Category: kyma-local-news

Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Vitalant is hosting the Summer Life Savers Drive late next month.

The event is taking place at the Yuma Main Library, located at 2951 S. 21st Drive, on the following dates:

Thursday, July 30, 2026: 1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Friday, July 31, 2026: 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Saturday, August 1, 2026: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Courtesy: Vitalant

During last year’s Holiday Heroes Blood Drive, Vitalant says they collected 98 units of blood from 105 donors, which can save up of 294 lives.

KYMA is sponsoring the event. To schedule an appointment to participate in the blood drive, click here, or call 877-258-4825.

JULY AND AUGUST 2026 E-FLYERDownload

JULY AND AUGUSTSPANISH 2026 E-FLYERDownload

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Jessamyn Dodd

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) – Access To Thrive, an Imperial County non-profit, held a “Shark Tank” style business plan presentation contest Thursday.

Access to Thrive helps individuals living with a disability connect to resources such as health care access. Their S.T.E.P. program helps with business start-ups and job training.

The event was held in cooperation with San Diego’s Village Core.

“It’s a unique experience as we are in collaboration with Village Core from San Diego,” Access To Thrive’s CEO Ashley Contreras said.

Malik Glasgow, Access To Thrive’s program director, explained the contest.

“Today, what we have is we have both participants from our STEP program and from the village core program who are going to be presenting these ideas, who are going to be presenting their business plans to several business owners that  we have accumulated who we have judging their pitches,” he told KYMA.

The attendees were split into four rooms, where their projects were evaluated. A panel of judges handed out prizes to the top contenders.

“We have a business startup package. We will be offering business cards, website design, domain design,” Glasgow said about the prizes being awarded.

“Also, Village Core has a community where they have other participants in many different fields in industry where they’re able to come together and talk to each other with different advantages and different ways, they’re using artificial intelligence to help with their business plan,” he added.

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Jessamyn Dodd

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) – California State Sen. Steve Padilla, a Democrat who represents California’s 18th District, hosted a town hall forum for the residents of Imperial County to discuss community concerns and lingering questions.

One of the biggest topics of the night was data center accountability.

Sen. Padilla authored Senate Bill (SB) 886 to protect rate payers from the impacts of massive AI data centers.

The senator previously clashed with the Imperial County Board of Supervisors, demanding the data center project halt due to lack of transparency.

“You’re going to tell the truth and be transparent. No secret meetings, no cute little movement. You’re going to be open and honest with the community about what those impacts are,” he warned.

In addition, Padilla spoke about SB 887, which ensures all data centers comply with environmental standards.

Padilla also touched on SB 420 which he amended to prevent nonprofits connected to private immigration detention centers from claiming charitable property tax status.

“I have another bill that will address another situation that I found out about here in Imperial and that is giving tax breaks to supposed non-profits that are used to finance private companies under contract to the federal government to run  an immigration detention facility,” he said.

This comes as a report, released by KPBS, discovered that the Imperial Regional Detention Facility is linked to a nonprofit, as the facility’s real estate is owned by the Brawley Community Foundation, which operates as its landlord.

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Lynette Niebla

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) – A vibrant celebration of freedom, culture, and community unity returned to the Imperial Valley last Saturday with new interactive experiences for families.

The Imperial Valley Social Justice Committee (IVSJC) hosted its annual Juneteenth Community Celebration on June 13, 2026.

The free event ran from noon to 4 p.m. at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Sports Pavilion, located at 770 Park Avenue in El Centro.

This year’s commemoration placed a fresh emphasis on younger generations, introducing an expanded Kids Corner Arts & Crafts Zone.

The space offered games, prizes, coloring activities, and educational entertainment designed to engage local families.

Organizers also debuted a brand-new feature: the Juneteenth Fashion Walk. The showcase aimed to highlight community pride, intergenerational creativity, and cultural expression through clothing and storytelling.

In addition to the new activities, the event featured live musical and multicultural performances celebrating regional diversity.

The Deep Roots Oral History Project Exhibit was also on display, preserving the legacy of African American families and pioneers in the Imperial Valley.

For community resources, the IVSJC Health Equity Community Outreach Team provided health education, wellness resources, and support services alongside local informational vendors.

Small businesses, including food vendors and regional shops, were on-site showcasing local culinary items and merchandise.

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Jessamyn Dodd

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – Imperial Valley Computer Manufacturing (IVCM) and its owner, Sebastian Rucci, filed a lawsuit earlier this month against the Imperial Irrigation District (IID).

In the complaint, Rucci alleges that the IID denied his application for industrial water service to supply water to his company’s data center.

The lawsuit seeks about 260 million gallons of Colorado River water per year. IVCM claims that IID owes a duty to provide water service to lands within its boundaries on reasonable, equitable, and nondiscriminatory terms and may not arbitrarily refuse or withhold such service.

Rucci says his company leased roughly 160 acres of farmland, and the water used on that land should be redirected to the data center.

IVCM claims that IID owes a duty to provide water service to lands within its boundaries on reasonable, equitable, and nondiscriminatory terms and may not arbitrarily refuse or withhold such service.

“The data center will buy its water by buying land and fallowing it. And if they don’t want to do that, then we’ll do it by assignment where another landowner assigns his allocation to you. Again, the impact of the Colorado River is zero,” Rucci said in an interview with KYMA.

People opposed to the data center pointed out that Rucci and his company initially said that the data center would use reclaimed wastewater to cool it.

In fact, the claim is still on their website. When asked about this, Rucci said that the deal to use reclaimed water fell through, and his website has not been updated.

Rucci says he offered to swap the land for the proposed data center back to the original site, which is reportedly farther away from homes.

