Category: kyma-local-news

Madeline Murray

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Local radio station KAWC is located on the Arizona Western College Campus and is just one of the many public radio stations that will be affected by the defunding of The Corporation of Public Broadcast (CPB).

Dave Riek, the General Manger of KAWC, “We’re planning not to have about a fifth of our budget, $200,000 this year, in this most recent budget. So that’s about 20%.”

KAWC says they are working with networks they partner with to receive discounts, and they have unfortunately laid off some of their part-time staff.

Despite these budget cuts, the station says they will stay on the air and they are holding onto hope.

“We have been told by several of the Congress people who actually voted in our favor on that measure, that they will propose more funding for CPB going forward, but it won’t be on a two year stager, specifically for this year. So we’re still hoping this will get reversed,” says Riek.

Students on campus also shared their opinions on the defunding of public media.

Gerardo Soto says, “I would assume some people are about to loose their jobs, and there might not be as much opportunity for more people to get into it.”

While others find the defunding to be very tragic news for public media all around.

“Honestly, I am kind of disheartened with that whole radio station being cut, just due to people having jobs here at the campus and removing that availability for those people to be able to pay for services is just never a good thing,” says David Hilpert, a student.

KAWC plans on bringing in more community support, like fundraising, during these difficult financial times.

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Eduardo Morales

YUMA, Arizona. (KYMA, KECY) – On Tuesday’s HomeGrown, we highlight a local water district, Bard Water District.

The district is a part of the Yuma Project, one of the first federal projects on the Colorado River.

Bard Water delivers water to farmers throughout the Winterhaven area.

Nick Bahr, the general manager of Bard Water, explains how the process of ordering water works.

“After you’ve placed your water order, in our system, that system tells our operation system how much water needs to be delivered at what time, it sends a signal to our automatic gage similar to this one,” Bahr says.

Bard Water is currently working on an automation system for their district.

This will make adjustments on it’s own without human input.

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Jalen Fong

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The man accused of crashing his pickup truck into a Border Patrol checkpoint in Yuma has accepted a plea deal in court.

67-year-old Rogelio Sanchez agreed to plead guilty to one count of attempted aggravated assault during a change of plea hearing Tuesday afternoon.

Sanchez crashed his Ford F-150 pickup truck into a Border Patrol checkpoint back in October of 2023, injuring two Border Patrol agents.

All other counts related to this case have been dismissed.

Sanchez’s punishment will be determined at the discretion of the court at his sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for September.

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Jalen Fong

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The trial of a former Yuma doctor accused of sexually abusing his patients has been delayed.

Edsel Sandoval was expected to begin his trial in September after pleading not guilty to seven counts of sexual abuse and sexual assault.

A total of eight women have come forward with allegations against him with the alleged abuse dating back to April of 2022.

During a final pre-trial conference, both the state and Sandoval’s defense attorney agreed to move forward with the trial, but requested it be set back.

Judge Darci Weede moved the trial, which is now set to begin in January.

Sandoval will be back in court in September for a status conference.

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Dillon Fuhrman

(KYMA, KECY) – Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) will host Emerald Warrior 25.2 from July 21 to August 11.

It will take place at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma and at multiple locations across Arizona and California.

The exercise is a benchmark for the AFSOC’s training schedule, as it will include advanced training scenarios for special operation forces.

Training includes large-scale missions in unfamiliar environments to boost the skills of all units involved, says AFSOC.

According to a press release, anyone living near training locations may see more military presence during the exercises.

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Adrik Vargas

SOMERTON, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The family of a Somerton girl created a GoFundMe to ask for the community’s help.

According to the post on the GoFundMe, Adilene Duron, 15, was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, which is a rare and aggressive form of bone cancer.

Duron’s family said they make frequent trips to Phoenix to receive treatments, such as chemo and specialized care, while her folks took time off work “to be there for her,” but the post said the trips and “around the clock care are hard enough.”

Courtesy: GoFundMe

Courtesy: GoFundMe

The family said they created the GoFundMe to help ease some of the financial burden, such as travel costs, medical expenses and other essentials, so they can focus on Duron’s health.

The GoFundMe has a goal of $7,500, with only $2,590 raised so far. If anyone would like to donate to the GoFundMe, click here.

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The Yuma Association of Realtors received a $7,500 Placemaking Grant from the National Association of Realtors.

According to a press release, the grant, which was secured by their Community Outreach Committee, is to help “improve recreational opportunities in the City of Yuma.”

