Category: kyma-local-news

Jessamyn Dodd

NILAND, Calif. (KYMA) – The family of Jeffrey Hartmayer has hired a private investigator as the search for the missing man enters its third week.

Hartmayer, 56, was part of a group that became stranded northeast of Niland. He was reported missing to the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office (ICSO) on September 6.

Hartmayer’s friend Jessi Delgadillo previously told News 11 that she believes Hartmayer is no longer alive.

Now, Bill Garcia, a private investigator, has joined the search, starting with Hartmayer’s trailer and belongings.

“We’re here at his home, at Jeffrey’s home and we’re documenting the location and some of his vehicles and other items, so they can hopefully remain secure during this time, until we find out what’s occurred to Jeffrey,” Garcia shared with News 11.

Hartmayer’s neighbors have been looking after his cat and belongings, while one of his neighbors, Donna Neideffer, drove out to the bombing range to try and search for him.

“I’m assuming he’s dead…because being out there in the without water after three days…and there’s so many places out there in that desert that…it’s unforgiving,” Neideffer expressed.

ICSO is asking anyone with information to come forward.

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Dillon Fuhrman

PHOENIX (KYMA) – AgTech said they are challenging the Arizona State Land Department’s (ASLD) cancellation of five agricultural leases on Arizona State Trust Land.

In a letter to ASLD Commissioner Robyn Sahid, AgTech‘s attorney, Stuart Kimball, said in part, “ASLD has violated the due process procedures and protections afforded by statute to our client before ASLD could terminate or cancel AgTech’s leases.”

“AgTech has consistently sought to comply with its leases and applicable state and federal requirements,” Kimball added. “The statutory process is straightforward: before a lease can be canceled for a curable default, the lessee must receive proper notice and an opportunity to cure. AgTech did not receive that notice before the September 10 cancellation letters.”

AgTech‘s leases were terminated earlier this month after ASLD conducted an inspection, where they found AgTech was not in compliance with its leases, prompting Commissioner Sahid to determine “that continued leasing of the land to AgTech LLC and related entities was not in the best interest of the State Land Trust,” the Governor’s Office said.

The Governor’s Office said AgTech has a 90-day period before they have to be off the land. The cancellation of the leases is immediate, but they have a few months to wind down their operations on those parcels of land.

To read the letter in full, see attached file.

Letter to Commissioner Sahid – 2026-09-24 15.09.15Download

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Skylar Heisey

IMPERIAL, Calif. (KYMA) – The Imperial Police Department (IPD) received another call on an additional threat Thursday afternoon.

IPD said they responded to Ben Hulse Elementary School regarding a threat received by a concerned parent after school hours.

Upon arrival, IPD said officers conducted an investigation, and found no threat to the school or the community.

This was the second school threat IPD investigated that day as they received a call Thursday morning regarding a threat involving Frank Wright Middle School, leading to a teen’s arrest.

If anyone becomes aware of an immediate threat or an emergency, call 911.

For Immediate Release_ IMPERIAL POLICE DEPARTMENT RECEIVES ADDITIONAL CALL ON THREAT TO SCHOOLSDownload

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Humane Society of Yuma (HSOY) takes in hundreds of animals in need every year. While many are adopted quickly, others spend months at the shelter waiting for a place to call home.

For one seven-year-old Lab mix named Denny, that wait has lasted more than a year.

Denny is considered a long-stay dog, along with more than 10 other dogs at the shelter. Staff say cats tend to be adopted more quickly at HSOY than dogs, making it especially important to bring attention to dogs like Denny.

“Denny is on our long-stay board, so if you’ve been to the shelter, you’ve seen this really wonderful board that our Dogs Day Out coordinator has put together,” said Hilary Mulherin, development manager at HSOY. “It features the dogs that have been here for a really long time, and it’s an effort to bring them more exposure and get them adopted.”

Denny originally came from the Yavapai Humane Society before being transferred to Yuma in hopes of finding a forever home.

Although Denny is deeply loved by everyone who meets him, staff are still waiting for that special someone to bring him home.

