Category: kyma-local-news

Madeline Murray

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma Police Department (YPD) has identified the areas where the most crashes have happened over the past two years, with several of the city’s top crash hotspots located along 16th Street.

According to YPD, the three locations with the highest number of crashes in 2025 were along 16th Street.

One hotspot was located between First Avenue and Fourth Avenue, while another was at the intersection of East 16th Street near Ninja Sushi.

Sgt. Lori Franklin, Public Information Officer for YPD, said many of the crashes reported in these areas were not serious.

“Most of the hotspots that were having accidents, less than half of them are injury accidents. Most of them are just small little fender benders, a lot of rear end accidents,” Sgt. Franklin said.

YPD said the city averaged about 2,000 crashes each year from 2022 through 2025. Fewer than half of the crashes resulted in injuries.

Police said some of the most common causes of crashes include abrupt starting and stopping, speeding and drivers running red lights.

Franklin is reminding drivers to remain patient and pay attention, especially at busy intersections.

“I just ask the community, be patient. There’s a lot of people on the roads. If it turns yellow, please don’t try to shoot it. Just wait for the next one,” Franklin said.

YPD are asking residents to stay focused while driving and to remember the responsibility that comes with being behind the wheel.

Officials said reckless driving can put everyone on the road at risk and lead to preventable crashes.

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Lynette Niebla

BRAWLEY, Calif. (KYMA) – A local nonprofit is bringing inclusive, adaptive programming much closer to families in the northern part of the Imperial Valley.

Best S.T.E.P. Forward is currently transforming a vacant retail space into a brand-new accessible regional hub, eliminating transportation barriers for families who previously had to travel across the county for care.

The expansion marks a major milestone for the organization, which first launched in 2018. After opening its initial location in Calipatria in 2019 and expanding to an El Centro hub in 2022, local demand is now driving their latest growth straight into Brawley.

The upcoming facility, located inside the former Brawley Rite Aid building, is being built entirely around the concept of “adaptive reuse,” breathing new life into empty properties to serve the local community.

“…Basically turning facilities and buildings that are run down and broken down, and reusing them into usable spaces,” said Jacqueline Estrada Mercado, CEO of Best S.T.E.P. Forward. “In this case, taking the old Brawley Rite Aid and turning it into a safe place for kids to play.”

The choice of location was heavily influenced by feedback from North County residents who frequently faced long commutes to keep their children enrolled in programming.

“Our families reached out. They said we really needed a place that is a little bit closer to us because transportation continues to be one of the largest barriers here in Imperial County,” Mercado said. “We’ve got a lot of families that have been loyal to us and driving all the way to El Centro from Niland, Calipatria, and Westmorland.”

Best S.T.E.P. Forward provides a comprehensive suite of adaptive sports, specialized therapy, and inclusive recreation for children and adults with developmental disabilities. For Mercado, the entire journey started at home.

“When we started Best S.T.E.P. Forward in 2018, it was when we really had very little resources here in Imperial County…pretty much nothing when it came to sports,” Mercado shared. “Families were divided. It was either you were going to support your competitive-play kid, or your other kid was going to have nothing at home. Me being a parent with two kids with disabilities gave me the energy and encouragement to want to create this. From seven kids to now 500 kids, I think we’re doing pretty great.”

The nonprofit features an adaptive sports and recreation wing focusing on soccer and baseball, alongside a sensory fitness program funded through the regional center.

“The need is so wide, and that’s what really motivated us to open Brawley,” said Haylee Cervantes, Vice President of Best S.T.E.P. Forward. “We meet the clients where they are and really just work on those support needs, wherever that may be.”

Walking inside the Brawley site, visitors will instantly notice a bright environment engineered to showcase local culture. The organization hires artists to design murals that represent the unique heartbeat of each city they operate in.

“Each one of our spaces is created to show a little bit of the community that we’re in. Brawley definitely has a ‘B-Town’ feel,” Mercado noted. “Our mural signifies and symbolizes the Brawley community, from our bobcat to the cotton fields.”

Cervantes added that the artwork features a very special intentional inclusion.

“We have also included a character who is neurodivergent. It’s so exciting, bright, and welcoming. We focus on expression, and I hope these murals inspire people to be bold and stand out,” she said.

Beyond regional therapies, the organization utilizes its funding to ensure clients enjoy larger-scale cultural and sports outings that might otherwise feel out of reach.

Recently, the nonprofit took families to a San Diego FC match against the LA Galaxy, hosted a Padres Little League Day, and arranged trips to major musical productions like “Wicked” in New York City and “Little Shop of Horrors” in Costa Mesa.

“We’re really exposing our families to what they really can’t get to because of the distance and the challenges of funding,” Mercado said. “We take care of both of those things.”

At its core, organizers emphasize that the ultimate goal is simple human connection and celebrating incremental milestones.

“I love watching the progress of the kiddos and just adapting to everyone’s different needs, and it really makes you appreciate those little moments,” Cervantes said. 

The Brawley hub is an completely inclusive environment designed for the broader community.

“This space is open for all to come in and enjoy. It’s not just for kids with disabilities, it’s for all kids to come and play,” Mercado stated.

