Author: KESQ

Haley Meberg

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) has begun construction on the CV Link pathway in the Palm Springs area. 

The CV Link pathway is set to begin construction from the Palm Springs Visitor Center and run to the Whitewater River Stormwater Channel Levee.

Construction on this project is set to begin on July 7th and will continue through late September 2025. 

Teams are expected to be out working from 6:00am- 5:00pm. Residents should expect northbound lane closures on Highway 111 with traffic flaggers on site as well as sidewalk closures along Highway 111 from Tramview Road to the Whitewater River Stormwater Channel   throughout construction times. 

The CV Link pathway is a structure that was first instituted in the Coachella Valley in 2018 with a path that stretches 2.3 miles from Ramon Road in Cathedral City to Vista Chino in Palm Springs. 

Construction for this phase of the link was set into motion following a vote from officials that allocated $15 million to complete the final stages. 

The end goal for this project is to be a 40-mile pathway that stretches throughout the Coachella Valley and provides a safe area to walk, run, bike or use low-speed electric vehicles. 

CVAG reports this project will provide significant environmental and public health benefits as well as economic benefits that will affect generations of residents and visitors of the Coachella Valley.

It was said that every effort to minimize disturbance to the community will be made. CVAG emphasizes that due to the dynamic nature of construction all dates and times are subject to change in light of unforeseen operational factors and inclement weather. 

Officials advise that drivers use alternative routes and expect potential delays throughout the construction project and thank the community for their patience as they work to improve the Coachella Valley’s transportation network. 

For more information you can contact the project hotline at 1-833-4CV-LINK (428-5465) or visit coachellavalleylink.com 

Stay with News Channel 3 for more updates on this project.

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Tori King

Thousand Palms, Calif. (KESQ)– Local animal shelters are working to find the owners of hundreds of runaway or stay animals that were taken in over the Independence Day weekend. Every year, the Fourth of July sees the highest number of runaway pets out of all the holidays, and this year was no different, according to the Riverside County Department of Animal Services.

Officials with the Riverside County Department of Animal Services confirmed its four shelters took in more than 200 animals between July 4th, and July 6th alone. They believe many of them likely ran away or escaped during 4th of July fireworks celebrations, due to the loud noises.

“We see this every year, especially with us dealing with overcrowding prior to the Fourth of July,” said Damien Cruz, Animal Services Manager with the Coachella Valley Animal Campus. “This really put us in a crisis mode, and we can see that because we’re experiencing critical overcrowding at all of our shelter locations. We have now waived any reclaim fees, so we really want to stress that and make sure that the public is aware if your pet is missing and it’s here at the shelter, or if you are not sure if it’s here at the shelter, we encourage you to please come and look in person.”

The shelter system sent News Channel 3 a breakdown of the numbers this year:

On July 4th, the shelters took 75 animals in, 68 of them were dogs. During that day none of the animals were claimed.

On July 5th, 103 animals were taken in, 73 of them were dogs. On that Saturday, 13 pets were returned to owners.

On July 6th, 62 animals were brought in, 43 were dogs. So far, 12 owners have come to claim their pet.

Over the entire weekend, 240 animals came in, 184 were dogs, and so far 25 have been reunited with their owners.  According to those same numbers, 75% of animals that came in were dogs, and only 10% of animals have been returned to their owners so far.

According to a Facebook post by RCDAS, one dog named King was able to be reunited with it’s owner, thanks to micro-chipping technology.

Shelter operators are now urging pet owners who may be missing their animals to please call the shelters, or to come in and look. They also remind pet owners of the importance of micro-chipping your pet, and making sure they are wearing proper identification tags or a collar at all times. So far, every single animal that has been reunited with its owners had some sort of identification with owner information present.

“We do provide free engravable dog tags where we can have the owner’s phone number on there,” said Cruz. “We also have chip scanners pretty much everywhere, not only here in the shelter, but with our Field Services team. So with animals that they find out in the field, they definitely do their best to scan them for chips, get owner information and try and reunite, reunite them prior to impound because obviously that’s impounding is our last resort.”

RCDAS is also urgently asking the community to step up and adopt, with this influx of animals pushing the shelter’s capacity to critical overcrowding levels.

Anyone interested in adopting a pet can find information here.

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Kendall Flynn

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Palm Springs Cultural Center is sporting a new banner outside saying “open during construction,” despite construction taking away 300 parking spots. Now the cultural center is left with less than 20 spots, and has felt it’s impacts on visitor numbers.

“It’s harder than we kind of anticipated,” Michael Green, the executive director said. “A lot of customers are older…we have some handicapped parking but if those get filled up, then people have to park across the street.”

