Author: KESQ

Shay Lawson

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Powerball jackpot has soared to an estimated $1.8 billion.

It is the second-largest lottery prize ever in the United States, just behind the $2.04 billion jackpot won in California in November 2022.  

The latest draw comes after 41 straight drawings without a jackpot winner, fueling the leap from $1.7 billion to $1.8 billion ahead of Saturday’s drawing.  

The two main options for lottery winners are the lump sum and the annuity payment methods.

The estimated cash value is approximately $826.4 million before taxes.  

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.

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City News Service

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A 22-year-old man accused of gunning down an Indio resident during a confrontation outside a home must stand trial on first-degree murder and other charges, a judge ruled today.  

Ruben Molina was arrested last year following an Indio Police Department investigation into the slaying of 23-year-old Carlos Arriaga.  

At the end of a preliminary hearing Friday, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Anthony Villalobos found there was sufficient evidence to bound Molina over for trial on the murder count, illegal possession of a firearm and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations, as well as an allegation of perpetrating a crime while on bail.

The judge scheduled a post-preliminary hearing arraignment for Sept. 18 at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.

Molina is being held on $2 million bail at the Benoit Detention Center.

According to the Indio Police Department, in the predawn hours of Aug. 24, 2024, the defendant was involved in an unspecified confrontation with Arriaga at a property in the 80000 block of Jennifer Court, just east of Clinton Street.

During the encounter, Molina allegedly pulled a handgun and opened fire, mortally wounding the victim, police said.

A possible motive was not disclosed.

As witnesses called 911, the defendant fled the location, according to investigators.

Arriaga was taken to nearby Desert Regional Medical Center, where he died a short time later.

Detectives developed leads within a few hours pointing to Molina as the alleged shooter, and he was taken into custody without incident on Avenue 44 in Indio that morning.

He has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.

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Peter Daut

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Tonight, a News Channel 3 exclusive: the life and legacy of Harold Matzner, in his own words.

Matzner died Thursday at Eisenhower Health after a battle with an illness.

News Channel 3’s Peter Daut recently spoke with Matzner in what ended up being his final interview.

Matzner was unable to do the interview with Peter in person because of health issues, but he still took the time to speak with me by phone. Little did we know it would be his very last interview.

Coming up at 6 p.m., we’ll have part two of our exclusive interview with Matzner, including his thoughts on the future of philanthropy here in the Coachella Valley.

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Cynthia White

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – Riverside University Health System – Public Health (RUHS-PH) department reported Friday that an Indio High School student has tested positive for tuberculosis.

RUHS-PH officials say they are making efforts to notify anyone who may have been exposed to the disease, and add that the student is receiving treatment and is expected to make a full recovery.

RUHS-PH worked with Desert Sands Unified School District (DSUSD) officials to send exposure notification letters to guardians, faculty and staff members of students who may have had on-going contact with the individual in April through the end of May.

Riverside County Public Health Officer Jennifer Chevinsky says, “Our team is working closely with the school to identify anyone who may have had close contact with the student and ensure they receive appropriate testing and follow-up care. Given the rise in tuberculosis cases we’ve seen in our county, this is an important reminder that TB disease is both preventable and treatable.”

TB testing will be offered for individuals who may have been exposed. If the test is positive, the individual will be sent for a chest X-ray and then follow up with Public Health. If the chest X-ray shows no disease in the lungs, treatment for latent TB infection is recommended to prevent progression to active TB illness.

Faculty, staff and parents or guardians of students who are not considered at-risk were notified of the potential TB exposure and informed that no further action was needed.

DSUSD Public Information Officer Tamara Wadkins says, “Desert Sands Unified School District is committed to the health and safety of our students and staff. Counseling services are available to assist any student or staff member who may feel unsettled during this time.”

TB is a disease caused by bacteria that is spread through the air during prolonged, repeated and close contact with someone who has infectious TB disease.  In most cases, people infected with TB have a latent infection that has no symptoms, is not contagious, and does not progress to active TB disease, especially with the appropriate treatment. Symptoms of active TB can include a persistent cough, fever, night sweats and unexplained weight loss.

In Riverside County, 98 active TB cases were reported last year, an increase from 63 cases in 2023.

For more information, contact RUHS –PH Disease Control at 951-358-5107.

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Cynthia White

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – A felony parolee who is a former employee of a Beaumont group home for boys is back behind bars, accused of lewd acts with a child.

Riverside County Sheriff’s Office reports that 33 year old David Sanabria was arrested Thursday and charged with lewd acts with a child and oral copulation with a child under the age of 14.

Riverside County Sheriff’s Office

Sanabria was first arrested in 2022 and later convicted for inappropriate contact with clients of the Beaumont group home and possession of sexually explicit materials involving children.

