Author: KESQ

Raymond Kalra

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – A longtime LGBTQ+ nightlife destination in Cathedral City is getting a new beginning, more than two years after its former nightclub closed amid controversy.

Eagle Cathedral City officially celebrated its grand opening Friday, October 30, following a multimillion-dollar renovation of the property at 67625 East Palm Canyon Drive.

The location was previously home to The Barracks, a popular LGBTQ+ leather bar that served the community for more than three decades before closing in August 2024.

For longtime patrons, the reopening represents more than another place to grab a drink.

“It was a home base. It was home bar. I really loved the community that was there at the Barracks,” said Charles, a Cathedral City resident who frequented the former establishment.

A new chapter for a historic location

The property has a long history within the Coachella Valley’s LGBTQ+ community, dating back to 1992, when the original establishment opened as Wolf’s. It later became The Barracks, known for its gatherings, themed events and celebrations during Palm Springs Leather Pride.

However, the bar closed in August 2024 amid regulatory issues involving its liquor license and disagreements over occupancy and building safety requirements.

At the time, the former owner blamed disputes with the city and state regulators for the closure. Cathedral City officials disputed those claims, saying the city had been working with the business to address safety requirements and increase its permitted occupancy.

Now, new owners Phillip and Jeremy Nalwalker say they are determined to give the location a fresh start.

“We wanted to do everything right by the book,” Phillip told News Channel 3. “So just starting with the renovation itself, we met with the city to bring everything up to code. Our goal is to run an establishment that’s going to be open for 30 years and to not have those kinds of issues.”

The renovation included extensive structural improvements, a new roof, updated electrical and plumbing systems, modern lighting and sound equipment, and an expanded outdoor patio.

The owners say they wanted to preserve the sense of community associated with The Barracks while creating a completely modernized nightclub.

Community investors help bring project to life

The transformation was made possible in part by significant financial support from people who believed in the project before the nightclub even opened.

According to the owners, 266 investors contributed a combined $1.5 million through a community crowdfunding campaign.

The owners said they initially expected to raise a relatively small amount of money, but the response exceeded their expectations and helped fund a more extensive renovation.

“When we started this vision, we never imagined we would be able to renovate the space to this level,” one of the owners said.

They explained that the project began after repeatedly hearing people ask what would replace The Barracks.

Rather than continuing to wait for someone else to reopen the location, they decided to take on the project themselves.

The owners say the support has extended beyond the Coachella Valley, attracting interest from people across the country and around the world.

Cathedral City welcomes the investment

Cathedral City Mayor Raymond Gregory joined the owners and community members Friday for an official ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Gregory said the new ownership worked closely with city officials throughout the redevelopment process, including discussions about safety, capacity, fire protection and other building requirements.

“These operators came in, they wanted to do it right, and the city is very excited then to work with them and help them do it in a way that was reasonable to them, but also made it safe and fun and beautiful and a real asset to the city,” Gregory said.

The mayor said the previous establishment had faced issues involving capacity, fire alarms, sprinklers and emergency exits.

He also emphasized the potential economic benefits of the new nightclub, saying the city hopes it will attract visitors who will also support nearby restaurants, hotels and businesses.

Gregory said Cathedral City has a longstanding history as a gathering place for the LGBTQ+ community and believes the new venue will strengthen that identity.

A gathering place returns

For community members who remember The Barracks, the reopening brings back memories of a place where friendships were formed and people gathered for years.

Ron Fellows, who attended the grand opening, said he hopes the atmosphere that made the former nightclub special will carry over into Eagle Cathedral City.

“Honestly, the community, the kindness and the community of the Barracks, I hope, transitions into the Eagle now because, yeah, we’re just welcoming and all encompassing and it’s a great place to be,” Fellows said.

Fellows attended the nightclub’s soft opening Thursday night and said he was impressed by the transformation and the turnout.

Another former patron, Charles, described the old nightclub as one of Cathedral City’s main LGBTQ+ gathering places. He said losing it meant some residents had to travel to Palm Springs to find a similar nightlife experience.

Now, he hopes the renovated space will become a welcoming destination for both longtime patrons and newcomers.

“Just having a beacon of light to make sure that everybody is welcome here,” Charles said.

Eagle Cathedral City opens during Palm Springs Leather Pride weekend, one of the region’s major annual celebrations for the leather community.

The owners say the newly renovated venue has a capacity of 777 people and hope it will become a destination for LGBTQ+ nightlife throughout the Coachella Valley and beyond.

For the community members who once called The Barracks their home bar, Friday’s opening marks both the return of a familiar gathering place and the beginning of a new chapter.

Click here to follow the original article.

Dakota Makinen

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – With children expected to fill neighborhood streets for Halloween, California Highway Patrol is reminding drivers to slow down and watch carefully for trick-or-treaters.

The warning hits close to home in the Coachella Valley. On Oct. 31, 2007, 13-year-old Crystal Delgado was hit and killed while crossing near Vista Chino and Landau Boulevard in Cathedral City.

