Author: KESQ

City News Service

BEAUMONT, Calif. (KESQ) – A teenager was seriously injured in a fire that was quickly stopped in a Beaumont mobile home park, authorities said today.   

The blaze was reported shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday in the 1400 block of East Sixth Street, near Xenia Avenue, just north of Interstate 10, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

The agency said multiple engine crews were sent to the location and found no active fires, but located “one juvenile suffering from burn injuries.” 

The victim, whose identity was not disclosed, including gender, was immediately transported to a regional trauma center for treatment of significant burns.

The patient’s status could not be confirmed Wednesday.   

The blaze had been inside of one of the trailers, but there was reportedly no structural damage.

Fire and police personnel were investigating the matter.

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Jesus Reyes

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (KESQ) – The BNP Paribas Open returns to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden next month. Tournament officials released the 2026 player entry lists on Tuesday, featuring top men’s and women’s players competing for a coveted title at the first combined ATP Masters/WTA 1000 event of the season.

World No. 1s Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz headline the 2026 field as the top seeds. The full player entry lists can be viewed here on the BNP Paribas Open website.

The two-time BNP Paribas Open champion Alcaraz (2023, 2024) enters Indian Wells fresh off completing the career Grand Slam at the 2026 Australian Open, while Sabalenka will be looking to avenge her Australian Open final loss to Elena Rybakina.

Rybakina, the 2023 BNP Paribas Open champion, will have her eyes set on a second career title in Indian Wells following her run in Melbourne that saw her capture a second Grand Slam trophy.

24-time Grand Slam champion and five-time BNP Paribas Open champion Novak Djokovic (2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016) has entered the field following his runner-up finish at the 2026 Australian Open – where he became the oldest player in tournament history to reach the final. Djokovic will aim to make his 17th career appearance in Tennis Paradise as he eyes what would be a record-breaking sixth BNP Paribas Open title.

Reigning champions Jack Draper and Mirra Andreeva enter the 2026 BNP Paribas Open looking to recapture glory after last year’s dream title runs.

Draper, the 24-year-old Brit, claimed the biggest title of his young career last March, knocking off two-time defending champion Alcaraz in the semifinals and Holger Rune in the final to claim his maiden Masters 1000 title. The World No. 13 Draper is looking to get back into form after missing the 2026 Australian Open due to an arm injury.

Andreeva’s 2026 title run proved to be just as magical with the teenage phenom becoming the youngest BNP Paribas Open champion since Serena Williams in 1999. She returns to the desert as the World No. 7, where she will aim to recreate the magic of her championship run that included a pair of thrilling wins over World No. 1 Sabalenka and two-time BNP Paribas Open champion Iga Swiatek (2022, 2024)in the final and semifinal respectively.

Other former champions eyeing another title in the desert include four-time Grand Slam champion and World No. 14 Naomi Osaka (2018),as well as World No. 65 Paula Badosa (2021). Returning men’s champions include top-ranked American and World No. 7 Taylor Fritz (2022)and World No. 26 Cameron Norrie (2021).

World No. 2 Jannik Sinner is set to make his return to Indian Wells after missing the 2025 event. Sinner will eye an elusive first career title in Tennis Paradise having reached the semifinal in 2023 and 2024.

Other Top 5 talents on the ATP side include 2026 Australian Open semifinalist and World No. 4 Alexander Zverev, as well as Lorenzo Musetti – who broke into the Top 5 for the first time in his young career to start the 2026 season.

No American woman has captured the Indian Wells title since Serena Williams in 2001, and a talented group of top-ranked stars will be looking to break that drought in 2026. 

Two-time Grand Slam finalist Amanda Anisimova is the top-ranked American on the women’s side after reaching a career-high World No. 3 ranking this January. She’ll be joined by two-time Grand Slam champion and World No. 5 Coco Gauff and World No. 6 Jessica Pegula as the Americans with the best chance of breaking the title drought in the desert.

On the American men’s side, World No. 9 Ben Shelton joins Fritz as the Top 10 American players dreaming of a title run in Indian Wells. Former Grand Slam semifinalists Tommy Paul (World No. 22) and Frances Tiafoe (World No. 30) round out the list of Top 30 American players coming to Indian Wells, along with Southern California native and World No. 24 Learner Tien – who recorded the biggest result of his career with a quarterfinal run at the 2026 Australian Open.

World No. 20 Iva Jovic joins Tien as a newly minted Top 20 American and young talent to watch, with the 18-year-old Southern California native fresh off reaching a career-best quarterfinal at the 2026 Australian Open. Other top Americans fans can look forward to seeing compete on home soil include 2025 Australian Open champion Madison Keys (World No. 15) and 2024 US Open semifinalist Emma Navarro (World No. 17).

Other spotlight names on the player entry lists include two-time Grand Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini (World No. 8), 10x WTA Tour champion and Olympic Gold Medalist Belinda Bencic (World No. 9), 2026 Australian Open semifinalist Elina Svitolina (World No. 10), along with 10x ATP Tour champion Alex de Minaur (World No. 6), 2025 US Open semifinalist Felix Auger-Aliassime (World No.8), and two-time BNP Paribas Open finalist Daniil Medvedev (World No. 11). 

