Category: kyma-local-news

Adrik Vargas

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma welcomed a new commander during a touching and musical change of command ceremony.

Col. Jared K. Stone officially handed command of MCAS Yuma over to Col. David J. Bennett after serving as station commander for the past three years.

Reflecting on the importance of the air station, Col. Stone said, “You cannot be a pilot in the marine corps and not eventually come to marine corps air station yuma, and it’s getting harder and harder to be a ground-side marine and not come to marine corps air station Yuma.”

During his outgoing remarks, Stone thanked the dedicated men and women who support the base every day.

“Imagine maintaining all the facilities on this installation, two million acres of airspace and 1.2 million acres of ground ranges, and all of the assets that go into supporting the training. That’s what the staff here does, and that’s pretty incredible,” Stone said.

For Col. Bennett, taking command marks the culmination of nearly three decades of service in the Marine Corps.

“28 years for me to finally stand in front of you all this day and have this moment,” Bennett said.

The incoming commander also thanked the mentors and senior leaders who helped shape his journey to this moment.

“All the senior leaders out there within the core who kept faith with me, allowed me an opportunity to heal…and probably more importantly for me right now, as an opportunity again to lead the best of our nation, has to offer breeds of sailors, contractors, civilians who are working here in Yuma,” Bennett said.

Bennett says he is honored to lead the men and women of MCAS Yuma as the air station continues its critical role in training the next generation of Marines.

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Connor Emery

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – As the primary election is a few days away, Yuma County is seeing lower registered voters than previous elections.

According to the Elections Department, there are 109,820 registered voters in the Yuma County.

Yuma County Recorder David Lara said the low turnout for early voting and mail-in ballots have been happening all across Arizona.

“We are low. We’re trying to get people motivated to go out and vote, but this is happening statewide. It’s not just Yuma County. What is that reason? I don’t know, but it is very low,” Lara shared.

Primaries play a crucial role of narrowing down candidates who will run in the November election. Lara said this election is unlike any other compared to previous years.

“This is the first election I’ve noticed, especially in different cities, where there’s a lot of new candidates. And the incumbents are being challenged which I have never seen before. So a lot of new people, new challenges and a lot of primaries,” he explained.

One of the early voters, Matt Harten, said that it was important for him to vote early and do a little bit of research regarding the candidates.

“Went ahead, took some time to do a little research of everybody on the ballot. I know the competitor for mayor is a write-in this year…We just had to make sure we came in and dropped it off. Made sure the vote got counted,” Harten said.

Yuma County is holding what’s called an emergency voting over the weekend, and on Monday prior to Election Day.

If you would like to learn more about the Arizona primary election, click HERE.

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Andrea Turisk

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The City of Yuma is closing a portion of a well-known roundabout for improvements.

Starting Friday at 8 p.m., the Arizona Department of Transportation is closing a portion of the Interstate 8 interchange at Araby Road for asphalt pavement surface re-treatment.

The closure will be in place through Monday, July 20 at 5 a.m. Drivers can expect heavy delays, so allow extra travel time and follow posted detours.

To learn more about the closure, click here.

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Abigahil Padilla

SOMERTON, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Arizona primary election is less than a week away, and News 11 is introducing a candidate running to be reelected as Mayor of Somerton.

Mayor Gerardo Anaya has been serving the city for the past seven years.

He says his administration has focused on economic development, investing in infrastructure and strengthening public safety by increasing salaries for law enforcement and firefighters.

“Here in Somerton, we have never seen so much investment in the various businesses that have opened this year, and we will continue to develop,” Mayor Anaya shared.

He said his platform also wants to expand the development toward La Mesa, attracting new businesses, creating more jobs and securing additional funding for the city.

The Arizona primary election is next Tuesday, July 21, and early voting is now underway. To find out where you can vote, click here.

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, NBC) – Yuma residents are sharing their reaction to the cyclosporiasis outbreak.

The CDC has confirmed 1,645 people have contracted the food-borne illness called cyclosporiasis across the country.

The agency issued a health alert this week confirming the information, with the alert stating another 5,100 cases are being investigated as cyclosporiasis.

Symptoms of the illness, which is caused by eating raw produce like leafy greens, raspberries and cilantro, include cramping, nausea, vomiting and prolonged watery diarrhea.

The stomach illness has spread to 34 states, including Arizona and California. Arizona has 19 cases, with three cases being confirmed in Yuma County.

News 11 reached out to the Yuma County Health Department with questions about the cases, and they issued the following statement:

“We want to remind the public to be please be aware of the symptoms. Early detection is important, particularly for young children and the elderly. Symptoms may be more severe in these populations and can quickly lead to dehydration or other complications.”

