Category: kyma-local-news

Lynette Niebla

CALIPATRIA, Calif. (KYMA) – In the small, quiet town of Calipatria, tensions at City Hall were running high as residents packed the chambers to defend City Manager Laura Gutierrez against a sudden termination.

At Tuesday night’s regular meeting, the community made their voices heard, flooding the podium during public comments to urge officials to reconsider their decision to terminate.

Gutierrez began her tenure as the city manager of Calipatria in June 2023.

According to residents, she has since led significant efforts in city beautification and the planning of various community events.

Many residents are now left questioning the council’s reasoning behind the sudden leadership shift.

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Marcos Icahuate

WASHINGTON (KYMA) – Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.) pushed for a commitment to the New River in Imperial County.

Rep. Ruiz pressed Lee Zeldin, the administrator for the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA), to visit the New River era and gain support in addressing the crisis.

Communities along the New River are facing severe conditions, which includes raw sewage and industrial waste flowing down the river.

“The New River is considered the most polluted waterway in North America,” the congressman said. “The difference between the Tijuana River and the New River is not legal authority or technical capacity, it is attention and urgency.”

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Marcos Icahuate

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Events for local businesses will be held to discuss resources on growing and succeeding.

The Arizona Small Business Forum will be held on May 5 at 1351 S. Redondo Ctr. Dr., Room 164, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

This forum will discuss the following:

Business Tax Account

Individual Online Account

Provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill

Executive Order 14247 – Discontinuation of Checks

You can register here.

A Small Business Resource Fair is also planned for May 6, at the Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Career Center from 4:00 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The fair is where locals can ask other organizations and agencies questions on how to succeed.

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Grad Night is completely free to all 2026 senior graduates in Yuma County for a safe, fun, and substance-free environment.

There will be a DJ, games, food, prizes, and a chance to win an e-bike from Mr. B’s Bicycles.

Donnie Bennet, owner of Mr. B’s Bicycles, said, “With this bike that whoever ends up being the winner of it, they will be able to ride it to hopefully their next job or hopefully college. Getting back and forth and has plenty of room for all of your supplies and everything.”

The Grad Night event will be on Friday, May 22. It’s all made possible thanks to the Yuma County Anti-Drug Coalition.

For more information on Grad Night, visit YCADC.

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Moses Femino

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A Yuma native who has gained global attention for groundbreaking brain technology shared his story with students at Arizona Western College (AWC).

Noland Arbaugh spoke on campus about his journey following a life-changing spinal injury in 2016 that left him paralyzed.

In 2024, he became the first person to receive a Neuralink brain implant. A device that allows him to control digital devices through bluetooth. The implant reads the neurons that fire in his brain and translate it to the screen.

The technology has opened new doors for independence, allowing him to complete everyday digital tasks without physical movement.

While the science behind the implant draws interest, Arbaugh emphasized a deeper message during his talk.

“I want people not only to see that this technology is incredible and it’s going to change so many people’s lives. That it’s going to help so many people,” Arbaugh said. “But more than just the technology. I want people to understand how important perseverance is in their lives.”

His message resonated with those in attendance. AWC staff said the impact was immediate, with some becoming emotional as they reflected on their own challenges.

“I had a gentleman while we were still asking questions, go out and tell me his story and what he said. It hit him and he was, you know, tearing up,” Jeff Kleinwachter, a Military and Veteran Services Specialist at AWC, said. “Being able to share that story, you know, and I think that’s a big part of it all.”

Arbaugh has since returned to school at AWC, where he is continuing his education with the goal of becoming a neuroscientist.

He said the implant not only changed how he interacts with the world, but also how he views himself.

“Being able to do things on my own, it’s empowering, and it just makes me feel that I can be useful again,” Arbaugh said. “I don’t feel like a burden like I used to.”

Arbaugh told those in attendance he hopes his story encourages others to push beyond their own perceived limitations.

He wants everyone to recognize what’s possible through perseverance and innovation.

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A local man says his fight with the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) has reached the Arizona Court of Appeals.

The local, Jason Lujan, says the DES’s actions have caused him significant harm.

“It’s just really shocking that this happened to me and it caused me real life harm. Nobody should have to go through what I had to go through because they made an unlawful decision,” Lujan explained.

