Author: KESQ

Gavin Nguyen

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – It’s been an active day of weather here in the Coachella Valley! We’ve seen winds, rain, and even some mountain snow!

Just take a look at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway: this system has brought snowfall on May the Fourth! While it’s not looking quite like the snowy Star Wars planet of Hoth, it’s a pleasant surprise this late in the spring season.

Here on the desert floor, showers have been fairly widespread at times today. A look at our Doppler radar this afternoon shows quite a bit of activity.

Overnight showers are still possible according to our forecast models. Rain chances persist into tomorrow, though less likely than what we’re seeing today. At the very least, expect more cloud cover throughout the day.

The Air Quality Alert and Wind Advisory that were active yesterday have since expired, though we’re still tracking air quality concerns as winds stay elevated through this evening. Gusts across the valley are expected to remain 20-30 MPH, with our more wind prone areas like Desert Hot Springs and Thousand Palms still at or above 40 MPH. Calmer winds are expected for Monday morning, but we could see some lingering breezy weather into the evening hours.

Highs should remain below average as we start the workweek, but as calmer and drier conditions take hold on Tuesday, we’ll begin to warm. Wednesday will be very seasonal, but we’ll quicky warm past that heading into the weekend. Triple digits are expected by Friday!

Click here to follow the original article.

Athena Jreij

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) — Indio Councilmember Oscar Ortiz is joining the race for California State Assembly District 36.

Ortiz, who has served for seven years on the Indio City Council and was previously mayor, announced the run via social media Sunday.

The councilman lost a Congressional bid against Representative Raul Ruiz in 2024.

Republican Jeff Gonzalez of Indio currently represents the 36th district, which encompasses Imperial County, Coachella, Indio, and the Salton Sea communities, as well as Blythe, portions of the San Jacinto Valley, Winchester, Anza, and parts of Hemet.

Stick with News Channel 3 as we follow Ortiz’s campaign.

Click here to follow the original article.

Spencer Blum

An Air Quality Alert remains in place this Sunday morning as we continue to track elevated winds. Thankfully, the air quality isn’t the worst we’ve ever seen, but it is still not perfect. Temperatures today will be very comfortable and mild in the upper 70s, quite below average for early May.

Here’s a look at our FutureTrack. We can see that winds will increase again as we head into it this evening. The winds will be fairly widespread. As we head into tomorrow, the winds will not be nearly as strong, but they may still be a tad bit elevated.

Get ready for some heat! Temperatures are mild and well below average to start the week, but they will quickly warm back up! Expect highs in the triple digits by the end of the workweek.

Click here to follow the original article.

Garrett Hottle

Update – 5/5/25 1:45 p.m. Monday

Indian Canyon has been reopened.

Update – 5/5/25 11:05 a.m. Monday

Gene Autry Trail has been reopened, city officials confirmed.

Indian Canyon remains closed.

Update – 5/4/25 2:35 p.m. Sunday

Indian Canyon Drive through the wash in Palm Springs is now closed due to weather conditions.

Original Report

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) A portion of North Gene Autry Trail in Palm Springs was closed due to blowing sand and low visibility, Palm Springs Police said in a Sunday morning press release.

The closure affects North Gene Autry Trail between Salvia Road and Via Escuela, according to the Palm Springs Police Department. Drivers are advised to avoid the area and use alternate routes.

It’s unclear how long the closure will remain in effect.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Click here to follow the original article.

Kendall Flynn

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (KESQ) – Congressman Raul Ruiz held a town hall meeting with House Democratic Steering & Policy Co-Chair Nanette Barragán (CA-44) and special guest Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Residents gathered from across the Coachella Valley to hear statements from Ruiz, Barragán and Jeffries on policy concerns they have. Many of the topics included the Republican budget cuts, women’s health rights and the dismantling of the Department of Education.

News Channel 3 spoke with Hakeem Jeffries and Raul Ruiz one-on-one before the town hall, to discuss it’s importance for Valley residents.

“It’s so important right now that we capture the momentum and listen to the American people, my constituents, the people right here in the Coachella Valley, about their real anxieties and fears of what this administration is doing,” Ruiz said.

“Our message to the people here in the Coachella Valley and across the country, is we hear you, we see you, we feel you,” Jeffries said. “We know this is a time of great anxiety, but we are committed to doing everything possible to make life better for you.”

Many residents said they’ve been concerned with the budget cuts, and come to the town hall looking for answers.

“I live in a senior community, and we have fear there because of Medicaid, Medicare benefits being cut,” Yasmin Espinoza of Cathedral City said. “We have the fear of losing benefits from Social Security.”

Stay with News Channel 3 tonight to hear how Ruiz, Jeffries and Barragán reponded to residents questions and concerns.

Click here to follow the original article.

Gavin Nguyen

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – A First Alert Weather Alert is in place Saturday and Sunday as we track gusty winds and rain chances this weekend.

A pocket of rain looks like it made its way through parts La Quinta, Indian Wells, and Indio just after 3:00 p.m. today.

Rain chances look to increase on Sunday. Our models show potential rainfall in the afternoon, but we’re not ruling out the possibility of light rain as early as Sunday morning!

