Author: KESQ

Allie Anthony

The Pentagon has announced plans to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, a Navy supply ship honoring the gay rights icon and veteran. This comes during Pride Month, sparking backlash from LGBTQ+ advocates.

News Channel 3 spoke to a local Navy veteran, who is part of the LGBTQ+ community, about what this means. “Its Another big slap in the face,” said veteran Ernest Meeker. “The secretary of defense should be focusing on defending the country instead of trying to change history.”

The Pentagon is also reviewing other ships named after civil rights leaders, including the USNS Thurgood Marshall and USNS Harriet Tubman. Critics believe the decision could damage morale and shift military focus away from national security priorities.

Watch News Channel 3 at 4 p.m. for more.

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Cynthia White

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – Palm Desert Aquatic Center is announcing its “Splash Season” for the summer, offering programs and events for all ages.

In addition to PDAC’s regular activities and programs, the Splash Season offerings include:

Dive in Movies – A series of three movie nights on Fridays: June 20, July 11, and August 8. Gates open at 7:30 p.m. with movies starting at sundown. Slides, splash playground, and select pool areas will be open, along with the Hot Spot Cafe for snacks and beverages. With limited poolside seating, guests are encouraged to bring towels for grass areas. Tickets are $8 per person, with kids under 2 free.

Hot Summer Nights – Every Tuesday and Friday starting June 6, from 7:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Music, dance parties and more. Book a cabana or find a spot on the lawn. Slides, splash playground, and select pool areas will be open, along with the Hot Spot Cafe for snacks and beverages. General admission rates.

Juneteenth – All amenities open from 10:30 a.m. until 5:45 p.m. General admission rates.

July 4th Celebration – Enjoy the pools and watch the fireworks at Civic Center Park. 12:00 noon until the fireworks end at the park. General admission rates.

For more information, rules, and admission rates, visit PDPool.com or call (760) 565-7467.

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City News Service

MURRIETA, Calif. (KESQ) – Two of three men who abducted, severely beat and fatally shot an Anza man because they believed he might snitch on them for perpetrating thefts at marijuana grows were both convicted this week of first-degree murder.   

George Frank Holley Jr., 42, of Oklahoma City and Nico Manuel Zahir, 30, of Anza conspired in the slaying of 42-year-old Brian Messina in 2020.   

Separate juries heard their cases at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta over a nearly monthlong period. On Monday, Holley’s jury found him guilty of the murder count, firearm assault and a special circumstance allegation of killing in the course of a kidnapping. On Thursday, Zahir’s jury convicted him of the murder count, along with firearm assault, false imprisonment, the special-circumstance allegation and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.   

Riverside County Superior Court Judge Timothy Freer scheduled Holley’s sentencing for July 18 and Zahir’s for Aug. 15. Both men are being held without bail — Holley at the Benoit Detention Center, Zahir at the Robert Presley Jail.

Their co-defendant, 40-year-old Joe Anthony Serna of Anza, pleaded guilty in February 2024 to assault resulting in great bodily injury, gun assault and making criminal threats. He’s being held without bail at the Byrd Detention Center and is slated for sentencing on Friday.

Joe Anthony Serna

Sheriff’s investigators said the men suspected Messina was secretly gathering evidence against them in connection with multiple armed thefts at illegal cannabis grows in the Anza Valley.

Holley was the first to make the allegation against his former friend, according to an arrest warrant affidavit filed by sheriff’s Detective Lance Stoyer. He wrote that Holley had witnessed Messina using his mobile phone to record conversations the men had concerning the thefts.

“Holley privately spoke to Serna about the recordings and planned to search Messina’s cellular phone without Messina’s knowledge or consent,” according to the affidavit.

The men were ultimately able to access the phone, and while scanning data, “Serna saw a social message that Messina had sent (stating) that if he — Messina — were to go missing or found dead, Serna would be responsible for the murder,” Stoyer said.

The three conspirators became convinced Messina was a liability, prompting a confrontation at a residence in the 39600 block of Howard Road in Anza on the night of Nov. 29, 2020, according to court papers.   

In a later interview, Holley told detectives that a verbal altercation erupted, and Serna and Zahir attacked the victim, with Zahir pistol-whipping him and Serna kicking him multiple times.

The defendants beat Messina into submission, then forced him into a Toyota Tundra pickup and drove to a remote area along Bautista Road, where they all got out.

Zahir used a shotgun to execute the victim on the side of the road, Stoyer said.

None of the men had documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.

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Jesus Reyes

UPDATE 6/05/2025: The California Highway Patrol has deactivated this Feather Alert. The person has been located.

BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) – The California Highway Patrol activated a Feather Alert for a Native American man last seen on May 18 in Banning.

FEATHER ALERT – Riverside CountyLast seen: Hargrave Street and E. Porter Street, Banning@RSO

IF SEEN, CALL 9-1-1 pic.twitter.com/DiqlpLnbA4

— CHP – Alerts (@CHPAlerts) June 5, 2025

Bruce Arrietta, 68, a member of the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians, was last seen at around 5 p.m. in the area of Hargrave Street and E. Porter Street.

He is described as five feet, six inches tall, weighing 185 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a gray shirt and gray sweatpants.

Police ask if you have seen Arrietta to call 9-1-1.

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Kendall Flynn

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – For businesses, like Palm Springs Liquor, recovery and cleanup efforts are still underway after the bombing of the American Reproductive Centers May 17.

The liquor store, just dozens of feet away from the parking lot of the IVF clinic, sustained extensive damage, after a parked vehicle exploded at the American Reproductive Centers.

“56 windows were damaged,” Owner Moussa Dourghalli said. “Some of the inventory, a lot of the bottles, some of the expensive bottles, the AC units, both of them were damaged. They were shifted 14 inches from the pressure.”

