Author: KESQ

Tori King

Local heroes were honored in Palm Springs on Wednesday. The 3rd Annual Police Officers’ Association Awards and Community Appreciation Social took place from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM at the Rooftop Flannery Exchange at 750 N Palm Canyon Drive.

News Channel Three’s Tori King spent the afternoon at the Palm Springs Police Department speaking with Officer Michael Torres, who received the award for Sergeant of the Year. Torres says been with the PSPD for several years, and now it’s become a place and a community he now calls his home.”I’ve never been to a place where I literally can go anywhere in the city, and I’m getting waves, smiles, and thank you’s for what I do,” said Torres. Torres says receiving the award is beyond meaningful.

“I’m very honored,” said Torres. “I’ve been fortunate to get some awards throughout my career, but this is one is truly near and dear to my heart.” What makes this award so unique, is that it was voted upon by his peers.

“The best part about all of this is the camaraderie and teamwork and that atmosphere where you guys are working together,” said Torres. “They watch you do your thing, do your work, do whatever it is that you do, and to be acknowledged for that, for doing what you really love while taking care about the community, it’s unbelievable.”From solving cases to responding to emergency calls, Torres says he’s thankful for his fellow officers who are there even on the bad days. But he says he owes this award to his parents and his mentor.

“I owe my parents everything, and I had a good year,” said Torres. “I was very fortunate to have the people that I work with on a daily basis, including Lieutenant Villegas, who’s always been a mentor of mine, and he’s helped me throughout this process and really been a big piece of me growing as a supervisor and as a person as well.”News Channel Three also spoke with Lieutenant Mike Villegas, who says Torres has been a critical member of the PSPD family.

“Michael Torres, you know, he’s very special,” said Villegas. “He brings a lot to the table. He’s very passionate, and his work ethic second to none. But he has really changed the culture coming here.”Villegas also says Torres earned this award through years of hard work, dedication, and determination.”He’s constantly working, whether it’s working to make his troops better, whether it’s working to build relationships within the community, or constantly striving to be better himself,” said Villegas. “He’s truly a special man and I’m very happy for him. He more than deserves it.”

Torres also says he’s grateful to the entire department, and that he looks forward to working alongside Chief Andy Mills and Lieutenant Villegas in the years to come.”It means the world to me that they see the little things that I was trying to bring to the table,” said Torres. “The little intangibles. Those are the kind of things that really matter in the scheme of things.”For more information on the awards, or the Palm Springs Police Officers Association click here.

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Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A woman drowned in a home in Palm Springs Wednesday morning, authorities confirmed.

The drowning was reported at around 11 a.m. on the 1600 block of Dunham Road.

Police told News Channel 3 that the fire department responded to the call and confirmed a female had drowned.

PSPD Officers are responding to assist with the investigation, police added.

Stay with News Channel 3 as we continue to learn more details.

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Jesus Reyes

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – A maintenance worker is dead after a fall in a vault Wednesday morning at a country club in Palm Desert.

The incident was first reported as a “confined space rescue” at around 10:20 a.m. at the Marriott’s Desert Springs Villas in the 1000 block of Pinehurst Lane, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

CAL FIRE wrote on social media that a person had fallen into a 20ft. manhole. A CAL FIRE spokesperson told News Channel 3 that the person was a maintenance worker who was working in a vault.

Details were limited but the officials said the patient fell. Air monitoring registered hydrogen sulfide gas, which required rescue crews to use special equipment for the operation, CAL FIRE said.

The cause of the person’s death is being investigated by the coroner’s office. CAL OSHA is also en route to investigate the incident.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any new developments.

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Luis Avila

THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) – Some parents questioning the safety of their children after authorities say two staff members at Desert Mirage High School were transported to the hospital Tuesday after being exposed to a substance.

“It was pretty scary because even when I went to pick him up after school, the ambulance was still there and the fire department and we didn’t know what was going on.”

Loretta Perez, parent

But Dr. Frances Esparza says the district is responding accordingly, taking immediate action to prevent another from happening. The district holding a meeting Wednesday, going over the protocols for handling drugs and alcohol, with resources like narcan at the ready on all campuses.

Karina Vega, district support counselor, say the district has been equipping all campuses to better handle drug related issues and expanding drug prevention education.

“We have Latino Commission substance abuse prevention specialists on all middle school and high school campuses to teach them how to cope with stress and anxiety… We had the District Attorney come and talk to parents about fentanyl and the dangers around it. We also had training for all our wellness centers, therapists on campus, and all of our substance abuse counselors.” 

