and if they are at all worried about a drop in winter visitor population.

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – With the ongoing trade wars with Canada and the U.S., it has locals worried about how many of our Canadian winter visitors will be here this year.

The Yuma County population grows by almost 80,000 people during the winter months, and winter visitors contribute $452 million to Yuma’s economy every year, according to the Economic Development Basics on the Yuma County website.

With Downtown Yuma being a hotspot for tourists, many of the shops in the area are already seeing more customers.

Serena Koogle, owner of the local shop Rebel and Rove, shared how she is already beginning to see Canadian visitors and that she is not worried about a drop in numbers.

A new local business owner, Benya Blonski, says that even if the numbers drop, he believes Yuma’s local customers will be more than enough to continue to support shops.

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Danyelle Burke North

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A man is hospitalized with serious injuries after a severe crash in Somerton.

Local 18-year-old father Merardo Cebreros was driving near West County 19th Street and South Avenue H when the crash happened.

He was flown from Yuma to Phoenix for emergency treatment. He suffered brain trauma, broken ribs, a punctured lung, multiple facial fractures, and fractured a critical bone in his neck.

“For him to even like be alive is a miracle,” said Merardo’s partner Maria Jimenez. “I was able to speak with the sheriff with the deputy. His vehicle rolled and he ejected out of the vehicle, and according to the deputy, they found him laying on the ground unresponsive.”

His family says any prayers and contributions big or small make a meaningful difference. If you would like to help support the family, you can find the GoFundMe link here.

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Eduardo Morales

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KYMA) – San Luis City Council members are reacting to the early results on Proposition 434.

Prop 434 would have completely cut the pay for the San Luis mayor and City Council members, meaning they would serve the public without compensation, benefits and travel allowances.

The City Council members we spoke to are thrilled with the early results. 

City Council member Lizeth Servin told KYMA Tuesday it would have been difficult and very hard to afford to be able to do the job without this pay and benefits.

She describes how being a council member takes time and money, and how difficult it would be to serve the community if this prop were to have passed.

“I have my job, I have my family, I have things that I do, and it would be hard for me to come out with my paycheck, and instead of paying my mortgage payment trying to fly to Washington to communicate with our Congress people, it would be difficult for me to do my job,” Servin says.

City Council member Luis Cabrera shares how it feels that the majority of votes counted so far are against the prop. 

“I am very thankful to the community that they observed, they did their research and that they actually voted for something that benefits the entire community,” Cabrera said.

San Luis City Council member Esteban Rosales also appreciates the voters and explains how traveling to get things done has helped the city.

“The growth that we’ve had in this city in the last 12 years is because of the travel that we have done in making sure that we are representing the city and making sure we stay on the map,” Rosales says.

The council members say they will continue to work hard for their constituents and the City of San Luis.

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Joaquin Hight

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Onvida Health hosted their annual Quality Hall of Fame and Shark Tank event Wednesday morning.

The event, which began at 10:00 a.m., provided an opportunity for various teams at the hospital to be recognized for their work and innovative ideas.

The two grand winners for the awards were the Human Resources Department and the Laboratory Department.

The Shark Tank event provided an opportunity for entrepreneurs to pitch their innovations to judges. The judges then sat in a conference to decide on which project would be funded.

The judges consisted of Senior VP of Strategy Justin Farren and foundation board members Frank Rascon, Barbra DeWitt, Tom Hurt, and Dr. Linda Elliott-Nelson.

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Skylar Heisey

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma man who pleaded guilty to murdering a pregnant woman was sentenced to 18 years in prison.

30-year-old Alexander Delcid was sentenced Monday after pleading guilty to second-degree murder last month.

Delcid murdered 35-year-old Alexis Rodriguez in 2023.

He was originally facing 14 charges, including two counts of murder and attempted murder, but accepted a plea deal.

Delcid will serve his sentence in the Arizona Department of Corrections, with 759 days already served.

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) will host in-person mobile office hours in Yuma Thursday amid the government shutdown.

The mobile office hours are from noon to 3:00 p.m. at Yuma City Hall.

During that time, the senator’s Constituent Service Team will be available to help Arizonans navigate critical services like Social Security, VA benefits, the IRS and immigration assistance.

“Even with the government shutdown, Arizonans’ real-life challenges don’t stop, and my team is here to help,” Sen. Gallego said in a statement.

To RSVP for the event, click here.

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Skylar Heisey

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma County Public Health Services District (YCPHSD) detected two mosquito-borne illness cases.

Both cases involve Yuma County residents, including one who tested positive for dengue fever and a second who tested positive for West Nile Virus.

YCPHSD Vector Control staff continue to conduct mosquito surveillance, including trapping and treating areas when appropriate.

Everyone is encouraged to regularly inspect their homes and yards for standing water where mosquitoes can breed such as in flowerpots, gutters, debris and birdbaths.

Community members can further help protect their neighborhoods by promptly reporting any potential mosquito breeding sites or related concerns to the Health Department.

For more information, contact the Yuma County Public Health Services.

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Joaquin Hight

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma Food Bank saw a large number of people waiting in line on Tuesday, largely due to a cut in SNAP benefits.

The food bank director says they’ve seen a 50% increase in people since Monday, with the waiting line reaching the far side of the building.

Some locals were waiting in line for over 25 minutes. One volunteer shares what it’s been like to help everyone.

“Luckily, we’ve got a lot of volunteers, and so far, we’re handling it. But, it’s been a busy day,” said Bob Fischer, a volunteer.

The food bank is encouraging locals to donate food, money, and time to help as they continue to support those affected by the government shutdown.

One local compared the situation for some families to the Soviet Union, saying that the politicians are “playing games.”

The Food Bank is always accepting donations and volunteers. They accept donations in food and money, and other contributions, such as utensils, plates, and cups, are given to other local organizations, like Amberly’s Place.

 

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Karina Bazarte

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) – The El Centro City Council has named Kelly Brown as the new Chief of Police during the council’s regular meeting Tuesday.

According to a press release, Brown served as Acting Chief since May of this year, and he brings more than 20 years of experience in law enforcement and leadership to the role.

“I am truly grateful for the trust the City Manager and our City Council has placed in me to lead such a dedicated team of professionals,” said Chief Brown. “I am honored to serve the City of El Centro in this new role and believe the heart of policing relies on partnerships with the community. My commitment is to provide the highest standard of police services through innovation, cooperation, and teamwork. Together, we will continue building a safer, stronger, and more connected community.”

Brown, according to the press release, began his career in law enforcement with Brawley Police Department back in 2002.

The press release says Brown also served as Interim Chief “before joining the Chula Vista Police Department in 2019, where he spent more than three years before accepting the Deputy Chief position with the City of El Centro in February 2023.”

“Chief Brown has demonstrated exceptional integrity, professionalism, and commitment to the residents of El Centro,” said City Manager Robert Sawyer. “His broad experience and deep understanding of community policing make him an excellent choice to lead our department moving forward.”

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

BrownChiefofPDPREngDownload

BrownChiefofPDPRSpaDownload

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