(Editor's note: Upon further investigation we learned that Alyssa Plaza's teaching certification is still listed as active on the Arizona Department of Education website It will be up to the ADE to decide if her certification is suspended or removed) KECY) - Somerton cheerleading coach Alyssa Plaza has been terminated by the Yuma Union High School District The school board made the decision official during their board meeting on Wednesday unanimously agreeing to make the termination final as the district's decision comes following her taking measures to protect her only male cheerleader from bullying "What had happened was that he was being bullied in the locker room said that he was not feeling safe," Plaza said Plaza had created a system to allow for the athlete to change inside the girl's locker room "His conditions were that there was to be nobody (else) changing the other teams had to be gone," Plaza said Plaza then says she was informed by the school of an investigation into the boy's use of the girls' locker room "I showed up to work six weeks ago and they called me into the office they just kind of told me that I was on reassignment which wasn't anything disciplinary," Plaza said she was never contacted by anyone from the district to get her side of the story "The fact that they did an investigation but never asked me any questions is what kind of hurt me a lot," Plaza said KYMA reached out to both Somerton's athletic director and YUHSD both of whom said they could not comment on personnel matters Luis Lopez covers sports and weather for KYMA You can contact him at luis.lopez@kecytv.com KYMA KECY is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Community Guidelines | FCC Applications | Jobs/Internships | Do Not Sell My Personal Information A Somerton woman was terminated from her position as a cheerleading coach and physical education teacher at Somerton High School after she says she made accommodations for a male cheerleader who was being bullied at school for his sexual orientation Alyssa Plaza tells KAWC she did not receive any warnings from school administration when she allowed student Alejandro Perez to change in a space other than the boys locker room and restroom where he did not feel safe It was reported to school or district officials that the student was allowed to change in the girls locker room Plaza said he was changing in a storage room when the nurse's room was not available the Yuma Union High School District board voted 4-0 to terminate Plaza following the recommendation of Superintendent Tim Brienza The board is comprised of president Jacqueline Kravitz vice president Christy Cradic and board members Carlos Gonzalez and Shelly Mellon Board member David Lara was absent from the April meeting Plaza said the bullying began last year but escalated this year "I could tell his demeanor has changed," Plaza said you can tell when a student is acting different "He told me the bullying is back and has gotten worse he told me 'some students are saying I should kill myself.' I said to myself I can't believe this is happening." KAWC contacted a YUHSD official who did confirm Plaza's termination but said that district officials "are not legally permitted to comment further on personnel matters." A petition on change.org calling on the board to reinstate Plaza had just under 24,000signatures as of Tuesday afternoon but she said she didn't expect the district to bring her back "All I'm asking for is not only my teaching credential to be back but I do want an apology from the school board," Plaza said A YUSHD official said the district does not determine whether or not to suspend a teaching credential but that that is up to the Arizona Department of Education A search on the azed.gov website shows that Plaza's certificate for Emergency Teaching Secondary 6-12 for the subject area of physical education is valid through the end of June Plaza said the cheer season is over and the position of head coach for the spiritline team is posted on the district website Plaza said she has received a job offer in student services and possibly to coach dance and cheer at the Harvest Preparatory Academy public charter school Stay tuned to KAWC to hear more from Alyssa Plaza who was terminated from Somerton High School The Phoblographer may receive affiliate compensation for products purchased using links in this article. For more information, please visit our Disclaimers page. Sometimes, people make the same mistakes twice and still don’t learn their lesson. This is the story of James Somerton, a self-acclaimed wedding photographer who plagiarized the works of other wedding photographers to run his business people on the internet are exceptionally observant and a few found out that his “portfolio” on the wedding photographer hiring portal was actually not his while it may seem that Somerton did this for the first time it was actually his second attempt at plagiarizing the works of creatives he made all his videos private and deactivated his presence from Pateron a portal where people could pay him a monthly subscription fee which anyone can easily claim as their own to “sell their service” as photographers This is why those hiring wedding photographers and others need to be far more vigilant Perhaps it would make more sense if the customers ask for files with metadata attached along with multiple pictures from the same weddings thoroughly checking one’s background (including website and social media handles) will be really helpful Most photographers today are active on various platforms to build their reach This entire James Somerton fiasco only showcases that both photographers and those hiring their services need to take extra precautions and measures to ensure that they are not being fooled And if they find someone do such shady business start amplifying it on social channels and reporting them so that they don’t hurt others too CLAIRSVILLE — Belmont County Sheriff David Lucas is gearing up to ride off into the sunset Lucas said he never thought of becoming sheriff until it happened naturally He began his work in 1979 with the Barnesville Police Department and then joined the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office in 1981 as a road deputy Lucas became Belmont County sheriff in 2013 and said that as soon as he took office he quickly made a list of several short-term goals His first goal was to fix the Belmont County Jail’s staffing shortage “The jail division was in complete disarray They were way understaffed,” Lucas said “In 2008 we went from 84 beds to 144 beds and no personnel was added to the jail How can you almost double your capacity and not add staff?” adding more employees to staff the jail was his first priority when he became sheriff “When you’re having an enormous amount of overtime every pay period you’ve got a problem,” Lucas said We had four people a shift — one on the control board and three on the floor trying to service (inmates).” He added that running a jail is a very complex operation and he sympathized with the jail’s staff for being overworked “That was my first priority and where we’re at today shows on the overtime There are very few hours of overtime and even some pay periods where there is no overtime,” Lucas said “You have to have the proper amount of people to do the job effectively because it’s our responsibility to make sure they’re (staff and inmates) safe in the jail.” He added that he now has eight staff members working on the jail division floor instead of the three that were there when he first became sheriff “Another thing