Category: kyma-local-news

Marcos Icahuate

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) -A Yuma man is behind bars after being linked to numerous car and house burglaries in the Fortuna Foothills.

The suspect was specifically targeting the Mesa Del Sol neighborhood.

We share why this type of activity is out of the norm for the area.

The Mesa Del Sol neighborhood which is usually a calm and peaceful part of town. The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) says that might be what compelled the suspect to try his luck.

“He was seeking easy targets. Opportunities to take items from vehicles, out of homes, and anything that was available to be taken,” says Tania Pavlak of YCSO.

The Sheriff’s Office reports that when they arrested 40-year-old Miguel Angel Soqui this past Saturday, tey discovered stolen property including the car he was driving and missing construction tools.

Regardless of how peaceful the neighborhood is, YCSO advises people to double check their belongings.

“We recommend people to make sure their vehicles are locked. Especially any type of tools, if you’re using your vehicle for any work-related matter because those items were the items that were targeted,” shared Pavlak.

One resident says he’s keeping his guard up.

Robert Torres says “I have the Ring App, and I get a lot of updates that they’ve been missing a lot tools and packages. Make sure you put them in there safe and get some cameras. They work good,”.

The Sheriff’s Office thanks the community for submitting tips that led to this successful criminal arrest.

One resident says the neighborhood has always been tight-knit.

“A lot of people that live on this street are winter visitors. When they take off, they let me know. I’m pretty cautious in the first place. It’s a great neighborhood,” RC Owen shared.

Soqui is being held at the Yuma County Jail facing more than ten felonies and a bond of $127,000.

If you were a victim or you have any information on this case call 78-crime to remain anonymous.

A man was found and suspected to have made multiple robberies in the Mesa Del Sol area, according to Yuma County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO).

YCSO says on Saturday, April 12, deputies were given a tip about a stolen vehicle and found the vehicle in the area of E. 47th Lane near E. 48th Street.

The man inside the vehicle was identified as 40-year-old Miguel Angel Soqui.

Soqui was arrested for the following, according to YCSO:

Burglary and theft

Criminal damage

Criminal trespass

Violation of parole

Possession of dangerous drug

Possession of drug paraphernalia

Possession of weapon by prohibited person

Possession of weapon in drug offense

YCSO says Soqui had stolen property for previous burglaries, including the vehicle he was in.

Danyelle Burke North

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) –  It’s tax day, and with tax season upon us, so are tax scams.

“Tax scams are big right now because the deadline is here to file you taxes and scammers know that people may be panicking and try to take advantage of that,” said Joe Ducey, Better Business Bureau consumer protection expert.

Ducey says three common types of tax scams to look out for are IRS impersonation, tax identity theft, and email phishing scams.

“The first one is saying you owe a certain amount of money and you didn’t pay it, and there are penalties involved if you don’t pay it now, and they may threaten you. The IRS doesn’t do that. The second thing is that you have a refund coming…and they need your bank account information to process the payment and put it in your bank. That’s not true. Both of those are big scams,” said Ducey.

Ducey warns locals that the IRS contacts you the old school method through a letter in the mail, so do not answer any emails, texts, or social media messages requesting personal or financial information. He shares a few other tips to avoid scams, including check websites carefully, watch for bad grammar, and when in doubt, contact the IRS directly if you think you’re a victim and gave your information out.

“I would contact the IRS first through the IRS.gov. I would also contact the Federal Trade Commission through FTC.gov. And I would also check your credit report. You can do that AnnualCreditReport.com and that may be something that you do in the future to see if anyone’s opened accounts in your name,” said Ducey.

Adrik Vargas

CALEXICO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – As part of the City of Calexico’s 117th Anniversary celebrations and in honor of Día del Niño, or Children’s Day, a special exhibit called “It’s a LEGO World” is giving artists of all ages a chance to showcase their creativity.

This week’s anniversary celebrations aren’t just about honoring the past, but also about giving a platform to the people shaping Calexico’s future.

From colorful sculptures to imaginative LEGO creations, these pieces are part of the city’s special celebration, showcasing over 70 local artists.

The exhibit is a collaboration that invites everyone of all ages to contribute, piece by piece, to the community’s creative landscape.

“It’s really an opportunity for children to submit their hard work, to be seen and celebrated by their community,” said Norma Gerardo, Recreation Manager for the City of Calexico.

What makes this exhibit stand out is its inclusivity. Everyone’s work has a place in this celebration of art and community.

“We thought about LEGOs because some children with special needs may not feel confident drawing or painting, but they do great with LEGOs, so we wanted to make sure everyone could participate,” Gerardo added.

Artists of all ages came to support the event with the intention of constructing an artistic foundation.

“We want kids to see that just because it’s toys or paint, it can just be anything…just as long as you create, that’s what matters,” said artist Angela Leyva.

The exhibit gives families the opportunity to see all of the accomplished works of art.

“This one’s going to run for two weeks, so it’s open through Día del Niño, or Children’s Day,” Gerardo said.

For many artists, it’s their first time seeing their work displayed publicly.

“It’s always fun to participate in shows like this, ’cause it gives an opportunity for the community to enjoy art, making it accessible,” Leyva said.