“He is so cute and adorable. He is sweet and has energy. Even though he’s a senior dog, he’s got a lot of spunk still in him,” Mulherin said. “We just saw him zooming around the yard here. Denny is a fantastic choice, so if you’re looking to add a new dog to your pack, or if you don’t have any dogs and would like to adopt one, come and see Denny. He’s a great dog.”

Anyone interested in adopting Denny can request a meet-and-greet with an adoption counselor at the Humane Society.

Although cats tend to be adopted more quickly, four cats are still waiting for homes after arriving at the shelter following the death of their owner.

“We do have a few cats right now that are looking for their forever homes. They all came from an owner who unfortunately passed away, and they’re really scared,” Mulherin said. “So, we are featuring them all together. We don’t expect them to all get adopted together, but we are really hoping that people will at least adopt two so that they can stay together.”

Buddy, age 10; Precious, age 10; Sparky, age 4; and Bear, age 3, are all described as sweet and calm felines.

Staff say the cats would likely do best in a calm home without a lot of noise or movement.

“They would probably be a great choice for someone who is elderly,” Mulherin said.

During the month of September, HSOY is running a cat and kitten special where adopters can name their price. Those interested in adopting more than one cat will not have to pay an adoption fee.

This Saturday, the Adopt Joy event will take place at PetSmart at the Yuma Palms, featuring a wide selection of adoptable pets.

For more information about adoption, click here.

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Adrik Vargas

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A Community Care Fair is happening in Yuma this Saturday as part of National Recovery Month.

The event will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. near North End Coffee House.

Community Medical Services (CMS) is bringing together local organizations to connect people with resources and support.

Organizers say resources will include information about housing and treatment. The event will also offer free clothes, food, haircuts, raffles and a car show.

Roxanne Ira, Clinic Manager at CMS, said the event is open to everyone, but is especially focused on people who may need help finding resources.

The Yuma event is the second care fair CMS has hosted locally. The first was held in 2020 and focused on reducing the stigma around addiction treatment.

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Connor Emery

YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA) – The skies above Yuma turned into a high-tech testing space as military leaders and tech innovators wrapped up a month-long operation out at Yuma Proving Ground (YPG).

Falcon Peak 26.2 is a counter-small un-manned aircraft systems experiment and demonstration operation. It uses drones to protect the southern border and aerial space.

Acting U.S Secretary of the Army Adam Telle YPG Thursday to witness a live demonstration first-hand. He saw how the drones operate.

Lt. Col. Kevin Hicks said the testing has given leaders new ideas throughout the past month.

“There is a wide breadth of industry partners out there that are here to support protecting America and American assets and they’re ready to learn,” Lt. Col. Hicks explained. “Using an area like Yuma’s test center, they’re able to come out, they’re going to test, they’re going to learn what is going right and what is going wrong. And they’re able to crack the issues very quickly.”

Throughout the operation, this was a learning experience to strengthen their tools and protect others going forward.

“We’ve been able to test some of those systems out here specifically for this event, as well as prior to deploying them. So it’s enabling us to provide a layered defense for the American people,” Lt. Col. Hicks said.

Over the past month, the leaders revealed that they’ve had 378 detections, 75 turn-backs, 12 engagements and one drone capture on the border.

Angela Aspito, the, Arizona Defense Innovation managing director says when it comes to intercepting drones, they want to investigate it to make everyone safe.

“So counter U.A.S is not just let’s find a drone and let’s destroy it. It’s let’s find a drone, let’s find out what that drone is doing, let’s find out if that drone is a threat and then let’s determine the best way to defeat that capability in the safest way possible for the folks all around,” Aspito said.

This is the fourth overall Falcon Peak operation, but it’s the first time Yuma has hosted it.

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Dillon Fuhrman

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) – The El Centro Library is hosting the Día de los Muertos Community Ofrenda.

The library said residents are encouraged to bring a framed photograph, no larger than four-inches by six-inches, of a loved one who has passed away as they are collecting photographs from October 5 to October 9, which will be placed on the community ofrenda.

