Category: kyma-local-news

Abigahil Padilla

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KYMA) – We’re less than two weeks away from the Arizona Primary Election, and KYMA is focusing on another candidate running for the San Luis City Council.

Antonio Carrillo has lived in San Luis, Arizona for more than three decades.

His platform focuses on supporting economic development, strengthening binational cooperation and reviewing existing city plans to identify what is working and what can be improved.

“I would no like to try to impose my vision on the other council members…I would love to sit with them and analyze what is going on,” Carrillo shared.

The Arizona Primary Election is taking place Tuesday, July 21, 2026, and early voting is now underway.

To find out more about Carrillo and the other candidates running for the San Luis City Council, click here.

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Lynette Niebla

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – A tense, multi-layered contract dispute is unfolding in the Imperial Valley as newly unionized geothermal power generation workers at CalEnergy accuse their multi-billion dollar parent company of bad-faith bargaining and employee retaliation.

The standoff puts front-line machinists and plant operators against BHE Renewables, a division of Berkshire Hathaway Energy.

While labor representatives point to staggering corporate wealth as proof that local employees are being left behind, corporate management counters that the union walked away from a highly competitive compensation structure to chase an unrealistic 60% hourly wage increase.

The roots of the current friction date back to August 14, 2025, the very day CalEnergy workers filed to organize under the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 465.

According to union leadership, management retaliated that same afternoon by modifying scheduling logistics, ultimately resulting in an annual pay cut of more than 10% for multiple frontline technicians.

Despite intense corporate opposition, workers voted 101-to-40 to unionize on December 9, 2025. Employees campaigned heavily on a message of “Power in Partnership,” expressing a desire to help the Imperial Valley’s clean energy and burgeoning “Lithium Valley” infrastructure thrive.

However, after six months of bargaining across 12 deadlocked negotiating sessions, union officials say the initial hope for collaboration has dissolved into confrontation.

Local 465 representatives claim that Berkshire Hathaway Senior Vice President Rob Lasich has repeatedly berated employees at the bargaining table, walking out of sessions and telling dissatisfied personnel that they are free to quit if they are unhappy.

To document the toll of these operational strategies, IBEW Local 465 compiled anonymous employee testimonies detailing deep physical and personal strain:

Work-Life Hardships: “Now the schedule changed to 10-hour shifts, but honestly, we’re working more and making less money.”

Custody & Stress Issues: “I’m on the verge of possibly losing the custody of my kids.” “The long hours, the stress, and lack of balance have started affecting me mentally, physically, and personally.”

Staff Exhaustion: “More employees are calling in sick or taking time off because they’re exhausted…I had to work 13 hours to compensate for the lack of employees caused by the ineffective scheduling changes.”

“They take it personal that we want better pay,” said Erwin Ricardo Sanchez, a maintenance machinist at the Salton City facility. “We want a better work environment, we want our schedule back, we want a decent wage, and we want to live our lives. We want to work. It’s not like we want to be lazy.”

The financial divide remains a primary talking point for the union. In 2025, Berkshire Hathaway reported roughly $67 billion in annual earnings, while BHE Renewables posted $128 million in first-quarter 2026 earnings.

“A company that has that much success is leaving its workers behind,” argued Nate Fairman, IBEW Local 465 Business Manager. “It’s asking its workers to make sacrifices and take lower pay to continue to drive those record-making profits, and that is wrong.”

BHE Renewables is firing back against what it describes as inflammatory and untruthful characterizations propagated by union leadership. Corporate officials emphasize that their primary goal remains securing an equitable contract.

Addressing the core friction surrounding stagnant compensation, corporate management highlights that their field staff is already heavily compensated compared to local standards.

“We’re proud to say the median total cash compensation in 2025 for employees covered by these negotiations was over $122,000,” BHE Renewables noted in an official corporate response. “That’s double the county’s median household income. The union came to the table demanding a 60% hourly wage increase.”

The company flatly denies cutting base pay or leveraging shifts to punish employees who voted to organize. Management specifies that operations require continuous coverage, meaning scheduling adjustments are a standard baseline across the energy sector.

“Operational scheduling decisions are made based on the needs of geothermal power plant operations that must run safely and reliably around the clock,” the company stated. “The schedules being utilized are neither unique nor unusual within the power generation industry. The union claims earning opportunities have been reduced. The truth is that hourly wage rates are not impacted by the schedule changes. The company offers our employees plenty of overtime earning opportunities through call-out, picking up additional work shifts, and working additional hours.”

Corporate leaders also directly addressed the explicit allegations lodged against Senior Vice President Rob Lasich, claiming the quotes leaked to the media were stripped of their true context.

Management asserted that Mr. Lasich never instructed personnel to quit, adding that company representatives have endured frequent verbal abuse from union bargainers during closed-door sit-downs, including being labeled “liars and thieves.”

Furthermore, BHE Renewables dismissed the three Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charges recently filed by the union with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which allege bad-faith bargaining and illegal scheduling retaliation.

