Author: KESQ

Garrett Hottle

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) The Riverside County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 Tuesday to add more than $18.2 million to the sheriff’s office contract with Axon Enterprise Inc. for body-worn cameras, nearly tripling the total value of the agreement.

The amendment increases the contract from $11,520,821 to $29,725,728 and exercises all options under the agreement through Aug. 31, 2031, according to the board’s agenda. The item allows up to an additional $2,972,572 in compensation and is funded entirely through the sheriff’s budget.

Undersheriff Don Sharp told supervisors before the vote the cameras serve both deputies and the public.

“It actually is a transparency and accountability record that the public seems to be very appreciative of,” Sharp said.

Sharp also told the board the contract includes translation technology the department is testing but has not yet deployed. He said the feature would give a deputy “the opportunity to have a translation through the device” when speaking with someone in another language.

The item passed as part of the board’s regular meeting agenda.

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Raymond Kalra

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – As pedestrian deaths continue to raise concerns across the Coachella Valley, local cities are looking at more than just driver behavior when considering how to make roads safer.

Speed limits, street lighting, crosswalk placement and the design of intersections can all influence whether a driver has enough time to see and react to someone walking across the road.

Recent data shows the issue stretches across the valley. Palm Springs recorded 20 pedestrian deaths between 2021 and 2026, while Cathedral City recorded seven between 2022 and 2026. Other valley cities have also reported multiple pedestrian fatalities in recent years.

For people who regularly walk around the valley, those numbers reflect a concern they can feel on the road.

Rhondda Kerrpirbazari said she walks often but does not always feel confident that approaching drivers are paying attention.

“I do feel sometimes drivers aren’t really cognizant,” Kerrpirbazari said. “I walk a lot, so I’m very cognizant of drivers and where they are and pray that they stop or see us.”

She said darkness can make that concern even greater.

Kerrpirbazari pointed to limited street lighting in some areas of the valley and said people often walk later in the day during the hotter months, when temperatures begin to cool.

She also said she frequently notices distracted drivers and people looking at their phones while she walks.

Cathedral City targets intersections with crash history

Cathedral City is one of several valley cities working on infrastructure changes aimed at reducing pedestrian crashes.

City Engineer Armando Garcia Baldizzone said pedestrian safety has been a focus for the city for years. Since 2016, he said Cathedral City has secured roughly $9 million through state and federal programs for pedestrian safety improvements.

Those projects include high-visibility crosswalks, updated curb ramps, flashing beacons and upgrades to traffic signals.

“We are improving the intersections, like putting high visibility crosswalks, updating the curb ramps, installing flashing beacons,” Baldizzone said.

The city does not choose those locations at random.

Baldizzone said Cathedral City uses its local road safety plan to evaluate intersections, including crash history and other technical factors, before deciding where improvements could have the greatest impact. The city then seeks state or federal funding for qualifying projects.

Some of those improvements are already planned for areas residents may notice.

Baldizzone said the city plans a pedestrian crossing near Landau Elementary School, a new traffic signal at Cathedral Canyon Drive and Canyon Shores, and another major pedestrian crossing near Cathedral Canyon Drive and Ortega Road.

Lower speeds without slowing traffic

Cathedral City has also lowered speed limits on some roads as part of its effort to reduce crashes.

Baldizzone said the city has seen crashes decrease following those changes and said the lower limits have not significantly affected traffic flow.

“What we notice is that the accidents have been reduced,” Baldizzone said. “The reduction of the speed limit didn’t affect the traffic at all.”

Lowering the number on a speed-limit sign, however, represents only one tool cities can use.

Transportation safety research has found that lower speed limits can become more effective when cities combine them with infrastructure changes and enforcement strategies. Road width, crossing distance, lighting and the placement of crosswalks can all influence how quickly drivers travel and how easily they see pedestrians.

New lighting coming to Cathedral City intersections

Lighting has become another major part of Cathedral City’s current work.

Baldizzone said the city is upgrading all 49 of its signalized intersections as part of one project.

