Author: KESQ

Jesus Reyes

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – A 20-year-old Thousand Palms man has been reported missing. Family said Derek Gillum was last seen leaving his residence on La Canada Way in Thousand Palms Friday at around 10:30 p.m.

Recent photo of Derek Gaillum

Photo of Derek Gaillum taken in 2024

Gaillum is described as six feet tall, weighing about 155 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a black t-shirt, brown khaki pants, a blue Dodger hat turned backwards with black Vans.

Photo taken Friday night (8/29/25)

Family told News Channel 3 he was last seen getting into white PT Cruiser.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the disappearance. If you have any information call the Palm Desert Sheriff’s Station at 760-836-1600.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any updates.

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Athena Jreij

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – As the Valley prepares for another busy season, officials are renewing calls to be careful around bighorn sheep wandering into urban areas.

Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills released a video on social media Wednesday featuring Mills and animal control officers Jeanette Guzman and Stephanie Anderson, who discussed the risks of approaching the animals.

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A post shared by Palm Springs PD (@palmspringspd)

Anderson said that from late summer through winter, the herd often roams into the city in search of food and water. While the sheep generally will not harm people unless provoked, officers warned residents to keep their distance.

“These protected animals are a vital part of our desert ecosystem, and keeping a safe distance helps ensure their health and survival,” the department said.

More information about the Bighorn sheep can be found at bighorninstitute.org.

Tonight at 5PM, News Channel 3’s Athena Jreij speaks with local officials and wildlife experts about what to do if you encounter a bighorn sheep.

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City News Service

SAGE, Calif. (KESQ) – A 16-year-old girl who went missing today in the Hemet Valley was located, the California Highway Patrol confirmed.

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Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A Palm Springs man accused of lewd contact with a minor from out of the state was arrested Tuesday.

The suspect, a 42-year-old man, was arrested in the area of 1200 E. Palm Canyon Drive.

Palm Springs police said they were alerted last week to inappropriate online communications involving an adult male and a juvenile who resides out of state.

“Investigators reviewed the information provided and confirmed evidence of sexually explicit conversations between the suspect and the juvenile, who is 15 years old,” police said.

Police added that the suspect is alleged to have knowingly communicated with the juvenile while aware of their age.

He was booked into the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio, where he was being held on $10,000 bail. Police said he faces charges of contacting a minor with intent to commit a sexual offense and arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd purposes.

The suspect is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.

The Palm Springs Police Department is continuing to examine electronic evidence related to this case and will coordinate with out-of-state authorities as needed. Anyone with information about Simmons or who believes they may have been a victim is encouraged to contact Detective Gilberto Alcaraz at 760-323-8123 or gilberto.alcaraz@palmspringsca.gov.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates on this case.

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Jesus Reyes

Riverside, Calif. (KESQ) – 52 dogs were transported to Maine this week to help them find homes amid critical overcapacity at Riverside County shelters.

The pets are destined for Miracle Lane Farm and Sanctuary (Maine), Give a Dog a Home Rescue (Maine) and SPCA Westchester (New York).

The Riverside County Department of Animal Services (RCDAS) partnered with Wings of Rescue for the transportation.

“These are 52 lives changed thanks to our amazing Wings of Rescue partners who continue to show up for RivCo pets looking for a second chance,” said RCDAS Manager Daylin Valencia. “I’m grateful to be part of a team that is committed to lifesaving where we rally to get these pets ready for their flights whenever the opportunity presents itself.”

RCDAS continues to operate in critical overcapacity for dogs, where three to four share a kennel designed for only two. To help get pets into homes and reduce overcrowding, adoption and reclaim fees are waived at all shelter locations.   

“Fall In Love” fee-waived adoptions include spay/neuter surgery, microchips, age-appropriate vaccinations and engraved ID tags. With over 1,000 dogs across the shelter system, there are a wide variety of breeds, ages and personalities to choose from.

Check Out: Pre-adoption program hopes to get lost pets out of Riverside County shelters

If community members cannot adopt but want to give a pet a break from the shelter, short-term fosters are also needed. Families can take advantage of the Dog Day Out field trip program that helps give a dog a break from their kennel while exposing them to potential adopters. Dogs who go out on just one day trip get to exercise, socialize and destress making them 5 times more likely to be adopted.  

For more information on fee-waived adoptions and how to sign-up to foster, visit www.rcdas.org

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Jesus Reyes

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (KESQ) – A pursuit ended in Rancho Mirage Wednesday morning.

The pursuit started at around 8:10 a.m. in the area of Frank Sinatra Drive and Bob Hope Drive in Rancho Mirage for a vehicle code violation, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies attempted a stop for a vehicle code violation but the vehicle failed to yield and a pursuit was initiated.

The vehicle stopped in the area of Highway 111 and Thunderbird Road in Rancho Mirage, where deputies negotiated with the driver to surrender.

The driver was ultimately taken into custody and transported to a local hospital with minor injuries. There was no additional information available on the suspect.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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Gavin Nguyen

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – Monsoonal thunderstorms have brought some summer rain to Riverside County’s local wildland, but fire officials say it has done little to curb the region’s high fire danger.

Because of the lingering fire risk, firefighters with CAL FIRE caution outdoor restrictions for campfires, trails, and other activities will likely remain in place until more significant winter rainfall impacts the area.

