Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInYUMA AZ (AZFamily) — Authorities are seeking information on the shooting deaths of two people in Yuma on Saturday afternoon The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office Deputies responded to the Wall Lane and Somerton Avenue area after receiving a 911 call with a “silent open line.” Deputies arrived and found two people who had been shot YCSO says the deaths are being investigated as homicides Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office at 928-783-4427 or 78-CRIME to remain anonymous. You can also submit an anonymous tip at the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office website See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description It’s a warm, summery day in early April when I sit down with archivist, writer, and guitarist Cameron Knowler on the shores of Old Hickory Lake in Middle Tennessee Both Knowler and myself happen to now live in Old Hickory a small village in Davidson County that was formerly a DuPont company town and is nestled on the edges of the eponymous manmade US Army Corps of Engineers lake on the Cumberland River and ecologically – from Knowler’s hometown of Yuma and foreground of his stunning new solo guitar album Knowler’s upbringing in Yuma was traumatic and bleak not exactly a storybook experience by any measure the landscapes and dioramas of the wild west California/Arizona border town have become the guitarist-composer’s primary muse Like mesquite and cactuses and roadrunners and mesas and red rocks Stark flatpicked and finger-plucked melodies give equal consideration and immortalization to sweeping natural landscapes and small Unlike so many of his subjects and inspirations in and around Yuma this collection of compositions never moves to pave over the intricacies and subversions Knowler finds in revisiting his hometown in music and memories the album is as gorgeous and transportive as any of our favorite famous paintings of the old west Perhaps his subject is a strip mall or a vignette of the proverbial “suburban hell,” but in this context each feels like an entire universe unto itself CRK opens with a gorgeous prose poem set to music a track titled “Christmas in Yuma.” Immediately the record is thereby attached through terroir and tradition to other western artists like Steinbeck and McCarthy The album’s package is ornamented with gorgeous photographs further evoking artists we associate with the Southwest like Dorothea Lange and Linda Hogan But the stories herein are told almost exclusively by guitar – usually Knowler solo as centerpiece but sometimes joined by ensembles including guitarists Jordan Tice (who co-produced the project) and Rich Hinman as well as other instrumentalists like Rayna Gellert The guitar is an instrument so pervasive and ubiquitous we often forget how aptly it can showcase these kinds of narratives and how at home the six-string always feels in the West But making an impressive guitar album was clearly not Knowler’s goal with his medium being the guitar and the traditions that encircle it To say the project is successful in this regard would be an embarrassingly trite understatement while watching the springtime water birds and snacking on lunch – with Knowler’s neck and fingers dripping in Native-smithed silver and turquoise – we two sat down on the banks of a long twisting lake on the Cumberland River in Nashville to discuss the guitar and the little town on the banks of the Colorado River called Yuma – that Cameron Knowler once I’m obsessed with how music has been slowly but surely divorced from its relationship to place over time what jumped out at me immediately was it has such a strong relationship to place geographical – a place like Yuma or Old Hickory Lake – and translate that into your medium How do you think about evoking landscape or evoking an image with music Cameron Knowler: That’s a great question music is getting divorced from place and I think it’s something of a cliche at this point that we’re losing regionalism Virginia are different than fiddlers in northern Virginia I didn’t [have] an old man or an old woman playing a fiddle who taught me tunes the “white kid from the suburbs” phenomenon happened I got connected with a regional fiddler in Terlingua which was interesting in that he learned a lot from Brad Leftwich when they were young and living in Santa Barbara Then it flips, because there is a robust fiddle tradition of the Tohono O’odham [Nation] right there on the Yuma “I’m gonna learn this tune” – or melody or whatever Then that [could be] my way into the landscape Instead of coming at it from an internal perspective Like an oil painter painting Tucson or Walpi ’cause you can’t go on stage and say this instrumental song is about a grocery store that I grew up driving by.” [Laughs] I can’t say that I think that’s where I can insert song titles – all the song titles on the record are related to Yuma There’s this tradition of stark solo or nearly solo acoustic guitar as an iconic sound of the “wild west.” One of the first things I thought about listening to CRK is the score and soundtrack for Brokeback Mountain Then of course in other music that evokes the west you have sweeping strings and countrypolitan country & western Even in that context you’ll often hear nylon-string guitar out front There’s something about unadorned guitar that is connected to landscapes But what I’m hearing you say is it’s not about translating the grandeur of western landscapes at all or it’s about the building that burned down or it’s about a stretch of miles and miles of highway There’s so much programmed into the sound “The sound of a minor chord is a cowboy dying,” which is such a great way of saying that I believe this is true of the development of the flat-top guitar in general when the dreadnoughts start to get developed there’s something about that that conveniently carries forward the agenda of interrelated musics – like Hawaiian music and bluegrass music for two totally different agendas Then that [sound and body style] becomes the golden standard But there were so many other brands and makers and thinkers from different cultures making guitars that in an alternate universe not far from our own at all I feel the same way about the tradition of the music itself And a dreadnought itself can do an infinite number of things Another thing that David Rawlings says about his small guitar is that the smallest things sound the biggest when they are in their own diorama – describing what he does with Gillian [Welch] to convince listeners that the “baby dinosaur” [small guitar] can actually eat them there’s opportunity in the format itself I think people like Norman Blake and John Steinbeck are both hyper regionalists who synthesize very eclectic sources to create something that is uniquely their own you think about Norman and certain people would say he is a flatpicker Some people would say he was a pot smoking hippie who played with John Hartford – and they’re both equally true Tying together otherwise disparate histories is a compelling format and is rewarding to the solo practitioner We talked about it a couple of weeks ago when we first met by chance But you starting the album with “Christmas in Yuma,” immediately I was like I know what we’re doing.” We’re in the west there’s poetry/prose poetry happening That song feels like it’s part of a longstanding tradition Immediately I was thinking about a couple of my favorite Steinbeck passages