Yuma County Public Health Services is urging residents to take basic precautions to protect their families.

The steps include washing fresh produce thoroughly before eating, following safe food handling and storage practices, and practicing proper hand hygiene.

Taylor Farms, who is being investigated as a possible source of the outbreak, released a statement Friday, saying they are voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico out of circulation in the U.S.

The statement also says, The FDA traceback is indicating a specific independent farm as the potential source of the outbreak,” and “no other Taylor Fresh Foods products across the country are impacted.”

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Moses Femino

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Democratic Arizona House of Representatives candidate Emilia Cortez met with supporters Thursday evening during a campaign fundraiser and community discussion in Downtown Yuma.

The event, held at Pint House Bar and Grill, gave attendees an opportunity to hear directly from Cortez about her campaign priorities while participating in a moderated discussion focused on issues affecting Legislative District (LD) 23.

Supporters also encouraged civic participation by inviting attendees to bring their completed mail ballots. After the discussion, participants walked together to a nearby ballot drop box to cast their ballots.

“We’re trying to make sure that the community, we do as a group. Everybody has their individual ballot and kind of also fundraise,” Cortez said.

Another supporter said Cortez’s commitment to representing Yuma County motivated them to attend.

“I strongly believe in her representation for Yuma County. And I’m here to make sure that we get her elected,” Jason Bradley, an event organizer, said.

In addition to the discussion, community members had time to speak one-on-one with Cortez and ask questions about her campaign.

Cortez is a Democratic candidate seeking one of Arizona House of Representatives’ two seats in LD23 in the 2026 election.

The event was one of several campaign stops aimed at engaging voters ahead of Election Day.

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Lynette Niebla

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced he is suing the City of Calexico.

The lawsuit, in conjunction with the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and the Newsom Administration, alleges the City of Calexico failed to comply with the state’s Housing Element Law.

The Housing Element Law, according to the Attorney General’s Office, is for every city and county across California “must update its housing plan every eight years to meet its Regional Housing Needs Allocation, or its share of the regional and statewide housing needs.”

However, HCD said they identified 15 local governments who remained out of compliance with the law, and while two-thirds of the local government came to compliance with the law, five of them, including Calexico, were said to be “to be still out of compliance to the Attorney General’s Office.”

The state’s lawsuit claims Calexico is nearly five years late in adopting a valid affordable housing plan and asks a judge to force compliance within 120 days. If the city loses, it could face hefty monthly fines, a loss of local zoning control, and the temporary loss of its power to issue commercial building permits.

“California’s housing crisis demands action, not excuses,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Jurisdictions that remain out of compliance with our Housing Element Law are standing in the way of the homes Californians need. We are well past the halfway point of the current housing planning cycle, and timely compliance is not optional. As I’ve said many times, no local government has to solve this challenge alone, but every local government has to do its fair share. Today, we’re showing how serious we are about ensuring that every city and county in California adopts a housing element. Restoring the California dream will take an all-hands-on-deck effort.”

“California can’t solve the housing crisis while some cities sit on their hands and dare us to do something about it,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA). “These five jurisdictions had every chance to follow the law and plan for their fair share of housing. They chose not to, so now they’ll answer for it in court. Housing law applies statewide, and no city gets a pass.”

State leaders reiterate that California is in a crisis when it comes to housing production and that everyone must do their part.

“The vast majority of California’s cities and counties have stepped up to achieve housing element compliance,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez. “For the small number that are still falling short, the actions we are taking today should send a clear message: no community is exempt from doing its part to solve our housing crisis. Alongside Attorney General Bonta, Governor Newsom and HCD will continue to hold local governments accountable for complying with state law.”

In response to the lawsuit, Calexico City Manager Ben Martinez released an extensive statement emphasizing the city’s active work behind the scenes to resolve the dispute:

“The City of Calexico remains fully committed to achieving compliance with California Housing Element law and advancing policies that support the development of housing opportunities for all residents. City staff continues to work closely and collaboratively with the California Department of Housing and Community Development to address comments received during the Housing Element review process and to ensure that the document meets all applicable statutory requirements. The City has made substantial progress in preparing revisions to the Housing Element and is actively incorporating HCD’s feedback into the updated draft.”

Martinez further noted that through ongoing coordination with the state, the city is actively refining its housing programs, policies, and site inventory analysis. He noted that the city appreciates HCD’s partnership and guidance throughout the process and “anticipates submitting a revised Housing Element to HCD in the near future for further review and consideration,” remaining dedicated to securing full compliance as expeditiously as possible.

