Author: KESQ

Peter Daut

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – With AI on the rise in education, art and entertainment, it was only a matter of time before it also affected the dating world.

And with Valentine’s Day almost here, dating apps are now jumping on the AI trend.

The apps now have services that include AI matchmakers and AI feedback on dating profiles.

It’s even giving people advice on what to say next in a direct message conversation with a match.

But local dating experts say people should not become over-reliant on AI.

“While AI does improve efficiency, here’s the distinction: efficiency isn’t intimacy, and that’s where this disconnect is coming in and people need to kind of raise an eyebrow over that,” Julie Spira of cyberdatingexpert.com

Dating apps are also using AI to detect fake profiles and flag suspicious behavior.

But experts say real-time communication remains essential.

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Rich Tarpening

RIVERSIDE, CA- County health officials are alerting residents of a measles outbreak connected with an earlier case in Western Riverside County.

According to Riverside County Public Health officials, an additional Western Riverside County adult and child with possible links to the first case have tested positive for measles. This marks a localized outbreak of three total confirmed cases of measles in Riverside County for 2026. 

According to the news bulletin sent out Friday morning, the adult provided a verbal report of vaccination for measles; the child was not vaccinated. Both are recovering in their respective homes.  

“These additional cases of measles underscore the disease’s highly contagious nature,” said Riverside County Public Health Officer Dr. Jennifer Chevinsky. 

Measles is a highly contagious virus that lives in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person. It can spread to others through coughing and sneezing. 

“Now is the perfect time to make sure you and your family are vaccinated against measles,” said Dr. Chevinsky. 

To get vaccinated, talk to your healthcare provider or visit one of Public Health’s upcoming vaccine clinics. All clinics accept walk-in appointments. Cost and eligibility vary. For questions and clinic locations, please call (951) 358-7125

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City News Service

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A convicted felon accused of slashing a Palm Springs man with a box cutter, then fleeing the scene and almost making it out of the city until he was apprehended, was charged today with attempted murder and other offenses.

James Jeremiah Fuller, 41, of Palmdale was arrested Tuesday following an investigation by the Palm Springs Police Department.   

Along with attempted murder, Fuller was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, probation violations and sentence-enhancing allegations of using a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony and inflicting great bodily injury.

The probationer, who was being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Benoit Detention Center, was slated to make his initial court appearance Friday afternoon at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.

According to police, shortly before 4 a.m. Tuesday, Fuller was involved in an unspecified confrontation with the victim, whose identity was not disclosed, in the 600 block of South Palm Canyon Drive, near Indian Canyon Drive, on the western edge of Palm Springs.

During the encounter, Fuller allegedly pulled a box cutter and attacked the man, inflicting a gash across his head, police alleged.   

The victim called 911, and patrol officers converged on the location within minutes, discovering the man bleeding and in need of immediate medical attention.

“He provided limited information, stating he had been attacked by … a male who had fled northbound in a white pickup truck,” the police department stated.

The victim was taken to a regional trauma center for treatment, and officers initiated a search, netting results less than a half-hour later when they spotted a Ford F-150 matching the description of the alleged getaway vehicle nearly four miles north of where the alleged attack happened, in the area of North Indian Canyon Drive and West Tramview Road, according to authorities. The location is a mile south of Interstate 10.   

The pickup was stopped by patrol units. Fuller was in the driver’s seat and taken into custody without incident. A woman was with him in the passenger seat. She wasn’t identified, and she wasn’t taken into custody.   

A witness back at the scene of the alleged attack corroborated the victim’s statement and positively identified Fuller as the alleged assailant, police said.

Court records show he has documented prior convictions for assault with a deadly weapon, robbery and witness intimidation.

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María García

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – The TODEC Legal Center hosted a Valentine’s Day food drive Friday morning aimed at helping immigrant families in need.

The event provided free groceries and essential items that may assist impacted families. The suggested items include: corn tortillas, beans, rice, canned chicken, baby wipes, and hygiene products.

“We had two full car loads, I backed up 50 pounds of rice and beans, and hundreds of hundreds of canned foods,” said Leah Aguayo, co-founder of Indivisible Morongo Basin.

Aguayo says the food drive is another way to give back while organizing more protests. “We protest every Sunday at the entrance to Joshua Tree park, we can have anywhere from one-hundred to four-hundred people. We got the word out that this Valentine day food drive was happening,” said Aguayo.

Todec organizers say around 3,000 families each month seek help due to immigration enforcement concerns.

“We’re very thankful and we’re very honored and very proud of our Coachella Valley. How people continue to step up for those that are very vulnerable at these times, that are suffering and having so much trauma,” said Luz Gallegos, Todec executive director.

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Luis Avila

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – As Valentine’s Day approaches, flower shops across the Coachella Valley are in full bloom preparing for one of their busiest days of the year.

Consumer spending on Valentine’s Day is projected to hit a record $29.1 billion, according to an annual survey released by the National Retail Federation.

Shoppers plan to spend an average of $199.78, up from $188.81 last year and higher than the previous record of $196.31 in 2020.

News Channel 3 is speaking with local flower shops and shoppers about how rising costs and strong demand are shaping this year’s Valentine’s Day celebrations.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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Isaiah Mora

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – A bicyclist is dead following a crash in Cathedral City on Thursday night.

