Category: kyma-local-news

Karina Bazarte

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – Former El Centro Mayor Tomas Oliva has announced he will be running for the California State Assembly to represent District 36.

Oliva made the official announcement last Friday just two months after his resignation as the mayor of El Centro.

He says in the last decade representatives from the Coachella Valley have helped represent Imperial County and he is thankful.

But he says it’s time for someone from Imperial County to be the voice of the people.

Oliva shares what he would do if elected.

“What I consider to be the pillars of our community that sets us up for either success or lack of in our quality of life and that is…our healthcare system, our education and our transportation,” said Oliva.

The California Primary Election is happening in June of next year.

Click here to follow the original article.

Karina Bazarte

CALEXICO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – Residents and business owners in Calexico who have an alarm that requires police assistance now have to register them with the police department.

The ordinance was put on pause in 2013, but now it’s back.

Calexico police says it started sending notices to residents and business owners last week.

Police say if residents do not register their alarms they could be fined.

“The cost is $50 for residents and $100 for businesses for two years, both of them so with that you get four free responses per calendar year. After the fifth response, you get a bill for the response,” said Calexico Police Chief Armando Orozco.

Calexico police says residents can come to the police station if they need help registering their alarms or visit their website.

Click here to follow the original article.

Marcos Icahuate

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A blood drive is being held to support locals and more Arizonans in need.

The Summer Life Savers Blood Drive by Vitalant will be at the Yuma Main Library from July 31 to August 2.

News 11, ABC 5 and Telemundo 3 are partnering with Vitalant to bring this blood drive to Yuma. 

Anyone who donates blood on those dates will be entered to win a 2025 VW Taos S.

The vehicle prize was donated by the Valley Volkswagen Dealers.

You can make an appointment to donate blood by going to their website or calling (877) 258-4825.

You can also find more information about the blood drive here.

Vitalant previously held a blood drive in winter 2024, which collected enough blood to impact over 300 lives.

Click here to follow the original article.

Marcos Icahuate

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A celebration for the United States Army will be held in Yuma.

The U.S. Army is celebrating its 250th birthday at the Colorado River State Historic Park on Saturday, June 14, 2025 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The family-friendly event is planned to have exhibits and tributes to those who served.

Locals are invited to participate in activities held at the celebration.

Click here to follow the original article.

Andrea Turisk

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The Yuma County Board of Supervisors approved a tentative $584.4 million budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

The spending plan includes a 3.4 overall cut in appropriations and trims more the 22 full time positions from grant-funded programs.

Ian McGaughey, Yuma County Administrator, says, “Anytime grants close down those services cease, but we’re always trying to find new ways to use either existing funds or seek out new grant funding to better serve the community.”

Despite those cuts, the budget keeps a 3% performance based pay increase for current employees, and the county’s property tax rate stays the same for the 14th year. 

“I think with that predictable 3% model it’ll be easy to obtain and attract excellent employees to Yuma County,” says McGaughey.

But not everyone is focused on numbers.

Some locals, like Angel Young, say they’d like to see more of that money go towards education.

“I’m a huge advocate for like change what you want to see in the public school system and don’t just abandon it. I think a lot of attention need to go towards the school systems,” said Young.

And while the county doesn’t control local school budgets, they say they’re doing what they can to maintain public service across the board.

“The heart of this budget is our mission for customer service. We’re always looking for ways to be more efficient, to be innovative, and how we can better serve our public. Our residents, our businesses, our visitors,” explained McGaughey.

The Yuma County Board of Supervisors will be presented with the final budget on June 23.

Click here to follow the original article.

Adrik Vargas

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – While many kids are sleeping in this summer, a group of Yuma middle schoolers are spending the week exploring their future careers.

The 2025 Career Exploration Camp introduces students to hands-on careers in fields like cosmetology, biomedical technology, animation, and law and public safety.

The four-day camp is a partnership between Yuma ABEC, STEDY, Elevate Southwest, and the University of Arizona’s Yuma campus, and it’s being held at the STEDY campus.

“I really want to be prepared when I’m older, because adulting is a real thing,” said student Savannah Pope.

Yuma ABEC Project Manager Rusty Tyndell says middle school is the ideal time to start those conversations.

“Research has shown that if you wait until your junior or senior year to think about what you wanna do in life, it’s too late,” he said.

Some students, like Angel Valle, are still figuring things out, and that’s the point.

“I think this is a perfect opportunity for me to explore more into careers,” Valle said.

Pope agrees, saying it’s about more than just picking a job.

“It opens like a window for all these kids to realize it’s not just one thing…there’s other things you can do with your life,” said Pope.

About 160 students are attending the camp this summer, learning new skills, making friends, and dreaming big.