“Last Saturday, I notified them. I said, ‘Look, if you want to move it, let’s switch it back to the old site. You guys do a land swap; we’ll take the land, and we’ll make it a park. They want to stay hold, let’s go to court,” he said.

Currently that land is used for growing alfalfa, according to Rucci.

When asked about online videos, news reports, and studies highlighting concerns about living near large data centers, Rucci dismissed those claims.

A recent study by the World Resources Institute found that large AI data centers can place major demands on local resources, with some facilities using hundreds of thousands to millions of gallons of water for cooling.

AI data centers also require huge amounts of water to keep servers cool, which can be a pressing problem for communities already facing drought or depleting water supplies. In addition, data centers need a constant and reliable power supply, which can result in air pollution and climate impacts.

We reached out to the IID for an interview; however, they said they cannot comment on current legal matters.

To learn more about the lawsuit, see attached file.

imperial-valley-computer-manufacturing-v-imperial-irrigation-districtDownload

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Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A local Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer got a major honor Thursday. Law enforcement officers and Elks members gathered to honor the recipient of the Kiki Camarena Salazar Award.

“It’s such an honorable award to have received the Camarena Award. I’m very, very grateful, and thank you all very much,” Officer Adriana Prad of CBP said.

The Elks Lodge Number 476 in Yuma presented Officer Prad with the prestigious award.

Camarena was a DEA agent raised in Calexico, California. He was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered in Mexico in 1985 by members of the Guadalajara Cartel. His legacy continues to inspire drug-free living, and the Elks honor that commitment through this annual award.

Jody Brandt, leading knight officer for the Elks, said, “It’s about recognizing officers all over the states. It’s a very big deal in today’s world. These guys deserve it. They’re out here every day putting their lives on the line.”

The Camarena Award is presented to law enforcement members who best exemplify the qualities and principles for which Agent Camarena gave his life.

Prad has exemplified these qualities and has graciously donated her award money to the Humane Society of Yuma.

“I am very happy because they’re constantly needing donations, and just to be able to help out a little bit means a lot. I feel very happy,” Prad said.

The Camarena Award not only celebrates Officer Prad’s work, but also keeps Camarena’s legacy alive.

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Jessamyn Dodd

HEBER, Calif. (KYMA) – A semi-trailer truck caught on fire at the West Wind Parking & Storage, just off of the 111 Highway and Heber Road.

The facility also houses a tire shop and trailer repair shop where multiple trailers are stored.

The Imperial County Fire Department (ICFD) was called to the scene at roughly 2:40 p.m. Tuesday.

“[Upon] arrival, we encountered a single trailer that was on fire, with an extension into the local business here. This is a tire shop. That was my concern. Second and third alarm were dispatched to the incident,” Deputy Chief of Operations for Imperial County Fire Department told KYMA.

The crews fully extinguished the fire and began releasing some of the engines.

No injuries or other damages were reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

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Adrik Vargas

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Some residents in Yuma’s Desert Lakes community are raising concerns about a proposed indoor swap meet planned near their neighborhood.

The proposed project would be built on a lot next to the 55+ community near the Civic Center. Earlier this week, residents received notices from the City of Yuma stating that Vega and Vega Engineering PLC is requesting approval to develop the site as an indoor swap meet.

Residents say they are worried about how the project could affect the area.

“There’s other places that they could put it,” resident Brenda Reed said. “Why does it have to be so close to this neighborhood?”

Neighbors say they are concerned the development could increase traffic, noise, and crime.

Those concerns were discussed during a neighborhood meeting at City Hall, where residents heard details about the proposal.

During the meeting, representatives from the engineering firm explained plans for the building, including its location, distance from nearby homes, and proposed conditions related to lighting and noise.

Resident Kathy Kanase said she attended to better understand why the location was selected, especially because her home borders the proposed site.

“I’m very concerned about the crime that it might bring into the community,” she said.

A public hearing is scheduled for July 27 at City Hall before the Planning Commission. Residents say they plan to attend and ask for additional conditions to help reduce noise and traffic concerns.

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Skylar Heisey

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – Imperial County health officials are urging residents to take precautions after mosquitoes tested positive for viruses that can cause serious illness.

The imperial County Public Health Department says a mosquito pool in the Winterhaven area tested positive for West Nile Virus while a mosquito pool in the Bard area tested positive for St. Louis Encephalitis Virus.

The samples were collected on June 11, and mark the first positive tests of both viruses in Imperial County this year.

Health officials say mosquito activity increases during the warmer months, raising the risk of mosquito-borne diseases.

Symptoms can include fever, headache, body aches, fatigue, nausea, and rash.

In some cases, the viruses can cause serious neurological illness, especially in older adults and people with weakened immune systems.

Officials are encouraging residents to use insect repellent, wear long sleeves and pants when outdoors, and eliminate standing water around their homes where mosquitoes can breed.

The county’s vector control program says it will continue monitoring mosquito activity and treating affected areas.

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

NewsRelease_MosquitoPoolDetections _EnglishVersion_061826Download

NewsRelease_MosquitoPoolDetections _SpanishVersion_061826Download

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Dillon Fuhrman

WINTERHAVEN, Calif. (KYMA) – Quechan Casino Resort says Theresa Caputo Live! The Experience is taking place later this year.

The resort says Caputo, who is known as the “Long Island Medium,” will be at their Pipa Event Center Saturday, August 22, 2026 at 8 p.m., with the doors opening at 7 p.m.

During the show, Caputo, according to the resort, will bring an evening “filled with personal stories, humor, and emotional moments as she connects with audience members and delivers messages from loved ones.”

“The Experience isn’t about believing in mediums. It’s about seeing something life-changing,” says Caputo. “It’s witnessing first-hand spirit communication.”

To learn more about Caputo, click here. To purchase tickets for the show, click here.

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