The work includes upgrades to traffic signal equipment as well as new LED safety lighting designed to improve visibility around intersections.

“The new LED lights are going to be installed,” Baldizzone said. “So there’s going to be more lighting at the intersection for safety.”

The city expects to complete that project by October.

Nighttime visibility is particularly important in pedestrian safety. Nationally, a large majority of pedestrian deaths happen after dark. In the Coachella Valley, long stretches of roadway can also have relatively limited lighting compared with more densely developed areas.

For Cathedral City, Baldizzone said the work will continue beyond the projects currently under construction.

Engineers plan to continue reviewing crash data and individual intersections to determine where future improvements should go.

The goal, he said, is to create safer routes regardless of whether someone is driving, riding a bicycle or walking.

For pedestrians like Kerrpirbazari, the changes come down to something even simpler: making sure the person behind the wheel sees the person crossing the road before it is too late.

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City News Service

CABAZON (CNS) – Authorities are investigating the death of a person who was found along a roadway in Cabazon last weekend.

Deputies responded to a report of a possible deceased subject at 3:44 p.m. Sunday in the area of Railroad Avenue and Main Street, according to Lt. Deirdre Vickers of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

Arriving deputies found a person along the roadway who was pronounced dead at the scene.The Riverside County Coroner’s Bureau responded to the scene. The identity of the deceased was withheld pending notification of next of kin.

No further information was immediately available.

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Matthew Pearce

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — Every day, thousands of parents trust school bus services to safely transport their children from bus stops to school.

During the commute, parents place their trust in bus services to keep their children safe. But they don’t always have access to see exactly where their child is during the bus ride.

As technology continues to expand, the possibilities for location tracking have changed.

Tonight on News Channel 3, learn how Zum Services is bridging the communication gap between bus drivers, schools and, most importantly, parents.

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Dakota Makinen

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – Della Lindley Elementary in Thousand Palms is bringing back Wellness on Wheels, a PSUSD program focused on supporting teacher and staff wellness.

The program brings wellness tips and resources directly to school campuses, with student ambassadors helping share the information with teachers.

Stay with News Channel 3 for the latest updates.

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Hernán Quintas

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Summer months can be a struggle for some Coachella Valley families trying to feed their families while school is out, but the need does not end when classes begin.

The FIND Regional Food Bank’s Kids Summer Market program is helping families even as school gets back into session. As Telemundo 15 anchor Hernán Quintas explains, food insecurity remains a critical issue needing continued support.

For a list of sites for the Kids Summer Market, click here

For more on the FIND Regional Food Bank, including how you can help, click here

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City News Service

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – The Board of Supervisors is slated tomorrow to consider Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco’s request to secure a long-term contract, valued at more than $30 million, for the purchase of more than 2,000 body-worn cameras for deputies.

The board will review the sheriff’s proposed purchasing agreement with Scottsdale, Arizona-based Axon Enterprise Inc. during its policy agenda Tuesday.

“Modern and reliable body-worn camera systems provide substantial benefits … by promoting transparency, strengthening public trust and supporting accountability in law enforcement operations,” according to a sheriff’s statement posted to the board’s agenda. “High-quality recordings provide objective documentation of critical incidents, assist in resolving investigations and support de escalation efforts. In addition, reliable body-worn camera footage also helps reduce the county’s exposure to liability.”

The sheriff’s department last entered into an agreement with the company in 2021, resulting in the acquisition of roughly 1,500 body cams, along with technical support and replacement parts, that continued until this summer.

The current proposal is for Axon to supply 2,086 current generation cameras — Body 4 Cams — with the most technologically advanced features, complete with support, storage and related services until Aug. 31, 2031.

The aggregate cost, with contingencies factored in, would be $32.69 million, according to sheriff’s officials. All of the funds would be drawn from sheriff’s appropriations, not General Fund accounts.

In 2021, following a bidding process that involved six potential suppliers, Axon’s products were deemed in documents to offer the highest “operational performance and overall value.”

