Category: kyma-local-news

Jessamyn Dodd

BRAWLEY, Calif. (KYMA) – Pioneers Memorial Hospital (PMH) in Brawley held its annual staff skills education event Wednesday.

Hospital staff brushed up on their nursing skills and infection control procedures, and the goal was to give staff a hands-on experience, rather than an online module.

“Every year we want to make sure our staff is competent and educated on any updated standards of care,” said Yesenia Magallon Heraz, educator at PMH. “Evidence-based practice changes every year, and so our policies and protocols always get updated. So we always want to make sure that those things are reinforced with our staff.”

The hospital said events like this help ensure both patient and staff safety.

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Connor Emery

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Candidates running for State Representative and State Senator for District 23, as well as candidates running for State Representative and State Senator for District 25, are sharing their reaction to the midterm elections.

For the State Senate race for District 23. State Sen. Brian Fernandez (D-District 23) is leading by 62% of the votes.

ARIZONA STATE SENATOR – DISTRICT 23

4/4 | 100% Precincts Candidate Party Votes % BRIAN FERNANDEZ (i) D 28,050 62%

MICHELLE ALTHERR R 17,164 38%

45,214 total votes Updated: 2026-11-05 05:04:03 pm

Over in the State Representative race for District 23, State Rep. Mariana Sandoval (D-District 23) and Emilia Cortez are both leading by 31% of the vote respectively.

From the beginning of her campaign to election night, Cortez couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

“It is so surreal. I was watching it, but I couldn’t believe it. Like, literally, I was watching the ballots. Numbers getting updated in their fragmented time. And I just couldn’t believe it,” Cortez said.

Getting emotional, Cortez says the voters showed they wanted change in this legislative office and is grateful to be part of that change.

“It brought tears to my eyes. The people actually want change. The working class showed up and really voted for the community members that are wanting to see change,” Cortez said.

ARIZONA STATE REPRESENTATIVE – DISTRICT 23

4/4 | 100% Precincts Candidate Party Votes % MARIANA SANDOVAL (i) D 25,173 31%

EMILIA CORTEZ D 25,121 31%

MICHELE PEÑA (i) R 15,847 20%

GARY GARCIA_SNYDER R 14,353 18%

80,494 total votes Updated: 2026-11-05 05:04:03 pm

Meanwhile, State Sen. Tim Dunn (R-District 25) is leading in the State Senate race for District 25 by 56% of the vote.

State Sen. Dunn aims to continue to work with the people of Arizona.

“I’m just thankful for the votes. And once we get elected, we know that we represent everybody in the district. Whether you voted, whether you voted for me or didn’t, I want to continue to govern and continue to be a voice of reason down at the state senate and make sure that people know they can come to me, and we’re going to work on good policies for all of Arizona,” Dunn said.

ARIZONA STATE SENATOR – DISTRICT 25

2/2 | 100% Precincts Candidate Party Votes % TIM DUNN (i) R 40,420 55%

LAURA HUBER D 32,426 45%

72,846 total votes Updated: 2026-11-05 05:04:03 pm

At the same time, State Reps. Michael Carbone (R-District 25) and Nick Kupper (R-District 25) are leading in the State Representative race for District 25 by 35% and 33% respectively.

State Rep. Carbone said he and his running mate, State Rep. Kupper, worked hard leading up to election night.

“I know Dunn, myself and Kupper sat there, we worked hard and put the narratives that create the message to get the vote out. We had a massive get out the vote in our District 25,” Carbone said.

ARIZONA STATE REPRESENTATIVE – DISTRICT 25

2/2 | 100% Precincts Candidate Party Votes % MICHAEL CARBONE (i) R 36,539 35%

NICK KUPPER (i) R 34,141 33%

TIFFANY BYRNE D 32,739 32%

103,419 total votes Updated: 2026-11-05 05:04:03 pm

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Lynette Niebla

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – Candidates running for Districts 1 and 5 on the Imperial County Board of Supervisors are sharing their reaction to the midterm elections.

In the District 1 Supervisors race, Enrique Alvarado is leading by 63% of the vote while the incumbent, Jesus Escobar, has 37% of the vote.

IMPERIAL COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS – DISTRICT 1

12/12 | 100% Precincts Candidate Party Votes % ENRIQUE ALVARADO 2,682 63%

JESUS EDUARDO_ESCOBAR (i) 1,595 37%

4,277 total votes Updated: 2026-11-05 05:04:03 pm

For Alvarado, seeing the first batch of results brought an immediate wave of relief after a tense lead-up to election night.

“Since Monday, I was feeling a little bit anxious—the stress levels were a little high,” Alvarado said. “But once those first results came out, everything was just…I mean, I was at ease. I was very, very overwhelmed with the overall result.”

Meanwhile, in the District 5 Supervisors race, Patricia Lizarraga is leading by 52% of the vote while the incumbent, John Hawk, has 48% of the vote.

