Category: kyma-local-news

Adrik Vargas

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – Land along the California-Mexico border is now designated as National Defense Area Five, covering 760 acres in Imperial County.

The land falls under Naval Air Facility El Centro and stretches 104 miles along the border.

While the Navy owns the land and manages who can access it, they are not the ones patrolling it. Security operations inside the area are carried out by Joint Task Force-Southern Border in coordination with Border Patrol.

The Navy’s role is to review access requests and coordinate with partner agencies to prevent conflicts.

The designation is expected to remain in place for the next three years. Signs posted throughout the area warn that unauthorized entry is not allowed.

Officials say they are also looking at potentially extending the area another 37 miles west toward the Pacific Ocean.

The goal, according to the Navy, is to support border security efforts while ensuring public safety and smooth coordination between agencies.

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Adrik Vargas

YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA) – A San Luis High School student recently traveled to the Arizona State Capitol to speak with lawmakers about the future of the Colorado River and why water is critical to communities in Yuma County.

Junior Figueroa, a student at San Luis High School and member of the RAZE Leaders program, shared concerns about declining water levels and the impact it could have on agriculture in the region.

Figueroa said he wanted lawmakers to understand how closely water and agriculture are tied to communities like Yuma.

He was joined by other students from Yuma County participating in the RAZE Leaders program.

The RAZE Leaders program helps high school students research issues affecting their communities and advocate for solutions.

The program includes several levels where students learn research skills, choose topics they care about, and create campaigns to engage the public.

Some students said the experience helped them find their voice.

“I talked about voting and why youth should start voting as soon as they can,” said student Ciara. “It was really something I wouldn’t imagine myself doing.”

Another student, Isabella, said the program helped build her confidence.

“I can assure you that the first version of me that came in is not the same one speaking here,” Isabella said.

Students involved in the program say it has helped them gain confidence and encouraged them to speak up about issues that matter to them.

To learn more about the program or how to join, visit the RAZE Leaders page: https://www.raze.org/leaders.

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Adrik Vargas

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – 45-year-old Alfredo Flores has been sentenced to 10.5 years in prison.

45-year-old Alfredo Flores pleaded guilty last month to manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident involving death.

Prosecutors say Flores hit 21-year-old Esteyan Medel with his car on New Year’s Day last year.

Medel’s family attended the sentencing hearing and spoke about the impact of his death. His father, Steve Medel Jr., said the sentence cannot replace the life that was taken.

“I lost my son. We lost a family member,” Medel said. “That’s something we will never get back. No amount of time is going to bring him back.”

Flores was originally charged with second-degree murder, leaving the scene of an accident, and two counts of driving under the influence of drugs before he later entered the guilty plea.

Medel’s relatives also urged people to avoid driving under the influence.

“Drinking and driving, drugging and driving is not the way to go,” Medel Jr. said. “You don’t know the damage it can do to a person.”

Family members described Medel as kind and positive, saying his death has left a lasting impact on those close to him.

“We’ve got to live with it now,” said his uncle, Mark. “Just live your life, love your life, and laugh a little every day.”

Flores began serving his sentence Friday.

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Lauren Duffel

UPDATE: The Yuma Fire Department (YFD) has issued a press release regarding the apartment fire on Seventh Avenue.

YFD says they responded to the area of Seventh Avenue and 24th Street at around 2 p.m. Friday, where they found a two-story apartment building with heavy smoke and flames showing.

YFD says, “Initial firefighting efforts began outside the building as crews worked to control the fire and assess conditions” while a crew was sent inside to evaluate conditions and found the second floor of the building structurally compromised, “making it unsafe for interior operations.”

Courtesy: Yuma Fire Department

Courtesy: Yuma Fire Department

Soon after, YFD says crews continued battling the fire from the outside in order to protect “nearby units and limit further damage.”

The fire was eventually extinguished after firefighters worked for several hours to bring the fire under control, but YFD says, “Crews remained on scene to monitor the building.”

YFD says while there were no civilian injuries reported, one firefighter was treated on scene for overexertion, but the firefighter declined to be taken to the hospital and was sent home as a precaution.

Courtesy: Yuma Fire Department

In addition, a total to 12 residents, according to YFD, were displaced, with the American Red Cross being called in to help them.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A residential building caught fire in Yuma.

Our reporter on scene said it was two-story home that rented out rooms.

The fire spread in the main house and to a smaller building on the side.

Animal control was also on scene

We’ll update this story as soon as we receive more information.

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Danyelle Burke North

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Friday marks day two of the 33rd Annual Midnight at the Oasis event in Yuma.

