Author: KESQ

Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The controversial statue of former Palm Springs mayor Frank Bogert will remain in storage after the city council voided a recent decision by the Art Commission on its new location.

The decision came in a closed session meeting. City Attorney Jeffrey Ballinger said the commission’s vote is considered void as a previous discussion by the council was in violation of the Brown Act because it wasn’t on the agenda.

“Based on the advice of the city attorney, the city council is of the opinion that a potential violation of the Brown Act in that November meeting,” Ballinger said. “As such, and in the interest of transparency in the spirit of the Brown Act, the city views the January 7 action of the arts commission as void.”

The issue was discussed by the council at the end of the Nov. 12, 2025 meeting. Ballinger asked whether council wanted the issue to come back in a future meeting, but declined. Ballinger advised the council to stop discussion the issue and have staff bring it back at a later date.

Last week, after a long discussion, the Palm Springs Art Commission voted move the statue from storage to the Village Green in downtown Palm Springs.

The Frank Bogert statue was removed from outside City Hall after a recommendation from the Human Rights Commission in 2021. The decision came as the city reckoned with the mayor’s alleged role in evicting Section 14 victims from a plot of land owned by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.

Section 14 survivors have argued against the relocation, saying Bogert’s statue glorifies a painful part of their history.

The Friends of Frank Bogert have also supported the relocation, while refuting claims that Bogert played a role in Section 14’s mass displacement. The group believes Bogert worked with leaders in the Black community to find alternative homes and place eviction moratoriums.

Former Palm Springs Mayor Lisa Middleton oversaw the statue debate and recommended it be placed at the Village Green.

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Shay Lawson

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Dozens of Democrats of the Desert and friends activists gathered Wednesday afternoon in front of the Social Security Administration (SSA) building in Indio.

Organizers said they’re trying to draw attention to what they describe as growing turmoil within the agency and threats to the program’s ability to serve Americans.

Debbie Green, participant, said the more people who get involved, the bigger difference they can make.

“Social Security matters. We’ve earned it. It’s not an entitlement,” Green said. “They need to get their hands off of our Social Security and leave it alone. Leave it to the people who have earned it.”

However experts note the program is projected to continue paying most benefits even without congressional action.

SSA officials said, “As a result of changes to Social Security enacted in 1983, benefits are now expected to be payable in full on a timely basis until 2037, when the trust fund reserves are projected to become exhausted.”

But some experts say without adjustments, the program will face a gap between income and obligations in the decades ahead.  

For now, advocates said they hope their actions will prompt more public discussion and spur a response from elected officials.

“I look at my children, they’re already putting in money into Social Security. What’s going to happen to them when it’s their time to retire?” Green said. “We need to look out for everyone, not just for us, but for the future.”

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.

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City News Service

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – A free Health Fair and Fun Run will be held Feb. 6 at Temalpakh Farm in Coachella, organizers announced today.   

The event will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will begin with a run that will receive a traditional elder blessing and a be accompanied by music played by a DJ. It will also include on-site health care access provided by the Indian Health Service and Riverside and San Bernardino County Indian Health, Inc., educational workshops, interactive booths, wellness resources and organic produce for purchase.  

Prospective participants were encouraged to register at forms.office.com/r/y7SpjBa2Ub.

Temalpakh Farm is a 50-acre certified organic farm owned and operated by the Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians.

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Jesus Reyes

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – A 21-year-old man was sentenced for his role in a Palm Desert shooting.

Jorge Arturo Morales of Cathedral City pleaded guilty to attempted murder, assault with a gun, and stalking charges. He was immediately sentenced to 14 years and 8 months in prison.

Morales was arrested along with Jaden Xavier Garcia in connection with a shooting on 45300 block of Garden Square in Palm Desert.

In May 2024, Garcia pleaded guilty to a felony assault charge and admitted to an armed with a firearm enhancement. He was sentenced to 24 months of probation.

Jaden Xavier Garcia

The pair were accused of assaulting two people in Palm Desert, one of whom suffered a gunshot wound to his face.

