Category: kyma-local-news

Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The memory of a Yuma man continues to be kept alive as family, friends, and community supporters gathered to celebrate Jacob Sims‘ 25th heavenly birthday.

Loved ones came together at Kennedy Skate Park for a balloon release in Sims’ honor.

“The skate park, the hockey rink…those are Jacob’s favorite places to go. He would come here as a kid riding his bike, riding at the skate park,” said Genia Sims, Jacob Sims’ grandmother.

Sims was murdered in November of 2024. Six people were arrested in connection with his death, but four of them are still facing charges.

Genia said the fight for justice continues.

“The fight for justice is never-ending. It’s a fight, and it shouldn’t be a fight, but it is a fight. You have to fight for everything. You have to fight for a voice,” she said.

During the gathering, Genia announced that she had launched a foundation in Jacob’s honor to help others fighting for justice. The foundation is called Justice 4 Jacob Sims.

“That’s one way to keep Jacob’s memory alive, but it’s also helping other people. That’s who Jacob was…he loved helping others. If you needed him, he was there,” Genia said.

The fight for justice continues, but Sims’ memory will live on forever.

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Jessamyn Dodd

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – A question surrounding the future of U.S.-Mexico trade is what it could mean for American consumers and Mexican workers.

The United States has declined to renew USMCA for an additional 16 years during its mandatory six-year joint review.

KYMA spoke with Alejandro Martinez Araiza, the General National Secretary for the National Trade Union for Food and Commerce.

“The new deal that’s coming up, it’s not going to be like the last one. I don’t think we’re going to live through a new era of 100% free trade,” Araiza stated.

“That was a promise of President Trump’s campaign. That was something that he was aiming at since the first time to make the partners and neighbors pay for what they access in the American market, the biggest economy and the biggest market in the world,” he said.

Looking at what consumers will have to bear, Araiza said, “You saw what happened after COVID, the cars almost doubled on their price, especially the used cars with the excuse of the, there was a, the supply chain was broken because of COVID and there wasn’t enough chips,” he explained.

“And then the chips arrived, the supply chain worked perfectly and the prices never went down. And that’s happening in beef. That’s happening in berries.That’s happening in avocados. Companies are taking advantage of this political situation and of this speculation times to put higher, high prices on the products. And when the political situation gets easier, they don’t drive them down,” Araiza said.

For the future, Araiza said there is going to be a “strong battle” between companies and governments.

“They have been making huge profits over the 40 years of globalism. And it’s time for them to pay back the consumers and the working people that have been living off for so long,” he concluded.

To watch the livestream of the story, see attached video.

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Jessamyn Dodd

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) – Raising Canes is celebrating 30 years of being in business. The chain recently opened a new location in El Centro.

In honor of the birthday, the fast-food restaurant is selling limited edition plush puppies for $12.99.

The profits from the stuffed animal sales will benefit the Helen Woodward Animal Center, which serves Imperial and San Diego Counties.

In addition to the plushies, the chain has release a retro tee-shirt and hoodie collection.

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Moses Femino

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma Fire Department (YFD) is looking for its next group of firefighters, with recruitment opening September 1.

Applications will be accepted from September 1 through September 6, or until the department receives 600 applications.

Applicants must meet the following minimum requirements:

Be at least 18-years-old

Have a high school diploma or GED

Have a valid driver’s license

No certifications are required to apply

This year, YFD is adding a pre-physical test to the hiring process. YFD Public Information Officer Francisco Leon says the physical test will take place before candidates move on to the written exam.

“Something that we are doing different this year is we’re doing a pre-physical test,” Leon said. “So before the written they’re going to be given a physical exam.”

Pre-physical testing is scheduled for September 20, September 27 and October 4. The September 27 date is currently tentative.

Written testing will be held October 13, October 14 and October 15.

Leon says continued recruitment is important as the department works to account for retirements and firefighters who move on to other opportunities.

“It’s important to continue to recruit. Because we always do have unexpected retirements or there will be people that leave for other departments,” Leon said. “I’m not saying that’s a common thing but it does happen. So it gives us the opportunity to remain prepared and always try to keep those numbers up so we’re not understaffed and we’re better able to serve the community.”

YFD is expecting to fill about 10 positions through this recruitment process.

The department also offers competitive benefits, Arizona PSPRS retirement, paid specialty assignments and certification incentives, along with career advancement opportunities and department-sponsored training and certifications.