Doors are officially expected to open to the public this month. Community members looking to volunteer, donate, or register a family member can find more details by visiting their website. 

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – For some Yuma residents, the first sign of fall isn’t cooler weather. It’s the sound of shotguns echoing across the desert. That’s because September 1 marks the official start of dove-hunting season.

The early season runs from September 1 through September 15. Dove hunters from across the region come to Yuma every year to take part in the opening season.

Southern California resident Chris Elliot said he has been coming to Yuma with his family to hunt for almost three decades.

“It’s been close to 30 years. I look forward to coming out and doing this every year,” Elliot said.

Before heading out to hunt, Arizona Game and Fish officials remind hunters that they must have a valid hunting license.

“So, you’ll need an Arizona hunting license, whether that’s a hunting license or a combination license. You’ll also need the Arizona Migratory Bird Stamp, which is separate,” said Drik Butts with Arizona Game and Fish.

Licenses can be purchased online or in person at the Arizona Game and Fish Yuma Regional Office.

Hunters can pursue mourning doves, white-winged doves and Eurasian collared-doves, but there are limits on how many birds they can take.

“Eurasian collared-doves, you can keep as many as you can shoot because they are invasive. For mourning and white-winged doves, the limit is 15 total per person,” Butts said.

The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office is also reminding hunters to be responsible and follow all rules during the open season.

“YCSO did put out some reminders, such as: Do not shoot across roads, please make sure you don’t litter, no trespassing is allowed, and do not shoot within a quarter mile of residences without the owner’s permission,” said Tania Pavlak, a YCSO public affairs specialist.

Dove-hunting shooting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise until sunset.

Hunters are encouraged to follow all regulations, respect private property and take safety precautions while in the field.

If you’re going out to hunt, make sure you follow the rules and stay safe.

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Abraham Retana

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KYMA) – San Luis, Arizona Mayor Nieves Riedel is claiming political revenge after the City Council denied a planning and zoning request for one of her new construction projects.

Now, Councilmember Lizeth Servin is defending her vote to deny the project.

During the council meeting on August 12, Riedel Construction presented a 62-unit townhome project near Avenue E. The council voted 3-2 against the project.

Mayor Riedel said she believes the decision was made based on personal misunderstanding with some council members.

“Because they get together and decide how to vote and they can careless the people that works in construction even the City of San Luis receives hundreds of thousand of dollars in permits,” Reidel expressed.

Councilmember Servin voted against the project, saying it wasn’t personal. She said her decision was made based on what residents want in that area and what the original plan was.

“The original designation is commercial area but when she the owner of the company decided to change the commercial area into residential why? And my question is why because I understand housing is much needed in the community as well. The commercial people in that area want to see growth. They want to see businesses and new employment,” Servin remarked.

Riedel said her company will start the process again and will present it to the planning and zoning commission. 

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Andrea Turisk

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – As Labor Day weekend approaches, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) is asking drivers to be prepared.

CHP, in a press release, is conducting a Labor Day Holiday Enforcement Period Friday, September 4, at 6:01 p.m.

During that time, CHP said their officers will focus on getting impaired drivers off the road, and educating drivers about the dangers of driving under the influence.

The enforcement period will end at 11:59 p.m. Monday, September 7.

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Madeline Murray

YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma County Recorder’s Office is reminding residents to register to vote and update their voter registration information head of November 3 election.

Yuma County Recorder David Lara said one common mistake residents make is when they go to the DMV to change their information on their license, but don’t update their voter registration. 

Lara said this is important because if your vote registration does not match your ID it could cause problems when you go to vote. 

To update your registration, you can go online, to the Recorder’s Office, or to the DMV.

“Please look…update your information…make sure it matches your drivers license, go to DMV,” Lara explained. “When you change your information at DMV make sure you also change your voter registration information so it matches and now everything flows everybody is good you get to vote and move in move out quickly.”

The last day to register to vote is on October 5. Early voting starts on October 7. 

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Jessamyn Dodd

IMPERIAl, Calif. (KYMA) – A judge ruled that the county must conduct a full environmental impact report for a new data center complex rather than reviewing its components in isolation.

The court found sufficient evidence of potential environmental impacts, rejecting the county’s attempt to treat permits as ministerial actions.

Alene Taber, attorney for the City of Imperial, spoke to News 11 about the decision.

“Basically the county divided up the project into smaller pieces. So, for example, there was a separate grading permit, a lot merger that was separate a vacation of a roadway, and then they were looking at those individual pieces and saying, look, they’re ministerial meaning, we don’t have to have a lot of analysis, a review to determine whether these uses are permitted,” she shared.

However, the City of Imperial and the courts disagreed.

“The city was saying, no, you have to look at the project as a whole, which the court agreed with us. And when you look at the project as a whole, there are the potential for significant environmental impacts. And you need to do the most stringent level of environmental review, which is an environmental impact report,” Taber explained.

An important piece of the puzzle is disclosing these findings to the public, and to let the public “review and provide meaningful comments.”

