Author: KESQ

Haley Meberg

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. (KESQ) – County officials report Riverside County Animal Shelters are operating in a state of emergency as capacity numbers reach 221% for unhoused dogs leading to possible euthanasia. 

During the month of July, Riverside County Animal Shelters reached 240% capacity for dogs with numbers fluctuating over 200%. These facilities are seeing more dogs come in than being adopted, reunified with owners or fostered. 

Riverside County Animal Services Report Card 7/14/25

With more than 1,000 dogs in their system, officials say a drastic change must be made for the RivCo Animal Shelters to make space in their severely overcrowded kennels. 

Without the proper space or resources to care for these four-legged friends Animal Shelters report that the heartbreaking reality to the overcrowding is the euthanasia of these unhoused dogs.

RivCo Animal Services is continuing to call out for community outreach to help combat this rising issue. 

July 19, Western Riverside County/City Animal Shelter will be open from 10 a.m. to midnight to help get pets placed with adopters and fosterers. 

Along with the event Animal Shelters are offering more lifesaving opportunities to take advantage of like waived reclaim fees for all lost pets, $50 gift cards for pet supplies to adopters who adopt a dog 40+ lbs from San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus and provided available resources for all fostered pets. 

RivCo Shelters are participating in the national BISSELL Pet Foundation’s Empty the Shelters event running through July 19, offering free adoption for all dogs and cats at all locations. 

Each adoption comes with free spay/neuter surgery, microchip, vaccinations and ID tags to help minimize financial burdens on all looking to adopt. 

To learn more about getting these pets out of kennels and into homes visit https://www.rcdas.org

Stay with News Channel 3 for more updates. 

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KESQ News Team

CABAZON, Calif. (KESQ) – A resolution to honor three fallen CAL FIRE heros has been signed into law.

ACR 37 designates a portion of I-10 in Riverside County as the Assistant Chief John Bischof, Captain Tim Rodriguez, and Pilot Tim Sousa Memorial Highway. All three were killed in a helicopter crash while battling the Broadway Wildland Fire in Cabazon in 2023.

The resolution was authored by Assembly member Greg Wallis.

In a statement to News Channel 3, he says in part:

ACR 37 is a profound sign of gratitude and respect for our hometown heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice… Their courage and dedication will forever inspire those who travel this route, serving as a lasting reminder of their bravery to protect our communities.

Assembly member Greg Wallis

The memorial is planned to be completed by the fall.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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Garrett Hottle

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) The Hi-Desert 29ers are an amateur team training in the summer months – and competing with passion. This summer is different though, players are taking the field, with the larger goal of bettering their community and in memory of a fallen hero.

Back under the bright desert sun again, the Hi-Desert 29ers have arrived. Starting a new season at  Luckie Park, they’re welcoming anyone with ambition to play and will to win.

“We typically recruit those players coming straight outta high school, players who had hopes of playing college ball but they never had a shot. Players just sitting on the couch just learning football,” team founder Shaka Gray explained. “This is a community team — of the community, by the community.”

Their roster is composed of military personnel, locals, and first-time players aged 18 through 52. These players play throughout the year at times in triple-digit heat with a goal greater than the scoreboard.

“Passion is off the charts,” Gray explained. “Because at a specific practice, say this time of year, it’s probably 95, heading into 100 degrees. Well, when we’re practicing at 5:00, it’s 106 degrees.”

However, this season is with a heavy heart. They still grieve the loss of Sgt. Robert McDonald — a Marine, a coach, a friend  who was shot in an unprovoked attack last year.

News Channel 3 first reported on McDonald’s death in May 2024.

“We just finished constructing a banner that is going to be carried at our next game,” Gray explained. “And it’s just devoted entirely to him. It’s going to be at every single one of our games. Regardless of whether things go right or things go wrong, we know he is with us when we’re playing on the football field. That’s how moved we are.”

For Gray, who grew up in foster care, it is not just a football team. It’s a foundation, a family, and a place where everyone gets a shot.

“We’re in a great place because the community understands our passion,” he said. “There is no question in the players’ minds, in the minds of the city councilmen, in the minds of community members — they know this program is going to be here.”