that was in disarray was the chain of command There was no rhyme or reason to what was going on in the rank structure,” he said “What we’ve got going on now is a command structure if you are a deputy and want to become a corporal you have to work hard to earn the promotion instead of it just being handed to you because of time served He added that for the workers to move up the command ladder the department utilizes several tests as well as peer reviews to ensure the best candidate receives the position Lucas has established a reputation for being tough on drug-related crimes His Criminal Interdiction Unit completed many drug investigations and arrests throughout the years He said his motto has always been: “Drug dealers pack your bags and get out of Belmont County He added that he believes if Belmont County doesn’t have a solid police presence then businesses won’t come into the community “People in the community know if they call us and there’s a problem “My main thing is I was elected by the people of Belmont County It’s not on me to worry about if these drug dealers go to another county or they go over the (Ohio) river to West Virginia My job is to get them out of Belmont County Lucas has also played a pivotal part in community outreach He’s spearheaded programs such as Crime Stoppers of the Upper Ohio Valley The National Law Enforcement Youth Program Citizen Academy for Adults and several others “We’re on the right track now and a lot is getting done,” he said Another big accomplishment Lucas achieved just this year is completion of the David M The facility originally was called the Belmont County Dog Park but due to his continued dedication to the community the Belmont County Board of Commissioners decided to change the name of the dog park at its grand opening as a surprise for Lucas “I wanted to do something for the community so I went to the commissioners about the project,” Lucas said “Because I work so close to the community here’s something that I wanted to do and the community was there for me.” He added that although he took his equipment to use to build the dog park he credits the nearby Belmont Correctional Institute for being a huge factor in getting the park built “They worked side by side with me to get this done,” Lucas said “Just because I’m retiring I’m not done being a part of and giving to the community.” Another accomplishment Lucas is proud of is the sheriff’s office having its own building at the Belmont County Fairgrounds the sheriff’s office would work out of any location where it could find space at the fairgrounds during the fair “This past year was the second year for having our own building “Another thing I worked out with the fair board is we do all of the security and it doesn’t cost the fair board or the county any money.” Lucas said some people have referred to him as “old school,” and he is aware that he can be hard nosed from time to time but always gets straight to the point “I just want to thank the community for backing me The voters for the last three terms have trusted me to be their sheriff,” he said “I’m just a little country boy from Somerton and I am proud of that because it shows that if you have a dream you can do anything and become anything.” He added that he believes if you put your nose to the grindstone and refuse to give up “I feel like I’m one of the examples to come from a little place in Somerton to where I am now I only got here because the people allowed me to get here,” Lucas said “I think that Sheriff-elect (James) Zusack is going to take it from here and take it to an even higher ground.” Zusack will officially become the new Belmont County sheriff at midnight Jan Lucas said he plans to enjoy his retirement with friends and family adding that he’s seen too many people throughout his life work until they’re too old to enjoy retirement and he refused to be one of those individuals He added that he has a vacation home in Florida and plans to spend the cold months enjoying the warm Florida weather Today's breaking news and more in your inbox A Wheeling native who has earned world renown as a pioneering neurosurgeon will receive one of the nation’s most .. BRIDGEPORT – A man is lodged at the Belmont County Jail on Monday after he allegedly fired a gunshot during a .. According to preliminary investigations by the Ohio State Highway Patrol | https://www.timesleaderonline.com | 200 S KECY) - The Somerton High "Toros Locos" Wrestling Team rolled up their sleeves and got sudsy Saturday at Taco Monster in Yuma hosting a car wash fundraiser to support their growing high school wrestling program who's been instrumental in building the program from the ground up we're trying to get the kids warm-ups for the boys The team has already made strides by securing basic wrestling gear and now they're focused on leveling up with full warmups for all athletes: JV and varsity Coach Nunez also mentioned upcoming fundraising events including a golf tournament at Cocopah Resort on June 7 which will help keep the momentum going throughout the summer more details are available on the team's Instagram and Facebook pages Saturday's car wash was more than just a scrub-down It was a show of community support and team pride reach out to him at dillon.fuhrman@kecytv.com Manoah Tuiasosopo joined the KYMA team as a videographer in February 2024 you can send them to his email at manoah.tuiasosopo@kecytv.com KECY) - The greens were buzzing with excitement Saturday morning as local golfers hit the course for a cause A community golf tournament at Cocopah RV & Golf Resort brought together 13 teams all swinging for a shared goal: Supporting the Somerton Senior Center the resort's pro shop supervisor who helped run the tournament It's something I enjoy to get people to go out there and enjoy themselves but this gets them to golf and really enjoy the game." The day included a friendly competition on the course and a chance for participants of all skill levels to bond over the sport Organizers say they hope the tradition continues KECY) - A Somerton man killed after he was hit by a driver who's now facing one count of second-degree murder Esteyan Medel was only 21-years-old when he was killed on the morning of New Year’s Day His family has chosen to speak out about their loss in hopes of getting more answers from Somerton Police Medel was hit on south Somerton Avenue and West County 15th Street Police say the driver remained at the scene and was cooperative but the family says that's not what happened.  