The remaining spots in the singles player field will be filled by the winners of the qualifying tournament set to take place from March 1-3, as well as wild card recipients on each Tour who will be announced in the coming weeks. The doubles and mixed doubles player fields will be announced at a later date.

Stay with News Channel 3 for full coverage of the BNP Paribas Open.

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Jesus Reyes

Feb 11th Update: At the Wednesday night Cathedral City Council meeting by a unanimous vote the council approved the five year contract for Andrew Firestine as its new city manager.  

(Original Story) 

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – After an extensive nationwide search, Cathedral City is set to hire Andrew Firestine as its new city manager.

The move will be official after a contract approval at the Feb. 11 city council meeting.

Firestine, who currently serves as the city’s Director of Community and Economic Development, would assume the role on Feb. 12, 2026, per the terms of the contract.

“The City Council conducted an extensive and deliberate search to find the right leader for Cathedral City,” said Mayor Raymond Gregory. “After evaluating candidates from across the country, it became clear that the best person for the job was already part of our team. Andy’s experience, vision, and deep understanding of our community made him the clear choice.”

Firestine is an experienced local government professional with a career focused on creating lasting community impact and delivering efficient, effective, and responsive service.

A California native, he spent the first 16 years of his career in Colorado, working for a regional council of government and the cities of Colorado Springs and Centennial in various planning and management roles.

Firestine relocated to the Coachella Valley in 2019 and served as Assistant City Manager for the City of Palm Desert, managing multiple service areas until 2022. He then served as Director of Development Services for the City of Escondido before joining the City of Cathedral City in September 2023.

In his current role as Director of Community and Economic Development, he has led the city’s planning, economic development, code compliance, and building services.

Firestine holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of San Diego and a Master of City and Regional Planning from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. He is a member of the American Planning Association, the American Institute of Certified Planners, and the International City/County Management Association.

Anne Ambrose, who has been serving as Interim City Manager since Charlie McClendon’s retirement in September 2025, will transition back to her role as Assistant City Manager.

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Luis Avila

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – This weekend’s Tour de Palm Springs is expected to bring thousands of cyclists to the Coachella Valley.

The event is one of the largest cycling charity events in the country. Every year, up to 8,000 cyclists from 46 different states and four countries take part.

News Channel 3 is speaking with the Palm Springs Police Department about safety measures that will be in place to ensure a smooth and secure event for cyclists and motorists alike.

For more information, click here.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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Gavin Nguyen

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Laws in California have expanded with the goal of keeping drivers safe.

Assembly Bill 390 went into effect on January 1st. It expands the ‘Slow Down, Move Over’ law in the state. Previously, drivers had to move over a lane (or slow down if it’s unsafe to do so) if they encountered emergency vehicles, tow truck operators, or CalTrans crews stopped on the shoulder.

Now, the strengthened law requires drivers to move over for any stopped vehicle with their hazard lights on. That includes the everyday driver who might be experiencing some roadside trouble, like a flat tire. The goal is to protect stranded drivers and their passengers from passing traffic.

Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed a sharp uptick in roadside traffic fatalities from 2014 to 2023 – an alarming 77% increase.

A spokesperson with AAA, Kandace Redd, said those numbers pointed to the need for this expansion.

“No one wants to be stranded on the side of the road, especially with other cars speeding by. It’s dangerous,” said Redd. “That’s why people need to obey the law. Slow down, move over. It really is that simple to help save lives.”

News Channel 3 is speaking with AAA and the California Highway Patrol about what drivers need to know about the change. Stay with us for the latest.

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Athena Jreij

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – It’s been nearly two weeks since Renova Energy announced their acquisition by MycroGrid, an investor-backed company also owned by Renova CEO Vincent Battaglia. 

News Channel 3’s Athena Jreij first broke the story exclusively in January, and has since received multiple calls from concerned customers and former employees that were let go. 

Now, sources say dozens have been laid off and customers are confused on where to get their service during the transition.

Glenn Splain, the CEO of Sunlogix solar company, says he has nearly 60 applications on his desk from former Renova employees.

He also says his phone has been inundated with calls from customers also confused on how to get service.

“We are getting a tremendous amount of calls, for need, for service, for help. Now, it’s going to cost them extra money to get another solar provider to go out and help the customer that they signed an agreement with. Obviously they’re upset over the situation because they thought they were getting something they didn’t get,” Splain said.

News Channel 3 called Renova Energy, and received an automated voicemail advising customers to seek service help if needed immediately, with other solar providers.

Getting answers, we reached out directly to CEO Vincent Battaglia for clarification on who can expect service.

He said in a statement:

“• Service of existing, fully paid (cash) systems is ongoing during the transition period. Customers with owned systems continue to receive service as normal through our company or can reach out to others if desired.

• Service of leased systems that were formerly with SunPower though built by Renova® Energy are being handled by SunStrong (833-514-1858), the legal owner of those systems.