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Lynette Niebla

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – Facing persistent staffing challenges unique to rural communities, the Imperial County District Attorney’s Office is taking an aggressive, multi-faceted approach to recruit and retain the next generation of prosecutors.

The office has officially launched its first-ever Summer Post-Bar Law Clerk Program, welcoming five recent law school graduates alongside four newly hired paralegals to significantly boost the county’s prosecution capacity.

Traditionally, law school graduates find themselves in professional limbo after taking the bar exam in July, waiting until November for their results. District Attorney George Marquez saw this gap as a prime opportunity.

“We give them a job. We get to know them, they get experience as attorneys because as certified law clerks they can make appearances on the record,” Marquez explained.

The inaugural summer cohort features graduates from across the country, including:

California Western School of Law (2)

University of San Diego School of Law (1)

Western State College of Law (1)

Washington and Lee School of Law (1)

If these clerks pass their examination in November, they will immediately skip the traditional application hurdles and be offered permanent positions at the District Attorney’s office.

While post-bar pipelines are staples in massive metropolitan hubs like San Diego and Riverside counties, they are historically nonexistent in smaller, rural jurisdictions. The program marks the first time Imperial County has ever utilized the strategy.

“I thought to myself, we’re not getting applicants. We need a way to get applicants here so we started working on the post-bar program,” Marquez said.

To build this pipeline, Marquez has traveled directly to law schools to forge institutional partnerships. He recently met with the Assistant Dean at the University of San Diego School of Law to discuss creating a dedicated alumni scholarship to fund future interns and post-bar clerks in the Imperial Valley.

Furthermore, neighboring departments are lending a hand. The San Diego District Attorney’s Office has begun actively routing its overflow applicants to Imperial County to ensure talent stays in Southern California.

The aggressive recruitment push lands at a critical time. Based on population size, Imperial County should ideally feature 25 active prosecutors. However, the county only funds 22 spots, and even those positions are rarely fully staffed.

To bridge the gap, Marquez initiated a brand-new paralegal program. Secured by grant funding through the Community Benefit Program and approved by the Imperial County Board of Supervisors, the funding secures both the clerkships and the four new paralegal spots for at least the next four years.

The incoming paralegals will intercept time-consuming, administrative litigation-support functions. They will manage digital discovery, draft basic motions, and compile complex trial binders so prosecutors can focus entirely on courtroom work.

Marquez, who was raised in the Imperial Valley, believes the geographic dynamics of the region offer young lawyers an unmatched training environment.

“I see a tremendous amount of excitement in their eyes,” Marquez said. “You’re going to get the best experience you can get anywhere else in the state. Why? Because of the size of our county, the dynamics of our county, our proximity to not only an international border, but also bordering Arizona.”

For the clerks who pass the bar and stay on, the office will launch a rigorous trial training program this December. The intensive masterclass will be run by retired Supervising Attorney General Melissa Mandel, focusing heavily on courtroom confidence and advanced evidentiary skills.

The ultimate goal is sustainability. By establishing a recurring, predictable annual pipeline, the District Attorney’s Office aims to automatically replenish departing staff each winter.

“We are building for the future,” said Marquez. “All of these efforts have the same objective: To build a stronger District Attorney’s Office and provide the best possible service to the people of Imperial County.”

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Jessamyn Dodd

WESTMORLAND, Calif. (KYMA) – The yearly date harvesting is nearing its end, with farmers wrapping up another harvest. For one local farm owner, the harvest eventually makes its way to his shop, “Date Shake.”

The date harvest typically runs through the summer, with the final dates now coming off the palms.

Date farmer and store owner Joe Feljeh explained that Imperial County is the perfect climate to harvest dates.

“So the dates takes a lot of heat and a lot of water, and you grow beautiful dates. And here in the Valley we have free heat, you don’t have to pay for and we have water very cheap with IID. They give us good irrigation water. Not expensive,” he said.

The store has been around since 2014, and the farm even longer.

“Our farm, we started outside Westmoreland in 2007. It takes seven years for the trees, the palm trees, to be fully grown,” Feljeh said.

The shop carries a large variety of dates.

“The most popular is Medjool dates, which is the most popular date. It is the biggest, plumbest, the sweetest date,” Feljeh explained.