and took off left him on the ground," said Steve Medel Jr We have reached out to Somerton PD multiple times for an interview or at least to clear up the facts of this story but they have yet to grant us an interview Police have been saying they will get back to us but don't provide a specific day or time We confirmed with the Yuma County Sheriff's Office (YCSO) that the driver including second-degree murder and leaving the scene of a fatal accident He's being held at the Yuma County Jail on a bond of $500,000 Medel's family describes the kind of person Esteyan was if I can count that was like the fourth time he ever went out in his life,” said Steve The family is hosting a fundraiser at Famous Dave's at the Yuma Palms Mall on January 18 from four to 8 p.m "He was part of us he was part of the community and we just want to reach out and just the way he left you know we’re just as shocked as you know people can hear this story about him and just show your love and we’ll see what happens from there,” said Esteyan's uncle Mark Anthony Medel If you would like to donate to their GoFundMe, you click on the link here Eduardo Morales joined KYMA as a reporter in September 2023 the Somerton High School student who claims he was a victim of bullying is speaking out about his cheerleading coach Alyssa Plaza's termination who says he's dealt with bullying since elementary school doesn't believe Plaza should have been let go from her position "She doesn’t deserve that she was only trying to help me," Perez said The sophomore claims after dealing with constant verbal abuse in the boys locker room he was left with no choice but to voice his concern to Plaza who says she allowed him to change in the girls locker room tell her if like anyone’s in there like just to be in the clear that no one is changing," Perez said saying she still feels her actions were justified “What I did was for the safety of the child and when I got dismissed the Arizona State Board statute said that what I did was put children at risk,” Plaza said it's a position Perez says his now former coach shouldn't be dealing with “I just feel really upset because she was just trying to help me,” Perez said Another point of frustration with Perez has been Yuma Union High School District's handling of the situation Perez says he was frustrated after the school board's meeting where Plaza's termination was unanimously approved "(The district) weren’t imagining themselves of what position I was in the only thing that my coach was trying to do was to help me," Perez said we learned that Alyssa Plaza's teaching certification is still listed as active on the Arizona Department ofEducation website It will be up to the ADE to decide if her certification is suspended or removed with the district saying they are not allowed to comment on the matter KECY) - One pedestrian was killed after they were hit by a vehicle in Somerton Somerton police say it happened on East Madison Street in Somerton early on New Year's Day morning Medical emergency personnel arrived at the scene but by then We reached out to police asking for his name and age but we're waiting to hear back Officers say the driver of the vehicle remained at the scene and cooperated with police The police department encourages anyone with any information to call them or 78-CRIME to remain anonymous Reach out to Marcos with your story ideas at marcos.icahuate@kecytv.com Scott Gross joins the KYMA team as the Anchor KECY) - The City of Somerton will be hosting a golf tournament in April The Senior Center Golf Tournament will be held at Cocopah RV & Golf Resort on Saturday which will directly support the Somerton Senior Center KECY) - Four teenagers were arrested in connection to a drive-by shooting that happened in the area of Avenida Serenidad according to the Somerton Police Department (SPD) SPD says the shooting happened at 2:30 a.m where multiple rounds hit an occupied home Three of the young men arrested were 17-year-olds and one was 16 years old Somerton police were able to find the vehicle weapon and ammo used in the drive-by shooting If you have any information regarding this case Somerton police encourage you to call the Somerton Police Department at 928-722-7326 KECY) - The Somerton Police Department (SPD) is rolling out a new way to patrol with electric tricycles They hope by using these vehicles they can engage with the community in a more approachable way Captain Joe Jenkins says these tricycles are designed to help officers be more efficient when responding to emergency situations "They're battery operated so obviously that's going to save on gas and maintenance They can travel upwards of 40 miles per hour and last probably the entire shift so the efficiency is what were looking at," Captain Jenkins said Jenkins says the community has already been enjoying them "We've already had a positive turn out for community engagement We had kids going by when the officers were doing training and were asking what the were and if they could ride them so were really wanting to take advantage of that and get into the community with them and show them what they can do," Jenkins explained Sergeant Heriberto Madrigal gave a demonstration of the features that are included in the tricycle: "What you see here is trike vehicle thats fully electric and equipped with voice red and blue lights This is a vehicle that can be utilized on parks It comes with a police packet which has its on compartments that can store ET kits tools that the officers need for daily operations." Captain Jenkins says these tricycles should be deployed into the community for patrolling purposes starting next week KECY) - Somerton is welcoming a new addition to its local market scene as the "95 Swap Meet" prepares for its soft opening this Saturday this new venue aims to bring back the community atmosphere of local swap meets the 95 Swap Meet will host over 100 vendors bringing a wide range of products and food options to attendees see the swap meet as a way to fill the void left by the closing of the another Swap Meet over a year ago "This is what they used to do before the swap meet closed here," shared manager Luis Guzman "For us to give this venue back…families can come out and maybe find a good treasure or some fresh produce The 95 Swap Meet is set for an even larger grand opening on Sunday promising even more vendors for community members to explore Yuma resident Dan Dinwiddie expressed excitement You'll be able to come out and find anything you want here at the 95 Swap Meet." The new swap meet hopes to provide a bustling marketplace where vendors and shoppers alike can connect and continue a cherished community tradition 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 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 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 "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 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 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 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 candidates will continue to work to earn support across the district KECY) - The Somerton Toros wrestling program continues to make history Despite being comprised solely of freshmen and sophomores the team finished second at sectionals and qualified 12 wrestlers for the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) State Championships This marks a significant achievement for the young program as they continue to establish themselves as a force in Arizona high school wrestling The AIA State Championships will take place later this month where the Toros will look to bring home individual and team honors SOMERTON, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Four teenagers were arrested in connection to a drive-by shooting that happened in the area of Avenida Serenidad SPD has informed us that everyone involved in the shooting is now in police custody Jose Garza from the Somerton Police Department The total number of suspects caught in connection to the shooting is now at four.   