Author: KESQ

KESQ News Team

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – An attorney for College of the Desert Trustee Ruben Perez entered a not guilty plea on his behalf Thursday to a second DUI case, and Perez is due back in court later this month.

Perez was not present for the arraignment at the Larson Justice Center.

In court, the judge laid out the allegations, saying Perez was pulled over in Palm Desert in May because his lights were not on and that there was alcohol in the car.

Perez is the former chief of staff to Riverside County Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez, and son of Riverside County Supervisor Manuel Perez.

It is his second DUI case since 2023. Perez was arrested in La Quinta in February of that year and pleaded guilty the following spring. He was sentenced to four days in custody, to be served through a work release program.

In May, Perez said he was taking a leave of absence from his public duties and entering treatment for alcoholism and depression.

Perez has not been convicted in the current case. He is due back in court Aug. 24.

Click here to follow the original article.

KESQ STAFF

The 2026 Acrisure Series returns to Acrisure Arena in Greater Palm Springs from Nov. 21-26, bringing together 26 NCAA Division I men’s basketball programs for 26 games over six days during Thanksgiving week.

This year’s field includes top programs such as USC, LSU, Stanford, Arizona State, South Carolina, SMU, Utah State and Grand Canyon. Marquee matchups include Stanford vs. Colorado, USC vs. South Carolina, Arizona State vs. LSU and Grand Canyon vs. Saint Louis, with additional games scheduled on Thanksgiving Day.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Acrisure Series (@acrisureseries)

Tickets start at $25 (plus fees) and go on sale Saturday, Aug. 8 at 10 a.m. PT through Ticketmaster and the Acrisure Arena box office.

Click here to follow the original article.

Kiera McKinney

CATHEDRAL CITY, CALIF. (KESQ)- As students head back to school, the roads around campuses are about to get much busier.

From crowded drop-off lanes to school buses and kids walking or biking, law enforcement is reminding drivers that a few seconds of slowing down can prevent a tragedy.

According to the Transportation Research Board, about 25,000 children are injured each year while walking to or from school. Roughly 57 million children travel to and from schools across the United States each day.

Principal Wendy Meca from Landau Elementary school says, “So please, please slow down. there are kids walking home with their families. We want to make sure everyone gets home.”

Meca also tells me they’ve had a great partnership so far with the Cathedral City Police Department, and the department is going to have extra eyes on protolling in the mornings.

Click here to follow the original article.

Luis Avila

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – As local animal shelters face one of their most challenging times of the year, Animal Samaritans is bringing back a lighthearted fundraiser with a serious purpose.

The nonprofit’s annual “Poorly Drawn Pets” campaign invites pet owners to donate $20 in exchange for a hand-drawn portrait of their pet. While the artwork is designed to spark laughs, every donation helps support Animal Samaritans’ mission of caring for animals across the Coachella Valley.

Shelter officials say summer presents unique challenges.

“The shelters are always overcrowded,” one staff member said. “During the summer, we have a lot of our volunteers that are snowbirds. They leave during the summer, and then when we’re in need of fosters, it’s harder to find them… Especially for fostering because that is usually when kitten season starts.”

To help meet those needs, volunteers are once again putting their artistic talents—or lack thereof—to work.

“We’re not that good at art, it’s just a lot of fun,” another staff member said. “You never know what you’re going to get.”

The fundraiser has become a community favorite. Last year, volunteers created more than 200 pet portraits, raising money for shelter programs that support both shelter animals and local pet owners.

“Whether that is shelter costs, medical care, spay and neuter services, every donation helps.”

News Channel 3’s Luis Avila will once again participate as one of the fundraiser’s celebrity artists.

The “Poorly Drawn Pets” fundraiser runs throughout August.

For information, click here.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

Click here to follow the original article.

Dakota Makinen

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – OneFuture Coachella Valley is hosting its Gents Alliance College Send-Off at the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus, bringing together incoming and returning male college students from across the Coachella Valley before the start of the new academic year.