listening to that starting with spoken word over that beautiful sound bed that you’ve created for it what does that accomplish for you as an opening to a record Two things come to mind. Kenneth Patchen who made these poetry records for the Folkways label in the ‘50s backed by a jazz band and it was almost comical but he took it so seriously and it’s so convincing when you just forget what the format actually is The great Texas – I don’t even wanna say outsider artist but in terms of how he’s viewed – outsider artist Terry Allen with some of his concept records like Lubbock (On Everything) with the pedal steel That’s why I started [CRK] out that way Ice Cube’s records – I’m thinking of N.W.A – start out with these sound collages of him getting arrested or walking down a cell block He could make the amazing record that it became or he could have done some something entirely different I just think it’s an earnest way of saying “I’m not trying to do what you [already] know.” We all know that everyone is infinitely complex it’s fine to not be infinitely complex I’m really not trying to make it a guitar record [“Christmas in Yuma”] was just an earnest way of saying “I’m not what you think I might be.” It’s also a tradition in these roots and folk music spaces to play with expectation People generally know what a solo guitar record is gonna sound like and what it’s gonna be and what it’s gonna do I’m imagining a program director at a radio station putting on the record and doing the 30-second listen through – and the first song is poetry? I think maybe that’s what you’re talking about Whatever conscious or subconscious projection you might have about what this album is in your hand or what this is about to be as you put it on but I was “unschooled” and I didn’t have a high school diploma or a GED I’ve learned this notion of leveraging I surveyed how I was going to be able to reach people and it gets more representative of myself as [time] goes But it’s always been under the guise of leveraging unexpected muscle groups towards something else That’s just built into this like fight or flight thing Your point about the radio DJ – or whoever that’s listening to the poetry – I think that’s a unique opportunity I’m gonna listen to Leo Kottke 6- and 12-String Guitar People should continue to try to make records like that It’s starting out on a different foot is very different than you would if you just tried to hit it on the nose Then you might even have a chance to open it up to somebody Sometimes people just don’t know who Norman Blake is there’s a tune like “Yuma Ferry.” Who plays like that If I were to make a whole record of “Yuma Ferry”-style tunes I think everybody listening would know that it was a Norman Blake type of thing Let’s talk about “Christmas in Yuma” a little more in detail because I’m curious about how you created it Was it the poem that made the music happen or the music demanded to have a poem set to it What was the creative process like for the track 2021 and I just went to Google Docs and typed it out Harry and Dylan sit down with me in our friend Marshall’s studio and we just recorded improvisations with the loose framework Those are all the things that were vibrating around “He has to do it.” He’s an amazing voice actor Then we went to the studio and we just said We’re just gonna play.” There was one take that was like the perfect length of time and I just put it under there All those sonic features that interact with the vocal are totally incidental The music of CRK is so evocative and so visual and is so good at text painting but I wanted to talk about your work in other media and about how you curated the package for the album You’re so multifaceted in what media you’re working in – archives How do you see all those forms converging and diverging with this project specifically Because I see your eye for detail at every level You can just tell from the package that the whole thing is art to you If there’s a picture of someone jumping you don’t really know where they jumped from Maybe this person crying is not the good guy as the smile gets “invented” throughout photography you can infer things right or wrong in there They can all take you to a different place but you lose a little bit with the moving image ‘Cause then you see the speed at which they’re moving even if the frame rate isn’t representative of reality say you’re playing jazz standards and you’re playing things with semantic content that came from a show You’re shackled by the semantic content of that to see photography and instrumental music as this thing where – back to working in miniature – smaller things give you more room to insert yourself into it but there’s more fiction to play with In terms of things being programmed to you the way that they’re sequenced by gestures is such a fitting way of dealing with sequencing things that aren’t visual There’s a lot of inspiration from the photo book as a tradition coalesced identity of the West without the photography of the Dust Bowl I’ve spent a lot of time looking at FSA photographs and there’s some great Dorothea Lange photographs in Yuma from May of 1935 which can be seen via the Library of Congress I actually licensed one of them that was not within the purview of her [federal] work from the Oakland Museum and that’s in the song folio for CRK Norman Blake is a really important musician to you and Dave Rawlings is as well You’re talking about wanting to make music wanting to make a record that isn’t just another acoustic guitar Norman and Dave are great examples of guitarists who make albums that aren’t just the same old same old Who are the folks that modeled for you that having your own voice and perspective on your instrument was more important than just doing it to do it Or to be “best” or to sell yourself as a product for consumption he called guitar an instrument for assholes [Andrés] Segovia tried to institute a formal repertoire Is Jimi Hendrix the definitive repertoire for the guitar I don’t need a million people to listen to my music to make a living or to keep doing it how to make these raw ingredients that are embedded into everyone into something that’s not commercial In terms of other people [who inspired me] but I didn’t finger-pick up until about three and a half years ago People like Rambling Jack Elliot and Sam Shepard I would play these solo concerts in Texas of just flatpicking melodies like four flatpicking melodies in four different keys And I was just like beating my head up against a wall fiddle tune-driven [story over an entire set of just flatpicking] I decided I was going to learn how to finger-pick convincingly It was a pain in my ass to figure that shit out It could be seen as pushing back against commercialism or whatever but in some ways it’s actually the opposite I want as many people to listen to this as possible.” Not sheer numbers but in terms of who they are and what their listening diets are Not just everybody in the audience being someone who will already know each of those fiddle tunes AZ — The Yuma Police Department is investigating after a newborn baby was found dead at a local hotel Yuma police officers were called to a Best Western hotel on Castle Dome Avenue for reports of a baby found in a garbage can they located an outside garbage can that had the body inside it Detectives believe the body was placed there sometime between Wednesday night and Thursday morning It was originally discovered by a hotel employee Police have not yet identified a