Around 10:55 p.m., Cathedral City Police officers responded to a vehicle versus pedestrian crash at the intersection of Date Palm Drive and Ortega Road. 

Investigators determined a vehicle was traveling southbound on Date Palm Drive and run a red traffic signal. A bicyclist traveling westbound through the crosswalk, also against a red traffic signal, was struck by the vehicle.

The bicyclist was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the vehicle was taken to a nearby hospital for minor facial injuries. 

The cause of the collision is still under investigation. The identity of the victim will not be released until the Coroner’s Office completes their investigation.

If you have information related to this incident or believe you may have information, please contact the Cathedral City Police at (760) 770-0300.

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

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Jesus Reyes

Update 2/18/26

The suspect, Diego Gallardo, 32, was officially charged with attempted murder along with other charges, according to court records.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges on Wednesday at the Larson Justice Center.

Gallardo is scheduled to return to court on Feb. 27 for a felony settlement conference.

Original Report 2/12/26

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A suspect in a Desert Hot Springs shooting that left one person hospitalized was arrested Thursday, police announced.

The suspect, a 32-year-old man, was taken into custody in Desert Hot Springs by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office Gang Impact Team and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, according to the Desert Hot Springs Police Department.

He was booked at the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio, where he is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

Police said the suspect was wanted in connection with a shooting on the evening of September 21, 2025, in the area of Palm Drive and 2nd Street. A man suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the shooting.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any new developments.

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City News Service

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The annual 11-day celebration of midcentury architecture, art and design was underway today in Palm Springs during Modernism Week.

The festival features more than 400 tours, programs and events, with a portion of the proceeds to benefit the nonprofit and other local preservation, neighborhood and community groups.

The Community and Meeting Place will host an array of experiences and special events, including stylish themed parties, mahjong meetups and a student art exhibition by Coachellart Camp is located inside the Hyatt Palm Springs, at 285 N. Palm Canyon, and is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during Modernism Week. 

The first night will conclude with “Modernist Motown,” an opening night party presented by Ferguson Home at 7 p.m., featuring live Motown classics, cocktails and a retro-inspired look.

There will be numerous tours, presentations, exhibitions and special events through Feb. 22, such as the Andreas Hills II neighborhood tour, uptown design district tour, Palm Springs modernism show and Modernism Week vintage car show, “Starlight Soiree.”  

More information on schedules and ticketing can be found at modernismweek.com.

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Jesus Reyes

THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) – A 43-year-old man accused in a shooting that killed two people Wednesday night in Thermal was arrested, authorities announced.

The shooting was first reported at a little after 11:30 p.m. on the 67000 block of Polk Street. Deputies were dispatched to the area after a report of two dead people at the location, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators say a 43-year-old Mecca man was arrested Thursday in the area of the 91-000 Block of Third Street in Mecca. The suspect is facing murder charges, he is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday at the Hall of Justice in Riverside.

The Riverside County Coroner’s Office has released the identity of one of the victims, 50-year-old Oscar Romero Castro. The other victim was only identified as a 43-year-old resident of Mecca.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone with information regarding the incident to contact Central Homicide Unit Master Investigator Joshua Manjarrez at (760) 393–3530 or Thermal Station Lead Investigator Burgie at (951) 863–8990.

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City News Service

BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) – Three operations carried out this week in Banning targeted illegal homeless encampments, which are now in the process of being dismantled after multiple occupants were arrested on suspicion of trespassing, authorities said today.

The first operation occurred Tuesday just northeast of the intersection of Hathaway and Ramsey streets, according to the Banning Police Department.

Capt. Brandon Smith said the department’s “homeless liaison officers,” joined by personnel from the Department of Code Enforcement and City Animal Control, entered the site. Notices had been given 72 hours earlier warning occupants of the need to vacate the premises.

Seven people were arrested on suspicion of trespassing and then released from custody. The owner of the property was additionally contacted and directed to start cleanup, including removal of vehicles being used as residences, Smith said.

He said the next joint operation happened Wednesday near Interstate 10 and Sunset Avenue, where 13 people were arrested for alleged trespassing, then released from custody. One occupant of the camp was also arrested in connection with an unrelated, outstanding felony warrant.

“This location is also private property, and (we are) actively working with the owner to get the encampment debris removed from the property,” Smith said.

The final joint operation occurred Thursday southwest of Bryant Street and San Gorgonio Avenue, where five people were arrested on suspicion of trespassing, then released.

“This location was cleaned up with the assistance of the Banning Streets Department, and four large tent encampments were removed from the property,” Smith said.

The captain pointed out that municipal agencies are working “hard to direct those experiencing homelessness to available resources within the city and Riverside County.”

“But we will be enforcing applicable laws with a zero tolerance,” he said. “The police department has been able to strengthen efforts in enforcing crimes related to unlawful camping and other quality of life issues that have become a major problem within the city.”

Anyone with questions, or who wants to report illegal encampments, was asked to call the department’s non-emergency line at 951-922-3170. Alternately, residents can fill out complaint forms via the Department of Code Enforcement’s web portal: http://www.banning.ca.us/FormCenter/Police-10/Code- Enforcement-IssueConcernForm-62.

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