Author: KESQ

Peter Daut

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The national nonprofit “Human Rights Campaign” announced that the city of Palm Springs and the Transgender Health and Wellness Center will receive awards at an upcoming event.

The “HRC Palm Springs Garden Party” raises funds to support the organization’s work to defend, protect, and advance equality for LGBTQ+ Americans.

The city of Palm Springs is being recognized for its staunch support of the LGBTQ community while the Transgender Health and Wellness Center is being recognized for the care and youth support it provides.

“LGBTQ+ Americans just want to live their lives and feel that we are due and should be afforded equality. Equality is not limited; it is something we should all be afforded,” said Brian O’Connor, Chair of HRC Palm Springs.

The 24th HRC Palm Springs Garden Party will be held Saturday, November 8, from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Click here for more information on the event, including how to purchase tickets.

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Gavin Nguyen

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – A horse rescued from Cabazon has found his new calling.

After being rescued from a property in August of 2024, the horse, named Maverick, was taken by the Riverside County Department of Animal Services.

In the months that followed, he was transformed from “severely underweight” to a member of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office Mounted Enforcement Detail (MED). 

Deputy Hubbard, who calls himself “Maverick’s dad,” is speaking with us about the journey he and his partner took to become a part of the elite unit of horse-riding deputies.

Tonight on News Channel 3, we’re bringing you the story of Maverick, the horse who found a new life in law enforcement. Stay with us for the full story.

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City News Service

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Palm Springs officials will unveil a large-scale art installation from its sister city in Mexico next week during a public ceremony celebrating international cultural exchange, it was announced today.   

Mexican artist Daniel “Mestiz” Valero, from San Miguel de Allende — Palm Springs’ official sister city — will begin installing his artwork “Deriva Floral” Wednesday along Museum Way, adjacent to Downtown Park.   

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is set for 9:30 a.m. Oct. 15, featuring remarks from Mayor Ron deHarte, city councilmembers, San Miguel de Allende Director of Tourism Tania Castillo and Palm Springs Sister Cities President Gary Armstrong.

“We are excited to host this beautiful art installation from our Sister City, San Miguel de Allende. Cross-cultural exchanges like these build bridges across languages, customs, and generations, enriching both communities in the process,” deHarte said.

The installation will feature 36 handcrafted flowers, each about four feet wide, with several suspended in the air. The piece reflects the vibrant colors and cultural identity of Valero’s hometown, officials said.

“San Miguel de Allende has always been a beacon of creativity, artistry and cultural fusion,” Castillo said.

The art installation will be open to the public through November, and was fully funded by San Miguel de Allende, according to officials.

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Jesus Reyes

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – A Cathedral City woman in Israeli custody after being detained on a humanitarian aid boat headed for Gaza has been safely released and is now in Jordan, family told News Channel 3’s Athena Jreij.

Jordanian state media reported that 131 Gaza flotilla activists were deported to Jordan on Tuesday.

Family shared a video showing Geraldine Ramirez with the remaining US delegation members in Jordan.

“Our family cannot fully express the relief and gratitude we feel at this moment. These past days have been filled with fear, uncertainty, and countless prayers but also with incredible love and support from people all around the world,” reads a statement from Ramirez’s family. “Geraldine is now safe and receiving care. We ask for privacy and calm as she recovers physically and emotionally from her experience.”

Ramirez’s family said they do not know when she will be able to fly back to the United States, nor the exact location where she will be released or processed next.

“We remain in communication with officials and continue to trust that she will be safely reunited with the people she cares for soon,” Ramirez’s family added.

News Channel 3’s Athena Jreij interviewed Ramirez’s family last week, even bringing Ramirez’s story to the attention of local Congressman Raul Ruiz. Watch the interviews below:

Stay with News Channel 3 for any new developments.

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City News Service

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Indio police hosted National Night Out at Center Stage in the downtown area today as part of an effort to strengthen relations with the community.

The event began at 6 p.m. Tuesday at 82881 Miles Ave.   

“This is a night for America to stand together to promote awareness, safety, and neighborhood unity. National Night Out showcases the vital importance of police-community partnerships and citizen involvement in out fight to build a safer nation,” National Project Coordinator Matt Peskin said in a statement.   

It featured more than 40 community partner booths, including other law enforcement agencies, police said. Officers, in partnership with the California Highway Patrol Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program, will distribute promotional items that state “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Drive High, Get a DUI.”  

National Night Out, sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch, aims to “heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, generate support for and participation in local anti-crime efforts and strengthen neighborhood spirit,” the department said.

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

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Kendall Flynn

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Mosquitoes collected from a routine surveillance trap in the City of Palm Springs have tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV), according to Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District.

The sample discovery was taken near the intersections of South Camino Real and East La Verne Way. This is the first WNV-positive mosquito sample reported in Palm Springs this year and the 11th in the Coachella Valley.

News Channel 3 brought you the first WNV discovery of the year in the North Shore community in May. Now the latest discovery is prompting the City of Palm Springs to alert its residents. With recent rain, the mosquitoes are more likely to be around, especially near still water.

Now the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District is working to treat areas in Palm Springs, including hot spots for breeding and at residents homes. The district’s Public Information Manager Robert Gaona said it’s a process of killing the mosquito larva before it reaches adulthood for maximum mitigation.

