Author: KESQ

Peter Daut

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – Health officials with Riverside University Health System — Public Health (RUHS-PH) are warning Riverside County residents about the risk of contracting rabies, particularly from bats.  

Bats are the most common source of rabies in the state, according to the California Department of Public Health.

So far this year, 22 rabid bats have been reported in Riverside County, including some from the Coachella Valley area. This number is an increase from 15 rabid bats in the county confirmed by the Public Health lab in 2024.  

“Rabies is almost always fatal in humans once symptoms appear. While rabies is extremely rare in humans in California, exposure through bat bites is a serious concern. Bites from a bat can be painless and may not leave marks, so it’s important to seek immediate care if you awaken to a bat in your home,” said Riverside County Public Health Officer Dr. Jennifer Chevinsky. 

Riverside County Chief of Disease Control Barbara Cole says, “Rabies in humans is very dangerous, so the goal is prevention. So first trying to avoid contact with bats, so on a house, if there’s an area where bats can come in, to cover those and seal gaps to keep them from coming into the home.”

News Channel 3’s Peter Daut spoke with Cole to get more information on how to protect yourself from contact with bats, and what to do if you encounter one.

To reduce the risk of rabies infection, individuals must: 

Never pick up or touch a bat. 

Vaccinate pets against rabies. 

Report possible exposures to animal control or Public Health.  

Safety proof homes by sealing gaps and openings that could allow bats inside. 

Avoid contact with bats and other wild animals (skunks, racoons, foxes and coyotes).  

Anyone who has interacted with a bat should wash the area immediately with soap and water and seek medical care right away, which includes an assessment for post-exposure vaccination. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 100,000 Americans receive rabies vaccinations each year after potential exposures.  

RUHS-PH partners with California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and Riverside County Department of Animal Services (RCDAS) to monitor rabies activity, raise community awareness and support prevention efforts. 

“If a pet contracts rabies, it can take a few days or several months for signs to appear,” said Dr. Amy Raines, Riverside County Department of Animal Services Chief Veterinarian. “Never feed or touch wild animals, and make sure pets are protected when outdoors. The best prevention for pets is rabies vaccination, which helps protect pets and the people who love them.”

Symptoms of rabies in dogs and cats can include:  

Increased aggression, irritability, or lethargy/unresponsiveness 

Mild fever  

Difficulty walking or lack of coordination  

Drooling or foaming at the mouth due to difficulty swallowing 

Paralysis in the throat or jaw, making it difficult to eat or drink 

In Riverside County, all dogs are required to be licensed and vaccinated against rabies which should start at 4 months of age, with regular boosters for life. RCDAS offers low-cost vaccinations at shelter locations by appointment only. Make an appointment today at https://rcdas.org/pet-services/vaccinations-microchips.  

For questions or local resources, visit www.ruhealth.org/ruhs-public-health or call RUHS –PH Disease Control at 951-358-5107. 

Click here to follow the original article.

Jesus Reyes

MORONGO VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – Police are searching for a suspect in an intentional hit-and-run crash that killed a pedestrian Monday night in Morongo Valley.

The crash was reported just before 7:40 p.m. at the intersection of Hess Boulevard and Senilis Avenue.

Police were called to the scene of a crash between a vehicle and a pedestrian. The victim, identified as Christopher Garcia, 50, was pronounced dead at the scene before deputies arrived, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

Investigators determined that Garcia was intentionally struck by a vehicle, the agency added. The Sheriff’s Specialized Investigations Division – Homicide Detail responded to the location and assumed the investigation, which remains ongoing.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact the Homicide Detail at 909-890-4904. Callers wishing to remain anonymous should contact We-Tip at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or go to wetip.com

Click here to follow the original article.

City News Service

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (KESQ) – A memorial service for former Rancho Mirage Mayor and City Councilman Gorman Dana Hobart, who died Oct. 4 at the age of 93, will take place next week at the city’s library and observatory.   

The service will be held at 10 a.m. on Nov. 4 at 71100 Highway 111.   

Hobart served on the council from 2002 until 2021 and was appointed mayor five times, in 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2020.   

He was credited with leading an initiative to remove overhead power lines within city bounds, championed several cultural and civic landmarks, including the amphitheatre and public library, and helped cultivate the Writer’s Festival into a premier cultural event, city officials said.

After his retirement in 2021, he and his wife, Vicki, opened their home to numerous rescue dogs as Hobart was a supporter of local animal shelters and adoption efforts.

The service will be open to the public, with community members, colleagues and friends set to be in attendance.

Click here to follow the original article.

Gavin Nguyen

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Here’s the scoop: the Scoop Palm Springs Ice Cream Festival is set to take place this weekend. It’s the first time the festival is coming to the desert.

The organization behind has held the event for seven years in San Diego. Proceeds from this year’s festival will go to Community Food Bank at the LGBTQ+ Center of the Desert in Palm Springs.

Earlier this June, the festival raised $55,000. Daniel Szpak, the organizer and Chief Ice Cream Officer of Scoop Palm Springs, said he hopes to raise more money for the local community.