suspect or the person who gave birth Anyone with information is urged to contact the Yuma Police Department by calling (928) 373-4700 or 78-Crime at (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous Yuma PD reminds residents of the Safe Haven Law Arizona has the Safe Haven Law that identifies places where mothers can safely and anonymously give up their babies without fear of prosecution There is a Safe Haven crisis response team available to assist with questions Simply bring your baby to the following Safe Haven locations: You must hand your baby to a person at the above locations or may place the baby in the Safe Haven drawer at designated hospitals Tell them this is a safe haven baby and you may leave and a good home will be found for the baby For more information, click here Report a typo The Yuma Police Department was investigating the death of a newborn who was found in a garbage can at a hotel Police said a Best Western employee found the baby boy in an outside garbage can around 10:40 a.m Police believed the body was placed in the trash can between 10 p.m Anyone with information can call the Yuma Police Department at 928-373-4700 or 78-Crime at 928-782-7463 to remain anonymous Police offered a $1,000 reward for information that led to an arrest The Best Western was located near the intersection of Interstate 8 and U.S Arizona has a Safe Haven Law that identifies places where mothers can safely and anonymously give up their babies without fear of prosecution If a baby is unharmed and under 30 days old it can be dropped off at a Safe Haven location Mothers must hand the baby to a person at the above locations or may place the baby in the Safe Haven drawer at designated hospitals KECY) - Yuma Catholic golfers turned in strong performances this weekend at the Metro Invitational held at Sun City and Palmbrook Country Clubs Sophomore Meyer Shill finished 12th overall helping the boys team finish 4th in a competitive field of 16 schools senior Ellie Felix impressed with rounds of 68 and 79 securing 10th place overall and 2nd among female golfers the Shamrocks will rely on underclassmen like Shill to carry the program’s success forward next season 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 KECY) - Yuma Catholic's tennis program ended its season with a strong showing at the state level as several players represented the Shamrocks in both team and individual brackets The boys team fell in the first round of the playoffs but not before putting together an impressive regular season that earned them a spot in the state tournament The girls team also battled hard in their playoff opener Jayden Felix competed in the singles bracket and showed strong composure while Jordan Mendoza and Jacob Ramos represented the Shamrocks in doubles competition With a young core returning and playoff experience now under their belt Yuma Catholic is already setting its sights on an even deeper run next year KECY) - The body of a baby was found in a garbage can in Yuma YPD says police were dispatched at about 10:42 a.m on May 1 regarding an abandoned baby at Best Western (1450 S Police were directed to an outside garbage can which had the body of a dead newborn baby boy YPD says the newborn must've been placed there sometime between 10 p.m Anyone with information on this case is encouraged to call YPD at (928) 373-4700 or 78-Crime at (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous YPD would also like to remind mothers of the Safe Haven Law which says mothers can safely and anonymously give up their babies with state resources Reach out to Marcos with your story ideas at marcos.icahuate@kecytv.com Danyelle Burke North joined the KYMA team in March 2024 as a reporter you can contact her at danyelle.burke-north@kecytv.com KECY) - Yuma Catholic and Gila Ridge both had multiple players participating in the AIA State Tennis Championships Shamrocks Golf also has solid showing at Metro Invitational while the Diamondbacks avoid a sweep to the Phillies KECY) - Yuma baseball suffers a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Ironwood to end an outstanding season for the Crims While Sovereignty holds on at the Kentucky Derby barely edging out favorite Journalism to win the big race KECY) - Local nurses in Yuma gathered for a special occasion to honor their accomplishments and give recognition The 2025 Yuma County Nurses Gala was held at Hoffman Estates Saturday night More than 100 local nurses and their families came together for awards a dedicated nurse nominated for several awards shared what it takes to be successful in the field and as well as...being diligent and being compassionate with your patients as well," Mendoza explained The City of Yuma was also on hand to proclaim next week as Nurses Week in Yuma Manoah Tuiasosopo joined the KYMA team as a videographer in February 2024 you can send them to his email at manoah.tuiasosopo@kecytv.com reach out to him at dillon.fuhrman@kecytv.com and plenty of ghostly fun took over the Yuma Territorial Prison last night during The Witching Hour a sold-out celebration for National Paranormal Day Hundreds gathered at the historic site Saturday evening for an immersive paranormal experience that included cemetery tours and a late-night screening of "The Conjuring." "There's always magic here at the Yuma Territorial Prison," said Yanna Kruse We're thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate this event with the community." Guests with the highly coveted Witching Hour tickets stayed as late as 3:00 a.m. exploring the haunted grounds under the desert moonlight Twilight ticket holders enjoyed all core attractions until 11:00 p.m With local food vendors on-site and the popular Potions Bar keeping the drinks flowing the atmosphere was electric from the moment gates opened at 6:30 p.m Organizers say they're already looking ahead to future events after the overwhelming response from the community For updates on future happenings at the Yuma Territorial Prison, check our Events page HERE KECY) - Hundreds of locals in Yuma attended the annual Children's Festival of the Arts on Saturday hands-on activities for children to partake in Several teachers and students also received awards for their achievements in the field of arts Yuma Deputy Mayor Carol Smith says access to arts is not a privilege "Everybody might think they're not a perfect artist The event took over Main Street in Downtown Yuma from 10 a.m KECY) - The Yuma County Sheriff's Office (YCSO) is investigating a shooting which left two people dead Somerton Avenue after they received a 911 call "with a silent open line." YCSO says deputies found two people with apparent gunshot wounds but both victims were pronounced dead at the scene this incident is being investigated as a homicide," and their Criminal Investigations Bureau took over the investigation If anyone has any information regarding the case, call YCSO at (928) 783-4427, call 78-CRIME to remain anonymous, or visit YCSO's website to submit an anonymous tip KECY) - While the Kentucky Derby played out on screens across the nation dozens of Yuma locals gathered on Saturday for a celebration that gave the race a charitable twist The "Kentucky Derby Fun Day" took place at Herbs2Oils on South Fortuna Road raising money for two local organizations the Humane Society of Yuma (HSOY) and Saddles of Joy a nonprofit that provides equine therapy for children and adults Guests dressed in derby attire and enjoyed food a live viewing of the 151st Run for the Roses