According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, a pair of victims were allegedly followed by Morales and Garcia, whom they both knew.  

“One victim was struck multiple times and sustained a single gunshot wound to his face,” Milbrandt said in a statement. “He was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The other victim, who was uninjured, had allegedly been stalked by Morales for several weeks before the assault.”  

Morales and Garcia were apprehended in the 68700 block of 33rd Avenue in Cathedral City by Palm Desert sheriff’s station deputies, the Palm Desert Investigations Bureau, the Palm Desert Burglary Suppression Unit and the Desert Regional SWAT after allegedly attempting to flee a residence, according to Milbrandt.

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Angela Chen

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – If 2025 was the year of dipping our toes into AI, then 2026 is the year we jump in. AI has crept into almost every industry, forcing a reckoning with how some professionals do their job.

But for law enforcement, agencies across the nation have yet to incorporate regular AI use in operations.

As you can imagine, the stakes are high.

“We got to verify that there’s no mistakes,” said Capt. Gus Araiza of the Palm Springs Police Department.

A new survey though by Mark43, an AI-powered public safety platform, shows there’s definite interest.

“I view AI as a great enabler and as a community member. If you think about it, when you call for an emergency response or assistance, you want public safety and law enforcement to have all of the information that is available,” said Wendy Gilbert, the Senior Vice President of Product at Mark43.

The survey was based on responses from about 500 public safety professionals across America and showed:

93 percent want to adopt AI to improve analytics and decision-making.

92% believe AI is transforming public safety for the better

93 percent trust agency leadership to use AI responsibly

“89% of them indicated that they actually think that AI can aid in crime reduction. And you know, another interesting statistic was that over 60% said they’re actually using AI currently in some capacity within their operation,” Gilbert said.

Two police agencies already using AI in the valley? Palm Springs and Indio.

“Right now, our AI technology is kind of limited to our drones. More recently, we had an incident at our high school where there was basically a threat was issued, and AI technology, what it does is identify humans that are basically a person that might be in that area,” Araiza said. “So in that situation, it was something that the pilot didn’t see, but the technology alerted them, and then they were able to confirm that.”

The Indio Police Department is also using AI to assist in operations, with the goal of making workflows more efficient.

“We are using AI. Currently, our dispatch center is using a system for non-emergency calls. They intake the calls, and while people are reporting their their crime, if it’s a non emergency, the AI is able to ask that information and gather it for a dispatcher to leave them available for emergency calls,” said Doug Haynes, a lieutenant with the Indio Police Dept.

“Is this a live person taking it and then AI is assisting? Or is it AI answering calls?”

When morning anchor Angela Chen asked if it was a live person taking the calls with AI assisting or AI itself answering the calls, Haynes said, “It’s AI answering the calls. Dispatch is able to monitor it, and they can take over if they need to, or the person that’s calling, they can say they need to talk to a dispatcher, and then it’ll go straight to a dispatcher.”

Currently, one of the biggest uses of AI for police across the nation is writing reports after an incident, something officers say is often the most time-consuming part of their day. 

At this time — no valley agencies use AI to help write reports.

“Our shifts…are 12 hours, and I would estimate they probably spend at least three hours writing reports frequently. They’re holding over on their shifts to get those reports completed. So that’s overtime, and also officer burnout,” Haynes said.

“Many police officers, while they’re on patrol, write reports, and that process can take hours,” Gilbert said. “We’re able to then prompt the officer for specific information to complete that report for their department compliance, to make sure that everything that is needed before they ever submit that report for supervisor, review and approval is complete.”

Mark43 and police departments are careful to say these reports are still reviewed and edited by humans to check for accuracy and comprehensiveness. 

“Most agencies are facing a staffing shortage, I mean, that’s how you multiply. It’s like a false multiplier, right? It’s not intended to replace the officers on the street, but it’s intended to speed up the work that is done,” Araiza said.