Still, local leaders admit the stern punishment might be the wake-up call the city needs.

“If it has to come to that, then it might have been necessary so that whoever is on there now realizes the importance of following through with all the requirements that the city has to fulfill,” said Councilwoman Diana Nuricumbo.

As for the delay, Nuricumbo blames years of local government unrest.

“[In] the past few years, so much has gone on, with the changing of city managers of the recall of council members, not having anyone at the planning department, who is the one who is supposed to work on that, so I believe that that’s the reason why it fell so many years late,” Nuricumbo explained.

Because plans were previously presented to the council, leaders assumed the process was tracking smoothly and say this lawsuit blindsided them.

“We were under the assumption that it was getting done. We were just as surprised as everyone else,” Nuricumbo stated.

Despite the legal friction, city officials say they are actively moving to resolve the gap with the state.

“Our staff is gonna be working on this with the consultant. They’re going to be submitting something to the state in the next few days for review,” Nuricumbo said.

The Calexico City Council says they plan to have a new affordable housing plan adopted by October of this year.

To learn more about the lawsuit against Calexico, click here.

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Lynette Niebla

NILAND, Calif. (KYMA) – Home is no longer a refuge for dozens of vulnerable low-income seniors at the Lark Spa Mobile Home & RV Park.

Instead, their trailers have been transformed into dangerous ovens after Imperial County Code Enforcement forced a total power shutdown during an extreme summer heatwave.

Vulnerable residents, disabled neighbors, and their pets have been left stranded in triple-digit desert heat since the electricity was cut off early Monday morning.

The crisis has forced many to completely abandon their homes, beds, and private restrooms just to survive.

The emergency sprouted from a long-standing issue with a main electrical infrastructure line on the property, which park management had failed to permanently repair for years.

In an attempt to solve the issue temporarily and keep the cooling systems running through the blistering weather, an electrician laid a high-power bypass line along the ground, heavily barricaded it off for safety.

However, local officials flagged the private repair during an inspection. The county declared the site a “Code Red” compliance violation, citing management for lacking a permit and burying the trench exactly one inch too shallow under California Title 25 requirements.

Despite an active Extreme Heat Warning, county officials rejected requests for an emergency safety compromise or a conditional variance, enforcing a rigid five-day deadline that forced a total blackout.

When reached for comment regarding the situation, the Imperial Irrigation District (IID) clarified that they are not responsible for the current outage.

According to an IID spokesperson, the facility operates on a master meter, meaning the utility company is only in charge of billing these customers as a single entity.

The utility confirmed they have no reported outages in the broader Niland area. IID stated that this setup is typical for RV parks, emphasizing that the owner of the RV park is solely in charge of supplying power to the residents, and IID is not responsible for them losing electricity.

An emergency request remains tied up in the permitting phase. Because progress is expected to stall through the weekend, vulnerable residents face the reality of surviving several more days in scorching conditions without air conditioning. 

In an effort to get answers for the displaced residents, we reached out directly to Imperial County District 4 Supervisor Ryan Kelley, whose district includes the Niland area.

We also submitted a formal comment request to Imperial County Administration and Code Enforcement officials. As of publication time, we have not received a response from Supervisor Kelley or the county.

With air conditioners knocked offline, frail and disabled elderly residents are now crowding inside a single on-site recreation room to escape the scorching sun. However, the makeshift shelter lacks indoor toilets or working showers.

“Imagine having no access to your personal effects,” said park resident Seth True. “Not being able to watch your movies, your streaming services. Not being able to go to the bathroom in your bathroom or take a shower when you want to.”

At night, the situation grows increasingly treacherous. Without electricity, residents are forced to step outside into pitch-black conditions just to use the facility’s exterior restrooms.

“So at night you have to come outside, walk through the dark…there’s snakes, tarantulas, there’s camel spiders,” True shared. “Even attempting to wash away the day’s sweat offers no refuge, as the lack of climate control leaves the community showers sweltering like steam rooms…just feel how hot it is in there, you know… no air conditioning.”

Those who can afford to stay inside their homes are forced to burn through $50 to $75 a day on generator fuel just to keep simple fans spinning.

Park management reportedly reached out to various emergency relief agencies, including the American Red Cross, but official outside relief has failed to arrive.

According to residents, the only guidance received from local agencies was a written notification suggesting they surrender their companion pets to the Humane Society and keep their groceries and medication chilled on ice.

“Well, the closest ice is in Niland,” True explained. “So it’s a 12-mile drive in 100+ degree heat.”