on a large screen the event's mission was clear: supporting animals and the people who care for them so that’s kind of my soft spot," said Toni Holland "But I have other animals too dogs and cats The fundraiser brought together animal lovers from across the area helping raise awareness and funds for the two nonprofits Organizers say the strong community turnout made a real difference HSOY works year-round to provide shelter and care for stray and surrendered animals while Saddles of Joy offers therapeutic riding sessions that serve individuals with physical Both organizations say events like this not only bring in vital financial support they also build lasting bonds within the community YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Congressional candidate Daniel Hernandez was in Yuma Saturday knocking on doors and informing voters about his mission Hernandez says his goals include representing rural communities in D.C. lowering the cost of living for southern Arizona During his six years in the Arizona House of Representatives Hernandez says he worked to incentivize the construction of affordable housing throughout the state and secure more funding for educational resources "Whether that was passing additional funding for low income housing whether that was additional funding for schools or passing a sexual assault protection bill for survivors of domestic and sexual violence I have a strong track record of actually getting bills passed and signed into law hoping to take my experience on the school board and in the legislature to D.C to make sure that we have a representative that can understand the needs of rural Arizona and southern Arizona." Hernandez is running for the seat formerly filled by the late Raul Grijalva and is also being endorsed by Yuma City Council member Karen Watts KECY) - A significant cool down is on the way as an unseasonably strong low-pressure system moves through the Desert Southwest bringing cooler temperatures and wetter conditions through Tuesday The system is already causing gusty winds and patchy dust across southeast California prompting a Wind Advisory for Imperial County through early Monday morning Gusts could reach up to 45 MPH this evening with wind-prone areas like Ocotillo seeing gusts up to 55 MPH A FIRST ALERT ACTION DAY is still in effect for Imperial County through Sunday night due to the strong winds and the potential for widespread blowing dust an Air Quality Alert remains active due to blowing dust Yuma County can expect breezy to windy conditions on Sunday although the rain chances in Yuma and El Centro remain low gusty outflows from storms to the north may still impact the area Temperatures will drop into the upper 70s to low 80s in Yuma Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected to develop in higher terrain areas of Arizona temperatures will start to rise again midweek as high pressure builds in with triple digits possible by next weekend Stay updated with the latest alerts and conditions on our website SUBMIT A STORY IDEA SUBSCRIBE Researchers found that produce grown in Yuma generated $3.2 billion in retail value in 2022 ranking the county third nationwide in sales of vegetables A new economic impact study reveals the critical role of Yuma County in Arizona's economy Yuma's agriculture and agribusiness contributed $4.4 billion in economic activity to the state of Arizona and $3.9 billion to Yuma County in 2022 Researchers found that produce grown in Yuma generated a whopping $3.2 billion in retail value The study also found that for every $1,000 worth of vegetables sold less than one acre-foot of water – enough to cover one acre of land to a depth of one foot – was used "There's this concern about how much water is being used and if it's being used efficiently," said George Frisvold, who led the study and is a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics in the U of A College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences they use 0.63 acre-feet to produce $1,000 worth of crops compared to the rest of the Colorado Basin where the average amount used is 1.44 acre-feet to produce a similar value." The report places Yuma among the nation's major agricultural producers with vegetable farmers being 58 times more concentrated in the county than the national average including Detroit's vehicle manufacturing sector "The study findings provide a very important resource for planning and decision making," said José Quintero, an agricultural enterprise analyst in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics and U of A Cooperative Extension "We found that Yuma is to agriculture what Hollywood is to movies To provide a comprehensive analysis of the county's agricultural impact researchers used a multiregional input-output model to quantify the direct and indirect contributions of farming The model was customized using the best available data "The results were obtained using the most current and accurate data available primarily from the latest USDA Census of Agriculture in 2022," said Claudia V Montanía, an economic impact analyst in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics and U of A Cooperative Extension "This allows the estimated numbers to reflect the agricultural production structure of Yuma County." Researchers found that of the $3.9 billion dollars in economic activity created in Yuma County, agricultural operations directly contributed $2.8 billion – including $1.3 billion from crop industries, $167 million from livestock industries, $1.3 billion from agricultural support service and suppliers, and $4 million from university-related agricultural research and Cooperative Extension activities "Yuma is a dynamic place with sophisticated agricultural operations that play a key role in winter vegetable supply chains at the national level," said Dari Duval an economic impact analyst in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics and U of A Cooperative Extension "Agribusiness in Yuma goes far beyond on-farm production to include operations providing inputs specialized services and carefully coordinated post-harvest activities This wide scope of activity is reflected in the economic contribution numbers in the report." The economic impact study was funded by the Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture CONTACT US SUBSCRIBE We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples Arizona is home to 22 federally recognized tribes with Tucson being home to the O’odham and the Yaqui The University strives to build sustainable relationships with sovereign Native Nations and Indigenous communities through education offerings University Information Security and Privacy © 2025 The Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of The University of Arizona YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The Yuma County Sheriff's Office (YCSO) has identified the victims killed in a shooting from over the weekend YCSO identified the victims as 52-year-old Jose Martinez of Yuma and 48-year-old Jose Guevara of Somerton who drove himself to Onvida Health after being shot The third victim is said to be in stable condition a neighbor that lives close to the area where the shooting took place says it is scary to have something like this happen to close to home It brings one fear...There's no vigilance here You just have to lock yourself in your house you know...May God protect us," said Soto The shooting took place at around 2:20 p.m after they received a 911 call "with a