The sheriff’s department wants to continue the relationship, without seeking competitive bids now, because the “Axon platform ensures seamless compatibility with the agency’s existing digital evidence management system, software integration and established workflows across patrol, investigationsand specialty units,” documents stated.

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Jesus Reyes

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A fire burned down three RVs, killing a dog and injuring a person, before being contained Monday afternoon in the Desert Hot Springs area.

The fire was first reported just before 12:55 p.m. on the 17400 block of Ben-Mar, near 18th Avenue and Little Morongo.

Originally, authorities said a vehicle fire spread to additional vehicles and a structure. The fire was contained at around 2:45 p.m.

One person was treated for minor injuries and transported to the hospital.

Animal control was called to the scene to assist with the deceased dog.

There was no word on a possible cause of the fire.

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City News Service

BANNING (CNS) – A vehicle fire sparked in the hills south of Banning charred 23 acres at the foot of the San Bernardino National Forest before it was stopped Monday afternoon.

The non-injury blaze was reported just after noon Monday in the area of Mt. Edna Road and Highway 243, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

The agency said that multiple engine and hand crews were sent to the location, joined by four Cal Fire air tankers and two water-dropping helicopters that initiated runs on the brusher at 12:30 p.m.

No homes or other structures were damaged, and no evacuation orders were implemented.

However, just after 2 p.m., California Highway Patrol officers shut down both sides of Highway 243 for public safety, mainly due to the number of fire department vehicles and personnel packed onto the two-lane corridor. Officials said the highway is expected to remain closed until 8 p.m.

A SigAlert was issued because of the closure. Highway 243 was reopened just before 7 p.m.

As of 2:30 p.m., with the fire’s forward rate of spread stopped, all air tankers had cleared the area, leaving only the choppers to make targeted drops, according to reports from the scene.Crews were working to strengthen containment lines, but full containment of the blaze was not expected Monday afternoon.

The incident was initially reported as a vehicle over the side near Highway 243 and Mount Edna Road, according to CAL FIRE. The vehicle caught fire, which extended into the surrounding vegetation. One bystander climbed down into the rocky terrain and pulled an occupant from the vehicle.

The patient was then transported by ground ambulance to a local hospital with moderate injuries.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

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Tommy Gallegos

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — School ended abruptly for students at Raymond Cree Middle School Monday morning, with students allowed to leave early after a water main break over the weekend affected the campus air conditioning system, according to a message sent to parents by the Palm Springs Unified School District.

School officials said the water main break impacted the school’s air conditioning system and that it was taking longer than expected to fully cool the campus buildings.

“This morning they were already here very early, refilling the chillers in the air conditioning system, getting them up and running,” Johnson said. “It turned out only one pump was working. So by 8 a.m., the district knew there was an issue.”

Johnson explained how full classrooms strained the limited cooling capacity.

“So as you add 30 bodies to a classroom, it gets hotter. And then the air conditioners have to work harder,” Johnson said,

Students experienced shifting class environments throughout the morning. Noah, a seventh grade student at the school, recalled how staff managed the heat.

“All I gotta say it’s really hot, though,” Noah said. “The (gymnasium) was the only place that had AC.”

The district says for the health and safety of students and staff, parents were encouraged to begin picking up their children at 11:15 a.m. Parents picking up their children are required to sign them out.

PSUSD says students who ride the bus, along with students who are not picked up or released to walk home, will remain on campus in designated cool areas for the remainder of the school day. Those students will be transported home at their regularly scheduled time.

The school’s Think Together program will also operate in cool areas of the campus.

In a message to families, Raymond Cree Middle School Principal Bernie Marez said the health and safety of students and staff remained the school’s highest priority.

The early dismissal comes as schools across the Coachella Valley contend with high temperatures, making functioning air conditioning particularly important for maintaining safe learning environments.

The district confirmed school will be back in session for its normal hours Tuesday, September 1. Parents are encouraged to monitor messages from Raymond Cree Middle School and the Palm Springs Unified School District for any additional updates.

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