Category: kyma-local-news

Eduardo Morales

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The South Point Fire near Picacho Peak is about 70% contained. 

The Bureau of Land Management in Arizona says the fire is located on the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge and has burned 112 acres.

The fire started Saturday afternoon and is still under investigation.

Fish and Wildlife Services is leading the firefighting effort. 

They are being supported by BLM and by the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management.

“It’s typical river bottom land with that dense vegetation and that means that it takes a long time for the fire to cool down even though it’s burned out those areas,” said Jason Vanbuskirk from the BLM public affairs team.

They expect to have full containment by Sunday. 

BLM would also like to remind people of possible visible smoke as they continue to fight the fire.

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Eduardo Morales

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Local students were given the opportunity to have an inside look at some of the labs at Onvida Health.

The local hospital hosted the “Mentor-Me MD” winter workshop.

Students were given an inside look at real healthcare careers.

Abdiel Barragan, a senior at Gila Ridge High School in attendance, says he was inspired by the experience.

“Being able to have this opportunity to see what they do and how young we are and maybe we may not be knowing what we truly want to do you know it’s a really good experience,” Barragan says.

The workshop has been going on for the last five years.

Students get the opportunity to be mentored by first-year residents.

“This goes beyond becoming a doctor or a nurse but also going into the sciences aspect of it or just different areas that they can explore and really help them determine what they want to do,” says Lidia Blackthunder, the volunteer service manager.

Barragan shares his favorite part of the program.

“The coolest thing I’ve gotten to do today is work with the blood right now they did some tests and they showed us how they find out whether or not you’re this type or blood or you know this blood type,” Barragan explains.

They currently have over 30 high school and college students, and runs for three weeks.

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Dillon Fuhrman

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) – The El Centro Police Department (ECPD) says a man has been arrested in connection to a shooting which left one person injured.

According to a press release, the shooting happened in the area of Main Street and N. Sixth Street Sunday at around 2:00 a.m. Pacific.

Upon arrival, ECPD says officers found an adult victim across the street, suffering two gunshot wounds, prompting officers to aid the victim until paramedics arrived, but the victim was flown to a hospital for further treatment.

ECPD says two handguns were recovered, and their Investigations Bureau responded and took over.

During the investigation, ECPD says a man was arrested in connection to the shooting, and was booked into the Imperial County Jail for attempted murder and multiple weapons violations.

The investigation is ongoing. If anyone has information regarding the case, call ECPD at (760) 352-2111.

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Dillon Fuhrman

SALTON CITY, Calif. (KYMA) – The Imperial County Sheriff’s Office (ICSO) is asking the public’s help after they found a human leg in the Salton City area last month.

According to a post on Facebook, deputies responded to the area at around 4:30 p.m. Sunday, December 21, 2025.

Upon arrival, ICSO says deputies found a human leg, and says their Investigations division took over “after the remains were secured.”

After that, ICSO says their deputies and investigators conducted an extensive search, both on foot and in the air, of the area to find any additional evidence or information, but as of now, they did not find any additional remains nor evidence.

In addition, ICSO says the remains have yet to be identified, and says their investigators “are working to determine the circumstances surrounding how they came to be at the location.”

The investigation remains ongoing, but ICSO is asking for anyone who is aware of someone who has recently gone missing, or if anyone knows someone who was traveling through or visiting the Salton City area, but never heard from them since, to call ICSO at (442) 265-2052.

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Morgan Feller

The Wildcats are on the hunt for a new head football coach after parting ways with Esposito

BRAWLEY, Calif. (KYMA) – The Brawley Wildcats are looking for another head coach after Burt Esposito resigned after one year on Friday December 19, 2025.

“Coach Esposito came from the Temecula area up in San Diego County,” said Brawley’s Athletic Director Billy Brewer. “He resigned to kind of get closer back to his family, and we appreciate that and appreciate his time here. We’re excited about where we go from here.”

After parting ways with Esposito, the search for a new coach began.

“We want a gentleman that can run the whole program, that means all three levels,” Brewer said. “We want somebody that’s a very true leader and that shows the leadership, the discipline.”

Because they are student-athletes, having a coach who can maximize both their academic and athletic potential is a priority, and the Wildcats are committed to bringing in someone who can do just that.

At the same time, the goal is to find a coach with a winning history who also fits seamlessly into the town’s football culture and values.

That confidence in the program’s direction is already in place.

“Brawley has a bright future and we’re not worried about our football program,” Brewer said. “We know we’ll get back on track and we have a bunch of kids that are lifting, and they’re already going and we got a great coaching staff within our ranks already that have been here 20, 25 years and so there’s consistency, and that is the key at this point.”

As the search for a new coach for 2026 continues, time will tell if Brawley made the right decision on their new leader once the football season continues.

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Joaquin Hight

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is not immune to being victims of scams. Some dishonest characters are pretending to be the BBB to steal information and money from unsuspecting businesses and consumers. 

A scammer impersonated the BBB, sending an email claiming a customer had filed a complaint against the recipient’s business.

The email urged the recipient to review an “appeal report” via a provided link and respond promptly. It included a fake consultant name, contact information, and BBB branding to appear legitimate.

This phishing attempt aimed to deceive recipients into clicking the link, likely leading to malware or further scam tactics.

How to avoid BBB impostors

These are just a few of many impostor schemes in which the BBB brand has been used, and BBB is asking consumers and businesses to report these to BBB Scam Tracker and contact your local BBB to verify any suspicious claims. 

Check out BBB’s Spot a Scam hub to learn how to identify scammers quickly, and read more about common impostor scams below.

BBB sometimes reaches out to consumers and businesses; however, BBB will never ask for passwords or information to access your device. If you are still determining if it’s the BBB calling, tell the caller you will call them back and end the call.