But with AI comes a host of concerns. It has to be used responsibly — with public accountability and transparency at the forefront. AI is often built from historical information, so how do police make sure past biases don’t affect AI and police outcomes?

“Starting with the acceptable use policy, so that everyone understands the technology is a good step one,” said Gilbert. “Number two is objective training of the models to ensure that there is no bias in the data, because… based on specific potentially geographies or within a specific area, you may start to see a bias.”

“There are safeguards built into many of these systems to ensure that the officers are reading through reports that they’re verifying the information that’s provided by AI. We definitely can’t do any full system that’s that’s totally AI, because you can’t remove the human from it,” Haynes said.

We asked all Coachella Valley law enforcement agencies about their AI use — whether each department is exploring whether to use it or if they’re already using it. Here are the responses from each agency:

Palm Springs Police is already using with caution —  in drone and license plate tech. they are evaluating more AI use this year.

Cathedral City Police said it is not currently using AI but that it’s exploring the possibility — and that if it considers integrating AI, it will “do so carefully, evaluating their usefulness while adhering to department policy and complying with all legal requirements.”

Desert Hot Springs Police are not using AI but also evaluating future use.

The CHP had no comment on the issue.

Indio Police said it is already using AI in dispatch and license plate operations — and carefully considering other AI tech this year.

Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, the largest law enforcement agency here, is using it for facial recognition, analyzing DNA, identifying crime patterns, optimizing patrol based on historical data, non-emergency calls, drones and more. The Sheriff’s Office was clear that AI is not used for autonomous law enforcement decision-making. 

All law enforcement agencies were adamant that if they implement new AI tech, that they would do so carefully and responsibly with acceptable use policies, while making sure it operates within ethical and legal frameworks. 

With the integration of AI into modern tech, often making operations more efficient with the possibility of higher successful outcomes, it seems agencies have to adapt or fall behind. But Indio Police are quick to remind the public that machines will never replace people.

“You have to have that human involvement, that human that makes sure that everything is accurate,” Haynes said.

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Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Plaza Theatre in Palm Springs has been added to the National Register of Historic Places, the official list of the nation’s historic places worthy of preservation.

Administered by the National Park Service at the U.S. Department of Interior, the National Register helps identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archaeological resources.

The iconic Plaza Theatre was first constructed in 1936 and designed by architect Harry J. Williams. It recently reopened after an extensive restoration, which was done in accordance with the strict historical guidelines set by the National Park Service. The final restoration received approval by both the California Office of Historic Preservation and the National Park Service.   

Being on the National Register of Historic Places was part of the process to secure Federal Historic Tax Credits by the City of Palm Springs and the Palm Springs Plaza Theatre Foundation to help offset the City’s restoration costs. The Federal Historic Tax Credits will net approximately $2.8 million in tax credit funds.

“The Plaza Theatre in Palm Springs recently underwent a significant restoration process,” said Judith Blanchard, the Foundation board member who helped secure the Historic Tax Credits. “Historically preserving, restoring, and updating this nearly 100-year-old building was a complicated and expensive project, and we are thrilled that our hard work has been recognized with this designation to be listed on the prestigious National Register of Historic Places.” 

For more information about the Theatre and the Foundation, visit PalmSpringsPlazaTheatre.com.

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Athena Jreij

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – The family of a 68-year-old undocumented migrant who died at a local hospital while under ICE custody is speaking out to News Channel 3.

Luis Beltrán Yanez-Cruz, an undocumented man from Honduras, died on Jan. 6 after being admitted to JFK Memorial for heart-related health issues, Immigration and Customs Enforcement says.

According to ICE, Yanez-Cruz was taken into custody on November 16 during an operation in Newark, New Jersey. He was being held pending removal proceedings.

While in custody, he was transferred to the medical unit for chest pain at the Imperial Regional Detention Facility and then transported to El Regional Medical Center on January 4. Yanez was then medically evacuated by helicopter to JFK Memorial for a higher level of care, where he was pronounced dead despite medical intervention.