“The unfair labor allegations are false and have no merit,” management stated. “They were filed without any evidence to support their claims. Two of the charges were coincidentally just filed this week after the union abruptly ended negotiations. We look forward to refuting them during the NLRB review process.”

BHE Renewables maintains it is ready to immediately resume contract parameters, adding, “We reached agreements on dozens of contract provisions, but the union still walked away. We’re ready to have respectful negotiations if the union comes back to the table.”

With both sides firmly entrenched, the labor dispute appears poised to transition away from the boardroom and into the public eye.

Because negotiations remain frozen, Local 465 organizers state that workers are aggressively organizing informational pickets and community rallies across the Imperial Valley.

Despite the friction, frontline workers note they understand the responsibility riding on their shoulders.

“We have to understand that there’s got to be sacrifices that need to be made,” Erwin Ricardo Sanchez reflected. “Nothing in this world has changed without sacrifices needing to be made.”

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Adrik Vargas

YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA) – A semi-truck leaking canola oil caused delays Thursday morning on Highway 95 in Yuma County.

Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) says the large spill was on the highway near Dam Road at around 4:30 a.m.

YPG says the scene has since been cleared, but drivers are urged to use caution near the area as crews continue to work and clean the oil.

KYMA reached out the Arizona Department of Public Safety for more information, and is waiting to hear back.

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Lauren Duffel

WELLTON, Ariz. (KYMA) – Wellton, a town of about 3,000 residents, is under the microscope after its water system recently violated a drinking water standard.

Locals in Wellton don’t trust the tap water. Instead, they’re using these water filling stations.

Valerie Petry has been a Wellton resident for seven years. She’s currently a manager at an RV park in Wellton, where she says people don’t trust the tap water.

“None of us have drunk the water here. In fact, we don’t even use it to water our plants. I’ve lost three palms using the bad water,” Petry said.

The residents of Wellton have been dealing with water quality concerns for some time now. But most recently, the concerns have been amplified after a drinking water system violated a standard.

The town’s water had too much TTHM, which stands for total trihalomethanes. These are chemical byproducts that can form when disinfectants used to treat water react with natural materials in the water.

A notice sent to residents revealed the level was above the legal limit.

Petry says she relies on water filling kiosks because she doesn’t want to risk it.

“When I first moved here, it actually smelled like chlorine so bad that I didn’t want to take the chance,” Petry said.

The Town of Wellton said in the notice that the water is safe to drink for now, and residents do not need to boil it.

We reached out to Wellton town officials for an on-camera interview, but they denied our request and responded through a written statement saying in part:

“The TTHM issue was inherited by the previous administration. Since Town Manager Richard Marsh joined the town in 2022, improving the water treatment system has been a top organizational priority.”

We also asked if the town’s water is safe for drinking. They said, “According to the ADQ and the EPA, elevated TTHM do not constitute an emergency,” and “alternate drinking water remains available to all town utility customers at designated distribution locations.”

For now, the locals in Wellton are resorting to safer water quality options and are hopeful that water quality will improve.

Town of Wellton – Responses to KYMA QuestionsDownload

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Dillon Fuhrman

UPDATE (5:30 PM): According to our reporter at the scene, firefighters initially had to pull back due to a large amount of ammunition in the area.

At least four structures were deemed a total loss, our reporter on scene says.

OCOTILLO, Calif. (KYMA) – Firefighters are on the scene battling a four-alarm fire in Ocotillo Thursday.

Courtesy: Brenda Blackstock-Raybon

Courtesy: Brenda Blackstock-Raybon

Courtesy: Brenda Blackstock-Raybon

Fire officials say there are multiple evacuations underway.

Courtesy: Brenda Blackstock-Raybon

Courtesy: Brenda Blackstock-Raybon

Courtesy: Brenda Blackstock-Raybon

If anyone is in the area, avoid the fire scene so crews are able to battle the flames.

Courtesy: Brenda Blackstock-Raybon

Courtesy: Brenda Blackstock-Raybon

Courtesy: Brenda Blackstock-Raybon

So far, there is no word on what caused the fire, but KYMA will have the latest details when it becomes available.

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Abraham Retana

UPDATE: (9:00 PM): The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) has provided an update on the crash in San Luis, Arizona.

YCSO says the crash happened in the area of S. Highway 95 and W. County 22nd Street after 12:30 p.m.

A red 2020 Jeep Gladiator was driving southbound of Highway 95, and “was approaching the intersection when, for unknown reasons, it crossed the center lane and into oncoming traffic,” crashing head on with a white 2017 Hyundai Tucson driving northbound on Highway 95, YCSO says.

While the driver of the Jeep was taken, by San Luis Fire EMS crews, to Onvida Health with non-life-threatening injuries, the driver of Hyundai, identified as 82-year-old Rosa Acosta Limon of San Luis, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to YCSO.

YCSO says their Criminal Investigations Bureau assisted with the case.

