Category: kyma-local-news

Adrik Vargas

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A longtime Yuma Lutheran teacher is recovering after a serious fall, and the community is stepping up to support him and his family.

Tony Harman, an eighth-grade teacher at Yuma Lutheran School, was hiking in Colorado when he fell nearly 100 feet down a mountainside.

He suffered multiple serious injuries, including a shattered hip, broken ribs, neck fractures, and leg injuries. Harman was airlifted to Phoenix for emergency treatment.

Known for his faith-filled teaching and close connection with students, Harman has become a beloved figure in the school and church community. Now, the people he’s impacted are giving back.

“You talk about setting a goal, and you see that goal surpassed almost instantly, it humbles you, and it brings great joy to be able to provide that for the Harman family,” said Traci Miller, who is organizing fundraising efforts for the Harmans.

Miller says Harman is more than just a teacher.

“He loves his students unconditionally, he understands where they’re coming from and their background, and which ones are quirky and which ones are extremely intelligent, which ones like sports, and he takes pride in knowing them specifically,” she said.

For the Harman family, the outpouring of support has brought comfort during a difficult time.

“They have need and they know they are loved and supported, and we can’t say enough about that, and how close it brings us together as a family as well,” said Vincent Harman, Harman’s brother and a pastor at Yuma Lutheran.

“He loves kids, he pours his heart out teaching the kids about Jesus, his role here has been phenomenal, we’ve seen people reach out that he’s taught over the years and people he’s teaching now,” he added.

Harman still has a long road to recovery ahead, but thanks to his community, he’s not walking it alone.

If you want to support the Harman family, you can visit their GoFundMe page at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-tony-harman-heal-after-tragic-fall

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Andrea Turisk

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – On May 29, federal and local law enforcement executed a series of coordinated raids on five massage parlors in Yuma, resulting in three arrests including two on state prostitution charges  and one on immigration violations.

Estrella Fitch, CEO of the Healing Journey, says this happens at massage parlors more often than one might think. 

“A lot of these women are brought over very young with a promise of a good job or a promise of a better life, and they end up working and sleeping there at massage parlors…providing you know a service that we don’t really need in this town,” says Fitch.

Many of the women involved, she says, are not criminals, but victims of trafficking, with few options and nowhere to turn.

“They say, ‘Oh, they’re prostitutes,’ or ‘They chose that lifestyle.’ Well, how do you know that? What childhood did they go through to have them fall into this kind of lifestyle?” says Fitch.

Fitch says judgment only fuels the problem, and that healing starts with compassion. 

“First of all, take that judgment out of your head. Stop judging. Remember that these are human beings that maybe wanted a better life and ended up in these parlors…or they are youth trying to identify themselves. Patience and understanding…that’s how we can overcome these problems,” says Fitch.

Therapist Brandy Rice who works with survivors says recovery is possible when the right support is in place.

“What that looks like for me is letting these survivors because I call them survivors know they can overcome. They can have their life back. They can take back the power that traffickers, and those who use them for their bodies, took from them,” Rice expressed.

Rice says healing isn’t linear and every survivor’s experience is different, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

“Everybody’s story is different. Everybody’s journey is different and I know how easy it is to get stuck in the idea of, ‘I can’t heal…there’s no hope.’ But, there is,” says Rice

Fitch says oversight is needed especially if businesses operate suspiciously late.

“These massage parlors that are open 24 hours have no oversight. And I go back saying again, we need to be more aware of our surrounding and what’s happening. If a massage parlor is open that late at night and it says ‘Open,’ what’s going on there?” says Fitch.

For Melissa Lozolla, a licensed massage therapist the raids are frustrating not just because of the abuse, but the damage to their profession.

“I think it’s very unfortunate and sad. I think this is something that the industry has been fighting for inaction long, long time,” says Lozolla.

Lozolla says there are simple ways to check whether your therapist is properly credentialed.

“If you go to the massage board website, they do have a search button where you can input the name of the massage therapist and if they’re licensed, their name will appear, and whether their license is active or expired,” Lozolla explained.

