Category: kyma-local-news

Adrik Vargas

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A free helpline that connects Arizonans to housing, food, utilities, healthcare, and other critical resources could be at risk without more funding.

211 Arizona, operated by Solari Crisis and Human Services, uses live operators to guide callers step-by-step to get the help they need.

“Not helping people with these basic needs upstream ends up being very costly and expensive downstream,” said Tara Bingdazzo with 211 Arizona. “Investing in 211 saves our state and our taxpayers a lot of money down the road.”

Without new funding, Bingdazzo says the service could lose its live operators or shut down completely.

“If we can help somebody with their basic needs today, helping their children get food, helping them find shelter, then that prevents them from being in a life-threatening emergency down the road,” she said.

Governor Katie Hobbs secured state funding for the program this year, and APS contributed more than $1 million to support it. However, that funding only runs through June 2026.

“Since COVID March of 2020, 211 Arizona has been operating year to year with one-year grants with really no promise of another year after that,” Bingdazzo explained. “So we have perpetually been in a position every year securing funding for the next year.”

The help 211 provides can’t be replaced.

“Live answer and a call agent can help ask questions that that person isn’t asking for themself. You know, why are you having trouble paying your power bill? Is it because you’ve lost work? Perhaps there’s some vocational rehab services that would also benefit you so that you can get back on top of things.” she said.

In June alone, more than 52,000 Arizonans called 211 for help.

Bingdazzo says the best way people can help is by letting elected officials know how vital 211 is and by continuing to use the service themselves.

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Karina Bazarte

JACUMBA, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – A married couple from Brawley are going viral after claiming they were racially profiled when Border Patrol stopped them.

The couple says they were on their way to the dentist in San Diego, but decided to stop in the area Jacumba last week.

That’s when George and Esmeralda Doilez who are U.S. citizens were stopped by a Border Patrol agent.

“We saw white trucks that were not marked either going back and forth but we didn’t think anything of it because we are American Citizens why should we be scared in our own county,” said George.

The couple said the agents were first wearing masks and lower it when he started talking.

George says the agent claimed he was looking for an undocumented person in the area and he was doing U-turns. That’s when his wife decided to record the whole encounter.

“It all happened in the first ten minutes where he switched it came from an illegal Mexican on the loose…a drug dealer activity going on and possible smuggling, and then it turned into I’m just out here for a YouTube experience and called me a YouTuber several times, and we have never had a YouTube account till now,” George shared.

Esmeralda says she was scared because she didn’t know what was going to happen.

“The guy next to me was so jumpy I did not know. I had my seatbelt on and I kept thinking, ‘Okay, if they do mash the window and they try to pull me out I have my seatbelt on and I am going to get chocked and I didn’t want to get my belt off because oh she is trying to do something,” said Esmeralda.

In the video, you can see George pulls out his I.D. and puts it on the window for the agent to see. The agent then sees the I.D.

George says Border Patrol called a K9 unit to search their car and found a small amount of legally purchased marijuana.

After the search, in the video you can hear the agent saying he can seize their vehicle and ticket them for having cannibas, instead let the couple go off with a warning.

The couple believes they were racially profiled and that other people could also fall victim. .

“If you are a person of color brown, yellow, pink…whatever you are, if you don’t fit their description and their ethnicity you are in trouble and at risk of being searched,” said George.

The encounter lasted for about 40 minutes, and Border Patrol has not commented on the stop.

Watch the full YouTube video here.

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Manoah Tuiasosopo

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – In just its second year, The Army JROTC program at Yuma High School is showing impressive growth.

The Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps focuses on leadership development, discipline, and community service.

The program requires students to maintain strong academics, participate in drill and ceremony, and serve on color guard teams.

JROTC offers a wide range of benefits whether students plan to pursue a military career or simply want to build confidence and character.

Yuma Union High School District (YUHSD) says the program was created in response to the student’s requests.

“That was from student demand. It’s not easy to get a ROTC or JROTC in our schools. Students were interested in it. It’s one of the most popular classes at Yuma High School and it will continue to grow as well,” says Eric Patten, the Chief Communications Officer at YUHSD.

