Category: kyma-local-news

Marcos Icahuate

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Visit Yuma announced the winners for the 2025 Dorothy Young Electric Light Parade.

The event, which took place on Saturday, December 13, featured over 100 entries from marching bands, bicycle groups, floats and more.

The winners are as follows:

Best Vehicle – Spectrum

Best Float – Champion Church

Best Animal Group – Saddles of Joy

Best Walking/ Performance – Glam dance studio

Best Depiction of Theme – Fourth Avenue Junior High School

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Karina Bazarte

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) – Law enforcement is advising locals to secure their vehicles after several jeep wranglers and other similar cars were stolen in Imperial County.

The El Centro Police Department (ECPD) say they are seeing an increase of stolen Jeeps in the city.

“They are taking Jeeps away, it’s the Wranglers and the Gladiators mostly,” said Karla Ville, investigator with ECPD.

ECPD say the vehicles with a push to start systems are the ones being targeted. 

“They don’t use the key, they use the push start because it is electronically, so they are using an electronic device to cut of the alarm system and then breaking into it and opening it and starting it electronically with the system that they have themselves,” said Ville.

Ville say the jeeps are being stolen between midnight and 4 a.m. She also says it takes at least one to five minutes to take a vehicle. 

“The people that are doing it, what they have in common are juveniles, so they are under 18 the ones who are the drivers of those vehicles, However there is a follow up car right behind them that drops them off and then the juvenile picks up the stolen car and takes it with them,” said Ville.

Police say sometimes the vehicles are taken to Mexico.

Jeeps are also being stolen in Yuma, San Diego and Riverside, California.

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Karina Bazarte

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – A proposed data center in Imperial County continues to spark debate as locals for and against the center speak out at the Imperial County Board of Supervisors meeting.

During the regular meeting on Tuesday, the deputy CEO of Natural Resources provided a timeline outlining the data center review process.

The deputy says although the County has received the site plan documents, they’ve initiated a health risk assessment and other related processes.

The County has not approved a grading permit for the project.

Imperial County Supervisor Peggy Price stated that the County is aware of emails and phone calls from local residents regarding the center.

“I want to acknowledge the many emails, calls and comments we have received from members of the public regarding the proposed data center. We hear your concerns and understand the desire of responses and dialogue. However, it is important to know that an anticipation of any administrative permit that may come before this board regardless of the project we have an obligation to remain neutral and unbiased,” said Supervisor Price.

The Board says they won’t be commenting about the project at this time.

The Imperial County Planning Commission is having a meeting regarding the data center Thursday.

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Madeline Murray

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – William Gresser, St. John Neumann Parish Parishioner says, “Reach out to anyone and anything that they know, if they have connection in Washington, if they connections in Phoenix, if they have connections with our senators or congressman, I’d like they to reach out and ask them for an expedition for these two men so they do not have to return to Nigeria.”

Father Iorlumun Emmanuel Tamen of St. John Neumann Parish has to leave at the end of the month. Father Tamen’s work visa has expired, but because of a huge application backlog, he’s not able to renew it.

A second priest from Nigeria, Reverand Ukeyima who serves in Kearney, Arizona, will also have to go back.

Gresser hopes that by getting this information out there, it will reach someone in Washington and the priests will be given refugee status.

“Asking for something outside of the normal visa process and that is that they would be able to stay on an extended visa, it’s just my hope, it’s my prayer,” says Gresser.

We spoke with one of the parishioners of the church who says he worries about the safety of the two priests due to deadly violence in Nigeria targeting Christians.

Gresser says, “Their lives are in great danger if they go back, they have a target on their back, if they go back to Nigeria, and I don’t think that we want to be responsible for putting that target on their back.”

Both priests are part of the Diocese of Tucson.

Gresser adds, “And here we are sending back two very well-received, gainfully employed, filling a need in the united states, who are no burden to the United States.”

Father Tamen is set to return to Nigeria on December 26.

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Karina Bazarte

CALEXICO, Calif. (KYMA) – The man accused of murdering his girlfriend near Senator Wash in Imperial County had his court hearing postponed Thursday.

56-year-old James Hill appeared in court for his preliminary hearing setting.

It was rescheduled to March 12 after Hill‘s attorney requested more time to review the case after hill changed attorney’s in October.

After the hearing, we spoke with one of Hill‘s friends, Melanie Morris, who has attended all of his court appearances. She’s frustrated the hearing was pushed back again.

