Author: KESQ

Allie Anthony

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) –  The real estate market in the Coachella Valley is undergoing changes. More homes are hitting the market, but with fewer buyers competing, prices are starting to drop.

Interest rates remain high—around 7%—making borrowing more expensive compared to recent years. Real estate expert Stephen Powell of Stephen Powell and Associates says this could be an ideal time for buyers to make a move because of less competition and more room to negotiate.

For sellers, however, the story is different. In a cooler market, pricing a home correctly from the start is more crucial than ever to attract buyers and avoid sitting on the market for a long time.

Stay with News Channel 3 at 4:00 for more on what these changes mean for you and the local housing market.

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Timothy Foster

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A free Forever Marilyn Community Celebration took place on Sunday, June 1, 2025, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. in Downtown Park, honoring Marilyn Monroe’s 99th birthday and the new location of the beloved Forever Marilyn statue.

Hosted by local drag queen Vanity Halston, the event featured music, birthday treats (while supplies lasted), and a Marilyn Monroe Look-alike Contest with prizes for the top three participants.

The 26-foot-tall, 17-ton statue by artist Seward Johnson captured the iconic scene from The Seven Year Itch and became one of Palm Springs’ most popular attractions. After debuting in 2012 and returning in 2021, the sculpture was relocated just steps away into the Palm Springs Downtown Park.

Monroe’s connection to Palm Springs dated back to 1949, when she was discovered at the Racquet Club. She frequently visited the area throughout the 1950s, often accompanied by her then-husband, baseball legend Joe DiMaggio.

The statue continued to attract nearly 1 million visitors annually, contributing significantly to local tourism and retail sales.

For more information, visit www.ps-resorts.com/forever-marilyn.

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Shay Lawson

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ)  – Pride month is giving a colorful boost to local businesses, with many saying they’re seeing a rise in customers drawn to LGBTQ+ events, merchandise and inclusive spaces.

Drew Fowler, general manager at Oscar’s Palm Springs, said it’s an exciting time.

“We have the Bitchiest Brunch, which has been the longest running drag show in the desert for about 9 years,” Fowler said. “We’re just getting prepped for a big month.”

On Sunday, Oscar’s Palm Springs, celebrated the beginning of Pride month with it’s world famous T-Dance that Fowler said is a world Pride kick off event.

“It’s a giant party we have in our courtyard. Between 500 to 700 people come out,” Fowler said. “We have rotating DJs, special guest DJs coming and playing,” Fowler said. “We have go-go dancers, drink specials, no cover from 3 to 4 p.m.”

Beyond the entertainment, Fowler said Pride celebrations highlight the power of visibility and community.

“It’s a place where people come to be with their family,” Fowler said.

Oscar’s Palm Springs is located at 125 E Tahquitz Canyon Way.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage this Pride month.

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Kendall Flynn

JOSHUA TREE, Calif. (KESQ) – The Eureka Fire continues to burn in Joshua Tree National Park with the latest update from the park at 9 a.m. on Saturday at 212 acres and 40% contained. Even with parts of the park closed off for safety, visitors said it won’t keep them from traveling.

Visitors said Joshua Tree is an oasis that gives them a sense of freedom, but with that it worries them to hear it’s dealing with a wildfire.

The climate in Joshua Tree is dry. The landscape not only is filled with it’s iconic Joshua Tree’s, but also dry brush, which spreads fire easily.

News Channel 3 spoke with visitors on Saturday who said they hope the Eureka Fire reminds other visitors to take necessary precautions to prevent other fires. Many said they even have vacation homes in Joshua Tree, causing them to worry about their families or pets while they are away.

Some visitors said they were coming from the Los Angeles area, and remember what it was like to experience the Palisades Fire. They want travelers to be aware of the sensitive climate.

Stay with News Channel 3 to hear what visitors are advising each other to do to be careful hiking or camping in the park to prevent other wildfires.

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Kenji Ito

IRVINE, Calif. (KESQ) — Cathedral City softball falls to Hueneme 1-0 in the CIF-SS Division 8 championship game on Saturday in Irvine at Deanna Manning Stadium.

Despite coming up short, the Lady Lions had a historic CIF-SS playoff run in their second playoff appearance in program history.

Defeated Santa Clarita Christian 11-0 (Round 1)

Defeated Bethel Christian 15-6 (Round 2)

Defeated Orange 3-1 (Quarter final)

Defeated Lennox Academy 12-1 (Semi-final)

Lost to Hueneme 1-0 (Final)

On top of their success in the playoffs, they also had success in the regular season with a 9-3 record in league play, which was second in the Sun Valley League.

