Author: KESQ

City News Service

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – Augustine Casino was completing the finishing touches today on a multi-department career fair for job seekers in the Coachella Valley that it will host Wednesday.

The fair will be held from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the facility’s administration building, 84-001 Avenue 54 in Coachella.

“We are looking for team members who are passionate about providing the elevated service our guests have come to expect at Augustine Casino,” said Veronique Lang, director of human resources. “Whether you are looking to start a career in hospitality or are an experienced professional in public safety orfacilities, we want to meet you.”

Candidates will have the opportunity to interview directly with hiring managers in numerous available positions, including in food service, housekeeping, facilities, marketing, surveillance and public safety.

To apply, candidates must be 21 or older for most positions, apply online prior to arrival at augustinecasino.com/careers, and are encouraged to dress in professional attire.

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Jesus Reyes

Palm Springs, Calif. (KESQ) – Modernism Week 2026, an 11-day celebration of midcentury modern design, architecture, art, and vintage culture, featuring hundreds of home tours and events, is returning to Palm Springs on Thursday, February 12.

Modernism Week runs from February 12–22, 2026, drawing in thousands of design enthusiasts, architects, collectors, and travelers from around the world. Programming includes exclusive home tours, cocktail receptions, panel discussions with renowned designers and architects, film screenings, and curated shopping experiences, all celebrating the enduring influence of midcentury modernism.

Natural Retreats is the platinum sponsor of Modernism Week, and many of the week’s most sought-after events are hosted at the luxury brand’s properties.

Natural Retreats curates a distinguished portfolio of vacation rental brands, offering travelers exceptional properties in some of the most iconic destinations across the United States. With a commitment to personalized, luxury experiences, Natural Retreats thoughtfully selects homes in the most coveted locations, from the desert oasis of Palm Springs to the breathtaking views of Big Sky and the shimmering shores of Florida’s Emerald Coast. A singular mission unites Natural Retreats: to inspire travel.

“Modernism Week is a celebration of thoughtful design, creativity, and a sense of place, which are values that align seamlessly with the Natural Retreats philosophy,” said Samantha McClendon, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Natural Retreats. “We are honored to serve as the platinum sponsor and to welcome guests into our Palm Springs homes, many of which exemplify the architectural innovation and lifestyle that define this iconic era.”

As platinum sponsor, Natural Retreats will host a selection of marquee events within its portfolio of architecturally significant Palm Springs residences, offering attendees rare access to private homes that showcase iconic design, indoor-outdoor living, and the timeless appeal of the desert modern aesthetic. One of their events includes an exclusive cocktail party and dinner at Frank Sinatra’s legendary Palm Springs estate.

For more information on Modernism Week, including tickets and a full schedule of events, visit modernismweek.com. To learn more about Natural Retreats and its luxury vacation home portfolio, visit naturalretreats.com.

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Jesus Reyes

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KESQ) – The Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors approved increases to the District’s payment assistance programs, enabling more customers to qualify in 2026.

IID officials said for two of the agency’s most utilized assistance programs, eligible customers may now earn well above the federal poverty income thresholds and still qualify for meaningful payment assistance, helping ensure essential electric service remains affordable for households most in need.

“Our assistance programs are so helpful to many families, and our program updates can help even more customers,” said IID Board Chairwoman Karin Eugenio. “We really want to see that everyone who qualifies takes advantage of the assistance the District offers.”

In 2025, IID’s READY and CARE programs reached the highest enrollment of income-qualified customers on record, serving more than 12,670 participants and delivering over $8.3 million in financial assistance through these two programs alone. Building on this success, the District remains focused on expanding outreach and participation in 2026 to ensure support reaches customers who need it most.

Details on the updated assistance programs:

READY. Income eligibility qualifications (for the Residential Energy Assistance Designed for You program) allow customers to earn up to 200% of the 2026 Federal Poverty Level, plus an additional $10,000. READY provides qualified customers with a 20% monthly discount and a 30% discount for seniors.

CARE (Customer Assistance for Residential Emergencies): Customers enrolled in the READY program who face disconnection can receive up to $500 in annual assistance, $125 per quarter. This is up from $450 annually in 2025.

