Blythe hospital secures funding to keep doors open

KESQ on January 15, 2026

Athena Jreij

UPDATE 1/23/2026:

The Board of Supervisors next week will consider approval of a $1 million loan and hands-on assistance from Riverside County agencies to keep the doors to the emergency room open at bankrupt Palo Verde Hospital in Blythe.

STATEMENT FROM PALO VERDE HEALTH DISTRICT:

The Palo Verde Healthcare District Board of Directors wants their employees and the community to know that short-term funding has been secured to allow Palo Verde Hospital to continue operating at its current level of service while longer-term solutions are pursued.

The hospital’s emergency room and ancillary services, as well as the Palo Verde Hospital Community Clinic, are open. With the support of the City of Blythe and the County of Riverside, the District has obtained emergency, short-term funding to provide immediate operational support.

This funding is intended to prevent an abrupt disruption of the hospital’s emergency services and the Community Clinic and to give the Board and its advisors time to continue working with the County and other partners on a more sustainable path forward. 

During this period, the Board, along with its financial, legal, and restructuring consultants, continues to actively evaluate all available options to stabilize operations and identify an appropriate long-term solution. These discussions involve multiple parties and complex factors, including financial, operational, and regulatory considerations.

As a result, the situation remains uncertain, and no single outcome can be guaranteed at this time. We anticipate calling one or more Board of Directors meetings prior to the end of January regarding the County-District Loan Agreement and a Management Agreement.

The Board understands the strain this uncertainty places on hospital employees and the community. We are deeply grateful for the dedication of our staff and the patience of the residents we serve. Our focus remains on maintaining access to care for the community while we work diligently to determine whether a viable long-term solution can be achieved.

We are committed to transparency and will share updates as soon as there is meaningful new information to report.

—————————-

Update 4 p.m. 1/15/26

BLYTHE, Calif. (KESQ) – Palo Verde Hospital’s Board of Directors has postponed a vote accepting a county proposal to keep the hospital open.

The board held a special meeting at 12:30 p.m. Friday but postponed the vote until they receive the county’s conditions.

This comes as the Blythe area’s hospital runs on limited cash flow. However, city officials say they believe the hospital has enough cash flow to stay open another week.

1/15/2026

BLYTHE, Calif. (KESQ) – Riverside County has released a proposal to keep the Blythe area’s only hospital open.

County officials proposed a plan that would assemble a stakeholder “strike force” led by the County to independently stabilize and manage only the Palo Verde Hospital’s emergency department for approximately six months, assess current conditions, and make recommendations for next steps. This could begin as soon as feasible.

In the meantime, the county would provide a $1 million loan to the hospital’s emergency department until such time as the District agrees to the proposal related to the County-led independent strike force.

2026.01.14 County Statement to PVHDDownload

Statement from Supervisor Manuel Perez:

“I am thankful for the support of my colleagues to assist the people of the Palo Verde community who desperately need access to emergency medical care.  I am proud of the Board of Supervisors, County Executive Officer Jeff Van Wagenen, and our County teams for their unwavering dedication to meet the safety net needs of our residents.  I look forward to hearing the response from the Palo Verde Healthcare District.”

The county is awaiting feedback from Palo Verde Healthcare District, officials said. If they agree in principle, county officials will be discussing the many details necessary to achieve this outcome.

The hospital serves Blythe and its surrounding areas, and is more than 90 miles from the next nearest hospital in the Coachella Valley.

Palo Verde Hospital has been on the verge of closing since November after months of financial mismanagement. Officials said the hospital has been running on fumes with just an emergency room and radiology department open.

Last week, the Palo Verde Healthcare District board requested $2 million from the county to stay afloat. The hospital bought itself another week after accepting a $330K bridge gap loan from the city of Blythe to cover the hospital’s payroll expenses for a week.

The Palo Verde Healthcare District filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy in September.

County officials encourage Blythe residents to call 9-1-1 regardless of the hospital’s status during emergencies to reach a dispatcher. Pre-hospital care is still available and will remain operational.

Stick with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.

