Yuma Sun
Breaking ground for new VA Outpatient Clinic
Yuma-based veterans, local community leaders and state elected officials gathered in East Yuma Friday morning for the groundbreaking ceremony of a brandnew, state-of-the-art outpatient clinic designed to address the needs of U.S. military veterans...
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Killer Cuts
“Killer Cuts.” Quite a name for a barbershop, but then not everyone exposes their neck to a fellow inmate likely in prison for murder wielding a sharp razor for a shave and haircut That’s the scenario depicted in the newest exhibit of the prison...
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Housing America delivers its 1st home of 2026 in San Luis
A newly arrived family in San Luis received the keys last week to the first home delivered this year by Housing America Corporation. The four-bedroom home is located in the Belleza del Desierto subdivision in the eastern part of the city, financed...
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Yuma Fire Dept. calls rose nearly 7% in 2025
The Yuma Fire Department responded to nearly 19,600 calls for service in 2025, marking another year of steady growth driven largely by increased emergency medical activity. Capt. Francisco Leon said the number of calls firefighters handled last year...
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Community grieves loss of tiny chapel
A miniature chapel, for years a beloved roadside landmark in a field north of Yuma beckoning passersby to come “Pause – Rest – Worship,” is no longer there. The tiny 8-by-12-foot structure was removed in early January, leaving a void where it stood in...
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Junior rodeo competition
It was a busy weekend for Yuma’s youngest rodeo riders at the Charlie Gregston Memorial Junior Rodeo, hosted by the Yuma County Mounted Posse. Posse member Donnie Deforest said events like the rodeo help preserve a long-standing local tradition. “It’s...
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Wellton Tractor Rodeo brings history to life
The 17th annual Wellton Tractor Rodeo brought together vintage tractor aficionados from across the country last Friday. The event, which celebrates 20th century agriculture, showcased the machinery that made life possible for farmers in the early...
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Cleanup event held in Somerton ahead of MLK Day
Volunteers of all ages from several organizations commemorated Martin Luther King Day early by serving the community in a cleanup event on Wednesday at Council Avenue Park in Somerton. Now in its third year, the activity was led by participants in...
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Yuma Catholic honors heroes of the skies, promotes careers in aviation
On the anniversary of the Sikorsky XR-4 making the first flight for a U.S. military helicopter in 1942, Yuma Catholic held a ceremony to celebrate the many rescues, supply runs and patrols conducted by Yuma area helicopter pilots. Students opened the...
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Yuma County seeks state grant for Adair Park shooting range upgrades
Yuma County is applying for a state grant to make safety improvements at the Adair Park Shooting Range, the only range that is owned and operated by Yuma County. The Board of Supervisors voted Jan. 5 to authorize the County Administration’s Grants...
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Yuma art fair draws thousands
The City of Yuma’s streak of record festival crowds continued at its first event in 2026, with Art in the Park welcoming thousands of attendees over two days at Gateway Park. More than 50 artists from across the Yuma region showcased their talent and...
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2025 was a productive year for Somerton
Somerton – Last year brought positive progress for Somerton in economic development and a clear sign of recovery in housing construction, a sector that had declined for several years. The results of the City Council’s efforts to promote investment...
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Onvida continues Mentor Me MD program for local students
Onvida Health welcomed local high school and college students to its Main Campus Lab on Wednesday for a handson Winter Workshop designed to introduce them to medical careers. Mentor Me M.D. provides an opportunity for young adults to be exposed to...
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New businesses, expansions deliver major economic boost to Yuma County
Yuma County got a big boost to its economy in 2025 with the location of several new businesses and expansion of existing ones to bring 261 new high-quality jobs to the area. In total, there were eight new locations and expansions of major industries...
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Man injured in chemical mixer accident at Gowan Milling
A man was injured Sunday morning after becoming trapped in a chemical mixer at Gowan Milling, leading to a large emergency response from firefighters and medical teams. The Rural Metro Fire Department responded to the scene, located at 12300 E County...
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From irrigation to internet access: an interview with 2025 Citizen of the Year, Mark Smith
Mark Smith has been named the Yuma Sun’s 2025 Citizen of the Year, recognized for decades of work strengthening Yuma’s agricultural sector and for more recent efforts to modernize rural internet and cellular access across the region. Smith, who has...
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‘Resilience and compassion’
Yuma’s female nonprofit leaders are known to lead with compassion and grace while balancing the mental, emotional and physical demands of multitasking. They serve as powerful mentors, guiding and inspiring both men and women alike, supporting and...
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2025 A look back at
Here’s a roundup of the most outstanding news of the year in San Luis and Somerton: Expansion of César Chávez Boulevard to begin in 2026 after more than 12 years of efforts and planning, construction for the expansion of César Chávez Boulevard in San...