Now, his family is raising questions about the quality and timeliness of Yanez-Cruz’s care.

His daughter, Josselyn Yanez, says he never experienced heart-related health issues and symptoms only began shortly after his detainment, he told her in several phone calls before his death.

She alleges a week after Yanez was transferred to a detention center in Calexico, he began feeling stomach pains, to which federal officials gave him unknown pills for.

She says his condition continued to worsen into December, with shortness of breath and exhaustion.

Not until January 4th, just days before Yanez’s death, does a statement from ICE say Yanez was admitted to El Centro Regional Medical Center. When his condition worsened, he was then transferred to JKF Memorial Hospital where he died the morning of January 6th.

Yanez says she was in shock to hear of her father’s death.

“they told me my father had died and well, I didn’t know what to say at that point. I said how? I just spoke with him on Saturday. My soul was destroyed, because I really hoped that my father would leave that place, but not in this way,” she said.

Now, she’s raising questions if more urgent care could have saved her father.

“I would like to ask them why? He didn’t have heart problems before, and so why, when he asked for medical assistance, they didn’t give it to him. He had been complaining for weeks about chest pain, stomach pain and shortness of breath,” she said.

In a press release, ICE claimed detainees receive comprehensive care at facilities.

“All people in ICE custody receive medical, dental and mental health intake screenings within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility; a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arrival at a facility; access to medical appointments; and 24-hour emergency care. At no time during detention is a detained illegal alien denied emergency care,” they said in a press release announcing Yanez’s death.

Yanez is one of four detainees to die in ICE custody in 2026 so far, with 32 in-custody deaths recorded in 2025.

“I feel devastated because my father didn’t deserve to die. Please remember that they are human beings, that they also have a family,” she said.

A GoFundMe page has been set up by loved ones. Click here if you would like to donate.

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Jesus Reyes

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – A former Coachella Valley Unified School District janitor was arrested on suspicion of possessing child pornography, authorities confirmed Wednesday.

The 20-year-old Coachella resident was arrested on Jan. 7. He remains in custody at the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio on suspicion of invasion of privacy and possession of child pornography.

The arrest stems from a report of unlawful invasion of privacy on Jan. 5 within the 83000 block of Calle Moreno Street in Coachella. According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect fled before deputies arrived to the scene. He was found two days later and arrested.

An RSO spokesperson said the suspect worked as a janitor at a local school, but his arrest “stemmed from an incident that occurred away from school grounds.”

He is scheduled to appear in court on April 8, according to jail records. There was no word on whether the suspect has been charged.

CVUSD issued a statement on the incident:

“The District has received a number of media inquiries concerning an investigation of a former Coachella Valley Unified School District Classified Substitute. This investigation is being conducted by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. Ordinarily, the district does not comment on personnel matters or any active investigations. However, given that the information concerning the investigation is being requested by the media a brief response is warranted. 

To that end, the District confirms that an investigation by the Riverside County Sheriffs has been conducted, and an arrest has been made. Our work with the Riverside County Sheriffs is still in progress as they have requested that if there is anyone with any information about this investigation, please contact Investigator Fernandez of the Thermal Sheriff’s Station, by calling 760-863-8990. If you wish to remain anonymous, call Valley Crime Stoppers at (760) 341-7867.

Please know that we do not tolerate any inappropriate behavior in our District, and that the safety of our students and staff is our priority.”

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City News Service

LOS ANGELES (KESQ) – A three-judge panel in Los Angeles federal court today ruled against California Republicans in their bid to nullify the new congressional map California voters approved in November.

In their lawsuit, filed one day after California voters approved Proposition 50, Assemblyman David Tangipa, R-Fresno, the California Republican Party and a group of Republican voters — joined by the U.S. Department of Justice — urged judges to block the new district lines at least temporarily so California’s original map would stay in effect for the 2026 midterm elections.   

Proposition 50 was passed after Republicans in Texas redrew their congressional map, a move California leaders said was designed to favor Republicans in the upcoming midterms.

