Author: KESQ

City News Service

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, which was closed for a week due to a mechanical issue that has since been resolved, will extend for another week a promotion offering free rides to first responders, it was announced today.

A problem with a motor contactor that supplies power from the tram drive to the tram motor was first reported Aug. 8, knocking the tram out of service until Saturday when the part was replaced, officials said.

As a result of the closure, the Tramway’s “First Responders Days” program that was set to expire on Aug. 31 has been extended to Sept. 7. The program is available to active members of first response agencies such as police and fire departments, federal agencies and others.

A valid photo ID must be presented in person to receive complimentary admission. Eligible personnel can also bring up to four guests, who will each receive 25% off regular admission prices.

“First responders are the cornerstone of every community. We greatly appreciate the dedication of al first responders and the work they put in every day to keep our communities safe,” Tramway manager Nancy Nicholas said in a statement.

For more information on the program, call 888-515-8726.

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City News Service

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – Home sales declined in Riverside County and statewide in July, the California Association of Realtors announced today.   

Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes in California totaled a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 261,820 last month. July home sales activity dipped 1% from the annualized rate of 264,400 homes in June and was down 4.1% from a year ago, when that annualized rate was 272,990, according to CAR.   

The statewide annualized sales figure represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2025 if sales maintained the July pace throughout the year. It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.

Riverside County sales were down 5% from June, and down 7.4% from July of 2024.  

Meanwhile, home prices fell in Riverside County and statewide. The median sale price of an existing, single-family home in Riverside County in July was $630,000, down from $635,000 in June, and a decline from $639,670 in July last year.

July’s statewide median home price was $884,050, down 1.7% from June and down 0.3% from $886,420 one year ago.   

“The housing market experienced a modest slowdown in both sales and prices in July as some buyers stepped back, waiting for more certainty in the market and broader economy,” CAR President Heather Ozur said in a statement. “Encouragingly, mortgage rates have recently declined to their lowest level since last October, and that has already led to an increase in purchase applications. If this trend continues, we could see stronger buyer activity and renewed demand in the months ahead.”

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Allie Anthony

NORTH SHORE, Calif. (KESQ) – Coachella Valley Unified School District is officially back in session today, welcoming nearly 16,000 students across the East Valley.

Superintendent Dr. Frances Esparza encourages all students to arrive prepared, in uniform, and ready to learn as the new academic year begins.

This year, a brand new school is opening.  North Shore Elementary, located in North Shore, is designed to accommodate up to 500 students. The new campus will help ease overcrowding at nearby elementary schools that have faced capacity challenges for years.

Superintendent Esparza is looking forward to welcoming back students across all CVUSD campuses.

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Jesus Reyes

CABAZON, Calif. (KESQ) – A fire destroyed a home near the family of the missing baby case in Cabazon Tuesday afternoon. Authorities said they do not believe there is a connection between the two.

The fire was reported along Ramona Road just after 6 p.m.

CAL FIRE officials confirmed the first arriving units reported a single-story, single-family dwelling fully involved. The fire spread to a second residence and nearby vegetation.

The fire was contained by 7:15 p.m.

Red Cross has been requested to the scene for one adult male and female.

No injuries to civilians or firefighters were reported.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, CAL FIRE officials told News Channel 3 Wednesday morning.

The fire is near the home of the family of the missing 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro. CAL FIRE told News Channel 3 that the Riverside County and San Bernardino County sheriff’s departments are aware of the fire and their investigation findings.

“There is no connection with the fire and the missing child case other than the proximity,” CAL FIRE officials wrote in an email to News Channel 3 Wednesday morning.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said a little later Wednesday morning that they have no information indicating the fire is related to that case.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any updates.

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Shay Lawson

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ)  – Friends of the Desert Mountains (Friends) said recovery will take time after the Rosa Fire burned 422 acres of conserved land in upper Palm Canyon earlier this month.

“We have multiple acres of land up in the Pinyon area,” Friends’ Executive Director Tammy Martin said. “The key area that really affected us was the trail. The first part of the Palm Canyon trail up there.”

Now, she said the non-profit organization is beginning recovery efforts.

“We are going to see about doing a restoration plan up there with many of our partners here in the Coachella Valley,” Martin said.

Stay with News Channel 3 for the organization’s message to the community at 10 and 11 p.m.

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Jesus Reyes

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – Two men were arrested in connection with the shooting death of a 13-year-old last week in Cathedral City.

Police announced Tuesday that an 18-year-old and a 19-year-old were arrested on Monday. According to jail records, both suspects were arrested in San Diego. Both are currently being held on $1 million bail.

Both suspects are expected to appear in court in Indio on Thursday.

The shooting happened Wednesday night on Whispering Palms Trail and Mission Indian Trail. Police said a group of teens in that area had a confrontation with some people in a vehicle, and someone in the vehicle shot at the victim, identified as 13-year-old Alan Martinez, also known as Reuben.

Martinez was pronounced dead at the scene.

A vigil was held in his honor at the scene of the shooting.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help pay for funeral expenses.

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Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Martha’s Village and Kitchen will host its inaugural Halloween-themed 5K and 10K race in Palm Springs later this year, with all proceeds benefiting services at the city’s Navigation Center.

The family-friendly, all-ages event will be held at 8 a.m. Oct. 11 at Ruth Hardy Park, 700 Tamarisk Lane.  

The “Spooktacular 10K and 5K Race” will feature local vendors, prizes, music, photo opportunities, and wearing costumes is encouraged.   

“All proceeds from the event will benefit the Palm Springs Navigation Center, providing essential services and resources to individuals experiencing homelessness in our community,” city officials said in a statement.   

