Category: kyma-local-news

Jessamyn Dodd

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – The Imperial County Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance aimed at boosting local hiring and protecting wage standards.

The County said the ordinance does not need a full environmental review because it does not actually approve or build any projects.

Bari Bean, the Deputy CEO of Natural Resources in Imperial County, said the rule only sets job and worker requirements for future developments.

Bean said, “The primary purpose of the ordinance is to promote high quality construction jobs, strengthen local workforce participation, and ensure safe and skilled project development.”

During public comments after the presentation, the rdinance received olverwhelming support from local union members and construction workers.

Imperial County Building and Trades Council member Rene Felix encouraged the ordinance, saying it will benefit people in the county.

“This ordinance helps make sure local workers and families benefit from the growth coming to our region. It supports good jobs, apprenticeships, proper workforce training, and long-term opportunities for the Imperial County residents,” he said.

Major Lithium Valley projects would still require separate environmental review under California law before any construction can begin.

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Humane Society of Yuma (HSOY) is still in need of the community’s help with an ongoing influx of kittens.

Kitten season peaks around April or May, putting the shelter at close to full capacity.

HSOY is currently taking care of 81 kittens in the shelter, and 121 kittens have been placed in foster homes. They rely on donations and community support in order to help these animals.

Hilary Mulherin of HSOY said, “If you want to volunteer or foster come on down, we always need the help.”

The first step to volunteering or fostering an animal is to fill out an application online.

One volunteer, Jackie Homan, says that volunteering at HSOY makes her heart proud.

“These guys, they need help. And it makes my heart so proud when you can get a baby to eat,” Homan expressed.

The shelter is in need of these important items to help these kittens grow.

Mulherin said, “We need KMR kitten formula, powdered formula that comes in the can, we need kitten wet food, Fancy Feast, we need baby wipes and Miracle Nipples. All of these things that we need to take care of these babies.”

If you’re interested in fostering or are able to donate, please visit the HSOY’s website.

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Lynette Niebla

CALIPATRIA, Calif. (KYMA) – In a dramatic turnaround inside Calipatria City Hall, the City Council voted 3-1 in an emergency session to rescind its previous decision to terminate City Manager Laura Gutierrez, fully reinstating her contract, which runs through June 1, 2027.

The emergency meeting, called by Mayor Michael Luellen, took place after a month of intense uncertainty.

Gutierrez’s job had been hanging in the balance since the council initially announced her termination on April 14.

The decision to keep Gutierrez follows a massive wave of public backing from local residents. One council member was absent from the vote, but the remaining majority chose to honor the community’s wishes.

Reacting to the decision, Gutierrez expressed her deep gratitude for the local outreach.

Gutierrez has held her post in Calipatria since June 2023. With her contract now fully secure, she is set to serve out the remainder of her current term.

The vote ensures continuity at the highest level of city staff. Gutierrez will remain at the helm of Calipatria’s infrastructure projects, protecting her ongoing initiatives to transform and beautify the town.

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A Yuma man charged with aggravated assault after shooting his neighbor is heading back to court for a retrial.

25-year-old Gabriel Taddei was accused of shooting the 29-year-old victim in October of 2024. Taddei admitted he fired his gun in self defense.

The trial ran for several days, but once it went to the jury, they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict, leading to a hung jury.

Taddei will face charges again of aggravated assault with a firearm and aggravated assault. The second trial is set to begin Tuesday, May 19, 2026.

We will have a camera in the courtroom and will keep you updated as the trial unfolds.

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA,(Ariz).-Each year, Yuma experiences a significant population boost during the winter months.

“Snowbirds” flock to Yuma to escape the cold in their home states, but with summer right around the corner, snowbird season is coming to an end.

Yuma typically receives 70 to 90,000 snowbird visitors each year. Some visitors come from out of the country to escape the cold.

Marcus Carney with Visit Yuma said, “Roughly 20% of those typically are made up of Canadians, but a little less than that since Canadian travel is down this year.”

Some Canadian travelers have boycotted U.S. goods and travel due to controversial political remarks made by President Donald Trump, according to CBS News.

Despite some Canadian travel being down, snowbird travel still boosts our local economy, contributing around $450 million annually according to Yuma County.

“They are helping us sustain our economy, they are helping sustain jobs in Yuma, and they really are a huge economic driver to our community, and they are incredibly important to a lot of jobs and careers in this community,” Carney said.

With the departure of snowbirds, we are reminded of how important these seasonal visitors are to our local economy.

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Several residents of a local RV park say they’re being left in the dark.