During the pandemic, emergency rental assistance program benefits were administered, and some people suddenly lost their benefits without warning or receiving the rest of their funding.

That left residents without income and at risk for homelessness.

“The purpose of that program was defeated by the DES. The government sent out money during that time to prevent everything that happened to me and they didn’t do that. They didn’t honor it,” Lujan said.

Lujan says the court granted his application for appeal and is ordering a briefing on whether DES exceeded its statutory authority by creating eligibility restrictions that he argues contradict federal law.

We have reached out to DES for comment and are still waiting to hear back.

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Dillon Fuhrman

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KYMA) – San Luis Frontera Rotary Club is hosting Wild West Casino Night later this week.

The event, in collaboration with Onvida Health, is taking place Friday, May 1, 2026 at 780 N. Cesar Chavez Street in San Luis, Arizona from 8 p.m. to midnight.

During the event, there will be craps, roulette and blackjack, along with one free drink, playing chips and heavy appetizers.

The cost to participate is $77, with the proceeds benefitting their scholarship fund. To purchase tickets, click here.

To learn more about the upcoming event, click here.

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Locals across Yuma County are invited to attend an event in honor of National Day of Prayer.

The event is taking place Thursday, May 7, 2026 at the Healing House of Yuma, located at 2055 S. Arizona Avenue, next to the Yuma Sun, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

During the event, there will be coffee, doughnuts and lunch provided, and those who attend are encouraged to bring a friend.

The theme for this year’s National Day of Prayer is based on 1 Chronicles 16:24, “Glorify God among the nations, seeking Him in all generations.”

FTS Automotive & Diesel Center, Yuma Farmers Market and Gill Family Farms are sponsoring the event.

For more information, call Jackie Alves at 760-457-6520 or 602-663-4534.

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Andrea Turisk

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KYMA) – Arizona Western College (AWC) says their students in Drawing I, II and II at the San Luis Learning Center are hosting a special gallery event.

The event is taking place Wednesday at the San Luis Learning Center from 10 a.m. to 11:40 a.m., and will showcase a variety of projects which includes artwork inspired by Gustav Klimt and Old Master studies.

“We would love to invite the community to attend and experience the artistic talent present in San Luis, Arizona, and Yuma,” said drawing professor Violeta Isaacs.

Courtesy: Arizona Western College

AWC says there will also be an art piece honoring Dr. Daniel Corr’s ten years as the college’s president.

In addition, there will be several murals representing “summative course project that challenged students to incorporate multiple elements from assignments throughout the semester and demonstrate mastery in their own unique style.”

“My plan was to design the murals as a direct reflection of the course objectives,” Isaacs shared. “These artistic pieces serve not only as creative expressions but also as visual evidence of student understanding and the fulfillment of the course.”

Drawing students showcase artwork at San Luis gallery eventDownload

26-Art Gallery SLLC-SMDownload

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Lynette Niebla

(KYMA) – On April 23, the Department of Justice announced it was easing the restriction on state-licensed medical marijuana, reclassifying the substance from a Schedule I drug, the highest level of regulation, to a Schedule III. 

This effort moves medical marijuana away from the same classification as heroin and into a new category that acknowledges the drug as one for medical use and a low potential for abuse.

Begun under President Joe Biden, and following President Donald Trump’s Dec. 18 executive action, the reclassification creates many benefits for California and Arizona.

This is a major step forward towards legitimizing the industry, especially in California, the nations largest legal cannabis market. 

The reclassification is also a huge relief for businesses of California and Arizona. Before, medical marijuana operators and dispensaries were subject to IRS tax law 280E, prohibiting them from deducting normal business expenses in their taxes.

No longer bound by this law, businesses will now save millions in federal taxes and product prices for consumers can potentially drop.

Nationwide, this action opens the door for medical marijuana and CBD research, an action previously taking scientists years to authorize and complete.

Prior to reclassification, researches faced numerous hurdles in the filed, needing approval from several agencies, rigorous security requirements and funding limitations.

Now, this reclassification simplifies the process for researchers and allows for validated scientific data on the drug.

To learn more about this, read the press release below.

4.23.26 Rescheduling News AzNORMLDownload

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