Author: KESQ

Jesus Reyes

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – The Desert Sands Unified School District is responding to a planned student walkout on Friday in response to immigration activity.

According to the district, there are flyers on social media and school property being posted by people not associated with DSUSD, calling for student walkouts on Friday.

Palm Desert High School Principal Sarit Saig reminded families that students are not allowed to leave campus or participate in off-campus demonstrations during the school day without written parent/guardian permission and completion of standard checkout procedures. 

“While we respect the right to peaceful protest, the safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority. We do not believe it is safe for students to walk to City Hall, and we do not condone students leaving campus for this or any other activity without parent permission, following sign-out procedures and appropriate supervision,” Saig wrote in a letter to families on Wednesday.

Full letter from Saig below:

Dear Palm Desert High School Families, 

Desert Sands Unified School District and Palm Desert High School have been made aware of flyers circulating on social media and being posted on school property by individuals who are not affiliated with DSUSD, calling for student walkouts on Friday, January 30th, in response to immigration activity.

Please be advised that while we respect students’ rights to free expression and create spaces for their views to be expressed, students are not permitted to leave campus or participate in off-campus demonstrations during the school day without written parent/guardian permission and completion of standard checkout procedures. 

While we respect the right to peaceful protest, the safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority. We do not believe it is safe for students to walk to City Hall, and we do not condone students leaving campus for this or any other activity without parent permission, following sign-out procedures and appropriate supervision.

Thank you for your continued partnership in keeping students safe.

Sincerely,Sarit SaigPrincipal, Palm Desert High School

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Jesus Reyes

THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) – The Coachella Valley Unified School District reported mold findings at Desert Mirage High School and Toro Canyon Middle School.

District officials said they received results indicating positive mold findings in several shared areas of the schools, including the electrical room, library tech room, and the Desert Mirage Attendance Office. The two schools share a campus in Thermal.

“CVUSD has engaged certified environmental professionals to conduct independent assessments and guide the remediation process. The safety of our students and staff remains our top priority, and the District is acting with urgency, responsibility, and transparency to address this matter and ensure a safe school environment,” CVUSD wrote Wednesday.

The district said families and staff have been notified directly. Certified experts are overseeing each step of the process, and CVUSD will continue to communicate openly throughout the process.

Last month, CVUSD reported mold in two classrooms at John Kelley Elementary School. Parents allege black mold at the school as well, even filing seven lawsuits against the district. CVUSD officials have stated this was not the case, and there was no presence of black mold found. The district released the findings from a third-party agency.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates.

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Gavin Nguyen

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – Infrastructure improvements are coming near Acrisure Arena, with officials hoping to strengthen utilities for further development in the area.

Imperial Irrigation District (IID) announced a new substation north of I-10 and west of Cook Street, within Thousand Palms, is moving forward. Most recently, the City of Palm Desert signed a cost-sharing agreement with IID to bring the substation online. With Palm Desert joining the agreement, IID officials said all government entities involved were signed on, further advancing the project.

According to the utility company, the estimated $39.6 million substation is expected to strengthen the local electric system, serving approximately 8,000 residential and commercial customers.

Areas serviced by Imperial Irrigation District, highlighted in yellow, near the Cook St. Substation

They also said it’s a needed upgrade in an area bottlenecked by power constraints.

Construction for the substation is projected for 2027 with a projected completion date of 2028.

News Channel 3 spoke with Mayor Evan Trubee of Palm Desert about the substation project. We asked, “When you talk about power in specific, is that sort of a bottleneck right now in that area that’s limiting that growth?”

The mayor said, “It was, but the Palm Desert way is we solve problems. And so I tip my hat to staff,the city manager, for coming up with a really creative agreement that gets this substation built without any undue burden on the Palm Desert residents.”

The cost-share agreement that the city signed, along with six other partners, places the burden of the nearly $40 million substation on those government entities. According to Trubee, no added tax or fee will be placed on residents. In the years to come, though, land owners and developers using that power will pay the money back to the government entities as a part of that agreement.

Power problems in the area have stopped some development and caused power outages at Acrisure Arena. We asked officials with the utility company if these upgrades will satisfy the needs of the area.

“If you’re talking about specific to that area, I would I would say yes,” answered Robert Schettler, Strategic Communications Specialist with Imperial Irrigation District. “If you’re talking about the whole entire Coachella Valley, which is what we’re looking at, our service area, yeah, we’re planning for the future.”

Mayor Trubee agreed with that forward-looking mindset when it comes to development in the area.

