Category: kyma-local-news

Paul Vozzella

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The school year is approaching and Staples gave back to help prepare local students and teachers.

The Back-to-School Block Party took place at 9:00 a.m. Saturday at the store, located at 101 W. 16th Street.

While the office retailer joins several outlets who help provide supplies for students, the store wanted to make sure teachers were provided support as well.

Staples set up the event to hand out all the academic essentials and highlight some of Yuma County’s local vendors and small businesses.

“We were just hoping that people showed up, and they actually did, and I was super surprised. And we were really excited with our turnout. And people were here early standing in line, so we definitely considered it a success,” said Courtney Wilson, Assistant Manager of the store.

“Giving a little bit back to the teachers, you know, for all their hard work they do, and giving these kids a little bit of a push for them to get a good start in their school year,” said Luis Guzman, a vendor.

In addition to food vendors, there were raffle prizes and activities for kids.

The event, which ended at noon, was free to attend, and Staples hopes to continue it next year on a potentially bigger scale.

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – 15 students from the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley – Yuma Branch teamed up with volunteers Saturday morning for the Club’s annual Back-to-School Shopping event.

The event took place at JCPenney Yuma at 8:30 a.m., with Metro by T-Mobile, Dutch Bros. and Raising Cane’s sponsoring the event.

According to a press release obtained by KYMA, the students were selected “selected based on their financial need and outstanding behavior.”

“When you think about what it is, the Boys and Girls Club with Valley actually does for our youth, it’s probably one of those things that goes really unnoticed,” said Brad Hamilton, Senior Manager of Express Stores @T-Mobile in Phoenix. “There’s lots of kids out there that just need lots of extra love support. They need a safe place to go. They need food, they need resources. Boys and Girls Club is just one of the amazing organization that provides all that.”

Rowena Regalado, the Branch Director of the Club, also shared another reason why the event is important.

“It is really trying to sort…first of all, recognizing the work that the kids have done over the summer, you know, to be supportive of their peers, to be there when somebody needs help,” Regalado explained.

The Club members were each given $250 to spend during the event, where they bought a variety of items, such as school uniforms, clothes, shoes and more.

The event lasted until 10:30 a.m.

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Marcos Icahuate

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – A teenager was hit by a car and taken to the hospital, according to California Highway Patrol (CHP).

On July 17, at about 1:23 a.m., El Centro Dispatch were told of a person down on Worthington Road, east of SR-111.

CHP says a driver was traveling eastbound on Worthington Road and for unknown reasons, a 15-year-old boy was hit by the vehicle, causing the boy to impact the asphalt on the shoulder of the road.

The boy had major injuries and taken to the Desert Regional Medical Center.

The crash is still under investigation, says CHP.

CHP also says it is unknown if drugs or alcohol were factors.

Anyone with information on this case is encouraged to call CHP at (760)312-1800.

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Marcos Icahuate

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – A strike team from the El Centro Fire Department is deployed to Northern California.

The fire crew is helping to assist with the Orleans Complex.

The team includes a type 6 engine with three personnel and a strike team leader trainee.

The team left on Tuesday with no time table yet as when they are expected to return.

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Karina Bazarte

BRAWLEY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – A new and disturbing scam is making the rounds and this time, it’s happening right at your front door.

A local from Brawley says these scammers are knocking on your door asking for personal information such as your ID.

Brawley police say scammers are posing as social or government workers knocking on doors and asking residents for personal information.

“They will have iPads with them and they will try to get your information. They will say, ‘Hey, we are with Department [of] Social Services. We are offering this program where we can get you a free iPad or watch. All we need to do is take a phone of your driver’s license the front and back of it,'” said Cmdr. Juan Morales of the Brawley Police Department (BPD).

That is not the only thing they want to see, these scammers are also asking to see your EBT information and other information tied to social services programs.

That is exactly what happened to a local couple last week.

He says two women showed up at his door claiming he and his wife could get a free iPad if they gave up personal information.

“She had mentioned she didn’t have any of those cards on her and what we caught on is that they said we can verify it online and online website or if you even have medical we can verify it through medical and we have to take a picture of it,” said Ethan Marquez, a Brawley resident.

BPD says social or government workers will never knock on your door and ask for personal information.

Police are urging residents to verify the company these scammers are claiming to represent, write down their license plate numbers, and contact local law enforcement right away.

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Eduardo Morales

WELLTON, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A family in Wellton is dealing with the loss of their home after a fire.

Late Saturday night and early Sunday morning, a house fire completely destroyed a family’s home.

Luckily, the community is here to support them.

“I was scared…I was scared but hopeful,” said Erika Martinez-Wammack.

Martinez-Wammack says her daughter was inside the home staying with her grandparents when the fire started late Saturday night.

She shares what went through her mind when she found out what was happening.

“I didn’t find her for ten minutes and I…Well, I’m just grateful that my daughter is here and alive, and that I get another day with her,” expressed Martinez-Wammack.

She says her six-year-old daughter, Athena, was the one who alerted everyone about the fire, helping them get out safely.

Athena shares why she was so brave.

“Great because I love them so much, pretty great because Spider-Man, I talk to him on face call all the time,” said Athena.

You can support the family through their GoFundMe here.

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Madeline Murray

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Early Thursday morning, the Yuma Proving Ground hosted the change in responsibility ceremony, which only happens every two years.

The outgoing Command Sgt. Maj. Mark A. Millare passed on his responsibilities to incoming Command Sgt. Maj. Joshua C. Holthus.

The Command Sergeant Major is the highest-ranking enlisted person on site and serves as a leader, advocating for soldiers, and their families.

