Author: KESQ

María García

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – City leaders are citing safety concerns after several small fires broke out over the past week at homeless encampments.

News Channel 3 is getting answers on what’s being done to make sure those experiencing homelessness know resources are available. News Channel 3’s Maria Garcia spoke with the county and one advocate who says more must be done. They added that the safest option is connecting with valley resources.

But it also raises another question – if resources are available, why aren’t more people experiencing homelessness using them?

Firefighters removed several encampments set up in tamarisk trees along the railroad tracks and Interstate 10 on Wednesday. They were called back to the same area early this morning, where it appears a fire in those same trees rekindled overnight.

Greg Rodriguez, director of Riverside County’s Housing and Workforce Solutions, says helping people in these encampments isn’t simple — and often takes dozens of repeated attempts.

“On average in Riverside County, it takes about 57 attempts to get somebody into services. Many of them have serious mental health issues, or substance use or a combination of both,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez says a recent street medicine program has helped combat the epidemic with more of a healthcare approach.

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Blake Arthur

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) — Nearby Cal Baptist University has decided to cut the men’s wrestling program at the conclusion of this season.

“We have closely monitored the shifting landscape of intercollegiate athletics that has affected institutions across the nation,” said Micah Parker, Ph.D., vice president for Athletics.

“While we had hoped to continue offering our full slate of athletic programs in this new environment, it has become clear that changes are required to realize the university’s goal of achieving greater competitive excellence that the new Division I era demands.”

The full release regarding cancellation of the men’s wrestling program can be found HERE.

This decision has the CBU wrestling program shocked and devastated, but motivated to fight to save it.

KESQ News Channel 3 spoke with CBU wrestling alum Nolan Kistler, advocating for change in the hopes of keeping the program.

“I was shocked,” said Kistler.

“I actually received a DM from my friend on Instagram, and I thought it was a joke. I didn’t think it was real. They’re [the student-athletes] devastated. A lot of them don’t have other options. I mean this decision was made mid-season. I think a lot of people don’t know that CBU is the only Division 1 wrestling program in Southern California,” said Kistler.

CBU men’s wrestling has created a website as part of their efforts to save their program. You can find that HERE.

Stay with KESQ News Channel 3 for the latest developments on this story.

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Peter Daut

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – From Palm Springs to Indio, a growing number of Coachella Valley residents say aircraft noise is disrupting their daily lives.

The complaints follow a change by the FAA to the flight approach path into Palm Springs International Airport, and now, the airport is trying to do something about it.

News Channel 3’s Peter Daut spoke in-depth with Kevin J. Corcoran, the chair of the airport commission.

“We’ve heard a lot from folks in Indian Wells, from Cathedral City and others, who all of a sudden for the first time are hearing planes and complaining about noise that they’ve never experienced before,” Corcoran said.

Watch the full interview starting at 4:00 p.m. on News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2.

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Shay Lawson

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (KESQ)  – Olive Crest Desert Communities, a local non-profit dedicated to preventing child abuse, is hosting its annual “Power of One” fundraising dinner on Thursday.

Organizers said this year’s event will “feature an elegant dinner to celebrate and honor the extraordinary Olive Crest Champions of Hope, those individuals, as well as, companies who have been dedicated to protecting and serving children and families in crisis.”

Alia Azariah will be the featured Keynote Speaker. She is a survivor and a nationally recognized expert on human trafficking, sex trafficking and the commercial sexual exploitation of children.

News Channel 3’s Karen Devine is hosting the event.

You can donate to Olive Crest Desert Communities at this link.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing live coverage.

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City News Service

BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) – A former Coachella Valley girls soccer coach who molested and propositioned multiple students was sentenced today to 61 years, four months in state prison.

A Banning jury in October convicted 30-year-old Juan Manuel Pantoja Troncoso of Salton City of three counts each of forcible lewd acts on a child and contacting a minor for the purpose of perpetrating a sexual offense, four counts of annoying a child and one count of battery, with sentence-enhancing allegations of targeting multiple victims.   

During a hearing at the Banning Justice Center Thursday, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Mark Singerton denied a defense motion for new trial and proceeded with imposing the sentence required under state law on Troncoso, 30, who had no prior felony convictions.

Deputy District Attorney Thomas Farnell rendered a detailed account of the five victims’ recollections of what occurred during their interactions with the defendant, when he was one of the lead athletics coaches in the After-School Education & Safety Program at Toro Canyon Middle School in Thermal in 2019.   