silent open line," YCSO says YSCO explains that if they do receive a silent open line they will send out someone to make sure everything is okay "Anybody that calls 911 will have a deputy dispatch to the area to be able to make contact with the person calling…even if they're isn't a person on the phone if they're not speaking," said Tania Pavlak from YCSO YCSO says they don't have a suspect in custody at this time If anyone has any information regarding the case, call YCSO at (928) 783-4427, call 78-CRIME to remain anonymous, or visit YCSO's website to submit an anonymous tip Eduardo Morales joined KYMA as a reporter in September 2023 KECY)-  The Elisabeth Solar Project is set to take shape on public land near Dateland and is designed to generate and store hundreds of megawatts of renewable energy The Elisabeth Solar Project will soon be located in the heart of the Agua Caliente solar energy zone Approved by The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) the facility will include solar panels and battery storage "It's going to span a little over 1400 acres and out of that 1400 acres the project will have a nameplate capacity of 270 megawatts." The power will feed into the Arizona Public Service and California Independent System operator grids improving energy stability for consumers across the Desert Southwest "By charging up these batteries during the day and then discharging the batteries at night it's able to have power on call virtually around the clock," Eysenbach shared Some locals are glad to see clean energy come into the area and see an alternative to fossil fuels and in other cases where we have to depend on coal or gas It's better because there is no pollution and we know that solution brings a lot of air born syndrome and diseases.” The Elisabeth Solar Project is still in the early stages but BLM says construction is set to begin this June KECY)- Seniors across the Yuma Union High School District (YUHSD) are being recognized for their accomplishments as they prepare to graduate For a handful of local high school seniors the recognition comes after years of dedication both inside and outside the classroom Two seniors from Cibola said this moment is more than just an honor Two students from each of the districts six high schools were chosen for a campaign highlighting the students involvement in a wide range of programs Cibola senior Ryan Dusek says this honor means the world to him: "It means everything 'cause I feel like I'm inspiring others as well to put in that hard work a dedication and push themselves to be their best." The students were nominated by staff and selected through essays and interviews They represent a wide range of experiences YUHSD Chief Communications Officer Eric Patten says it's important to refocus the attention on the great things students are doing saying "People can refuse their attention on the great things the students are doing in our community and will do in the future in our community if a great benefit to the campaign." they all share one goal: to graduate ready for whatever comes next "I know that whatever I choose I'm gonna excel in what I do and I'm gonna bring back good into my community." The campaign will run through the summer and each student will be honored on their campuses in the fall and Antelope all get to see what a potential path towards a state championship could look like Luis Lopez covers sports and weather for KYMA You can contact him at luis.lopez@kecytv.com KECY) - Invenergy held a ribbon cutting Friday for a new solar power and battery energy storage center bringing clean and reliable energy to Yuma Yuma Solar is Invenergy's 1st solar energy facility in Arizona and its 11th project to successfully complete development in the Copper State APS is purchasing the power from the technology to better serve customers so no emissions coming from all of this and stable so it's there exactly when you need it," said Paul Burman Invenergy Director of Renewable Development The center has 70 megawatts of solar energy and energy storage It brings power to 21,000 American homes and plans to invest $30 million directly into the community KECY) - Yuma Catholic tennis head coach Kenneth Sandoval talks about how his team is prepping for the next round of state championship action and Criminals baseball looks to keep their season alive as they host their first postseason game in 14 years Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors AZ — Yuma calls itself the “Gateway of the Great Southwest," but now the city hopes to become the gateway to outer space The city hopes a parcel of land in the desert could become the location of the first spaceport in Arizona “What we’re talking about is a spaceport which would launch small rockets which would carry communications satellites We’re not launching people or launching Teslas; we’re launching small rockets," Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls said Mayor Nicholls was named to the recently relaunched Arizona Space Commission by Governor Katie Hobbs The spaceport project in Yuma has been in the works for years first gaining traction in 2019 when the Greater Yuma Economic Development Corporation got a grant to do a feasibility study Yuma's desert climate and location near the Sea of Cortez make it a viable place to safely launch rockets we get up over the Gulf of California in about six seconds," Nicholls said "So that gives us a unique opportunity in the state to be an asset to launch rockets.” While the rockets are small, they’re big business. The World Economic Forum projects the space industry to be worth nearly $2 trillion in a decade Interest in the project in Yuma has reached the state capitol State Senator Tim Dunn helped send a letter to the federal government pushing for spaceport approval saying he’s committed to making sure Yuma’s other big business isn’t impacted talking about making sure the gasses they use are non-toxic so it doesn’t impact our citizens or agriculture industry,” Dunn said The final hurdle to clear is getting FAA approval Mayor Nicholls says the goal is to finish their application by the end of the year Even though the city is likely still a few years out from seeing a launch and hopefully brings some more economic opportunities for us," Nicholls said Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity released the following statement after a Chinese national died at a U.S “When Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents take a person into custody and initial reports have indicated that certain CBP procedures to ensure the safety and welfare of individuals in custody were not conducted There is no excuse for why agents cannot verify if some of the necessary welfare checks occurred – or why some of the documented welfare checks were incorrectly reported “As the CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) investigates this death they must provide answers on why these welfare checks were not conducted and falsely recorded and why this woman was able to die by suicide without any guard intervention.  two detained persons died at the Northwest Immigrant Processing Center (NWIPC) I remain incredibly concerned about the conditions at these facilities Another preventable death only increases that concern Reports have consistently shown that the United States falls far short of its obligations to treat all detained people with dignity and fairness.”   the woman was taken into custody in California after it was determined that she had overstayed a B1/B2 visitor visa Agents transferred her to Arizona where she was detained.  