Author: KESQ

Luis Avila

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – This Pride Month, ongoing protests, immigration fears, and rise in anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric are weighing heavily on the community. As these tensions escalate, concern for mental health is only deepening.

According to the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, this is resulting higher rates of depression, anxiety, and trauma among LGBTQ+ individuals.

The need for help is growing, but not because of a lack of resources, rather some are still hesitant to seek help.

“A lot of our LGBTQIA+ patients have a history of discrimination, bullying, rejection… so when you have experienced those things from people that are in your direct environment, its hard to think people who don’t know me are going to act any different.”

Melissa Hawkins, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation clinical supervisor

Still amid the tensions, advocates say there’s hope, with more people stepping up to create spaces where LGBTQ+ individuals feel valued and cared for.

“When individuals are able to see there are community members that they don’t know… that there are voices advocating… saying ‘we’re here for you,’ I think it can help feel less scary knowing that there is a community at large that does support you and willing to speak up.”

Melissa Hawkins, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation clinical supervisor

Experts recommend those struggling to reach out to a close family member or friend. The first step is openly expressing how you are feeling.

Resources:

Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

Transgender Health and Wellness Center

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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Jesus Reyes

LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – Homicide investigators with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department have made an arrest in the 2019 shooting death of a man in La Quinta, authorities said.

The suspect, a 23-year-old man from Whitewater, was taken into custody Friday after investigators developed new leads and reopened a cold case, according to sheriff’s Sgt. Jarred Bishop.

Law enforcement serve search warrant in neighborhood near Haugen Lehmann in Whitewater (6/13/25)

Cathedral City resident Anthony Carrillo, 19, was found with gunshot wounds inside a residence in the 53000 block of Avenida Madero Oct. 26, 2019, Bishop said. Carrillo was pronounced dead at a hospital.   

Anthony Carrillo

The case went cold after years of investigation. In 2023, Riverside County Sheriff’s investigators put out a call to the community for information on the case.

Recently, detectives reviewed the case and found evidence and information, the sergeant said.   

Investigators identified the suspect in the murder, Bishop said. He was arrested and booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta for suspicion of murder.

He was being held on $3 million bail, according to sheriff’s inmate information. The suspect is expected to appear in court on Wednesday, according to court records.

The investigation was ongoing and anyone with information was asked to call Master Investigator J. Manjarrez or Master Investigator V. Magana of the Central Homicide Unit at 951-955-2777.

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Gavin Nguyen

IDYLLWILD, Calif. (KESQ) – 117°F was the high temperature recorded in Palm Springs on Father’s Day! This early taste of summer heat is sending some valley residents to our local mountain communities to escape the heat.

News Channel 3 spoke with visitors and businesses in Idyllwild on Monday about recent trends and how they’re preparing for a summer boost in traffic.

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Jesus Reyes

BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) – Developer John Wessman was found not guilty of bribing former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet.

A jury found Wessman not guilty on all charges, which included nine counts of bribery and one count of conspiracy.

Wessman was accused of paying former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet more than $200,000 to secure city support for downtown redevelopment projects between 2012 and 2014.

Pougnet and developer Richard Meaney have both pleaded guilty to charges related to this case. Pougnet is scheduled to be sentenced on July 2. Meaney’s sentencing is scheduled for July 28.

Wessman was one of the most influential developers in Palm Springs, credited with shaping the city’s modern downtown through projects like the Kimpton Rowan Hotel, Wessman Development headquarters, and the Palm Springs Downtown Revitalization Project.

Check Out Our ‘Scandal at City Hall’ Section for More Coverage on this Case

Steve Pougnet and John Wessman (2012)

The case, which began as a federal corruption probe until it was turned over to county investigators in 2016, has been plagued by repeated delays, some resulting from ongoing challenges by the defense to the indictment, as well as the COVID lockdowns, Pougnet’s relocation to another state, changes to legal counsel and related complications.   

Pougnet served two terms as mayor, leaving office in 2015.   

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.

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Garrett Hottle

BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) – A jury has found former developer John Wessman not guilty on charges of bribery and conspiracy.

Wessman faced nine counts of bribery and one count of conspiracy tied to allegations of public corruption involving former Palm Springs, Mayor Steven Pougnet.

News Channel 3’s Garrett Hottle is at the Banning Justice Center and will provide updates as soon as the verdict is announced. Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.

