Author: KYMA

Jalen Fong

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – You’re told your bank accounts have been hacked. You must empty them and use that money to buy gold bars as protection.

When the accounts are secure, you can sell the gold bars to get all of your money back and maybe even more.

It’s called the “gold bar” scam and it’s taking millions from people around the country, mostly seniors.

It usually starts like an old computer virus scam. You get a pop-up notice about a dangerous virus and you’re urged to a call a number for help. Scammers are waiting.

BBB Scam Tracker shows one woman was told money in her accounts was being used for weapons dealing and she was a suspect.

She needed to empty the accounts, buy gold and hand it over for safe keeping.

If victims are reluctant, scammers have that covered too.

Some victims get a followup call supposedly from a government agency claiming they are watching, see a scam playing out, and the victim should now only trust them.

Either way, victims are giving gold to couriers thinking it will go in a US Treasury account until their accounts are safe.

Instead, one BBB Scam Tracker complaint reports a $700,000 loss, another lost $400,000.

Protect yourself. No one is watching your computer. So, never click on pop-ups or reply. Turn off the computer and restart, and use Windows Security or a trusted software to routinely scan your computer. 

Before trusting any business, check out reviews, complaints and for trusted Accredited Businesses at BBB.org and visit BBB’s Scam Tracker.

Check out BBB scam warnings at joeknowsbetter.com.

Here’s more BBB advice on computer scams:

A call comes through on the Caller ID, or you get a pop-up on the computer screen from someone claiming to be with tech support from a well-known software company.

Microsoft, Comcast, Norton and Dell are all popular choices. The caller creates a sense of urgency; the computer is sending error messages, they’ve detected a virus, or your computer is about to crash, causing massive data loss.

Rest assured. 

The tech support employee can fix the problem, but only if they’re allowed to remote access the troubled machine. Once access is granted, the caller will often run a “scan” and claim the computer is infected with viruses. 

The caller offers to fix and repair the machine for a fee. That may not be the end of the scam. If you allow remote access, the scammer may install malware on your device. Malware often scans files for personal information, which scammers then use to commit identity theft.

Never give control of your computer to a third party unless you are absolutely sure it is the representative of a computer support team with whom you initiated contact. Legitimate tech support companies don’t make unsolicited phone calls. A popular way for thieves to get in touch with victims is through cold calls. The callers often claim to be from a tech company. Scammers can spoof official-looking phone numbers, so don’t trust Caller ID. Look out for warning screens: Nearly half of tech support scams begin with an alert on the victim’s computer screen. This pop-up will have a phone number to call for help. Instead, disconnect from the internet and Wi-Fi by shutting off the device. Restart it and run an antivirus scan. Be wary of sponsored links. When searching online for tech support, look out for sponsored ads at the top of the results list. Many of these links lead to businesses that scam consumers. Avoid clicking on links in unfamiliar emails. Scammers also use email to reach victims. These messages point consumers to scam websites that launch pop-ups with fake warnings and phone numbers.

If you are a victim of a tech support scam

Contact the bank immediately to report the incident and describe exactly what happened. Take the infected laptop, tablet, mobile device, or computer to a trusted local business and have it checked out. Remove any software that authorized remote access to the device. Change all passwords used to access bank accounts, social media and other websites that contain personal information.

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Skylar Heisey

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A Yuma man has pleaded guilty in connection with a series of nine burglaries on Fourth Avenue.

Guillermo Torres, 52, pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary. The first count carries a 3.5-year prison sentence while the second carries four years of probation.

Ten other charges involving criminal damage, theft and burglary were dropped as part of the plea agreement.

Torres is scheduled to be sentenced next month.

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Abraham Retana

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – A local healthcare provider is supporting an Imperial County measure that’s going to be on the ballot in the upcoming election.

The Imperial Valley Healthcare District (IVHD) Board is in support of Measure N, which would establish a special parcel tax of $111 every year on taxable parcels within the district.

“The district is putting this measure on the ballot because we need additional funding,” said Pablo Velez, CEO of El Centro Regional Medical Center. “When AB-918 was created it was a stipulation that we were going to put something on the ballot for the voters to support.”

If approved by voters, Measure N would generate $8.9 million every year to help keep hospitals and emergency healthcare services available locally.

“Measure N will bring expanding our service lines including cardiac, maternal health, primary care…bring those specialties to the community that we currently don’t have, and expanding our oncology services,” said Carly Zamora, Interm CEO of IVHD.

Measure N will be on the ballot in the upcoming general election on November 3, and mail-in ballots will be sent to all voters in early October.

For a complete list of other measures on the ballot, and candidates running in different races, click here.

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CNN Newsource

YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA) – A Yuma business owner and one passenger were killed in a high-speed boat crash on Lake Havasu.

“He had a huge heart, and he paid attention,” said Javier Gonzalez, who knew Charles “Chip” Romer, a Yuma business owner who died in the boat crash.

Investigators said Romer, 65, and Jennifer Luzzi, 59, died following a high-speed boat crash on Lake Havasu Saturday night.

The boat slammed into a rocky peninsula, launched through the air and flipped upside down into a remote campsite.

For Gonzalez, the news came as a shock.

“Somebody who made a huge impression on my life. As soon as I found out that he had passed, I just saw the name…I saw Chip, and I saw Romer, and it just instantly hit me. Like, ‘Holy crap, man, this definitely hurts,'” Gonzalez expressed.

Gonzalez said he first met Romer in 2013 while working next door at a motorsports store near Romer Beverage of Yuma.

He said Romer quickly became a friend and someone to look up to.

