Category: kyma-local-news

Jessamyn Dodd

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – May marks Jewish American Heritage Month, honoring over 350 years of Jewish contributions to American history.

From science and medicine to the men and women who built Hollywood, Jewish Americans have helped shape the nation’s story for generations.

Officially recognized in 2006 under President George W. Bush, the history dates back centuries, starting with Jews arriving in North America in 1654, to Jewish immigrants fleeing Nazi occupation and finding their way to California.

Imperial County’s Assistant Public Defender Daniel Rosenberg says it’s important for American Jews to know their history, religion, and culture.

He praised Cynthia and Wayne Harvie, a Brawley couple who have kept Imperial County’s only synagogue alive for decades.

“There are people that are still alive today. People like the Harvie’s who maintain Judaism here in the community in Imperial County without any compensation,” Rosenberg said.

“They’re just doing it because it’s their way of giving back to the community and that’s so important,” he added.

The synagogue’s visitor book dated back to 1943.

Rosenberg does not shy away from wearing his heritage proudly, donning a kippah and tzitzit every day, even while in the courtroom.

Rosenberg said that because of the way he looks, he is constantly being asked questions that are clearly based on misinformation.

“The reason why it’s specifically so important nowadays is because of how much misinformation unfortunately is found online. You go online and you see the hate and you see the vitriol and you see the venomous libels—things are found there. And the only way to combat that is through knowledge,” he said.

Rosenberg credits his mother, his grandmother Goldie Rosenberg, and his wife, Devorah, as inspiration in his life.

He pointed out other Jewish Americans like Jonas Salk, who helped develop the polio vaccine, choosing not to patent it in an effort to keep the vaccine affordable and accessible.

“I have a laundry list of people who are very important to me,” Rosenberg explained.

Judith Klein Pritchard’s family escaped Austria and Poland during the Holocaust. She still holds on to a letter her father wrote when he was 14 to the U.S. government, begging for a visa for his family.

She said the family was alerted by a former friend of theirs turned Nazi soldier , that a train was to pick them up the next day and take them to a concentration camp. They escaped and ended up in Italy, where a group of nuns hid them until they were able to make their way to America.

“It’s very important that people remember. It’s unfortunate that people have forgotten. We are a small section of the worldwide population, and yet even to this day, we have been earmarked for, I honestly believe, destruction,” Pritchard said.

Both sides of Pritchard’s family were affected by the Holocaust.

This month is also a reminder of education, cultural understanding, and sharing stories of all cultures across Imperial County.

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Yuma Union High School District’s (YUHSD) Mastery of the Arts Program, commonly known as MAP, hosted their annual gala Tuesday night.

The event showcased students’ visual art projects as well as performing arts, emceed by the podcasting class offered in the program.

Program Executive Director Lauren Spurlock said, “It’s a student-ran production, so our theater technology class does all of the lights and sound…We have them backstage moving props and things, so every part of it is student-produced, and our podcasting class functions as our emcees tonight.”

Students work collaboratively with community artists and educators. One student, Chloe-Marie Keim, says the program has helped her grow as an artist.

“It’s really helped me grow especially as an artist there’s a lot more in-depth experience,” Keim explained.

MAP is designed for all YUHSD students who are interested in the arts. The program is open to students in ninth through 12th grade.

For students interested in MAP, there is an application process that you can check out here.

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma labor force shrank by 6.9% year over year. Experts say it’s because more people are starting to retire.

According to the City of Yuma, the leading demographic of age in Yuma is 65+. The population of retired residents in Yuma makes up between 15 to 19%.

Doug Walls, the Labor Market Information Director, said, “Over the past few months, we’ve seen some declines in the labor force and that could be for a number of reasons that can be because people are aging out of the labor force. Individuals who are looking for a job and weren’t able to find that, became discouraged, and left the labor force.”

Arizona is seeing an aging population of individuals 65 and older expecting to retire out of the labor force, which should leave a gap for the new workforce to come in.

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Moses Femino

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Onvida Health is receiving national recognition during National Nurses Week after being named one of Nursegrid’s “Great Workplaces for Nurses” in 2026, placing the organization among a select group of hospitals nationwide highlighted for strong nursing environments.

Out of 7,700 facilities represented on the Nursegrid platform, Onvida Health was one of just 204 hospitals across the country to earn the distinction.

The recognition is based entirely on feedback from frontline nurses, focusing on workplace culture, leadership support, collaboration among care teams and opportunities for professional growth.