The event celebrates students as they take the next step in their educational journey while connecting them with mentors, peers, and campus resources. Organizers say attendees will also learn about men’s mental health and the ongoing support available through Gents Alliance.

The event connected students with mentors, peers, scholarships, mental health resources and campus support services designed to help them navigate college and prepare for future careers.

For Joseph Gonzalez, a Gents Alliance participant, the program helped transform his college experience.

“I was a very shy person. I didn’t know how to get involved,” Gonzalez said. “I took that leap of faith, and everything shifted.”

Gonzalez said the program gave him the confidence to become active in student government, earn scholarships and pursue his goal of becoming a teacher in the Salton Sea area to mentor future generations.

Organizers say the support doesn’t end after students arrive on campus. Through continued mentorship, career guidance and networking opportunities, Gents Alliance aims to help students stay on track through graduation and into the workforce.

OneFuture Coachella Valley says it will continue offering opportunities for students across the region to connect with colleges, universities and community partners throughout the academic year.

Click here to follow the original article.

Timothy Foster

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) — A Salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeños has sickened 345 people across 27 states, including in California, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

36 people have been hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported.

The jalapeños were sourced from Mexico and supplied by California-based Coast Citrus Distributors. The peppers were served at Chipotle, QDOBA, and other restaurants.

The outbreak is raising concerns among some Coachella Valley shoppers, who say they are paying closer attention to the fresh produce they buy.

Audrey Collier, a Sun City resident, said she is concerned about potential contamination because she puts a lot of effort into caring for her health.

Chipotle switched jalapeño suppliers for its restaurants beginning July 20, while QDOBA stopped serving jalapeños altogether on July 28.

The FDA says neither restaurant is considered an ongoing risk to consumers because of those changes.

The recalled jalapeños were distributed primarily to restaurants and food-service businesses rather than directly to grocery stores. The FDA says most consumers do not need to take action at this time.

Restaurant owners who have jalapeños on hand should check where the peppers came from. Anyone who recently ate at a restaurant where jalapeños were served and develops symptoms should contact their doctor.

The outbreak comes as health officials investigate a separate cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce. That outbreak has resulted in more than 22,000 confirmed or suspected illnesses and 517 hospitalizations, according to the CDC.

The two outbreaks are not believed to be connected.

Click here to follow the original article.

Jesus Reyes

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Power is back for over 600 IID customers in Indio after a semi truck hit a pole Wednesday afternoon.

The Imperial Irrigation District noted that the outage affected more than 600 customers at one point. Power was restored to customers by 8:30 p.m.

“The outage was caused by a vehicle making contact with electrical equipment. IID crews responded quickly, safely isolated the affected section, and restored service to all impacted customers,” reads a post by IID.

Additional details on the crash were not available.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any new developments.

Click here to follow the original article.

City News Service

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – A convicted felon who stabbed his girlfriend multiple times in an attack under an Indio bridge that he blamed on having a split personality was convicted today of assault with a deadly weapon resulting in great bodily injury and other charges.

A Riverside jury deliberated about a day before finding Jamin Demar Williams guilty of the assault count, along with domestic violence and a sentence-enhancing allegation of using a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony.

Riverside County Superior Court Judge Laura Garcia scheduled a sentencing hearing for Oct. 2 at the Riverside Hall of Justice. Williams is being held without bail at the nearby Robert Presley Jail.

According to a trial brief filed by the District Attorney’s Office, on the afternoon of April 22, 2024, the defendant became irate with the victim, identified only as an area transient, for unspecified reasons.

The brief said Williams and the woman had sometimes shared her tent under the Golf Center Parkway Bridge, and their year-long relationship had involved acts of domestic abuse, though nothing comparable to April 22.

The victim later told Indio Police Department investigators that she was relaxing in her tent when the defendant rushed inside and accused her of “setting me up.”

He punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground, the brief said.

