Author: KESQ

KESQ News Team

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Mark Hunter Seymour, entrepreneur, community leader and champion for LGBTQ visibility, was honored with a star on the Palm Springs Walk of the Stars on Friday.

The Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce made the announcement last month, stating Seymour is deserving of the star for his role in the LGBTQ+ nightlife and community advancement for more than four decades.

Seymour founded Hunter’s Nightclub in Palm Springs – one of the city’s first gay-owned and operated full service nightclubs that supported numerous nonprofits that helped support the LGBTQ+ community.

Of the honor, Seymour said, “I can’t thank the community enough. They came together and put this up, put this together for me. I am just filled with pride and gratitude. It’s wonderful.”

Seymour’s star, in the categories of Entertainment and Civic/Pioneer, is the 481st. It is located at 302 East Arenas Road.

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City News Service

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Jury selection is slated to get underway Monday for the trial of an ex-Riverside County sheriff’s deputy accused of harassing and abducting a woman, as well as possessing child pornography.   

Alexander Ravy Vanny, 34, of Hemet was arrested last year following an investigation by the sheriff’s department’s Special Victims Unit.

Vanny is charged with kidnapping, stalking, possession of child porn, unauthorized use of protected electronic data, maliciously destroying a wireless device, witness intimidation, illicit eavesdropping, using a concealed camera to invade a person’s privacy, illegal use of a tracking device, interference with a traffic control device and possession of a firearm in violation of a protective order, with a sentence-enhancing allegation of perpetrating a felony while on bail.   

Vanny’s case was moved Wednesday from the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta to the Larson Justice Center in Indio, where Superior Court Judge James Hawkins is expected Monday to summon multiple panels of prospective jurors for screening as to their availability and qualifications. The courthouse will be closed Tuesday for the Veterans Day holiday, after which jury selection will likely resume.

Vanny is being held without bail at the Smith Correctional Facility.   

According to sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Kelleher, Special Victims Unit detectives received word at the end of last November regarding Vanny’s alleged harassment of the woman, whose complaints earlier in 2024 had prompted a separate investigation into the defendant’s alleged misconduct.

Sufficient evidence was gathered to book the former lawman into custody.

Vanny was first arrested on June 22, 2024, following an investigation that began weeks before when the victim, identified in court documents only as “M.P.G.,” told a law enforcement officer that she allegedly had been assaulted by the defendant.  

At the time, the victim was confirmed to be a sheriff’s department volunteer at the Hemet station, where Vanny was then assigned.   

He was booked into the Banning jail but posted a $1 million bond and was released. He was initially placed on paid administrative leave, but within a few months, he was fired from the department, according to sheriff’s officials.

The criminal complaint against him alleged that he abducted M.P.G. sometime between May and December 2024. The document stated that he “unlawfully, maliciously and repeatedly followed and harassed” the victim.   

He also gleaned specific data from a government computer system, copied it and loaded the information onto his personal electronic device, the complaint alleged.

It further said that he allegedly destroyed a mobile phone “to prevent the use of the (phone) to … notify law enforcement of a crime.”   

No additional details were provided.   

While he was on bail, Vanny was separately charged with possession of child pornography.

He had been a sworn peace officer since he was hired by the sheriff’s department in 2016.

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Cynthia White

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (KESQ) – Gerald Ford Elementary students celebrated their veteran and active duty family members at the school’s annual Veterans Day Tribute on Friday.

The students dedicated songs, poems and readings to their families to honor the courage and sacrifices of our nation’s veterans and service members.

Principal John Preston says he feels it’s important to teach the students about the men and women who fight for our country, adding, “We really want to give back to our community, especially the community that gave so much to our military and our armed forces, and we really want to celebrate them. We want to teach our students that people that serve and helpers in the world deserve something back.”

The school also awarded the Gerald Ford Veteran of the Year for 2025 to Office Specialist Jessica Cazares, who served in the Marine Corps for over five years and was deployed three times to Iraq.

See News Channel 3’s list of Veterans Day events for information on tributes planned throughout the valley next week.