Onvida Health’s Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, Cassie Mueller, says the honor reflects the organization’s ongoing commitment to its nursing staff and the environment they work in every day.

“What sets us apart is the alignment with our purpose of building a healthier tomorrow,” Mueller said. “This is our community where all of us live. We want to see the best health care for our friends, for our community members, for our patients here.”

Onvida Health says the recognition is also a reflection of the teamwork and support nurses experience throughout their healthcare system as they continue providing valuable care for patients across Yuma County.

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Lynette Niebla

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) – The wait is finally over for “Caniacs” across the Imperial Valley as Raising Cane’s officially opened its doors Tuesday.

The grand opening drew in massive crowd of hundreds of eager fans, with some even camping out overnight in lawn chairs and blankets to be the first in line.

By the time the doors officially swung open, a massive crowd of fans stretched across the storefront while cars wrapped entirely around the building, creating a double-loop of excitement for both the lobby and the drive-thru.

Located at 2299 N. Imperial Avenue, just north of Interstate 8, the new restaurant kicked off its grand opening with a vibrant celebration.

The festivities began early Tuesday morning with a “Lucky 20” raffle, awarding 20 lucky customers free Raising Cane’s for a year.

The event featured a strong local presence, including performances by the Central Union High School Cheerleaders and an appearance by the Drifters Car Club.

A live DJ provided the soundtrack for the morning, followed by a special midday appearance by local radio personality Rudy “El Rudo” and a performance by Mariachi Acero Del Valle.

Inside, the restaurant pays homage to El Centro’s heritage with custom décor featuring local landmarks like the Algodones Dunes and tributes to hometown icons and sports teams.

The new location offers extended hours for late-night cravings:

Sunday – Thursday: 9 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Friday – Saturday: 9 a.m. to 3 a.m.

Raising Cane’s is known for a focused menu of hand-battered chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, texas toast, and their signature Cane’s Sauce, which was recently named the most craveable sauce in the industry.

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Adrik Vargas

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KYMA) – People on both sides of the border are sharing their thoughts on how the changes at the San Luis Port of Entry is impacting them.

Last month, the San Luis Port of Entry opened eight lanes, two for sentry travelers and six for all traffic, and there will be eight more lanes when construction finishes.

The new border crossing will be at Second Street in San Luis, Mexico and will come in to the U.S. through William Brooks Avenue and Urtuzuastegui Street.

When we spoke with San Luis, Arizona Mayor Nieves Riedel last month, she says the new access will boost the local businesses.

While the U.S. side of the project appears more complete, construction and changes on the Mexico side is impacting traffic flow.

The Mexico side of the border exit is still under construction, leading to frustration for border crossers as temperatures begin to rise.

“Over there, you still don’t really see much action that makes you feel like it’s close to being finished yet. So, it’s a mess either way,” said Maria Robles, a resident of San Luis, Arizona.

Residents in San Luis, Arizona say the new pedestrian routes are forcing people to walk much farther than before, making it difficult for elderly people and those carrying groceries or luggage.

“Why do they make us walk so far? Me, I’m older. I have to carry groceries sometimes, I get exhausted. I think they should make the exit right here, I don’t know why Mexico hasn’t finished their exit,” said Emma Ruelles, another resident of San Luis, Arizona.

Residents say they hope Mexican authorities can speed up construction to help ease delays and make crossing the border easier.

“It’s just way too…unnecessary. The detour is so long, both coming in and going out,” said Rafael Guerrero, who works on Main Street.

Guerrero says it’s also affecting businesses on Main Street since people now have to go around the long way instead of walking straight in like before.

“My suggestion would be to open the path [on Main Street] so people can cross more easily,” Guerrero explained.

As of right now, no date is set for construction to be finished, and border crossers say they hope the changes improve traffic flow in the long run.

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Madeline Murray

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Onvida Health has announced its team has successfully performed its first Y-90 treatment procedure targeting liver tumors.

For patients unable to undergo surgery, doctors say the treatment can be life-changing.

“As long as they follow up and everything looks good, then they can actually be transplanted, so it’s a very powerful thing,” said Dr. Kamalani Hanamaika’i.

Dr. Hanamaika’i explained that some liver cancer patients may not initially qualify for a transplant because their tumors fall outside accepted transplant criteria.

However, Y-90 treatment can sometimes shrink or destroy tumors enough to make transplantation possible.

The procedure, Y-90, uses a radioactive isotope attached to tiny beads. Doctors deliver the beads directly into the blood vessels feeding the tumor.