“Some federal funding is ending and there’s still a lot of food insecurity in the community. So raising money through a super fun event is really more important than ever right now,” Szpak said.

He called the festival a fun event to bring the community together for a good cause.

The event runs from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 2nd at Downtown Park in Palm Springs. More details are available on Scoop’s website.

The event is free to walk in, but organizers said if you want to sample ice cream from vendors, you will need to purchase a ticket. Links to buy your tickets are available here.

Here’s the full list of ice cream, gelato, and paleta vendors:

Ben & Jerry’s 

Brandini Toffee & Ice Cream 

Carmela Ice Cream (with Cake & Cakes)

Gelato Granucci

Gelato-A-Go-Go

Handel’s Coachella Valley

HEY POPS!

Idyllwild Ice Cream 

Kreem

La Dolce Piccola

La Michoacana Cathedral City

Lappert’s Palm Springs 

Levelz Ice

Monster Shakes

Nieves el Poblano

On The Mark (Shiver Sticks)

Ice Cream & Shop(pe)

Stay with us for the latest.

Click here to follow the original article.

Daniella Lake

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – Governor Gavin Newsom announced last week that the state will be providing $140 million in funding to Planned Parenthood clinics across the state. This comes after they lost $300 million in federal funding in July. Clinics in Orange and San Bernardino counties announced that they will no be providing primary care after Dec. 1.

The Coachella Valley has Planned Parenthood facilities in Rancho Mirage and Coachella. While they’ve been affected by federal funding, there are several clinics throughout the Coachella Valley that provide pregnancy resources and education without state or federal funds.

Refuge Pregnancy Center in Indio provides free services, such as pregnancy tests and ultrasounds expecting mothers. “Formula is expensive, diapers are expensive, and refuge pregnancy center is a place that you don’t have to worry about that If you’re one of our clients,” says Krisna Angulo, officer manager for Refuge Pregnancy Center.

When Fatima Escobar found out she was pregnant as a teenager, she went to the pregnancy center for help.

“They just they told me that it’s possible, you know, to go to college, continue high school, and be a parent. That peace and that secureness that I felt in the clinic, I’ve never felt anywhere else,” she says.

A few years later, she’s now an intern for the center. “I would love to be the advocate for somebody just as the way that they were with me,” says Escobar.

Angulo says that they’ve seen more and more clients without Medicaid, which received billions in funding cuts from the federal government.

“It feels like each month there’s more and more clients without Medi-Cal. But, we’re happy that we can provide that pregnancy verification as soon as we know that they are pregnant,” she says. Pregnancy verification from Refuge Pregnancy Center can help expecting mothers receive medical insurance.

This Saturday, Nov. 1, the Refuge Pregnancy Center along with the Parenting Education Center is hosting a baby item giveaway from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., at 81557 Dr. Carreon Blvd in Indio.

Click here to follow the original article.

Kendall Flynn

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Students, teachers and community leaders will gather together Saturday for the 4th annual PSUSD Multicultural and Equity in Education Conference where they hope to empower change through understanding.

For the district, the event has become a tradition and had consistently grown in purpose, reach and impact, according to event organizers. Through dialogue, speakers hope to “elevate student voices, confront inequities, and collectively commit to doing better together.”

The conference will focus on four main categories in equity education:

 Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices
Equity in Special Education
Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth in Schools
Anti-Racism in Curriculum Design

To register for the free event visit psusd.us

Stay with News Channel 3 to hear the director and students about what they’ve seen in their classrooms leading them to be a part of this conference and what change they hope to make.

Click here to follow the original article.

Cynthia White

RIVERSIDE (CNS) – Halloween revelers who risk driving under the influence or breaking other traffic laws could face very scary consequences, the California Highway Patrol warned on Tuesday.

The agency announced that a 12-hour maximum enforcement period, or MEP, is scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. Friday, during which all available officers will deploy onto freeways, highways and unincorporated roads throughout Riverside County to nab DUI suspects and other lawbreakers.

Personnel from the Beaumont, Blythe, Indio, Riverside and Temecula CHP stations are slated to take part in the enforcement campaign.

“Impaired driving destroys lives, and even one life lost is one too many,” CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said. “This Halloween, we’re asking everyone to do their part before the festivities begin, arrange a sober ride and help us keep California’s roads safe for everyone who uses them.”

During the agency’s 2024 Halloween MEP, there were about 500 crashes in the CHP’s jurisdictions statewide, with nearly 100 of those caused by drunk or drugged motorists. Two people were killed and 60 others injured. A total of 120 drivers were arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, accordingto figures.

“Whether it’s Halloween, or any night of the year, the decision to drive sober can save a life,” Duryee said. “Together, we can make our roads safer and prevent tragedies before they happen.”

Municipal law enforcement agencies across the county, along with the sheriff’s department, will conduct their own sobriety patrols, as well as enforce all road rules with the goal of keeping trick-or-treaters and the public at large safe.

Parents and guardians who plan to walk with their kids were asked to wear bright clothes and place reflective tape on their youngsters’ bags and buckets to make them more visible to drivers, as well as provide them with flashlights.