While the shooting took place over a week ago the fourth suspect was just recently tracked down "We believe he is the driver of the vehicle involved in the drive-by shooting all four subjects that we were looking for have been apprehended and have been booked into the juvenile system," said Lt The shooting definitely scared some in the area one local who did not want to be identified says this is out of the ordinary for the neighborhood "A little worried becuase I have a family I have kids but like I told you I have lived here for 12 years and nothing’s happened like this before," said the local Somerton Police also shared that another incident recently took place They say a 22-year old man stabbed another 39-year old woman in a domestic violence dispute The police described the state of the woman when they arrived she was transported to the hospital by the Somerton Cocopah Fire Department the suspect at the time was no longer at the residence," said Lt the stabbing suspect made his first court appearance last Friday YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - One of the men involved in the murder of a Somerton barber back in May of 2022 learned his formal sentencing in court on Thursday 27-year-old Johnny Albert Valenzuela pled guilty to hindering prosecution in the first degree and tampering with physical evidence He was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison and must serve 36 months of supervised probation upon his release Valenzuela was given credit for 861 days already served prior to sentencing Jalen joined KYMA in 2022 and is a morning anchor/producer Send your story ideas to him at: jalen.fong@kecytv.com KECY) - Somerton High School flag football welcomed in Cibola and San Luis for exhibition games on Friday night The event comes as schools are pushing to bring varsity level competition to Yuma County flag football is an AIA recognized sports for several Phoenix programs along with schools in Imperial County now competing in CIF competition Toros assistant head coach Edward Contreras is hopeful event's like Friday's can bring the movement to the area we would look to bring a girl's program for all the high schools in town," Contreras said Somerton's program came into Friday's games after forming the team just three weeks earlier Contreras says the girls who have come out so far are putting in extra work just to take the field so we've been actually practicing after spring sports that are finishing up some of these girls are actually playing multiple sports so they made the effort to come out and actually play," Contreras said Should Yuma area teams begin playing varsity the AIA currently has it as a fall season sport YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Joshua Cota was found guilty of killing 28-year-old Leo Melendez almost three years ago Melendez's family is not happy with the final result believing the crime deserves more punishment "I don't think the outcome was fair…I don't think that Joshua deserves a second chance to be with his final especially for Leo's kids who are not to blame for any of this and didn't deserve to have that dad ripped away like that," said the mother of Leo's son Belen Torres I didn't realize the total impact of my actions my heart breaks every time I hear Leo's mom cry or his little brother talk about his PTSD," said Cota I felt those words were coming from his lawyer," said Martinez also had something to say about Leo's family’s statements made in court It's not fair that you get to have birthdays It's not fair that you get to see your kids in the future It's not fair that you might get to one day be with them," said Gonzalez Included in Cota's sentence is credit for over 900 days for time already served KECY) - Voters in Somerton will soon decide the fate of Proposition 429 a school bond that could provide $13 million for the construction of a new school and $1 million for security upgrades in the Somerton Elementary School District with new homes and apartment complexes increasing the number of students District leaders say the bond is necessary to avoid overcrowded classrooms and meet the needs of the growing community we're going to see class sizes rise again," said Alexandra Galvan Chair of the Somerton District Bond Committee some residents are concerned about the cost "It's important that this money is going to these schools homeowners with an assessed property value of around $130,000 would pay less than $6.50 a month in additional property taxes KECY) - The Mi Vida Car Club will be at the Somerton Corn Festival once again this year Nov The Mi Vida Car Club has been around since 1992 The festival will be open from noon to midnight If you want to participate in the car show pre-registration costs $30 for cars and $25 for bikes says everyone should come and see these beautiful masterpieces that the guys have created with their heart and soul the hard work that all these guys work on and put into these cars," Sanchez says says they're just a group of brothers that keeps growing The Somerton Corn Festival will of course have food and other entertainment so the event will have activities and decor to celebrate the lives of those no longer with us says the proceeds will help Somerton High School and other organizations and who better than with the Mi Vida Car Club who care about their whole community," Garcia says drink the beer because it's for a good cause You can expect all kinds of food and Garcia recommends you wear your stretchy pants Every vendor needs to have some type of elote so these vendors come up with so many unique ideas They even battle it for the best vendor," Garcia says If you are interested in registering your car for the show Vanessa Gongora joined the KYMA team in 2022 and is the anchor/producer for CBS at 4 p.m You can contact her with story ideas at vanessa.gongora@kecytv.com KECY) - Kofa High School celebrated its 2025 Athletic Hall of Fame inductees Saturday with a special luncheon ceremony honoring athletes and coaches who've made a lasting impact on the school’s athletic history and supporters to reflect on the incredible accomplishments of this year’s honorees Somerton's wrestling team dominated the Shamrock JV Wrestling Dual with a thrilling 39-32 win over Yuma Catholic in the final Yuma Catholic basketball continued their stellar season with a 99-57 victory over ALA West Foothills the Eagles and Chiefs punched their tickets to the Super Bowl after decisive wins in the conference championships The Eagles cruised to a 55-23 win over Washington while the Chiefs edged out the Bills 32-29 KECY) - Yuma Catholic boys' soccer cruised past Bourgade Catholic 5-1 to advance to the 3A state semifinals qualifying 12 athletes for the state championships despite fielding an underclassmen-heavy roster KECY) - The City of Somerton proclaimed February as Black History Month during their City Council meeting Council members presented their annual proclamation to the local NAACP chapter Chapter members attended to accept the proclamation and share a speech of gratitude One member says the city has been doing it for years and that the locals really appreciate it and that speaks directly to the leadership that we have here too And I just wanted to let them know that we really really appreciate the leadership and growth in the city because that's what a city is supposed to do and that's what a cities officials are supposed to support too so that's what it means to me," said NAACP member Michael Lundy The purpose of the proclamation is to recognize Black History Month and encourage the community to celebrate different cultures and a peaceful and just society Danyelle Burke North joined the KYMA team in March 2024 as a reporter you can contact her at danyelle.burke-north@kecytv.com The mayors of Somerton and San Luis joined other elected officials in Arizona to formally endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for President Somerton Mayor Jerry Anaya and San Luis Mayor Nieves Riedel formally announced their endorsements on July 29 Mayor Anaya said “Vice President Kamala Harris is the most qualified and experienced person to beat Donald Trump and take on the issues communities