In a 2016 KESQ report revisiting the tragedy, a Valley resident who remembered the crash said the children were wearing dark costumes and were difficult for drivers to see.

That detail underscores why visibility is an important part of Halloween safety, especially when children are walking near traffic after dark.

CHP Officer David Torres says drivers should be especially alert in residential neighborhoods and avoid distractions behind the wheel.

Drivers should:

Slow down, especially in residential neighborhoods. Watch for children crossing between parked vehicles. Put away phones and avoid other distractions. Expect children to move unpredictably. Be especially cautious around intersections and areas with heavy trick-or-treating activity.

Parents can also help by choosing bright costumes or adding reflective materials, glow sticks or lights so children are easier to see after dark.

Children should use sidewalks when available, cross at designated intersections and understand that seeing an approaching vehicle does not necessarily mean the driver can see them.

With Halloween falling on Saturday, Oct. 31, drivers and families are encouraged to plan ahead and take extra precautions to help everyone get home safely.

Click here to follow the original article.

Jesus Reyes

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – We’ve made it to the final week of the regular season for high school football. We’ve got 7 games during Week 11, which will include league title implications and rivalries.

Palm Desert 28 @ La Quinta 36 F Palm Springs14 @ Rancho Mirage28 F Desert Hot Springs6 @ Yucca Valley13 F* Indio22 @ 29 Palms48 F Rio Honda Prep22 @ DCA41 F** Shadow Hills0 @ Xavier Prep28 F Cathedral City @ Desert Mirage F (Thurs)*** Banning41 @ Coachella Valley13 F (Thurs) * Yucca Valley wins the DVL Championship** Desert Christian Academy finishes their season undefeated, 10-0*** Desert Mirage advances to playoffs after Indio’s loss

Teams advancing to CIF-SS Playoffs:

Updated: 10/31/26 7:29 PM

DEL:

La Quinta – Auto Bid Rancho Mirage – Auto Bid Xavier Prep – Auto Bid

DVL:

Yucca Valley – Auto Bid Desert Hot Springs – Auto Bid Banning – At-Large Bid

SVL:

Twentynine Palms – Auto Bid Desert Mirage (First time in the school’s 22-year history) – Auto Bid

Desert Christian Academy is also advancing to playoffs.

Palm Desert and Banning also have a chance to advance to playoffs, but the teams listed above have automatically qualified

The Best Local Sports Show airs LIVE every Friday night throughout the season.

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

Click here to follow the original article.

Jesus Reyes

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Indio City Manager Jonathan Nicks has been appointed as the City Manager of Bell Gardens.

The city of Bell Gardens announced Nicks’ hiring on Thursday after being approved by its city council earlier this week.

Nicks is set to assume his responsibilities in Bell Gardens on January 4, 2027. He will have a three-year term with optional two one-year extensions and an annual base salary of $316,380.

A spokesperson for the city of Indio confirmed Nicks will continue to serve as City Manager through the end of the year.

Nicks was appointed Indio City Manager in May, taking over for Bryan Montgomery, who retired in the summer. Nicks spent the past two years as Indio’s assistant manager.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any new developments.

Get the News Channel 3 app here. Click here to follow the original article.

City News Service

THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) – After elevated levels of arsenic in the drinking water system at Oasis Mobile Home Park in Thermal had plagued residents’ lives for numerous years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency made a final delivery of bottled water to residents this week.

The agency stated it was “prepared to make a determination” that water was safe to drink, and intended to lift the emergency administrative order’s water requirement.

The EPA issued a public notice online on Oct. 16 stating that lab analysis of collected sample results at the drinking water treatment facility revealed arsenic levels since 2023 were consistently at or below the maximum containment level of 10 parts per billion in compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act.

“Based on these sampling results, EPA is prepared to make a determination that arsenic levels in the Oasis drinking water system no longer pose an imminent and substantial endangerment to the public health of Oasis drinking water consumers,” the agency stated. “EPA is also prepared to make a determination that residents may consume the water for drinking, cooking, bathing and brushing teeth.”

A spokesperson for the EPA told City News Service that the EPA will continue to exercise oversight over drinking water maintenance, operations and future improvements. Additionally, the California State Water Resources Control Board’s Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience Program made the final scheduled delivery of bottled waters to residents this week.

The mobile home park, located at 88740 70th Ave., within the Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indian Tribe’s reservation, had received three emergency administrative orders issued by the EPA between 2019 to 2021 for high levels of arsenic. In 2019, arsenic levels ranged from 16 ppb to 97 ppb from the groundwater that had naturally occurring arsenic.

Arsenic was described by the agency as a carcinogen that can cause lung, bladder and skin cancers as well as heart disease, diabetes and neurological damage.

After more than dozens of residents have moves out in previous years and a lawsuit to the park operators, Oasis park addressed the issue, including upgrades to its treatment system, adjusted treated water chemistry, installed new water storage tanks and maintained a consistent monthly flushing program through its fire hydrants, according to the EPA website.