“As senior enlisted leaders at Yuma Proving Ground, we do a, we rotate every two years, so it was just my time to go,” says outgoing Command Sgt. Maj. Millare.

Millare has been in this position since July 13, 2023, serving as the highest-ranking enlisted person at the proving ground.

He now will be turning over his responsibilities to Command Sgt. Maj. Holthus.

Millare says, “Him and I came from the same brigade and acquisition, and army testing is going to be foreign for him. Even now after two years, I would say that I’m still not like 100% know everything, so I would say keep an open mind and start learning.”

Holthus says he plans to continue leading and advocating for soldiers and their families stepping into this new role.

“I became an acclamation officer well over twenty years ago, and that is the expectation of an acclamation officer is to do those things from the get go,” says Holthus.

The Command Sergeant Major serves under Colonel John Nelson. Col. Nelson shares this thoughts on the change of responsibility.

“I’m feeling bittersweet about today’s ceremony because we’re saying, you know, goodbye to my senior listed advisor that’s been serving in that position for the last two years, but also kind of sweet because were welcoming in another outstanding non-commissioning officer Commander Sergeant Major Holfus,” says Nelson.

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Karina Bazarte

BRAWLEY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – The Brawley Police Department (BPD) has recovered about 100 illegal guns from the streets just this year alone. But they say there’s one team member who’s taken that mission even further.

BPD says they are the only local agency that uses a non-human team member to help them remove illegal guns from the streets. It uses a sharp nose and has four paws.

“Jax is a hard worker. He is a team player and he has paws,” said Detective Javier Martinez with BPD.

Jax is a Labrador Retriever and he is the only K9 in the whole entire valley that specializes in detecting illegal guns and much more.

“We have the only narcotic K9 when we do the street interdiction. We go out and find the illegal activity that is going on and we utilize that K9 a lot which a lot of the time detects firearms in the vehicle,” the officer shared.

Brawley police say since last year, they have received about 36 illegal pistols.

“Over 15 illegal long rifles both unserialized, stolen,” Detective Martinez spoke.

BPD say there are numerous cases where they conduct search warrants and find many illegal guns, including the 3D printers that create these ghost guns.

“I think a lot of the times we have a people relocating here to the city we have a prison that is close by a lot of the time families relocate here to the city which is went they get release from the prison they end up being here in the City of Brawley,” Martinez shared.

To reduce the number of illegal guns on the streets, that’s when our four-legged friend Jax comes in.

“Late last year, we called Jax out to the City of Calexico and he was an assistant on a vehicle which had narcotics and we ended up finding a machine gun in the back of the van,” Martinez remarked.

Agent Brian Harsany says Jax works with every law agency in the Valley including Border Patrol.

“As long as he gets to smell and discover something either a handgun, ammunition and even currency, he will get this toy,” Agent Harsany explained.

He says Jax has to train every week for five hours in order to be certified.

“The department picked this dog and then I went down to San Diego everyday Monday through Friday to train with him,” Harsany said.

Jax is a three-year-old dog born in Guadalajara, Mexico and has two years with the BPD

“Jax is a hero. He loves what he does, he is good at what he does, he is a big asset in our department,” Martinez expressed.

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Marcos Icahuate

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – KYMA-TV and other television stations across the country have been acquired by another company.

On July 18, Rincon Broadcasting Group announced it has acquired the following stations:

KAYU-TV (Fox) – Spokane, Washington

KFFX-TV (Fox) – Pendleton, Oregon

KCYU-LD (Fox) – Yakima, Washington

KYMA-DT (NBC/CBS) – Yuma, Arizona

KOKI-TV (Fox) – Tulsa, Oklahoma

KMYT-TV (MyNetworkTV) – Tulsa, Oklahoma

WHBQ-TV (Fox) – Memphis, Tennessee

“We’re incredibly excited to expand our regional broadcast footprint into the Pacific Northwest, Southwest, and Mid-South,” said Todd Parkin, President of Rincon Broadcasting Group. “These stations have strong local brands and deep viewer loyalty. We look forward to pursuing innovation in broadcast television, while upholding their vital role in serving communities with trusted information.”

You can read the full press release below.

Rincon Imagicomm closing PR 071825EH (1)Download

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Eduardo Morales

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The Yuma Fire Department (YFD) got some new training props to better prepare them for fighting fires.

YFD got a dumpster and other gas props to simulate real life fire responses.

The props are located at the public training facility.

YFD explains how beneficial the new equipment will be.

“This is something that we’ve been lacking for a long time is a simulated gas prop. We do encounter calls, they’re rare, but because they’re rare, we don’t get a tone of practice at them, so when Southwest Gas said, ‘Hey, we can help get some pipe laid, gets some props put up for you guys,’ it was huge,” said Capt. David Padilla of YFD.

Along with Southwest Gas’ donation, the dumpster was donated by Republic Sanitation Services.

A representative from Southwest Gas explains why it’s important to help out the local fire station.

“It helps us work together to keep our community safe, having these props in a controlled environment like this will help get our environment ready for real-life incidents, which will keep our community safe all together,” said Francisco Ortega, the Yuma District Manager of Southwest Gas.

YFD says that working together with local companies and agencies can help them in the future.

“Getting to have these relationships when there isn’t an emergency, sharing knowledge, learning from the experts in the industry them learning what we’re going to do when we show up, it’s critically important to keep a safe community,” says Capt. Padilla.

YFD says they are incredibly thankful to Southwest Gas and the Republic Sanitation Services for their donations.

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