To register, go to https://runsignup.com/Race/CA/PalmSprings/MVK10K.

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City News Service

NORCO, Calif. (KESQ) – A remembrance service is scheduled a week from today in Norco to honor the 11 U.S. Marines and several other U.S. Armed service members killed in a suicide bombing that occurred during the chaotic evacuation of American military personnel and civilians from Afghanistan four years ago this month.

(Top row left to right) Maxton Soviak, Kareem Nikoui, David Espinoza, Rylee McCollum, Jared Schmitz, Taylor Hoover, Nicole Gee (Bottom row left to right) Ryan Knauss, Hunter Lopez, Johanny Rosario, Humberto Sanchez, Daegan Page, Dylan Merola

The ceremony to mark the fourth anniversary of the attack is scheduled for 7 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Memorial for the Fallen 13 in the Norco Country Center, 960 Sixth St.

A frequent speaker at the annual remembrances is Shana Chappell of Norco, who lost her son, 20-year-old Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, in the Aug. 26, 2021, bombing by terrorists at the Abbey Gate fronting Kabul Airport.   

Along with the Marines, a U.S. Navy corpsman and a U.S. Army soldier perished, while nearly 100 civilians were killed or injured in the blast.   

Chappell, who was sharply critical of the Biden administration’s handling of the U.S. exit from Afghanistan, lost another son, 28-year-old Dakota Halverson, to suicide in August 2022 at Pikes Peak Park, near his fallen brother’s memorial.

Chappell said Halverson had been overwhelmed with grief, to the point he was sleeping nights adjacent to Nikoui’s grave.   

Nikoui was one of two Riverside County natives killed in the bombing. The other was 22-year-old Marine Cpl. Hunter Lopez of Indio.   

The remembrance service will feature a candlelight vigil, with relatives of those lost, their friends, community supporters and members of the Southern California Patriot Guard Riders, a veterans motorcycle group that regularly participates in tributes, on hand.

“Some service members who were present at the Abbey Gate will be in attendance,” according to organizer Kris Ross.   

The memorial features a plaque saluting Nikoui as “Our Home Town Hero.”   

More information is available at www.Fallen13Memorial.com.

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Luis Avila

THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) – As students prepare to return to class Wednesday, some Coachella Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) staff are voicing concerns about the district’s readiness — just months after sweeping layoffs aimed at closing a $50 million budget shortfall.

In May, CVUSD eliminated hundreds of positions in an effort to stabilize its finances. Some say the move, which district leaders say was necessary, has left many campuses scrambling to adjust workloads and responsibilities ahead of the new school year.

Billy Franco, who was impacted by the layoffs but was reassigned to a different position within the district, says the impact on student services is already being felt.

“Some of them are English-learner students. One of the tests they do is to see where their progress is and possibly push them out of that program. So with these employees, they are not there to do that position anymore.”

Billy Franco, CVUSD Paraeducator Special Education 

Superintendent Dr. Frances Esparza responded to the concerns, defending the district’s actions as part of a broader fiscal stabilization strategy.

According to Esparza, CVUSD became overstaffed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when temporary relief funds were used to hire additional employees. With those funds now gone, the district says it is returning to sustainable staffing levels. She emphasized that student services and support would not be affected.

“We have planned for strategic planning adjustments to align our current resources with the needs of our students and our school sites without disruption.”

Dr. Frances Esparza, CVUSD Superintendent

As negotiations continue, both district officials and staff say they are committed to ensuring students have a successful start to the school year.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Jasmine Sullivan-Waits has been appointed as the new Executive Director of Palm Springs Pride, the organization announced on Tuesday.

The move goes into effect on Sept. 1.

“Jasmine Sullivan-Waits’s appointment as Executive Director is not just a new chapter for Palm Springs Pride, but a bold stride towards an even more impactful and inclusive future for the LGBTQ+ communities it serves,” Palm Springs Pride officials wrote.

Officials said the appointment “marks a significant leap forward for Palm Springs Pride, harnessing Jasmine’s unparalleled expertise and profound dedication to public service.”

Sullivan-Waits is an Indio native with a 17-year history as a dedicated liaison to Palm Springs Pride.

Officials said she was the driving force behind the successful relocation of Palm Springs Pride events to downtown in 2014. Her contributions were further recognized with the prestigious 2024 Spirit of Stonewall Community Leadership Award.

“My journey to Palm Springs Pride reflects a lifelong dedication to improving the spaces we gather in,” Sullivan-Waits said. “I look forward to centering my work in the human rights arena, fostering growth in the Pride organization, and giving back to the LGBTQ+ community.”

Sullivan-Waits spent nearly two decades with the City of Palm Springs, spearheading numerous community programs, overseeing the remarkable growth of cornerstone events such as the Festival of Lights Parade and the Veterans Day Parade.

Ron deHarte, President and CEO of Palm Springs Pride, expressed immense confidence in Jasmine’s appointment, stating, “We are proud to have Jasmine lead the organization. As only the second woman to serve in this leadership role since 1986, her appointment signifies a momentous occasion for Palm Springs Pride. The future is undoubtedly in good hands as Jasmine takes the reins, advancing equality, promoting diversity, and celebrating the strength and talent of the region’s LGBTQ+ community.” 

deHarte will continue in his role as President of the board and CEO as Jasmine fully assumes her executive duties. 

Sullivan-Waits has undergraduate and graduate degrees (MPA) from California State University, San Bernardino.

Beyond her professional achievements, Jasmine enjoys a fulfilling personal life, spending time with her partner, Meghan, and their three children.

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