Marcos Icahuate
SOMERTON, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Chelada Fest is planned to be held in Somerton.
The UTV Off Road Showdown Chelada Fest will be at Somerton Main Street on October 18, starting at 4:30 p.m.
There will be live music by Kamacho, Los Cadetes de Linares and Ravines.
A chelada contest, food and free kids area will also be there.
Karina Bazarte
BRAWLEY, Calif. (KYMA) – A man was arrested in Brawley after police found a ghost gun along with ammunition and drugs in his car.
A 27-year old man was arrested last Friday after Brawley police noticed he was driving aggressively.
Officers stopped the suspect and noticed the license plate did not match the vehicle.
That’s when the officers K-9 unit discovered a few grams of methamphetamine on the suspect and underneath the drivers seat a nine millimeter ghost gun.
“His explanation was that he uses it for protection, he is a fieldworker so sometimes out in the mountains, so he says he uses it for protection against animals,” said Omar Garcia, Brawley police detective.
Officers also discovered several bullets inside a sock, along with a magazine.
It was later determined the car the suspect was driving was not stolen, and it was towed from the scene.
The suspect is currently being held at the Imperial County Jail and is facing six charges, including possession of a ghost gun.
Jalen Fong
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Join the City of Yuma and other municipalities across the Desert Southwest and Mexico as they come together for a family-friendly event.
The 9th Mayors’ International Bike Ride will take place on Saturday, October 25th.
This event, founded by City of Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls and leaders from 4FrontED, aims to unite the different communities in our area and highlight our region.
The ride will begin at the Yuma Civic Center and will include stops at Cocopah Korner, Somerton City Hall, Friendship Park in Gadsden, and Montezuma Park in San Luis.
The ride will conclude with a celebration at Benito Juarez Park near San Luis Rio Colorado’s City Hall.
Mayor Nicholls shares why is it important that people take part of this bike ride and we he hopes they take away from it.
“Life is more about working together,” said Nicholls. “We have more things in common than we do apart, so that’s that’s important, but also very much promoting our regions.”
Bicyclists of all ages and levels are welcome. Participants under 18 must have a parent/guardian accompany them on the ride. The ride is free to attend.
You can register to participate on the City of Yuma website HERE.
The ride will begin at 8 a.m.
Dillon Fuhrman
IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – Members of the Imperial Irrigation District (IID) met with Calexico and Holtville communities this week to emphasize “swift action and community engagement in the wake of Tropical Storm Mario.”
According to a press release, IID Division 4 Director Karin Eugenio and IID General Manager Jamie Asbury “joined residents at community gatherings in Calexico and Holtville City Halls to provide updates and hear directly from those affected.”
IID says the storm brought damaging winds, heavy rain and flooding, which “toppled nearly 100 power poles impacting service to customers across Imperial Valley’s south end.”
Courtesy: Imperial Irrigation District
Courtesy: Imperial Irrigation District
“I know how disruptive this has been for families, businesses, and schools,” said Eugenio. “Tropical Storm Mario hit hard — but IID’s crews are on the ground, working tirelessly, pole by pole, to safely bring the lights back on. Our community has been heard, and I am committed to making sure Holtville and Calexico are prioritized for the stronger, more resilient system we need.”
“Our crews were in the field as soon as the storm cleared and will not stop until every customer’s power is restored,” Asbury said. “At the same time, IID is acting now to strengthen the system for the future. These storms are striking with greater frequency and intensity, and we are committed to investing in the infrastructure and redundancy needed to protect our communities. We are here, we are listening, and we are acting.”
To learn more about this, click here.
Danyelle Burke North
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A recent study reports a rise in obesity rates in Arizona. According to the Invigor Medical study, adults in Arizona ages 55-64 saw the steepest increase of more than 9% growth rate from 2013 to 2023.
Onvida Health says over the last decade, around 30-32% of people struggle with some form of obesity in Yuma County. They say factors include inability to get out due to the heat, socio-economic status, and diet.
“30-32% are struggling with some form of obesity, and that can range anywhere from your mild obesity to your more morbid obesity. But we want to get every single patient out and about walking, moving, making small dietary changes that you know slowly but surely become habit in their daily lives,” said Onvida Health family nurse practitioner Marybel Gonzalez.
Obesity can contribute to chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.Onvida Health encourages people to get 30-45 minutes of daily exercise.
Adrik Vargas
YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA) – South County residents will soon have a new option for waste disposal.
Yuma County is planning to build its first solid waste transfer station in the area, aiming to make trash disposal more convenient and cut down on illegal dumping.