Authorities say they reopened the original investigation into Sanabria, on felony probation for the earlier conviction, after two additional juvenile victims stepped forward in May of this year. Investigators learned the two juveniles were victims of inappropriate contact at the group home before Sanabria’s 2022 arrest.

Investigators located Sanabria in Corona on Thursday, and say he was taken into custody without incident and Booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Special Victims Unit believes there may be additional victims and encourages anyone with information regarding this investigation to contact Master Investigator J. Andrade at 951-955-1701 or Riverside Sheriff’s Dispatch at 951-776-1099.

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Athena Jreij

LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – La Quinta City Councilman Steve Sanchez is proposing the formation of a new coalition in the desert, the Coachella Valley Veterans Coalition, or CVVC.

Sanchez says the coalition would serve as a gathering-place for local veterans to advocate for their rights as a unified force.

He’s hoping to gather opinions and propose the formation by October.

“The mission of the CVVC is to unite all Veteran groups under one unified voice—leveraging our collective strength to better advocate for and serve our Veterans. The coalition will also act as a central hub, connecting Veterans, their families, and the community to the resources offered by our member organizations,” Sanchez said.

The date of the first meeting will be set based on responses submitted through the following link: doodle.com/group-poll/participate/aKEQZwrd.

Tonight, News Channel 3 checks in with local veterans on what concerns they hope the coalition could address and what veterans in the valley are in need of now.

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Timothy Foster

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – The Cathedral City Senior Center is marking National Food Bank Day with a community food drive aimed at helping local residents in need.

The event will take place Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the center, located at 37171 W. Buddy Rogers Avenue.

Organizers say they are in urgent need of donations including pasta, pasta sauce, cereal, soup, and canned vegetables. Staff members will be on site throughout the day to accept contributions.

The senior center’s food bank currently serves about 450 households every Monday. The program is run entirely by volunteers, who collectively contributed more than 16,000 service hours last year.

“Every donation goes directly to feeding people. That’s the heart of what makes this effort so special. We are open to all — no ID required,” the senior center said in a statement.

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Allie Anthony

Palm Springs, Calif. (KESQ) – September marks Pedestrian Safety Month, and police departments across the Coachella Valley are reminding drivers and students to slow down and stay alert, especially around school zones.

At the Palm Springs Police Department, officers are asking the community to make pedestrian safety a top priority. With increased foot traffic near schools, it’s more important than ever for both drivers and pedestrians to stay aware.

Drivers are urged to follow speed limits in school zones, stay alert near crosswalks and bus stops, and watch for children who may unexpectedly enter the road. As for kids walking to school, it’s important to look both ways before crossing, use crosswalks properly, and make eye contact with drivers before stepping into the street.

Stay with News Channel 3 to hear from the Palm Springs Police Department and the Palm Springs Unified School district about how to prevent pedestrian related accidents this school year.

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Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Harold Matzner, a prominent entrepreneur, humanitarian, and philanthropist in the Coachella Valley, has died at the age of 88 after a brief illness.

News Channel 3 confirmed Matzner was pronounced dead at Eisenhower Health Thursday afternoon. Services will be announced at a later date. He is survived by his partner for life, Shellie Reade; his son, Devin; his daughter, Laura; his grandchildren, Elizabeth and Emily; his nephew, Jason; and his two Cavalier King Charles spaniels, Little Guy and Doc.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the charity of your choice, in honor of Harold Matzner’s extraordinary spirit of giving.

Matzner was widely known as “Mr. Palm Springs,” who helped transform the city into a world-class destination for arts and civic life.

Matzner served as the chair of the Palm Springs International Film Festival and Film Awards for more than 20 years, saving the festival from near collapse in 1999. As chairman for more than two decades, he donated more than $12 million of his own funds, built the Palm Springs International Film Awards into a glittering Hollywood launchpad, which generates billions of media impressions worldwide each year, and cemented the festival’s reputation as one of the world’s great showcases for cinema.

He stepped down from the position in April 2023.

Matzner was born in 1937, in Newark, New Jersey, he made his fortune in advertising and marketing.

Matzner discovered Palm Springs in 1985 and soon made it his focus. Nowhere was his influence felt more profoundly than in the city’s arts and culture.

Matzner is one of the Coachella Valley’s largest donors to philanthropy. Over nearly four decades, he donated more than $85 million to local nonprofits, championed healthcare, education, and the arts, and elevated the Palm Springs International Film Festival into a premier stop on Hollywood’s awards circuit.

Over the years, his giving benefited dozens of organizations, including Eisenhower Health, DAP Health, the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center, the Living Desert Zoo & Gardens, the McCallum Theatre, the Palm Springs Art Museum, FIND Food Bank, Jewish Family Services of the Desert, the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert, and Equality California.

Matzner’s philanthropy was both sweeping and personal after he fell in love with tennis and the Palm Springs Tennis Club. When he joined the club in 1997, it had only 44 members. After becoming the Tennis Club Chairman and turning it into an inclusive experience for everyone, there are almost 500 members today.