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Palm Springs City Council voids decision on Frank Bogert statue relocation

KESQ on January 15, 2026

Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The controversial statue of former Palm Springs mayor Frank Bogert will remain in storage after the city council voided a recent decision by the Art Commission on its new location.

The decision came in a closed session meeting. City Attorney Jeffrey Ballinger said the commission’s vote is considered void as a previous discussion by the council was in violation of the Brown Act because it wasn’t on the agenda.

“Based on the advice of the city attorney, the city council is of the opinion that a potential violation of the Brown Act in that November meeting,” Ballinger said. “As such, and in the interest of transparency in the spirit of the Brown Act, the city views the January 7 action of the arts commission as void.”

The issue was discussed by the council at the end of the Nov. 12, 2025 meeting. Ballinger asked whether council wanted the issue to come back in a future meeting, but declined. Ballinger advised the council to stop discussion the issue and have staff bring it back at a later date.

Last week, after a long discussion, the Palm Springs Art Commission voted move the statue from storage to the Village Green in downtown Palm Springs.

The Frank Bogert statue was removed from outside City Hall after a recommendation from the Human Rights Commission in 2021. The decision came as the city reckoned with the mayor’s alleged role in evicting Section 14 victims from a plot of land owned by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.

Section 14 survivors have argued against the relocation, saying Bogert’s statue glorifies a painful part of their history.

The Friends of Frank Bogert have also supported the relocation, while refuting claims that Bogert played a role in Section 14’s mass displacement. The group believes Bogert worked with leaders in the Black community to find alternative homes and place eviction moratoriums.

Former Palm Springs Mayor Lisa Middleton oversaw the statue debate and recommended it be placed at the Village Green.

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Democrat activists hold Social Security Day of Action amid budget cuts and personnel reduction

KESQ on January 15, 2026

Shay Lawson

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Dozens of Democrats of the Desert and friends activists gathered Wednesday afternoon in front of the Social Security Administration (SSA) building in Indio.

Organizers said they’re trying to draw attention to what they describe as growing turmoil within the agency and threats to the program’s ability to serve Americans.

Debbie Green, participant, said the more people who get involved, the bigger difference they can make.

“Social Security matters. We’ve earned it. It’s not an entitlement,” Green said. “They need to get their hands off of our Social Security and leave it alone. Leave it to the people who have earned it.”

However experts note the program is projected to continue paying most benefits even without congressional action.

SSA officials said, “As a result of changes to Social Security enacted in 1983, benefits are now expected to be payable in full on a timely basis until 2037, when the trust fund reserves are projected to become exhausted.”

But some experts say without adjustments, the program will face a gap between income and obligations in the decades ahead.  

For now, advocates said they hope their actions will prompt more public discussion and spur a response from elected officials.

“I look at my children, they’re already putting in money into Social Security. What’s going to happen to them when it’s their time to retire?” Green said. “We need to look out for everyone, not just for us, but for the future.”

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.

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DHS confirms another federal agent shooting in Minneapolis

KMIZ on January 15, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed in a social media post that a federal agent has again shot someone in the city if Minneapolis.

The Department of Homeland Security said federal agents were conducting a “targeted traffic stop” when the man, a Venezuelan national, was shot in the leg after he began to resist arrest and “violently assault” one of its officers.

The city later confirmed that a man was shot in the leg and was brought to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The city asked the public to remain calm while once again demanding ICE to leave the city and the state.

This evening, one adult male was shot by federal immigration enforcement agents in the 600 block of 24th Avenue North. He was transferred to a local hospital with apparent non-life-threatening injuries.

We understand there is anger. We ask the public to remain calm. https://t.co/dTHsb8faqV

— City of Minneapolis (@CityMinneapolis) January 15, 2026

The DHS tweet alleges that a “targeted traffic stop” a 6:50 p.m. involved a Venezuelan national and that when officers tried to arrest them, they were attacked by two people and was hit with a shovel and a broom stick.

“Fearing for his life and safety as he was being ambushed by three individuals, the officer fired a defensive shot to defend his life. The initial subject was hit in the leg,” the post says. “All three subjects ran back into the apartment and barricaded themselves inside. The attacked officer and subject are both in the hospital. Both attackers are in custody.”