He said there are over 150 variety of dates in Southern California. The store also carries locally sourced honey, and locally grown and produced olive oil.

Right now, if you mention “Joe,” you get a free small shake with any purchase.

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Connor Emery

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Territorial Young Marines hosted a memorial walk Wednesday to honor 13 fallen service members killed in Afghanistan five years ago.

The event started with reading each of the names that lost their lives and a prayer before the walk.

During the event, the Young Marines and locals walked 1.3 miles next to the Marine Corps Station as they remembered these service members who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Organizer Chas Johnson says this tragedy hit close to home.

“My daughter was actually there that day she was supposed to be at that gate, but was diverted elsewhere, and that was a very hard day watching the news, not knowing if she was okay waiting for a phone call. But by the grace of God, she survived and that’s why this is so very important to me,” Johnson said.

The youth were led by 15-year-old Antonio Ornelas throughout the walk. He says this is a great opportunity to be a better leader.

“This helps me become a better leader in life, school, outside of school, future jobs. It can already prepare me, and it helps me be not only mature, but know how to lead people and organized,” Ornelas said.

They hope to do the walk every year going forward.

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Jessamyn Dodd

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – The Humane Society of Imperial County is set to host two fund raisers in the coming months, in an effort to help with building their new shelter.

On September 30 at the Old Eucalyptus School House, “Mutts and Margaritas” promises drinks and mingling for the over 21 crowd.

On October 10 at Fitness Oasis, a family-friendly and dog-friendly Halloween event is scheduled.

“So, we have our Wolfleween event coming up in October. That’s gonna be Saturday, October 10th from 7 to 10:00 p.m. at Fitness Oasis in Imperial,” Devon Apocada of the Humae Society said.

“It’s an event that we’ve done every year for, I think, about 10 years now. It’s a family fun, family-oriented event. There’s games, there’s food, there’s drinks, there’s a jumpy house, there’s raffle prizes,” he added.

For tickets and more information, head to the Humane Society’s website.

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA) – A Somerton man is facing multiple charges after the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) said he broke into a home and a car, and then ran from deputies.

In a press release, the burglary happened in the area of W. County 14th Street and S. Avenue D before 3 p.m. Monday.

YCSO said the suspect forced his way into the home and “a vehicle located on the property,” with the suspect running away with multiple stolen items.

Upon further investigation and collection of evidence, YCSO said deputies were able to identify the suspect as a 23-year-old man from Somerton.

The day after the burglary, YCSO said they contacted the suspect at his home, with him attempting to run away.

This prompted YCSO and other agencies to search the area, with YCSO saying the suspect was found hiding in a neighbor’s yard and was taken into custody without incident.

The suspect was then booked into the Yuma County Detention Center for second-degree burglary, criminal damage and criminal trespassing.

On Wednesday, the day after the arrest, YCSO said they had a warrant to search the suspect’s house, resulting in them finding additional evidence related to the burglary as well as narcotics.

This prompted them to call the Yuma County Narcotics Task Force to take over the narcotics investigation, where they seized the following drugs:

Approximately 5.84 ounces of THC Liquid with an estimated street value of $3,320.

13 ounces of marijuana with an estimated street value of $3,690

2.6 grams of mushrooms

Multiple items of paraphernalia indicative of street sales.

YCSO said this resulted in additional drug-related charges of possession of marijuana for sale, possession of marijuana, possession of dangerous drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.

In addition, YCSO named the following agencies for their help in finding the suspect, whose bond it set at $5,000:

Cocopah Police Department

Somerton Police Department

Yuma Police Department Drone Unit

U.S. Border Patrol

If anyone has information regarding the case, call YCSO at 928-783-4427, call 78-CRIME to remain anonymous, or visit YCSO’s website to submit an anonymous tip.

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Connor Emery

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma County Chamber of Commerce has a new executive director.

Ben Smithwick is originally from Connecticut, but is coming from California at the Pacific Research Institute.

He was introduced to local leaders and business owners Wednesday night at the chamber mixer at Avenir Financial.

Smithwick said it is an exciting change to help businesses grow, and is proud to get to call Yuma home.

“There’s so much opportunity here in Yuma. There’s so many businesses that are relocating to the county so much growth in terms of population over the past 20 years, and so I think there’s a great foothold to expand the business space,” Smithwick expressed.

Smithwick also has a background in journalism, working with Fox News in Los Angeles as a news editor.

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