Residents at Westwind RV and Golf Resort say they haven’t had power sometimes for days, and that this has been an ongoing issue for years.

This means they can’t use their air conditioning and other items that use electricity.

They say this has even led to heat illnesses.

They’re concerned these outages will keep happening, especially with high summer temps right around the corner.

We spoke to one resident there who wanted us to identify her as “Nana” for fear of retaliation.

“That is unacceptable because it puts us, the residents in danger as you can see I’m very sensitive and every time the power goes out. It can be for three days it can be for four days,” explained Nana.

Nana says that management has told her they don’t want to spend the money needed to fix the issues.

We’ve been reaching out trying to get a comment from the management at Westwind RV for weeks now, but they have not commented.

We’ll update this story as soon as we receive more information.

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Fraternal Order of Police hosted its 49th Annual Memorial Day Service Friday, honoring fallen and current law enforcement officers.

The event honors law enforcement professionals who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

Franscisco Saenz, Vice President of FOP Yuma Lodge #24, said, “What we do here is really spend some time to remember them and spend some time with their family and give them an opportunity and time to dedicate to them on what they did during their service to our community.”

During this special event, the Yuma Police Department Honor Guard team conducts a 21-gun salute, a long-standing tradition honoring the fallen.

Yuma Police Chief Thomas Garrity said, “These are the men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our community that they care about. It’s important for us to remember their sacrifice but it’s also a beacon of what our officers do every day.”

Organizers say it’s important to recognize the sacrifices law enforcement officers make every day to keep our community safe.

Garrity added, “It’s important for them to remember and you know this is a chance for the community to show their gratitude towards people who are willing to give that ultimate sacrifice to the community.”

Friday is an important day to honor those who currently service our community and to remember those who we have lost.

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Adrik Vargas

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Several local students are speaking out about an Arizona attendance law they believe does not fully reflect the challenges some families face.

Students from Centennial Middle School and Wellton Elementary recently competed in the State Project Citizen Showcase, a civics competition where students research community issues and present policy solutions before a panel of judges.

Centennial students took their concerns beyond the classroom and to the Crane School District Board.

Their teacher, Mrs. Baker, said she encouraged students to use their voices and was proud to watch them confidently speak on an issue impacting their community.

“That’s what we try to promote in our students here at Centennial,” Baker said. “To let them know that you are not just an empty chair, that you have a voice. Use it.”

The students focused their project on Arizona law ARS 15-803 C1, which says students can be considered habitually absent after five unexcused absences, potentially leading to school or legal intervention.

Students say the law does not always account for issues some families face, including transportation and financial challenges.

“We didn’t really think that it was right that a bunch of kids would get in trouble for missing school, even if they have transportation issues or financial issues,” said Centennial student Benjamin Macias.

Another student, David Ortega, said he hopes speaking to district leaders can help create broader change.

“Our hope after we share our concerns today is that we really change the law and we could help not just the community, but the state in general,” Ortega said.

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Adrik Vargas

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – Imperial County is being recognized by Governor Gavin Newsom for its efforts to connect people living with severe mental illness to treatment and support services through California’s CARE Act.

The program allows family members, first responders and others to ask a court to help connect someone with mental health care before they end up in crisis.

County officials say the goal is not punishment, but getting people connected to long-term support and treatment.

“And then afterwards, if they do, then we go ahead and engage them into our intensive services and our CARE services,” said Michelle Villarreal. “We link them and do all that we really have to do.”

So far this year, 21 petitions have been submitted to CARE Court in Imperial County.

Officials say the process is meant to be collaborative, with participants helping shape their own treatment plans.

“The main goal is to reduce hospitalizations, crisis admissions and re-incarcerations or getting involved in the justice system,” said Maria Ruiz.

At the same time, some cities across the Imperial Valley have taken a stricter approach to homelessness.

In El Centro, police can charge someone with a misdemeanor if they refuse rehab or mental health services. In Calexico, camping on public or private property can lead to fines or jail time.

William Cooper, who is working to bring a wraparound housing model to northern Imperial County, believes support services are more effective than criminal penalties.

“That money can be better spent building housing, building wraparound services, mental health services,” Cooper said.

Cooper has spent several years applying for funding through Imperial County’s Continuum of Care board, which helps decide what housing projects receive county support.

His proposal would focus on expanding access to case management, behavioral health and health care services in northern parts of the county.

The latest count shows more than 1,500 people in Imperial County experienced homelessness in 2025, highlighting the ongoing gap between available resources and community needs.

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