Marcos Icahuate
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A local event is celebrating a big milestone.
The Yuma Airshow is celebrating its 60th anniversary on March 14 at MCAS Yuma.
Gates open at 9 a.m. and the show ends at 4 p.m.
The event is open to the public and is free.
For more information, you can click here.
Eduardo Morales
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The House Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Innovation is meant to create a place where experts, industry leaders, and members of the public can discuss A.I.
According to the Pew Research Center over 60% of United States adults say they interact with A.I. several times a week.
Rep. Junelle Cavero sits on the committee and shares how it is meant to help the state and those in it move forward.
“To educate the state and the body as a whole, to understand where artificial intelligence is best used and best practices, how technology can be done for the good and to ensure bad actors are held accountable,” Rep. Cavero says.
Janeen Anderson, a local winter visitor, says she is all for this new group.
“They couldn’t possibly keep their eyes open wide enough because it’s so pervasive, it’s just everywhere, when you see something on your phone on the tv screen, whatever, you’re not sure that that’s really what you’re seeing,” Anderson explains.
Rep. Cavero shares how this is committee is adapting to the current technological landscape.
“This committee is a response to the current state of our economy, which is driven by technology, which is therefore driven by AI, as AI has revolutionized all different areas,” she says.
She explains how this is also meant to protect people from A.I.
“I’m fairly certain the committee will be looking at how to regulate and ensure that certain practices, especially those that impact children, are minimized,” Rep. Cavero explains.
The committee held their first lunch and learn on Wednesday to understand how the state government currently uses A.I.
Danyelle Burke North
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A statewide postcard campaign is connecting classrooms statewide. The Arizona America250 commission partnered with the Arizona Department of Education to launch their “Dear America, Love Arizona” postcard campaign this week.
The nation is getting ready to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. With the campaign, students statewide can fill out free postcards and write why they love Arizona and what they hope for America’s future.
“We’re doing a bunch of different stuff including the traveling museum. This postcard writing campaign and these are ways for us to celebrate our country and what we’re proud of and what we’re excited for for the next 250 years of United States,” said Visit Yuma Executive Director Marcus Carney.
Several completed postcards will be displayed at traveling museum stops and the Arizona capitol this spring.
Schools can request postcards from now until February 9 here.
Danyelle Burke North
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma Fire Department (YFD) saw a nearly 7% increase in total calls last year.
YFD said they received over 19,000 calls ranging from fires, alarms, and emergency medical calls. They say Station 3 responded to the most calls of over 4,000, seeing an over 10% increase from the previous year.
“From 2024 to 2025 there was a total of 19,597 calls. It just shows that the community is growing and as the community grows, so does the call volume. We stay prepared, and we’re out there. We hold ourselves to a very high standard. Again as the community continues to grow, we continue to keep up with our training and hold ourselves to that high standard, and we’re just out there for the community,” said YFD Public Information Officer Francisco Leon.
YFD says they expect to reach a record high of over 20,000 calls this year.
If calls continue to grow, firefighters say there is a possibility of adding another fire station to the city in the years to come.
Danyelle Burke North
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – There’s a new quilt shop in Yuma! Grandma’s Quilt Shop was previously known as Grandma Jo’s. The shop has been in Yuma for over 20 years.
The new owners bought the shop last July and celebrated their new grand opening with a ribbon cutting. The shop offers thousands of new modern fabrics to choose from that are constantly being updated on a weekly basis.
“It’s such a exciting time for us to open up the shop and finally share what our dream is and just allow everybody to experience what we enjoy,” said Grandma’s Quilt Shop owner Bret Pucci.
“It’s very exciting! We’ve revamped the store, brought new items, brought in new fabric, changed all the cabinets, so we’re very excited for that today,” said Grandma’s Quilt Shop owner Karen Pucci.
They offer a variety of categories from kids to military. They also provide community classes to make your own items and encourage locals to get into sewing.
Danyelle Burke North
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Local students got a glimpse into their future this morning. Dorothy Hall Elementary School celebrated their annual career day and tunnel of hope event!
Over 80 representatives from different companies visited campus representing different career fields from construction to healthcare to law enforcement and even agriculture.
Both teachers and students share their favorite parts of the day.
“I’m excited for the police because I wanted to also be a police officer when I grow up if playing in the MLB doesn’t work out, and I’m excited because we can experience different jobs that we could do when we’re older,” said student Easton Mendoza.
“We are so so so thankful to all the careers that are here today all the vendors…all the companies,. This truly is what the Yuma community is. They show up for our kids, they show up for our community and we are so thankful for them,” said teacher Shelby Lagunas.
Over 500 students were in attendance. The School Career Fair is an annual event held every January.
Abigahil Padilla
SOMERTON, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Somerton City Council says Councilmember Juan Castillo has been appointed to serve as the city’s Vice Mayor.
According to a press release, the appointment happened during a City Council meeting Tuesday as they designate one of its members to serve as Vice Mayor for a year.
Courtesy: City of Somerton
The press release says under Castillo’s new role, he will serve at “the pleasure of the Council and is responsible for performing” the mayor’s duties “in the mayor’s absence or disability.”