The district hopes the program can grow to compete at the national level alongside other JROTC programs like the Rifle Team at Kofa High School.

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Karina Bazarte

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – The Imperial Valley Mall will be hosting a fashion show this weekend in honor of the first week of school.

Alicia Swaim, General Manager of the mall, says the clothing store Dillard’s will be modeling their back to school and fall season clothing.

She says Dillard’s will have about 20 models and music will be provided by DJ Vibe.

“It has been a while since we’ve had a fashion show, so this will be the first one that we had in quite sometime. It will be one before out food court gets remodeled. We are going to do a complete remodel, [and] we are under new ownership,” Swaim expressed.

The fashion show is set to begin at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 16 at the Imperial Valley Food Court.

The event is free and open to the public.

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Madeline Murray

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A man is behind bars after hitting an 11-year-old girl on the corner of Woodard Junior High School and leaving the scene of the crash.

The Yuma Police Department (YPD) says the girl was riding her bike when she was hit by a car while using the crosswalk Friday.

When police arrived at the scene, the driver, a 31-year-old man, had already taken off, but he did turn himself in the next day.

YPD says if anyone is ever in this situation, do not panic and stay at the scene.

“One thing we want to ask the public is, you know, if you get into an accident, most of the time, it is a civil traffic violation, so you just get a small ticket, your not going to go to jail…just remain on scene, because once you leave the scene of an accident without remaining there until police arrival, it turns into a misdemeanor offense, and then, that’s when you get jail time.”

Hayato Johnson, Public Information Officer, Yuma Police Department

A neighbor, Flora Garcia, says she’s not surprised it happened saying, “It’s too much irresponsibility of the cars that go through here, they take U-turns in the middle of the street right in front of the entrance, I’ve seen them do it there before.”

Garcia says it can sometimes even be parents who cause chaos during drop-off and pick-up times.

“Parents come picking up their kids in a rush, I don’t know if it’s ’cause they are just getting out of work, but they are in a rush,” Garcia explained.

YPD says officers respond to similar issues in school zones on an average of one to two times a week, and would like to remind drivers to pay attention to the road.

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The City of Yuma has announced Tacos and Tunes will return this October.

The event will kick off Friday, October 3 with a car show happening from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Main Street.

People will have the chance to see an array of vintage cars while listening to live music from the Big Boss Band.

However, there will be a new feature for this year’s Tacos and Tunes is all the events will take place during the evening, which the City of Yuma calls “Tacos and Tunes Under the Stars.”

That event takes place Saturday, October 4 from 5:00 p.m. to midnight, where attendees can enjoy food and beverages, live music and cast their vote for their favorite taco vendor to be crowned this year’s Taco King.

“This event continues to grow and bring our community together through the things we all love—great food, music, and connection,” said Brissa Garcia, Special Events Coordinator. “We can’t wait to welcome everyone downtown for another unforgettable weekend!”

To learn more about this, click here.

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Dillon Fuhrman

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – The City of El Centro has announced they are launching the 2025 Mayor of the Day Essay Contest Monday.

According to a press release, the program is to help “engage young people in civic education and encourage the next generation of community leaders.”

“This program gives our youth a platform to express their ideas and be part of the conversation about our city’s future,” said Mayor Sonia Carter. “We’re excited to hear directly from students and give them a hands-on look at how local government works.”

The contest, according to the City of El Centro, is open for seventh through 12th grade students, with those who participates in the contest submitting an original essay answering the question, “If you were Mayor of El Centro for a Day, what action would you take?”

“Students are encouraged to be specific and thoughtful in describing what they would do to make El Centro a better place and how they would accomplish it,” the City said.

Participants are also required to follow these guidelines:

Essay must be at least 500 words

Typed and submitted on an 8.5 x 11 page format

One essay per student

“Five students will be selected to participate in the Mayor for a Day program,” the City says while adding that “each student will be paired with a City Council member and will have the opportunity to shadow them during a City Council meeting.”

