Category: kyma-local-news

Marcos Icahuate

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – An Imperial Valley organization awarded students over $30,000 in scholarships during a ceremony.

MANA de Imperial Valley offered the scholarships to 61 students from across the county on Friday, May 31.

Students included those from high school, Imperial Valley College and San Diego State University – Imperial Valley Campus.

The ceremony, hosted at the Imperial County Administrative Center, recognized students for their academic excellence. This year’s group of recipients represents the very best of our community’s future,” said MANA de Imperial Valley President Guadalupe Castro. “We are deeply grateful to our sponsors and community partners for helping us invest in the educational dreams of these remarkable young leaders.”

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Marcos Icahuate

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The Yuma Police Department would like to notify the public about a level 3 sex offender living in the area.

41-year-old William Dale Dolan is living off of Levee Road and 22nd Avenue in Yuma.

Police say that in 1998, Dolan was arrested for endangering the welfare of a minor and furnishing obscene material to a minor.

The next year, Dolan pled guilty to one felony count in Oregon. 

In both 2004 and 2022, Dolan was convicted of failure to register as a sex offender in circuit court in Oregon.

It happened again in Nevada in 2008.

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Eduardo Morales

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Day two in the trial of the twin brothers charged with murdering a Yuma teen.

The chief medical examiner and a forensic technician were called to the stand and went over some of the evidence in the trial.

“This is a wound, a gunshot wound,” said the chief medical examiner.

It was revealed that the victim, 15-year-old Cesar Aguilar, suffered two gunshot wounds from one bullet entering and exiting his body.

“The body mostly from the back covered with blood smear and there’s obviously two wounds both are on the back that are consistent with gunshot wounds,” explained the medical examiner.

The medical examiner said that judging by the injury, Aguilar was more than two feet away.

The chief medical examiner describes the internal damage the victim suffered.

“Internally it went through the lung, the aorta, which is the largest artery in the human body in the size of a garden hose,” he said.

The suspects, 25-year-old David and Adrian Perez-Arzola, are both charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, aggravated assault and attempted armed robbery.

If found guilty of first-degree murder, the twins could face a maximum punishment of life without parole.

The trial is set to continue through July 17.

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Eduardo Morales

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A Yuma man convicted of shooting a group of people outside a local strip club in March of last year has been sentenced.

34-year-old Abraham Espinoza was sentenced Friday to three and half years in prison.

Espinoza pled guilty to one count of aggravated assault.

He originally faced seven felonies, including three counts of attempted first-degree murder.

Yuma deputies say Espinoza shot a firearm at a group of people outside of Platinum Cabaret.

He previously agreed to a plea deal and will receive credit for over 400 days already served.

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Jalen Fong

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Yuma is known for its rich and storied military history, and this summer, they’ll be commemorating a tremendous milestone, and we want you and your entire family to help us celebrate.

The Colorado River State Historic Park is hosting a 250th Army birthday celebration on Saturday, June 14, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The community is invited to celebrate those who served the country.

The event will have a video playing about Yuma Proving Ground’s (YPG) history, as well as an oath taking ceremony for new recruits.

Free food and drinks will be provided, with vendors and games for the family.

Tickets can be bought at the YPG website.

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Andrea Turisk

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A young congressional candidate from Arizona says it’s time to put working families first.

A young voice is making waves in the race for Arizona’s seventh congressional district

Deja Foxx is traveling across southern Arizona, meeting voters and building support. She says it’s exactly how she plans to lead if elected: By listening, showing up, and challenging the status quo.

Foxx isn’t your typical congressional candidate. At 25, she’s part of a new generation stepping into politics, bringing her own story to the forefront.

“For me, I was raised by a single mom in Section 8 housing on SNAP benefits and medicaid. I was a free lunch kid in our public schools. That has everything to do with public policy and I believe it’s the kind of experience we need in D.C.,” said Foxx.

Foxx has built her campaign from the ground up, fueled by thousands of small dollar donation.

That support has helped her launch her first congressional TV ad. She says her focus is on everyday people, not big money backers.

“Our campaign has raised over $400,000. 99% of our contributors are small dollar contributors. They’re people who pitch in less than $200. They’re families like yours or mine. That is who we are accountable to and its basically unheard of in a congressional run to have a 99% rate of small dollar donors, but that’s how were doing things differently,” explained Foxx.

