Category: kyma-local-news

Marcos Icahuate

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – An El Centro councilmember has bene named to be on the 2025 Cal Cities Resolutions Commttiee.

Councilmember Sylvia Marroquin will serve on the committee as well as serving as the vice president of the Cal Cities Imperial County Division.

“I am honored to represent El Centro on the Resolutions Committee,” Marroquin said. “This appointment provides an opportunity to ensure the voices of our community and cities across California are heard in shaping policies that directly affect local governance.”

The Resolutions Committee reviews proposed resolutions for California cities.

The 2025 Annual Conference will be held on October 8-10 in Sacramento.

“El Centro is proud to have Councilmember Marroquin represent our city in this important role,” said Mayor Sonia Carter. “Her appointment and her leadership as vice president of the Imperial Valley Division reflect our community’s commitment to being actively involved in shaping statewide policy that impacts all California cities.”

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Madeline Murray

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Following a recent stabbing at a Phoenix high school, Yuma police school resource officers say they have specific protocols to follow when threats arise on school campuses.

Yuma Police Department (YPD) says their officers go through 70 to one 130 hours of training on all different aspects of law enforcement, such as defensive tactics and active killer training.

We spoke to YPD about the steps to follow when threats arise on campus.

“The first thing is the SRO is going to make contact with that student to ensure, do you have one or do you not have one. If the student does have something, it’s illegal to take to school, be it a gun, be it a knife or something like that, then they are brought into the office, they are talked to, parents are contacted, and then discipline will come from that, because it is illegal to take stuff like that to a school,” said Sgt. Lori Franklin, Public Information Officer with YPD.

YPD says the best thing to do is to be involved with your children and check up on them as much as possible. 

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Eduardo Morales

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – With the Extreme Heat Warning in place, locals are heading to cooling centers to beat the heat.

There are 18 cooling centers and three water sites for people to receive water throughout Yuma County. There are 12 total locations within Yuma, and nine within Somerton and San Luis.

These locations include the Yuma Community Food Bank, Yuma County Libraries, and the Crossroads Mission.

Harry M. Wilson, a local cooling down at the Crossroads center, says these places are important for the community.

“Most people aren’t used to this heat, and it’s a dry heat so it’s hot. I’ve lived here before many years ago, but still I’ve come back and not I’m not used to the heat again, so I got to get used to it,” Wilson says.

At the crossroads there is a shaded area where they supply them water, snacks, and whatever else they may have.

Myra Garlit, the CEO of Crossroads, shares why they help, especially on hot days.

“We know that it’s important to stay hydrated, stay in the shade, and take care of yourself. That’s why we want to do it, we want to help,” Garlit says.

The Crossroads shares how helping others during hot days could lead helping them even more in the future as well.

“I think that if you can feed, give them food and water at some point, they may want to change their life, I tell the staff look for that window of opportunity when they’re ready to change,” Garlit said.

For a full list of the cooling centers and there hours click on the link HERE.

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Adrik Vargas

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – The Humane Society of Imperial County is struggling to keep up with a growing number of animals in need, leaving staff stretched thin and cages stacked high.

The shelter says it is over capacity, caring for more animals than it has space or resources to support. Staff stress that community support through adoptions, spay and neuter programs, and donations is essential to continuing their no-kill mission.

“People want designer dogs for the bragging rights, but there are animals in the shelters that need homes,” said shelter director Devon Apodaca. “If people don’t step up, they’re going to lose their lives.”

Apodaca says the shelter takes in 20 to 30 animals a week from animal control alone, and resources across the county are limited.

“A lot of people don’t have access to veterinary care for their pets. Imperial County has one vet, and that veterinarian is overwhelmed. It’s very difficult to get an appointment,” he said.

The Humane Society emphasizes that every adoption helps save two lives, the animal that goes home and the one that can take its place at the shelter.

“For the shelter, every life saved counts, and we need the community to help,” Apodaca said.

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Adrik Vargas

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – For the second time, the father accused of leaving his toddler unattended in a car in El Centro did not appear in court Wednesday or Thursday due to medical reasons.