The press release says the association will support the City of Yuma in adding new pool lanes at Marcus Pool to “help create order, reduce drag, and optimize performance and safety in the pool for all lap swimmers.”

“As REALTORS®, we don’t just sell homes—we live here, we raise our families here, and we pour our hearts into giving back to the community that has given us so much. Yuma isn’t just where we work; it’s who we are. That’s why we’re so proud to support projects that make a real difference right here at home. This grant gives us a meaningful opportunity to invest in Yuma’s future—through health, recreation, and spaces that bring people together. Placemaking isn’t just about parks or pathways…it’s about creating a sense of belonging, strengthening neighborhood pride, and reminding folks that Yuma is a place worth building up, together.”

Meaghann Valencia, President, Yuma Association of Realtors

The association will use the funds to help the City of Yuma meets its “identified need for enhancing the Marcus Pool experience and expanding opportunities for recreational and competitive swimming” while the City of Yuma contributed “project management, installation expertise, and will continue ongoing maintenance to ensure the project’s success.”

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Marcos Icahuate

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The Travis Manion Foundation (TMF) of Yuma will be hosting a running event in September.

Collaborating with the City of Yuma Parks & Rec, YFD and YPD, the 9/11 Heroes Run invites the community to honor those who impacted by 9/11.

The event will be on September 13 at the PAAC east parking lot starting at 6 a.m. through 9 a.m.

Running participants, sponsors and volunteers can sign up here.

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Dillon Fuhrman

EL CENTRO (KYMA, KECY) – Central Union High School’s (CUHS) SpartanSound Productions held a listening party last week to celebrate the launch of a podcast series called “Voices del Valle.”

According to a press release, the podcast, which is student-driven and in collaboration with KPBS, aims to amplify “the voices of teens in the Imperial Valley, with the mentorship from KPBS podcast professionals.”

“What makes this podcast different is it’s student led and student produced, we don’t have anything like that at KPBS,” said Julio Ortiz, Producer Editor for the Podcast Port of Entry with KPBS.  “We are very excited because these students are blazing the trail for the future generations.”

The press release says the podcast features eleven episodes, each running between 20 to 30 minutes, and showcases “unique stories, perspectives, and aspirations from our Central Union High School students.”

Courtesy: Central Union High School District

“I’m super excited to listen to all the different stories, they’re so relatable,” said Grace Navarro, senior at Central Union High School. “Every kid in The Valley has a story, every kid in The Valley is different.”

“Being part of this project was really eye opening for me, I was able to exercise my communication skills and become more open and easy for conversations,” said Angela Sanchez, senior at Central Union High School. 

“I really enjoyed working on this project during my senior year with two of my best friends, it kept us busy from worrying about the plans for our future,” said Domenick Ramos Felix, a recent Central Union High School graduate.

The podcast series is set to run at the beginning of the 2025-26 school year, the press release says. To learn more about this, read the press release below.

CUHSD Voices del Valle Podcast SeriesDownload

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Dillon Fuhrman

WELLTON, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Arizona Western Entrepreneurial College (AWC) announced they are offering an Electrician certification program entirely in Spanish at the Wellton Manufacturing Training Center.

According to AWC, the Fundamentos de Electricidad program aims to teach “basic electrical wiring skills and allow students to graduate with an occupational certificate in two semesters.”

“Arizona Western College is focused on building a skilled workforce and supporting the communities we serve,” said Jim Larson, AWC Director of Manufacturing. “Offering electrical courses in Spanish is a great step toward helping more students gain the technical knowledge they need to succeed in a high demand career path. It’s a reflection of our mission to provide accessible, high-quality education that drives industrial growth.”

Courtesy: Arizona Western College

AWC says the class will run “every Monday and Wednesday night from August 12 to December 6” at the center, and “will cover basic electrical skills including grounding, power calculations, installation, and equipment selection.”

“The launch of our 100% Spanish-language Electrician program at the Wellton Manufacturing Center reflects our shared commitment with national priorities to expand access to workforce training,” said Reetika Dhawan, CEO of Arizona Western Entrepreneurial College & Vice President of Workforce & Healthcare. “By removing language barriers and meeting learners where they are, we are creating inclusive pathways to high-demand careers and supporting the economic vitality of our region.”

To learn more about the program, or to apply, contact Marcela Castro at the AWC Reskilling Center at marcela.castro@azwestern.edu or call (928) 317-6181.

Fully-Spanish Electrician program to begin in WelltonDownload

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