like Somerton face I trust her to meet the needs of border cities and towns without taking advantage of us for her own political gain the Biden-Harris administration got us closer to comprehensive immigration reform than we’ve been in years Mayor Riedel said “Vice President Kamala Harris is the leader that Arizona and our country needs right now She’s the fighter Arizona families deserve. She will make our economy stronger and make sure it’s working for working families I trust she’ll take on the issues at the border head on and work with anyone she needs to get the job done.” Anaya and Riedel were joined in their endorsements by 19 current and former mayors in Arizona who grew up in Somerton's La Mesa neighborhood and Republican Mesa Mayor John Giles Harris will visit Phoenix Friday with her vice presidential nominee who was expected to be announced by Tuesday KECY) - Somerton High School's wrestling team competed at the Peoria Tournament of Champions 2025 facing some of the best wrestlers in the region the tournament was an opportunity for the team to test their skills against top talent Jayden Preston (113 lbs) placed 5th overall and scored 19.5 points for the team including a 15-0 tech fall in the 5th-place match Kenneth Garcia (120 lbs) and Diego Felix (126 lbs) also delivered notable performances while Felix advanced deep into the consolation bracket and earned 8.5 points Both wrestlers demonstrated resilience throughout the tournament including Jose Polino (144 lbs) and Jesus Valenzuela (157 lbs) added wins to the team's overall performance The Toros hope to use this experience to prepare for the remainder of the season as they aim for more strong showings in regional competitions Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications InstagramXThreadsSnapchatTikTokYouTubeLAD Entertainment Home> Community> Weird It's been 77 years since a man in 'perfect condition' was found dead with a strange code hidden on his person But despite all the time that has passed, police still haven't managed to piece the case - which has been dubbed 'one of Australia's most profound mysteries' - together Investigators are still stumped by the notorious 'Somerton Man' saga nearly eight decades on, despite advancements in forensic science and technology cops were called to Somerton Beach in the city of Adelaide following reports that a man's body had been discovered there The unknown victim was found lying in the sand with his head resting against the seawall, his legs extended and his feet crossed - so a host of passersby had assumed he was either sleeping or passed out drunk This wasn't the only unusual observation which police officers made at the scene The Somerton Man was well-dressed sporting a suit and tie - although all of the labels on his clothing had been cut off He appeared to be in his 40s or 50s and his pockets contained some interesting items Despite not having a wallet, cash or ID the mystery man did have bus and train tickets Detectives were left even more confused when a month later a suitcase linked to the unidentified bloke was found at Adelaide Railroad Station The labels on the luggage and all of the garments inside had also been removed But the most bizarre clue which officials found on the Somerton Man was the torn scrap of paper hidden on him The Persian phrase means 'it is finished' or 'it is over' - and it is used in a collection of poems titled The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam Police took no time in launching a nationwide search for the book which the torn piece of paper once originated from and eventually found it in a car The plot then thickened once more as inside the book was a phone number and a strange code - and despite tirelessly trying to crack it police just couldn't decipher its hidden message All of these elements left some believing that the unknown man had committed suicide while others speculated he was a spy and some suggested he must have been poisoned Interestingly, pathologist John Burto Cleland said the body of the bloke, who he described as being of 'Britisher' appearance, was in 'top physical condition' The Somerton Man was reportedly about 5'11 while being anywhere 'between 40 and 50 years old' and weighed within the range of 75-80 kilograms (165-175 pounds) the Somerton Man was laid to rest at a cemetery in Adelaide in 1949 - although that wasn't the end of the mystery His tombstone reads: "Here lies the unknown man who was found at Somerton Beach." In 2022, Professor Derek Abbott claimed he had an extraordinary breakthrough with DNA analysis and said he had been able to 'build out a family tree containing over 4,000 people’ through GEDmatch He said he had cracked the case with the help of US investigator Colleen Fitzpatrick as they both concluded that the Somerton Man was actually Carl ‘Charles’ Webb was the youngest of six siblings and married to a woman named Dorothy Robertson "We have evidence that he had separated from his wife, and that she had moved to South Australia," Abbott previously told ABC News South Australia Police didn't corroborate Abbott's findings - meaning the mystery of the Somerton Man still lives on Topics: Weird, Crime, True Crime, Australia Olivia is a journalist at LADbible Group with more than five years of experience and has worked for a number of top publishers She also enjoys writing food reviews (as well as the eating part) but still finds time for a serious documentary YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The sentencing for the man accused of murdering a Somerton barber has once again been pushed back 34-year-old Joshua Cota was scheduled for sentencing Friday but had it postponed for next Friday Cota is accused of murdering 28-year-old Leo Melendez The family is frustrated with the plea deal being offered to Cota and "I feel like this is a joke I feel like the lawyer is telling half truths and the judges believe them and when they see our version once again they are like wow," said Martinez Cota has had two failed plea agreements that were thrown out by two different judges SOMERTON, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The Somerton Police Department (SPD) sent out an updated press release regarding the 21-year-old man who died in a car crash on New Year's Day police were called about a crash on East Madison Street 21-year-old Esteyan Medal of Yuma was found dead An updated press release revealed the driver of the vehicle was 45-year-old Alfredo Enrique Flores of Somerton Flores drove about a mile away from the scene then waved down officers to report that he hit Medal SPD also says Flores has been charged with leaving the scene and recklessly causing the death of another person KECY) - The City of Somerton will have two propositions on the general election ballot in November Proposition 424 would allow the city to charge a franchise fee to the Southwest Gas Corporation "We're looking forward to the residents making that choice," said City Manager Louie Galaviz The corporation gives a percentage of their earnings to the City for using Somerton's utility right of way "It's a franchise fee with a percentage that goes back to the City as revenue from Southwest Gas to provide different operational to cover operational expenses," explained Galaviz would allow the City to spend more money than what the state allows The state allows Somerton to spend $12 million but the city currently spends $26 million to keep operations going Louise Galaviz explains what were to happen if the prop was not passed "We would have to cut our services like the Senior Center