At 6:50 PM CT, federal law enforcement officers were conducting a targeted traffic stop in Minneapolis of an illegal alien from Venezuela who was released into the country by Joe Biden in 2022.

In an attempt to evade arrest, the subject fled the scene in his vehicle and crashed…

— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) January 15, 2026

Police Chief Bryan O’Hara told reporters at a press conference that he understood there was possibly just one attacker. He also said the incident involved someone driving a vehicle that was spotted on 94th Street and began driving toward the residence where the shooting occurred.

Minneapolis leaders are asking the city to remain calm and are demanding that ICE leave the city again.

“ICE can leave and this massive deployment can come to an end,” says Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. “We have filed litigation to hopefully make it so. And at the same time I’m deeply concerned that we don’t have that kind of time. This is already the 2nd shooting that we’ve had in a week. People are scared. The atmosphere is tense, but again, there is another option. We can stop going down this route together.”

The incident comes as the city continues to reel in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, which sparked nationwide protests and exacerbated tensions in a community already on edge over a surge in federal agents.

Check back for updates.

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Proposed bill aims to boost workforce housing development in rural Missouri communities

News-Press NOW on January 15, 2026

Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Missouri lawmakers could take a closer look at new legislation aimed at supporting development of workforce housing in rural communities across the state of Missouri.

A new state-funded grant program to support rural housing development through Missouri’s Department of Economic Development is being proposed in a new bill filed this session by Missouri Sen. Jason Bean (R-Holcomb).

If passed, the bill would create the “Rural Workforce Housing Investment Act,” a program allowing nonprofit development organizations to apply for grants to establish a workforce housing investment fund for development.

Grants would be awarded on a competitive basis and matching funds would be required to receive funds. The measure was filed in December and recently had a first reading Jan. 7.

The act states no more more than $1 million will be awarded to any one nonprofit development organization over a two-year period, and no more than $2 million to any one nonprofit development organization for the period ending on June 30, 2029.

If a nonprofit development organization fails to engage in qualified activity within two years of receiving initial grant funding, the organization is required to return grant funds to the department.

If a nonprofit development organization fails to allocate any remaining grant funds to qualified activities within two years of the commencement of initial qualified activity, such organization shall return all unallocated grant funds.

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Health Fair and Fun Run set for Feb. 6 at Temalpakh Farm in Coachella

KESQ on January 15, 2026

City News Service

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – A free Health Fair and Fun Run will be held Feb. 6 at Temalpakh Farm in Coachella, organizers announced today.   

The event will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will begin with a run that will receive a traditional elder blessing and a be accompanied by music played by a DJ. It will also include on-site health care access provided by the Indian Health Service and Riverside and San Bernardino County Indian Health, Inc., educational workshops, interactive booths, wellness resources and organic produce for purchase.  

Prospective participants were encouraged to register at forms.office.com/r/y7SpjBa2Ub.

Temalpakh Farm is a 50-acre certified organic farm owned and operated by the Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians.

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21-year-old man sentenced for role in Palm Desert shooting

KESQ on January 15, 2026

Jesus Reyes

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – A 21-year-old man was sentenced for his role in a Palm Desert shooting.

Jorge Arturo Morales of Cathedral City pleaded guilty to attempted murder, assault with a gun, and stalking charges. He was immediately sentenced to 14 years and 8 months in prison.

Morales was arrested along with Jaden Xavier Garcia in connection with a shooting on 45300 block of Garden Square in Palm Desert.

In May 2024, Garcia pleaded guilty to a felony assault charge and admitted to an armed with a firearm enhancement. He was sentenced to 24 months of probation.

Jaden Xavier Garcia

The pair were accused of assaulting two people in Palm Desert, one of whom suffered a gunshot wound to his face.

According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, a pair of victims were allegedly followed by Morales and Garcia, whom they both knew.  

“One victim was struck multiple times and sustained a single gunshot wound to his face,” Milbrandt said in a statement. “He was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The other victim, who was uninjured, had allegedly been stalked by Morales for several weeks before the assault.”  