The campus’ principal soccer coach, Javier Perez, said some of the girls refused to take to the field unless he was present, fearing Troncoso’s behavior. Middle school teacher Maria Sylva testified the defendant liked “12 to 14-year-old girls. That’s his type.”

Defense attorney Melanie Roe countered that most of the witnesses were negatively influenced by Sylva, who bore unexplained animosity toward Troncoso and had spoken with the girls before they went to authorities.   

“Sylva contaminated the memories of these girls,” Roe told jurors. “She had a mean-spirited intent.”  

She said the victims, now in their late teens, had ideas planted by Sylva, including the use of words such as “uncomfortable” and “inappropriate,” which students in their early teens wouldn’t normally convey unless an adult, in this case an educator, had steered them toward such terms.  

As to whether her client had made casual observations or offered supportive hugs to the youths, Roe questioned where the line was drawn between criminal offense and friendly chat.  

She praised Troncoso’s character, pointing out he was holding down three jobs to support his family at the time of his arrest in 2020.   

The defendant was dismissed by the Coachella Valley Unified School District in the winter of 2020.

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Jesus Reyes

MECCA, Calif. (KESQ) – A hiker was rescued after suffering a medical emergency on Ladder Canyon Trail, east of Mecca Thursday afternoon.

The incident was first reported at around 12:50 p.m.

“Due to difficult access, CHP helicopter H60 was utilized to locate and retrieve the patient. The patient was delivered to a waiting ground ambulance and transported to an area hospital,” reads a post by CAL FIRE.

There was no word on the current condition of the hiker. Stay with News Channel 3 for any new developments.

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Jesus Reyes

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – The Riverside County Department of Animal Services has partnered with Ironwood State Prison to bring people and animals together to help save and change lives through a novel foster program.

31 RivCo dogs started the foster program with incarcerated men at the state prison located in Blythe, where the dogs can socialize, exercise and learn new manners outside of the stressful shelter environment.

As one of the largest sheltering systems in the country taking in over 35,000 animals in 2024, RCDAS continues to operate in critically overcrowded shelters for dogs, and this new program is a unique opportunity to help both people and pets.

The human foster participants were screened and selected by prison staff and share daily caretaking responsibilities for the dogs.

“This program is all about community and learning new ways people and pets can support each other,” said Jaclyn Schart, RCDAS Deputy Director of Programs and Operations. “These dogs get to play, socialize and build connection with their caretakers who are also teaching them new skills, so when it’s time for adoption the dogs are better prepared to transition into their new environment.”

The dogs’ health is monitored by an RCDAS veterinary team, and prison officials oversee the daily schedules for the dogs and their caretakers. Throughout the program, the dogs practice or learn new skills like walking on leash and sleeping in a crate, but most importantly, they get to experience focused attention and care from their foster guardians.

Correctional Officer Randy Gregory first spearheaded a similar program at the Ironwood facility with a local rescue, but after hearing that shelters were struggling with overcrowding, he reached out to RCDAS.

“This program helps the inmates tremendously because they’re able to focus their energy, attention and time into helping dogs who might need extra support or just need help coming out of their shells,” said Gregory. “I know firsthand the kind of transformations that can happen when we invest in emotional healing, and if the dogs can help the inmates and vice versa then it’s a win all around. We’re excited to work together to get some dogs adopted and change the perception that people have towards shelter dogs.”

T. Jones is a foster guardian who has helped three dogs prepare for their forever homes while incarcerated at Ironwood. He credits fostering dogs with helping him find purpose and hopes the partnership with RCDAS can continue to grow.

“It’s empowering that people trust us with these dogs,” said Jones. “It’s helping the dog, but it’s helping us at the same time with a new responsibility. It’s teaching us patience, kindness and being in touch with our feelings.”

The RivCo dogs at Ironwood become available for adoption after 14 days in the program, if they are not first adopted by Ironwood staff or families of the foster guardians. Since starting the foster program in December, eight RivCo dogs have been adopted without having to return to a shelter.

“We’re grateful that Officer Randy from Ironwood State Prison brought this idea forward. We’re in the business of saying yes, especially when it comes to programs that create second chances,” said Fourth District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez. “Initiatives like this not only help dogs become more adoptable, but they also support rehabilitation by building responsibility, compassion, and purpose. It’s a powerful example of what can happen when institutions come together to serve both people and animals.”

