Author: KESQ

Jesus Reyes

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – A West Hollywood resident was pronounced dead after a crash last week in Twentynine Palms, authorities confirmed on Tuesday.

Diego M. Thornton, 52, was pronounced dead after being struck by a vehicle Thursday, Oct. 2, just before 8 p.m. on Amboy Road, east of Mica Avenue.

The California Highway Patrol said the driver, identified as an Indio resident, was determined to not be impaired at the time of the crash.

The cause of the crash and the reason for the pedestrian being in the roadway remain under investigation

Stay with News Channel 3 for any new developments.

Click here to follow the original article.

Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The city of Palm Springs has finalized the $5.9 million payment settlement to the survivors and descendants of Section 14, officials told News Channel 3 Tuesday.

According to the city, the Section 14 Settlement Agreement was signed by the Section 14 claimants on September 4 and by the City on September 5.  The City has received nearly 1,500 signed release/waivers.

Under the terms of the settlement agreement, as approved by the City Council unanimously in November (According to Palm Springs:

The City Council approved $5.9 million in direct financial compensation for eligible survivors and descendants. The payment was contingent upon receipt of at least 1,200 signed legal waivers. As of October 6, nearly 1,500 release/waivers have been received by the City.

The City Council voted to authorize the named claimant representing survivors and descendants and their attorneys the disbursement of individual payments once the required waivers were received. As with all settlements of claims or litigation, the City does not get involved in how the claimants and their attorneys share in the proceeds.

The settlement also includes $20 million in affordable housing programs to be implemented over the next decade, prioritizing access for former Section 14 families, along with $1 million in small-business support to strengthen economic opportunity in Palm Springs.

The City remains committed to establishing a public memorial and dedicating a future park to honor the families of Section 14.

In addition, the agreement provides that the City will offer support for a potential Section 14 Cultural and Racial Healing Center, which may include letters of support. The City is not obligated to fund any such center but remains committed to helping community-led efforts succeed.

“The City approached this settlement with care, transparency, and respect for everyone involved, said City Manager Scott Stiles. “Our goal from the beginning has been to resolve these longstanding claims in a way that is fair, equitable and with a focus on healing and progress.”

Not everyone is happy with the settlement. A petition signed by 37 people, including three survivors, who don’t think the settlement goes far enough, and it lists a number of demands.

Section 14 Attorney ResponseDownload

Section 14 is a one-square-mile tract previously held by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, adjacent to downtown Palm Springs. This area used to home hundreds of people, mostly minority families, until the 1950s and 1960s when they were evicted.

Section 14 became a prominent point of discussion of the Palm Springs City Council in June of 2020, when hundreds of people signed a petition to remove the statue of former mayor Frank Bogert in front of Palm Springs City Hall.

In September of 2021, the City Council voted to move forward with an apology for the city government’s role in the destruction of Section 14 more than 50 years ago. At that same meeting, city staff agreed to bring back budget proposals for reparations to those affected within the year. However, survivors of Section 14 felt as though conversations surrounding reparations began to come to a halt

As a result, the city of Palm Springs began facing legal action in November of 2022. The group of survivors, with the advice of economist Dr. Julianna Malveaux and lead attorney Areva Martin, began seeking direct payments for the racially motivated harm caused by the evictions, with damages ranging from $400 million to $2 billion. 

In a 3-2 vote in April of 2023, the City Council voted not to approve a consultant agreement to develop reparations program services like the survivors had long urged for.

Following a closed City Council meeting in January of 2024 in which Section 14 survivors rallied to discuss movement on the reparation plans, the Council issued a statement agreeing to several actions involving the issue in April 2024.

News Channel 3 has been covering the issue for several years. You can watch some of our reports below:

Click here to follow the original article.

City News Service

PALM DESERT, Calif. (CNS) – A person was rescued today from a trail in Palm Desert after suffering from a medical complaint.   

The rescue was reported shortly before 3 p.m. Tuesday in the 470000 block of Portola Avenue, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.   

The agency said the individual suffered moderate injuries and was hoisted by helicopter to a ground ambulance nearby.   

No further information was immediately available.

Click here to follow the original article.

Peter Daut

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The national nonprofit “Human Rights Campaign” announced that the city of Palm Springs and the Transgender Health and Wellness Center will receive awards at an upcoming event.

The “HRC Palm Springs Garden Party” raises funds to support the organization’s work to defend, protect, and advance equality for LGBTQ+ Americans.

The city of Palm Springs is being recognized for its staunch support of the LGBTQ community while the Transgender Health and Wellness Center is being recognized for the care and youth support it provides.

“LGBTQ+ Americans just want to live their lives and feel that we are due and should be afforded equality. Equality is not limited; it is something we should all be afforded,” said Brian O’Connor, Chair of HRC Palm Springs.

The 24th HRC Palm Springs Garden Party will be held Saturday, November 8, from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Click here for more information on the event, including how to purchase tickets.

Click here to follow the original article.

Gavin Nguyen

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – A horse rescued from Cabazon has found his new calling.

After being rescued from a property in August of 2024, the horse, named Maverick, was taken by the Riverside County Department of Animal Services.

In the months that followed, he was transformed from “severely underweight” to a member of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office Mounted Enforcement Detail (MED). 

Deputy Hubbard, who calls himself “Maverick’s dad,” is speaking with us about the journey he and his partner took to become a part of the elite unit of horse-riding deputies.

Tonight on News Channel 3, we’re bringing you the story of Maverick, the horse who found a new life in law enforcement. Stay with us for the full story.

Click here to follow the original article.