The winds and travel impacts remain the biggest concern for us in the valley. A Wind Advisory is in place for the Banning Pass and Desert Hot Springs this evening and into tomorrow morning. Gusts in those areas are expected near 55 MPH. An Air Quality Alert is also in place from 2:00 p.m. Saturday through 2:00 p.m. Sunday for the rest of the Coachella Valley.

While calm for the early parts of today, our FutureTrack models tell us we should expect increased gusts tonight. By dinnertime, winds are expected to be widespread, with gusts nearing 30 MPH for most of our valley cities; our windier spots like Desert Hot Springs could be pushing 45-50 MPH by then.

There’s not much relief in sight for Sunday. Continued breezy to gusty conditions for most of the Coachella Valley is expected.

Temperatures drop sharply from Saturday to Sunday. Palm Springs saw a high in the 90s today; tomorrow, we’re expecting highs in the upper 70s. We stay cooler than normal to start the workweek, but gradually warm throughout the week. Triple-digits appear to make a return by next weekend.

Click here to follow the original article.

Spencer Blum

Happy Saturday! We are under a First Alert Weather Alert today as we begin to track the impacts of an incoming low pressure system. This system will increase winds throughout Southern California and lead to widespread breezy to gusty conditions as we head into the afternoon.

An Air Quality Alert will take effect at 2 PM later this afternoon as we track potential air quality concerns throughout the Coachella Valley. A Wind Advisory is also in place for the San Gorgonio Pass and Desert Hot Springs.

Taking a look at the next seven days, we can see a bit of a rollercoaster in our temperatures. Highs will fall back into the 70s by tomorrow. Temperatures will slowly warm back up next week, reaching the triple digits by Friday. We will remain under a First Alert Weather Alert through the weekend.

Click here to follow the original article.

Cynthia White

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – Local Catholics continued to remember and honor Pope Francis on Friday evening at a special mass held at Sacred Heart church in Palm Desert.

Father Ian Hollick says it was important to bring the different parishes of the area together for the special mass because people need to have an outlet to mourn in times of sadness.

Hollick continued, “I think so often in life people will say, ‘Oh, just don’t be sad, just enjoy life.’ But there’s a time to weep and there’s a time to dance and so this is definitely a time for us to gather together and be sad together.”

The Pontiff passed away at the age of 88 last week, on Easter Monday.

Click here to follow the original article.

Athena Jreij

SALTON CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – A group of parents at West Shores High School in Salton City say the school has a bullying problem that turned violent this week, as several students can be seen in a school yard fight video.

Jerson Ceja reached out to News Channel 3 asking for help. He says over the past few months, online tensions have escalated into violence on campus.

“It makes me feel like the school’s not safe, especially on the video. You can see they don’t have a lot of security,” Ceja said.

Ceja shared video with News Channel 3 of his daughter and her friend assaulted on campus. Parents say the altercation led to head injuries for both girls.

Her friends mother, Melissa Mendoza-Garnica, agrees the issue needs a solution and quick.

“At some point she told me that she blacked out, that it was so many people around her and stuff that she couldn’t even think. All she felt was hits and blows to her face,” Mendoza-Garnica said her daughter told her about the fight.

Holding officials accountable, News Channel 3’s Athena Jreij took parents’ concerns to the Coachella Valley Unified School District’s student support service team.

Karina Vega and Julisa Hernandez say existing programs at West Shores High try to target violence before it happens.

“Before conflict even happens, we already have interventions in place.  So they have social emotional lessons. They have opportunity for dialog. We have restorative questions that are asked of the students weekly,” Vega said.

They also say families have been given resources to seek counseling at the school, but parents say that’s not enough.

“My daughter can go to therapy all she wants. But if these girls keep antagonizing her, how is that going to help?” Mendoza-Garnica said.

Both parents and administrators say the issue of violence is much bigger than just one fight.

“There’s a lot of outside stressors on our students right now. Immigration, political issues, family conflict. We have a lot of grief, separation, divorce,” Vega said.

Both families filed police reports with the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office. News Channel 3 reached out to authorities but has yet to hear back.

Click here to follow the original article.

City News Service

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Construction on South Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs is set to begin next week, and city officials advised commuters to prepare for long-term lane closures.  

Work will take place from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily from May 5 to May 7, with a bridge demolition scheduled for May 12, according to city officials   

Long-term traffic control will be installed ahead of the demolition and remain in place for eight to 10 months.   

According to the city, commuters can expect the following traffic changes:  

— One lane open for traffic in each direction, shifted to the east side of the bridge;

— The southbound lane on South Palm Canyon Drive will provide business access and serve as an alternate route via East Sunny Dunes;  

— Only right turns will be permitted at East Sunny Dunes;    — The west-side sidewalk will be closed for the duration of the project;   

— SunLine bus stops 630 and 492 on Route One West Valley near South Palm Canyon Drive and East Sunny Dunes will be closed throughout construction; and

— The speed limit will be reduced to 40 mph in the construction zone, with doubled traffic fines enforced.

Officials urged the public to plan ahead and use alternate routes to avoid delays.

Click here to follow the original article.