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John White

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A Palm Springs Air Museum sponsored expedition aimed at solving one of the great mysteries in aviation discovered five WWII aircraft including two B-17s in the jungle on Papua New Guinea.

Michael Carra, Aviation and Military Historian, led the expedition, his third in hopes of finding the crash site of Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan.

“We’re on the right track, and we have probably a much better theory with actual evidence and a better chance of finding her than any of these other theories,” Carra says.

Meanwhile, the trip was also focused on uncovering military aircraft, and it paid big dividends.

The two B-17s were especially important to the expedition and they held memorials in the jungle to the men who lost their lives aboard those airplanes. 

“I had a very emotional moment on both aircraft, especially the one that we couldn’t get to because it’s in the side of a mountain, and it’s a sheer cliff, and it’s, it’s a good 600 feet down,” Carra says.

Carra will present “Lost Aircraft of the Pacific War” on November 8th at 1:00 p.m. at the Palm Springs Air Museum.

Hear his stories and see his videos and pictures of the expedition along with an exact replica of a B-17E nose section that will serve as a monument, including artifacts from the expedition.

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City News Service

MURRIETA (CNS) – A 21-year-old man accused of providing a fatal dose of fentanyl to a Murrieta resident will be tried in federal court, instead of state court, after he was indicted for the offenses by a federal grand jury, prosecutors confirmed today.

Miguel Angel Gonzalez was arrested last year following an investigation by the Murrieta Police Department into the death of a 22-year-old man identified in court documents only as “S.D.”   

Gonzalez had been charged with second-degree murder and transportation of controlled substances for sale.   

His case was assigned to the Southwest Justice Center, but during apretrial hearing Friday at the Murrieta courthouse, Riverside County Superior Court Judge F. Paul Dickerson was informed a grand jury indictment had been handed down at U.S. District Court.  

“The state case against this defendant was dismissed, as there is a superseding indictment at the federal level for the same facts,” District Attorney’s Office spokesman John Hall told City News Service.  

The specific charges in the federal case were not immediately available, and it wasn’t clear when Gonzalez would be making his next court appearance.

There was additionally no word on why the matter had been placed before a federal grand jury.

The defendant is being held on $1 million bail at the Byrd Detention Center.

According to Murrieta police Lt. Brendan Carney, patrol officers were sent to a residence in the 35000 block of Mitchell Road, near Clinton Keith Road, on the night of Feb. 20, 2024, to investigate reports of a “possible drug overdose.”

When police and paramedics reached the location, they found S.D. comatose and initiated resuscitative measures, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, Carney said.

“Officers discovered the 22-year-old male had ingested fentanyl and died,” the lieutenant said.

Detectives worked on developing leads in the case, ultimately identifying Gonzalez as the alleged supplier of the synthetic opiod, according to Carney.

The defendant was tracked to a property in the area of Redlands Boulevard and San Jacinto Avenue in Perris on the afternoon of April 25, 2024, when he was taken into custody without incident.

How Gonzalez and the victim had become acquainted was not disclosed.   

Gonzalez has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.   

Since February 2021, prosecutors have charged more than 30 people in connection with fentanyl poisonings.  

Public health statistics indicated there were 328 known fentanyl- related fatalities countywide in 2024, compared to 571 in 2023, a 42% decline.

Fentanyl is manufactured in overseas labs, principally in China, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, which says the synthetic opioid is smuggled across the U.S.-Mexico border by cartels.

Fentanyl is 80-100 times more potent than morphine and can be mixed into any number of street narcotics and prescription drugs, without a user knowing what he or she is consuming. Ingestion of only two milligrams can be fatal.

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Jesus Reyes

Update 11/10/25

Johnny Acosta was released on $30,000 bail, according to county jail records.

Acosta is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 19.

Original Report 11/7/25

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A now-former Desert Hot Springs police officer was arrested on suspicion of assault nearly one year after a use-of-force investigation stemming from the arrest of minors.

Johnny Acosta was arrested on Friday after the District Attorney’s Office filed charges of assault with a deadly weapon, filing a false report, and assault by a peace officer under color of authority, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office announced.