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Julia Castro

Editor’s Note: Indio Police clarify that during the pursuit, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office vehicle collided with an uninvolved vehicle. The pursuit ended due to that collision and the suspect vehicle evaded capture. The original version of the article described the pursuit ending in a collision with the suspect’s vehicle. The Indio Police Department is investigating the collision.

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) — A vehicle pursuit involving the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office ended in a crash Sunday night at the intersection of Jefferson Street and Northgate.

According to preliminary details, an RSO unit was pursuing a suspect vehicle when both the deputy’s patrol car and the suspect’s vehicle collided. The circumstances leading up to the crash remain unclear, and it’s not yet known whether there are any injuries.

There was no word on whether there were any arrests.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office is handling the investigation into the pursuit and crash.

This is a developing story. Stay with News Channel 3 for updates on-air and online.

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abc-news

By ABC News Staff

(ABC NEWS) – The massive search for the man suspected of the fatal shootings of Minnesota lawmakers concluded on Sunday evening when he was arrested by police, multiple sources confirmed to ABC News.

Vance Boelter, 57, was arrested near his farm in Green Isle, Minnesota. He was spotted on a trail via camera earlier Sunday and then taken into custody, sources said.

He is accused of the fatal shootings of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, and a separate shooting attack on another state lawmaker and his spouse.

Authorities said they’ve identified 57-year-old Vance Boelter as a person of interest.FBI

The twin attacks in Champlin and Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, on Saturday led to the discovery in the suspect’s vehicle of an alleged target list of dozens of Minnesota Democrats, including Gov. Tim Walz, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith and state Attorney General Keith Ellison, according to law enforcement sources.

During a press conference Sunday evening, police said a hat believed to be associated with the suspect was found near his alleged vehicle. There were several items of evidence relevant to the ongoing investigation found in the vehicle outside of the alleged target list, police added.

The discovery of the hat is what led authorities to believe Boelter was in the area.

Authorities gather at a baseball park in Green Isle, Minnesota, June 15, 2025, as they search for the 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter, the suspect in the fatal shooting of Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark.Craig Lassig/EPA-EFE/Shutterstocl

Police said that Boelter had been in contact with individuals, but were trying to determine if he was receiving any assistance while on the run from law enforcement. “All options are on the table,” said Drew Evans, the superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension in the Minnesota Department of Public Safety said earlier Sunday.

The FBI was offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to Boelter’s arrest.

There was a nationwide warrant for Boelter’s arrest on a state level and a federal warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, police said Sunday.

Boelter is suspected of gaining entry to the lawmakers’ homes by disguising himself as a police officer, even arriving at the victims’ home in a vehicle that looked like a police cruiser equipped with flashing emergency lights, officials said.

Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman are shown in these undated file photos.Minnesota House of Representatives | Minnesota Senate

The shootings unfolded around 2 a.m. Saturday, when Minnesota State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were both shot multiple times at their home in Champlin, Minnesota, authorities said.

Soon after the shooting at the Hoffmans’ home, state Rep. Hortman and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed at their home in Brooklyn Park, according to authorities.

Leah Palmer visits a makeshift memorial for Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark at the state Capitol, June 15, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn.George Walker Iv/AP

MORE: Minnesota assassination suspect Vance Boelter on the run; wore realistic latex mask

Police believe the suspect opened fire on the victims while wearing a latex mask, sources said.

A makeshift memorial for Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark is seen at the state Capitol, June 15, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn.George Walker Iv/AP

Following the shooting at Hoffman’s residence, officers were sent to Hortman’s home to check on her well-being, officials said. As officers arrived at the residence, they encountered the gunman at around 3:35 a.m. The suspect and the officers exchanged gunfire before the suspect escaped, flee on foot and leaving behind his fake police car, where investigators found his target list, authorities said.

Two associates of Sen. Hoffman and his wife told ABC News on Sunday that the couple was awake and out of surgery.

Yvette Hoffman is conscious and “doing relatively well,” and John Hoffman is alert and recovering from a collapsed lung, the associates said. One source estimates that Sen. Hoffman was shot multiple times.

“Everybody is cautiously optimistic,” one of the sources said.

Authorities said they’ve identified 57-year-old Vance Boelter as a person of interest.KSTP

Boelter – a husband and father, according to an online biography – has touted an extensive background in security and military training, according to an ABC News review of his online presence and professional history.

Boelter helped lead the private security firm Praetorian Guard Security Services, which is based in the Twin Cities area, according to the company website.

The suspect’s wife was detained for questioning after a traffic stop near Onamia late on Saturday morning, multiple law enforcement sources told Minnesota ABC News affiliate KSTP. She was released without being arrested, according to KTSP, which reports it’s unknown why her vehicle was stopped.

