Category: kyma-local-news

Madeline Murray

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The City of Yuma is about to go through many road projects throughout the next couple of months.

The projects include street crack seals, street grinding, asphalt patching, and sidewalk repair. Be sure to plan ahead or find alternate routes as road work, and city projects are in high gear across the Yuma area.

Yuma local Kris Toman say, “I mean if they are trying to redo the roads, they have to do that, there’s nothing you can do, its something that helps, that’s what happens when were developing, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

Street maintenance will be taking place for city projects along the roads.

Currently Arizona Avenue, from McCraw Elementary to Chretin’s, is currently closed while the water line is being replaced.  

On Avenue 5E near Champions Church, the road is closed to most traffic due to road work on a sanitary sewer line extension. The closure extends north past 32nd Street. 

One local, Michael Meier, shares how he’s not a fan of the road closures getting in the way of his plans.

“I don’t like that either, I don’t like sight seeing, I like to go to point A to point B, but it seems like there’s just a lot of stuff going on right now,” says Meier.

The road work does not stop there.

A two day project is happening in the coming week, on 4th Avenue near the McDonalds on 26th Street for asphalt replacement.

One local, Sally Bird, agrees it is work that needs to be done saying, “You have to maintain the roads, so they’re safe, and you know sometimes you have to be widened to accommodate our growing traffic needs.”

Others advised to be safe out there on the road, especially motorists.

“The only time I worry about it is when I’m on my motorcycle, we have a large motorcycle community here in Yuma Arizona, and sometimes that’s a problem. We just need to slow down,” says Gilbert Hernandez, another local.

For more information about all the road closures, click here.

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Adrik Vargas

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – When a child is diagnosed with autism, the road ahead can be tough.

In Imperial County, where specialists and support systems are limited, that road can feel even harder to navigate.

Up until her son Matthew was about a year old, everything seemed typical, but something suddenly changed.

Gloria Brambila remembers a day in the kitchen when her Matthew tried to talk to her and in an instant, his voice was gone.

That moment marked the beginning of a new journey. A diagnosis of autism soon followed after a trip to San Diego.

For Brambila, it meant reshaping the future she had imagined for her son.

Matthew is non-verbal, but that doesn’t mean he can’t communicate. Brambila says he understands both English and Spanish, loves to be read to, and enjoys going out. But when he can’t express himself, he’s often misunderstood, and that can lead to emotional meltdowns.

One of the most effective therapies for kids with autism is Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA. But in the Imperial Valley, access is limited.

James Gonzalez, who works with Autism Support of Imperial County, says the problem comes down to a shortage of providers.

Without them, families face long delays just to get an evaluation, let alone start therapy.

Some families wait several months just to be seen. And for those living in outlying towns, the cost of traveling, sometimes to San Diego, is simply out of reach.

Despite all the barriers, Gloria refuses to sit back. She’s focused on building what her community lacks. She helped bring a sensory room to her son’s school, giving students a quiet place to regulate their emotions.

She also led the effort to have an ASL mural painted, helping classmates learn basic sign language and encouraging inclusion.

Everything she pushes for starts with her son in mind, but she says it’s not just for him. Once Matthew moves on, other children will benefit.

For Gloria, the fight doesn’t stop at the school gates, or at age 18. She’s working to create lasting support for children and adults with autism across the Valley.

Her story is one of determination, driven by the quiet strength so many parents like her carry. With limited resources, she’s giving everything she has and hoping that what she builds today makes the path easier for others tomorrow.

For local Autism resources you can visit the following websites:

https://asic.love

https://www.beststepforward.org

https://www.sdrc.org/services

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Adrik Vargas

SOMERTON, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Despite missing out on some expected grant money, Somerton is pressing forward with plans to improve the city.

The city recently approved a $38 million budget for the 2026 fiscal year. That’s a $10 million increase from last year.

But with fewer dollars coming in from state-level grants, city leaders say they’re focusing on what they can do now.

“There was a grant fund coming from the county that would have helped support some of the projects that we have on our streets that wasn’t approved by the state, so we’re gonna revisit those,” said Louie Galaviz, the City Manager.

Even with the setback, city officials are working hard to make sure Somerton is in a good position to receive funding in the future.

“This year the Mayor and Council have been working and contacting legislators, visiting with the governor, visiting with state level representatives,” Galaviz added. “We’re really looking at making sure that they see Somerton as an attractive place where funding is needed.”