other services and go down to basically just public services and water and sewer and those types of things," says Galaviz The home rule has been passed for the last 20 years KECY) - Sam Kirk shares how Somerton High School is building up their football program in our prep football previews season finale Central volleyball takes down Yuma Catholic in five sets Chas Messman joined KYMA in July 2023 as News 11’s Sports Director Tuesday is primary election day in Arizona perhaps the biggest race to watch is whether Kari Lake will take the Republican nomination for U.S Senate over Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb Somerton and San Luis will vote for candidates for their respective city council including from some incumbents running for re-election voters in San Luis will select some of the candidates to move on to the ballot in November while Somerton’s race could be over after Tuesday there are nine candidates for three open council seats Councilwoman Gloria Torres is not running for re-election Councilman Luis Cabrera is running for re-election but he is running for the Arizona House of Representatives in Legislative District 23 who is running for the San Luis City Council associate professor of Spanish and academic and career advisor at Arizona Western College instrumental in bringing the San Luis Film Festival and Blazing Desert Comic-Con to San Luis a realtor in Yuma County and the son of Councilman Matias Rosales chief operations officer at Comite de Bien Estar which assists with housing and child day care in San Luis who is behind the new La Bodega restaurant in Yuma The top six candidates after Tuesday move on to November three incumbents face one challenger for the three seats Raul Grijalva and councilmen Jesus Roldan and Luis Galindo are all running for re-election A candidate must get 51 percent or more of votes or else they move on to the November ballot If three candidates each get 51 percent or more —-Stay tuned to KAWC for more coverage of local elections in Yuma San Luis and La Paz County and statewide races for Arizona Somerton and San Luis have been indicted for human smuggling charges Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona announced announced late Friday a three-count indictment against 18 members of La Mesa Harboring Illegal Aliens for Profit and Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens." of Somerton;-Joshua Guillermo Leon-Fuentes California;-Francisco Javier Esparza-Macias Border Patrol Intelligence agents arrested several men who transported undocumented migrants in Arizona and California BPI agents learned of a human smuggling organization known as La Mesa which they say worked on behalf of a Mexico-based transnational criminal organization called Los Rusos Officials said La Mesa operated out of Yuma and Somerton Attorney's officials said the indictment alleges that members of the La Mesa organization were responsible for smuggling or attempting to smuggle hundreds of undocumented migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border Officials said Carlos Moreno-Serrano was the leader of the La Mesa organization Other defendants charged were responsible for coordinating smuggling events scouting for the drivers who were transporting the undocumented noncitizens distribution of payments to drivers and enforcement on behalf of the organization Attorney's office said the maximum penalty for each of the charges is up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 Officials said the men named in the indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty The following agencies are handling the investigation: Customs and Border Protection’s U.S Attorney Ross Arellano Edwards and Stuart Zander of the U.S Attorney’s Office in Phoenix are handling the prosecution KECY) - One of the suspects involved in the murder of a Somerton barber back in May of 2022 was sentenced in court Thursday morning 23-year-old Gregorio Cota was sentenced to 18 years behind bars for shooting and killing 27-year-old Leo Melendez This was after he accepted a plea agreement at his last court appearance He also pleaded guilty to a separate case of attempted aggravated assault adding an additional five years to his sentence The accused getaway driver, 27-year-old Johnny Albert Valenzuela and the third suspect Samantha Byrd joined the KYMA team in February 2022 and is the morning anchor/producer for News 11 and Fox 9 You can reach out to her with story ideas at sammy.byrd@kecytv.com About us | Advertise with us | Contact us Posted: 5 November 2024 | | 1 comment The Intermodal Terminal Company and Southern Shorthaul Railroad have partnered to launch freight services at Melbourne’s new Somerton Intermodal Terminal promising to increase Victoria’s supply chain efficiency Credit: Intermodal Terminal Company and Southern Shorthaul Railroad In a significant advancement for supply chain logistics the Intermodal Terminal Company (ITC) and Southern Shorthaul Railroad (SSR) have signed an agreement to provide haulage services to and from the forthcoming Somerton Intermodal Terminal in Melbourne’s north This development is poised to positively impact both the Victorian and national supply chains expressed enthusiasm about the partnership highlighting SSR’s strong reputation in the rail freight industry for safe and reliable operations “ITC is delighted to have entered into an agreement with the highly respected and experienced rail freight operator SSR for the provision of interstate regional and port shuttle haulage services at the forthcoming open-access intermodal terminal in Somerton,” Maharaj stated which has already seen 65% of its construction completed is scheduled to begin operations in late 2025 The Somerton Intermodal Terminal is designed to improve logistics efficiency enabling customers to utilise rail freight shuttle services directly to the Port of Melbourne as well as access interstate and regional services including the Western/Metropolitan Ring Road (M80) and the North East Link are expected to facilitate better access to the terminal from various regions of Melbourne Maharaj noted that the terminal will feature over 30 hectares of hardstand area and nine rail sidings to support a wide range of operations repairs and fumigation will enhance service offerings for customers The terminal’s scale will support the efficient decoupling and loading/unloading of 600m port shuttle services alongside longer interstate freight trains With direct access to Australia’s extensive rail network the terminal aims to serve as a pivotal hub for freight movement in the region SSR has grown into an above-rail operator which now operates more than 110 freight locomotives and 1,300 container and bulk wagons to deliver approximately 170 weekly rail services for customers in interstate and regional supply chains I’m proud to say SSR has developed a strong reputation in the sector.” The overall investment in the Somerton precinct including ITC’s $400 million terminal and an additional $600 million investment by Aware Real Estate and Barings for an adjacent industrial site This integrated freight and logistics precinct will enable customers to co-locate warehousing and logistics services enhancing cost efficiency in their operations Further emphasising the environmental benefits Maharaj indicated that the terminal will utilise electric-powered handling equipment thereby helping reduce the carbon footprint associated with freight operations facilitating smoother operations for international trade , , By 1 comment All subscriptions include online membership