Acosta was booked into the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio with bail set at $30,000.

The arrest stems from an incident on the morning of Nov. 8, 2024, at a local school on the 65000 block of Pierson Boulevard.

DHSPD responded to the school regarding a burglary and vandalism of the concession stand near the football field. Officers arrived and located four individuals inside the concession stand. Police said the individuals ran when they saw the officers.

“Officers apprehended one suspect a short distance from the concession stand, during which a use-of-force incident occurred. After searching the area, officers located a second suspect, and an additional use-of-force incident took place during that arrest,” reads RSO’s news release.

Both individuals taken into custody were identified as 17-year-old teenagers. One of the teens suffered minor injuries as a result of the use of force.

In December 2024, the DSHPD requested the Riverside County Sheriff’s Force Investigations Detail conduct an independent investigation into the officer’s use of force.

Acosta was terminated from the department in March “based on the outcome of the department’s internal investigation,” according to DHSPD.

The investigation remains active and ongoing. No further information will be released at this time. Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to contact Riverside County District Attorney Investigator Jason Letterly at (760) 863–7582 or District Attorney Investigator Eric Crosson at (951) 955–2777.

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María García

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – Renova energy opened its doors to the community for their “Green Day”event.

Attendees at today’s event had a chance to get an inside look of Renova’s state-of-the-art facilities, while exploring job opportunities with the company.

They also learned about the company’s leadership, which includes chief operating officer, Erick Quintero. He says he began his career as a solar installer and moved his way up, earning his title at just 29 years old. “That was something that motivated me to keep going and I just wanted to learn, ask the proper questions, and just keep moving forward,” Quintero said.

Attendees also had the opportunity to learn about mycro grid, a system that’s redefining energy independence for homeowners and business owners.

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Jesus Reyes

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – It’s playoff time for our local high school football teams. Seven teams are playing on Friday night.

D7
Claremont – 7
@
Palm Springs – 31
F

D8
Marina – 7
@
Palm Desert – 36
F

D11
Jurupa Hills – 0
@
Shadow Hills – 37
F

D12
Costa Mesa – 17
@
Yucca Valley – 43
F

D12
Arroyo Valley – 26
@
DCA – 24
F

D12
Coachella Valley – 38
@
Banning – 35
F

D13
Desert Hot Springs – 13
@
Woodbridge – 28
F

D8
La Quinta – 21
@
Fullerton – 38
F (Thurs)

/**/

Next Week’s Playoff Schedule:

D7: Hart @ Palm Springs

D8 Palm Desert @ Patriot

D11: Shadow Hills @ Baldwin Park

D12: Yucca Valley @ Grace

D12: Coachella Valley @ Perris

We’ll have score, highlights, and more on the Best Local Sports Show at 11:15 p.m. on News Channel 3.

Stay with KESQ News Channel 3 for continuing coverage of local high school football.

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KESQ News Team

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – We continue to track travel impacts this week, and so far, things are looking relatively smooth at Palm Springs International Airport.  

According to PSP’s website, two flights have been impacted today one arriving flight from Utah has been canceled, and one flight to Phoenix has been delayed.

According to Flight Radar’s Misery Map, as of 4 p.m. at LAX, there have been 59 flights delayed and eight canceled and at San Fransisco International Airport, there’s been 41 flights delayed and 5 canceled.

Click here to check out the interactive map

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates.

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Jesus Reyes

YUCCA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – A woman in an electric wheelchair was struck and killed by a vehicle Thursday evening in Yucca Valley, police confirmed.

The crash was first reported at around 5:50 p.m. near the area of Yucca Trail & Frontera Avenue.

According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, investigators determined that the woman had attempted to cross the road. As vehicles were approaching eastbound on Yucca Trail, a collision occurred with a pickup truck.

The woman was pushed approximately 15 feet east as a result of the collision, authorities said. The woman, identified as an 81-year-old woman from Yucca Valley, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities said the driver of the pick-up truck remained at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation.

Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to contact the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Morongo Basin Station at (760) 366-4175. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may contact We-Tip at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or go to wetip.com.

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