Category: kyma-local-news

Skylar Heisey

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A man has been sentenced to three years of probation after a fight during a softball tournament earlier this year left another man seriously injured.

Nofoa Fagaima, 27, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault.

The fight happened during a men’s softball game at the Pacific Avenue Athletic Complex in May of this year.

Court documents said Fagaima punched another man in the face, causing fractures to his orbital bone and nose.

The victim’s family said the injuries could have long-term effects, including trouble eating and being unable to drive.

Click here to follow the original article.

Skylar Heisey

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma doctor accused of using his patients to steal millions of dollars from Medicaid pleaded guilty in court Friday.

Dr. Irfan Fazil, 54, pleaded guilty to fraud, illegal control of an enterprise, theft, and illegal procurement of a dangerous drug.

Under the plea agreement, Dr. Fazil, who founded Bio Family Clinic, will serve 7.5 years in prison for the fraud and illegal control of an enterprise charges.

Fazil will also serve 7.5 years of probation for the theft and dangerous drug charges, as well as lose his medical license and DEA registration.

As part of the agreement, Fazil must provide passwords for his cellphones and laptops, forfeit assets including planes and cars, and turn over all financial records.

Fazil, who will also have to pay $36 million in restitution to ACCHS, is scheduled to be sentenced on October 2.

Click here to follow the original article.

Jessamyn Dodd

WESTMORLAND, Calif. (KYMA) – When temperatures start climbing, schools in Imperial County have to make some changes to keep students safe.

The Westmorland Elementary School District (WESD) monitors the heat throughout the day, and depending on conditions, the school may add extra shade and water breaks, or move activities like recess and lunch indoors.

Educators use an app to check the daily conditions.

“It’s a heat safety app, and the app shows two temperatures. It shows a heat index and a wet bulb temperature. So, every morning throughout the day, we check the app…if it hits red or black on the app, then we go to indoor recess, indoor lunch, indoor PE,” said Rauna Fox with WESD.

WESD provides updates through their website, and families can get notifications about changes affecting their children.

Click here to follow the original article.

Moses Femino

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A recent Border Patrol operation in the Yuma area resulted in the arrest of 95 commercially licensed truck drivers, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The week-long operation ran from August 10 through August 14, and was conducted with local law enforcement partners.

CBP said the operation targeted drug and human smuggling and resulted in 183 total arrests involving people from 18 different countries.

CBP says all 95 commercial drivers had valid state-issued commercial driver’s licenses but were unauthorized to be in the country.

Of those licenses, 76 were issued in California and six were issued in New York. None were issued in Arizona.

The operation also led agents to stop two human-smuggling attempts involving 21 people. Authorities also seized a firearm, methamphetamine and marijuana.

The arrests have raised concerns among some local truck drivers about safety and competition within the trucking industry.

Tommy Chappell, a Georgia native and longtime truck driver of over 15 years, says improperly trained or unqualified drivers can create dangerous conditions on the road.

“It’s dangerous when they can’t even read the street signs. It’s real bad,” Chappell said. “Not to mention the jobs that they’re taking, which lowers our pay.”

Toby Norman, the manager of Yuma Truck Driving On-Site School, said proper training is critical for anyone entering the industry.

“Obviously proper training is paramount,” Norman said. “It’s a lot of responsibility driving the truck. It’s not as easy as people might think it is from watching the movies. So we make sure they get plenty of practice and wheel time.”

This marks the second major enforcement operation involving commercial drivers in the Yuma Sector this year. A similar operation in June resulted in 52 arrests, including 36 semi-truck drivers.

Federal officials continue to increase their focus on commercial driver safety and immigration enforcement.

Click here to follow the original article.

Dillon Fuhrman

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – Firefighters are battling a vegetation fire in Imperial County Friday morning.

According to WatchDuty, the fire is burning in the area of Harris Road and Highway 86, north of Imperial.

So far, there isn’t any reports of how many acres it burned, nor how much of the fire has been contained.

To keep up-to-date on the fire, click here.

Click here to follow the original article.

Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Buckin’ for Bridget and Silver Spur Rodeo, Inc. are holding a dine and donate fundraising event later this month.

The event is taking place at Texas Roadhouse, located at 594 E. 16th Street, Thursday, September 17, from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.

This is to support Buckin’ for Bridget, and those who attend must present the flyer to Texas Roadhouse, where they will donate 10% of customers’ food purchases to the organization.

In addition, there is a raffle where those who attend can win a ride-on truck and trailer.

For more information about the upcoming event, call Tina McCash at 928-920-6299, or Michael Leifeste at 928-210-3395.

Click here to follow the original article.

Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Gila Mountain United Methodist Church Blood Drive is happening later this month.

The blood drive is taking place at Callaway Hall, located at 12716 N. Frontage Road, Saturday, September 12, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For those who donate between September 11 and September 30, Vitalant will give donors a Halloween T-shirt, as well as entering to win one of two $10,000 gift cards.

To schedule the appointment, click here, enter Blood Drive Code: Gilamntn, or scan the QR code on the post.

For more information on the blood drive, call the church’s office at 928-342-0345.

Click here to follow the original article.

Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma Police Department (YPD) is asking the community’s help in locating a missing person.

In a post on Facebook, 16-year-old Alexandra Becerra was reported to have run away from her home within the Yuma city limits last month.

However, YPD said she was upgraded to a missing teen after she didn’t contact her family.

Becerra is described by YPD as a Hispanic girl, five-feet, five-inches tall, weighing 170 pounds, and has blue hair and brown eyes.

YPD said she was last seen wearing a black and gray-striped shirt, blue jeans and left the home with an unknown person in a black four-door sedan without permission.

“Becerra is known to frequent the Quechan and Cocopah Indian Reservations,” YPD said.

If anyone has seen Becerra, or know of her whereabouts, call YPD at 928-783-4421, or 78-CRIME at 928-7463 to remain anonymous.

Click here to follow the original article.

Jessamyn Dodd

IMPERIAL, Calif. (KYMA) – Sara Solorzano, who works in Rep. Raul Ruiz’s (D-Calif.) Imperial Valley office, is running for Imperial City Council this November.

Rep. Ruiz has publicly endorsed Solorzano.

One of the biggest topics of the year is a proposed data center in the city of Imperial. Solorzano has attended several Board of Supervisors meetings, town halls, and City Council meetings, tracking the progress and lawsuits attached to the project.

“In regards to the data center, I am for growth and for development, and diversifying our revenue for the city,” she told News 11 in an interview.

“Except that we need to prioritize, and I will be committed to prioritizing the environment and the health and safety of our residents,” she said.

“That comes first over any project or any investment is the health and safety and the environmental impacts,” she assured.

Solorzano said public safety, especially when it comes to first responders, is a priority for her as a former Emergency Medical Technician.

“I’m committed to public safety and continuing to strengthen that. I know it’s key to have the resources and the equipment you need available at your hands,” she explained.

With recent crime among teenagers in the City of Imperial, Solorzano said she wants to work with other city council members to come up with crime prevention solutions to keep children and teens on the right path.

“I know how important it is for youth in the communities to have resources and recreational activities and opportunities,” Solorzano stated.

Solorzano is planning a campaign meet and greet fundraiser at Raspalandia in Imperial on September 8.

For a complete list of candidates News 11 is following, click here.

Click here to follow the original article.

Abigahil Padilla

SOMERTON, Ariz. (KYMA) – The City of Somerton is getting closer to completing a major downtown improvement project.

The project is designed to give Downtown Somerton a new look, with upgrades aimed at making the area more vibrant and walkable.

Planned improvements include new sidewalks, an arched entry monument, and more seating for community gatherings.

However, the construction has also meant road closures, and local businesses said they’ve felt the impact.

“Once it’s finished, it will be great, but right now it does affect our business a little bit, especially because fewer people are coming in since the street is closed to traffic,” said Jorge Barrera, owner of Icon Barber Shop.

Business owner hope the finished project will bring more people and more business to Downtown Somerton.

The project is expected to completed next month.

Click here to follow the original article.