Fitch says she’s glad to see law enforcement cracking down on illegal activity and hopes to see it continue moving forward.

She says by being aware and empathetic we can create real change.

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Adrik Vargas

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – The Imperial Irrigation District (IID) has taken a stance on where solar energy projects should go.

The board passed a resolution saying too much farmland in the Imperial Valley is being replaced with solar panels.

Most of the power from these projects goes to big cities like San Diego, not the local community. IID officials say they support solar development, but not at the expense of agriculture.

“One in every six jobs in the Imperial Valley is directly related to agriculture, so solar is great, as long as it’s not on AG land,” said Robert Schettler with IID.

The district also says farmland plays a role in helping the Salton Sea.

“When growers grow, whatever the size of their farmland is, one third of the water that goes onto the field drains off and goes to the Salton Sea, so if you take AG out of production, you’re not only affecting the local economy, you’re affecting the Salton Sea,” said Schettler.

Local farmworker advocates say protecting farmland is about more than just the valley.

“More than anything, it’s the country’s economy, here in the Imperial Valley just imagine how much produce we grow and distribute nationally,” said Ruben Partida with Comité de Acción del Valle.

Partida also raised concerns about job loss.

“If finding agricultural work is already hard because a lot of it is moving to Arizona, because of our water troubles here in the valley, now imagine the impact if there is less farmland, even less people who will have jobs,” he said.

IID is encouraging future solar projects to be built on desert or unused land instead.

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Abraham Retana

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A local non-profit organization needs the community’s support as some children there head back to school.

The Crossroads Mission is accepting school uniforms and supplies for more than ten children who are currently staying at the family shelter.

The children attend kindergarden to high school.

Personal hygiene products and canned food are also needed.

“This will help this group of children and we also have children coming throughout the year and also children to have food meals to our kitchen so we are trying to help those children as well,” said Rene Sonoqui, Crossroads Mission Family Shelter Director.

You can take your donations to the Crossroads Mission Second Chance Thrift store on 8th Street and 5th Avenue.

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Danyelle Burke North

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Local students are helping shape the future of healthcare in Yuma. 40 high school and college students are participating in Onvida Health’s weeklong Healthcare Career Camp.

Students get to work alongside doctors and first responders and get hands on exposure to medical careers through mock surgeries, casting demos, and real emergency response simulations. One student shares her experience.

“I really enjoy the camp! It’s really educational. Getting to see the inside of the hospital, what goes on behind the scenes, the hard work that these nurses and techs really put into the hospital,” said Onvida junior volunteer & camp student facilitator Alexa Estrella.

Throughout the five-day camp, students participate in a full schedule of classroom learning, hospital tours, career panels, skill demonstrations, and shadowing opportunities.

The goals is to introduce local students to hands-on learning and empower them to explore healthcare careers.

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Madeline Murray

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs is asking the federal government to reimburse Arizona for the $100 million spent by former Governor Doug Ducey.

In 2022, Ducey spent millions of dollars on storage containers as a way to fill the gaps in the border wall.

Once in office, the Biden administration filed a suit saying the barriers were illegal, forcing the state of Arizona to have them removed for $70 million more.

New federal legislation, originally named the “big, beautiful bill,” states $10 billion worth of grants will be available to states that paid for border barriers and other security measures.

Madeline Murray will have more on this story this afternoon and what local representatives have to say on the issue.

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – KAWC announced they are looking for volunteer hosts for music programs on KOFA Border Radio.

According to a press release, this coincides with KAWC marking 55 years of “broadcasting across Yuma and La Paz Counties.”

KAWC says, “The community, including Arizona Western College students, faculty and staff, are invited to participate.”

Courtesy: KAWC

“When KAWC was started in 1970, everyone on the air was a student,” shared David Riek, General Manager of KAWC/KOFA-Border Radio. “The station was born out of a love for radio and serving the community through entertaining programming. As we begin our 55th year on the air, we want to give the community a chance to express themselves and share their favorite music.”

Volunteers will be trained with “the necessary skills to create music programs for broadcast, streaming, and on-demand access on 94.7 FM KOFA and kawc.org.”