Morales and Garcia were apprehended in the 68700 block of 33rd Avenue in Cathedral City by Palm Desert sheriff’s station deputies, the Palm Desert Investigations Bureau, the Palm Desert Burglary Suppression Unit and the Desert Regional SWAT after allegedly attempting to flee a residence, according to Milbrandt.

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Warm Springs man charged with firearm possession, high-speed chases after months-long manhunt

KTVZ on January 15, 2026

Triton Notary

WARM SPRINGS, Ore. (KTVZ)– A Warm Springs, Ore., man has been charged with possessing multiple firearms as a felon and eluding police during a high-speed chase. Edward Francis Jones, 32, faces federal charges stemming from two incidents involving law enforcement.

According to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, Scott E. Bradford, Jones has been charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and fleeing from police. Bradford emphasized the risks associated with evading justice, stating, “Running from justice puts lives at risk and threatens the safety of everyone around us.” Law enforcement officials have been pursuing Jones since May 29th, 2025, for previous supervised release violations. Multiple agencies, including the FBI and local sheriff’s offices, collaborated to apprehend him.

On Nov. 6th, 2025, Warm Springs Police officers observed a Hyundai sedan that matched the description of a stolen vehicle. After confirming its status, they activated their lights and sirens, prompting the driver, identified as Jones, to speed away into a field and a short chase ensued. Officers found a loaded 9mm handgun with an obliterated serial number in the vehicle, along with alcohol, fireworks, drug paraphernalia and approximately 94 rounds of ammunition. A second backpack containing mail belonging to Jones was also discovered in the car.

The following incident occurred on Jan. 7th, 2026, when deputies from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office tried to pull over a woman linked to Jones for an expired registration. The vehicle failed to stop and sped through Madras, reaching dangerously high speeds and driving against traffic. It eventually lost control and crashed, allowing Jones to exit and flee on foot. Law enforcement used drones to locate him a short distance away and he was taken into custody. Inside the vehicle, officers found an additional handgun on the driver’s side floorboard.

Jones has been wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service since May 29th, 2025 and his capture was made possible by intensive collaboration among federal and local agencies. Pete W. Cajigal, Acting U.S. Marshal for the District of Oregon, expressed gratitude for this teamwork: “The unwavering dedication, relentless hard work and steadfast diligence of these agencies stand as a powerful testament to the exceptional caliber of law enforcement that safeguards and serves our communities.” He emphasized that these efforts led to the removal of a dangerous individual from the community.

Acting FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephanie Shark noted the importance of inter-agency partnerships in enhancing community safety: “Our community is safer because of our partnerships with local, state, tribal and federal agencies.” Following his arrest, Jones made his initial appearance in federal court where he was ordered detained pending further proceedings.

The FBI is continuing its investigation into Jones’ activities and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlotte Kelley is prosecuting the case. Further court proceedings will determine the outcomes related to his charges.

2026-01-14-COMPLAINT_JonesDownload

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Boone County prosecutor weighs in on Kehoe’s proposal on juvenile crime

KMIZ on January 15, 2026

Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Missouri House and Senate bill are being considered in legislative committees with goals of curbing juvenile crime.

This comes after Gov. Mike Kehoe gave his State of the State address Tuesday, which highlighted plans for state income tax, budget and public safety.

“Violent crime committed by juveniles has reached a concerning level in Missouri,” Kehoe said. “Our juvenile justice system was designed to rehabilitate young people who make mistakes, but it was never meant to be a revolving door for repeat offenders who pose a real danger to the public.”

In January, a 17-year-old was arrested after police claimed he fired shots inside Dick’s Sporting Goods in the Shoppes at Stadium area, later leading sheriff’s deputies on a chase in Pettis county.

The summer of 2025 also led to several juvenile arrests after the death of a 16-year-old in May and 18-year-old in June.

Kehoe alluded to two bills during his speech, House Bill 2498, sponsored by State Rep. Brad Christ (R-St. Louis) and Senate Bill 888, sponsored by Sen. Nick Schroer (R-St. Charles).