With the official system leaving them completely in the dark, community compassion has become the only real light left shining at the park. Neighbors are actively looking out for one another to make sure no one succumbs to heat-related illness. 

“People have been coming down and talking to everybody and offering them to come over and have dinner, or come watch some TV at night to go off and talk,” True said. “They’re trying to help.”

While county representatives have not responded to our questions, code enforcement documents indicate officials maintain the strict power cutoff was legally necessary to completely eliminate an immediate electrical fire hazard.

“I would like to see somebody from the county come up here and stay one day,” True emphasized. “I would like them to go have to be in there from the time they wake up and stay there on a night on one of those beds.”

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Adrik Vargas

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Community members gathered outside the Mexican Consulate in Yuma Wednesday evening for a vigil honoring people who have died in incidents involving ICE, or while in ICE custody.

The event included moments of silence, candle lighting, and speakers sharing why they felt it was important to remember the lives being honored.

Organizers said the vigil came together after they learned of another death involving ICE just days after they began planning the event.

“It’s so unfortunate that within that short time frame that happened again. So not only are we going to be honoring Lorenzo tonight, we’re also going to be honoring Joann Bastian and countless others,” Aquino said.

Speakers at the vigil said they hoped the gathering would help bring attention to the stories and experiences of people impacted by ICE operations.

“There’s someone’s father. There’s someone’s sister. You know, it’s someone you know that has a life, that has a family. We cannot be so inhumane,” said Bryan De La Hoya, a San Luis resident who spoke at the vigil.

Organizers said they hope events like this continue conversations within the Yuma community about the people being remembered and ICE operations.

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – If you have lived in Yuma for some time, you probably know the name Emily Hieber.

The 19-year-old went missing 13 years ago, and her mother is still searching for answers, clinging to hope that one day she will know where her daughter is.

Hieber went missing in February of 2013, alongside her miniature pinscher, Bruiser. Hieber and Bruiser have not been seen or heard from since.

Jenny Jimenez, Hieber’s mother, said, “We just need to find her.”

Jimenez describes her daughter Hieber as independent, funny, athletic and a social butterfly, but things started to change in high school.

Jimenez says the summer of her junior year, Emily started using drugs.

“I think that in that summer just everything changed. Emily was a really happy girl, but she was just trying to find like the happiness. There were things that had happened in her life that she just couldn’t find that true happiness and I feel that that’s why she strayed that summer and that’s what got her into the things she was getting into,” Jimenez said.

Things just got worse.

“Things were just happening so much here. Things were going missing. I had my home broken into and I had taken away her car and she left,” Jimenez said.

Emily took to the streets, living on the streets for an entire year. But she still managed to stay active on social media. She was an avid Facebook poster and communicated with her family often about her whereabouts until one day, she vanished.

“It was two weeks, which sometimes it wasn’t that odd not to talk to her for that long, but to not see her on Facebook…so many selfies…and then her phone was shut off, and that’s when we started to get worried,” Jimenez said.

Before she disappeared, Emily told her mother, Jenny, that she was ready to turn over a new leaf and become more involved in her nephew’s life following the birth of her sister’s baby.

“She wanted to be really involved in his life, and she just wanted to be done. And then two weeks later, she went missing. And [the picture of Emily holding her nephew] was the last day we saw her,” Jimenez said.

What seemed like the start of a new chapter took a tragic turn just two weeks later.

“That day I felt like things were going to change. It was really exciting, you know; we thought things were going to be better. You know, and we hugged, and she always called me mama. She was like, ‘I love you, mama,’ and I said, ‘I love you too.’ And then two weeks later, she just…it was like she had dropped. Her phone was off. She was off Facebook, which was not her, and here we are 13 years later,” Jimenez said.

Because of her age and lifestyle, her family wasn’t able to file a missing persons report right away, but one day, when a body was found, her grandfather went to see if it was Hieber.

“My dad wanted to make sure it wasn’t Emily, and he started talking to the detective, and the detective took the case on sight,” Jimenez said.

For the past 13 years, and after hundreds of tips, the search for Emily Hieber, who is now 32 years old, continues.

Sgt. Lori Franklin with the Yuma Police Department (YPD) says the case is still open.

“As of now, it’s still an open case. We do have a detective still on it. As tips come in, or if something new does come in, they follow everything,” Sgt. Franklin said.

Hieber’s family is hopeful that one day she will be back home.

“That’s what the future has to hold,” Jimenez said.

If you or someone you know has information that could help detectives find Hieber and bring answers to her family, please contact the YPD or 78-CRIME to remain anonymous.

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