“After kicking and punching the victim, the defendant began stabbing her,” according to the narrative. “During the assault, the defendant told her, `I’m going to kill you today. I don’ t give a (expletive) about you.'”

For over a half-hour, Williams held her inside the tent by threatening her with a six-inch knife, according to the prosecution. He inflicted a wound to the right side of her neck, stabbed her three times in the left arm and shoulder, and once behind the right ear, prosecutors said.

When the victim finally broke away, she fled to a nearby 7-Eleven and asked a clerk to call 911, which immediately brought patrol units to the location.

Officers detained the defendant under the bridge following a brief confrontation, during which he baited them to “shoot me, just shoot me then,” the brief said. No shots were fired during his arrest, and neither Williams nor officers suffered injuries.

The woman was taken to a regional trauma center for treatment of her wounds, from which she has since recovered.

Williams was interviewed by detectives that evening, telling them he had “three split personalities,” according to the prosecution. He named the persons as “Jay,” “Ashad” and “Quick.”

“The defendant stated neither Jay or Ashad harmed the victim and were unaware of what happened,” the brief said. “The defendant stated he does not talk to Quick, and Quick did not want to speak with defendant or the police. He told police he knew the woman but never lived under the bridge. Hewas unsure how he obtained blood on his clothing and body.”

Court records indicated Williams underwent psychiatric evaluations throughout 2024 and was determined to be competent to stand trial.

He has documented prior convictions for making criminal threats and first-degree burglary, resulting in prison time.

Click here to follow the original article.

Luis Avila

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — The Palm Springs Police Department is warning residents about an increase in phone scams involving callers who falsely claim to be law enforcement officers.

Police say they’ve received multiple reports in recent days from people who were contacted by scammers posing as Palm Springs police officers.

The callers often tell victims they have an outstanding arrest warrant, unpaid traffic fines, missed a court appearance or subpoena, or failed to report for jury duty. They then threaten immediate arrest unless payment is made.

“They’re trying to instill fear on the individual, and what that does is interrupt their ability to kind of make logical sense of what’s going on,” said Palm Springs Police Department Capt. Gustavo Araiza.

Authorities say scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, often spoofing the Palm Springs Police Department’s phone number, using the names of real officers, and providing fake badge and case numbers to make the calls appear legitimate.

One local resident, Terry Davis, recently received a call from someone claiming to be with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office regarding what was described as an urgent civil case.

At first, Davis believed the caller.

“I can usually tell that they’re scammers right away, so I don’t do anything about it,” Davis said. “But this one at first started really convincing because they obtained the name of a sergeant.”

Instead of following the caller’s instructions, Davis contacted the Sheriff’s Office directly and learned the call was a scam.

“It was scary,” Davis said.

Police say that’s exactly the reaction scammers are hoping for.

Police say there are three major warning signs that a call is likely a scam: the caller threatens arrest, demands immediate payment, or insists the person stay on the phone throughout the process.

The department reminds residents that legitimate law enforcement agencies do not call people demanding immediate payment to avoid arrest.

Anyone who receives a suspicious call is urged to remain calm, hang up immediately, independently verify the claim, and report the incident to local law enforcement.

Palm Springs police is investigating the recent reports.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

Click here to follow the original article.

Peter Daut

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (KESQ)– Valley doctors say they’re seeing an increase in patients with “brain fog.”

Brain fog is a term used to describe a range of cognitive symptoms, including impaired concentration, memory lapses and mental fatigue. Doctors say it’s common after covid but can also be caused by stress or underlying conditions.

Officials also say it’s important for people with severe brain fog to seek medical attention.

“These are highly intelligent individuals. Some are working, some are retired, but it really affects their ability to have their daily lives functioning at a higher capacity,” explained Dr. Elaine Fogel Schneider, a local psychologist

Doctors say poor sleep, dehydration and lack of exercise can also contribute to brain fog. For more information watch Peter Daut’s full interview and stay with News Channel 3.

Click here to follow the original article.