YFD responds to 400+ service calls in the last week

Danyelle Burke North

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Yuma Fire Department responded to over 400 emergency service calls in the last week. Of those service calls, 13 were fire calls including an RV and home fire.

They say common fires they see are bathroom ventilation fan fires and backyard or patio fires from a heavy fuel load.

“What happens is people leave those fans on. They let them run for hours and eventually when they get dirty, they seize up, and that heat eventually create a fire, and those fires can spread into the attic and the fire spreading to the attic we have a bigger problem,” said Yuma Fire Department Public Information Officer Francisco Leon.

They recommend inspecting ventilation fans and cleaning them monthly to prevent fires. They say to also inspect electrical cords and make sure they don’t have any damage.

“If cords are plugged in, never leave them underneath a mat or put anything on top of them. They can build heat and eventually it can cause a fire as well,” said Leon.

With the city neighborhood clean up coming up, they say it’s a good time for locals to do spring cleaning, remove clutter, and put trash in their front yard for city pick up.

“A good piece of advice I’d give people is to grab things that you don’t need anymore. Put them out front. Just clear some of that clutter, reduce the fuel load in your backyard- the side of your home,” said Leon.

Click here to follow the original article.

Imperial Valley Republican Party releases list of endorsements of local candidates

Jessamyn Dodd

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – The Imperial Valley Republican Party has released its list of endorsements of local candidates.

The committee is backing three of the following candidates they say will fight for the region’s priorities in Sacramento:

Art Hodges for State Senate District 18

Denis Bilodeau for California State Board of Equalization District 4

Jeff Gonzalez, who is running for re-election for Assembly District 36.

For these candidates, priorities for this election cycle includes agriculture, border security, economic development and healthcare access.

“What we’re really excited about with our three Republican candidates that we’ve endorsed so far, is that they are the common sense, solution oriented folks that can represent everyone in Imperial Valley,” said Sayrs Morris, Secretary of California GOP.

The party says the endorsements are meant to help voters better understand where local candidates stand as election season ramps up.

“This is you know an important area for California and I think it’s important that these candidates that are running for statewide office, they do their due diligence, they find out what the needs our for our community, and they come down here and they campaign and they get in front of our residents and they talk about what their plans are for the state,” Jason Jackson, a member of the central committee for the republican party told KYMA.

Taxes are also a key talking point on the campaign trail in Imperial County, with many decisions being made at the state level impacting Valley resident and businesses.

Morris said she hopes to see more seats flip red during the election.

“”We are ready to flip our senate seat, and Board of Equalization, folks, that is so important for the state. They set so many standards that have to do with taxes and Denis Bilodeau has the experience to make common sense reform for all of us,” she said.

Click here to follow the original article.

Locals in Yuma react to gas prices rising as war with Iran continues

Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Gas prices are on the rise as the war with Iran continues, and locals across Yuma County are sharing their reaction.

According to GasBuddy, the average gas price in Arizona has risen 53.3 cents per gallon in the last week.

Two Yuma locals, Mark Williams and Reba Maxwell, talked about how they feel about the rise in gas prices.

“Well, I’m not happy about it. I wish it would go back down to what it was maybe a couple of months ago,” Williams expressed.

“I mean…what got to buy gas, so what can I do?” Maxwell said.

Drivers all across America have felt the price at the pump increase as the national average for gas prices has also risen by 51.1 cents across the country following the strikes in Iran.

Click here to follow the original article.

Family in Winterhaven loses everything in house fire

Madeline Murray

WINTERHAVEN, Calif. (KYMA) – A family in Winterhaven lost everything in a house fire that happened over the weekend.

The Yuma Fire Department (YFD) says they were sent to assist the Imperial County Fire Department with a house fire Sunday.

YFD says there wasn’t any injuries reported and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Cuauhtemoc Sanchez, the father of the family, described what his family is going through saying, “Sad because we lost everything. We don’t have no where to stay…clothes.”

The family will be accepting donations. The following items can be dropped off at 1567 E. 23rd Street in Yuma:

Men’s clothing/shoe sizes:

Jeans, size 38

Shirts, size 2X

Shoes, size 13

Women’s clothing/shoe sizes:

Jeans, size 12

Shirts, size XL

Shoes, size 6

Click here to follow the original article.

Locals attend fourth and final day of Midnight at the Oasis

Madeline Murray

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Locals and winter visitors attended the fourth and final day of the 33rd Annual Midnight at the Oasis Sunday.