“An isotope that emits radiation, and we place it on beads, and we take those beads and place them into a cancer,” Hanamaika’i said. “It basically causes damage to the cancer and the tissues that it is infused with, and then that can many times kill the tumor.”

Doctors say the process is highly regulated and carefully planned from diagnosis through treatment delivery to ensure the radiation remains focused only on the intended area of the liver.

“Everything from the inception of diagnosing the cancer, planning the cancer, making sure that if we gave the radiation to the liver that it stays,” Hanamaika’i said. “And then also with delivery making sure that when we deliver, we did a good job keeping it in the liver just to the area we wanted to treat.”

The treatment can help shrink or control cancer and, in some cases, create opportunities for future surgery or even a liver transplant.

Because the radioactive beads travel only a short distance inside the body, physicians say the therapy is both precise and effective while minimizing damage to healthy tissue.

Patients who may benefit from Y-90 are typically referred through the Onvida Health Cancer Center after a liver tumor is identified and surgery is no longer considered an option.

“It takes a lot, it’s not like any other therapy,” Hanamaika’i said. “This is a very unique therapy that, if applied very well, has miraculous results.”

Doctors say Y-90 treatment is usually completed in a single day, allowing most patients to return home afterward while experiencing fewer side effects and a quicker recovery compared to more invasive procedures.

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Moses Femino

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Yuma Police Department (YPD) detectives are continuing to investigate a deadly shooting that happened Saturday night and left two men dead.

According to YPD, officers first responded around 7:45 p.m. to reports of shots fired and a man down near Third Street and 13th Avenue.

Police say they located a 67-year-old male who was unresponsive and began life-saving measures.

“On Saturday night, at about 7:45 p.m. we received a call reference. Shots fired and a man down, 300 block of 13th Avenue,” Sgt. Lori Franklin, Public Information Officer for YPD, said.

Police sat investigators later identified a 55-year-old man as the suspected shooter. Authorities say the suspect left the scene in a vehicle before officers recieved another call just minutes later.

“At approximately 7:57 p.m., so not too long afterwards, we received a call reference attempted suicide. And that was in the 1700 block of Fifth Avenue,” Franklin said.

Officers responded to the second scene involving the suspect. Police say both men were transported to Onvida Health, where they later died.

YPD confirmed the two men knew each other, but investigators have not released details about what led up to the shooting.

“They were known to each other,” Franklin said. “Exactly what caused this [has] not been released at this time.”

The investigation remains ongoing.

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The City of Yuma says this project is going to be a one-stop transportation center.

Jennifer Reichelt with the City of Yuma said, “So really making it into a one stop shop for services like YCAT, Amtrak, Greyhound, a lot of services we have in our community, but they’re not consolidated in one location so, this will make it a one stop shop for our residents.”

The facility will serve multiple transportation services in one centralized location.

“Instead of having to go to one location to buy tickets, or to get on the Amtrak train, or go find the Greyhound bus, you’re going to have one centralized location,” Reichelt said.

The project will enhance public transportation for residents and preserve the historic character of the Hotel Del Sol site.

David Wostenberg with the City of Yuma said, “The transportation center will be about 3,000 square feet on the east side of the bottom floor, and will have exhibits showing what was in the Hotel Del Sol, giving a little bit about the history and the decor that was in there including the wood celling’s beams and the fire place.”

According to the City of Yuma, the Hotel Del Sol project will cost $19.8 million and is primarily funded through federal and state grants, with the city providing required matching funds.

Construction is expected to start in September and open in a few years.

“Hoping in late of 28 or late of 29,” Wostenberg said.

As the Hotel Del Sol becomes a public transportation site, it will serve the entire community.

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Moses Femino

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Devoted Few Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club presented a $1,000 donation to the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) Explorer Program during a meeting Monday night, helping support local youth involved in the program.

The Explorer Program is part of the Learning for Life career education initiative and is designed for young men and women ages 14 through 20.

The program gives participants opportunities to learn about careers in law enforcement, build leadership skills and participate in community service activities.

Officials say the donation will help the group purchase new uniforms for its members.

Members of the Devoted Few LEMC said supporting the Explorer Porgram was meaningful because many members of the club are current or former law enforcement officers.

“Our motorcycle club is basically a majority of law enforcement officers, either present or former,” Mike Cadriel, the President of the Devoted Few LEMC, said. “So just having that tie together with what we’re supporting and going back with the YCSO, really makes a difference especially for the younger kids.”

The YCSO Explorer Programs partners with local law enforcement to give young people hands-on experience and mentorship opportunities while preparing them for future careers and community involvement.

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