Click here to follow the original article.

Jalen Fong

WELLTON, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A semi-truck caught on fire Tuesday, slowing down interstate traffic.

The truck was heading east on Interstate 8 (I-8), a mile from Wellton, when the fire started. KYMA spoke to the driver, who said one of the rear trailer tires ignited and spread quickly.

According to the Wellton Fire Department’s (WFD) Facebook post, they responded to the scene before 4:00 p.m., and upon arrival, they found “heavy fire involvement and began immediate suppression efforts.”

WFD says, “Due to the intensity of the fire, additional resources were dispatched” as “fire crews worked to contain the blaze until the department’s Ladder unit arrived on scene.” Once the Ladder unit arrived, WFD says crews put out the fire.

One lane on I-8 was closed due to the blaze.

WFD said the trailer was carrying loads of tomatoes, and said fire crews stayed on scene to help until the Arizona Department of Transportation arrived and removed of burned boxes from the trailer.

While there were no injuries reported, the actual cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Click here to follow the original article.

Danyelle Burke North

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture found both an Asian citrus psyllid, an insect, and citrus trees carrying a disease called Citrus greening disease in Nogales, Arizona.

Citrus greening disease is one of the most devastating citrus diseases there is. The disease was found in private properties almost all along one street in January. Citrus greening is a significant concern in Florida because the climate there is tropical.

However, Dr. Glenn Wright, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist for Fruit Crops with the University of Arizona School of Plant Sciences, says just because it was found in Nogales, doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be found in Yuma anytime soon.

“Here in Arizona, we don’t have flush all the time because it’s either a little bit too cold or it’s too hot. In fact, there was a very nice study out of the University of California that suggested that when the insect is subjected to more than six hours of 109°F or more, it doesn’t complete its life cycle. So that in and of itself, as well as the fact that we don’t have flush nice tender growth year round, makes Yuma a pretty inhospitable place for the insect and as a result for the disease,” said Dr. Wright.

A quarantine has been placed in the city of Nogales around the discovery site. To date, the USDA and the Arizona Department of Agriculture have found the disease on 17 trees across 13 different properties.

Click here to follow the original article.

Danyelle Burke North

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Save a life this summer! One of Arizona’s major blood providers is in need of more blood donors for its upcoming blood drive.

Vitalant supplies 62 hospitals across Arizona including Yuma County. Vitalant says more than 600 blood donors are needed every single day. They see a decline in blood donations during the holidays and the summertime.

“We do struggle to collect blood here in the summer. All of our high schools are out during the summer, and actually one in every six blood donations come from a teenage donor, so with those high schools being out, we collect a lot less blood donations,” said Vitalant account manager Cameron Klug. “And then colleges are also a large source of blood donors as well, and so they’re out of school right now. So we really need help from the local community in order to support the blood supply.”

When you donate blood from now until September 7, you’ll be entered for a chance to win a 2025 Voltzwagon Taos S. donated by their Valley Volkswagen Dealers.

There are several upcoming blood drives in Yuma:

Monday, 06/09/2025 Onvida Health – Yuma Medical Center – Administrative Entrance2400 S Avenue AYUMA, AZ, 85364Open 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Tuesday, 06/10/2025- Onvida Health – Yuma Medical Center – Administrative Entrance2400 S Avenue AYUMA, AZ, 85364Open 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Wednesday, 06/11/2025- Ativo Senior Living – Ativo Senior Living – Sedona Cinema Roo10565 S Commercial CenterYUMA, AZ, 85367Open 12:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Thursday, 06/12/2025 – Emerald Springs Senior Living – Jade Room1475 S 46th AveYUMA, AZ, 85364Open 12:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Friday, 06/13/2025 – SUN VISTA RV RESORT – Ballroom Alcove7201 E 32nd StreetYUMA, AZ, 85365Open 10:00 AM – 1:30 PM

Thursday, 07/31/25 – Yuma Main Library2951 S. 21st Dr.YUMA, AZ, 85364Open 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Friday, 08/01/25 – Yuma Main Library2951 S. 21st Dr.YUMA, AZ, 85364Open 10:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Thursday, 08/02/25 – Yuma Main Library2951 S. 21st Dr.YUMA, AZ, 85364Open 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

You can visit here to schedule an appointment.

Click here to follow the original article.

Marcos Icahuate

BRAWLEY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – A man missing in the Imperial Valley since last week has been found dead.

The Imperial County Sheriff’s Office said 61-year-old Ruben Garcia was found dead Tuesday morning in his vehicle.

The vehicle was located in the Rockwood Canal by Mead Road and Dogwood Road.

Garcia went missing last Friday. 

We’re still waiting on the cause of death.

Click here to follow the original article.