Author: KYMA

Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – One of the nation’s most popular convenience store chains may be on its way to Yuma, and locals had the opportunity to share their thoughts at the rezoning meeting at City Hall Tuesday night.

Residents are upset about the proposed plan of a QuikTrip coming to Yuma.

The proposed location for “QuikTrip,” better known as “QT,” is on the southwest corner of Araby Road and 26th Street.

Christian Magana with the City of Yuma said, “In regards to this process, we are at the beginning stages of the process, and we really want to get public comment and input.”

Locals shared their concerns about the traffic in the area and are very against the convenience store’s proposed location.

Janice Edgar, a local resident, said, “The hard thing is that I know it’s a good business and I’d love to have it there but with all the extra diesel trucks there they’re going have around that’s probably the biggest issue for me.”

The proposed development would feature a convenience store as well as gasoline fueling stations with 10 gasoline pumps and six diesel pumps.

Magana added, “Right now, it’s just about the rezoning. We are still wanting to see if the rezoning will happen and then from there, we will see if something will get built or not.”

The applicant is requesting that approximately 7.08 acres at the southwest corner of Araby Road and 26th Street be rezoned from agriculture to general commercial use.

At this point, the plans are still in the early stage and must first go before City Council. We’ll continue to provide you updates as more information becomes available.

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Carolina Garcia

CALEXICO, Calif. (KYMA) – A house fire in Calexico caused significant damage, leaving a family without a home.

The fire left more than half of the home uninhabitable and destroyed most of the family’s belongings last Friday.

Firefighters say the fire started in the back patio close to the grill.

Three children and their grandfather were safely evacuated, and now, the family is seeking community support while temporarily living in Mexicali.

“It’s something new to us that we don’t wish it upon anybody. It’s a sensation that it’s very, very complicated to explain to three little kids that miss their house. They want to be in their house that ask what happened. And, well, it’s a shock to everybody,” said Stephanie Zamarripa, fire victim.

Friends and family have launched a GoFundMe campaign to support the fire victims. It has a goal of $7,000, with $1,870 raised so far.

If anyone would like to help, click here.

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Canal Run Club is hosting the Pepe Canal Dash 5K event this weekend.

According to the club, the event is taking place Saturday at West Wetlands Park at 6 a.m.

During the event, there will be raffles and giveaways, a DJ and post-race party, local vendors, free race photos and more.

Professional Home Doctors and OneAZ Credit Union are sponsoring the event.

To learn more about the upcoming event, click here.

Courtesy: Canal Run Club

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Dillon Fuhrman

WINTERHAVEN, Calif. (KYMA) – Quechan Casino Resort says Bill Engvall will be performing at their Pipa Event Center later this year.

According to the resort, the show is taking place Friday, October 9, 2026 at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m.

Engvall is best known as one of the members of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, along with Jeff Foxworthy, Larry the Cable Guy and Ron White.

In addition to that, Engvall also starred in “The Bill Engvall Show” on TBS, appeared on TV shows such as “Last Man Standing,” and competed on “Dancing with the Stars,” where he finished in fourth place, according to the resort.

Tickets are on sale now and available online or through the Quechan Casino Resort Box Office. All shows are 21 and over.

To purchase tickets, click here or call 877-783-2426. For more information on the show, visit Quechan Casino Resort.

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Abigahil Padilla

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KYMA) – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is warning travelers to plan for potential delays when traveling from San Luis, Mexico to the United States through the San Luis I Port of Entry vehicle lanes.

According to CBP, construction will begin Saturday, June 20, 2026 at the port of entry and will last for about four to five months.

During that time, CBP says crews will “install new equipment to enhance operations and infrastructure,” and says, “While vehicle processing will continue, travelers should anticipate potential delays.”

CBP says they are encouraging travelers to allow extra time when crossing the border as well as monitor border wait times through their website or the Border Wait Times app.

To learn more about this, click here.

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Manoah Tuiasosopo

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The University of Arizona Yuma is celebrating the success of its first graduating class from the Learning to Lead program while welcoming an expanded group of students aimed at strengthening the region’s agricultural workforce.

The program, which launched in 2024 with just six to seven students, has grown to 27 participants and is designed to help develop future agricultural leaders in Yuma and Imperial counties.

Funded through a $9 million U.S. Department of Agriculture grant, awarded in partnership with Hartnell Community College, the initiative provides students with tuition assistance, paid internships, leadership training, and professional development opportunities.

University of Arizona Yuma receives a $1.7 million sub-award to support the local program.

Students selected for Learning to Lead can receive up to $30,000 in tuition scholarships over two years, along with a $5,200 stipend during summer internships.

Program leaders say the goal is to remove financial barriers while giving students the tools and experience needed to succeed in agriculture and related industries.

“It’s all about career exploration,” said Dr. Baleshka Brenes, director of agriculture programs at U of A Yuma. “Sometimes you don’t know what you really want, but that’s why these opportunities are so important, so that you can find your passion.”

In addition to classroom instruction, students complete hands-on internships and leadership development activities.

Participants are required to track professional skills, networking experiences, and community involvement through a leadership passport program. They also complete community service hours and fieldwork designed to prepare them for careers after graduation.

At the Yuma Agricultural Center, students gain practical experience working alongside researchers and industry professionals, learning about irrigation systems, crop evaluation, harvest operations, and agricultural research.

University officials say the program is helping address workforce shortages by encouraging local students to pursue agricultural careers and remain in the region after graduation.

“We’re growing our own workforce and staying in Yuma and Imperial and being those leaders,” Brenes said. “It’s super exciting and we’re just excited for the future.”

For graduating senior Emily Delgado of El Centro, California, the program opened doors she never expected.

