Category: kyma-local-news

Manoah Tuiasosopo

Somerton, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Locals in Yuma celebrated Earth Day, bringing recognition to conservation and sustainability.

The Second Annual Cocopah Earth Day Festival took place at the Cocopah Reservation near Somerton on Saturday.

The event featured environmental booths, petting zoos, live music, and more.

The event’s organizer Jenn Alspach says these events plant Earth-friendly seeds in our youth’s lives.

“We’re just coming together to celebrate nature and our wonderful community that we have. It’s important to bring the kids out and learn to respect nature and plant seeds. They’re really getting hands-on out here which is wonderful,” shares Alspach.

Earth Day is right around the corner and is celebrated every year on April 22.

Andrea Turisk

YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Evelution Energy LLC says Yuma County is the ideal location for the first cobalt factory in North America. 

They say it’s not just about cobal. It’s about opportunity.

Evelution Energy’s proposed cobalt processing plant will sit on 138 acres of land in Tacna. Once completed, it will be the only facility of its kind in North America, producing battery grade cobalt sulfate.

Navaid Alam, President and CEO of Evelution Energy, says this project will have a positive impact on our community: “We would create over 33 hundred induced direct and indirect jobs and over $750 million of economic impact in the community.”

Evelution Energy says they plan to offer technical training programs at Arizona Western College to help prepare local residents for the jobs ahead.

Gil Michel-Garcia, co-founder and general council of Evelution Energy LLC says, “It’s gonna be focused on teaching our workers how to process metallurgically cobalt and copper which is a similar process. It will be spearheaded by Arizona Western College.” 

The goal is to reduce the dependence on foreign supply chains by building a fully American made solution.

“When fully operational we will be capable of supplying up to 40% of U.S. Demand,” said Michel-Garcia.

Evelution Energy says the groundbreaking isn’t happening until later this year, but planning is already underway.

Marcos Icahuate

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – With the goal of improving the academic and practical training of future engineers, Northern Arizona University in Yuma celebrated the official opening of its new mechanical engineering laboratories.

A machining laboratory, a fluid analysis laboratory, and an electrical laboratory were designed to provide students with hands-on experience close to real-life industrial environments.

The mayor of Yuma assures this is a major advancement for both the student community and the city, as it will create engineers who can study and work in the same city.

“Yuma has always had strong engineering needs, but we’ve always had to bring people from outside the city for their engineering training, and this will give Yuma the ability to raise its own people, build its own industry, which gives us the ability to control our own future. So this is a huge step forward, and we really appreciate NAU’s commitment,” said Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls.

With the opening of these new laboratories, NAU Yuma not only expands its academic offerings but also consolidates its position as one of the leading institutions for the training of highly qualified professionals.

Marcos Icahuate

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A man is dead after a workplace crash involving a semi-truck.

The Yuma Police Department (YPD) say it happened just after midnight at Priority Cooling Mann Pack. A 61-year-old man was guiding a semi truck when he was pinned between the loading truck and a loading dock.

Yuma police officers responded just after 12:30 a.m.

Sgt. Lori Franklin with YPD says, “Upon arrival we learned the semi was being driven by a 21-year-old male. He was backing up the semi and it wound up pinning the 61-year-old male against the loading dock 

The victim was taken to Onvida Health where he died from his injuries. YPD says both truck drivers were not from Arizona. 

The victim’s identity has not been released.  

“We do not believe intoxication or speed were a factor. It appears to be just an accident, but it’s still under investigation,” Sgt. Franklin shared.

We reached out to priority cooling for comment. A representative declined to speak and referred us to Mann Packing Co., but we have not received a response.  

Andrea Turisk

SOMERTON, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The daughter of U.S. Congressman Raul Grijalva is running for the seat her father held before his passing. 

Adelita Grijalva is no stranger to public service, but this race marks a new chapter. The candidate says she’s ready to bring her experience to Washington and during her visit in Somerton, she explained why connecting with others across the district is her top priority right now.

Grijalva has been a fixture in Southern Arizona politics for years. Now, she’s aiming to represent South Yuma County in Congress, hoping to honor her father’s legacy while forging a path of her own in a seat she says comes with some big shoes to fill. 

Grijalva says, “It’s so important to be that voice that people need to hear from when it comes to issues that are important to all of us like water issues, tribal sovereignty, immigration, our environment.”

Grijalva has spent more than two decades in local government, including her time on the Tucson Unified School Board and the Pima County Board of Supervisors. She says that work has prepared her to take on challenges at the federal level.

“Seeing the federal cuts at the county level and how $400 million were cut. Well, how does that impact up locally? I know that now, and that’s not the information I had before which I why I feel it’s so important fight against federal cuts,” Grijalva expressed.

Grijalva says she plans to make herself readily available to hear the concerns communities have so she can help solve these problems.

“So many things change from week to week, especially in this federal environment that we have to keep in touch. I have to be able to be a good advocate and know what’s happening because if I don’t know what’s happening, I can’t bring the concerns to Congress,” Grijalva shared.

The Special Election Primary is set for July 15 followed by another Special Election in September, where the winner of that race will get the seat.

Until then, candidates will continue to work to earn support across the district.

Abraham Retana

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – The Imperial Irrigation District (IID) says it’s celebrating Earth Day by highlighting its focus on entirely renewable resources.

Since 2018, the IID says its had a 100% coal free resource portfolio.

It’s holding an Earth Day celebration on Saturday, April 12.

The IIID plans to bring the community together and give mother nature a hand too.