“Several thousand homes [are] being built there, those residents are going to need to be served both by electricity, of course, as well as future commercial development. We want those residents to have the same services and opportunities that the rest of the city has,” he said.

The mayor pointed to several infrastructure projects aimed at paving the way for thousands of new homes and residents in the area, too. That includes Fire Station 102, located near Gerald Ford Drive and Cook Street. It will alleviate some of the burden from other fire stations in the area – which city officials say see high call volumes – and provide public safety for the new developments.

He said there’s a lot of interest in the area to developers: “That’s one of the few sort of last remaining pieces of Palm Desert that is open and available to to develop and grow.”

Supervisor Manuel Perez also wrote in a statement:

The Cook Street Substation would generate development opportunities for economic development, affordable housing and workforce housing.  It would not only support the county and community of Thousand Palms, but the cities of Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage with projects in the pipeline.  It will help everyone and open the door to more economic development opportunities.

Supervisor Perez is very proud of all the partners: Riverside County, the City of Palm Desert, the City of Rancho Mirage, the Berger Foundation and IID, for advancing this agreement for the benefit of our Coachella Valley communities.

Stay with us for the latest as the substation project moves forward, along with other housing and commercial developments in the Thousand Palms/north Palm Desert areas continue.

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Luis Avila

ADELANTO, Calif. (KESQ) – Congressman Raul Ruiz visited the Adelanto Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility on Wednesday morning. After about an hour, he was ultimately denied from entering.

This comes after a previous denial of entry in July 2025 and recent ICE operations facing public scrutiny.

“We have been continuing to hear reports of people receiving inadequate food, water, people overcrowded conditions. We have already seen death from abuse, death from, uh, medical conditions that were not treated adequately. Or with a sense of urgency like the gentleman who died in Indio JFK Hospital after he had repeatedly informed the individuals that he was having chest pain. His family called with concerns, and he died days later. And so that is what we need to observe. We need to investigate,” Ruiz said.

Ruiz said he gave an 8-day notice to the facility of his arrival, complying with a DHS 7-day policy, but ICE officials told him he didn’t receive a reply. If he didn’t receive a reply, he wouldn’t be allowed in.

Following his stop to Adelanto, Ruiz joined other representatives for a press conference outside the ICE offices in San Bernardino.

The group called out the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) use of brutality and violence, demanding accountability from the Trump Administration for terrorizing communities and murdering American citizens. They also called for the immediate removal of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.

News Channel 3’s Luis Avila traveled to Adelanto and San Bernardino. He’ll have more on the visit tonight starting at 4 p.m.

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Timothy Foster

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) –  The Coachella Valley community gathered in remembrance and reflection at the 17th Annual International Holocaust Remembrance Day Program on Wednesday morning.

More than 200 people gathered at the Palm Desert Civic Park Amphitheater, adjacent to the Holocaust Memorial founded by Holocaust survivors Joe Brandt and Earl Greif.

The annual program honors the memory of the six million Jewish victims murdered during the Holocaust, while also commemorating the hundreds of thousands of Roma, homosexuals, people with disabilities, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and others who were killed by the Nazi regime.

This year’s remembrance included special tributes to victims of more recent acts of violence. Organizers honored the 15 individuals murdered in Bondi Beach, Australia, during a Hanukkah celebration, as well as remember the 1,219 people killed in Israel during the October 7, 2023, attack.

As part of the program, heroes from the Bondi Beach tragedy were recognized with the Mensch Award.

Those unable to attend the Palm Desert ceremony will be honored the same day at a parallel event in Bondi, held at the site where the attack occurred. In addition, Harold Matzner and Alan Potash will be awarded the Mensch Award posthumously.

Community members wishing to support the program and its mission are encouraged to make a contribution through the Mensch Foundation at www.MenschFoundation.org/Donate.htm.

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Garrett Hottle

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) As investigations continue into the shooting death of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, residents say daily life in parts of the city has been marked by anxiety, exhaustion, and disruption.

Officials confirmed today that two of the officers involved in the incident have been placed on administrative leave as the investigation continues. No additional details were released.

In interviews with News Channel 3, Minneapolis residents described a tense atmosphere in neighborhoods affected by recent enforcement activity and protests, with some businesses altering operations and people changing daily routines out of concern for safety.

One South Minneapolis resident and small business owner told News Channel 3 that stress levels in the community have risen sharply, describing quieter streets, locked storefronts, and a sense that many residents are struggling to balance work and daily responsibilities amid ongoing uncertainty Kathryn Mayer Hairdresser .

Residents said the impact extends beyond protests, affecting workplaces, service businesses, and neighborhoods where people are trying to support one another while navigating fear and fatigue.