Castillo, according to the press release, will work alongside with Somerton Mayor Gerardo Anaya and the City Council to advance the City’s priorities and support “the continued growth and well-being of the community.”
Vice Mayor Appointment Approved by City Council_Press ReleaseDownload
Jalen Fong
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Hiring a reliable contractor can be daunting, but it’s one of the most important steps for your project.
Hire the right one, and you can relax knowing your project is in good hands. Hire the wrong one, and you could face a wide range of problems, from unfinished work to tense contract disputes and even legal action.
When hiring the right fit for your home improvement project, consider the following seven tips on how to find a trustworthy contractor:
1. Do your research
Once you’ve properly planned your project and know what kind of professional you need, you can get cracking on finding the right fit.
BBB’s Business Directory was built for this part of the process. When it comes to trust, this resource was designed to give consumers everything they need to make a confident decision.
The benefits of using the BBB Directory:
The resource is free. Part of the Better Business Bureau’s mission is to create an honest, fair, and equitable marketplace. Consumers should never be asked to pay for this.
A focus on local. This isn’t a random list of search results for a business. Your city or area code is used to recommend brands in your radius.
Filtered results by “BBB Accredited Businesses” or “All Businesses.” Remember: BBB Accredited Businesses are vetted and held to ethical business standards.
Verified customer reviews and complaints. BBB reviews and complaints are verified for accuracy after they are submitted. Businesses are always given an opportunity to respond. This makes BBB different from other online options and gives consumers a more balanced, complete picture to consider.
Also, search the contractor name online with terms such as “complaint,” “review,” or “scam” to see what results appear.
2. Review previous work
As you continue zeroing in on the right contractor for your project, look into their previous work. This gives you insight into their experience and professionalism, and it might even provide fresh inspiration for your project.
Some ideas on reviewing a company’s previous work:
View photos or videos of a company’s completed project on their BBB Profile, website, or social media channels. Social media is usually the best option to find recently completed work.
Ask prospective contractors to email or text you recent project photos that share similarities with your needs. These could come in handy, especially for custom requests like a paint color or tile pattern.
Check it out in person. On occasion, you might learn of a company by seeing their vehicles or signage in your neighborhood. Consider the job site and the work being done. Ask current clients about their experience (do this carefully to avoid intruding on their privacy).
3. Ask for references
Finding a good contractor can be tricky if you only talk to the contractors. Ask candidates for a list of recent local references you may contact. As you check their references, consider the following questions:
How is the quality of their work?
How was the overall experience with the contractor?
How was the contractor’s communication?
Did the contractor stick to the project’s estimated budget and completion date?
Is there anything they would have done differently?
Would it be possible to inspect the contractor’s work yourself?
4. Ask for multiple quotes
Because general contractor bids can vary from company to company, it’s good practice to gather at least three quotes. And remember, the quality of these quotes is vastly improved when you limit your requests to trustworthy businesses, such as BBB Accredited Businesses. Once you’ve narrowed the field, make sure your bids consider the same set of criteria to get a fair side-by-side snapshot of the variances.
Remember, the lowest bid for your remodeling project may not necessarily be the best bid
Marcos Icahuate
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Multiple reports of attempted Home Title Fraud have been reported, according to Yuma County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO).
Also known as deed and property fraud, this scam has suspects illegally transfer a property owner’s deed.
YCSO says victims may not know they were the target of a scam until it’s too late.
Property owners are encouraged to subscribe to YCSO’s Recording Alert. It’s a notification system that can warn owners when a document is recorded under their name.
If you feel you’ve become a victim of fraud, you can call YCSO at 928-783-4427.
Madeline Murray
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Two local non-profits, the Yuma Coalition to End Homelessness and Salvation Army Yuma, are teaming up to measure homelessness in Yuma County. The effort is part of a nationwide count that helps secure funding and shape services.
One local, John Clapp, says people should come out and help with donating, and volunteer to help the homeless population.
“If they have the time, yes. If we are the great America that I believe we are that I fought for, then I think we should have programs in place to help reach out,” Clapp expressed.
Lt. Amber Herzog with Salvation Army Yuma shares how you can contribute to the count.
“We put together backpacks because it’s a voluntary survey, we like to give a thank you backpack with essentials, just looking for snack items and feminine hygiene items that we can also place in these thank you backpacks,” Lt. Herzog explained.
The annual Point-in-Time Count is a one-day nationwide analysis that measures people experiencing homelessness.
“Any person is just one paycheck, sometimes, away from homelessness and being sheltered, and being unsheltered for an evening, and so the point in time count is a great opportunity for us to get a real gauge on what’s going on in the community,” Herzog shared.
Volunteers will survey the homeless and ask if they were unsheltered the night of January 27. They will also ask a series of questions that help gage how to get funding or programs to support them.
Herzog shared how the data helps them address the issue more efficiently.
“It helps us look at trends and see if we’re seeing the same trends year after year. It helps us qualify for specific HUD funding notifications of funding, as well as just me, as a non-profit, I can use that data to apply to grants and go to donors,” Herzog remarked.
For more information on how to donate or volunteer, click here.