Then call the phone number on BBB.org directly. Additionally, BBB will never ask for documentation prior to processing an incoming complaint or review. We are recommending the following tips if you receive a suspicious email:

Do NOT click on any links or attachments

Read the email carefully for signs that it may be fake (for example, misspellings, grammar, generic greetings such as “Dear member” instead of a name, etc.)

Be wary of any urgent instructions to take specified action such as, “Click on the link or your account will be closed.”

Hover your mouse over links without clicking to see if the address is truly from BBB.org. The URL in the text should match the URL that your mouse detects. If the two do not match, it is most likely a scam.

When reporting the fraudulent email, it is important to include the suspicious email as an attachment in your communication and forward your email with the suspicious email as an attachment to phishing@iabbb.org. (Note: This address is only for scams that use the BBB name or logo).

Delete the email from your computer completely (be sure to empty your “trash can” or “recycle bin,” as well).

Run anti-virus software updates frequently and do a full system scan.

Keep a close eye on your bank statements for any unexpected or unexplained transactions.

What are common red flags of imposter scams?

Urgency. In most versions of impostor scams, there is an urgency for you to act now. Whether it’s your utilities being shut off, your family member in danger, or your taxes not being filed on time, the impostor will create a scenario that may convince you to respond and follow their instructions.

Look-alike websites, logos, and more. Impostors can create fake websites that look real, with the real company’s logo and images and a similar URL. Same goes for social media accounts, letters, phone calls and texts. If something looks off, like blurry images on a website or a strange area code on a text or phone call, think twice before responding or acting.

Unsolicited communication and demands for payment. If anyone contacts you and demands payment, take that as a red flag. Get familiar with how your bank, your utility company, government agencies, and your most-shopped retail stores communicate with you. Most times, these entities will not text you or call you for payment.

How you can avoid imposter scams

Stay calm. If you receive any of these impostor calls, resist the urge to act immediately, no matter how dramatic the story is or how threatening or intimidating the caller sounds.

Don’t reply directly. Don’t respond to the call, text, or email. Instead, call the company or person directly to verify the message that was sent or the phone call received. 

Verify the contact information. Go to the business’s website and find the contact information so you can be sure you are dealing with the actual company.

Go to the source or get help. When in doubt, call a friend, loved one, or your local BBB to ask for a second opinion. Regardless of what is said in the phone conversation, tell someone.

Learn more about BBB imposter scams HERE.

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Karina Bazarte

(KYMA) – A federal court ruling could lead to changes in gun laws across much of California.

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the state’s ban on openly carrying firearms in large counties violates the Second Amendment.

The decision applies only to counties with populations of more than 200,000 people, which covers the majority of the state.

Imperial County, however, falls below that population threshold and is not affected by the ruling.

Despite that, some local residents believe the law should apply equally across California. A local business owner says population size should not determine whether someone has the right to carry a firearm.

“I think the population comes into the individual right to protect oneself, their family, their assets,” the business owner said. “That should be the motivating factor. Everyone should have the same right. Population doesn’t mean people won’t oppose it, and that’s understandable. They can choose not to arm themselves and choose not to go to places where firearms are allowed,” said Jimmy Barker, CEO of Triad Security.

The ruling does not immediately change the law. A grace period is in place before the decision takes effect, meaning California’s open-carry ban remains enforced for now.

According to the California Department of Justice, the state had the seventh-lowest gun death rate in the United States in 2022.

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Karina Bazarte

IMPERIAL VALLEY, Calif. (KYMA) – An Imperial County man was seriously injured after he was hit by a vehicle.

The 65-year-old man suffered multiple life-threatening injuries all over his body last Saturday.

California Highway Patrol (CHP) believes the man was walking on Evan Hewes Highway near Forrester Road.

CHP says the driver did not know she had hit a pedestrian, so she left the scene, called someone to check and then, the man was found.

The driver quickly went back to the scene and called 911.

“There’s a lot of incidents where a party gets involved in a crash and it’s not even their fault and leaving the scene as a crime so he had to stay behind. Whether it’s your fault, it’s not your fault, you have to stay behind. Saying that ‘I was afraid I, didn’t know what to do,’ that’s not an excuse. That’s not reasonable, especially if someone’s injured. You have to stop and call the cops,” said Capt. Ernesto Euedas of CHP.

CHP says the man may have been experiencing mental health issues.

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Eduardo Morales

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Representatives from the University of Arizona were in Yuma Tuesday to tour their local “U of A Cooperative Extension” office.

This was an opportunity for the local extension and for the AG experiment station to highlight all that they do in the local area.

This is a part of the U of A’s statewide tour where they travel to rural extensions throughout Arizona.

While in Yuma they discussed current funding, potential future funding, and the operations they run.

These extensions are a part of the University Land Grant, and they explain why their work is so important.

“A lot of the research done here…you can’t do that type of research in farmers’ fields because we’re using experimental chemicals or experimental methods that we don’t know if they’re going to pan out, if they’re going to be economically viable,” says Ed Martin, the local extension’s director.

Arizona State Sen. Tim Dunn (R-District 25) was in attendance, and he says we haven’t even reached the extension’s full potential.

“We can bring interns down from the main campus, we can actually have different upper division classes, we can actually have different degrees available here in Yuma that we haven’t had in the past,” Sen. Dunn says.

The event hosted university deans and state officials to tour the local extension.

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Andrea Turisk

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Come out and support the Annual Desert Lily Quilt Show.

The show is on Friday, January 9 and Saturday, January 10 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Tickets are $8 and can be brought at the Yuma Civic and Convention Center.

To learn more about the event, as well as the club, click here.

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