Karina Vega, district support counselor

But Perez says it’s not enough, calling on the district to conduct searches.

“I think not only with drugs but safety in general. I think there has been a breaking point… especially with how easily it can be brought into school right now.”

Loretta Vega, parent

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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City News Service

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – People traveling out of Palm Springs International Airport or any other airfield today should likely anticipate some delays at security checkpoints as the long-awaited Real ID requirement goes into effect.

Starting Wednesday, Transportation Security Administration officers will require passengers to present a Real ID or other acceptable form of identification to board a flight. The requirement was initially approved in 2005 as part of the response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, but its implementation has been repeatedly delayed from the original 2008 deadline.   

Officials at the Palm Springs International Airport said Wednesday that so far, the rollout is going smoothly at PSP. There have been no delays at the checkpoint.

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To determine if a California driver’s license is Real ID-compliant, travelers are advised to look for a golden bear with a star in the top right corner. Those who aren’t sure can check with the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

Other acceptable forms of identification include U.S. and foreign passports and passport cards, Department of Defense identification — including those issued to dependents — a permanent resident card, border crossing card, or photo ID from a federally recognized Tribal Nation, among others.

A full list can be found at tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification.

Once enforcement begins, passengers who do not present Real ID or another TSA-acceptable form of identification “can expect to face delays, additional screening, and the possibility of not being allowed into the security checkpoint,” the airport statement said.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, speaking at a congressional hearing Tuesday, said the agency is hoping for a smooth transition to the Real ID requirement.

“What will happen tomorrow is folks will come through the line and… show (their ID) and if it’s not compliant they may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step. But people will be allowed to fly,” she said. “… We will make sure that it is as seamless as possible and that travelers will get to stay on their intended itinerary.”  

For people who still need to obtain a Real ID, 18 state Department of Motor Vehicle offices will open one hour early, four days a week through June 7 to serve appointment-only customers seeking the federally mandated cards.   

That includes the Rancho Cucamonga office at 8629 Hellman Ave., which will open at 7 a.m. instead of 8 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and devote the early hour exclusively to patrons with Real ID appointments.

On Wednesdays the hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Kendall Flynn

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens is raising awareness for the endangered Mexican Wolves by collaborating with local Luchador Brewing Company.

Mexican Wolves remain the most endangered subspecies of wolf in the world. While promoting the collaboration, The Living Desert reported there are just over 600 wolves left.

These efforts come after one of The Living Desert’s beloved Mexican Wolves, Drew Hudson, died in March.

The Zoo and Luchador are partnering to raise money for conservation with the El Lobo Mexican Lager. For every pint of El Lobo sold at Luchador Brewing Company, $1 will be donated to support The Living Desert’s mission of “protecting vulnerable wildlife both locally and globally.”

Stay with News Channel 3 to hear from officials with The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens and with Luchador Brewing Company.

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Athena Jreij

THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) — Faced with a more than $50 million budget deficit, mass layoffs and less than favorable public sentiment, to say Dr. Frances Esparza was dealt a poor deck of cards as CVUSD’s new superintendent, would be an understatement.

For the past year, Esparza has made tough decisions while weighing the fate of the district, including laying off 300 teachers and classified employees apart of the district’s deficit.

“The district is overstaffed. We’d love to keep all these employees, but simply we can’t afford to,” she said.

Just recently, the Coachella Valley Education Foundation was cleared by the Department of Justice after an investigation into the misuse of nearly $3 million in donations from Goldenvoice.

That investigation was launched after previous district leaders spent an unauthorized $12,000 on last year’s state of the district, and pulled it from the foundation.

Dr. Esparza says the CV Ed Foundation currently holds $2.8 million dedicated to art and music education, but that money has been sitting in the district’s account because the foundation was out of compliance. In past years, the district has failed to meet tax compliant standards.

But it’s something she says she was hired to get in order. After the investigation revealed no wrongdoing, they’re ready to use that money.

“What we’re going to do is hire an elementary and secondary coordinator for music and arts programs.”

She also says they plan to develop a rotating arts curriculum special to each school.

The district has been in headlines this year, many of which News Channel 3 reported on first including West Shores High School campus fights and a Desert Mirage High School staff member that was exposed to drugs. But Dr. Esparza says the part of CVUSD that goes most unnoticed are the accomplishments of the students.