According to Ironwood State Prison Warden, Chris Pierce, the program has been a great morale booster for the employees and incarcerated people. The goal is to expand the foster program capability to 80 dogs with 200 incarcerated handlers in the future. ISP is also planning to grow its support for RCDAS by providing 100 temporary kennels for emergency response situations.

“We are looking forward to growing our partnership with Riverside County and providing them with, what I believe to be, the best dog program in the state,” said Pierce. “We are here to help the dogs, and it’s amazing to see the dogs creating a positive impact at Ironwood in such a short amount of time.”

For more information on the Ironwood Dog Foster Program and how to adopt a dog in the program, visit www.rcdas.org/Ironwood.

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Jesus Reyes

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Lifeguards are wanted in the city of Desert Hot Springs. The city is now hiring Lifeguards for Summer 2026 at the Furbee Aquatic Center.

City officials said they are looking for motivated, responsible team players ready to make a difference this summer.

“This is a great opportunity for students and young professionals to gain valuable experience, build leadership skills, and work in a fun, team-based environment,” reads a post by the city.

Position Details:

Must be 16 years or older


Free training provided


Must pass the Red Cross Certification Course


Practice opportunities available


Seasonal, team-based position


For more information and to apply, visit:
www.governmentjobs.com/careers/cityofDHS
or scan the QR code on the flyer.

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Athena Jreij

CABAZON, Calif. (KESQ) – A community in Cabazon is recovering after strong winds destroyed some of their property earlier this week.

Much of the damage is concentrated on Esperanza Ave, off Main Street in Cabazon, where News Channel 3 assessed downed trees, power lines, road signs and even trailers and manufactured homes toppled over.

Gregory Latham, a longtime Cabazon resident, said he’s seen extreme weather in the area but was surprised by the damage.

“A few times it had been so bad, the wind blew diesel trailers over that were on my property, and it had ripped big trees out of the ground. One time there was a river of water four feet deep in front of my place … My buddy’s roof ripped off and he had to pay several thousand dollars to get it repaired,” Latham said.

While Riverside County crews were spotted in the area, Latham says he wishes more proactive measures were taken.

News Channel 3 reached out to the county who said in a statement:

“In advance of the storm, the Emergency Management Department participated in coordination calls with the National Weather Service. Our duty officers have been monitoring for impacts from the storms, and we have had some localized reports of minor impacts such as down power lines, damaged road signs, and trees that were either knocked over or lost branches. There have been a couple structures that were damaged. So far, no residents have requested services from the American Red Cross. Storm events, such as this are a reminder, that residents should be prepared for extreme weather. Simple things like having an emergency kit and an emergency plan are vital. It’s also extremely important to slow down while driving in rain or snow, be alert for damaged traffic, signs or traffic lights that are not operating and to always remember that flooded roadways can be extremely dangerous and the water can be dangerous and may hide damage to the roadway. For prepared this information residence can go to RivCo ready.org and we encourage everyone to sign up for the Alert RivCo emergency alerting system through our website.”

The county is asking residents to report damage in the area to 951-955-6899. 

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City News Service

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – Students from Xavier College Preparatory High School in Palm Desert won the 21st annual Academic World Quest competition, which challenges students’ knowledge of world affairs, hosted at Cal State San Bernardino Palm Desert, officials announced today.

Team members MacKenzie Johnson, Haleigh Liles, Luke Macwan and Trey Morrison won first place against eight other Coachella Valley high schools during the Feb. 12 event.

“We had a memorable competition this year,” Michael Karp, assistant professor of history at PDC and a member of the World Affairs Council of the Desert board of directors, said in a statement.

Participating high schools were Coachella Valley, Desert Hot Springs, Indio, La Quinta, Palm Valley, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Shadow Hills and Xavier Prep.

The topic of this year’s competition involved migration, immigration, tariffs and trade, the U.S. Constitution, foreign policy and current events.   

Xavier won after five rounds and nearly two hours of competition with a score of 44 out of 50 and will move on to compete against other high schools throughout the country in the National Academic World Quest in April, officials said.

Scholarships were awarded to each student of the top three teams. First-place winners received $300, second place $200 and third place $100.   

Palm Desert High School captured second place and Palm Valley High School took third place following a tie-breaker round with Desert Hot Springs High School.

Certificates of recognition and $25 participation scholarships were given to all participating team members.   

The event was sponsored by World Affairs Council of the Desert, a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that fosters understanding of international affairs though programs, discussion and educational outreach, and is part of a national World Affairs Councils of America network.

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