“It is a feeling of sadness, but mainly for me, I was very fortunate to have met him, and I was fortunate to have him as a mentor,” Gonzalez shared. “I am into motorcycles and racing. I just happened to be watching one of the races, and a friend of mine had given me a call, saying, ‘Hey, man, there was a really bad boat accident in Lake Havasu.'”

Romer Beverage Company leadership said the business will remain open, and memorial service details will be announced later.

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The early dove-hunting season has come to an end, attracting thousands of hunters from across the region.

Dove hunting is a million-dollar industry that continues to generate revenue for the local economy through tourism.

Yuma sees an average of 10,000 dove hunters each season, benefiting local hotels, restaurants, and other businesses.

Visit Yuma says the dove-hunting season plays an important role in the local economy.

“Hunters are booking their hotel rooms a year in advance, so our hotels are filling up with people who come back every single year,” said Marcus Carney with Visit Yuma. “Hunters are such methodical creatures of nature…it’s something our hotel industry really relies on.”

The hotel industry sees a significant increase in business during dove-hunting season.

“We have right around 4,000 hotel rooms. Almost all of those hotel rooms were filled for September 1 for the dove-hunt opener, so our hotels did really well,” Carney said. “There were a lot of people sleeping in our hotels.”

One of those hotel rooms was booked by Kirk Cowan, a San Diego resident who has been coming to Yuma to hunt for more than 30 years.

“We usually stay in a hotel. I think this year, we stayed at the Springfield because it was close to where we knew we were going to hunt,” Cowan said. “The main reason we knew where we wanted to hunt was because we went to Sprague’s, and I met the best guy I’ve ever met, named Ken, who showed us where to go.”

Cowan said some of the best times of his life have been spent hunting with his family and friends.

“It’s something that builds a bond different than anything else. We live in a concrete world, even in San Diego, and to get out and do things like that is so important in life…and for your children to experience something different,” Cowan said.

The next wave of hunters is expected to return for the late dove-hunting season, which begins November 20 and runs through January 3, 2027.

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Colorado River State Historic Park is hosting their annual Exploration Station Party.

The event is taking place at the park, located at 201 N. Fourth Avenue, Friday, September 18, from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

During the event, there will be educational booths, crafts/activities, telescope viewing and more.

“Every year, we come together and offer this free event to our community. The kids really have a blast learning about science,” said Tammy Snook, Park Manager of the Colorado River State Historic Park.” And the parents also appreciate that we have a beautiful, enclosed space for the kids to run off some excess energy.”

“This event is only made possible through the participation of our many community partners, each of which will host their own table with information and activities,” said Snook. “We are looking forward to having a number of new, participating partners this year and are really thankful to have so many returning partners as well.”

The event is free. For more information, call 928-329-0471, or read the press release below.

ExplorationStationParty2026Download

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area (YCNHA) and the Yuma Main Library are hosting a screening of filmmaker Luis Valle’s documentary, “Anza 250,” in Yuma.

The screening is taking place Monday, September 21, at the Yuma Main Library, located at 2951 S. 21st Drive, at 3 p.m.

YCHNA said, “Valle’s bilingual documentary follows his long-distance bicycle journey to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Anza Expedition by retracing what is known today as the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail.”

“While the United States declared their independence from England 250 years ago, a very different story was playing out in the West,” said Tammy Snook of YCHNA. “Here in present-day Arizona and California, Spain emerged as the colonial power establishing a foothold in the region.”

Following the screening, there will be a discussion and Q&A with Valle, YCNHA said.

For more information about the screening, call 928-329-0471, or read the press release below.

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Manoah Tuiasosopo

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – New technology could soon give Yuma farmers more ways to monitor and manage their fields through a new smart-farm network being tested at the University of Arizona Yuma Agricultural Center.

Researchers, industry partners and local growers recently gathered at the center to learn more about the technology and how it could be used in Yuma agriculture.

The center is serving as a pilot site for the network, which is part of a broadband project covering more than 160,000 acres of agricultural land in Yuma County.

The project includes 34 towers, with about 24 expected to be installed during the current phase of construction.

The network is designed to provide reliable connectivity in the field. That could allow farmers to remotely manage irrigation pumps, monitor water pressure, check fuel levels and track equipment.

Connor Osgood, manager of agricultural technology at the Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture, said the project is about creating infrastructure that can support multiple technologies rather than relying on one tool.

“The fundamental way to think about all of this too is that it’s not any one technology, but rather it’s the infrastructure that allows us to create an ecosystem,” he said.

That connectivity could eventually support sensors and other tools capable of collecting information about field conditions.

Researchers say connected sensors could help monitor soil moisture, equipment activity and other conditions. That information could eventually help farmers better understand crop water needs and identify potential pest or disease pressures earlier.

Tanya Hodges, Executive Director of the Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture, said the project represents significant progress in a relatively short amount of time.

“Where we’ve been over the last, even just two years, we’ve come a long way, and I really applaud again Yuma County for managing the project and the work that’s being done,” she said.

The long-term goal is to create a connected system where different technologies can work together and provide farmers with more information in the field.

For Yuma agriculture, researchers say the network could help pave the way for more connected and efficient farming operations.

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Exceptional Community Hospital (ECH) Yuma is hosting the Trunk or Treat 2026 event.

The event is taking place at ECH Yuma, located at 2648 S. Araby Road, Wednesday, October 28, at 5:30 p.m.

During the event, there will be a CareFlight helicopter will be onsite for photos, decorated trunks loaded with candy, and local vendors and community partners.

The event will go until 8 p.m.

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Fort Yuma Rotary is hosting their annual Penitentiary Pint Fest later this year.

The event is taking place at the Yuma Territorial Prison Saturday, November 14, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

During the event, there will be over 25 regional brewers, food provided by El Charro Cafe, live music from Big Boss Band, and more.

To purchase tickets for the upcoming event, click here.

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