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Yuma farmer Mark Smith works behind the scenes
Mark Smith, a longtime agricultural leader and advocate for water, technology and rural infrastructure, has been selected as Yuma County’s 2025 Citizen of the Year for more than four decades of behindthe-scenes service to the community. Smith,...
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Change of Command
A change of command ceremony held Dec. 12, 2025, at the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma marked the passing of command from Lt. Col. Stephen R. Miggins, outgoing commanding officer of the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211, to Lt. Col. Michael B Jones,...
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San Luis maintained resilient growth in 2025
San Luis, Ariz. – The year 2025 was a challenging one for San Luis due to a reduction in municipal revenues, but the city continued moving forward with development and growth despite the difficulties of a slowed economy. This was explained by Mayor...
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From potluck to festival: Howling at the Moon continues to grow
The moon has served as a prominent fixture in human imaginations for thousands of years. That fascination is alive and well in Yuma, and when the moon is full, the Howling at the Moon Festival is on. The festival, which began as an informal social...
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Famed Anza expedition reaches 250-year anniversary
As Yuma marks the 250th anniversary of the historic Juan de Anza Crossing, historians and community members are reflecting on how a key moment along the Colorado River helped shape the region’s future. The crossing dates back to the Anza expedition of...
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Artists offer free pet portraits at dog park
Local artists are bringing community, color and creativity to the Yuma Dog Park, where they offer free drawings of visitors’ pets on the second Thursday evening of each month. The pop-up portrait sessions are organized by Jojo Copp through Artist...
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White (Belt) Christmas Wishes!
This year, the Yuma Sun asked a group of karate students what their Christmas wishes are. The students are all white belts under the tutelage of our recent Spirit of Yumanity spotlight: Kyoshi Francisco “Taco” Aguilar. While you’d think that these...
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He tried to save himself
Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part series. The first part ran on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. In the days that followed the crash, Ryan’s grandfather returned to the intersection over and over. Mario Trejo planted a wooden cross in the dirt...
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Christmas at the Crossing
Colorado River State Historic Park played host to another successful Christmas at the Crossing event, drawing hundreds of attendees for back-to-back evenings of festivities. Families of all ages rode the RL Jones Express through the park, encountered...
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Hobbs visits local veterans
Gov. Katie Hobbs visited the Arizona State Veteran Home in Yuma on Saturday morning for a facility tour and holiday meet-and-greet with local veterans. As the daughter, granddaughter and daughterin-law of veterans, Hobbs noted that she is well aware...
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Vista High School grads turn their tassels
On Thursday, Dec. 19, 57 Vista High School students walked into the Yuma High School’s Taylor Dean Mcbride Auditorium for the last big day of their high school careers. The winter graduating class of Vista High School left their childhoods behind and...
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Tunnel of Light in San Luis
Bright lights and Christmas music filled the night in San Luis during Christmas Around the World Tunnel of Lights, an event hosted by Harvest Preparatory Academy in the San Luis and Yuma campuses. In addition to festive cheer, the tunnel showcases...
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Day of the Farmworker
In a show of gratitude, farmworkers were feted at the 31st annual Dia del Campesinos (Farmworker Day) held Dec. 5 in San Luis. The early morning celebration kicked off at 4 a.m. on Dec. 5 with a Mass in honor of the field workers, officiated by parish...
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Shop with a Cop success
The Somerton Police Department hosted a Shop with a Cop event at Walmart No. 4337 on Dec. 10, 2025. Thirty students from Somerton School District were surprised with shopping sprees accompanied by police officers. Grant funding from Walmart made the...
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Honoring the fallen
U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground Commander Col. John Nelson served as keynote speaker at Yuma’s local Wreaths Across America ceremony at Sunset Vista Cemetery on Dec. 13. The annual ceremony holds a seasonal significance by remembering the fallen,...
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Light parade electrifies Yuma
Fourth Avenue was packed on Saturday evening as thousands of Yumans came out to watch the Dorothy Young Memorial Electric Light Parade. This year’s theme was “Misfit Toys.” Among the floats were classic “Rudolf the Rednose Reindeer” inspired sets, with...
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Community meets final fire chief candidates
The City of Yuma hosted a meet-andgreet the morning of Friday, Dec. 12, at the Yuma Art Center to provide city staff, residents and community partners the opportunity to meet the final candidates for the Yuma fire chief position. “We have three high...
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Welcome back bash
It was a packed house for the 26th annual Yuma Winter Visitor Welcome Back Bash held Wednesday, Dec. 10, at the Yuma Civic Center. The Welcome Back Bash, organized by the Yuma Sun, brought together Yumans, visitors from across the country and Canada...
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Speeding towards technical careers
Students from seven middle schools across Yuma County gathered at the Yuma Remote Control Car Raceway on a recent Friday morning for the 9th Drive in the Desert, a friendly competition for students to enjoy before finishing their fall semester...
