Author: KESQ

Jesus Reyes

LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – A big step up in fighting food insecurity in the valley. On Thursday, a $200,000 check was presented to the FIND Regional Food Bank.

The funds were provided by the members of the Hideaway Golf Club in La Quinta. They raised that amount during their annual campaign to support food banks. Thanks to this big check, the FIND Regional Food Bank will be able to continue to provide meals to those in need.

“Now more than ever with the increases of the cost of goods and the economy and housing, there’s so many people that are having to make some really difficult choices between paying for medicines or paying for rent or feeding themselves,” said Debbie Espinosa, President/CEO of the FIND Regional Food Bank.

Espinosa said the donation has the capability to help more than 800,000 meals get served to people in the valley.

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Peter Daut

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Design lovers from across the globe are arriving in our valley soon for Modernism Week and this year, organizers say it will be bigger than ever.

More than 350 events are scheduled, beginning Thursday, Feb. 12 through Feb. 22. The festival will feature tours of iconic homes, nightly parties, and a classic car show.

All events are open to the public and many are free or low-cost.

“People come to the desert, they fall in love with it, hopefully they come back year after year and buy property and contribute to our restaurants and hotels and businesses. We had an economic impact of over $68 million to the Coachella Valley last year,” said Lisa Smith, Modernism Week CEO. “There’s still lots of tickets available for 11 days of tours, parties, fabulous presentations, lectures in the Annenberg Theater, dance parties every night, it’s a terrific time.”

A portion of ticket proceeds benefits the nonprofit and other local preservation groups.

Click here for tickets and more information

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Shay Lawson

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ)  – Dozens of neighbors from La Palme, Pointe, Vibe and Sundial gathered at the Palm Springs Police Department to discuss parking solutions.

Palm Springs leaders said rising airport parking rates are pushing more cars onto neighborhood streets and the new College of the Desert Campus is expected to bring more students and staff into the area.

Attendees said parking has been an ongoing issue for years.

Wednesday’s discussion was focused on street parking along Baristo Road between El Cielo and Farrell and Civic Drive between Baristo and East Tahquitz Canyon Way.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.

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Jesus Reyes

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – Two men have been arrested for allegedly committing a pair of residential burglaries in Palm Desert, authorities said today.

The suspects, a 44-year-old Indio man and a 38-year-old Bermuda Dunes man, were arrested Friday and booked into Benoit Detention Center in Indio on suspicion of residential burglary, committing a felony while out on bail, committing a theft with prior convictions and fraud-related charges, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.  

Deputies responded to a report of a burglary at 8:19 p.m. Jan. 23 in the 72700 block of Carob Court. The victim told authorities a male allegedly walked into the residence and stole items while a family was inside the property, and that there were unauthorized charges on the victim’s credit card stolen during the burglary.   

Despite an extensive search that night, the suspect was not found.   

Authorities identified the two men as the suspects, and also identified them as suspects in a separate residential burglary in the 100 block of Chelsea Circle on Jan. 26, according to the department.

They were located at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the area of Portola Road and Julie Lane in Palm Desert, where they were taken into custody without incident.   

Served search warrants were executed at two residences — in the 46000 block of Clinton Street in Indio and in the 78000 block of Avenue 42 in the unincorporated area of Bermuda Dunes — where evidence was collected that connected the suspects to the residential burglaries being investigated, the agency said.

The investigation was ongoing, and anyone with additional information was asked to call 760-836-1600.

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Peter Daut

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – News Channel 3 was first to report on a Palm Springs community, reeling over a controversial land lease renewal offer. The story sent shockwaves across the Coachella Valley. The deadline has now passed, so what happens now for the many homeowners who say they simply can’t afford it?

“I’m heartbroken that I can’t leave this to anybody. I had plans for that, but it’s not going to happen,” Saddlerock Estates HOA President Dave Buck said.

I-Team investigator Peter Daut went back to Saddlerock Estates and spoke with both residents and the attorney for the tribal landowner.

Watch the special report Thursday at 6:00 p.m. on News Channel 3

Check out the first part of Peter’s report below:

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Jesus Reyes

Riverside, Calif. (KESQ) – The Riverside County Department of Animal Services announced a new partnership with the Jason Heigl Foundation to bring accessible, low-cost spay and neuter services to the East Coachella Valley.

Officials said the partnership will fund increased capacity for mobile clinics, community outreach, and subsidized surgeries for pet owners who may otherwise be unable to access or afford these services.