It will be displayed throughout October until November 2, the library said, “giving residents an opportunity to visit, reflect and take part in the Día de los Muertos tradition.”

The Community Ofrenda will be available for residents to view during the following hours:

Monday through Thursday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

To learn more about the upcoming event, read the press release, written in English and Spanish, below.

DiadeMuertosLibraryPREngDownload DiadeMuertosLibraryPRSpaDownload

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Lynette Niebla

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – As National Child Passenger Safety Week gets underway, local agencies are teaming up to ensure Imperial County’s youngest residents stay safe on the road.

The Imperial County Public Health Department (ICPHD), California Highway Patrol (CHP), Imperial County Sheriff’s Office, and First 5 Imperial are joining forces this Saturday, Sept. 26, for the Sixth Annual Child Safety Awareness Day.

The event comes at a critical time as data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed nearly 350 children are injured every single day in traffic crashes nationwide.

Local experts say many of those injuries stem from a common, unseen danger: incorrectly installed car seats.

“Probably more than 80% of the people that come here to seek education or get an inspection of their car seat…don’t have it properly secured,” said Mayra Ibarra, Injury Prevention Coordinator for ICPHD.

To combat this, certified technicians will be on-site this Saturday to inspect seats, guide parents through proper installation protocols, and provide crucial safety education.

If a child’s car seat is found to be expired, damaged, or the wrong size, a proper replacement seat will be provided and installed at no cost.

According to health officials, many parents unknowingly drive around with a false sense of security, struggling to secure the seats tightly enough or misjudging when their child is ready for the next phase.

“You still see the loose mechanisms, whether it’s the harnesses or the seatbelt itself,” Ibarra explained. “Or keeping your child in the one car seat they have longer than what they should be…meaning they’ve exceeded their height and weight for the car seat.”

Saturday’s event aims to bridge that knowledge gap by shifting from a simple quick-fix to an interactive learning process.

“With this, they get exposed to what the new laws and regulations are and they also get to learn how to properly install their car seat and know how to do it themselves,” Ibarra said. “They get hands-on experience.”

The event is scheduled from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in the west parking lot of the Imperial County Public Health Department, located at 935 Broadway Avenue in El Centro.

Families planning to attend must keep the following requirements in mind:

Appointments are strictly required in advance. Organizers are spacing out time slots to dedicate personalized instruction to each family. The event is aiming to serve 30 to 35 families. The child must be present in the car seat on the day of the event to ensure proper fitting.

To schedule your appointment, call the ICPHD at 442-265-1442.

Local officials emphasize that child passenger safety is a year-round priority. Families who cannot make it to the El Centro event this weekend can still access free inspections and refresher checks throughout the year.

Parents can contact the ICPHD to schedule an appointment, or visit their local CHP office, which provides the same complimentary safety services.

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Abraham Retana

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) – An apartment building in El Centro caught on fire, leaving several families without a home.

The fire started around Wednesday night at the Brunners Suites & Studios on Imperial Avenue, near the Department of Motor Vehicles.

One building was damaged by the blaze.

“There was a total of three apartments combined in one building,” said Battalion Chief Brad Chapin with the El Centro Fire Department (ECFD). “So, that building sustained water and electrical damage as well a total of three families were displaced from the fire.”

A pet died in the fire.

“There was one family pet that perished; the dog perished in the fire,” Battalion Chief Chapin shared. “At the time of the fire, there was nobody home so the dog as not able to get out.”

No other injuries were reported.

While ECFD believes the fire was not caused by any bad intent or maliciously, it remains under investigation.

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Yuma Rotary Club is hosting the 68th Annual Walt Kammann Sausage Fry.

The annual event is taking place Friday, December 4, at the Yuma Civic Center from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

During the annual event, there will be holiday vendors, bingo and prizes, and a sausage eating contest.

The cost to attend is $18 per person, with the proceeds supporting scholarships for local students. To purchase tickets, click here.

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