Author: KESQ

Dakota Makinen

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Drivers heading to HeadTrip in Indio this weekend should prepare for traffic delays and road restrictions, according to Indio police.

Sgt. Abraham Plata said police will have additional traffic officers and increased patrols in the surrounding area, including officers watching for impaired drivers.

According to Indio police, Avenue 50 is completely closed between Madison Street and Monroe Street. Monroe Street will also be closed to pedestrian traffic between Avenue 49 and Avenue 52 over the weekend.

Police recommend avoiding the area if possible and taking alternate routes to help limit delays.

Stay with KESQ News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.

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Joel Killam

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – A two-vehicle crash temporarily impacted traffic Thursday night at the intersection of Dinah Shore Drive and Toni Street in Palm Desert.

According to News Channel 3’s crew on the scene, one vehicle had significant damage and remained in the intersection, while a second vehicle came to rest on a nearby embankment.

Emergency responders worked to clear the crash, and the intersection has since reopened to traffic. Drivers are once again able to turn into the shopping center that includes Sam’s Club and Walmart.

No additional information about possible injuries or the cause of the crash was immediately available. An investigation is ongoing.

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Joel Killam

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The City of Palm Springs is asking residents to weigh in on how the city’s mayor should be selected in the future.

City leaders have launched a community survey to gather feedback on whether Palm Springs should continue its current system of rotating the mayoral position among elected city council members or return to directly electing a mayor by voters.

The survey follows multiple discussions by city officials regarding the structure of the mayor’s role and the process used to select the city’s top elected leader. City officials say public feedback will help inform future City Council discussions and potential decisions on the issue.

Since 2019, Palm Springs has rotated the mayoral position annually among members of the City Council. City leadership has recently been considering a proposal to switch back to a system in which residents would directly elect a mayor, pending voter approval.

The community survey is available in both English and Spanish.

To participate in the Mayoral Position Community Survey, click here.

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Joel Killam

LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – La Quinta High School has been named one of the Top 40 finalists in T-Mobile’s nationwide Friday Night 5G Lights competition, putting the school in the running for a $1 million football field renovation.

The recognition comes after nearly 2,500 schools across the country participated in the program’s third year. As a Top 40 finalist, La Quinta High School will receive a $25,000 award.

La Quinta High School will put the funding toward program needs, including improving accessibility, upgrading, and expanding some areas.

The selection marks the school’s ongoing pursuit of the competition’s top prize. This is La Quinta High School’s third year participating in Friday Night 5G Lights. The Blackhawks previously earned $5,000 Friday wins and advanced to the program’s Top 25 finalists last year.

Now, community members are once again rallying behind the effort to modernize a stadium that has served Blackhawk students and families.

To celebrate the achievement, T-Mobile will present a $25,000 check during a home game event Friday night.

The celebration begins when gates open at 6 p.m., followed by a 7 p.m. kickoff between the La Quinta High School Blackhawks and the Rancho Mirage High School Rattlers. A halftime check presentation honoring the school’s accomplishment is scheduled between 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

The event will take place at La Quinta High School Stadium, located at 79-255 Blackhawk Way in La Quinta.

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Luis Avila

ADELANTO, Calif. (KESQ) – The federal government’s $950 million purchase of three immigration detention facilities in Adelanto is raising questions about transparency, state oversight and what the change could mean for people being held inside.

The purchase transfers ownership of the Adelanto West ICE Processing Center, Adelanto East ICE Processing Center and the Desert View Annex from private prison operator GEO Group to the federal government.

Immigration attorney Alex Galvez says the change could make it more difficult for California officials and the public to obtain information about conditions inside the facilities.

California’s AB 103 allows the state attorney general to inspect certain immigration detention facilities and report on conditions, including the treatment of detainees. However, Galvez says the law does not give the state the same authority over federally owned facilities.

“California will have a harder time now trying to find the transparency of any abuses that might happen in the central detention facility in Adelanto,” Galvez said.

News Channel 3 has previously reported on findings involving conditions at Adelanto, including concerns about medical care, food and water.

Galvez says the federal government could limit the release of certain information by citing national security concerns.

“Of course we could always file FOIA requests, but that tends to take a long time, especially under this administration,” he said, referring to the federal Freedom of Information Act process.

He also said legal action against the federal government can be difficult.

Immigrant rights advocates say obtaining information about conditions inside Adelanto was already a challenge before the ownership change.

