Author: KESQ

Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway lit up its Christmas Tree Sunday, with the help of pop star Lance Bass and News Channel 3’s Chief Meteorologist Patrick Evans.

The Tram’s landmark 45-foot tree is comprised of over 4,000 LED lights, which can be seen throughout the Coachella Valley.

Bass, one-fifth of the renowned vocal group NSYNC, served as the celebrity tree lighter at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway’s Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. 

Patrick Evans was the emcee of the event.

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City News Service

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – Beginning Friday and continuing to New Year’s Day, Riverside County sheriff’s deputies will engage in operations countywide to deter drunken and drug-impaired driving.

The department’s annual “Winter Mobilization” is slated to run roughly three weeks in multiple locations, relying on saturation patrols, sobriety checkpoints and similar efforts to crack down on impaired motorists.   

“We want to make sure everyone gets home safely, so that they can celebrate the Holiday Season with their families and loved ones,” sheriff’s Sgt. Evan Bechtold said. “Not only is driving impaired illegal, but it is also dangerous and never acceptable. We are asking everyone to do their part to keep themselves and everyone on the roads safe.”  

Bechtold emphasized the importance of securing designated drivers in advance to ensure a sober person is at the wheel for any trips following Christmas parties, or any other outings where drinks were provided.

“Impaired driving is not just from alcohol,” the sergeant said. “Prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, cannabis products and other drugs may also cause impairment.”

Deputies will take a zero tolerance approach to intoxicated driving.   

The mobilization is part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s annual “Drive Sober, or Get Pulled Over” campaign to discourage driving under the influence.  

The California Highway Patrol will be undertaking similar operations during its Christmas and New Year’s maximum enforcement periods, when all available officers deploy onto Inland Empire freeways, highways and unincorporated roads to catch traffic violators.

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Luis Avila

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – The Foster Youth Center at College of the Desert is collecting donations to create comfort bags for foster students across the Coachella Valley. What began as a holiday project has grown into a year-round effort to ensure local foster youth receive basic essentials—and a reminder that they are not alone.

Philip Salas, Foster Youth Services counselor, says the bags will go to 112 foster youth students identified throughout the valley. Each one is filled with hygiene products, blankets, coloring books, and other personal essentials meant to provide dignity and immediate support.

“Their scars and their bruises are hidden. You don’t know who they are. There’s a lot more than you realize.”

Philip Salas, Foster Youth Services Counselor

Many foster youth, he explains, enter care with only a few belongings—often carried in trash bags. The center hopes these donations will replace those with sturdy, personal bags students can call their own.

“We felt that they needed a bag to put their belongings in so it’s not a trash bag, something they can actually have that’s their own and it’s filled with items that they may need quickly and items that they can use to try and take their minds as much as possible off it.”

Philip Salas, Foster Youth Services Counselor

Also helping lead the initiative is Alexandria Miller, a former foster youth student who knows firsthand how difficult these transitions can be. She recalls being given only a Walmart bag to gather her belongings.

“That part by itself is traumatizing, scary for anyone… These normal necessities, they’re not just normal for us anymore, this is a gift, this is something huge for us because we don’t have this.”

Alexandria Miller, Former Foster Youth Student

Miller notes that the holiday season can amplify feelings of isolation and uncertainty for foster youth.

Despite that reality, Salas says the community’s response has been overwhelming. Donations have poured in, filling the center with boxes that volunteers have eagerly broken down as supplies are sorted and packed.

Donations can be dropped off at College of the Desert’s Foster Youth Center during regular business hours.

For more information, click here.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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City News Service

IDYLLWILD, Calif. (KESQ) – A 43-year-old man from San Mateo was officially charged Wednesday in the killing of an 18-year-old man whose body was found near a hiking trail in Idyllwild over 21 years ago, authorities said.

James Landi was charged with first-degree murder. He appears in court on Wednesday afternoon at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Deputies responded to a report made by a hiker who discovered human remains in the hills near Southfork Trail and Highway 74 in Idyllwild at 2:20 p.m. on March 21, 2004, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. Upon arrival, deputies found the victim, who showed obvious signs of trauma. He was later identified as 18-year-old Reynaldo Burts of Hemet.

