Category: kyma-local-news

Marcos Icahuate

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A recent study by Lightcast looked into the impact of Arizona Western College (AWC) on Yuma County.

Based on data from the 2023-2024 fiscal year, Lightcast found AWC added nearly $320 million of income to Yuma and La Paz counties.

Lightcast says these numbers are AWC’s contributions to local businesses through operational spending, consumer spending and alumni impact.

Lightcast also says roughly one out of every 23 jobs in Yuma and La Paz counties are supported by AWC and its students.

“This economic impact study is a public accountability tool for college districts,” said Lorraine Stofft, Vice President for Advancement and Executive Director of the AWC Foundation. “It’s a way to demonstrate to our neighbors that your publicly funded college is delivering a benefit to the region. And AWC is delivering in a big way, in terms of increased earnings, business productivity, and tax revenue.”

The study showed AWC generates more tax revenue than it uses. For every $1 of public money paid towards AWC, taxpayers receive $1.10 in return.

Lightcast’s study shows AWC has a critical role for the economy by driving job creation, individual success and value for taxpayers.

The full study and breakdown can be read here.

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Karina Bazarte

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) – The father accused of leaving his toddler unattended in a vehicle resulting in the child’s death in El Centro is now allowed to remove his GPS monitor.

37-year old Jose Hernandez, who is out on bond, had his pre-trial appearance Monday morning.

The Imperial County District Attorney’s Office says the pre-trial will most likely continue next month due to negotiations and findings still being reviewed.

During the court hearing, the judge granted the suspect permission to remove his GPS monitor.

“She made a finding that he was being compliant with his terms of supervision. He does not see him as a flight risk and also a danger in the community. Those are the two real things the judge is looking for, flight risk or if he is going to hurt someone he made that determination and decided to take it off,” said George Marquez, Imperial County District Attorney.

Hernandez is currently facing charges of involuntary manslaughter and child abuse resulting in death.Marquez has also added a special allegation of causing great bodily injury.

Hernandez is scheduled to be back in court next month.

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Eduardo Morales

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A neighbor shares what he saw the night Yuma police responded to a shooting where a teen was shot in the head.

Friday night, the Yuma Police Department (YPD) responded to a home on 17th Avenue and 19th Street, near the East Main Canal.

“I came outside it was just full of probably about 13 cop cars,” said Mateo Gonzalez, a neighbor to where the shooting took place.

YPD describes what they found.

“When officers arrived, they located a 14-year-old juvenile with a gunshot wound to the head in the living room of the residence and started conducting life saving measures,” said Hayato Johnson, Public Information Officer.

The teen was taken to Onvida Health with life-threatening injuries and later flown to a Phoenix area hospital.

Police say there was also a 21-year-old sibling present.

One neighbor says he saw someone matching that description.

“He’s been here for a while, really good kid, he wasn’t really talking much but he had blood on his neck and down his ear…I thought he was injured,” said Gonzalez.

This case remains under investigation.

If you have any information on the case, contact YPD or 78-CRIME to remain anonymous.

 

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Adrik Vargas

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – County leaders have declared an economic emergency following the closure of the Spreckels Sugar Plant, one of the area’s largest employers, to help workers and families recover.

Eligible employees are gaining access to funding, training, and support services through the county’s workforce department.

“They are helping make available any funding, any assistance that would get us to a better place,” said Priscilla Lopez, Workforce Development Director.

The department is working with Spreckels Human Resources to identify employees who qualify for aid.

Lopez added, “We are also making available our dislocated worker training funds. If anybody wants to expand their career choices or come into our office to see what those choices are, we can help them with that.”

The Small Business Development Center is another resource for those looking to take a different direction.

“We provide trainings and one on one counseling. We have training specially around the area of startup. We have in-person trainings and we have virtual trainings, English and in Spanish,” said Viridiana Rosales-Trujillo, Center Manager.

“If there’s something that they have a talent for, and I know everyone here on Earth has a talent for something, to just explore that talent and connect that talent with maybe making it into a viable business,” Rosales-Trujillo added.

While immediate help is available, county officials note that recovery will take time.

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Manoah Tuiasosopo

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A major drug bust in Yuma following what started out as a routine traffic stop last week.

According to the Yuma Police Department’s (YPD) Facebook post, it happened Thursday, September 11 at around 7:10 p.m. in the area of S. Avenue A and W. 15th Street.

YPD says officers were patrolling the area when a traffic stop revealed the vehicle’s registration had been suspended.

The vehicle was occupied by two women and officers found two methamphetamine pipes in plain sight, leading to a probable cause search of the vehicle, according to YPD.