SHIELD. (Senior Health & Income Energy Lifeline Discount):Income guidelines have increased from 200% to 322% of the 2026 Federal Poverty Level. SHIELD offers a 30% monthly discount to qualified seniors who incur medical/ pharmaceutical expenses exceeding 10% of their annual income.

EASE. The renewal period for IID’s Energy Assistance for Special Equipment (EASE) program increased to three years, rather than every two years. EASE is available to all qualified customers, regardless of income, and lowers monthly electric bills for homes where someone relies on medical equipment that runs on electricity.

READY and SHIELD income-qualifying information based on household size (maximum income limits):

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Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Firefighters were able to quickly contain a fire at a resort in Palm Springs Monday afternoon.

The fire was first reported at around 11:10 a.m. on the 2800 block of S Palm Canyon Drive.

“Palm Springs Firefighters responded to a 2 alarm structure fire contained to a single unit on the 3rd floor,” reads an email from the Palm Springs Fire Department. “Crews are currently conducting checks to determine whether any additional exposures occurred.”

No injuries were reported.

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Gavin Nguyen

THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) – It’s been about a month since the Coachella Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) said mold remediation was complete at John Kelley Elementary School in Thermal.

The school district and several third-party companies they contracted to ensure safety after the mold was found said parents and students should no longer have concerns about the mold issue.

Servpro has been handling the remediation after the school was tested. They showed News Channel 3’s Gavin Nguyen around the school on Monday, and highlighted several spots where crews replaced drywall, insulation, flooring, and more – all areas that were marked for replacement after mold was found.

Jose Torres, Servpro’s Regional Manager who has been on-site for weeks, said 30 different spots throughout the school have been worked on.

Dr. Frances Esparza, superintendent of CVUSD, said confidently, “It’s extremely safe to be in those classrooms.”

Both the district and Servpro said proactive work has been taken in addition to the mold work. That included installing better drainage to reduce the chance of moisture collecting and leading to mold growth in the future. They are also in the process of removing paint that contained lead on exterior walls.

Safeguard Envirogroup was the company that has been testing the school throughout various stages of the remediation process. A representative with the company recounted what was originally found: “The very first visit for rooms 52 or 53. The air samples were a little bit elevated for Penicillium Aspergillus.”

Most strains of that kind of mold are not harmful, and Dr. Esparza said it was a relief for district staff to learn that no harmful mold was found.

“There’s different levels of mold. And we were so happy that we found out that it wasn’t anything harmful that they were breathing and that Servpro was able to take care of it immediately,” she recounted.

“I believe everything is past clearance, or on the way to passing clearance,” the representative, Kevin Hawisher, updated.

But concerns remain from parents.

Loretta Perez, who has several children who graduated from or are still enrolled in CVUSD schools, is one of the organizers of CVUSD Autism Parents United. That group advocates for children with special needs because they say they aren’t able to voice their concerns themselves.

“They are unable to tell us how much they’re hurting, how much they’re they’re itching, how much they’re coughing, if it hurts them to breathe,” Perez explained.

Perez argued that the furniture in classrooms were not properly cleaned or remediated after the mold was found.

“We’re talking about the furniture that our children touch every day,” she explained. “We’re talking about the fact that now that they brought mold spores right back in, it just started another round. That’s what we’re concerned about.”

Perez also said she doesn’t trust the results the district and third-party companies found during their inspections.

Torres, the official with Servpro, asked parents to trust both the work they completed and the testing company, who eliminate bias from their test results.

“People should trust that. I mean, that is through a third party company that they take it to the lab, they analyze it, and then they put out the results,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Perez will host a protest at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 13th, about what she called “horrendous conditions” at district schools. She said she is demanding more transparency and action from CVUSD staff.

Also on Tuesday: a press conference will be held in the hour leading up to the protest as a lawyer representing several parents is expected to announce a lawsuit against the district.

According to a press release from the lawyer, Elan Zektser, of Oakwood Legal Group, the press conference will outline:

Evidence of black mold contamination at John Kelly Elementary

Allegations that the District had prior knowledge of the hazardous conditions

The unique and severe risks posed to autistic and special-needs children

The legal actions now being taken to protect affected students and families

Demands for accountability, transparency, and immediate corrective measures

Amid the planned protest, Dr. Esparza invited parents who have concerns to have a discussion with her.