Foxx says her experience has prepared her to stand up to powerful national figures, saying she wasn’t afraid then and she’s not afraid now.

“I showed up to their town halls and I took them to task. I demanded to know why they would deny people like me the American dream of birth control and planned parenthood which was helping me be successful, reach for higher education, be the first in my family to go to college. I wasn’t scared then and I’m not scared now and the job of congress member has changed. It’s not enough to vote the right way. We need activists,” said Foxx.

She is running against several Democratic candidates including Adelita Grijalva and Daniel Hernandez.

The Primary Election is set for July 15.

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Andrea Turisk

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY)- A new binational security campaign is hitting the streets designed to get public help to identify and capture dangerous people.

The Se Busca Información initiative is a joint effort focused on getting wanted individuals off the streets on both sides of the border. Authorities say public tips play a big part of making this work.

U.S. Border Patrol and Mexican officials are sharing one message: Someone is wanted and the public can help find them.

The goal is to disrupt dangerous individuals by working together and inviting the public to participate. 

Chief Justin De La Torre with the Yuma Sector Border Patrol says, “Every member of our shared community here in Southern Arizona, Sonora, Baja, and California are critical partners in our mission to eliminate cartels.””

Chief De La Torre says the initiative features suspects tied to criminal activities including drug trafficking and human smuggling. 

“They’re all involved in cartel operations. They’re either members or associates of cross border crime. Organized crime to bring humans illegally in the us, to bring drugs in the us, to carry out homicides, murders, things like that on behalf of criminal organizations which really wreaks havoc on all of our communities,” he said.

Which is why Sonora, Mexico Attorney General Gustavo Rómulo Salas Chavez says its critical to receive public help to get these individuals off the streets. 

“These people cannot and should not walk freely in the streets when they face serious criminal charges and arrest warrants,” said Chavez.

Chief De La Torre says this initiative is just another way they’re trying to keep the community safe as a whole: “We’re doing everything we can to identify people and bring them to justice, but we also need the public’s help. We need the communities support.”

If you’d like to submit an anonymous tip, you can call or text (928) 699-5919.

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Adrik Vargas

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – June is Men’s Health Month, and doctors with the Imperial Valley Healthcare District are using it to call attention to something they say often gets put off: Regular checkups.

At Pioneers Healthcare Center in Brawley, part of the district, they’re reminding men and their families that prevention and early detection matter.

“I do encourage the families to join forces and rally around the men in their families, to be serious about their health,” said Dr. George Fareed, Medical Director of the center.

The district says simple screenings like checking blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar can help catch things early, from heart disease to diabetes and prostate issues.

For younger men, awareness about testicular cancer is also key. Radiologist Dr. George Rapp, who works at Pioneers and is a cancer survivor himself, says men shouldn’t wait to speak up.

“I’m a survivor of testicular cancer, so it’s very important for men to be upfront with their physicians…routine self-examinations, actually feeling and making sure you’re not feeling any masses or lumps or anything abnormal, or if you’re having pain, it’s not something you should delay,” said Rapp.

He added, “It can sometimes carry a little bit of shyness with it that men don’t want to share with their physician, but I do encourage men to be upfront with their doctors about it.”

The district offers services across the Valley, including clinics in Brawley and Calexico.

“They can certainly come here to the Pioneers Healthcare Clinic here and in Calexico, and they can come to the other centers where general medical services are provided, there’s no shortage for the availability of that,” Dr. Fareed said.

The Imperial Valley Healthcare District says Men’s Health Month is a great reminder to start small, schedule a checkup, and take steps that can protect your health in the long run.

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Samuel Kirk

(KYMA, KECY) – Residents in Yuma and El Centro residents attended two Juneteenth events Saturday.

The Imperial Valley Social Justice Committee (IVSJC) celebrated Freedom Day at the Martin Luther King Jr. Pavilion in El Centro from noon until 5:00 p.m.

There were several vendors, giveaways, soul food, fashion shows, and special cultural performances.

The local Yuma NAACP chapter is holding a free Juneteenth celebration in Yuma at Carver Park from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Families can enjoy everything from face painting, bike giveaways, a petting zoo, vendors, and more.

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