One of the biggest priorities is reviving Main Street, not just to make it look nicer, but to help local businesses thrive.

“We want to support our downtown Main Street, and that’s adding pathways, parking, lighting, getting traffic flowing, it builds vibrancy and supports the retailers on Main Street,” Galaviz said.

Local residents agree the area could use some improvements. Mayra Mendoza, who lives in Somerton, says speeding isn’t the issue, but maybe the speed limit is.

“The speed shouldn’t be so slow, 25 mph seems more like for residential neighborhoods,” she said. “And also they should support the local businesses more, with promotion and training, so that the economy can develop.”

Even with challenges, city leaders say the focus remains on long-term progress.

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Adrik Vargas

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – Imperial Valley College has signed a five-year agreement with Universidad Autónoma de Baja California to strengthen cross-border collaboration in education.

The partnership will connect students, faculty, and academic programs between the two schools.

The first phase will focus on agriculture, allowing students to earn credit from their home institution while working on binational projects.

“Here in the Valley we operate as one region, minus the border, we share a local economy, talent, resources,” said IVC Superintendent and President Dr. Lennor M. Johnson.

Faculty from both institutions will also exchange curriculum and research materials, with plans to expand the partnership into other academic areas.

“It’s mandatory for institutions to collaborate together, to share resources and to build talent that is needed across the area,” said Dr. Luis Enrique Palafox Maestre, UABC Rector.

The schools are working to identify equivalent courses so students can move between institutions more easily.

“Right now, we are working in identifying the equivalent courses in our programs, so IVC students can go to UABC to finish their bachelors degree or masters, or even their PhD,” Palafox said.

The partnership also acknowledges how many students live and work on both sides of the border.

“We want our students to have that experience, many do reside or visit Mexico all the time, they have families there, work there,” Johnson said.

By working together, both institutions aim to create opportunities that reflect the unique lives of students in the region.

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Andrea Turisk

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Cannabis is legal in Arizona, but many dispensaries still operate fully in cash. Some locals I spoke with say this not only creates safety concerns, its simply inconvenient.

At dispensaries across Arizona, cash is often the only way to pay. Not by choice, but by necessity. Rizzo Martinez uses marijuana to easy his arthritis pain but sometimes runs into issues.

“Sometimes, I got $50 bucks on my credit card and I can’t use it here, but I want to get some weed to ease my pain,” says Martinez.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes joined a bipartisan coalition asking Congress to pass the Safer Banking Act, a bill that would allow cannabis businesses to use banks and credit unions.

Arizona Dispensaries Association says marijuana has been regulated for 12 years and there are some portions of banking within the industry, but not enough to be impactful.

“However, there are not enough banks and it does not provide some of the other overlays in safety that would be very helpful,” says Ann Torrez, with the Arizona Dispensaries Association.

Torrez says the change would help reduce the risk of robberies, help businesses stay compliant with tax laws, and regulate the industry.

Martinez says he likes the idea as it would make his experience at the dispensary easier.

“I’m pro for it because it makes people like me it makes it easier for them so they don’t have to be struggling like, ‘Oh, I have to make sure I have money in my bank, make sure I have cash,’ when you can just make a credit card payment and buy some weed,” says Martinez.

The bill still needs to make it through Congress but dispensary customers in Yuma are hoping for relief.

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Abraham Retana

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A local law firm gave back to the Yuma community Wednesday

Lerner & Rowe started by presenting a $5,000 check to the Yuma Community Food Bank, which will support local food programs.

“To help them, they do a lot of emergency food supplies to a lot of families in need and homeless and we are excited to be part of it,” said Kevin Rowe, co-founder of Lerner & Rowe Law Firm.

“They happen to assist the emergency food assistance program and pantries we are here working locally,” said Michelle Merkley, C.O.O. of Yuma Community Food Bank.

Right after the check presentation, Lerner & Rowe gave away one thousand backpacks, school supplies and snacks to local kids.

Lerner and Rowe Co-founder Kevin Rowe said the goal is to help local parents with back-to-school costs. 

“We are going to give them those tools and hopefully ease the financial burden to the parents that may not have the supplies they may need to succeed, so we can alleviate that today,” said Rowe.

Lerner and Rowe said these events are a way to thank the community for their support.

They’re looking forward to have more giveback events in the future.