ABC News’ Josh Margolin, David Brennan, Emily Shapiro, Jack Moore, Luke Barr and Mike Levine contributed to this report.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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Shay Lawson

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ)  – With soaring temperatures across the Coachella Valley, some families found a cool way to celebrate.

Craig Fedoryshyn, visitor, said his family visited the Palm Springs Air Museum.

“My son over there loves planes and I do, too,” Fedoryshyn said. “We’re in town from Wisconsin visiting, so might as well come out on Father’s Day and check out the museum here. We’ve heard about it.”

At the museum, dads got in free.

Jordan Feinberg, visitor, said his father likes airplanes and jets and that he’s happy to spend the day with him — doing something he loves.

“It makes me very happy that I get to be with someone very supportive,” Feinberg said. “And to support what they love.”

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Timothy Foster

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — The Big Gay BBQ returns to the City of Palm Springs taking place this Friday and Saturday, June 14 and 15, from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Arenas District.

This free, family-friendly event invites residents and visitors alike to enjoy an afternoon of music, food, and celebration in the heart of downtown. Attendees can look forward to a lively atmosphere featuring live DJs, a band, backyard games, and cooling stations equipped with supersized fans to help beat the summer heat.

A highlight of the event is the exceptional variety of food vendors serving a wide selection of barbecue and treats. Wholy Smoke BBQ will offer classics such as baby back ribs, pulled pork, chicken, hot links, mac and cheese, peach cobbler, and sugar-free cakes. Deepest Cut will bring a fusion of Mexican and Latin American flavors to the barbecue scene, while Papa’s BBQ will serve smoked ribs, tri-tip, chicken, sandwiches, and traditional sides like coleslaw and cornbread.

Uncle D’s Smokehouse BBQ & Grill will provide smoked brisket, pulled pork, ribs, banana pudding, and their signature baked beans. Guests can also enjoy locally made artisanal gelato from Gelato Granucci, or grab refreshments and snacks from Carl’s Concessions, including Hawaiian shave ice, lemonade, hot dogs, nachos, and more.

The Big Gay BBQ is more than just a food festival — it’s a celebration of diversity, inclusion, and the unique spirit of the Palm Springs community. It offers an opportunity for friends, families, and visitors to gather and connect in a joyful and welcoming environment.

For more information, visit pspride.org/BigGayBBQ.

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Kendall Flynn

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Local groups from across the Coachella Valley, rallied together Saturday to a “No Kings” protest. They joined over 2,000 other groups across the nation standing against what they call “escalating authoritarianism.”

“Let us live our lives,” John Barrowman said. “You can have your lives. You can believe what you want, but don’t make me believe. I don’t need to believe.”

Over 5,000 people joined the protest at Downtown Park with signs or wearing “No Kings” crowns. Many attendees were not surprised by the number of people, and said it showed a united message.

“Palm Springs always turns out when there’s something to stand up for because…we always represent the marginalized community,” Barrowman said looking at the crowd. “And, this is amazing.”

The crowds extended through the park to the Palm Springs Art Museum and into downtown to South Belardo Road. Protesters say they are making their voice heard and sharing their story with hopes it will make a difference.

“America is about diversity. America was based on people coming from other countries,” Barrowman said. “I’m an immigrant myself. I wanted to be an American citizen, and I am proud of it…we should not deny that to other people.”

The Palm Springs Police Department had a heavy presence after the rally, especially after a suspect was arrest for an alleged shooting threat. PSPD Chief Andy Mills spoke on peaceful protest safety, and told the crowd they would support their cause as it remained peaceful.

“There’s some people who want to oppress. We choose to empower,” Mills said to the crowd. “There are some trying to instill fear based use of police tactics. We choose to bring hope and compassion.”

While attendees and organizers say they don’t know if their message will be heard by everyone, it still gave them the chance for a unified front.

“I’m not sure they’re going to hear it, the ‘Trumpers’, MAGA people,” Teri Wattsen said. “Hopefully it energizes people to resist, get more and more people out.”

“The message is America is a melting pot,” Barrowman said. “Everybody deserves a chance. Freedom is for everybody. The Constitution is there to respect everybody too and we should respect the Constitution.

Even though the protest had over 5,000 people, they’re hoping for an even bigger future.

“Start to stand up and realize what’s going on in this country and get out of your holes and come out and protest with the rest of us” Suellen Chodash said.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more on the Palm Springs “No Kings” protest coverage and to hear from attendees.

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