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Candy Cane Lane brightens the holidays
Bright, cheery lights are illuminating the December darkness at Candy Cane Lane, located at 28th Street and South Vista Lane, across from Smucker Park in Yuma. While it’s currently open for anyone to come by and see, Santa will be visiting on Dec. 19...
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Holiday spirit at Downtown Christmas
Yuma residents and visitors of all ages gathered to celebrate the holidays at Downtown Christmas, enjoying a packed lineup of live performances, local food and merchandise vendors, and ice skating. Once the sun set, the community came together in front...
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Yuma farmers weigh in on pesticide use
As the sun rises, patches of acreage come to life in the small yet bustling outskirts of Yuma. Tractors and crop vehicles are running, filling the air with noise. Thousands of workers set out to spray, test, thin and harvest thousands of pounds of...
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YFD conducts specialized training on heavy-equipment rescue
Firefighters from the Yuma Fire Department spent Thursday morning at the city’s Public Safety Training Facility sharpening their skills in a highly specialized area of emergency response during the agency’s monthly technical rescue training. Capt....
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Enlisting goats, sheep to revitalize Yuma’s riverfront
Over the years, Yuma’s riverfront area, including areas of the East and West Wetlands, has accumulated dense, unmanaged vegetation and various invasive plant species that pose a significant risk for rapidly spreading wildfires. Many strategies for...
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Firefighters quickly contain vacant house fire
Firefighters extinguished a blaze Monday evening that damaged an unoccupied home near downtown Yuma. According to the Yuma Fire Department, firefighters were dispatched shortly after 5 p.m. to the area of 6th Street and Cemetery Avenue following...
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YFD crew contains fire in backyard
A fast-moving fire heavily damaged a small trailer, a storage unit and several palm trees in a backyard Tuesday morning, according to the Yuma Fire Department. Firefighters were dispatched around 8 a.m. to the area of South Avenue A and West 2nd...
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Yuma County debuts building with ribbon-cutting ceremony
Yuma County officials, staff and community members gathered Monday morning for a ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new Yuma County Administration Services building, a 100,000-squarefoot facility that officials say marks a major step forward in modernizing...
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Lake Martinez lights up the night with Christmas parade
The streets were packed at Lake Martinez as people came together to watch the Parade of Lights on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. Dozens of vehicles lined the road, decked out in lights, speakers and candy-throwing participants.
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Spirit of Christmas
The spirit of Christmas shined brightly Saturday night as families gathered for the annual Ken and Betty Borland Holiday Pageant and Tower Lighting Ceremony at Desert Sun Stadium. The beloved tradition, held each year on the Saturday following...
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Uku-holics of Yuma bring joy, connection and music to the community
Tucked away off South Frontage Road at the American Veterans Services Organization, cheery ukulele melodies can be heard twice a week coming through the door. Inside, dozens of people are practicing their chords as they strum along to the tunes. This...
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Thanksgiving memories
Thanksgiving is a holiday that brings people together – a day when families slow down, share a meal and enjoy the moments that are easy to miss in everyday life. Beyond the turkey, the football games and the full plates, it’s a time for creating the...
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Sensory safe
In an unassuming building on the outskirts of Yuma, young dancers warm up, some stretching, some standing on pointe. Even though it is only rehearsal, an atmosphere of dedication permeates the room. The performers are students at Ballet Yuma, and they...
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Marines conduct realistic urban training
The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit conducted realistic urban training across Arizona and Southern California on Nov. 3-13. The exercise, involving the entire Marine-air Ground Task Force and elements from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 122,...
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San Luis secures $26.2 million for wastewater treatment plant expansion
The San Luis City Council has secured $26.24 million in funding for the construction phase of the West Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion. On Nov. 12, the City Council approved a resolution formally authorizing the signing of a loan agreement with...
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Shark Tank at Onvida Health
Five projects pitched by employees to a panel of “sharks” received funding totaling $82,200 during the Onvida Health’s annual “Shark Tank” competition on Nov. 5. The sharks included Foundation of Onvida Health board members Frank Rascon, Barbara...
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Yuma celebrates Veterans Day
The Yuma community filled both sides of 4th Avenue Tuesday morning to show abundant support and give thanks to the many military men and women who have faithfully served our country. Yuma residents, families and visitors jockeyed for curb space,...
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Top brass visits Marines supporting border security mission in Yuma
Gen. Eric Smith, the 39th commandant of the Marine Corps, and Sgt. Maj. Carlos Ruiz, sergeant major of the Marine Corps, visited Marines and sailors assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 15 on Oct. 17 at the Yuma National Defense Area in Yuma. The...