“We welcome them to to talk to us about what some of the needs are, what are some of the things that they see,” she said.

“They’ve taken a a different way of communicating either through social media or like this, like the protest, but actually coming in and talking to us and not starting the conversation with ‘compensation.’ I don’t want to start the conversation with compensation. I want us to talk about the safety for our students and our staff.”

Stay with us for the latest.

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Daniella Lake

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – This past weekend, several community groups organized protests in response to the deadly shooting of Renee Nicole Good by a federal agent in Minnesota.

“It was horrifying,” says Yasmine Espinoza. She’s been protesting ICE activity in the Coachella Valley for months, and has also been keeping the community up to date on their whereabouts.

“We’re filming, we’re giving locations,” she says. Other community members like Erik, have also been keeping residents up to date. He livestreams his ICE monitoring on Tik Tok.

“My big goal is to keep my community safe as much as I can,” he says.

Espinoza also carries a “caution ICE in the area” sign in her car, so she can keep people alert. She says the raids have instilled fear in the community.

“People are asking for others to shop for them, pick up their kids for them,” Espinoza says.

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Athena Jreij

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A motorcyclist died in a traffic collision involving a car in Indio Sunday afternoon, according to the Indio Police Department.

The department said officers responded to the collision near Avenue 42 and Calhoun Street at 4:11 p.m.

The driver, a 20-year-old man driving a Honda sedan, collided with a 62-year-old man on a motorcycle, who was transported to Desert Regional Medical Center. The 62-year-old man, identified as Jerry Bradley of Indio, was pronounced dead in the hospital, according to the coroner’s office.

The driver of the Honda remained on scene and was cooperating with the investigation.

Officials say neither drugs nor alcohol was believed to be a factor.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.

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Timothy Foster

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Palm Springs International Film Festival wrapped up its 37th year with a closing night ceremony that brought filmmakers from around the world together at Palm Springs High School, marking the end of another standout season for the internationally recognized festival.

Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi reflected on the success of this year’s event, expressing gratitude for the strong response from audiences and industry professionals. He said feedback from attendees, particularly those visiting from abroad, highlighted the festival as one of the strongest in its history and an unforgettable experience.

Closing out the festival was the film Glenrothan, starring Alan Cumming. The film explores themes of family, identity, and forgiveness, focusing on how traditional family structures evolve and how personal authenticity can exist within them. The story underscores the idea that family, however it is defined, remains a powerful force that brings people back together.

The film also marked a milestone for legendary actor Brian Cox, who made his directorial debut with Glenrothan. Cox emphasized the importance of telling emotionally resonant stories, especially during a time of global uncertainty. He described the film as deeply sentimental and said that compassion and humanity in storytelling are more necessary now than ever.

As the curtain closed on this year’s festival, organizers were already looking ahead to the future. Chandi hinted at upcoming changes and announcements expected in early March, teasing what he described as one of the most glamorous nights yet for the 2026 Palm Springs International Film Festival.

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Athena Jreij

MORONGO INDIAN RESERVATION – Morongo is now accepting applications for the 5th Annual Community Outreach Awards Program.

The annual program awards grants of up to $5,000 to dozens of community organizations.

Since 2022, the program has given out more than $1.3 million to nearly 300 nonprofit groups.

Organizations must apply by January 16, 2026, and award recipients will be announced in the spring. Program requirements for eligibility and a one-page grant application can be found online at www.morongonation.org/donations/

Questions about the program may be directed to the Morongo Community Outreach Department by calling 951-755-5063 or by email at CommunityOutreach@morongo-nsn.gov

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Daniella Lake

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Palm Springs International Film Festival is hosting “Family Day,” where local families can watch kid-friendly films and also enjoy fun activities, all for free.

Screenings of “Zootopia 2,” “Arco” and “Kpop Demon Hunters” will take place at the Mary Pickford Theater in Cathedral City. The Cathedral City Community Amphitheater will have activities, face painting, local food trucks and more.

The event runs from 12 to 4 p.m.

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