CAL FIRE also lists this year’s fire statistics on its website.

INTERVAL
WILDLAND FIRES
ACRES

2025 Combined YTD (CALFIRE & US Forest Service)
6,504
425,680

2024 Combined YTD (CALFIRE & US Forest Service)
5,356
408,911

5-Year Average (same interval)
5,622
772,489

The number of wildfires and total acreage burned has already surpassed last year’s totals, though officials say so far, Southern California has been spared from large wildfires like last year. According to CAL FIRE, most wildfires have been contained to less than 10 acres, and the larger fires have been kept within the 500 to 1,000 acre range.

Captain John Clingingsmith, a spokesman with CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department, cautioned that Southern California’s peak fire season is still on the way, which typically occurs September through October.

News Channel 3 is breaking down the fire risks and how monsoonal rainfall can affect fuels. Stay with us for the latest.

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KESQ News Team

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – Yellow Cab of the Desert, operating throughout the Coachella Valley for more than a decade, is no longer in business.

Several drivers reached out to News Channel 3 on Tuesday saying the company is out of service.

News Channel 3 called their office and a voicemail confirmed the company is no longer in service, directing customers to another phone number. The number directed us to City Cab, which is absorbing Yellow Cab of the Desert.

Dozens of Yellow Cab employees were laid off. The company had a fleet of more than 50 vehicles, including a seven-passenger van.

SunLine Transit Agency is the taxi regulatory agency for the Coachella Valley.

The agency’s Director of Board and Legislative Affairs Edith Hernandez says SunLine learned of the closure on Tuesday, and says she doesn’t yet have details as to why Yellow Cab went out of business. She adds, “There are still three other agencies or companies out there that can provide taxi service to our residents and visitors alike.”

News Channel 3’s Peter Daut spoke in-depth with Hernandez on Wednesday about this development in the local taxi industry.

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Kendall Flynn

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – The Palm Desert City Council has been discussing the fate of streetside patios along El Paseo, something that restaurants added during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Now, the city council has declined to adopt rule changes for the outdoor dining decks as the suggestion faced pushback from numerous eateries along the shopping district. 

The restaurants where forced to remove their outdoor patios because of a $4.8 million project for roadway rehabilitation along El Paseo, all at the expense of the owners. Now they say the new rule changes would be backtracking on what the City had told them before the construction, as they were told patios could return after construction.

The new changes would require restaurants to redevelop their outdoor seating to be on the sidewalk rather than within street parking limits. Many owners and managers said this would be an added cost as they would have to redevelop their patio.

Currently multiple restaurants are storing their street side patio parts to rebuild them starting in October, once street construction is done. However, there’s a chance they could rebuild and then have to take then down entirely again in June 2026 if the rules change.

The Palm Desert City Council will now wait until California State Legislature revisits AB-969. The law passed during the COVID-19 pandemic allowed for alcohol sales and consumption along public sidewalks and streets in entertainment zones.

The Palm Desert City Council passed the Outdoor Dining Deck Program around the same time as the law to permit businesses to build outdoor patios. The program has the same expiration date as the law in June 2026.

City officials are looking for a more permanent solution to the streetside seating, but they will currently return this fall to El Paseo. The City will revisit the conversation ahead of the projects possible expiration.

Stay with News Channel 3 to hear from restaurant owners and the City about the ongoing decision. 

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Athena Jreij

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. (KESQ) – County officials are hoping to get more unclaimed pets out of shelters thanks to a new pre-adoption incentive, “DIBS for Dogs.”

Just this week, Riverside County animal shelters have taken in more than 150 animals, officials say a large part of those animals are unclaimed, lost pets.

The new program would allow prospective owners to place “dibs” on dogs that are still in their legally required stray hold period, if they have no microchip or ID tag. That period can vary from 6-10 days depending on the information an animal is surrendered with.

If no family has reclaimed them by the time that period ends, the dog is automatically paired with a family and can go into a new home that same day.

Gisela Dalton was one of the first to sign up for the program at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus. Now, she’s hoping to take home ‘Vanilla’ when her stray holding period ends this weekend.

“She looks kind of shy and right now I just need some emotional support going through some emotional things with health with someone I love. So I thought that would be a really good pick me up for me,” Dalton said.

Marlo Clingman, manager at CVAC, says the key is getting animals out quicker.

“The goal with sheltering is to reduce length of stay. The longer a pet spends in the shelter environment, the more chances they have to, contract a disease, get injured, develop behavioral problems. Because, as you know, being in a kennel all day is no fun,” Clingman said.

All in all, shelter officials hope owners are proactive in reclaiming their pets. Technology like Petco’s Love Lost has made it easier. The app uses AI and facial recognition technology to match lost dogs with animals in their database and in local shelters.

“We’ve seen a 12% increase in return-to-owner reunifications that we make. So that’s 12% more pets that are getting back home with Petco Love Lost,” Clingman said.

“DIBS for Dogs” kicks off this week at all four shelter locations in Riverside County.

If you’re interested in putting “DIBS” on a dog, all you have to do is:

Visit a Shelter – This program is currently in-person only.

Fall in Love – Spot a dog on stray hold you want to call DIBS on.

Call DIBS – Staff will verify eligibility, help you complete the process, and let you know when you can pick up your pet.

Pick Up Your Dog – Return on the available date and head home with your new family member.

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