News Channel 3 is continuing to speak with residents across Minneapolis to better understand how the situation is affecting everyday life and community trust.

Stay tuned to News Channel Three tonight at 6pm for a full report.

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Shay Lawson

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (KESQ)  – Angel Night, a special opening evening of the Rancho Mirage Writers Festival, returned Tuesday night.

The event is reserved for the festival’s “Angels” — major supporters whose donations help keep the nationally recognized literacy event running and accessible year after year.

Hundreds attending for a highly anticipated conversation between documentary filmmaker Ken Burns and Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Rick Atkinson.

For those interested in becoming an Angel for 2027, contact Debbie Green Miller at dmiller@rmwritersfest.org

Stay with News Channel 3 for the full story at 10 p.m. and 11 p.m.

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City News Service

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – The Board of Supervisors today approved revisions to a Riverside County policy that permits spouses of military veterans to apply for credits toward job placement in county government, loosening up the process for applicants.

“There are so many different efforts going on when it comes to our veterans,” Supervisor Manuel Perez said ahead of the 5-0 vote Tuesday. “There’s a lot (more) to come our way.”

The Department of Human Resources received the board’s authorization to amend Board Policy C-3, also known as the “Veterans Preference Policy,” under which qualifying retired, disabled or active-duty military personnel preparing to leave service receive credit that elevates their standing in consideration for county employment. The policy further provides credits for wives or widows of service members, though there are limitations.   

“We want to make sure it’s easy for (applicants) to go through our preference process,” agency spokeswoman Tami Schatz told the board. “If someone meets the qualifications, they’ll get an interview.”

Previously, the provision for spouses mandated that, as part of theapplication process, they submit corroborating documents, including marriage certificates, veterans’ death certificates, service discharge forms, disability verification forms — and at least one letter from the U.S. Veterans’ Administration confirming the applicant’s marital relationship to a veteran.   

“Human Resources confirmed that the VA does not issue eligibility letters to veteran spouses,” according to a Department of Human Resources statement. “As a result, the current policy’s language may bemisleading and could unintentionally create barriers for qualified applicants.”

With Tuesday’s board action, the specification under C-3 that required the submission of letters was eliminated.   

Perez said he looked forward to further moves toward augmenting veterans’ services countywide.

“Maybe a budget increase (is needed) to make sure we take care of our veterans,” he said.

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Jesus Reyes

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – Wednesday is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. It’s a day urging people to honor the millions of victims to nazism and to develop educational programs to help prevent future genocides.

This year’s ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Palm Desert Civic Center Park Amphitheater.

It will mark 81 years since the liberation of Auschwitz.

Steven Geiger, founder of the Mensch Foundation, says this year’s event is especially meaningful in light of recent anti-semitism.

“Young people have to know that in the future starting today you have to respect the person next to you. You should not care about their color, their religion, their ethnic background, their gender, gay or not gay, that’s their business,” Geiger said. “There’s antisemitism today, there’s racism today, there’s homophobia today. We have to stop it.”

There will be several speakers at the event, including holocaust survivors.

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Garrett Hottle

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – Coyote sightings are increasing across the Coachella Valley as breeding season gets underway, a seasonal shift wildlife experts say is expected and temporary.

Coyotes typically become more visible from late January through March as adults travel longer distances in search of mates and, later, food for pups. That movement often brings them closer to neighborhoods, parks, and open spaces.

“We’re more likely to see them this time of year,” said Dr. James Danoff-Burg, vice president of conservation at The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens. “Coyotes are a native part of our ecosystem, including urban areas. The key is learning how to coexist with them.”

Residents across the valley report seeing coyotes more frequently, sometimes in small groups. Wildlife experts say group sightings are not unusual during breeding season and do not necessarily indicate aggressive behavior.

Danoff-Burg said coyotes are highly adaptable animals, capable of living near people as long as food sources are available. He pointed to past examples of coyotes successfully navigating dense cities.

Wildlife agencies stress that human behavior plays a major role in how coyotes interact with neighborhoods. Officials recommend securing trash, removing fallen fruit, clearing thick brush, and never feeding wildlife. Small pets should be supervised outdoors, especially at dawn and dusk.

“Feeding coyotes, intentionally or unintentionally, is what leads to problems,” Danoff-Burg said. “If we remove attractants, coyotes generally avoid people.”

Coyotes are protected under California law, and experts say relocation or removal is rarely effective. Instead, agencies emphasize prevention and education as the primary tools for reducing conflicts.

Wildlife officials say most encounters can be avoided and that increased sightings during breeding season typically taper off as spring approaches.

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