• New system installations that were signed prior to February under the Renova® Energy brand are continuing installation during the transition period, including projects that experienced scheduling adjustments.

• All systems contracted under the Mycrogrid® brand will be installed and serviced following the official Mycrogrid® grand opening in spring.”

Given the confusion, Splain says it’s a sign shoppers should do their homework before buying.

“It’s a 25-year relationship with the customer, so you really should do your due diligence. I think if people really looked into it, there’s been several companies out here where people were CEOs of other solar companies out here, which reemerged into other companies as they hurt the customers. They’re not able to service those customers. All the vendors got screwed over,” Splain said.

He advises shoppers to connect with solar companies vendors to verify their books are right, and look at a company’s history.

News Channel 3 has received several complaints from employees that were laid off, but all feared retaliation.

Stick with us as we continue to follow this story, through Mycrogrid’s reopening in April.

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Daniella Lake

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – 21 residents of the Greater Palm Springs region are featured as background actors in Season 4 of ‘The Lincoln Lawyer,’ in an episode titled Honor Among Thieves.

The episode was filmed at The Saguaro hotel in Palm Springs and will be released on tomorrow, February 5, 2026 on Netflix. 

President of the Greater Palm Springs Film Alliance and Film Office, Levi Vincent, says productions of this scale typically rely on bringing talent in from outside the region, so this project reflects a shift toward hiring locally.

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Julia Castro

BLYTHE, Calif. (KESQ)— The Palo Verde Healthcare District has asked Riverside County officials to step in and appoint two members to its hospital board after vacancies left the district without enough members to conduct official business..

In a letter dated Tuesday, Feb. 3, district officials said the board currently lacks a quorum and missed a required 60-day deadline to fill one of the open seats. As a result, the authority to make the appointment now rests with Riverside County.

The board attempted to fill the vacancies during a special meeting Friday, Jan. 30, but did not have enough members present to take action. A rescheduled special meeting set for Wednesday, Feb. 4, has since been canceled due to anticipated insufficient attendance.

One of the vacancies opened after longtime board member Rosie Rowell stepped down Nov. 30. A second seat became vacant following the resignation of Dr. David Brooks on Jan. 7. District officials said they attempted to confirm Brooks’ resignation but were unable to reach him before it was formally acknowledged later in the month.

In the letter addressed to Fourth District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez, board President Carmela Garnica requested that the county oversee and complete the appointment process in order to restore the district’s five-member board.

District officials said maintaining a quorum is required under the district’s loan agreement, making the appointments necessary to ensure the board can meet and take official action.

It was not immediately clear when Riverside County supervisors may consider the request or how soon appointments could be made.

News Channel 3 will continue to follow the latest developments.

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Jesus Reyes

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – 21 students were honored at a Student of the Month ceremony Tuesday morning.

The Riverside County Office of Education organizes the Student of the Month program to recognize and honor high school seniors.

Student of the Month honorees embody character, integrity, a passion for learning, involvement in school, and other honorable qualities.

“Recognizing and validating the efforts of our students is so very essential in their upbringing. I think this encourages them to continue to go forward in their lives, whether it’s college or career. And so it’s amazing when our community comes together to support them,” said Riverside County Superintendent Edwin Gomez.

Each district selects its Students of the Month based on their embodiment of character, integrity, a passion for learning, active involvement in school life, sports, and community service, or have displayed remarkable resilience in the face of life’s challenges while maintaining a commitment to education.

The honorees at the February 3 event include

Coachella Valley Unified School District (CVUSD)

Anahi Moran – Coachella Valley Independent Study

Yanelly Miranda-Nunez – Desert Mirage High School

Karime Meja – La Familia High School

Diego Flores – Nova Academy Early College High School

Alyssa Ochoa – West Shores High School

Desert Sands Unified School District (DSUSD)

Daniel Hernandez-Martinez – Amistad High School

Arturo Ibarra – Horizon High School

Sofia Cruz-Gonzalez – Indio High School

Nathan Calasan – La Quinta High School

Alfonso Lucero – Palm Desert High School

Giselle Santibanez – Shadow Hills High School

Maria Aceves-Ruiz – Summit High School

Palm Springs Unified School District (PSUSD)

Carlos Lopez – Cathedral City High School

Emily Diedjomahor – Desert Hot Springs High School

Zemi Aceves Garcia – Desert Learning Academy

Damon Lockhart Jr. – Mt. San Jacinto High School

Italy Acosta – Palm Springs High School

Malachi Davis – Rancho Mirage High School

Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE)

Richard Gonzalez – Palm Springs Community School

Jayden Arriaga-Araujo – Don F. Kenny Regional Learning Center

The students selected are nominated by teachers and administrators, and the strongest standouts go through a selective process to be chosen for Student of the Month. Every two months, students are recognized for their hard work and effort.

One additional Greater Coachella Valley Student of the Month event is scheduled for April 14, 2026. Honorees from all four events held throughout the year will compete for the Greater Coachella Valley Student of the Year scholarships that will be awarded on May 21, 2026.

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