“We are excited for this partnership to enhance the great work already being done by local organizations and community members bringing essential services to the East Coachella Valley to support pets and families who need it most,” said Fourth District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez. “I look forward to building a program that will truly save lives.”

County officials noted that East Valley is an area where veterinary access has long been limited and the need for humane population control is significant. Through this collaboration, the Jason Heigl Foundation will support an expanded spay/neuter initiative designed to reduce pet overpopulation, improve animal welfare, and empower families with essential resources to keep their pets healthy and at home.

“This partnership will have a meaningful and lasting impact on pets and families in the East Coachella Valley,” said RCDAS Director Mary Martin. “By working with the Heigl Foundation, more spay/neuter providers working in the Valley can be supported to bring critical services directly to the community, reduce shelter intake, and support the wellbeing of animals who deserve compassionate care.”

The new partnership prioritizes access to free or low-cost spay/neuter surgery for pet owners as well as education and outreach to help families understand the benefits of sterilization, preventive care, and responsible pet ownership.

“The Heigl Foundation is committed to the belief that spay/neuter is the ultimate solution in reducing shelter overpopulation and preventing unwanted litters. We believe that focusing on a single community, with good partners, will provide a model that is scalable and can be repeated across the country,” said Jason Heigl Foundation Founder Nancy Heigl. “Our Riverside partnership is an extension of our Namaste Initiative which has been highly successful throughout the country. The Namaste Initiative provides spay/neuter support to families that love their animals but cannot possibly afford the cost of surgery, which directly impacts the animal population in an area.”

More information will be announced soon directly to residents in the East Coachella Valley.

To adopt, foster, rescue or volunteer with RCDAS, visit www.rcdas.org. For more information about the Jason Heigl Foundation visit www.jasonheigl.foundation.

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City News Service

BEAUMONT, Calif. (KESQ) – A teenager was seriously injured in a fire that was quickly stopped in a Beaumont mobile home park, authorities said today.   

The blaze was reported shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday in the 1400 block of East Sixth Street, near Xenia Avenue, just north of Interstate 10, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

The agency said multiple engine crews were sent to the location and found no active fires, but located “one juvenile suffering from burn injuries.” 

The victim, whose identity was not disclosed, including gender, was immediately transported to a regional trauma center for treatment of significant burns.

The patient’s status could not be confirmed Wednesday.   

The blaze had been inside of one of the trailers, but there was reportedly no structural damage.

Fire and police personnel were investigating the matter.

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Jesus Reyes

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (KESQ) – The BNP Paribas Open returns to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden next month. Tournament officials released the 2026 player entry lists on Tuesday, featuring top men’s and women’s players competing for a coveted title at the first combined ATP Masters/WTA 1000 event of the season.

World No. 1s Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz headline the 2026 field as the top seeds. The full player entry lists can be viewed here on the BNP Paribas Open website.

The two-time BNP Paribas Open champion Alcaraz (2023, 2024) enters Indian Wells fresh off completing the career Grand Slam at the 2026 Australian Open, while Sabalenka will be looking to avenge her Australian Open final loss to Elena Rybakina.

Rybakina, the 2023 BNP Paribas Open champion, will have her eyes set on a second career title in Indian Wells following her run in Melbourne that saw her capture a second Grand Slam trophy.

24-time Grand Slam champion and five-time BNP Paribas Open champion Novak Djokovic (2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016) has entered the field following his runner-up finish at the 2026 Australian Open – where he became the oldest player in tournament history to reach the final. Djokovic will aim to make his 17th career appearance in Tennis Paradise as he eyes what would be a record-breaking sixth BNP Paribas Open title.

Reigning champions Jack Draper and Mirra Andreeva enter the 2026 BNP Paribas Open looking to recapture glory after last year’s dream title runs.

Draper, the 24-year-old Brit, claimed the biggest title of his young career last March, knocking off two-time defending champion Alcaraz in the semifinals and Holger Rune in the final to claim his maiden Masters 1000 title. The World No. 13 Draper is looking to get back into form after missing the 2026 Australian Open due to an arm injury.

Andreeva’s 2026 title run proved to be just as magical with the teenage phenom becoming the youngest BNP Paribas Open champion since Serena Williams in 1999. She returns to the desert as the World No. 7, where she will aim to recreate the magic of her championship run that included a pair of thrilling wins over World No. 1 Sabalenka and two-time BNP Paribas Open champion Iga Swiatek (2022, 2024)in the final and semifinal respectively.

Other former champions eyeing another title in the desert include four-time Grand Slam champion and World No. 14 Naomi Osaka (2018),as well as World No. 65 Paula Badosa (2021). Returning men’s champions include top-ranked American and World No. 7 Taylor Fritz (2022)and World No. 26 Cameron Norrie (2021).