Congrats to Cathedral City on a great season.

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Shay Lawson

SAN JACINTO, Calif. (KESQ)  – The San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus will remain open until midnight on Saturday as Riverside County animal services officials urgently seek adopters and foster families.

It comes amid a critical overcrowding crisis.

The shelter, which is operated by the Riverside County Department of Animal Services (RCDAS), is currently operating at 220% capacity.

To help reduce the population, the shelter is waiving adoption fees and including spay/neuter services, microchips and age-appropriate vaccinations.

The San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus is located at 581 S Grand Ave in San Jacinto.

Locally, the Coachella Valley Animal Campus is open Tuesday, Thursday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

RCDAS said community support is essential to avoid heartbreaking euthanasia decisions.

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KESQ News Team

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A world record that’s stood for more than 50 years could be broken in June in Palm Springs!

Motocross daredevil Colby Raha will attempt to break the record for the longest motorcycle jump to a flat landing. He’s aiming for 200 feet with no landing ramp.  

The attempt is set for June 21 at the Palm Springs Surf Club. 

Raha won’t be able to practice or rehearse the stunt because of how risky it is.

“So this is a long-term thing. We’re, we’re doing it right. We’re bringing in the proper measurements, the proper uh ramp angles, double checking our numbers, wearing proper safety gear, and giving ourselves the best chance of being safe as we can, um, and then going for it,” Raha said.

Raha says the actual jump is the least of his worries.

The impact of landing on a flat surface is what makes this stunt so dangerous.

The current record is 171 feet and was set back in 1974 by stuntman Bob Gill.

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Cynthia White

LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – Riverside County Sheriff’s Office reports that five people were arrested in a DUI warrant sweep on Friday.

The sweep was conducted by the La Quinta Traffic Team assisted by the La Quinta Special Enforcement Teams.

The five individuals arrested had outstanding warrants related to driving under the influence, including failure to appear in court, probation violations, and other unresolved DUI offenses.

“Driving under the influence continues to be a serious threat to the safety of our community,” said Sergeant Mark Chlarson. “Our department is committed to ensuring that those who endanger others by driving impaired are held accountable – not just at the time of the offense, but until the judicial process is complete.”

Those arrested during the operation were taken into custody without incident and booked into the John Benoit Detention Center.

  

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Cynthia White

BERMUDA DUNES, Calif. (KESQ) – Assemblyman Greg Wallis (AD47) named Do the Right Thing Greater Palm Springs as the 2025 nonprofit of the year for the 4th Assembly District on Friday.

The announcement came during a news conference at the Palm Springs Police Department. Wallis praised the nonprofit for strengthening bonds between youth and law enforcement, calling it “a program that’s truly changing lives.”

Assemblyman Wallis said he had an opportunity to speak with some of the students who have received the award. He added, “[They] have said this is the first time they have received recognition, and I think that’s really important and will make a lasting impact on their lives when they’re looking back as adults and they can pinpoint that first moment, that first award, that first recognition they got, and they want to continue to do good.”

News Channel 3 brings you the winners of the Do the Right Thing award each month.

The nonprofit has honored more than 2,300 students for their integrity and leadership, and awarded over $100,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors across the region.

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Cynthia White

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (KESQ) – FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Joint Terrorism Task Force Amir Ehsaei reported on Friday that the processing of the Palm Springs bombing crime and post blast scene is complete.

The Evidence Response Team and Special Agent Bomb Technicians have been at work and investigating the area since the blast on May 17th at the American Reproductive Centers fertility clinic. The FBI pointed out in a statement last week that the evidence indicates the explosion was premeditated and that the attack was an intentional act of terrorism.

In a video statement on X/FBILosAngeles, Agent Ehsaei explained, “We’re here at the Palm Springs explosion site to finish up our evidence gathering. We were here last week where we were able to search and gather evidence for four of the five buildings, the surrounding lots, and also the surrounding area. There was one building left that we had to search that was deemed unsafe, so we came back today, brought the proper equipment, the proper tools, and we’re finishing up our search at the location to try to gather more evidence regarding the explosion.”

In its earlier statement, the FBI asked anyone with information about the explosion or the planning of the attack to contact them at 1-800-CALL-FBI or provide information online at tips.fbi.gov.

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