logs note that multiple welfare checks were conducted CBP OPR was unable to verify if those checks actually occurred a Border Patrol Processing Coordinator (BPPC) stated that he did not conduct the logged checks Surveillance footage showed the woman create a noose and tie it around her neck yet no medical response occurred for nearly two hours.  KECY) - A man is dead after a workplace crash involving a semi-truck The Yuma Police Department (YPD) say it happened just after midnight at Priority Cooling Mann Pack A 61-year-old man was guiding a semi truck when he was pinned between the loading truck and a loading dock Yuma police officers responded just after 12:30 a.m "Upon arrival we learned the semi was being driven by a 21-year-old male He was backing up the semi and it wound up pinning the 61-year-old male against the loading dock  The victim was taken to Onvida Health where he died from his injuries. YPD says both truck drivers were not from Arizona.  The victim's identity has not been released.   "We do not believe intoxication or speed were a factor We reached out to priority cooling for comment A representative declined to speak and referred us to Mann Packing Co. but we have not received a response.   This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page An official website of the United States government Open Search  Mobile Menu < All Press Releases PHOENIX – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has approved the Elisabeth Solar Project on about 1,411 acres of public lands in the Agua Caliente Solar Energy Zone near Dateland in Yuma County and eventually decommission a utility-scale photovoltaic energy and battery storage facility expected to generate up to 270 megawatts and store up to 300 megawatts of power The project will connect to the Arizona Public Service and California Independent System Operator energy grids through the Hoodoo Wash switchyard domestically sourced energy for the American public is a top priority,” said Ray Castro and industry to move this project forward.”  Additional information, including the final environmental assessment, finding of no significant impact, and decision record are available at the BLM National NEPA Register.  For more information, please contact BLM Project Manager Derek Eysenbach at BLM_AZ_CRD_SOLAR@blm.gov or 602-417-9505.  The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations An official website of the Department of the Interior A cobalt processing facility that would boost the U.S supply of the critical mineral is on track to begin construction in late 2025 the facility in Yuma County would be the only cobalt processing facility in the U.S Cobalt is a mineral in high demand for its use in electric vehicle batteries aerospace products and defense technologies EVelution Energy is the company developing the project which will be located in Wellton in Yuma County The company says it plans to design and operate a carbon-neutral solar power facility that would treat and recycle 70% of its water and transport its tailings to the local landfill to minimize the risk of contamination on the property and surrounding land “Our plant is basically a best-in-class green facility … That’s why we got unanimous approval from the Yuma County Board of Supervisors because we addressed all the concerns of the stakeholders,” said Gil Michel-Garcia executive vice president and general counsel of EVelution Energy Since the project was unanimously approved by the Yuma County Board of Supervisors in 2023 the company has secured $200 million in long-term financing through the Export-Import Bank of the United States guarantees and insurance to domestic companies EVelution Energy is now looking to raise the rest of the funds through federal programs This includes a $64.8 million debt financing through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program which allows investors to apply for a green card by investing in U.S companies located in rural or high-unemployment areas The company is also looking at raising $57.5 million under the Qualified Opportunity Zone program investors who invest in economically depressed areas considered essential to the economy and national security which could be vulnerable to supply-chain disruptions “It’s absolutely crucial for high heat-resistant parts that are contained in almost every military application aerospace and defense application you can think of,” Michel-Garcia said about the use of cobalt “From the inside of engines to the covering of the supersonic missiles all of them contain cobalt metal in some form or another.” EVelution Energy founders said the company was being considered to help supply the U.S the company said the Yuma facility would be capable of supplying 30% of U.S About 75% of the world’s cobalt is produced by the Democratic Republic of Congo then sent abroad and processed into cobalt sulfate for electric vehicle batteries More than 70% of the cobalt sulfate is refined in China and most of the remainder is processed in Finland and Indonesia The recent tariffs imposed on China by the White House also have benefited EVelution Energy “They've exempted critical minerals imports,” Michel-Garcia said about the Trump administration’s tariffs “All of our imports would come in tariff-free from being able to export products into the United States.” job creationThe company highlighted its responsibility to source cobalt ethically about 15% to 30% is produced by unregulated artisanal small-scale mining the source of reported human rights violations where children are put to work and miners work in unsafe conditions according to a paper published by New York University and Stern Center for Business and Human Rights EVelution Energy says it is committed to identifying and mitigating human rights abuses child labor and other issues in the cobalt supply chain and aims to do business with companies that follow these published guidelines and initiatives A study conducted by a third-party consultant estimated that the cobalt processing facility would create 3,300 direct indirect and induced jobs in Yuma and generate more than $750 million of economic activity “This is a facility that is not only strategically important for the country from a national security perspective it's a facility that's going to generate a ton of jobs and economic activity,” Michel-Garcia said Through a partnership with Arizona Western College EVelution Energy will help develop a critical-mineral metallurgical processing program at the college’s Wellton campus These newly trained professionals could be part of the 100 employees working at the facility The training program likely would begin in 2027 Jobs at the plant would include security and administrative personnel “Our goal is to make every effort that we can to hire local residents and to allow this opportunity to retiring veterans from the nearby bases,” he said KECY) - The Yuma Police Department (YPD) is investigating a head-on crash where two people died and two people were injured YPD says a 32-year-old woman was driving a 2016 Ford Explorer westbound on 32nd Street where it was "attempting to turn left onto Avenue 6E" when it crashed into a 2015 Nissan Rogue were both taken to Onvida Health for minor injuries while the man and his passenger were also taken to Onvida Health where they later died While alcohol does not appear to be a factor in the crash and YPD is asking witnesses or anyone who has video of the crash to call them at (928) 783-4421 or 78-CRIME at (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous KECY) - Evelution Energy LLC says Yuma County is the ideal location for the first cobalt factory in North America Evelution Energy's proposed cobalt processing plant will sit on 138 acres of land in Tacna it will be the only facility of its kind in North America says this project will have a positive impact on our community: "We would create over 33 hundred induced direct and indirect jobs and over $750 million of economic impact in the community." Evelution Energy says they plan to offer technical training programs at Arizona Western College to help prepare local residents for the jobs ahead co-founder and general council of Evelution Energy LLC says "It's gonna be focused on teaching our workers how to process metallurgically cobalt and copper which is a similar process It will be spearheaded by Arizona Western College."  