Inside, YPD says officers found approximately 93.83 grams of powdered fentanyl, with an estimated street value of nearly $10,000.

YPD says the driver admitted ownership and the passenger was released.

The driver is now facing multiple charges, including possession of narcotic drugs for sale, possession of narcotic drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.

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Danyelle Burke North

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma Territorial Prison is once again in the running for USA Today’s “Best Haunted Destination in America” competition and they need the community’s help.

This is the prison’s fifth consecutive year of being recognized on the national stage in the top five. The prison once even held the number one seat.

They are calling on the community to vote online and help them reclaim the top spot. They say the competition is more than just about ghosts, it’s about shining a national spotlight on Yuma and putting the city on the map.

“It draws tourism to the community. It also draws support for this treasured historic site, and that is our motivation that we are here to preserve the stories of the prison,” said Yuma Territorial Prison manager Yanna Kruse.

You have a week left to cast your votes daily online on their website. Voting closes Monday September 22.

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Dillon Fuhrman

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is investigating a two-vehicle crash which left one woman dead.

According to a press release, the crash happened before 8:00 a.m. Saturday in the area of State Route (SR) 86 and Hoskins Road.

CHP says a 58-year-old man, who was driving a 2009 Dodge Caliber, and a 31-year-old woman, who was driving a 2020 Jeep Gladiator, were both driving southbound on SR 86, south of Hoskins Road, in the second lane when the Jeep approached the rear end of the Dodge.

For reasons unknown, CHP says the front end of the Jeep crashed into the rear end of Dodge, causing both drivers to lose control of their respective vehicles.

CHP says the crash caused the Jeep to overturn before “coming to rest on its wheels” in the second lane of northbound SR 86.

While the driver of the Dodge suffered minor injuries, CHP says the passengers were not injured. However, the driver of the Jeep was pronounced dead at the scene.

CHP says the Imperial County Coroner’s Office responded and took the body, and says while airbags were deployed in the Jeep, airbags were not deployed in the Dodge.

However, everyone else was wearing their seatbelts at the time of the crash.

REAR END FATAL CRASH ON SR 86 SOUTH OF HOSKINS 288CDownload

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Karina Bazarte

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – The man accused of killing his girlfriend near Senator Wash in Imperial County appeared in court Monday.

56-year-old James Hill, who was extradited to Imperial County last week, was in court to be arraigned in the murder of 34-year-old September Lee Weisinger.

During the court appearance, it was determined that Weisinger’s cause of death was smoke inhalation, with the judge saying she was still alive when she burned to death.

The Imperial County District Attorney’s Office wanted no bail for Hill due to him being a flight risk, but Hill’s attorney said he’s not a flight risk nor a threat to the community because he doesn’t have any priors and he’s a military Veteran.

However, it was revealed that there was some type of domestic violence between Hill and Weisinger.

After the court hearing, we spoke with one of Hill’s friends, Melanie Morris, who came in support.

“He is a good person. He always helping people no one had a bad word to say about him ever…that is all I ever seen him do is help people. People call him when they need to help pull out of the sand when they are stuck he is always helping people all around,” Morris expressed.

She says the suspect cared for the victim and wants to encourage anyone who may have information about this case to come forward.

“Anyone out there that believes in James like we do, step up, tell somebody…let them know,” said Morris.

Hill has a bond of $2 million.

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Eduardo Morales

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma Union High School District (YUHSD) continues to keep its staff in-house at historic rates.

The local high school district kept 87.9% of their certified staff, and 86.9% of their teachers.

This is the third consecutive year of the district maintaining a historic teacher-retention rate.

They explain how keeping staff helps their students.

“I think when students see teachers returning, it’s a moral boost again that we can’t even really quantify, but it’s just something that’s so important that continuity in education, whether it comes to classroom management, system knowledge or just moral,” said YUHSD Chief Communications Officer Eric Patten.

The district believes a number of factors could have contributed to this retention number.

This includes a 47% increase in salary since 2017, along with the “Credentialing and Retaining Educators Program.”

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Marcos Icahuate

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A local grocery store chain will be opening another location.

The location for the new Del Sol will be at 11737 S. Foothills Boulevard, and its grand opening will be on September 26, 2025, starting at 7 a.m.

Del Sol has been operating for over 40 years, providing fresh, quality groceries and serving authentic Mexican food with their in-store restaurant.

“We are so grateful for the support and loyalty this community has shown us over the years,” said Vice President Andres Salcido. “The new Foothills store reflects our ongoing commitment to the families and communities we serve. We are looking forward to sharing our authentic Mexican food, fresh tortillas, high quality produce and meat, beautiful flower arrangements, and bright and lively decor for many years to come.”

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