More information can be found at https://www.epa.gov/pacific-southwest-media-center/oasis-mobile-home-park.

Get the News Channel 3 app here. Click here to follow the original article.

Peter Daut

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – Israel is facing political uncertainty following a closely watched election with questions about who will lead the country next.

In an exclusive interview, we spoke today with Danny Labin, CEO of the Jewish Federation of the Desert, who is in Israel right now. Labin shared his firsthand perspective on the political climate and what the uncertainty could mean for the country’s future.

He also discussed how events in Israel are resonating with Jewish communities here in the Coachella Valley and across the globe.

“There was so much passion at the polls. No matter what people’s voting preferences were, people showed up, took part in the democratic process. And nearly 100,000 Israeli citizens from around the world came back to vote, because there is no absentee voting in Israel. And many people found it very important to come and cast their vote,” Labin said.

Labin says the connection between Israel and the Jewish community here in the desert remains strong.

For more on the Jewish Federation of the Desert, click here

Click here to follow the original article.

City News Service

PALM DESERT (CNS) – Students at the Cal State San Bernardino Palm Desert campus can directly engage with employers in different career fields as part of an initiative to help them gain insight into different career environments, skills and experiences, it was announced today.

Work Local Industry Immersion Days connects students with local organizations to learn about career pathways, hiring processes, industry trends and helps students explore career opportunities in the region.

“Work Local is about creating direct pathways between our students and the communities in which they live and aspire to work,” Oscar Fonseca, career readiness program coordinator at the Palm Desert campus, said in a statement. “Industry Immersion Days give students the opportunity to see what careers look like in practice, ask questions of professionals and make informed decisions about their next steps.”

Officials said the program has taken place at Altus Schools Coachella Valley, Coachella Valley Unified School District and Palm Springs Unified School District during the fall 2026 semester, with additional dates scheduled for the spring 2027 semester.

“When students have opportunities to engage directly with local educators and employers, they begin to see themselves not just as college students preparing for the future, but as emerging professionals who have something meaningful to contribute to their own communities,” Amanda Reigle, a faculty member at the Palm Desert campus, said in a statement.

More information about the initiative is available at https://www.csusb.edu/career-center/worklocal.

Click here to follow the original article.

City News Service

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Three young men who opened fire on a crowded Thermal home, unleashing numerous rounds in a drive-by attack that continued after sheriff’s deputies arrived, were sentenced today.

Eric Orozco Diaz, Guillermo Alexander Martinez and Gustavo Isbojet Barrera Pena, all 19 and from the eastern Coachella Valley, pleaded guilty in August to 16 counts of firearm assault, two counts of recklessly discharging a gun and one count each of shooting at an occupied dwelling and firing from a moving vehicle.

The defendants’ pleas were directly to Riverside County Superior Court Judge Susanne Cho, without pretrial negotiation between the defense and District Attorney’s Office.

During a hearing Thursday afternoon at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, Cho sentenced Martinez to the longest prison term — 11 years — while Diaz and Pena were each sentenced to eight years behind bars.

The men were arrested last December following a sheriff’s investigation.

The victims at the Thermal property include nine men and five women.

Sgt. Jarred Bishop said that shortly before 10 p.m. on Dec. 5, the defendants drove to a house in the 88000 block of Avenue 70, near Fillmore Street, and cut loose with a volley of shots at the property, not hitting anyone inside.

The victims called 911, and several patrol units reached the location a short time later.

“While on scene, a vehicle drove onto the street, and an occupant fired multiple rounds in the direction of deputies, striking one of the patrol vehicles,” the sergeant said. “No deputies were injured.”

They also didn’t shoot back, but instead gave chase as the vehicle sped away.

“Deputies pursued the suspect vehicle but lost sight of it,” Bishop said. “A short time later, they located an abandoned vehicle matching the suspect vehicle, (which was parked) in the 63000 block of Landon Lane.”

That’s roughly 10 miles northwest of where the shooting occurred.

Bishop said a search of the location after midnight on Dec. 6 resulted in contact with Pena, who tried to run away but was quickly apprehended without further incident.

Two days later, Diaz and Martinez were also taken into custody after they were summoned and questioned at the sheriff’s station on Airport Boulevard in Thermal.

A possible motive for the attack wasn’t disclosed.

The defendants had no documented prior felony convictions in county adult court.

Get the News Channel 3 app here. Click here to follow the original article.

Jesus Reyes

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – With election day just days away, voters in Coachella will soon decide who will lead their city for the next two years.

Four candidates are seeking the mayor’s seat, each with their own ideas about what needs to change and how to move the city forward. On Wednesday, News Channel 3 spoke with some of the candidates about their priorities.

Incumbent Mayor Dr. Frank Figueroa is running for reelection and joins us live in studio at 4:00 p.m. to discuss his record, the challenges facing Coachella, and why he wants another term.

Get the News Channel 3 app here. Click here to follow the original article.