IMPERIAL COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS – DISTRICT 5

93/93 | 100% Precincts Candidate Party Votes % PATRICIA LIZARRAGA 1,940 52%

JOHN HAWK (i) 1,766 48%

3,706 total votes Updated: 2026-11-05 05:04:03 pm

Despite trailing in the early counts, Hawk remains appreciative of the community’s support and emphasized his deep respect for the democratic process, stating that he is ready to support his challenger if the lead holds.

“It’s kind of a close race right now,” Hawk said. “It’s widening a little bit, but we’re feeling pretty much appreciative and if I don’t make it, that’s okay too, and then if she wins, I’m going to help Patty get started and get going and wish her luck.”

Shortly after the initial results dropped, Patricia Lizarraga turned to Facebook to express her appreciation to her supporters.

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart to my family, my friends, every volunteer who walked beside me, and this community that opened its doors,” Lizarraga wrote. “This journey was worth every step because of you.”

While the final outcome hangs in the balance, the candidates are making sure to acknowledge the people who got them here. 

“I want to thank everybody for taking the time to vote. What a privilege it is to vote,” Hawk said. “I want to thank the voters for that. Family and friends, we’ve had a number of people working on the campaign.”

Over in District 1, Alvarado echoed those sentiments.

“Thank you all for your support. I won’t let you guys down,” Alvarado shared. “And not only that, the support that my family also gave me as well because they were supporting me through this whole ordeal, especially my wife.”

Candidates in both high-stakes races remain on high alert as updated numbers are expected to roll in throughout the rest of the week.

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Jalen Fong

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The American Kennel Club said the majority of websites advertising dogs for sale are puppy scams. They offer popular breeds with fake pictures, discounted prices and undisclosed fees.

On social media, dozens of websites on Facebook and Instagram show puppies, kittens, and all other types of animals for sale. While scammers have shifted a large percentage of their outreach toward social media over the last several years, the scam operates the same as those run through websites.

Once someone has stumbled upon a scam website or social media page, their risk of losing money begins to rise. Websites often look legitimate or are clones of actual pet sellers, helping scammers increase their aura of legitimacy.

On social media, scammers use multiple profiles to leave fake, glowing reviews of their animals for sale.

Once a buyer reaches out, the perpetrators will often use a fake screening process to judge whether a buyer is a suitable owner to increase their appearance of legitimacy.

If a potential owner asks to see the animal, they will receive many pictures, but the fake seller won’t ever allow them to visit in person or over video chat. Instead, they promise to ship the animal as soon as the purchase is completed.

Once money changes hands, often through an online payment service like Zelle or Venmo, the trouble begins.

BBB ScamTracker showed a California woman reserved a puppy for $200, paid another $150 for paperwork, then $300 for vet fees. On delivery day, $359 spent for a crate deposit and $150 for insurance. She lost $1,000.

An Arizona woman says she paid to have her puppy shipped but says they kept asking for more and more money. She lost $2,100.

Before trusting any business, check out reviews, complaints and for trusted Accredited Businesses at BBB.org and visit BBB’s Scam Tracker.

Check out all BBB scam warnings at joeknowsbetter.com.

Pet scam red flags:

· Popular breeds are available for incredibly low prices.

· The seller refuses to meet in person or take a video call.

· Extra charges for cages, vaccinations and other shipping costs.

· The word “teacup” is used in an advertisement.

· High-pressure tactics are meant to make the buyer think the animal will be harmed.

BBB tips to avoid pet scams:

· See pets in person before paying any money.

· Set up a video call to view the animal.

· Conduct a reverse image search on photos attached to ads.

· Research the breed to determine the average market price.

· Check out a local animal shelter for pets to meet in person before adopting.

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Jessamyn Dodd

CALEXICO, Calif. (KYMA) – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers said their work at ports of entry goes beyond inspecting vehicles and cargo.

From narcotics and human smuggling to counterfeit goods and agricultural threats, officers are working to prevent illegal and potentially dangerous items from entering the country.

During an exclusive tour of port operations, officers demonstrated some of the inspection methods used to identify suspicious vehicles and shipments, including commercial trucks.

Sidney K. Aki explained that CBP officers use specialized equipments and trained canines to alert for potental threats.

Threats include narcotics, smuggling, and human trafficking. Agricultural products carrying potentially harmful pests or diseases, and counterfeit merchandise are also among the concerns.

These tools include density meters that help identify unusual areas inside vehicle panels and cargo, as well as inspection scopes used to examine hard-to-reach space

“Once we do identify these threats, we take individuals in custody and further the investigation. And how we do that is through a collaborative approach,” Aki told News 11 in an interview.

“Our Homeland Security Task Force, which is a combination of all federal, state, and local from HSI, DEA, FBI, state and local police sheriffs and police departments all working together in investigating, interviewing, identifying leads and associates with regards to how we combat these threats coming into our country,” he explained.

Threats include narcotics, smuggling, and human trafficking. Agricultural products carrying potentially harmful pests or diseases, and counterfeit merchandise are also among the concerns.