The final day consisted of a brunch for sponsors and an award ceremony, where each sponsor got to choose a car of their choice to give an award to.

During the brunch, they also held a raffle for the 1975 Plymouth Duster, where they named Mark Sanders as the winner.

KYMA spoke to Nate Schug, also known as Captain Midnight, about how he feels about passing the responsibility over to next year’s captain.

“It’s been fun. It’s been a great event had a lot of help, couldn’t do it without all the help, but yeah, it’s nice to pass this on to somebody else and let them have some fun, and be chairman of this event,” Schug expressed.

They also revealed the car being raffled off for next year’s Midnight at the Oasis: A 1974 Chevy Corvette.

Click here to follow the original article.

One injured after being hit by a vehicle in Yuma

Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) says one person has been injured after being hit by a vehicle early Monday morning.

According to a press release, it happened in the area of S. Avenue B and W. County 16 3/8 Street, near W. County 16 1/2 Street, before 2:30 a.m.

YCSO says a man wearing dark clothing was walking northbound on the roadway when he was hit by a vehicle driving southbound on Avenue B.

The driver of the vehicle, according to YCSO, contacted law enforcement regarding the crash, with Rural Metro arriving on scene and taking the victim to Onvida Health due to serious injuries.

While neither speed nor alcohol appeared to be factors in the crash, YCSO says the investigation remains ongoing.

If anyone has information regarding the case, call YCSO at (928) 783-4427, call 78-CRIME to remain anonymous, or visit YCSO’s website to submit an anonymous tip.

2026-21-Serious-Injury-CollisionDownload

Click here to follow the original article.

One dead in fatal crash on I-8 in Imperial County

Dillon Fuhrman

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is investigating a crash which left one person dead.

According to a press release, the crash happened before 12:30 a.m. Monday in the area of Interstate 8 (I-8), west of Westside Road.

CHP says a 68-year-old woman was driving a 1997 Toyota Tacoma eastbound on I-8 at an unknown speed when the Toyota rolled over and “impacted the dirt shoulder.”

As a result, CHP says the driver, who has yet to be identified, died at the scene.

While the driver was wearing her seatbelt at the time of the crash, CHP says the airbags were not deployed.

The crash is under investigation.

SOLO VEHICLE ROLLOVER FATAL FROM MARCH 9, 2026 288Download

Click here to follow the original article.

Locals attend day three of 33rd Annual Midnight at the Oasis

Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Locals and winter visitors attended the third day of 33rd Annual Midnight at the Oasis Saturday.

The annual event took place at 9 a.m. at Desert Sun Stadium, and featured a variety of cars, food and drink vendors and more.

Nate Schug, also known as Captain Midnight, says approximately 960 cars were showcased during the four-day event.

“A lot of local cars. I’m going to say probably 40. I’m not sure exactly, but I would say probably least half are from out of town. California, Nevada, New Mexico. We get cars like even Canadians who bring cars down for the winter when they’re involved,” Schug shared.

Saturday’s event, which concludes at 11:30 p.m., featured live performances from bands like Midnight Cowgirls, Dirty Yachtin’ Scoundrels and Lee Rocker.

The fourth and final day of the event will take place at the stadium from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The winner of the 1975 Plymouth Duster will be announced during that time.

Proceeds raised during the weekend support scholarships, community donations and other local initiatives.

For a list of events, click here.

Click here to follow the original article.

Man receives life sentence for murder in Imperial County

Manoah Tuiasosopo

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – A man convicted in the murder of an Imperial County resident has been sentenced to life in prison.

45-year-old Pedro Rosales Gonzales was sentenced for the killing of Frank Jose Contreras.

Police say Contreras was found dead inside his Imperial home in September of 2021 after suffering from a gunshot wound. He was 55-years-old.

The Imperial Police Department used cellphone data and surveillance video to identify possible suspects. They say Gonzales later made statements implicating himself in the killing.

Following a trial earlier this year, Gonzales was sentenced to life in prison.

Click here to follow the original article.

Man involved in deadly stabbing in Yuma sentenced

Joaquin Hight

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A Yuma man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for a fatal stabbing last year.

33-year-old Mauricio Robles pled guilty last month to second-degree murder and burglary.

In April of 2025, Robles was arrested after officers arrived at a scene where a man had been found stabbed to death.

Authorities say Robles ran to a nearby apartment, barricading himself and claiming he was armed. He later tried to escape through the back, but was caught and taken into custody.

Robles began his sentence Friday.

Click here to follow the original article.