Delgado said she initially had no plans to attend a four-year university until she discovered agriculture courses at Imperial Valley College and later learned about opportunities at U of A Yuma.

Through the program, she completed internships with Farm Smart, the Yuma Cooperative Extension, and a USDA entomologist, helping her explore career paths in agricultural economics, seed production, and trade logistics.

Incoming student Erick Barrios hopes to follow a similar path as he begins studying Agricultural Systems Management.

University leaders say the rapid growth of the Learning to Lead program demonstrates its impact on students and the community.

Current grant funding runs through 2028, and administrators plan to pursue additional grants and industry partnerships to ensure future students can continue benefiting from the program.

The university hopes the initiative will create a long-term pipeline of skilled agricultural professionals ready to support one of the region’s most important industries for years to come.

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Lynette Niebla

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – Law enforcement agencies are reporting a significant increase in calls for service following recent graduation ceremonies and the official start of the summer season.

Sheriff’s departments state that the combination of warmer weather and school breaks traditionally triggers a rise in neighborhood disruptions.

Officials note that the influx of calls primarily involves noise complaints, traffic incidents, youth loitering, and curfew violations.

Law enforcement leaders are urging parents to speak with their teenagers about safety, responsible driving, and respecting community ordinances to ensure a safe summer for everyone.

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Lynette Niebla

CALIPATRIA, Calif. (KYMA) – Three top city leaders in Calipatria are facing a formal recall effort as a wave of political instability continues to rock city hall.

Mayor Michael Luellen, Mayor Pro-Tem Fred Beltran, and Council Member Jesse Rivas were all served with formal notices of intent to recall during a recent city council meeting.

The move marks yet another massive political shakeup for the city, which has recently grappled with a data center moratorium and the highly controversial firing of City Manager Laura Gutierrez.

The push for the recall stems directly from the council’s abrupt decision to terminate Gutierrez. While the council eventually backtracked and reinstated her, local residents say the damage to public trust has already been done.

“A lot of community members are upset at the fact that they went ahead and fired the city manager and then turned around and recanted it,” said Calipatria resident Beneranda Cooper, who served the letters of intention to the city clerk Friday. “There’s no transparency within the community. The community is being divided right now.”

Cooper noted that she felt compelled to take action to protect her neighbors saying, “I know I need to follow through, so I want to do this for the community because I feel like I’m a voice for those who can’t speak for themselves.”

The formal serving of the letters to the city clerk kicks off a strict legal process. Once the city clerk approves the paperwork formatting, organizers can officially begin circulating the petition city-wide.

Because Calipatria is a smaller jurisdiction, the threshold for a recall election depends on a specific percentage of local voters.

Organizers must successfully collect 380 signatures within a 60-day window for the petition to move forward to the county registrar and state for final ballot certification. Anyone signing the petition must be a registered voter and a resident of Calipatria.

Mayor Luellen has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the recall campaign or the allegations of a lack of transparency.

This story is actively developing. Check back with us for updates as the petition drive begins.

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Adrik Vargas

YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA) – Residents in Yuma County have raised concerns about a local biosolids operation, citing concerns about odors and flies.

AgTech opened its Somerton-area facility to media and elected officials, giving a tour of how the process works from start to finish.

Biosolids are the treated byproduct of wastewater processing and are commonly used as fertilizer on farmland under state and federal guidelines.

During the tour, company leaders explained how the material is brought in by truck, processed on site, and applied to farm fields used to grow crops such as alfalfa, oats, and Sudan grass for livestock feed.

Company leaders say the material is injected below the soil surface rather than left exposed, which they say helps reduce odors and limits conditions that can attract flies. They also said they use additional fly control methods as part of their operations.

Kevin Good, an operations manager with AgTech who says he has been with the company for 22 years, described the farm’s operations and crop production.

“Here on this farm, there is 6,000 acres of farmable area on a ten square mile property, and we’re growing Sudan, oats and alfalfa, and it’s all baled for animal feed,” said Good.

Daniel Jackson, AgTech’s Compliance and Operations Manager, explained how the material is handled once it arrives on site.

“What we’re looking at is a truck coming in and dumping the biosolids from San Diego. So he’s going to come to one of our bridges. They’re going to fill it with water, so it’ll loosen up the material. Then, they’re going to go and dump the material out,” said Jackson.

When asked about material coming from California, company leaders said the region does not have local synthetic or chemical fertilizer production facilities, and that farmers already rely on agricultural inputs sourced from out of state.

Jackson said the operation is conducted under state and federal guidelines and that biosolids land application is a common practice in Arizona and across the country.

“We’re just another farmer in the community. You know what I mean? And that’s all we want to be,” Good said.

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Dillon Fuhrman

CALEXICO, Calif. (KYMA) – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced new safety measures and procedures in regards to the use of bicycles, e-bikes, scooters, and other personal transportation devices at the Calexico Port of Entry.

Starting next Monday, bicycles, e-bike, scooters and similar modes of transportation not authorized for use on public roads will no longer be allowed to enter the U.S. through vehicle inspection lanes, CBP says.

CBP says this is to enhance safety for both travelers and CBP officers as well as to reduce the risk of crashes in high traffic vehicle processing areas.

However, those who travel using the devices will still be able to enter the U.S. through the pedestrian processing areas, “where they can be safely screened and processed.”

In addition, CBP is asking all travelers to plan accordingly, allow additional time for crossing the border and familiarize themselves with the new procedures before they arrive at the Calexico Port of Entry.

To monitor wait times at the Port of Entry, click here or download the Border Wait Times app for iPhone and Android.

To learn more about this, read the press release below.

2026-0608 CBP announces important change for bicycles, electric bikes, scooters at Calexico Ports of EntryDownload

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