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Paul Vozzella

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Students are just days away from heading back to school and the Yuma Union High School District (YUHSD) is giving students and teachers a leg up before the first day.  

In order to make sure everyone is ready to get a strong start, YUHSD high schools are hosting student meet-and-greets with their teachers on Monday evening.

“It’s okay to be nervous,” local high school teacher Brandon Coz said. “It’s okay to get to know people, to join clubs.”

For incoming freshmen the event gives them a better lay of their new land. For the seniors, it’s an opportunity to start their final season on the right foot before taking the next big step into higher education or the work force.

“It’s just a celebratory event for all of the schools to get people excited about people returning the following day,” YUHSD Chief Communications Officer Eric Patten said.

While the event can serve as a celebration, Coz shares a little insight on why preparing the day before can also be vital to a fast beginning.

“It’s important to get to know the teachers, especially in high school,” he stated. “There’s so many, six to seven teachers per kid, so it’s good to know what the teachers are expecting of the student.”

Recent high school graduate Kelsey Perez also chimed in with a bit of advice for incoming freshmen.

“Freshman year is really important for your grades, so I say actually focus on school. If you wanna do sports, that’s good too, but focus on your grades 100%,” Perez shared.

The first day of school for YUHSD students is Tuesday July 29.

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Danyelle Burke North

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – According to the National Weather Service, temperatures will start to rise at the beginning of next week.

Very dry conditions will greatly inhibit any rain chances through the weekend.

We will continue to have near normal temperatures with a steady warm up slightly above normal by the beginning of next week, resulting in widespread moderate heatrisk.

Monsoonal activity increases again across the region with a return of better moisture by early next week.

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Paul Vozzella

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A second family is left without a place to live, as their home suffered several thousand dollars of damage from the fire Monday evening.

The residents, Hector Alayl-Vasquez, Iris Sambrano and their daughter, have jumped to a couple different spots to temporarily stay while they figure out how to fix their home.

“It’s been hard,” Sambrano said. “It’s been difficult, just cause we’ve been trying to figure out where to stay.”

The young couple says they were around the corner of their home on West 19th Street and South Third Avenue when they noticed smoke near their home.

All they could do was watch as firefighters tried to save their home. 

“It’s my daughter’s first home, so I was worried about losing the place where my daughter was born and raised,” Alayl-Vazquez said. “She had all her first memories growing up [in the trailer].”

While the trailer did suffer extensive damage, the residents are thankful for first responders swift reaction to the fire. Had it spread more, the outcome could have been a lot worse.

“It could have hit the water heater where [the fire] was, and if that did happen, lets say the ambulance, or fire department took a little bit longer, our trailer probably would have been gone,” Sambrano stated.

Although much of the trailer was salvaged and the integrity of the structure is upheld, much of the family’s personal items were too far damaged to recover.

“The smoke got into our clothes [and] our sleeping stuff, so we have to replace some of the stuff,” Alayl-Vasquez said.

The family is looking to raise a minimum of $3,000 to aid in repairing the trailer and items lost inside of their home.

If you would like to help the family, click the link HERE.

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Andrea Turisk

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – If you plan on dropping off trash or debris at a Yuma County transfer station, pay close attention as a new ordinance is now officially setting the rules for what you can bring and how often you can visit. 

From old mattresses to broken appliances, County transfer stations handle a ton of waste everyday, but now, Yuma County has implemented a formal set of rules. 

“It ensures everybody on both ends, residents and staff are responsibly disposing of trash safely and responsibly,” says Kelly Fricke, Yuma County public works director.

The ordinance bans things like hazardous waste, size restrictions on how much trash you can bring at once, large car parts, and more. It also limits drop offs to one load per day.

“We just want to bring attention and enlighten the public on what we’re doing out here. We’re just trying to make all operations better. We’re also trying to keep illegal dumping and people throwing trash out into our deserts and find ways for our community to keep it a lot safer and cleaner,” says Michael Herrera, Waste management superintendent.

The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office is taking a zero-tolerance approach to illegal dumping, calling on residents to report it, and urging anyone with trash to use proper disposal site.

Yuma County says those who decide to violate the new ordinance set in place could face consequences. 

“They could be turned away. We’ve had a few people here and there who come to the site overloaded…more than what’s allowed and will be turned away,” says Fricke.

Yuma County says these guidelines are set in place to protect both staff and the public, so knowing the rules before you load up your vehicle could save you time.

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