The goal is to reduce the dependence on foreign supply chains by building a fully American made solution "When fully operational we will be capable of supplying up to 40% of U.S Evelution Energy says the groundbreaking isn't happening until later this year KECY) - The Yuma Police Department (YPD) arrested a man in connection to a stabbing after YPD received reports regarding a disturbance in the area YPD says Robles "quickly retreated into an apartment where he barricaded himself" and said he was armed YPD says the other officers found an unresponsive 54-year-old man who had been stabbed The victim was then removed from the apartment for safety reasons and officers performed life-saving measures "exited the rear of the apartment and failed to comply with officers' commands," prompting them to use a taser While the victim was pronounced dead at the scene YPD says Robles was arrested and made his first court appearance Monday where he is facing three of the following charges: and his next court appearance will be on Wednesday If anyone has any information regarding the case call YPD at (928) 373-4700 or 78-CRIME at (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous If anyone's information leads to an arrest they may receive a cash reward of up to $1,000 Si tiene alguna idea de historia que le gustaría compartir KECY) - A significant cool down is on the way this weekend as an unseasonably strong low-pressure system makes its way through the Desert Southwest The system is already kicking up gusty winds and patchy dust across southeast California prompting a Wind Advisory for Imperial County starting this afternoon through early Monday morning and up to 55 MPH in wind-prone areas such as Ocotillo A FIRST ALERT ACTION DAY is in effect through Saturday night for Imperial County due to the strong winds and the potential for widespread blowing dust An Air Quality Alert remains active through Saturday due to blowing dust Winds will shift eastward Sunday with breezy to windy conditions expected across Yuma County including the potential for dust development in the afternoon with highs in Yuma expected to drop into the upper 70s to low 80s Sunday and Monday Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms may develop Sunday afternoon in higher terrain areas of Arizona While rain chances remain low in Yuma and El Centro gusty outflows from nearby storms may still impact the area warmer temperatures and calmer winds return midweek as high pressure builds back in Highs could reach back into the mid to upper 90s by Thursday Assistance Available for New Passport Applications Postal Service will be hosting a passport fair on Saturday but customers are encouraged to arrive early as applicants will be served on a first-come A cut-off time may be necessary if wait times exceed event hours Passport photos are also available at this office The fair is being held at the following location: To help speed up the process, customers should fill out forms ahead of time. Application forms and information on the costs and how to apply for a passport book and/or passport card can be found at usps.com/passport or travel.state.gov/passport Customers can also obtain passport information by phone by calling the National Passport Information Center toll-free at (877) 487-2778 applicants must have a valid form of photo identification and proof of citizenship Passport fees for adults (16 years and older) are $130.00 payable to the ‘Department of State’ for the application fee and a separate payment of $35 to the Postal Service for its processing fee the total cost is $100 to the ‘Department of State’ and a $35 processing fee to the Postal Service The Postal Service also offers a passport photo service at a cost of $15 The application must be paid by cash or check may be used to cover the cost of photos and acceptance fees Proof of identification — You may submit items such as the following containing your signature and a photograph that is a good likeness of you: Current or previous U.S certificate of citizenship or a current and valid driver’s license A photocopy of the identification – front and back – must be submitted with your passport application The post offices will be offering photocopy service for an added fee Proof of citizenship includes any one of the following: Please visit Passport Application & Passport Renewal | USPS to see if you’re eligible to renew by mail Children Under 16 (state.gov) Both parents/guardians must authorize the issuance of a child’s passport The best way to give consent is for both parents/guardians to go with the child when applying The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to 169 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is implementing a 10-year transformation plan, Delivering for America restore long-term financial sustainability dramatically improve service across all mail and shipping categories and maintain the organization as one of America’s most valued and trusted brands The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage products and services to fund its operations Copyright© 2025 United States Postal Service Border Patrol Yuma Sector reported just one apprehension on Tuesday as apprehensions at the southern border hit their lowest levels in years One of the biggest changes along the Yuma border is the removal of a tent and portable toilets that were once used by asylum seekers They were positioned in a location where migrants typically cross into the U.S through a gap in the border and then surrender to Border Patrol “We simply don’t have the need for that resource anymore,” said Yuma Border Patrol Chief Justin De La Torre De La Torre said agents have been shifting their focus “Agents are able to spend their time looking for threats looking for any violations of federal law,” he said “If we have a day where there are zero detections of illegal entries we were releasing them pending a court hearing Now we are using the expedited proceedings to return them,” said De La Torre One of Trump’s biggest campaign promises was to stop the flow of fentanyl across the southern border by threatening tariffs on Mexico as soon as he took office if they failed to take action has been able to influence other countries to accept their nationals back that hasn’t always been the case,” said De La Torre He said most undocumented individuals who enter the U.S through Yuma are headed north to the interior of the country “We have a number of lawful pathways for people to come to the United States Those pathways that De La Torre