“We’re going to highlight our students who won the science and engineering program for the county. We’re going to highlight our spelling bee champions from the county. We’re going to highlight our students who won National and World for Kids in Science Programs,” Esparza said.

Reflecting on a year of work, she tells News Channel 3 that next year she wants to bring the attention back to students.

“We have our students who are scholars, I call them our champions, and we’re going to continue to create champions. We have students right now who have been identified to go to some of our Ivy League schools in the nation, some who are taking on trade, some who are going to our awesome COD and wanting to transfer,” Esparza said.

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Tori King

La Quinta Brewing is set to permanently close its Old Town La Quinta location on Monday, May 26, 2025. The Taproom made the announcement on Instagram Tuesday night.

“This decision was not made lightly, and we are incredibly grateful for the support the community has shown us over the years. While we’re closing this location, we remain committed to serving you at our other two locations, The Brewery in Palm Desert and our taproom in downtown Palm Springs,” said La Quinta Brewing in a statement.

See the entire announcement here.

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Gavin Nguyen

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – May marks AAPI Month, otherwise known as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Each year, May commemorates the history and culture of these groups.

According to data from HARC’s 2022 Coachella Valley Community Health Survey, Asians or Asian Americans accounted for 3.8% of the valley’s population, or less than 12,000 people.

KPop Foodz, a restaurant in Cathedral City that serves a mix of Korean street food and homestyle favorites, is approaching its one-year mark.

Kevin Kim, the owner, says it’s his passion to cook Korean cuisine for the Coachella Valley. “I love to be here. I love to cook,” he says with a smile.

Kim says it was difficult to start the business at first, especially as a Korean-American living in the valley.

“When you open the business, first time, it starts off very slow,” he recounts. But Kim continues, “In these days, Korean culture and, like, dramas and music is a very, very, you know, famous around the world.”

He says the growing interest in Korean culture is helping lower people’s guard when it comes to trying new food.

“They knew, they heard and they want a taste of the Korean food,” Kim says. He serves Korean street foods, like tteokbokki (spicy rice cake) and skewers, but also comfort foods, like bibimbap and beef stews.

Just down the road and still in Cathedral City is Fil-Am Oriental Mart, another Asian-owned business with nearly three decades of history.

Nina Cabrera, who has been working at the market for ten years, says there’s no shortage of good food on display.

“We make adobo, of course. Pancit is our best seller. A lot of like, dinuguan … and, you know, just the authentic food that we miss in the Philippines,” Cabrera, who is also affectionately known as “Auntie Nina,” says. “There’s a lot of food that we miss from home. So we tried to bring them over here.”

Staff at the market say recent tariff talk has raised concern about importing Asian groceries to the desert. They say the cost of the items they sell will likely increase, though they will try to balance the prices.

Despite these challenges, Auntie Nina says the market will continue to serve the community delicious Filipino food and Asian groceries.

“The Filipinos or the Asian communities are growing. So, you know, hopefully they will, you know, come. But we’re happy that we have this little stuff here.”

Here’s a brief list of some Asian-owned businesses that have been sent into our newsroom for you to check out:

Fil-Am Oriental Market (Cathedral City)

KPop Foodz (Cathedral City)

Vienna Donuts (Cathedral City)

Peppers Thai (Palm Springs)

AJ Filipino Market (Palm Springs)

Thai Hot Restaurant (Indio)

Pho of the Desert (Indio)

This is an incomprehensive list, so if you have any suggestions, let us know by sending us an email at share@kesq.com!

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Cynthia White

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – In the Tuesday meeting, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors authorized the Sheriff’s Office to raise the rates it charges local cities and agencies for law enforcement services.

The 7% increase, retroactive to July 2024, raises the base hourly rate charged for the use of patrol personnel.

At its Council meeting on Tuesday, the La Quinta City Council voted unanimously to approve the proposed contract agreement with the county for fiscal years 2025/2026 and 2026/2027, which increased the amount for law enforcement services from about $18 million to nearly $22 million.

A statement from Rancho Mirage says the new rate will raise the city’s law enforcement budget to about $13 million, which includes 33.27 total personnel and 28.27 total sworn personnel.

Palm Desert says their currently budgeted amount is just under $21 million. They currently have a budget study session scheduled for Thursday at noon, where they’ll discuss the new rate.

We’ve also reached out to other local cities that contract with Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any updates on this story.

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