The submission processed opened Monday and will go until September 19, with the winners being announced on October 8.

The Mayor for a Day Council meeting will take place on October 21.

To learn more about this, read the press release, written in English and Spanish, below.

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Skylar Heisey

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Local entrepreneurs will once again have the chance to pitch their business ideas in front of a live audience as the Arizona Western College Small Business Development Center (SBDC) hosts its third annual “Cultivating the Future: Plant, Pitch, and Prosper” event.

The competition, scheduled for October 23 from 4 to 6 p.m., will be held as part of the SBDC’s largest event of the year.

The event is like the TV show “Shark Tank,” but with a supportive twist as participants will deliver a five-minute pitch presentation to a panel of judges and a room full of community members and leaders.

SBDC Director Crystal Mendoza says the event is designed to encourage and prepare entrepreneurs in Yuma County, whether they’re in the early stages of developing a business or already running one.

“This event is specifically for those who want to bring their passion to life,” Mendoza said. “We’re here to support our entrepreneurs and help them develop their pitch presentation.”

To prepare for the competition, registered participants can attend a series of four workshops hosted by SBDC’s experienced business counselors.

These sessions are aimed at fine-tuning pitches and building presentation skills. Competitors will also have the opportunity to network with more than 100 expected attendees, including local business leaders.

The competition is open to all entrepreneurs and prizes will be awarded. For community members who want to attend, tickets are $40 and include dinner, networking opportunities, and a chance to cheer on local talent.

Those interested in competing or attending can register and find more information HERE.

“It’s going to be a gala atmosphere,” Mendoza added. “We want the community to come out, have dinner, and support the incredible talent we have here.”

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) is investigating a crash which left one person dead and one person injured.

According to a press release, the crash happened before 6:00 a.m. Sunday in the area of W. Eighth Street and S. Alicia Avenue.

YCSO says a 1993 GMC Sierra 3500 dually was driving westbound on Eighth Street when a 2019 Kia Forte LXS crashed “into the rear of the GMC Sierra at high speed.”

YCSO says their deputies, along with Rural Metro Fire, responded to the area to perform “life-saving measures on the driver of the Kia Forte.”

However, the driver, identified as 20-year-old Izaak Dominguez of Somerton, was pronounced dead at the scene. Next of kin was notified, YCSO says.

The driver of the GMC Sierra was taken to Onvida Health for minor injuries, according to YCSO.

While alcohol appears to be a factor in the crash, the investigation remains ongoing. If anyone has any information regarding the case, call YCSO at (928) 783-4427, or 78-CRIME to remain anonymous.

You can also visit YCSO’s website to submit an anonymous tip.

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Paul Vozzella

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – An MX park recently opened up in Yuma and the new owners are ready to draw in bike riders near and far.

The park is located at 13000 S Carlotta Ave, in the area of W. County 13th Street and the East Main Canal.

Co-owners Jeren Ostberg and Bobby Lee are preparing a local track for riders of all ages and experiences. Even in their short span of time, they have gotten a glimpse of how bright the future could be.

After spending close to ninety hours renovating the park in their first week of ownership, Happy Track opened up to the public and the results wowed the owners.

“When I seen the people that showed up, I was like ‘woah,’ I’m like, ‘they really did come,’ and it’s kind of, it’s, it’s, even to us it’s kind of, like, going way better than we thought. You know what I mean? It kind of lifts your morale to everybody because you see, kinda, that hope and light at the end of the tunnel.”

Even for owners who have dreamt of what they can turn the park into for riders of all ages, they have one priority set straight: make the bike park a special place for the younger generation.

“Where we can see this thing going surpasses anything I can fathom, but like I said, we’re trying to get all these little guys out here and just have somewhere to go to have an outlet to go out there and relieve stress, and bike therapy,” Ostberg shared.

Ostberg and Lee have rental bikes available for first-timers and are welcoming anyone to drive up with their own bikes. They are offering membership deals along with per-park trip fees and spectator fees.

You can follow them on Instagram and Facebook, or contact them directly for more information at (619) 928-8297.

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