“Going through the environmental process is going to give the community a voice and be able to express what their concerns are and for their own assessment to be made as to whether or not this is the right location for this project,” she said.

Moving forward, the parties will submit comments on a tentative decision while the county remains barred from issuing further approvals.

2026-08-31 Tentative Decision City of ImperialDownload

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Consumer Reports

YUMA, Ariz. (CONSUMER REPORTS) – An important warning from Consumer Reports: Your child may love those soft, squishy sensory toys, but federal safety officials are warning that counterfeit versions of popular “squishies” could pose serious health and safety risks.

Consumer Reports has important safety information parents need to know.

On August 5, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a warning about fake and counterfeit squishy toys that don’t comply with federal safety standards and “may pose serious risks to children.”

The agency says it has stopped over 350,000 squishy toys from entering U.S. ports. However, counterfeit squishies are still showing up online, on social media, and in discount stores, and may contain potentially hazardous or unsafe materials.

This government warning comes months after a Consumer Reports investigation found concerning reports filed with the federal SaferProducts.gov site, claiming children suffered chemical burns after their squishy toys burst open.

The risks are not just limited to counterfeit products, and know that because as part of the investigation, CR’s safety experts bought several toys and tested the gel inside.

One had an acidic pH, similar to lemon juice or vinegar, and a pH like that can cause severe skin irritation, especially in children who have more delicate skin.

It’s difficult and sometimes impossible for a parent to determine, based on a package or an online listing, whether a particular squishy toy is counterfeit, and many of the incidents reported to the CPSC involve name-brand products purchased at major retail stores.

It’s encouraging that the CPSC is taking action against counterfeit and violative products. But, right now, parents need more information because the safety risks may extend beyond fake or off-brand toys.

If your child is playing with these squishy toys, a few strategies can help keep them safe. Don’t give gel-filled toys to babies or toddlers. Check for holes or tears frequently, and if one does break on your child’s skin, wash it off right away and throw out the toy.

If you have concerns about a toy’s safety, report it to the CPSC on SaferProducts.gov.

The warning also comes as dangerous social media videos encourage kids to microwave squishy toys, which safety experts say is never safe. Heating these toys can cause them to burst, releasing hot, sticky material that can cling to skin and cause serious burns

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Adrik Vargas

YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA) – Locals across Yuma County are sharing their reaction to Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes’ call for a statewide pause on data center construction.

In a press release Monday, the pause is said to be “necessary amid rising energy bills and after the Department of Interior cut Arizona’s Colorado River water supplies by almost 30%.”

“The only sane thing to do is to pause the approval of new data centers,” Attorney General Mayes said. “Data centers are power- and water-intensive, and Arizona is challenged on both fronts right now.”

Mayes is also calling on lawmakers and Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-Ariz.) to pass “legislation to halt data center approvals until Arizona develops a plan to manage the industry’s growth.”

In addition, Mayes announced she will be holding a town hall in Ahwatukee, a village located in Phoenix, on October 14, where she will hear “from concerned community members about Menlo Digital’s planned hyperscale data center project.”

Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) said she shared similar concerns Mayes had regarding water supply and demand, and said she supports a national moratorium on new data center construction.

In a statement to News 11, Rep. Grijalva said, “A moratorium would give us the time needed to develop a national strategy and establish clear rules of the road for artificial intelligence. We need to ensure that the rapid growth of AI doesn’t come at the expense of our workers, our water, or our communities.”

Locals News 11 spoke, like Albert Cajigas, to said they want more information from their elected representatives before the projects move forward.

“Right now, I just don’t think the public is informed enough on what those data centers can really do to the to the area that, I think, maybe putting a little bit more time and research into it is going to be something that, I think, maybe we may need,” Cajigas explained.

Grijalva said Arizona’s drought, water supply cuts and higher utility bills are all reasons to take a closer look at data center growth.

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Jessamyn Dodd

BRAWLEY, Calif.- Brawley became the backdrop for a Lowrider Magazine video shoot featuring local models and talent.

Nethaneal Zechariah Banaga, the designer and director, had a vision to bring the Imperial Valley center stage.

“Lowrider Magazine car show is one of the most prolific biggest car shows and lowrider events specifically here on the West Coast. Low rider Magazine is one of the publications that has just been a monumental giant to push our culture forward in terms of Chicano culture. It’s one of the first publications to put our culture out there.

Imperial Valley artist JAY ROXXX, who has over 30 million streams on Spotify, over 40 million views on YouTube, and over 3 million followers on TikTok, was a featured model for the production.

“This is really, really a big move for, for everybody here, especially because we’re from such a small, a small little valley,” she said.

Like I said, it’s a really huge honor and it was great working with everybody today and it was super exciting and I love it cause I feel so connected with my people back to my roots,” she exclaimed.

The shoot took place outside of the Dream Center, a space for local artists to nurture their craft. They host workshops, pop-ups, and vintage markets.

“This Dream Center was created to really create a place where artists can come and venture into their dreams,” owner Octavio Banaga, who is also Nethaneal’s father, said.

The video and collection will be featured at the Lowrider Super Show at the Los Angeles Convention Center on September 5th.

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