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

2026-54-Fatal-CollisionDownload

UPDATE (4:18 PM): One person is dead after a crash in South Yuma County Thursday afternoon.

The crash happened on Highway 95 near County 22nd Street in San Luis, Arizona.

The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office says it involved a Jeep and a small SUV. In addition, the highway was closed off as crews worked the scene.

While one other person suffered non-life-threatening injuries, the cause of the crash is still under investigation.

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KYMA) – Deputies for the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) are on scene of a crash in San Luis, Arizona Thursday afternoon.

According to our reporter at the scene, the crash happened in the area of Main Street, near County 22nd Street.

Highway 95 is closed in both directions, our reporter says.

KYMA will keep you updated on this developing story.

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Abraham Retana

SOMERTON, Ariz. (KYMA) – A local bank is celebrating the reopening of one of its branches in Yuma County.

The Avenir Somerton Branch held a ribbon-cutting of its remodeled building Thursday morning.

Branch Manager Suzy Rojas says as a local credit union, it’s essential to not only bring affordable financial services, but also giveback to the community.

“We are credit union and everything that we get we giveback to the community in the forms of donations to non-profits, and we also try to keep lower interest rates and offer accounts with the least amount of fees that we can,” Rojas explained.

Avenir has served the community since 1942, and is the only locally owned credit union in Yuma County.

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Abraham Retana

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A local law firm is helping kids to go back to school fully stuffed with supplies.

Lerner & Rowe Law Firm is giving away 1,000 backpacks at the Yuma County Fairgrounds Saturday at 2 p.m.

Besides the school supplies, families can enjoy other free items and activities.

“We are going to have free food trucks, snacks, Lerner & Rowe giveaways, swag, fun things, face painting ballon artists,” said Jordan Moreno, Director of Charitable Giving for Lerner & Rowe Giveback. “Fun things to make it more of an experience for the family and we want to people to come out and walk away feeling prepared the year ahead.”

It’s on a first-come, first-serve basis, and children must be present to receive a backpack.

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Moses Femino

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – For Yuma native Issac Araiza, a lifelong dream is one step closer to becoming reality.

The former Yuma Catholic standout and San Diego State pitcher is preparing for this weekend’s Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft, hoping to hear his name called after years of hard work, perseverance and dedication to the game.

Araiza said he knew from the moment he picked up a baseball that he wanted to play at the highest level.

“As soon as I started playing baseball, I told my parents I’m going to play Division I baseball,” Araiza said. “I never sold myself short. I always dreamed big.”

His parents, Rudy and Jessica Araiza, remember when that childhood dream became something much more.

“You know, you ask kids like, ‘Hey, what do you want to be when you grow up?’ And he’s like well, I want to be a professional baseball player,” Rudy Araiza said. “Everything he did, it was around baseball. Everything he did.”

Jessica Araiza said her family eventually realized her son was actively working toward a goal, not a dream.

“As he got older, he wasn’t joking,” she said. “He practiced harder, he did everything harder. Everything revolved around baseball and that when we kind of knew like, wait a minute. I don’t think it’s a joke anymore. It’s not a dream…it’s a goal.”

Araiza began his high school career at Cibola before committing to San Diego State University prior to his sophomore season. He later transferred to Yuma Catholic, where he developed under head baseball coach Judd Thrower.

“I never had coached a guy with as much drive and talent as he had,” Thrower said. “Went out there and wanted the ball in every big game that we could give him. And just drove the team to heights that was at that point a bit new for our program.”

At San Diego State, Araiza faced adversity after suffering a forearm flexor strain that shortened his sophomore season and affected his performance the following year.

He credited the Aztecs coaching staff for helping him regain his confidence heading into his senior campaign.

That work paid off. In his final collegiate season, Araiza posted a 2.45 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings while earning three wins out of the bullpen.

Now, with the MLB Draft approaching, Araiza hopes to become one of roughly 600 players selected and continue inspiring the next generation of athletes in Yuma.

“I just want to be an example of you know, basically hope for kids. Coming out of here that it’s possible.” Araiza said. “Sometimes it’s not the way you plan it. There’s so many ways that you can do it.”

His family says they’ll be supporting him no matter what happens.

“I’m so proud of him,” Rudy Araiza said. “I think at the end of the day, that’s his dream. And that’s my wife and I…that’s our dream too. We’re behind him and we expect like the best for him.”

After years of chasing his dream, Araiza now waits to see if the next chapter of his baseball journey begins with a call from a Major League organization this weekend.

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The need for blood doesn’t take a summer break, and this summer, Yuma residents are encouraged to help save lives in the community.

News 11 is proud to partner with Vitalant for the Summer Live Savers Blood Drive, happening Thursday, July 30, 2026 through Saturday, August 1, 2026.

It is taking place at the Yuma Main Library, located at 2951 S. 21st Drive, at the following times:

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.

Just one blood donation can help save up to three lives and make a lasting impact on someone in need.

To schedule your blood donation appointment, click here, or call 877-258-4825.

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