The suit, which names Gov. Gavin Newsom, state Attorney General Rob Bonta and California Secretary of State Shirley Weber as defendants, argues the new Proposition 50 maps are unconstitutional because they improperly use voters’ race as a factor in drawing districts and asked the court to block them from taking effect.   

The proposition’s passage increases Democrats’ chances of winning five additional U.S. House seats in the state in November and seizing control of the chamber.

Republicans had asked the court for a preliminary injunction blocking the maps from being used in 2026.

Corrin Rankin, chairwoman of the California Republican Party, said plaintiffs’ attorneys would seek an emergency order from the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Although the majority of the three-judge panel did not side with our challenge to the Prop 50 map, we appreciate the thoughtful and timely work of all three judges,” she said in a statement to City News Service.   

“The well-reasoned dissenting opinion better reflects our interpretation of the law and the facts, which we will reassert to the Supreme Court. The map drawer’s plain statements acknowledging that he racially gerrymandered the Proposition 50 maps, which he and the legislature refused to explain or deny, in addition to our experts’ testimony, established that the courts should stop the implementation of the Prop 50 map. We look forward to continuing this fight in the courts.”

State Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Huntington Beach, posted on X that Wednesday’s ruling against the Proposition 50 challenge “is deeply troubling.”

Strickland said the issues raised in the lawsuit “remain unresolved and deserve continued attention. The architect of these gerrymandered maps has publicly stated that he purposely drew them to favor one minority group over another to gain five more congressional seats for California Democrats. That is a NO-NO as it violates the Voting Rights Act by using race as a factor in drawing district boundaries.”

In its 2-1 decision, the court upheld the new congressional districts, rejecting plaintiffs’ claims that the maps had been drawn to favor Latino voters over other voting groups.

Judge Josephine Staton, a Barack Obama appointee, wrote the ruling, with Judge Kenneth Lee, a Trump appointee, dissenting. Joe Biden appointee Judge Wesley Hsu joined Staton in her ruling.

“We find that Challengers have failed to show that racial gerrymandering occurred, and we conclude that there is no basis for issuing a preliminary injunction,” Staton wrote. “Our conclusion probably seems obvious to anyone who followed the news in the summer and fall of 2025.”  

The ruling is expected to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court by the California Republican Party and the Trump administration.   

Voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 50 in November, which supporters dubbed “The Election Rigging Response Act.”   

Proposition 50 establishes new congressional district maps for the 2026 midterm elections that will also be used for the 2028 and 2030 elections. An analysis by the election news website Ballotpedia said it would shift five Republican-held congressional districts to Democrats.

Democrats hold a 43-9 advantage in the state’s House delegation.   

“Republicans’ weak attempt to silence voters failed,” Newsom said in a statement Wednesday. “California voters overwhelmingly supported Prop 50 — and that is exactly what this court concluded.”

Weber, a co-defendant in the lawsuit, said she was pleased the court acknowledged “that the will of California’s voters should prevail. Our democracy is in jeopardy and the fight to maintain our constitutional right to vote must continue. … Our democracy is worth protecting and today’s ruling was the right result.”

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Luis Avila

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — The Palm Springs Animal Shelter has rescued five puppies found abandoned in a parking lot, marking another troubling case in the Coachella Valley.

Shelter officials say a good Samaritan discovered the puppies last Friday inside an open box. The puppies are believed to be a pug mix and are estimated to be five to six weeks old.

They are currently in foster care and will remain there until they are old enough to be spayed or neutered. After that, they will be available for adoption.

The incident comes just days after other puppies were found abandoned outside two grocery stores in La Quinta — a moment caught on camera.

While shelter officials say abandoning animals in high-traffic public areas is uncommon, overall pet abandonment remains an ongoing issue. They say some owners may feel shame about surrendering an animal or may distrust government-run shelters.

Officials are reminding the public that spaying and neutering pets can help prevent unwanted litters. They also say fostering animals can make a significant difference.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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