“It has to be announced, it can’t be unannounced. You give them time to clean up and fix a couple things so it helps give them some cover,” said Eddie Torres, with the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice.

The purchase also raises questions about what the change could mean for detainees and their families. Galvez said he does not expect the sale itself to change family visitation, adding that elected officials should be able to visit the facilities.

News Channel 3 reached out to Congressman Ken Calvert’s office for comment but had not received a response.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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Tommy Gallegos

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — A man who was previously identified in investigative documents but had not been charged in connection with a fatal e-bike crash in Desert Hot Springs was arrested Thursday after a warrant was issued in the case, authorities confirmed.

Oscar Pinuelas was identified in California Highway Patrol investigative documents as the driver of a Ford F-150 pickup that struck and fatally injured 67-year-old Laura Harker of Desert Hot Springs on Sept. 7, 2025.

Harker was riding an electric bicycle on Pierson Boulevard near Western Avenue shortly after 7 a.m. when the collision occurred, according to CHP records.

Investigators said Pierson Boulevard is a two-way road with one lane in each direction and a posted speed limit of 55 mph. The surrounding area is mostly open desert.

According to the court documents, Pinuelas was driving a blue Ford F-150 when the pickup struck Harker’s bicycle as she rode near the edge of the roadway.

CHP investigators examined the pickup and bicycle, documenting damage that they said was consistent with the truck striking the bicycle from behind. The pickup sustained damage to its right front bumper.

Investigators also reviewed data recovered from Pinuelas’ cellphone under a search warrant. According to the documents, the phone showed activity involving Instagram several minutes before the collision, followed by the Pandora music application, which appeared to be manipulated up to approximately the time of the crash.

Harker was wearing brightly colored clothing and a bicycle helmet at the time of the collision, investigators said.

She suffered multiple traumatic injuries and was transported to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, where she was pronounced dead.

Video sent into our newsroom shows the moment Pinuelas was arrested Thursday afternoon in Palm Desert by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Gang Impact Team.

The crash was investigated by the California Highway Patrol. The arrest follows the issuance of a warrant in connection with Harker’s death.

We will continue to follow this developing story as more information becomes available.

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City News Service

PALM SPRINGS (CNS) – Palm Springs will celebrate the grand opening of a $5.1 million pickleball complex at Demuth Park later this month.

The grand opening will take place at 4 p.m. Oct. 21 at 4365 E. Mesquite Ave.

The event will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony, refreshments, music, giveaways, prizes, open play and demonstrations.

The new complex will feature 22 pickleball courts, seating areas, planters, drinking fountains, lighting and shade structures, expanding recreational opportunities at Demuth Park.

The courts are scheduled to be open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., with one-hour reservations available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Funding for the project was provided in part by Measure J, a voter-approved sales tax measure supporting city services and infrastructure improvements.

“The Demuth Park pickleball complex gives residents and visitors a beautiful place to be active and connect with friends and neighbors,” Mayor Naomi Soto said in a statement. Soto said the complex is part of a series of investments in Demuth Park intended to improve recreational facilities and residents’ quality of life.

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Tommy Gallegos

PALM SPRINGS, CA (KESQ)- Ten years after Palm Springs police officers Jose “Gil” Vega and Lesley Zerebny were killed in the line of duty, members of the Palm Springs Police Department gathered Thursday to remember the two officers and reflect on their lasting impact on the department and the community.

Vega and Zerebny were killed on Oct. 8, 2016, in a shooting that deeply affected the Palm Springs community and the law enforcement family. A decade later, their colleagues, friends and loved ones continue to remember their service, personalities and dedication to the community.

Rather than hold a public memorial this year, the Palm Springs Police Department organized a private hike Thursday morning for current and former members of the department and members of their extended family. The department said the decision was made with consideration for the emotional significance of the anniversary and to provide an opportunity for those closest to Vega and Zerebny to gather privately, reflect and support one another.

In reflecting on the 10-year anniversary, Chief Stjerne said the department is reminded of Vega and Zerebny’s kindness, their ability to bring energy to a room and the courage they demonstrated throughout their service.

“Their ferocious spirit and courageous service” continue to encourage those who served alongside them, Stjerne said, while their positive impact continues to inspire others to make a difference in their community.