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Healthcare organization marks 3 years in Yuma
Exceptional Community Health has seen over 60,000 patients in just three years and saved thousands of lives, according to Chief Operating Officer Bruce Mcveigh. “If you take that many people in three years and save that many lives from everything from...
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Knight’s legacy memorialized with highway dedication
Having secured funding for transportation infrastructure at the local, state and federal levels during his time as a public servant, former Yuma City Councilmember Gary Knight’s legacy as a champion of safe roadways has been officially recognized with...
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Honoring nurses’ lifelong service
Nurses’ lifelong service and compassion is now being honored with the unveiling of a new commemorative bench overlooking the Colorado River. The Southern Arizona Nurse Honor Guard held a dedication and tribute ceremony Friday morning at Gateway Park,...
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Students tackle law and public safety
Students at Southwest Jr. High School in San Luis are exploring law enforcement career options at an early age thanks to a new class program launched this year on campus. Nearly 150 seventh- and eighth-grade students are taking the law and public...
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Coffee & conversation
Residents gathered Wednesday morning at Mostly Muffins on West 16th Street for “Coffee with a Cop,” a community event aimed at fostering open dialogue between law enforcement and the people they serve. The Yuma Police Department hosted the event from...
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Yuma County Assessor’s office moving into new county building
The Yuma County Assessor’s Office began its relocation Tuesday morning, marking a major milestone in the county’s plan to consolidate multiple departments under one roof. A notice posted at the current office on 2550 S. 4th Ave. informs the public of...
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Walk to Remember
More than 100 community members gathered together Saturday morning for the 16th annual Walk to Remember, honoring all the babies that have been lost in the community and around the country due to miscarriage, sudden infant death syndrome or other...
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Yumacon 2025: Creators, comics and cosplay
The Yuma Civic Center played host for Yumacon 2025 this weekend, a two-day event packed with everything from comics and knickknacks for sale to medieval sparring, a cosplay parade and live entertainment. Creators, authors, collectors and more descended...
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Halloween in prison
Families dressed up in their favorite prison-themed costumes and spent Halloween night at the Yuma Territorial Prison’s Cell Block Lock-in this year, trying their luck at various tasks to earn their “escape” from prison. Whether counting worms in a...
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A frightfully spooky Halloween
Yumans stepped out en masse to enjoy Halloween activities on Friday, from traditional neighborhood trick-or-treating to a trunk-or-treat event at Faith Lutheran Church. The Yuma County Fairgrounds hosted a Scary and Safe Trick or Treat event to benefit...
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Creepy decor
Witches, pirates and other creepy monsters are waiting to scare trick-or-treaters who dare to visit their homes in the Mesa del Sol neighborhood. Find a list of Halloween activities for Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, in the What’s Going On section in today’s...
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Spay-a-thon breaks record
about it. I’m pleased at the results.” She first came up with the idea of the spay-a-thon in the spring of 2024, and 441 cats were altered in the inaugural event in February 2024. Since then, 338 cats were altered during the second event in October...
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Yuma Art Center marks ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ milestone
The Yuma Art Center celebrated the 50th anniversary of the “Rocky Horror Picture Show” by continuing its tradition of showing the cult classic the weekend before Halloween with a live shadow cast of local actors. Attendees dressed up as various...
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Rep.-elect Grijalva visits Somerton, addresses swearing-in delay
During a visit to Somerton, U.S. Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva addressed the frustration of not being sworn into office and the discontinuation of funds through the Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program due to the federal government...
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An evening of celebration and remembrance
Yuma residents and visitors got to take part in an evening of cultural art, music, food and remembrance at the fifth annual Dia de los Muertos celebration at Colorado River State Historic Park. Presented by Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area and...
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Mayors’ International Bike Ride celebrates regional unity
The 9th annual Mayors’ International Bike Ride, which kicked off from the Yuma Civic Center on Saturday morning, drew its largest showing of elected local government officials and community members to date. “The vision is that this is all local...
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State of the Art
Yuma is largely known for its agricultural produce, near-constant sunshine and its relationship with the Colorado River. The unique confluence of cultures in this border town has led to an expressive and dedicated art community. One of the young...
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Somerton festival brings together UTV, off-road enthusiasts
UTV fans gathered on Somerton’s Main Street to showcase and admire a display of these vehicles during the UTV Off Road Showdown and Chelada Fest last Saturday. UTV stands for utility task vehicle. This time, the all-terrain vehicles didn’t hit the...
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Paul Evancho to retire after 3 decades in ‘hero’ role
It can be said that deciding to become a first responder may very well be one of the most selfless decisions a person can make. It’s only through their dedication and watchful eye that a community can thrive. Yuma is home to many who have earned the...
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Border mission soldiers train at YPG
The U.S. Army currently leads Joint Task Force Southern Border in assisting U.S. Customs and Border Protection with border security. Though the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground hasn’t housed troops for an extended length of time, the post’s Training and...
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