Across the street is Palm Springs High School, which won’t be available for parking in the fall, and for older visitors it can be a long walk across Baristo Road.

“That’s a lot to ask somebody to do,” Green said. “We understand that, but that’s just the reality.”

The College of the Desert has been expanding it’s campuses, including adding new educational opportunities in Palm Springs. The new campus is opening up along East Baristo Road, which is next to the Palm Springs Cultural Center.

Green said they are looking forward to the campus addition as it will bring students with complimentary majors like film, digital arts and hospitality. But the construction is making it difficult to look forward to 2027 as they’re waiting for the parking lot to reopen.

COD reassured the cultural center its parking will be restored by Sept. 15th. It’s a deadline Green said is crucial as the parking at Palm Springs High School will no longer be available and they’re hosting their first major event days later.

“We open our first off season film festivals ‘Cinema Diverse,’ the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival on Sept. 18th,” Green said. “So, we want for sure to have our parking back by then.” 

Stay with News Channel 3 to hear from the Palm Springs Cultural Center on the construction impacts and what the public needs to know about attending events or movies.

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City News Service

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians has received confirmation from the U.S. National Park Service that the tribe’s ancestral Chemehuevi cemetery in Twentynine Palms has been added to the National Register of Historic Places, officials said today.

The cemetery is historically associated with the Chemehuevi people, ancestors to the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians. Their reservation today spans San Bernardino and Riverside counties, separated by Joshua Tree National Park.

“Burial grounds are significant to Indigenous culture and our tribal identity; our ancestors are part of this land for all eternity,” Chairman Darrell Mike said in a statement. “The tribe has a rich history throughout the entire southeastern desert region dating back since time immemorial. The National Park Service designation links our tribal heritage to these expansive lands and the cemetery is just one location that will be preserved for generations.”

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Gavin Nguyen

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A power outage at Sunrise Park in Palm Springs caused events to be canceled and limited options for residents to cool off over the weekend.

The Library and Leisure Center are both open as of Tuesday morning. The Pavilion and baseball stadium are also set to have their powered restored later on Tuesday. The Swim Center remains closed and is expected to reopen on Wednesday.

“Power has been restored at the Swim Center; however, reopening the pool involves a multi-step process, including filling, cleaning, and rebalancing the chemicals. The City expects to reopen the pool [Wednesday]. The Library and Leisure Center are fully operational, and the Pavilion and Baseball Stadium are currently in the process of being powered up. We appreciate the community’s patience.”City of Palm Springs

Officials said the power outage was caused by an equipment failure on Saturday and affected multiple facilities within the park.

Wednesday’s temperatures are expected to surpass 115°F and an Extreme Heat Warning was issued for those scorching highs. Facilities like the swim center and library are popular spots for Palm Springs residents to cool off during the summer heat.

For more information on this topic contact the Park and Recreation Dept. at (760) 323-8272 or email recinfo@palmspringsca.gov.

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Luis Avila

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (KESQ) – The devastation in Texas following deadly floods is sending shockwaves across the Christian community, prompting action and reflection.

Southwest Church in Indian Wells is partnering with Convoy of Hope to provide disaster relief to those impacted. 85,000 pounds of food, water, and emergency supplies have already been delivered.

“The church is a big community and we love our church family and we just know if something were happening here in the valley that Convoy would be the first people we would call.”

Andrew Statezny, Southwest Church pastor

The floods have killed at least 110 people, including 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian camp.

Gregg Hunter, President and CEO of the Christian Camp and Conference Association, says as a result, camps are reevaluating and strengthening safety protocols.

“They’re going through the process themselves of ‘ok, what would we do if that situation happened with us. Let’s redefine all our processes, defaults, safety protocols and make sure that we keep kids as safe as they possibly can be.’”

Gregg Hunter, Christian Camp & Conference Association President and CEO

Still, he says it’s a tough time for parents and campers. If parents are concerned about their child’s safety, he recommends reaching out to the camp.

Sam Frederick, who provides counseling services for Christian camps across the region, says it’s a process that will take time. He’s expecting the need for counseling services to increase as a result of the tragedy at Camp Mystic.

“Recognizing that we’re hopefully safe and what safe looks like here. Making sure they feel and if they’re processing the pain of ‘how can something like this happen in a setting like that,’ then giving them a space for them to talk and of course the most important thing that we can provide is listening.”

Sam Frederick, All People Therapy owner

While many continue to mourn, officials says it’s also a moment to come together to support one another.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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Blake Arthur

Former Palm Desert high school standout Travis Adams has fulfilled a lifelong dream, making his Major League Baseball debut.