The 10th anniversary remembrance will continue Saturday, Oct. 10, when the Palm Springs POA hosts its Memorial Ride. The event will honor Vega and Zerebny, as well as other fallen officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their communities.

For those who knew them, the anniversary marks a decade of loss—but also a decade of remembrance. Their names remain a lasting part of the Palm Springs Police Department and the community they served.

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Tommy Gallegos

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. (KESQ)— Riverside County residents will soon have several opportunities to weigh in on how the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department is overseen as a Board of Supervisors Ad Hoc Committee begins gathering public input on potential oversight options.

The Board of Supervisors voted in July to establish the committee, which will examine ways to strengthen oversight of the Sheriff’s Department and evaluate different models used by counties and cities throughout California and elsewhere. The committee is expected to consider existing oversight capabilities, as well as the potential legal, financial and operational impacts of any changes.

The committee will now hold three public listening sessions throughout Riverside County, with one locally in Palm Desert, giving residents an opportunity to share their experiences, concerns and perspectives directly with county supervisors.

“The purpose of these listening sessions is to hear directly from the people we serve,” Board Chair and Second District Supervisor Karen Spiegel said. “Community input is essential as we explore oversight options and evaluate what approaches may best support transparency, accountability and public trust in Riverside County.”

First District Supervisor Jose Medina also encouraged residents to participate.

“Meaningful public engagement is a critical part of good governance,” Medina said. “We encourage residents to take part in this process and share their perspectives as we work toward recommendations that reflect the needs and values of Riverside County communities.”

Three Listening Sessions Planned

The first session will take place in the Riverside area:

Tuesday, October 13, 2026 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Riverside County Administrative Center Board Hearing Room, First Floor 4080 Lemon Street, Riverside

The second session will be held in the Coachella Valley in Palm Desert:

Thursday, October 22, 2026 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Coachella Valley Water District Steve Robbins Administration Building 75515 Hovley Lane East, Palm Desert

A third session will be held virtually:

Monday, October 26, 2026 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. English and Spanish livestreams will be available online.

Residents who want to speak during the virtual session must register before the meeting begins through the county’s online speaker form.

The county says feedback from the listening sessions, along with written comments submitted through the committee website, will be summarized and posted online. Personal identifying information will be removed before the comment summaries are published.

The county’s examination of sheriff oversight comes as Riverside County also prepares for a major change involving the Sheriff’s Department.

On September 30, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1379, legislation authored by Riverside County-area Senator Sabrina Cervantes that requires Riverside County to separate the offices of sheriff and coroner by July 1, 2027, and establish an independent medical examiner’s office.

The new law also establishes public reporting requirements concerning deaths in county custody, including requirements for the county to make information about in-custody deaths available to the public.

The legislation requires the Board of Supervisors to appoint a medical examiner who is a licensed physician and surgeon qualified as a specialist in pathology. It also includes timelines for public reporting following an in-custody death and notification of next of kin after a cause of death has been determined.

The separation of the coroner function is separate from the Board of Supervisors’ current examination of broader sheriff oversight options, but both developments could shape the county’s approach to transparency, accountability and independent review.

The Ad Hoc Committee will continue examining oversight models and gathering public input over the coming months. The committee’s findings and recommendations are expected to return to the Board of Supervisors by the end of January 2027.

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Angela Chen

Parker Palm Springs is introducing a new monthly culture series centered around influential voices in art, film, music, design and more.

Hosted on the grounds of the 13-acre estate, “Parker Sessions” brings what organizers are calling an “intimate cultural experience” to attendees at the hotel’s new amphitheater, which can seat 130 people.

The first session kicks off October 16, featuring a partnership with Desert X, alongside contemporary artist Nicholas Galanin and art collector Nancy Magoon. The conversation will be followed immediate with a live performance by Galanin’s band Ya Tseen.

“You have the most tremendous views of our mountain landscape,” said Kelly Teo, the Director of Commercial Strategy for Parker. “It is an outdoor amphitheater with this beautiful stone seating, and it was landscaped by Judy Camion, who had been our landscape artist since 2004, when the hotel was built, and so it is just a gem of a location. The idea again, is to create the intimacy with the audience, so you can actually interact with the artists.”

Upcoming sessions include interior design Jonathan Adler, singer Ann Hampton Callaway, landscape artist Judy Kameon, and jazz singer Cyrille Aimée.

For tickets and more information, head to parkerpalmsprings.com/parker-sessions.

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