On October 22, a large shipment 866 pounds of liquid methamphetamine was discovered in a truck trying to enter through the Calexico East Port of Entry.

“The truck, it arrived with an empty trailer with the intention of coming to the United States, probably pick up a, a load from the US and bring it back. During the primary interview, officers identified the need for this truck to go secondary for a further examination,” Aki remarked.

Aki said one of the tanks had fuel in it, but the other one showed something different.

The driver, a U.S. citizen, is now facing charges of alleged narcotics smuggling.

Funding has also played a role in expanding border security efforts. Aki credited the One Big Beautiful Bill with providing more resources for infrastructure, technology and personnel.

“The One Big Beautiful Bill did provide us a huge amount of funding with regards to border security. And we can see that right now with regards to a lot of individuals in the previous years past,” Aki explained.

Aki pointed to a sharp decline in nationwide border encounters, citing approximately 2.1 million encounters in fiscal year 2024 compared with a little more than 400,000 in fiscal year 2025. That’s a decrease of roughly 80%.

For officers working at the ports of entry, the goal is to identify threats before they make their way into American communities.

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA) – Reps. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) are sharing their reaction to winning their respective reelection victories.

Rep. Grijalva defeated Daniel Butierez Sr. (R-Ariz.), keeping her seat in Congress representing District 7, while Rep. Gosar defeated Danielle Sterbinsky (D-Ariz.), keeping his seat in Congress representing District 9.

Following her victory, Grijalva posted to social media saying, “Thank you, Southern Arizona.”

At the same time, Gosar took to social media writing in part, “I am deeply honored that the people of Western Arizona have once again placed their trust in me to represent them in Congress.”

Districts 7 and 9 represent parts of Yuma County.

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Dillon Fuhrman

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, NBC) – NBC News projected Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.) will keep his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

As of Wednesday, Rep. Ruiz had more than 69,500 votes, amounting to over 64% of the vote.

Meanwhile, his opponent, Joe Males (R-Calif.) had more than 38,455 votes, amounting to nearly 36% of the vote.

Following his victory, the congressman issued the following statement:

“There was one big winner last night, and it wasn’t a political party or a politician. It was the American people.

The American people won because we now have a Congress that will fight to end corruption, reduce the price of gas and groceries, and ensure that everyone has access to affordable health care. The American people won because we now have a Congress that will stand up for families, not billionaires.

The job won’t be easy. Donald Trump has already vowed to veto legislation that doesn’t line up with his twisted priorities of making himself and other billionaires even richer.

But we will fight him at every turn and hold him accountable for his self-dealing. And hopefully, Trump and his cronies have learned that the American people are watching, and the people are making their voices heard.”

Ruiz represents District 25, which covers all of Imperial County, and parts of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA, NBC) – NBC News projected Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) will keep his seat on the U.S. House of Representatives.

As of Wednesday, Rep. Gosar had more than 138,700 votes, amounting to nearly 58% of the vote.

Meanwhile, his opponent, Danielle Sterbinsky (D-Ariz.) had more than 101,200 votes, amounting to over 42% of the vote.

Following news of his projected win, the congressman took to social media writing in part, “I am deeply honored that the people of Western Arizona have once again placed their trust in me to represent them in Congress.”

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Abraham Retana

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma Fire Department (YFD) is investigating a trailer fire which left one person dead.

YFD said the fire happened before 6:20 p.m. Sunday, November 1, in the area of E. 38th Place and S. Mesa Avenue.

Upon arrival, YFD said fire crews found a “travel trailer in the backyard” of a home fully engulfed in flames.

This prompted them to contain the fire to the trailer, “preventing it from spreading to nearby structures,” YFD said.

During that time, YFD said one person was found dead inside the trailer, with the Yuma Police Department determining “the death was accidental,” and said there was “no criminal activity involved.”

The investigation is ongoing.

023 Trailer Fire FatalityDownload

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Wesley Williamson

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The City of Yuma will host its next Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Day Saturday, November 14, providing residents with a safe and convenient way to dispose of hazardous household material at no cost.

The drop-off event will take place from 8 a.m. to noon at the City’s Public Works facility 1473 S. Second Avenue. The event is open to residents, and no appointment is required.

Household hazardous waste includes leftover products that are flammable, corrosive, toxic, or reactive and commonly used in homes, vehicles, gardens, or lawns. Improper disposal of these materials can pose risks to public health and the environment.

Accepted items at the HHW collection event include:

Motor oil Paint Household cleaners Antifreeze Solvents Pesticides and fertilizers Batteries (excluding lead-acid batteries) Tires (limit of five; must be off the wheel with no rims)

Electronic or E-waste accepted items include:

Home computer components TV sets VCRs Cell phones Home phones Small appliances

The following items will not be accepted: business or commercial waste, explosives, ammunition, pressurized gas, lead-acid batteries (car or boat), radioactive waste, prescription drugs or needles.

For questions or instructions, residents may call the City’s Public Works Department at 928-373-4500 or email publicworksadministr@yumaaz.gov.

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