He was also the owner of the popular Palm Springs restaurant, Spencer’s, named after his beloved 110-pound Siberian husky. He was also Chairman of CBA Industries on the East Coast.

Matzner is credited with the key leadership role in creating Palm Springs’ Measure J (a 1% sales tax increase that has helped to fund a $200 million downtown revitalization program, while providing an additional surplus of $12 million per year to rebuild the city’s infrastructure).

In 2006, Matzner was honored with a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars, which is located at the foot of his friend Sonny Bono’s statue in the heart of Palm Springs, at 155 S Palm Canyon Drive.

Matzner often said his joy came from “making magic for the people I love.” His mantra was simple: “Never give up. Always push forward.” His absence will be felt in boardrooms, ballrooms, and the countless lives touched by his generosity — many who never knew his name but live better because of him.

Community Reaction:

“The passing of Harold Matzner is a profound loss for our community. His generosity, leadership, and dedication will be remembered with great respect. My sincere condolences go out to Shellie and the entire Matzner family. Rest well! Eight4Nine, Restaurant & Lounge, Willie’s.”

– Willie Rhine, owner of Eight4NIne and Willie’s Rest

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Harold Matzner, a true philanthropist and visionary whose generosity has left an indelible mark on Eisenhower Health and the entire Coachella Valley. Harold’s steadfast commitment to improving the health and well-being of our community has touched countless lives, from patients and families to our staff and future generations.

His dedication to supporting world-class health care at Eisenhower has helped us expand our programs, strengthen our services, and ensure that high-quality care is available close to home. Beyond his contributions to health care, Harold was a champion for the arts, culture, and countless charitable causes that have made our valley a more vibrant and compassionate place.

We are profoundly grateful for his partnership, his vision, and his heart. On behalf of the entire Eisenhower Health family, we extend our deepest condolences to his loved ones. Harold’s legacy of generosity and service will continue to inspire us for years to come.”

— Martin MassielloPresident and Chief Executive OfficerEisenhower Health

Palm Springs Mayor Ron deHarte statement:

An Enduring Legacy: Harold Matzner (1937-2025)

Harold Matzner’s vision and generosity have permanently enriched the community he called home. His legacy lives on in the thriving cultural institutions, revitalized downtown, and countless lives touched by his compassion and commitment to making Palm Springs a better place for all. He exemplified the profound impact one person can make when business success is paired with genuine care for community and an unwavering dedication to the greater good.

He knew how to get it done.

Palm Springs Councilmember David Ready, previously longtime City Manager

“Harold Matzner was such a major figure in the amazing journey of Palm Springs’ renaisance over the past 20 years.   Working with him as City Manager, his dedication, commitment and stewardship of the Palm Springs Film Festival has propelled our city brand to heights we could not have imagined.

Our community is lesser with his passing, and he will be dearly missed.”

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Haleemon Anderson

LOS ANGELES (KESQ) – The United States Attorney’s office announced two lawsuits against Southern California Edison Co., today, alleging that faulty transmission and power lines led to the devastating Eaton and Fairview fires.

The filings cite “a troubling pattern of negligence,” and allege that the company’s negligence caused the deadly fires, which burned tens of thousands of acres of National Forest System lands, killed a total of 21 people, and destroyed thousands of buildings.

Both fires damaged federal government-owned land and property. The United States is seeking to recover tens of millions in damages incurred by the Forest Service, including fire suppression costs, rehabilitation of burned areas and other environmental damages.

“The lawsuits filed today allege a troubling pattern of negligence resulting in death, destruction, and tens of millions of federal taxpayer dollars spent to clean up one utility company’s mistakes,” Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement.

According to the lawsuit, SCE admitted that it detected a “fault” on one of its transmission lines around the time that the Eaton Fire started.

Federal prosecutors allege SCE’s equipment caused the Jan. 7 blaze. Forty million in damages is sought in connection to the fire, which destroyed more than 9,400 homes and other structures in Altadena and killed 19 people, making it one of the most destructive wildfires in California history.

The Eaton fire ignited around 6:20 p.m. Jan. 7 near Altadena Drive and Midwick Drive in the foothills above Altadena during hurricane-force Santa Ana winds, according to Cal Fire. The blaze burned roughly 14,021 acres over 24 days, destroying about 9,414 structures and damaging another 1,074. The cause of the fire has not been determined.

The Fairview fire burned 44 structures, claimed two lives, and injured three people — including two firefighters– in addition to damage caused to the national forest.

The lawsuit alleges that SCE failed to properly maintain its power and transmission lines in or around the area where the Fairview Fire ignited. It also failed to ensure the minimum clearance between its power lines and the Frontier Communications messenger cable in the area where the fire started.

The United States is seeking to recover nearly $37 million in damages incurred by the Forest Service, including about $20 million in fire suppression costs, according to the Fairview suit.

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