“Each mosquito will lay, 300 eggs,” Gaona said. “So, it is best to treat them when they’re in water to prevent them from becoming adults. It’s much easier and more effective to get rid of them before they’re flying around their communities.”

From storm drains throughout the city alone, thousands of mosquito larva swim near the surface. Vector control takes a sample to determine the breed of mosquito before deciding what method of treatment they need to use. It is often an oil-based treatment sprayed on the surface to inhibit the larva from reaching it.

Mosquito larva sample taken on the corner of E Tachevah Drive and N Avenida Caballeros.

Jonathan Herrera, vector control technician two, said the treatments are efficient until it rains. The storms wash away the original oil treatment, forcing them to consistently return to the area. He said with the rain also comes more mosquitoes around still water.

“It all depends especially with the rain events that we are scheduled to have this coming up Thursday and Friday,” Herrera said. “Unfortunately, that’s just the nature of the beast. But in the meantime, you could always…remove any stagnant water, also use repellent.” 

Stay with News Channel 3 to hear from officials on what treatment looks like and what residents need to know.

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Allie Anthony

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) — SunLine Transit Agency is offering free rides across its entire fixed-route bus system in support of two major statewide efforts to improve air quality.

The free ride campaign lasts from October 7 through October 11 during Rideshare Week. This is a statewide initiative encouraging commuters to rethink their travel habits in favor of more sustainable options.

No passes, promo codes, or special tickets are required. Riders can simply show up, board, and ride free of charge during the promotional dates.

SunLine hopes the initiative not only helps clear the air but also introduces new riders to the convenience and reliability of public transit.

For more information about routes and schedules, visit this site.

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City News Service

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Herbert W. Burns, a pioneering architectural designer, will posthumously be honored with the 480th star on the Palm Springs Walk of the Stars in the category of Architect/Artist/Designer.

The star will be unveiled at 300 S Palm Canyon Dr. on Friday, October 17 at 2:00 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

Burns died in 1988 at the age of 91 and his impact on the city lives on to this day.

According to the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce, Burns was one of Palm Springs’ earliest architectural visionaries, credited with helping shape the desert city’s iconic midcentury character. Entirely self-taught, Burns worked in a distinctive “Late Moderne” style that blended sleek modernism with the desert landscape, giving Palm Springs its reputation for the seamless indoor–outdoor lifestyle.

His very first project in town—the Town & Desert Apartment Hotel (1947), now The Hideaway—garnered international press, and many of his subsequent works, including the Village Manor (1955), now Orbit In, the Gillman Residence (1948), and the Crockett Residence (1951), have been recognized as Class 1 Historic Sites by the City of Palm Springs.

His portfolio also includes the Desert Hills Apartment Hotel (1956), The Four Hundred (1955), and The 500 West (1970), all of which reflect his lasting impact on Palm Springs’ built environment.

Burns’ influence extended far beyond architecture. After serving as an officer in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II, he moved permanently to Palm Springs in 1945 and quickly immersed himself in civic life. He served on the Palm Springs Park and Recreation Board, helped oversee the planting of more than 300 palm trees along Palm Canyon Drive, and sat on the steering committee for the creation of the 22-acre Tamarisk (now Ruth Hardy) Park. He was elected to the Chamber of Commerce in 1948, became president of the Village Hotel and Apartment House Managers Association, and even ran twice for city council.

Burns was also a familiar face in the community, active with the Tennis Club, the Palm Springs Shrine Club, and later as a member of the newly formed Police Aero Squadron. His professional and civic life reflected a deep love for Palm Springs and a vision for its future as both a resort town and a community.

Click here for more information on the Palm Springs Walk of the Stars.

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Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The city of Palm Springs is celebrating the grand opening of its newest boutique resort.

City leaders held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday morning, welcoming the Casa Palma Hotel and Bungalows, located at 1533 N Chaparral Road.

It features over 30 rooms, 2 pools, a restaurant, and a tennis and pickleball court.

The property is the former Desert Sun resort, which closed earlier this year.

Ryan and Rochelle Jaleh, the owners of Casa Palma, say they were inspired by their childhood visits to Palm Springs.

“We’ve always loved coming out to this community and I have always loved Palm Springs, and the minute that we set our eyes on this hotel, we knew it was something special,” Ryan Jaleh said.

The Jalehs said the site was originally the Normandy Hotel built back in 1943 by iconic actor Errol Flynn.

Click here for more information on Casa Palma.

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Peter Daut

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – In the Coachella Valley, this time of year can be tough for people who suffer from allergies.

Doctors say they’re now seeing more patients and that dust, grass and weed pollens are to blame. Many golf courses cut down to reseed this time of year.. increasing the amount of particles in the air. This can lead to itchy and watery eyes, nasal congestion, and difficulty breathing and sleeping.

“If it’s having any sort of effect on your quality of life,  absolutely come and get seen, either by your primary care or an allergist. We have two allergists here at Eisenhower, allergists who can see you sooner rather than later,” Dr. Vincent Devlin, allergist and immunologist at Eisenhower Health.

Doctors say there are also over-the-counter remedies you can reach for, if you’re not able to see a doctor.

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