City News Service

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Palm Springs officials will unveil a large-scale art installation from its sister city in Mexico next week during a public ceremony celebrating international cultural exchange, it was announced today.   

Mexican artist Daniel “Mestiz” Valero, from San Miguel de Allende — Palm Springs’ official sister city — will begin installing his artwork “Deriva Floral” Wednesday along Museum Way, adjacent to Downtown Park.   

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is set for 9:30 a.m. Oct. 15, featuring remarks from Mayor Ron deHarte, city councilmembers, San Miguel de Allende Director of Tourism Tania Castillo and Palm Springs Sister Cities President Gary Armstrong.

“We are excited to host this beautiful art installation from our Sister City, San Miguel de Allende. Cross-cultural exchanges like these build bridges across languages, customs, and generations, enriching both communities in the process,” deHarte said.

The installation will feature 36 handcrafted flowers, each about four feet wide, with several suspended in the air. The piece reflects the vibrant colors and cultural identity of Valero’s hometown, officials said.

“San Miguel de Allende has always been a beacon of creativity, artistry and cultural fusion,” Castillo said.

The art installation will be open to the public through November, and was fully funded by San Miguel de Allende, according to officials.

Click here to follow the original article.

Jesus Reyes

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – A Cathedral City woman in Israeli custody after being detained on a humanitarian aid boat headed for Gaza has been safely released and is now in Jordan, family told News Channel 3’s Athena Jreij.

Jordanian state media reported that 131 Gaza flotilla activists were deported to Jordan on Tuesday.

Family shared a video showing Geraldine Ramirez with the remaining US delegation members in Jordan.

“Our family cannot fully express the relief and gratitude we feel at this moment. These past days have been filled with fear, uncertainty, and countless prayers but also with incredible love and support from people all around the world,” reads a statement from Ramirez’s family. “Geraldine is now safe and receiving care. We ask for privacy and calm as she recovers physically and emotionally from her experience.”

Ramirez’s family said they do not know when she will be able to fly back to the United States, nor the exact location where she will be released or processed next.

“We remain in communication with officials and continue to trust that she will be safely reunited with the people she cares for soon,” Ramirez’s family added.

News Channel 3’s Athena Jreij interviewed Ramirez’s family last week, even bringing Ramirez’s story to the attention of local Congressman Raul Ruiz. Watch the interviews below:

Stay with News Channel 3 for any new developments.

Click here to follow the original article.

City News Service

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Indio police hosted National Night Out at Center Stage in the downtown area today as part of an effort to strengthen relations with the community.

The event began at 6 p.m. Tuesday at 82881 Miles Ave.   

“This is a night for America to stand together to promote awareness, safety, and neighborhood unity. National Night Out showcases the vital importance of police-community partnerships and citizen involvement in out fight to build a safer nation,” National Project Coordinator Matt Peskin said in a statement.   

It featured more than 40 community partner booths, including other law enforcement agencies, police said. Officers, in partnership with the California Highway Patrol Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program, will distribute promotional items that state “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Drive High, Get a DUI.”  

National Night Out, sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch, aims to “heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, generate support for and participation in local anti-crime efforts and strengthen neighborhood spirit,” the department said.

Stay with News Channel 3 at 10 and 11 p.m. for the full report.

Click here to follow the original article.

Kendall Flynn

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Mosquitoes collected from a routine surveillance trap in the City of Palm Springs have tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV), according to Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District.

The sample discovery was taken near the intersections of South Camino Real and East La Verne Way. This is the first WNV-positive mosquito sample reported in Palm Springs this year and the 11th in the Coachella Valley.

News Channel 3 brought you the first WNV discovery of the year in the North Shore community in May. Now the latest discovery is prompting the City of Palm Springs to alert its residents. With recent rain, the mosquitoes are more likely to be around, especially near still water.

Now the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District is working to treat areas in Palm Springs, including hot spots for breeding and at residents homes. The district’s Public Information Manager Robert Gaona said it’s a process of killing the mosquito larva before it reaches adulthood for maximum mitigation.

“Each mosquito will lay, 300 eggs,” Gaona said. “So, it is best to treat them when they’re in water to prevent them from becoming adults. It’s much easier and more effective to get rid of them before they’re flying around their communities.”

From storm drains throughout the city alone, thousands of mosquito larva swim near the surface. Vector control takes a sample to determine the breed of mosquito before deciding what method of treatment they need to use. It is often an oil-based treatment sprayed on the surface to inhibit the larva from reaching it.

Mosquito larva sample taken on the corner of E Tachevah Drive and N Avenida Caballeros.

Jonathan Herrera, vector control technician two, said the treatments are efficient until it rains. The storms wash away the original oil treatment, forcing them to consistently return to the area. He said with the rain also comes more mosquitoes around still water.

“It all depends especially with the rain events that we are scheduled to have this coming up Thursday and Friday,” Herrera said. “Unfortunately, that’s just the nature of the beast. But in the meantime, you could always…remove any stagnant water, also use repellent.” 

Stay with News Channel 3 to hear from officials on what treatment looks like and what residents need to know.

Click here to follow the original article.

Allie Anthony

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) — SunLine Transit Agency is offering free rides across its entire fixed-route bus system in support of two major statewide efforts to improve air quality.

The free ride campaign lasts from October 7 through October 11 during Rideshare Week. This is a statewide initiative encouraging commuters to rethink their travel habits in favor of more sustainable options.

No passes, promo codes, or special tickets are required. Riders can simply show up, board, and ride free of charge during the promotional dates.

SunLine hopes the initiative not only helps clear the air but also introduces new riders to the convenience and reliability of public transit.

For more information about routes and schedules, visit this site.

Click here to follow the original article.