After several years, investigators identified James Landi as a person of interest, but still did not have sufficient evidence at the time to make an arrest, and the case went cold, the sheriff’s department announced.   

In August of this year, investigators from the sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit conducted a review of the case and identified additional investigative leads, and the case was reopened.

On Friday, investigators located Landi in San Mateo with assistance from the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office Gang Impact Team. Landi was arrested without incident on suspicion of murder and was booked into the Southwest Detention Center, where he was being held without bail.

Anyone with additional information about the case was encouraged to contact the department’s Central Homicide Unit at 951-955-2777.

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Garrett Hottle

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) Public comments close today on a major proposal from the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians to build a 2.85 million-square-foot industrial complex on tribal land at the north entrance to Palm Springs. The development, called the Desert Mountain View Business Park, spans roughly 217 acres between Interstate 10, Highway 111 and Tipton Road.

The tribe released its Draft Tribal Environmental Impact Statement earlier this fall, outlining the potential impacts of constructing four concrete tilt-up industrial buildings, along with truck and vehicle parking, internal roadways, stormwater systems and utility upgrades. The tribe is the lead agency under its Tribal Environmental Policy Act.

The development on open tribal land just west of Tipton Road, directly between Highway 111 and I-10 at the northern gateway to the city.

The Draft TEIS identifies several construction-phase impacts that could be reduced to less than significant with mitigation. But operational air-quality impacts from diesel trucks and vehicle emissions would remain significant, even after applying all feasible mitigation measures. Emissions of volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides would exceed South Coast Air Quality Management District thresholds.

While the land sits inside city limits, the site is sovereign tribal trust land. Palm Springs can submit a conformity report, but does not have authority over whether the project is approved or built.

News Channel 3 has reached out to the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and the Mayor of Palm Springs for additional comment, including questions about potential traffic volumes, infrastructure needs and the expected number of jobs.

This story will be updated with additional info as it becomes available.

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Gavin Nguyen

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – There are safety concerns after a skateboarder died and another was left seriously hurt in the Coachella Valley on Friday in separate collisions.

News Channel 3 reported that the two incidents happened Friday night, just after 6:00 p.m., with the fatal collision in Desert Hot Springs and the other in La Quinta, which left the skateboarder in critical condition.

Sgt. Cory Carranza, a detective sergeant and member of Desert Hot Springs Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team, said traffic collisions involving pedestrians – whether on foot, riding bicycles, or skateboards – happen commonly throughout the Coachella Valley.

“Unfortunately, in Desert Hot Springs, and as in most of the Coachella Valley cities, we do see a high volume of vehicle versus pedestrian traffic collisions,” Carranza said.

The family of the young man killed in Desert Hot Springs has created a GoFundMe, which you can find by clicking here.

We’re speaking with local skateboarders and officials on safety following those two crashes. Stay with KESQ for the latest.

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Timothy Foster

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – As the 2025 holiday season gets underway, shoppers across the Coachella Valley are approaching gift giving with caution and creativity. While national retail forecasts predict a record-breaking holiday season topping $1 trillion in spending, local families are focusing on stretching their budgets, prioritizing experiences, and taking advantage of online shopping.

According to the National Retail Federation, holiday sales are expected to grow between 3 to 4 percent over last year, with mobile devices accounting for more than half of all digital revenue. In the Coachella Valley, households are projected to spend around $800 to $900 on gifts, slightly higher than last year, but significantly more, over $1,400, on travel and experiences. Rising costs and economic uncertainty are influencing shoppers’ choices, prompting many to look for deals, promotions, and alternative gift options.

Local experts say the focus on experiences over physical gifts is a growing trend. Jacqueline “Jack” Perez, founder and CEO of Cool Life, reports that both women and men are seeking meaningful presents that go beyond traditional items, including travel, wellness products, and classes. She explains that people are placing more value on experiences, cooking classes, travel, and wellness items that improve health.