giving you access to the journal and exclusive content By With Inland Rail set to build a terminal a few kms away at Beveridge which will unload the double stacked Interstate trains Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "af5e0fd7d5191462a1b593fab8c006a3" );document.getElementById("j0f0bb4fb4").setAttribute( "id" Write for us | Advertise with us Global Railway Review is published by: Russell Publishing Ltd.Court LodgeHogtrough HillBrasted © Russell Publishing Limited Website development by e-Motive Media Limited Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardTrump made his biggest gains in Northeast Philly’s immigrant melting pot Census data lists Russian and Uzbekistani as the most commonly reported ancestries in the Philly areas where Trump saw his biggest gains cul-de-sac streets around Gifford Playground in Northeast Philadelphia are home to one of the city’s hidden melting pots Georgian men cracked jokes while waxing a Toyota Corolla Central Asian women in burkas walked their children home from school A Colombian grocery store worker played with his dog And every street had at least one Ukrainian flag hanging from a window — or a “f— Putin” bumper sticker slapped on the back of a van Six out of every 10 residents in this part of the Somerton neighborhood were born outside the United States But the area has also undergone a dramatic political shift: A place that broke Democratic not long ago but you cannot say that everyone is Trumpist or Democratic to the bone,” said Roman Zhukov a Ukrainian immigrant and Republican committee person in the area “It’s an immigrant community — a very dynamic one — but they’re also concerned about immigration because they see the change in their own neighborhood.” While other parts of the city were redder overall or delivered more raw votes for President-elect Donald Trump election data show the Republican made his biggest percentage gains in several voting divisions here over the last three election cycles 47% of voters are registered Democrats and just 35% are Republicans the ward has swung further right over the last three presidential elections Democrat Hillary Clinton won here by a few hundred votes in 2016 this community went for Trump by seven percentage points he expanded his lead to nearly 16 percentage points One division in the ward shifted nearly 30 percentage points to the right this year when compared to 2016 — by far the biggest Republican shift in any single division in Philadelphia over the past eight years Almost 60% of the ward’s 2nd Division voted for Trump on Tuesday And the nearby 44th Division swung 18 points toward Trump when compared to 2020 the biggest rightward shift of any division in the city over those four years the wave of support appears to span ethnic backgrounds in an area where businesses advertise in Cyrillic and Arabic as often as English and Uzbek as the most commonly reported ancestries in the area where Trump saw his biggest gains who declined to give his last name in order to frankly discuss his politics emigrated from Israel to a modest twin house in the neighborhood 30 years ago sitting in a Mercedes-Benz parked outside his home said he voted for the first time this year — for Trump “I wanna see interest rates going down,” he said So you have tenants getting into issues because they don’t have money.” Jacob said he believed Trump would bring an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and said she and other Ukrainians he knew in the neighborhood also voted for Trump for geopolitical reasons 5 election in existential terms: Vice President Kamala Harris represented a continuation of Biden-era military support for the fight against Russia The former president has repeatedly praised Putin and criticized U.S but also made vague overtures about ending the war “in one day.” Jacob said he and his wife doubted Harris would have been able to broker an end to either conflict that had festered throughout the Biden administration “She doesn’t intimidate the other side,” he said True to form for one of the city’s most diverse neighborhoods other neighbors disagreed with rationalizations for Trump a 32-year-old Ukrainian immigrant who had lived in the neighborhood for seven years said he was wary of what a Trump presidency would bode for his homeland “I don’t trust Trump,” said the Harris voter who said the war was a major driver of his decision to vote this year “He was president before and I don’t see what would change now,” he said will not publicly discuss their vote due to divisions both in the U.S he cast the Trump-Harris divide among Ukrainians as more complex than Democrats depict arguing that neither party understands the gravity of the conflict “The Democratic Party hasn’t done enough to stop the war,” he said would 99.9% of the time be the best choice it’s clear that he does not understand the problems in Ukraine.” Gisborne Thistle striker Jimmy Somerton was in devastating form again on Saturday slotting six goals in a 7-1 thrashing of Western Rangers in an Eastern Premiership game at Hastings Jimmy Somerton scored six goals – making it 16 in the past three games and 17 in five – as Electrinet Thistle thrashed Western Rangers 7-1 in Hastings on Saturday Heavy Equipment Services Gisborne United beat Napier Marist 6-0 at Harry Barker Reserve brothers Josh and Corey Adams scoring two goals each The other Gisborne team in the competition lost left back Kyran Lasenby with a fractured elbow in the fourth minute and had goalkeeper Aiden Armstrong coping with the discomfort of a dislocated finger (albeit put back in place) midway through the first half They lost 8-1 to Maycenvale United in Hastings but only on goal difference from Havelock North Wanderers Gisborne United and Napier City Rovers Reserves who went into Saturday as the sole leaders but lost 2-0 to Port Hill United both having scored 15 and conceded eight for a goal difference of +7 Havelock North have a goal difference of +9 and Thistle +17 (25 for Western Rangers scored first against Thistle when the ball took a massive hop as goalkeeper Mark Baple went down to gather it Skipper and central midfielder Cory Thompson headed in a corner after 15 minutes and Somerton added goals after 18 Thistle “destroyed” Rangers from the time of the equaliser till halftime “It looked as if we flicked a switch and for half an hour became Barcelona Veteran Shannon Dowsing played a full game at right back Nick Land played 70 minutes in midfield before making way for Davie Ure Centre back Martin Kees was back in the side Travis White joined Thompson and Land in central midfield while Alex Shanks and Wirepa-Hei patrolled the flanks Cramer said Thistle took their feet off the pedal in the second half and Rangers kept trying to make inroads Gisborne United looked like title contenders in their match against Napier Marist Their defence had complementary helpings of speed and strength in fullbacks Sam Royston and Kieran Venema and centre backs Kieran Higham and Ryan Anderson while Andy McIntosh continued to impress in goal Higham made several interceptions to nip attacks in the bud while Royston was used to telling effect further forward in the second half United’s key strengths on Saturday were through the middle Aaron Graham swept across the front of the defence and was the starting point for numerous attacks while Corey Adams injected himself into the attack at will Dan Torrie filled the big-man role usually reserved for Dane Thompson and his heading and Malcolm Marfell put in his usual box-to-box effort Striker Campbell Hall and midfielder