Judge Christopher Plourd noted there may be psychiatric concerns and considered sending the case to mental health court.

The Imperial County District Attorney’s Office said courts must ensure defendants understand the charges and can fully participate in the process.

“It got continued for one more day. And at that time, the court, if he shows up or if he doesn’t show up, the court can then take action, maybe set it for an evaluation and set him to be evaluated. And that’s one of the court’s options,” said George Marquez, Imperial County District Attorney.

The suspect is scheduled to appear in court again Friday for the third time.

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Paul Vozzella

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Some tax relief will be coming to Yuma following a lawsuit regarding illegal taxes.

The Yuma County Hospital District Board argued for a property tax to be imposed while bypassing voters, but Arizona law states that the taxes can only be imposed after voter approval.

Onvida Health, formerly Yuma Regional Medical Center, filed the lawsuit in 2020 stating the District breached a lease agreement to include an increase in rent.

In December of 2023, the Goldwater Institute announced they sued the District.

The Hospital District agreed to pay over $4 million, which will be credited towards 2025-2026 property tax bills.

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Adrik Vargas

BRAWLEY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) The Brawley man found guilty of murdering his wife was handed decades behind bars Friday. 

38-year-old Rodrigo Flores Gomez was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison in the 2024 murder of his wife, 36-year-old Sandy Fabela.

According to the Imperial County District Attorney’s Office, Gomez strangled Fabela inside their home in Brawley last April.

During the sentencing, Fabela’s family was filled with emotion, leading the victim’s brother to take the stand to talk about the loss of his sister.

The family says the damage done was not only to them, but to the entire community.

 

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Madeline Murray

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The Extreme Weather Emergency Tour made a pit stop in Yuma Friday.

The purpose is to highlight how climate change is making weather worse and work on solutions to make a change.

Charlene Fernandez, former State Director for Arizona, says, “There was a special emphasis and dedicated money to make sure that we address climate change.”

With the Trump administration rolling back on grants for climate protections, the tour shared concerns for how this is weakening disaster response.

Speakers provided recent examples of how the issue has been affecting the nation through extreme heat, fires, and floods.

Arizona State Representative Mariana Sandovol (D-District 23) shared how it’s affecting our community.

“Look around you, look at how things have changed, and how hotter it is, I mean we have record heat last summer, here in Yuma, like over 110 for like over 30 days,” says Mariana Sandoval.

Some locals agree and are as concerned as the representatives on the tour.

Carolyn Millers, a Yuma local, states, “I notice my APS bills rising, and I do believe that climates are changing.”

Others believe there is nothing to worry about, with Yuma residet Jim Flagg saying, “There is no problem at all. I don’t believe in it, no. There’s no change except going to different states, but the climate is the same.”

While some locals don’t believe that climate change is real, the event coordinators disagree, saying that climate change is no longer a distant threat. We are living in it.

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Andrea Turisk

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The leader of a Yuma-based human smuggling network was sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison.

Yuma Sector Border Patrol says 22-year-old Carlos Moreno Serrano pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport illegal immigrants.

Agents say Serrano was responsible for organizing smuggling attempts for hundreds of illegal immigrants across the United States-Mexico border and further into the U.S.

A total of 18 suspects were indicted in connection with the smuggling network based out of Yuma.

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Manoah Tuiasosopo

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – The El Centro Police Department (ECPD) is working to piece together what led up to a rollover crash which led to one person being ejected for a vehicle.

According to a press release, the crash happened at around 10:00 a.m. Friday at the intersection of Lotus Avenue and Main Street, near Sunflower Elementary School.

When officers arrived, ECPD says they found one person had been ejected from a vehicle, prompting paramedics to provide emergency medical care to those injured.

Courtesy: El Centro Police Department

Courtesy: El Centro Police Department

Courtesy: El Centro Police Department

According to witnesses and findings from the scene, ECPD says their investigators believe the crash was caused by a driver traveling at high speeds and driving recklessly.

The investigation is ongoing. If anyone has any information regarding the case, call ECPD at (790) 352-2111, visit the station in-person, or reach out through their official social media platforms.

Press Release 8-22-25Download

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