Congratulations to Travis Adams on making his MLB Debut! pic.twitter.com/wKjYJ73tae

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) July 5, 2025

Adams, selected by the Twins in the 6th round of the 2021 MLB Draft, made his big league debut in Minnesota against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday, July 5.

A top prospect for the Twins, Adams pitched four innings, allowing 9 hits and 5 runs. He also recorded a strikeout, his first-ever at the major league level.

Save that baseball!

First big league strikeout for @Twins No. 21 prospect Travis Adams: https://t.co/C6WYkyrwbb pic.twitter.com/diod91wb1t

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 5, 2025

Despite the overall rocky outing for the 25-year-old, Adams’ parents are proud of their son’s incredible achievement.

Parents of Travis Adams share experience of watching their son make @MLB debut for @Twins over the weekend. Adams is a former @PDHS_Athletics standout, selected in 6th round by Minnesota in 2021 draft. @KESQ @MLBPipeline @KenjiitoKESQ @PDAztecsports @pdaztecbaseball pic.twitter.com/z5vTt9BptY

— Blake Arthur (@BlakeArthur24) July 8, 2025

With him appearing in a MLB game, Adams became the 9th local baseball player to do so.

Aside from Adams, Taylor Ward and Jeremiah Estrada, are the only other players from the Coachella Valley on an active MLB roster.

Ward, a graduate of Shadow Hills, was selected in the first round of the 2015 MLB Draft by the Angels. He’s been with the big club since 2018, playing in the most MLB games by far, at 630 and counting.

Estrada, a graduate of Palm Desert, is currently a relief pitcher for the Padres after being taken in the 6th round by the Cubs in 2017. He’s appeared in 120 MLB games and counting.

Of the nine local players to make their MLB debut, five of them, including Adams, are PDHS graduates.

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Haley Meberg

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ)– Five adults were arrested over the evening hours of this Fourth of July weekend by the Cathedral City Police Department. 

The Cathedral City Police Department (CCPD) reported that they received over 65 calls for service regarding illegal fireworks being detonated throughout the city. In response to this the CCPD sent out a firework suppression detail made up of Police Officers and code Compliance Officers to look into the violations. 

Following this detail, five adults were arrested and charged with possession of illegal fireworks; a misdemeanor, and were issued the proper citations. 

In addition, two other individuals received citations for disruptive activities and several fireworks were confiscated throughout the weekend. 

The CCPD asks that anyone with additional information related to these incidents contacts them directly at (760) 770-0332, tips@cathedralcity.gov or via the Cathedral City Police Department website at: cathedralcitypolice.com 

Tips can also be made anonymously through Coachella Valley Crime Stoppers by calling (760) 341-STOP or through the WeTip hotline at 1-(800) 78-CRIME 

Stay with News Channel 3 for more updates. 

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Shay Lawson

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ)  – Law enforcement agencies across the Coachella Valley are reporting firework citations after Independence Day celebrations.

Indio

In Indio, Sergeant Abraham Plata, Indio Police Department, said officers issued multiple citations for illegal fireworks.

“We ended up with 26 people who were cited for illegal fireworks,” Plata said. “Six of those were actually caught with the use of the drones.”

The department used drones to monitor neighborhoods and respond to complaints.

“Our social media team was very aggressive with posting a lot of messages on social media and getting the word out,” Plata said. “It looks like a lot of residents saw those messages and cooperated because we did have less incidents in comparison to last year.”

Palm Springs

Palm Springs Police Lieutenant Gustavo Araiza reported the department did not have any citations.

“We received a few complaints,” Araiza said.

Cathedral City

During July 4th into July 5th, the Cathedral City Police Department (CCPD) received over 65 calls for service regarding illegal fireworks said Commander Andrew Diaz, CCPD.

“CCPD deployed a fireworks suppression detail composed of Police Officers and Code Compliance Officers to address the violations,” Diaz said. “As a result, 5 adults were arrested and were issued citations.”

He said 2 additional individuals received Administrative Citations for disruptive activities, and severalfireworks were confiscated throughout the evening.

Riverside County Sheriff’s Department

News Channel 3 reached out to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department and is still waiting for a response.

Stay with KESQ at 10 and 11 p.m. to learn more about the success of the Indio Police Department’s drone program.

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John White

Six months into the Trump administration, News Channel 3 anchor John White sits down for a wide-ranging interview with local Republican Congressman Ken Calvert, asking the hard questions on important local issues.

“Does ICE need to be more open about what they’re doing?”

What the Congressman says on the local impacts of immigration enforcement, foreign policy, tariffs, and how they’ll affect the Coachella Valley.

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