🌱 Yuma Church Celebrates Cesar Chavez + 3 AZ Senate Bills Signed

Morning, people of Yuma! It's me again, Nicole Fallon-Peek, your host of the Yuma Daily.

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First, today's weather:

Mostly sunny. High: 85 Low: 55.

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Here are the top three stories today in Yuma:

1. The Yuma church where Cesar Chavez was baptized in 1927 celebrated the labor rights leader on what would have been his 95th birthday. Immaculate Conception Church on S Avenue B held a special service in honor of Chavez yesterday, Mar. 31, which has been celebrated as Cesar Chavez Day since 2014. (KYMA)
2. A migrant with a domestic violence conviction was found hiding in a Yuma desert and arrested by United States Border Patrol agents. Omar Martinez Gomez, 26, reportedly has a previous conviction in Phoenix for strangling his pregnant girlfriend in September 2021. He and 31 other migrants who had illegally crossed the U.S./Mexico border were arrested and removed from the United States, according to Border Patrol. (KYMA)
3. Earlier this week, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey signed multiple pieces of legislation banning abortions after 15 weeks, barring transgender girls from participating in women's sports, and outlawing doctors from performing "irreversible gender reassignment surgery" on minors. Senate Bill 1164 makes no exceptions for abortions, even in cases of rape or incest, but Gov. Ducey noted that such exceptions don't apply because "this law has availability" for abortions prior to 15 weeks. Senate Bill 1165 pertains to gendered sports teams and requires any schools with interscholastic or intramural sports to designate teams as strictly as male, female, or coed. Finally, Senate Bill 1138 makes it illegal for gender reassignment surgery to be performed on anyone under 18 years of age. Gov. Ducey said the measure does not prohibit doctors from "providing puberty-blocking hormones or any other hormone therapy" to minors. (Subscription: YourValley.net)

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Today in Yuma:

• AzCA Open To Benefit Arizona's Children Association At El Conquistador Country Club (8:00 AM)
• CPR Training At Arizona Western College (9:00 AM)
• The 70th Annual Yuma County Fair At Yuma County Fairgrounds (Mar. 29-Apr. 3)

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From my notebook:

• The Yuma Police Department is asking for help in identifying a suspect in a reported shoplift that occurred at the Target at 1450 Yuma Palms Pkwy, on Mar. 3. The YPD shared a photo on Facebook. If you recognize this person, please call the Yuma Police Department at (928) 373-4700. (Facebook)
• Yuma Art Center has announced a new youth drawing class designed to give students a foundation in drawing. Students will learn basic techniques including value, line, gesture, shading, perspective, and composition. Register here for Session I, happening Apr. 7 through May 12. (Facebook)
• Join the Colorado River State Historic Park for its virtual Saturdays at the Museum craft classes, held over Zoom on the first Saturday of each month at 11:00 a.m. Participants will enjoy hands-on learning while creating fun, unique crafts. Tomorrow's craft is an Earth Suncatcher! Register here. (Facebook)

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Alrighty, you're all good for today! I'll see you soon.

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.