“It is unfortunate, but it needs to be done right to prove they have the wrong person. It angers me and it makes me sad. It is just ridiculous, it’s all ridiculous, but it is what it is,” said Morris.

Hill is accused of murdering 34-year-old September Lee Weisinger from Kentucky. The victim was found burned to death outside of her trailer in June.

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Karina Bazarte

CALEXICO, Calif. (KYMA) – The City of Calexico says it’s seeing more stolen jeeps in the city.

The Calexico Police Department (CPD) say at least 19 stolen Jeeps were seen in Calexico since September.

One was stolen from Calexico. The rest were stolen from Brawley, Riverside County and Los Angeles.

“Based on on the reports and the investigation that we’ve done their scout cars that go out and I think they they pre-identify the jeeps are going to steal and then they’ll just go and then though they use a machine to break into the car re-key another key and then it overrides the system they started, and then they leave because usually we find a breaking broken window on the Jeeps,” said Jose Cuellar with CPD.

Some of the Jeeps are taken to Mexico. There have already been multiple arrests.

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Jalen Fong

CALIPATRIA, Calif. (KYMA) – For the first time in over 30 years, a new grocery store officially opened its doors to residents in the north end of the Imperial Valley.

“State Foods Supermarket” held its grand opening Saturday in Calipatria.

The new grocery store welcomed hundreds of people from the north end with games, raffles, prizes and a whole lot of fun.

The manager of the store says that he’s thankful for the support that he’s received from local residents.

“[Our] grand opening it was really nice,” said Bashar Saleh, manager for State Foods Supermarket. “We got a bunch of people come in to the event. It was great doing something good for the community.”

The event was capped off with a lucha libre wrestling match.

State Foods will gave another event this Saturday with even more raffles and prizes and a chance for kids to have their picture taken with Santa.

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Adrik Vargas

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – A judge has set February 25 as the date for the preliminary hearing in the murder case of 23-year-old Jacob Sims.

Six people are charged in connection with Sims’ death, according to the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office.

Sims was reported missing from Yuma before his remains were found in a bonfire in Winterhaven last November.

Speaking after the court hearing, Sims’ grandmother said, “I know that the trial date will be a little out there, but at least I’ll have some peace.”

She added, “It just keeps getting pushed further and further out, and it really takes a toll on our family.”

The case remains under investigation.

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Adrik Vargas

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Powerball jackpot continues to climb, giving lottery players across the country a chance at a massive payday.

Wednesday’s drawing has an estimated jackpot of $1.25 billion. It is the second-largest of the year and only the second time in the game’s history that back-to-back billion-dollar jackpots have been offered.

Locals considering buying a ticket shared what they would do with the prize.

One local said, “I can even understand doing it with a million dollars. Imagine with a billion. Man, you could change a lot of people’s lives. Not just yourself, but everybody around you, the whole community.”

Lottery officials remind players to check their tickets and play responsibly. Ticket sales help support state programs.

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Abraham Retana

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – President Donald Trump held an address Wednesday night.

In his speech, President Trump doubled down on getting rid of the Affordable Care Act, saying he wants the money to go directly to the people.

Locals like Nicole Burgi are hoping for health care costs to go down.

“With the healthcare, it’s just awful. I have health insurance but I have the minimum in case something bad happens and I can’t even go to the doctor or have health insurance because until I meet my deductible, which is unaffordable, I can’t even go to the doctor,” said Burgi.

Locals also hope the Trump administration doesn’t cut or change social security or disability benefits.

“I live on my social security. That’s all I have and I hardly make it to the end of the month. If he takes that off, I don’t know what the heck are we going to do,” said Ernie Vaca, another local.

“Even in the economy, can’t save enough after retire on. They really need these benefits to survive on. We live on my husband’s social security and without any other benefits, we live day by day,” said Burgi.

Trump also said that he has secured $18 trillion in investments into the United States, but some locals we spoke to said their reality is much different.

“The economy is so bad, never been this bad. I don’t care what he says that is the best, but he lives in his own little world,” expressed Vaca.

“It’s tough even to buy groceries, the gas and everything. Well, the gas is coming down a little bit but the interest rates,” stated Burgi.

Trump also shared active military members will get a check said the military troops are getting a “Warrior Dividend” of $1,766 dollars before Christmas, something that will help military members in our community.

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