Thompson were unavailable but their replacements fitted in seamlessly Stu Cranswick showed that crossfit training can get you through 90 minutes of football after two years out of action The first half was more competitive than the final score indicates A tussle between Marfell and right back Terrence Charamba ended in a 30th-minute penalty Royston crossed from the right byline for Cranswick to head home A Corey Adams volley two minutes into the second half decided the outcome United had the edge in all-round strength but Marist kept competing vigorously Corey Adams broke through from midfield to slip the ball past Marist keeper Dan Evans for 4-0 a Josh Adams penalty made it 5-0 and Marfell turned and shot from 18m to make it 6-0 five minutes from time Evans denied Josh Adams a hat-trick with a diving save to his right to palm away a 40m drive that looked goal-bound Marist suffered from players being injured or unavailable but produced some outstanding performances Midfielders Jackson Durrington and Riku Koyama were a class act Centre backs Luke Foster and Mitch Dick put up a brave fight against repeated onslaughts as did fullbacks Charamba and United player-coach Josh Adams said it was probably his team’s first “full” performance of the season “We took control all over the park and played some good football working it around the field and spraying it when we needed to.” Marist coach Don Butler said it was a good game for 60 minutes Boys’ High coach Garrett Blair said the loss to Maycenvale was heavier than it needed to be The boys were learning that mistakes in the defensive third often meant goals conceded Lasenby’s injury from an awkward fall in a challenge was an early setback Centre back Kauri Holmes had his hands full with Liam Shackleton and occasionally Dakota Lucas but had the physical presence to hold his own against them Jacob Adams showed another dimension to his game dropping into midfield and finding space to launch attacks from deep He scored to give Boys’ High a sniff of hope at 3-1 “We are six weeks from our first qualifying match for the premier national secondary schools tournament and Jacob has given us something to think about,” Blair said BIZminton 2025 starts this week for social and competitive badminton players The school year recently came to an end for the seven high schools in the Yuma Union High School District a solo class of freshmen completed their first year The newest high school in Yuma County just completed its first year with the school's inaugural freshmen class Somerton High School was on the wish list of residents in this farmworker community south of Yuma for decades High school students who live in Somerton have attended either Kofa or Cibola high schools throughout the years requiring bus rides about 10 miles one way Somerton High held its first day of classes on Aug 2023 and held its last day of class on May 23 Next year's sophomores will be joined by a new class of freshmen every year until 2026 when it will have the traditional 9th through 12th grades Students say they are proud to be part of Somerton High's first-ever class "My first year here has been exciting," said Alberto Gonzalez the school's first-ever student body president it was an amazing experience," Gonzalez said parents and grandparents lined up their vehicles in front of the school for pick ups "It sucks that it took so long for this high school to get built," said Heriberto Rodriguez "I was in high school 18 years ago and they were talking about putting a high school here back then." "But I like that (the school) is new," Rodriguez said "I'm happy that (my daughter) doesn't have to catch a bus to go to Yuma for school because this is right here." Somerton HS Principal Lucky Arvizo previously served in the administration at San Luis and Cibola high schools He said the Somerton community has stepped up to embrace the new school "Being able to open a new school is a great experience for people," Arvizo said They're laying the groundwork for an identity here." The learning experience also extended to teachers at Somerton High "Everyone in town has that Somerton pride and we felt it during our open house," Lomeli told KAWC everyone wanted to step foot in Somerton's first high school." Principal Arvizo said Somerton High School plans to hire about 10 new teachers as they expand to two classes in the fall.—- Stay tuned to KAWC for more on this and other local news Please follow the link below to view the funeral service for the late Betty Somerton on Thursday https://tom0349.wixsite.com/streamingservices/carnells Passed peacefully away with her loving family by her side at St Predeceased by her loving husband Kelvin (Kev) Somerton (October 2022); parents Albert & Winifred Joy; parents-in-law Maria & Edgar Somerton; as well as her in-laws Dorothy Leaving to mourn with a lifetime of precious memories: Son Kelvin (Kim) Somerton; Daughter Tina (Ron) Gosse; three precious grandchildren that she adored Victoria Gosse and Vanessa Somerton; two cherished great-grandsons Chase and Colton Gosse Betty will be missed by her Sisters Shirley Labonte (Conrad – deceased) and Mary Sears; Brother Albert Joy; Brother-in-law Hubert (Lorna); sister-in-law Elizabeth (Albert); special friends Len & Loretta Collins Judy French as well as a large number of nieces and nephews Many words of thanks to the caring and compassionate team at North Pond Personal Care Home Torbay where she spent the past few years enjoying the music and activities that she once shared with her beloved Kev Thank you to the executive and members of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 10 Lawrence Ladies Auxiliary for you messages Flowers greatly accepted or a donation in Betty’s memory to the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 10, Portugal Cove or the School Lunch Association This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. our deepest condolences of your mother’s passing Kelvin and family our sincere condolences on the passing of your Mother So very sorry to hear of your Mom’s passing Kelvin,Kim and family so sorry to hear of your Mom’s passing,may she rest in peace Shirley so sorry for the loss of your sister condolences to you and the whole family Sorry for your loss my friend my condolences to you and your family My deepestest condolences to all of Betty’s family she was a lovely person. Collision Clinic management and staff are sending our sincere condolences to you and your family during this sad time Kev & families : So sorry to hear of your mom’s passing Our deepest condolences to you & your families So Sorry To Heard Of Your Moms Passing My Condolences To The Family…Beth Was A Sweet Lady We Always Had Lots Of Fun Playing Darts RIP My Friend Beautiful Betty..off to meet up with Kelvin I am so sorry to hear of your mother’s passing My condolences and prayers go out to all of you Kev & family: Condolences on the passing of your loved one She is now safe in the Arms of Jesus and will suffer no more Never easy losing your parents but keep all the family times with them in your thoughts and over time you will have a smile on your face every time you think of them knowledgeable staff are at your service 24 hours a day by simply calling 709-722-2730 If you are calling concerning a recent death you may be asked to provide the following information concerning the deceased: Additionally, you will be asked to provide the following information about yourself including your name, telephone number, address, and your relationship to the deceased. 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