The facility will be located on County 19th Street and sit on a 10-acre parcel of land provided by the Bureau of Reclamation. It will feature 30 large bins to collect household waste, appliances, and heavy metals.
“There’s been a lot of illegal dumping out in the area,” said Santos Guerrero, Deputy Director of Yuma County Public Works. “There should be no reason for people to be dumping trash on the desert when we have this transfer station that you can dump free as long as you’re not commercial.”
The site will be free to all county residents and is expected to open in late spring or early summer of 2026.
Local residents say the project is a welcome step.
“People should be more conscientious about their trash, and instead of just throwing it away they should be putting it into dumpsters,” said Bob Lutes, a local.
Until the South County transfer station opens, officials encourage residents to continue using other transfer stations across Yuma County, including the North Gila site.
Andrea Turisk
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – In a dry and dusty climate like we have here in Arizona, asthma and allergies are more than just seasonal nuances. They can seriously impact daily life and even become medical emergencies.
Dr. Donald Hubbard, Medical Director and Emergency Medicine Physician at Exceptional Community Hospital, says this is largely due to the climate in our region.
“You’re out and about all year. You have one of the largest gardens here in the world. They grow a lot of stuff here, so there’s a lot of pollen, there’s a lot of dust, and there’s a lot of chemicals that we’re exposed to every day, and those can cause allergic reactions or those can cause asthma flare ups,” Dr. Hubbard spoke.
Hubbard says there are things you should look our for.
“There’s something called cough variant asthma where that really you don’t have a lot of wheezing, but you have a lot of coughing, and a lot of times it seems to be worse at night. There’s also exercise induced asthma, so somebody who doesn’t really have problems breathing, but then they start exercising, they start getting short of breath or start coughing,” he said.
Adrik Vargas
IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – A flood watch is in effect across the Imperial Valley, and officials are reminding residents to stay prepared.
The Imperial County Fire Department says the biggest danger is on the roads. Even a small amount of moving water can sweep a car away. Drivers are urged to “turn around, don’t drown.”
Deputy Chief Cedric Ceseña warned, “If you find yourself in a flash flood, in a vehicle or outside of a vehicle, the chances of something really critical happening are very high.”
Officials also recommend keeping phones charged and having water and flashlights ready. Sandbags can help protect homes in low-lying areas.
Ceseña said, “We do provide sandbags and sand at each one of our fire stations…the public is free to come in and fill their own sandbags to protect their property.”
Residents like Olivia Felix have already taken action.
She said, “We go to the station, get our full sandbags, and just make sure to place them at our door so no water gets in.”
Officials urge residents to prepare and keep an eye on friends, family, and neighbors.
Ceseña added, “It’s always important that the public stays informed and that they also share that information with their family.”
The flood watch remains in effect in Imperial Valley until 2 a.m. Friday, and officials warn that once water starts moving, every second counts.
Adrik Vargas
IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – Severe weather swept across Imperial County Thursday night, flooding streets and damaging several homes.
Calexico was hit the hardest, and the city has declared a state of emergency. Homes lost electricity during the storm, but the city says service has mostly returned.
“I saw out the window and saw all this, we just set up that shed like two months ago, and it was destroyed,” said resident Fernanda Ahro.
City crews are now cleaning up, handling flooding, and checking for damage.
“The streets were flooded, there was some car that had water up to the hood,” said Marco Batani, another local.
Batani said the storm was frightening to live through.
“Those poles fell, we had like six explosions, literally there was fire, sparks, and all these trees fell,” he shared.
The Imperial Irrigation District (IID) shared an update on power restoration Friday afternoon.
“We’re down to about 1,300 customers still out. We’re planning to pick up about another 300 customers about midnight tonight. And we hope to have everyone up within the next 24 hours,” said Paul Rodriguez, Deputy Power Manager with IID.
Danyelle Burke North
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The 18th Annual Yuma Hip Hop Dance Festival is back in town! The two-day dance convention is hosted by Jazz of Yuma and offers six master classes taught by famous L.A. choreographers and dancers.
Students also enjoy a Q & A with industry professionals, auditions, and a showcase.
The studio owner says this is one of their biggest events with several participants even flying in from out of state.
“The guest artists that are coming in are amazing like absolutely amazing! They just came back from the VMAs and the Emmys and all that and then now they’re in Yuma, so it’s a crazy thought, but it’s all coming together, and we’re really excited to get started,” said Dawn’s Dance Studio owner Dawn Atherton.
There are two master classes Friday and four Saturday at the Quechan Casino. You can register in-person at the convention.