For more information on the Hi-Desert 29ers and how you can participate, click this link.

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Jesus Reyes

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Three adults and a child were displaced following a structure fire Tuesday morning in Indio.

The fire was first reported just after 4:50 a.m. at a single-story tri-plex on the 83100 block of Sonora Avenue.

According to CAL FIRE, the first arriving engine company reported a heavy fire showing from two units. The fire was contained by 5:10 a.m.

“Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the units of origin and smoke damage to a third,” reads an email from CAL FIRE spokesperson Maggie Cline De La Rosa.

There were no injuries reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The Red Cross is assisting the people displaced.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any new developments.

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City News Service

MENIFEE, Calif. (KESQ) – A motorist involved in a road rage confrontation that began on Interstate 15 ended with the suspect fatally shooting the other driver at a Menifee intersection, authorities said today.

The suspect, a 47-year-old Menifee resident, was arrested and booked into the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta late Monday night on suspicion of murder. Dabe is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

According to the Menifee Police Department, shortly after 9 p.m. Monday, the suspect was on northbound I-15 in Murrieta when he apparently became incensed at a 36-year-old man in another vehicle for reasons still unclear.   

The ensuing confrontation lasted for minutes and continued into Menifee, where the suspect and victim, whose identity was not disclosed, exited onto Scott Road, police spokesman Chase Coburn said.

“Near the intersection of Scott and Haun Road, (the suspect) discharged a firearm, striking the other driver,” Coburn said.   

He said Dabe immediately pulled over and waited for patrol officers, who took him into custody without incident.   

Riverside County Fire Department paramedics arrived a short time later and pronounced the victim dead at the scene.  

Detectives questioned Dabe for almost three hours before booking him on the murder allegation.  

Background information on the suspect was unavailable.   

Anyone with information was asked to contact detectives at 951-723-1500.

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City News Service

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – Pre-sale tickets became available today for Paul McCartney’s upcoming “Got Back” tour, which will launch Sept. 29 at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert.

Ticket prices on Ticketmaster ranged from $800 to nearly $1,700 before taxes. The pre-sale began at 10 a.m. Tuesday, and by 11:15 a.m., fewer than a dozen tickets remained available, with the highest listed at $1,659.10.   

The 19-date tour opens at the 11,000-seat Acrisure Arena, located at 75702 Varner Road. General ticket sales begin July 18 at 10 a.m.   

Following his Palm Desert debut, McCartney will perform in Las Vegas; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Denver; Des Moines, Iowa; Minneapolis; Tulsa, Oklahoma; New Orleans; Atlanta; Nashville, Tennessee; Columbus, Ohio; Pittsburgh; Buffalo, New York; Montreal; and Hamilton, Ontario.

The tour will conclude with two shows at Chicago’s United Center on Nov. 24 and 25.

McCartney, 83, is a co-founder of The Beatles and former frontman of Wings. He is one of two surviving members of The Beatles.

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Haley Meberg

WASHINGTON DC (KESQ)- Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz (CA-25) along with Reps. Gabe Evans (R-CO), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) reintroduce the Mobile Cancer Screening Act which increases the availability of mobile screen units in underserved communities earlier this Tuesday. 

The bipartisan bill is being reintroduced on the heels of the Braidwood Supreme Court decision which upheld preventive care requirements for private insurers. This decision includes annual lung screening checks as suggested by the U.S. Preventive Service Task Force.

“Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and too many patients are diagnosed too late simply because they lack access to screenings,” said Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz (CA-25). “This bill will help bring early detection directly to people where they live—especially in rural, low-income, and underserved areas. With the Supreme Court’s recent decision preventive care coverage, we have a critical opportunity to save lives by making screenings more accessible through mobile units.”   

Congressman Ruiz along with other representatives argue the Mobile Cancer Screening Act removes the barrier of lack of transportation and long travel distances to clinics by bringing screenings to patients’ front doors.

Current federal guidelines require most private insurance companies to cover annual lung screenings to those at high risk due to smoking history. The Mobile Cancer Screening act is said to take a step further and provide this access to underserved and rural communities to help patients get early detection. 