World No. 2 Jannik Sinner is set to make his return to Indian Wells after missing the 2025 event. Sinner will eye an elusive first career title in Tennis Paradise having reached the semifinal in 2023 and 2024.

Other Top 5 talents on the ATP side include 2026 Australian Open semifinalist and World No. 4 Alexander Zverev, as well as Lorenzo Musetti – who broke into the Top 5 for the first time in his young career to start the 2026 season.

No American woman has captured the Indian Wells title since Serena Williams in 2001, and a talented group of top-ranked stars will be looking to break that drought in 2026. 

Two-time Grand Slam finalist Amanda Anisimova is the top-ranked American on the women’s side after reaching a career-high World No. 3 ranking this January. She’ll be joined by two-time Grand Slam champion and World No. 5 Coco Gauff and World No. 6 Jessica Pegula as the Americans with the best chance of breaking the title drought in the desert.

On the American men’s side, World No. 9 Ben Shelton joins Fritz as the Top 10 American players dreaming of a title run in Indian Wells. Former Grand Slam semifinalists Tommy Paul (World No. 22) and Frances Tiafoe (World No. 30) round out the list of Top 30 American players coming to Indian Wells, along with Southern California native and World No. 24 Learner Tien – who recorded the biggest result of his career with a quarterfinal run at the 2026 Australian Open.

World No. 20 Iva Jovic joins Tien as a newly minted Top 20 American and young talent to watch, with the 18-year-old Southern California native fresh off reaching a career-best quarterfinal at the 2026 Australian Open. Other top Americans fans can look forward to seeing compete on home soil include 2025 Australian Open champion Madison Keys (World No. 15) and 2024 US Open semifinalist Emma Navarro (World No. 17).

Other spotlight names on the player entry lists include two-time Grand Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini (World No. 8), 10x WTA Tour champion and Olympic Gold Medalist Belinda Bencic (World No. 9), 2026 Australian Open semifinalist Elina Svitolina (World No. 10), along with 10x ATP Tour champion Alex de Minaur (World No. 6), 2025 US Open semifinalist Felix Auger-Aliassime (World No.8), and two-time BNP Paribas Open finalist Daniil Medvedev (World No. 11). 

The remaining spots in the singles player field will be filled by the winners of the qualifying tournament set to take place from March 1-3, as well as wild card recipients on each Tour who will be announced in the coming weeks. The doubles and mixed doubles player fields will be announced at a later date.

Stay with News Channel 3 for full coverage of the BNP Paribas Open.

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Jesus Reyes

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – After an extensive nationwide search, Cathedral City is set to hire Andrew Firestine as its new city manager.

The move will be official after a contract approval at the Feb. 11 city council meeting.

Firestine, who currently serves as the city’s Director of Community and Economic Development, would assume the role on Feb. 12, 2026, per the terms of the contract.

“The City Council conducted an extensive and deliberate search to find the right leader for Cathedral City,” said Mayor Raymond Gregory. “After evaluating candidates from across the country, it became clear that the best person for the job was already part of our team. Andy’s experience, vision, and deep understanding of our community made him the clear choice.”

Firestine is an experienced local government professional with a career focused on creating lasting community impact and delivering efficient, effective, and responsive service.

A California native, he spent the first 16 years of his career in Colorado, working for a regional council of government and the cities of Colorado Springs and Centennial in various planning and management roles.

Firestine relocated to the Coachella Valley in 2019 and served as Assistant City Manager for the City of Palm Desert, managing multiple service areas until 2022. He then served as Director of Development Services for the City of Escondido before joining the City of Cathedral City in September 2023.

In his current role as Director of Community and Economic Development, he has led the city’s planning, economic development, code compliance, and building services.

Firestine holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of San Diego and a Master of City and Regional Planning from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. He is a member of the American Planning Association, the American Institute of Certified Planners, and the International City/County Management Association.

Anne Ambrose, who has been serving as Interim City Manager since Charlie McClendon’s retirement in September 2025, will transition back to her role as Assistant City Manager.

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Luis Avila

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – This weekend’s Tour de Palm Springs is expected to bring thousands of cyclists to the Coachella Valley.

The event is one of the largest cycling charity events in the country. Every year, up to 8,000 cyclists from 46 different states and four countries take part.

News Channel 3 is speaking with the Palm Springs Police Department about safety measures that will be in place to ensure a smooth and secure event for cyclists and motorists alike.

For more information, click here.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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