It’s been around in yuma for over three decades and keeps bringing locals and tourists together.

They had their “Cruise to Yuma” Parade of vintage vehicles followed by a concert with live music for the community to enjoy Friday night.

The fun continues all weekend long as they’ll have gates open at 9 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. Saturday with concerts all day long.

On Sunday, they will announce the winners and have their car raffle drawing, along with unveiling the card that will be raffled off for next year’s Midnight at the Oasis.

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Danyelle Burke North

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Locals came together to help fundraise for children in the hospital.

Westwind RV and Golf Resort raised over $3,400 for the Shriners Hospitals for Children. They raised money with their annual dances and a golf outing where over 70 golfers came out to support.

They’ve been doing these annual donations to Shriners for over a decade.

“It’s awesome to be able to know we can contribute to the Shriners as the money does go to help out all the children and some of them that don’t have enough funds to be able to do something for themselves, so it’s awesome, and we really appreciate being able to do this,” said Dan Anderson with Westwind RV and Golf Resort.

They will have another golf outing fundraiser next February.

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Jessamyn Dodd

BRAWLEY, Calif. (KYMA) – Major renovations and remodeling continue on the Brawley Playhouse Theater in Imperial Valley as they ramp up fundraising efforts, including selling tee-shirts, beef jerky, and coffee, outside of the theater during the day.

The project is being led by the Brawley Community Foundation. The historic theater closed in 1979, following an earthquake. It remained vacant until 2018.

Over $1 million has already been invested in the renovation project since 2021, with repairs to the structure, balcony, and roof underway.

Ryan Brandt, a film directory, who refers to himself as a “tenant” of the theater shared how he became involved in the project.

“The roof was coming down. I owned the theater for like a couple months. Glen Huber gave it to me and I gave it to the Brawley Community Foundation. I didn’t want someone to get hurt and stuff so. The Brawley Community Foundation took it on and they gutted out the main roof,” Brandt said.

Despite the ongoing construction, the theater plans to host more community events to bolster their fundraising efforts. They opened up the theater to a scary movie screening and haunted house for Halloween 2025.

“We’re trying to do it on the holidays. So definitely um Christmas and Halloween we’re doing. We might do a Spring one, maybe for Easter. We’re trying to think about the holidays to get, to get something going,” Brandt explained.

The theater has plans to build a snack bar, upgrade the bathrooms to be ADA compliant, and install new seating.

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Danyelle Burke North

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A new candidate is running for a senate seat currently held by a local senator. Democratic candidate Laura Huber is running for the Arizona State Senate in Legislative District 25.

It’s the same seat Republican incumbent Senator Tim Dunn currently holds. Arizona State Senator Dunn shares with us that he plans on running for re-election.

The Yuma lawmaker says he plans on filing his signatures next week. He currently holds a seat in the senate for Arizona’s 25th legislative district.

Laura Huber has experience as a mental health counselor for over a decade, overseeing crisis mobile teams, and homeless outreach. She says this is an opportunity to help people on a larger level.

“I have really seen and been concerned, as many people are, what’s happening in our federal government presently, and I wanted to just do my part to hopefully shift things back into a place where we’re making choices that help the most people instead of just focusing more on the top 1%,” said Huber.

She says her three areas of focus are affordability, healthcare, and education. She also wants to tackle water issues.

“The Colorado River agreement is going to be something that needs to be addressed, especially in this coming year, and we have to make sure that we have enough water to support both our agriculture, especially in the Yuma area and the ongoing spread that’s our big Phoenix metro,” said Huber.

She has five generations of farmers and ranchers on both sides of her family. She says she understands how important agriculture is to Yuma.

“I think I also understand how absolutely essential farmers are and how essential water is to making sure that they’re able to do their jobs,” said Huber.

She has submitted all of the signatures she needs to be on the ballot. The Primary Election is on July 21 and the general election is in November.

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Abraham Retana

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma Fire Department (YFD) is on scene after a school bus crashed into a vehicle Wednesday.

According to YFD, the crash happened in the area of Pacific Avenue and 32nd Street after the bus hit an SUV from behind.

YFD says 40 kids were on the bus at the time of the crash.

“We arrived on the scene to find a bus with 40 or [more] kids, thankfully no one was injured, everyone seems to be okay…some minor complaints. We are transferring all the kids from one bus onto another bus, but thankfully everyone is okay,” said Capt. David Padilla with YFD.

YFD also says both the bus and the SUV were taken off the street, and said all traffic lanes on Pacific Avenue and 32nd Street are now open.

The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation.

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