“We don’t generate any electricity today through coal, in fact we’re doing more through renewable, what does that do it helps us take care of the earth as well as provide you electricity,” said Robert Schettler, IID PIO.

The free event will feature hands on activities, information booths, food, music and more.

It will be held at IID headquarters (333 E. Barioni Blvd., Imperial, CA) front lawn from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Adrik Vargas

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A local family’s full-circle story of organ donation shows how one charitable decision can breathe new life to where there was once loss.

Lynn Peralta-Daily knows the heartbreak of losing a loved one.

“He had just bought a home at age 24, he bought himself a little black lab puppy Maya, and then that day happened and our lives have never been the same again,” says Peralta-Daily.

Peralta-Daily says her son Jacob Daily died in a work-related truck crash in 2009. 

The decision to allow Jacob to be an organ donor helped their family move through their grief.

“We knew that Jacob’s passing was not in vain and that others were going to profit and live based on the donation of life that he was passing on to them,” said Peralta-Daily.

But it wouldn’t be the last time the daily family had an experience with an organ donation.

It all came full-circle when Peralta-Daily’s niece Teresa found out she herself was in need.

“It was September of ’22. I was put on life support for about three days, and after that, they had told me that I needed a heart transplant,” said Teresa Daily-Kerley.

After being diagnosed with congestive heart failure, Daily-Kerley was on the waiting list for a heart for five days.

A call in January of 2024 answered her prayers.

“Through all of this, we always remember Jacob and I think he had a hand in this, I think he was partly there to save me, and I’m blessed to have the donor network,” said Daily-Kerley.

The Daily family wants people to know that choosing to become an organ donor can change the lives of more than just one person. And that your legacy just like Jacob’s can surpass death.

“He just had a good way about him, very easy, very calm, nothing upset him, I don’t think he ever said a bad word about anyone nor anyone say bad about him.” said Peralta-Daily.

Proof that even after loss, hope and love can still grow.

For more information about organ donation, you can go to donatelife.net.

Adrik Vargas

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – In recent years, El Centro has seen more tobacco shops popping up around town.

“We’ve seen an increase in tobacco retail stores especially in our downtown area, and the location is sometimes linked to neighborhood complaints, crime, and deterioration of the surrounding area,” says Hernandez.

But city leaders and public health officials say it’s not about shutting shops down. It’s about collaborating on thoughtful solutions.

“We wanna work with existing tobacco retail stores, see how we can work together to develop thoughtful zoning and regulations, to help them succeed but also protect the public health,” says Hernandez

The 45-day ban gives city leaders time to gather feedback and figure out what future rules could look like.

“What we wanna take right now is take this time to thoroughly assess the impacts and also establish what kind of smart regulations we can apply,” says Hernandez

For now, the 45-day ban gives city officials time to study the issue — and figure out what long-term rules could look like.

“After 45 days, we will appear in front of city council, and we’re likely gonna have to extend the moratorium,” says Hernandez.

It’s a process that could shape how future tobacco shops fit into El Centro’s neighborhoods.

Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Residents across Yuma County attended and participated in the annual Walk for Autism event Saturday morning.

The event, hosted by Strong Beginnings, took place at Gateway Park at 8:00 a.m., with the walk starting at 9:00 a.m.

The event was to raise awareness and support for autism as April is Autism Awareness Month.

Local vendors and organizations, such as the Yuma Police Department (YPD) and Onvida Health, participated in the event, with YPD handing out Autism Awareness Month patches and stickers.

Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls was also on hand to present a proclamation during the event.

“Therefore, I, Douglas J. Nicholls, Mayor of the City of Yuma, Arizona, do hereby proclaim April 2025 as Autism Awareness Month in Yuma, Arizona, and encourage all residents, businesses and organizations to support autism awareness, acceptance and inclusion efforts throughout our community,” Mayor Nicholls declared.

According to Strong Beginnings, last year, over 600 people participated in the walk, which is a 5K course.

If anyone missed out on the event, and would like to donate to Strong Beginnings to help provide support to those in need, click here.

Adrik Vargas

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – Wait times to get an Autism diagnosis can stretch for months in Imperial County.

A local organization is hoping to change that by bringing screenings closer to home.

Getting an autism diagnosis in Imperial County isn’t always easy. Limited providers and long wait times can leave families without answers for months or even traveling out of the county for help.

“And that’s usually due to the limitations in service providers and clinical psychologists available in our county, or transportation difficulties…If they have to reschedule and there’s nothing available, it delays them possibly getting diagnosed,” said Abby Martinez, Behavior Specialist.

But now, a first-of-its-kind mobile diagnosis unit, called George and Audrey is hitting the road. Come May, it’ll be staffed with clinical professionals trained in the gold-standard ADOS evaluation, thanks to a team effort between San Diego State and UC Riverside.

“It’s a team approach, so it makes it multifaceted, it’s not just one lens of an experienced clinician, but the lens of many,” said Martinez.

James Gonzalez with Autism Support of Imperial County says creating the mobile unit has always been about speeding up that process.

“We’re just hoping to be able to fast track a lot of families and their services, that’s the goal.” said Gonzalez.

And for families looking to learn more, they’ll get a chance this weekend.

“We’ll have the mobile unit there to give tours, and answer questions for any family, and SDRC will be there too to answer any questions.” said Gonzalez.

The unit will be at the Fourth annual Autism Fair and 5K at Eager Park, Saturday from 12 to 4 p.m., complete with live music and resources for local families.

“It’s the first of its kind in all of California…and it’s here in Imperial,” said Gonzalez.

For more information on the application process, head to ASIC.LOVE.