Both bills will allow county prosecutors who have evidence to request a hearing to prosecute a juvenile as an adult. Currently, juvenile judges typically decide how a juvenile offender is prosecuted.

According to Boone County Prosecutor Roger Johnson, if a juvenile commits a crime that would be considered a felony if committed by an adult, they typically are already set to be certified and prosecuted as an adult.

“I don’t know that it would change things in some of the most violent offenses because those cases are going to be presented to the judge for certification anyway,” Johnson said. “It would get us involved earlier on in the process of working on those cases.”

Johnson highlighted two unique parts of the House bill. One section looks to add juvenile criminal history to the state’s crime records.

Johnson described the State’s Juvenile Office’s records and criminal histories as a “black box,” and that the office and county courts work in separate systems.

“Currently, we don’t have access to that. But under these proposals, we would,” Johnson said.

Johnson added the additional information could help with court filing.

“We have 16 attorneys, and so we have limited resources. In a lot of cases, we have to decide where we’re going to focus our resources and we try to focus our resources on repeat offenders and violent offenders,” Johnson said, “Were we to have information about juveniles who’ve been a continual problem over time, that’ll help us know that that’s a case that we really need to focus on.”

The House bill also proposes holding the parents and guardians of repeat juvenile offenders accountable by charging parents who fail to control the child or encourage the child in committing crimes with endangering the welfare of a child. Johnson said it would be a new way to hold parents accountable.

“We’ve had situations where parents are antagonizing their juveniles to fight, we’ve had cases where they’re driving them to fights. We’ve even had cases where parents are giving juveniles a gun to go out and commit a crime,” Johnson said.

He added cases under this possible charge could be complicated, and he expects offices to have discretion if parents need to be evaluated in the future.

“Our job is not just to try to lock people up, it’s to try to pursue justice and so in a case like that, we would have to look at it and make sure that what we’re doing really is fair,” Johnson said.

Johnson also voiced an overall need for long-term investment in the state’s juvenile system, if the general assembly is looking to manage more juvenile offenders.

“Our juvenile facility, in particular, was just developed at a time when the juvenile landscape was much different,” Johnson said. “Now, instead of having people in the juvenile system, or housed there who maybe were vandals, we’re talking about housing people there who were committing shooting cases or homicides.”

He adds that current facilities sometimes have design limitations and lack space for housing several suspects or groups who may be violent toward one another. Johnson also reports that job retention and recruitment are issues in the juvenile office.

“My guess is that we would see more results with investment of resources under the juvenile system rather than necessarily some of the statutory changes,” Johnson said. “Not to say that the statutory changes might not be helpful or might be a bad idea, but I think really to make significant change in this area, we’re going to have to invest resources into the juvenile system.”

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Police chase preceded crash on Brickton Road; 2 injured

KMIZ on January 15, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A vehicle involved in a crash Wednesday night at a Brickton Road intersection was first involved in a chase with police, according to Columbia Police Department Lt. Anthony Bowne.

The intersection of Brickton Road and Conley Road was blocked off on Wednesday night after a vehicle had flipped on its side after a crash.

Two vehicles were involved in the crash. The driver of a white sedan was pulled over for speeding at 7:07 p.m. and tried to speed away from police because they did not have a license, Bowne said.

The traffic stop began near the intersection of Range Line Street and Interstate 70, a CPD release from Wednesday night says.

“Officers attempted the stop for felony driving without a license, a stop sign violation, and suspicion of drug activity. The vehicle failed to stop for officers and fled east on Interstate 70,” the release says.

The driver in the sedan crashed into a green truck, causing the truck to fall on its side. The driver of the white sedan then tried to run away to a nearby parking lot to steal another vehicle, but was arrested by police. The name of the driver was not given to media on Wednesday night.

Police confirmed that the suspect and his passenger were both injured in the crash and were brought to an area hospital. The driver inside the truck that flipped on its side had no reported injuries, according to Bowne.

Both cars were being towed at 8:09 p.m.

The release says the driver is detained on suspicion of driving without a license, not stopping at a stop sign, aggravated fleeing, attempted vehicle theft, resisting arrest, kidnapping and leaving the scene of an accident.

Check back for updates.

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