“As a cancer survivor, I know firsthand that early detection saves lives.  As legislators, we have a duty to take an all-hands-on-deck approach to increasing access to preventive care services, especially in rural and underserved communities, to make sure no one gets left behind,” said Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz. “Mobile units are a proven to help address barriers that limit access to cancer screenings and reach vulnerable populations to increase survivorship.  I am proud to lead the Mobile Cancer Screening Act to create a dedicated and stable source of funding for communities to grow their mobile screening programs.”

No further information about a timeline for these Mobile Cancer Screening units have been announced at this time. 

Stay with News Channel 3 for more updates. 

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Gavin Nguyen

THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) – A project to make the skies safer over the east valley is in the works.

A new air traffic control tower at the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport (KTRM) in Thermal is in the works.

“Let me be very clear that the airport is not unsafe [but] having a tower helps to separate traffic and increase safety,” said Angela Jamison, the Director of Airports for Riverside County. “There is a need for aircraft separation at the Jackie Cochran Regional Airport and an air traffic control tower is the very best way to do that.”

State documents from April 2025 show the county proposed the project to help improve communication and safety:

The County proposed to construct a 448-square-foot octagonal Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) to enhance safety by improving communication among aircraft to reduce the risk of accidents, incursions, and other hazards.

As of July, the proposal had been approved through CEQA. The siting study was also approved, while the project’s NEPA study was submitted in February. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also approved the plan.

Early estimates for the cost of the project is at $24,000,000. Jamison said that number was found using the FAA’s estimate that each foot of tower costs between $155,000 and $175,000.

Riverside County Supervisor V. Manuel Perez’s office told News Channel 3 he would continue pursuing funding for the infrastructure project:

“Supervisor Perez has pushed for an air traffic control tower for Thermal, an infrastructure need that we have had for decades for the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport.  The county’s application was granted approval from the FAA for an air traffic control tower for Thermal and the county has invested funds to get this project shovel-ready.  We are seeking funding to construct it and will continue efforts to bring the tower about.”

Jamison said that the tower is still in its design phase and a contract is still yet to be awarded to a builder, but once it is complete, it would aid aircraft during the busy season.

From November through March, about 150 aircraft land and take off from the airport’s two runways each day.

“In those situations, it would be nice to have an air traffic controller keeping people apart from each other and regulating the flow of traffic,” said Mark Gershenson, the President of Palm Springs Aviators, an aviation group based in the valley.

He continued, “There is a certain comfort knowing that you’ve got radar and you’ve got a set of eyes looking out for you and keeping you apart from other planes.”

The summer months, though, feel a lot more empty. When I visited in mid-July, the airfield was quiet and empty aside from the occasional single-engine plane.

“If you go out there today or on the weekend, even at this time of year, the controller would be really bored,” said with a wry smile.

Despite this, both Gershenson and Jamison expressed that this project would be an overall benefit to east valley aviators. And while details remained slim, Jamison is eager to move forward with the project.

“You know, we’re very excited about bringing this to the area, but it’s just so early. There’s really not a lot to share just yet.”

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Kendall Flynn

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – The City of Indio has been working behind-the-scenes for years on two major infrastructure projects for Monroe Street and Jackson Street, and officials hope it will make a large impact on traffic.

Officials plan to reconstruct and widen the freeway on and off ramps at the Monroe and Jackson interchanges, which is a process designed to ease traffic, enhance safety and improve mobility for resident, visitor and communters.

There will be additional changes including the replacement of the overcrossings at the I-10 and the Coachella Valley Stormwater Channel. The reconstruction will also include additional through lanes and turn lanes to improve traffic.

The project also plans to integrate with the CV Link and incorporate Class IV Bike Lanes along both Monroe and Jackson.

The City said it has been diligently working with Riverside County and the California Department of Transportation to bring the reconstruction projects to the community, as residents have been interested in the high-impact project.

Timelines according to the City of Indio:

Monroe Street

Final design completed: Fall 2025

Construction begins: Summer 2026

Estimated completion: Summer 2028

Jackson Street

Final design in progress

Construction anticipated to being: Summer 2028

Stay News Channel 3 to hear from officials and residents about this long-term project and its impacts.