For more information about this, contact music@borderradioAZ.org.

KAWC seeks music lovers to volunteer on airDownload

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Madeline Murray

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A local restaurant in Yuma, Saigon Pho, raised almost $3,000 for the flood victims in Texas.

The restaurant and its staff held a fundraiser this past Saturday, and received funds from the community.

Vinny Vo, owner of Saigon Pho, says, “Lots of people in town are very supportive.”

The fundraiser received funds from local nonprofits like Saint Francis Church and Crossroads Mission.

Vo shares why he was so compelled to donate to victims and how the tragic floods hit close to home.

“I like to help the flood victims because I live in a country that every year, people get killed. People are washed away all their lifetime savings because of flood,” said Vo.

He hopes the next time he hosts a fundraiser, even more people will join.

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Adrik Vargas

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – Imperial County is changing the way people vote, aiming to make it easier and more flexible.

Starting next year, voters won’t be tied to one polling place. Instead, they’ll be able to vote at any voting center in the County, and they’ll have more days to do it.

“I think the advantages lie on the convenience for the voters, it gives them more flexibility,” said Linsey Dale, Registrar of Voters. “We’re hoping that by offering more opportunities to vote in person that it will increase our voter participation.”

The county plans to open 14 voting centers and keep eight 24-hour ballot drop boxes. Imperial is following the lead of Yuma County, which made a similar switch several years ago.

Officials are still deciding exactly where to place the centers, and they’re asking for help from the public.

“We want to hear from the community,” Dale said. “We are looking for locations that are ADA compliant, that are near public transportation locations, and have ample parking. We want them to be convenient for our community.”

For some voters, the changes could make a big difference. Imperial County voter Jillen Kennedy said voting hasn’t always been easy.

“This last time I had to vote, it was one of those things where either I drop it off before I make it into work early in the morning, or it wasn’t gonna get turned in at all,” she said. “So I had to make the choice.”

But she’s hopeful the new system will make things smoother saying, “Especially having expanded hours and places that are designated for you to go that maybe aren’t so difficult to access.”

Public comments and suggestions may be submitted in person at the Registrar of Voters Office, by fax at (442) 265-1062, or by email to VoterServices@co.imperial.ca.us.

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Danyelle Burke North

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – In Tuesday’s Home Grown report, a local hemp farm in Yuma shows just how vital the plant could be for Arizona’s economic future.

They say this is one of Arizona’s first hemp fiber industry farm tours hosted by the Hemp Industry Trade Association of Arizona (HITA). Local agricultural leaders share how hemp is opening doors for sustainable agriculture and economic opportunity.

Local council members, state leaders, and farmers toured the 20-acre hemp farm.

“It was very educational. I knew nothing about him. How it’s grown. How little water it needs,” said Rep. Mariana Sandoval (D) Arizona District 23.

“It was much more than educational. It was something to take home and talk about it and experience that more and be part of it,” said San Luis Councilmember Lizeth Servin.

Farm owner Daniel Nowell says Yuma’s soil and location make it great for growing and shares some of the items the crops help make.

“We make everything from rope. You can make textiles. I’m wearing a shirt today as well and you can do all kinds of building materials, insulation, carbon composites, supercapacitors. It goes on and on and on the many uses that we can use with industrial hemp,” said Nowell.

Hemp could also be used to build the first school of its kind.

“It’s an incredible material, and it’s exciting that we’re gonna be having the opportunity to create and build the first elementary school made out of hemp,” said Daniel Turbyfill, Secretary for the Hemp Industry Trade Association.

Tour stop number 2 was the condor seed production company where seed is taken.

“We bring it into here, we receive it, and we mill it, clean it, make it a pure product. We package it, and we ship it,” said Condor Seed Operations Lead Chris Tolman.

Locals got to tour the inside of the warehouse.

“I think it is absolutely the future of Arizona. I think it’s a great crop for shade cover, and I think it’s a beautiful crop to have in the field through the summer,” said Turbyfill.

During the tour they officially announced the launch of their adopt an acres of hemp program. The next tour will be a planting and harvesting tour before the end of the year.

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