From this exhibit, it’s clear art has no limits, and neither does the creativity of Calexico’s community.

Jalen Fong

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – One of the suspects involved in an armed robbery attempt accepted a plea deal in court Tuesday.

19-year-old Ricardo Miguel Carrasco faced six charges, including aggravated robbery and kidnapping.

He, along with another suspect, robbed a married couple at gunpoint in March of last year.

Carrasco pled guilty to one count of attempted first-degree robbery, a Class 3 felony.

He will be formally sentenced on May 13.

Manoah Tuiasosopo

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A garage was considered a complete loss after a fire in Yuma’s Fortuna Foothills.

Rural Metro responded to the call just after 3:00 p.m. Monday in the Mesa Del Sol neighborhood. A medical unit, a water tanker, and three fire trucks were sent to the fire.

When fire crews arrived, Battalion Chief Jeff Woodruff says they discovered a garage fire with flames quickly spreading. Thankfully, crews were able to extinguish the fire.

The house is still intact despite the garage being a complete loss.

A nearby neighbor, Gerald Mack, says the fire started with a bang, “I just saw some people gathering around. Just about that time, there was an explosion that blew the door off. The guy had gasoline stored in there for his motorcycle. I think that’s what blew up. My garage still smells like smoke.”

No one on scene was injured, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Arizona Western College (AWC) says Governor Katie Hobbs has proclaimed April 2025 as Arizona Community College Month, “recognizing the vital role that community colleges play in shaping the workforce, economy, and future of” the state.

In honor of the proclamation, AWC says they’re encouraging “current and former students, supporters, business partners, and the community to join the 2025 #CCMonth campaign to bring attention to the importance of the college in our community by sharing why the choice to attend AWC was the #BestDecisionEver.”

“Community colleges are engines of opportunity, transforming lives through access, affordability, and support. Whether it’s a student earning a degree to launch a new career, a parent returning to school to build a better future for their family, or a high schooler discovering their passion, community colleges empower individuals to achieve their dreams. During Community College Month, we celebrate the resilience and determination of our students—and the vital role community colleges play in strengthening our communities.”

Dr. Daniel Corr, President, AWC

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

Governor proclaims April Community College Month (1)Download

Karina Bazarte

CALEXICO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – Five high school students in Calexico were awarded by law enforcement for completing a project for their class.

The same project also helped a student get into his dream school.

Calexico Police Chief Armando Orozco recognized five Calexico High School students last Tuesday for finishing a project that started at the beginning of the school year.

Mike Davis, the Calexico High School law enforcement teacher, says the project was to find the history of every police chief in Calexico.

One student, Andre Cota, says the project was a challenge, but it helped him get into his dream school: UCLA.

“We all can contribute to this community in many ways and right now, contributing to my community this way was by giving them a piece of reliable information…because reliable information is not often found and we put in a lot of effort…everyone in my team,” said Cota.

Davis says the project helped the students connect with previous leaders of Calexico. He also says he will continue to assign this project every year.

Abraham Retana

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – The Imperial Irrigation District (IID) is offering a program which would bring better lighting to parks and sporting facilities in the valley.

The IID is lighting up the Imperial Valley by offering the “Green Lighting for Outdoor Wellness” (GLOW) Grant to renew old lighting.

“IID will grant up to $35,000 per project and you can change that lighting to energy efficient lighting  using LEDs,” said Robert Schettler, Public Information Officer for IID.

Schettler says a new lighting system could be a game changer because more people could go out at night to practice any sport and have a healthier lifestyle.

“You can benefit for using less energy but get more lighting, then you can be interested in this program,” Schettler explained.

The deadline to apply for a GLOW Grant is May 22. To apply, click here.

Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – An afternoon house fire in Yuma injured one and claimed the life of a family cat, and the family who shares how they’re dealing with this unexpected situation.

“So from here on out, it’s just collecting what we can to move forward,” says Ryan Sill, organizer of a GoFundMe created to help his brothers.

Picking up the pieces, that’s all Ryan Sill and his family can do now after a fire damaged their home near Kennedy Park Monday afternoon.

When firefighters got there, flames and smoke could be seen coming from multiple openings of the home.

David Padilla with the Yuma Fire Department says, “Crews were able to get on scene, quickly establish a water supply, and provide an aggressive fire attack.”

But the home now has some heavy fire damage, displacing everyone who lived there.

“Unfortunately, the home isn’t occupiable. The family was forced to move out. We were able to save a few of their belongings. Thankfully everybody got out with their lives,” Padilla shares.

A man in the home was injured after he burned his hand while trying to rescue his animals.

The man was treated at the scene but unfortunately, one cat did not escape.

“Every animal except my youngest brother’s cat survived. The cat was trapped and couldn’t get out. Nobody could get to it,” says Sill.

Sill says his family has called the place home for over 30 years.

He shares a heartfelt message for the support his family’s been receiving: “Everyone has been helping out. We’re very grateful for everyone has been reaching out. We’ve had a lot of support from the Yuma community. We’re very grateful.”

An investigation is still ongoing to determine the cause of the fire.

If you would like to help out, items like toiletries, clothing, and pet food would be greatly appreciated. Donations are also welcomed HERE. Contact Ryan Sill at (928) 304-6650 for more information.