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City News Service

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – Prosecution testimony may conclude at the end of the week in the trial of a young man accused of gunning down a shopper at the Desert Hills Premium Outlets in Cabazon with the help of twin brothers, all of whom wanted the victim’s Rolex wristwatch.

Reginald Charles Trice, 21, of Victorville, is charged with first-degree murder, a special-circumstance allegation of killing in the course of a robbery and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations for the 2022 slaying of 66-year-old Michael Moser of Palm Springs.   

Trice’s case was transferred last week from the Banning Justice Center to the Riverside Hall of Justice, where a jury had already been seated in the courtroom of Riverside County Superior Court Judge Jerry Yang. The District Attorney’s Office opened its case Thursday. Jurors were given Friday off and returned to the downtown courthouse Monday, when additional law enforcement witnesses were called.  

Before proceedings began, Trice’s co-defendant, 22-year-old Elijah Ray Burt, admitted a charge of voluntary manslaughter under a plea agreement with the prosecution. He had been charged with murder. Burt is being held without bail at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning and is due for sentencing on Aug. 8.   

Elijah Ray Burt

His twin brother, Emanuel Rick Burt, pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy and was sentenced to six years in state prison.   

Emanuel Rick Burt

Trice is being held without bail at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside.   

According to a trial brief filed by the D.A.’s office, he was the admitted gunman in the deadly shooting, while the brothers acted as cohorts.   

The trio, longtime friends from Victorville, arrived in Riverside County on March 24, 2022, in Trice’s Jeep Cherokee, seeking out targets of opportunity, heading directly to the Cabazon mall in the 48600 block of Seminole Drive, just off of Interstate 10, in the late afternoon, prosecutors said.

Michael Moser, pictured on the far left

Trice allowed Emanuel Burt to drive the SUV, and while they waited at a pedestrian crossing, Moser passed in front of the vehicle, talking on his mobile phone and walking into the mall, according to the brief.   

“Trice explained that he saw the victim and thought he was wearing a `Rollie,’ slang for Rolex watch,” court papers stated. “Trice said, `once you see something you like, you get it.'”

He and Elijah Burt jumped out of the Jeep and tailed Moser into the mall, intending to rob him, prosecutors alleged. Emanuel Burt then backed the Jeep into position for a getaway.

Moser went into a restroom, with Trice and Elijah Burt close behind. Once inside, the defendants confronted him, Trice brandishing a Glock semiautomatic pistol and demanding that the victim surrender the Rolex, the brief said.

“Trice said Elijah froze and didn’t help with the attempted robbery,” the narrative said. “The victim started fighting, and Trice had his gun out during the fight, and the gun went off. He said that Elijah got shot in the hand. He said that all the victim had to do was `give it up.”’   

Instead, Trice aimed the firearm at Moser’s chest and opened fire, killing him on the spot, the prosecution alleged.   

The defendants ran to the Jeep and jumped in, prompting Emanuel Burt to sped away. From the time the men spotted Moser in the parking lot to the point where they fled the location altogether took 90 seconds, the brief said.   

A security guard initiated CPR on Moser, and county sheriff’s deputies, then fire department paramedics, attempted life-saving measures, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Elijah Burt went to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center for treatment of his superficial hand wound.

Sheriff’s detectives gathered recordings from surveillance video cameras situated throughout the mall, gleaning license plate information for the getaway vehicle, which culminated in revelation of the defendants’ identities. The investigation led to verification of their movements using cell phone data and other security surveillance videos from area gas stations and hotels.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Ben Ramirez said a warrant was obtained and served at Trice’s residence in the 15500 block of Morada Road on April 21, 2022, when he was taken into custody without incident. The brothers were tracked down and arrested in Las Vegas at the end of April 2022.

None of the men had documented prior adult felony convictions in Riverside County. However, Trice and Emanuel Burt served sentences under supervision of the California Youth Authority for unspecified juvenile offenses in San Bernardino County, according to court records.

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