is referring to are through employment-based visas like the H-2A visa which allows farm workers to work in the U.S there is no legal pathway for migrants at the bord to seek asylum KECY) - Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls announced Tuesday that an Amazon facility is being built in Yuma County During his State of the City address Mayor Nicholls said the project will bring over 250 jobs within the delivery service station including delivery drivers The facility construction started in January and the project is expected to launch by the end of October on Avenue 4E and 36th Street "This is a delivery center as opposed to fulfillment center Fulfillment center is what you have in really really big cities This is the last mile as they call it where the big semis will come in the product will get redistributed to the delivery vehicle It just needs to be put in the vehicles that go to our neighborhoods," said Mayor Doug Nicholls.The project is expected to be completed by the end of the year It comes with an investment of $23 million News & Reviews News Wire UP train derails in Yuma No injuries reported in Tuesday incident involving intermodal train — Approximately a dozen cars of a Union Pacific intermodal train derailed Tuesday evening just north of Yuma closing a grade crossing overnight and significantly delaying the Sunset Limited No injuries were reported in the incident, which occurred about 6:15 p.m., UP said in a statement to TV stations KYMA and KECY Rural Metro Fire of Yuma County responded to the incident and found no hazardous materials were involved The derailment closed Fortuna Road crossing near U.S The incident delayed the westbound Sunset Limited that departed New Orleans on Monday it was projected to arrive in Los Angeles 24 hours late Yuma is the junction point of UP’s Yuma Subdivision from Loma Linda to the west and the Gila Subdivision to Tucson No doubt Antrak will demand the Justice Department sue the UP for deliberately derailing a freight train so they could delay the Sunset Limited… lol the ‘Sunset Limited’ stood at Tucson Station for three hours until 10 pm Passengers were transferred to buses for Los Angeles reversed from the station to be parked somewhere It eventually was ferried to Los Angeles when the track was repaired and cleared There have been news reports on BNSF trains being sabotaged in the Az and NM deserts only to be broken into and looted for Nike shoes while stopped Makes me wonder about this derailment cause….just sayin’ the conductor has a complete list on whether there is any hazardous materials inside any of the containers a fact that we found out when a UP Stack train derailed in Kansas last year flammable materials combusted and were quickly put out but no hazardous materials were aboard… imagine that the RRs are successful in their efforts to operate with one-person crews How long would it take for a mobile conductor to arrive from who-knows-where to inspect the train Members enjoy 15% off any purchase in our store. Join Today Get updates and special offers via email from Trains.com brands Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here U of A Yuma develops local talent and offers unique resources for the broader university community Border health course participants visit the U of A Yuma industrial kitchen and learn from associate professor of practice Michael Clark (in hat) about the campus’s nutrition program In a low-slung strip mall in the shadow of Arizona Western College the University of Arizona Yuma team squeezes every dollar to pursue its mission to strengthen the region’s academic which are slowly growing through the team’s persistence and dedication include technologically equipped classrooms an engineering lab shared on Arizona Western College’s campus and an agricultural research site available off-campus at the University of Arizona Yuma Agricultural Center.   currently enrolls approximately 130 students Most students transfer to the university after finishing prerequisites at Arizona Western College or Imperial Valley College community colleges where credits are more economical The majority of students are first-generation college students Many come from families with limited financial resources and work to support their households while attending school.  regional academic programs manager of U of A Yuma and a Yuma native understands how challenging college can be to a first gen student I just thought I needed to finish something.”  She emphasizes that student support services—such as academic advising and travel assistance—are essential in the Yuma context help demystify the higher education system and increase retention for students who may not otherwise envision themselves completing a degree.  Undergraduate degrees offered at the U of A Yuma campus include agricultural systems management and personal and family financial planning is offered exclusively at the Yuma location Instruction is delivered by U of A professors and researchers from the Yuma Agricultural Center.   U of A Yuma offers graduate programs in education and agriculture through online cohort learning employing the technology and space at the campus.   Some students complete their degrees entirely at the Yuma campus through online U of A courses and in-person instruction; others begin their studies at Yuma and transfer to Tucson or another university to pursue majors not currently offered on-site.  most students at the Yuma campus complete internships with one of the many local businesses that partner with the campus Internship experiences are integrated into the curriculum often leading to employment after graduation Villa says 98% of all Yuma graduates have found jobs in their field within six months.  98% of all Yuma graduates have found jobs in their field within six months.  For students and researchers from the U of A main campus U of A Yuma offers a unique setting for field-based engagement and rural health disparities provide a foundation for research and applied learning in multiple areas One example of such collaboration is the work of Dr who partners with the Regional Center for Border Health on data science approaches to health system delivery.  U of A Yuma connects with Tucson-based public health students and researchers  masters and doctoral students participating in the Tucson-based Border Health Service Learning Institute (EPID/PHP 597C) visited the U of A Yuma campus They toured the facilities and conversed with Villa and other faculty and staff members about potential collaborations in areas such as epidemiology and maternal and child health in the borderlands.  Faculty at the Yuma campus shared the enthusiasm for increased collaboration with U of A public health faculty Villa is pairing Yuma-based undergraduate students with Tucson-based MPH students for mentoring and joint projects.  The international collective of scientists has been honored for pushing the boundaries of particle physics to new heights Sanghi is one of 53 college students selected for the prestigious scholarship given every year to students intending to enter government work or public service The University of Arizona men's wheelchair basketball team just reached the pinnacle of their sport – the National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball Championship the team – and the whole university – are preparing to host next year's NIWB national tournament Log In © 2025 The Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of The University of Arizona.