Authorities also emphasized the need for people on foot to stick to sidewalks and designated crosswalks whenever possible, preferably walking within well-illuminated corridors and always observing the actions of motorists to ensure there are no conflicts that could result in injuries.

Click here to follow the original article.

Shay Lawson

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez was arrested Tuesday morning by the Riverside County District Attorney’s office.

Hernandez, 42, faces perjury and conflict of interest charges, according to jail records.

He was released the same day on $112,500 bail and is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.

For months — Coachella Valley resident Alan Carvalho said he’s raised concerns about transparency inside Coachella City Hall, but he said the timing of Hernandez’s arrest shocked him.

“I was just really surprised that it happened as quickly as it did,” Carvalho said. “Because I know the grand jury has been working on this for some time.”

Reaction from Coachella resident Luis Gutierrez, who said he’s looking for answers.

“I’d like to know the truth,” Gutierrez said. “I’d like to know exactly what happened if he is guilty, if he’s not guilty.”

At this time, the city of Coachella confirming that Hernandez remains Mayor — with no indication he plans to step down.

Stay with News Channel 3 for updates on this developing story.

Click here to follow the original article.

Cynthia White

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – The John F. Kennedy Memorial Foundation is spotlighting the people who give time, resources, or belief to their cause of helping Coachella Valley families.

Foundation officials say those helping area families through the Foundation include donors, tribal partners, businesses, and volunteers. They add that among them is the Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians, whose recent gift to the Ophelia Program goes beyond financial support – It sends the message that investing in young women is an investment in the shared future of the Coachella Valley.

Augustine Chairperson Amanda Augustine and Ophelia Girl Brenda Alvarez Molina

“In our 27 years, the generosity of local partners has supported mentorship for more than 7,000 girls, provided early literacy resources to hundreds of families, and delivered free medical and wellness services to children in need,” said JFK Memorial Foundation President/CEO Peter Sturgeon. “Our community sponsors and partners are the champions our youth can count on.” 

Recent acts of support include a local business hosting a literacy drive for the Healthy Families Clinic, and volunteer mentors giving their time to guide and encourage students.

The JFK Memorial Foundation is inviting the entire community to be part of the circle of impact. They say whether by giving, mentoring, partnering, or sharing the Foundation’s story, every effort builds a brighter future for the valley’s youth. 

To learn more about the Ophelia Program and how you can get involved, visit jfkfoundation.org. 

Click here to follow the original article.

Karen Devine

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – Just weeks before the official grand opening of the 40-mile CV Link, some users say confusing or incorrect directional signs along the path could send walkers and cyclists the wrong way or even into danger.

Residents reached out to KESQ after spotting signs that didn’t seem to make sense. I-Team investigator Karen Devine went to check it out.

During a two-mile walk along the CV Link in La Quinta, Devine found several signs that appear to point in the wrong direction.

At the intersection of Adams Street, a sign lists Dune Palms Road and Indio to the east, but also includes Point Happy, which is actually about a mile back in the opposite direction.

Devine reported the issue through La Quinta City Hall’s website, which said it would be forwarded to the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG), the agency overseeing the project.

Frequent CV Link user Greg Snider says he’s been puzzled by the signs for months.

“We walk on it almost nightly,” Snider told the I-Team. “Obviously, Dune Palms Road is not that way. Indio is not that way, it’s behind us.”

Snider, who walks the trail with his family, says it took him about six months to figure out what the signs are trying to say.

“What I finally realized is, they don’t want you to go over Adams Street, they want you to go underneath,” he explained. “So, if you’re heading to Point Happy, go straight. But if you’re going to Indio, take a right and go under the road.”

When Devine checked the official CVAG CV Link map, there was no legend or explanation for how the directional signs are meant to be read.

Devine emailed CVAG for clarification. A spokesperson responded:

“CV Link remains under construction… CVAG has not formally accepted the project from the contractor. If there’s a wrong sign, our team will be having the contractor fix it before we deem the project finished.”

Who approved the signs?

The contractor confirmed they installed the signs but did not create the text or directional verbiage.

The design firm, Alta Design, did not approve the wording either.

La Quinta’s mayor told Devine the city was not involved in the signage decisions.

All roads and signs ultimately point back to CVAG, which is overseeing the multi-city project.

“No, it shouldn’t be this confusing,” Snider said.

Until the signage issues are corrected, trail users may want to rely on the colored paint and lights that mark the CV Link path:

• Blue indicates the eastbound direction• Orange marks the westbound path• After dark, solar-powered lights in matching colors guide the way

Several residents have also raised concerns about lighting gaps, unsafe crossings, and limited guard rails in certain wash areas.

CVAG says a final “punch list” of fixes is still being completed before the CV Link’s official opening.

Devine will continue tracking updates and asking questions to ensure the path connecting seven Coachella Valley cities is safe and clearly marked.

Have you noticed confusing or missing signs on the CV Link?Send photos or tips Share@KESQ.com

Click here to follow the original article.