Online shopping continues to dominate, with platforms like Facebook Marketplace and Amazon providing easy ways to compare prices, find affordable gifts, and avoid crowded stores. Meta spokesperson Daniel Roberts says the Facebook Marketplace Holiday Shop has seen an increase in young adults shopping early to secure affordable, curated gifts. The platform also allows shoppers to connect with local sellers to get items faster than waiting for shipping.

Experts also emphasize planning ahead for big-ticket items like travel, tech, and wellness gadgets, while taking advantage of last-minute deals for smaller gifts. According to Placer.ai, foot traffic at malls in the Coachella Valley is down 6 percent from last year, signaling a clear shift toward online shopping and mobile commerce.

Despite tighter budgets, local shoppers are finding creative ways to celebrate the holidays. Many are setting spending limits, comparing prices, and combining gifts with experiences for family and friends.

As the season progresses, economists expect a strong, but different, holiday period. Families in the Coachella Valley are learning that thoughtful gifts, strategic shopping, and embracing experiences over objects can make the most of the 2025 holiday season.

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Athena Jreij

Update 12/8/25

Two additional suspects were arrested in connection with the shooting.

Both suspects are 18-year-olds who were taken into custody on Sunday, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.

No further suspects are believed to be involved or outstanding, the agency confirmed.

Original Report 12/5/25

THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) – One person is in custody after Riverside County Sheriff’s say he shot at deputies in Thermal Friday night.

Deputies from the Thermal Sheriff’s Station responded to calls for a shooting at a building in the 88000 block of Avenue 70 in Thermal shortly before 10 p.m. Friday.

While deputies investigated the scene, a car drove by firing several rounds towards deputies, striking one of the patrol cars. No deputies were injured in the shooting or returned fire, according to RSO.

Shortly after, responders located a car matching the suspect’s vehicle description in the 63000 block of Landon Lane and located and an 18-year-old male suspect. The suspect fled on foot but was arrested shortly after.

That suspect was booked into the John J. Benoit Detention Center on two counts of attempted murder of a peace officer and discharging a firearm into an inhabited dwelling.

The Riverside Sheriff’s Force Investigations Detail and Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit have taken over the investigation.

Officials believe there is one unidentified suspect still outstanding who was also involved in the shooting.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is encouraged to contact Master Investigator R. Ramirez or Sr. District Attorney Investigator E. Crosson at (951) 955–2777.

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Shay Lawson

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ)  – A 1951 stainless steel train car that once rolled across the country is getting a new life in the Coachella Valley.

Gloria Franz, board trustee for the Coachella Valley History Museum and second vice president, said the Coachella Valley History Museum is turning it into a replica of a Southern Pacific dining lounge car.

“The Coachella Valley was founded by the Southern Pacific Railroad,” said Franz. “Trains like this used to go through here on a regular basis, and it was a very common way to travel.”

She said the entire project has cost about $250,000 so far.

Coachella Valley History Museum

“That includes buying it, transporting it from Indiana, having to go through 3 different train operators, bring it by train into La Mirada to a train station there where it needed some work,” Franz said. “We’ve replaced all of the windows. We’ve done some minor repairs to the outside. The interior has been completely gutted.”

She said the goal is to teach visitors about the railroad’s impact on the region while also making the space available for events.

“We want people to experience and make their own memories in the car,” Franz said.

The project extends beyond the railcar, Franz said it will include an outdoor platform, drought-tolerant garden, a native plant section and a replica of a desert submarine.

Franz said officials are currently working on getting bids for fundraising.

She encouraged anyone interested in getting involved to contact the museum.

“We’d love to talk to anyone who maybe has history about Southern Pacific Railroad,” Franz said. “We want to make sure we tell the story in more than one point of view.”

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

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Daniella Lake

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Palm Springs Vintage market is hosting a holiday food drive today to support the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert. Organizers say they will be accepting donations all day and are looking for non-perishable food items such as tuna, dry pasta and cereal.

The market is located at 200 N Indian Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262.

If you’re unable to make it today, organizers say you can drop off your donations at the center’s food bank located at 2901 E Alejo Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262.

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