Photo Courtesy: Moussa Dourghalli

Photo Courtesy: Moussa Dourghalli

Dourghalli said the damage is worth over $72,000, but he said it could have been even worse.

“My cousin was here,” he said. “When it happened he called me. So we were just in shock. Like it’s something unbelievable. You don’t expect something like that.”

Dourghalli’s cousin was sitting behind the cash register when the bombing happened. He said it was one of the only places in the store not damaged. Bottles even fell on either side of him, but did not harm him.

This is one of two situations Dourghalli said was luck for the family-owned business. He and his family bought the liquor store a year and a half ago, and was unsure of the insurance they had on the building.

Many other buildings with damage were unable to receive insurance aid because they didn’t have terrorism insurance. But Dourghalli said they got lucky.

“We didn’t know we had it. We called the insurance lady…we told her what happened…and then she called back with the good news. She said she check that one box by luck. I don’t know why she checked it. I just thank God she check it.”

While Dourghalli said he’s unsure what the insurance will cover, he has high hopes it will be everything. He did say the City of Palm Springs reached out to help rebuild, but he did not want to take additional money if there was a chance insurance could cover it.

Stay with News Channel 3 to hear more from Palm Springs Liquor on its rebuilding process and gratefulness.

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KYMA

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – As summer temperatures climb in California’s farming regions, a new study from San Diego State University (SDSU) is raising alarms about the heat risks agricultural workers face daily, and how much rest they need to survive it.

Researchers looked at weather conditions in the Imperial and Coachella Valleys, where farmworkers regularly labor under intense sun. They found that in extreme heat, workers may need up to 32 minutes of rest per hour to avoid heat stress.

“There are more than 300,000 farmworkers active in these crop fields, and they are exposed to high heat stress every day as they work in those fields,” said Sagar Parajuli, a research scientist at SDSU.

The research team used local weather data and existing safety guidelines to determine when conditions become too dangerous for prolonged physical labor. Their findings suggest that breaks aren’t just helpful, they’re essential.

Despite existing regulations, farmworker advocates say these protections often go unenforced, especially among workers hired through small labor contractors.

“They don’t respect their breaks, or give them enough shade, or give them fresh water…It’s hard sometimes because many workers don’t work directly for big companies, but for smaller contractors who don’t always follow the rules,” said Ruben Partida with Comité de Acción del Valle.

Imperial County consistently reports the highest rate of heat-related illness in California, according to state data. That makes enforcement of heat safety guidelines more urgent than ever.

“The people work day to day, so sometimes they prefer to stay quiet to conserve their job, but what happens when they stay quiet is their working conditions become deplorable,” Partida added.

Researchers emphasize that rest breaks, water, and shade aren’t optional, they are scientifically proven tools to protect health.

“The farmworkers are the people who bring food to our table, they’re hardworking people, so we are responsible for protecting them,” Parajuli said.

For the full research article, click here.

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Luis Avila

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A local business owner is speaking out after receiving an anonymous letter targeting one of his employees, a trans woman.

Matt Sater, owner of Aim Mail Center, says he was determined to do something about it, and show that hate would not go unchallenged. He put up a flyer calling out the author of the letter and reassured both employees and customers that everyone is welcome.

“At first it was just kind of like ‘it’s anonymous,’ but then you kind of get emotional, that’s my employee… we have to speak out about this because this is a place where everyone should feel comfortable to come work and do business.”

Matt Sater, Aim Mail Center owner

Jasmin Nicole Lopez, the employee who was targeted, says despite the support from her coworkers, it was an unfortunate reality she’s dealt with before, and had enough.

“I was very heartbroken… My mental state was so bad. I would call out work, I would be like ‘I know people don’t want me there why would I even show up.’ It started hurting my finances, I literally lost money and lost my apartment, as well. And I was hurting Matthew’s business, ‘it’s not fair to you or the rest of your employees.’” 

Jasmin Nicole Lopez, former employee

Nicole decided it was time to leave the hate behind and move to Los Angeles, a decision that helped her regain her confidence and sense of self. Since moving, she has been working to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and has been recognized for her work.

Her message: Don’t let it get to you.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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Jesus Reyes

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A person is in critical condition after being struck by a vehicle Thursday morning in Indio.

The crash was first reported at around 6:10 a.m. on Highway 111, east of Dr Carreon Boulevard.

According to the Indio Police Department, a vehicle was traveling eastbound on HWY 111 when, for unknown reasons, the pedestrian stepped into the roadway and was struck. The road does not have a crosswalk.

Police said the driver involved in the collision remained at the scene and cooperated with the investigation.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any updates.

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Julia Castro

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – One person was hospitalized early Wednesday following a serious two-car crash at the intersection of Mountain View Road and Dillon Road in Desert Hot Springs.

The California Highway Patrol confirmed a white Nissan Rogue was traveling southbound on Mountain View Road around 3 a.m. when the driver ran a red light and broadsided a red Nissan Altima headed eastbound on Dillon Road. The impact caused the Altima to roll and land on its roof.

Courtesy of Allen Mealey

Courtesy of Allen Mealey

Photos shared with News Channel 3 by a viewer show fire crews and CHP officers actively working the scene. CAL FIRE says the male driver of the Altima suffered a head injury, had to be cut from the vehicle, and was transported to Desert Regional Medical Center for treatment.

The female driver of the Rogue was not injured, according to officials. CHP said drugs or alcohol are not suspected as factors in the crash.

Stay with News Channel 3 for updates as this story develops.

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Cynthia White

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Local Republican State Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez announced Wednesday the Joint Legislative Audit Committee has approved his request to consider an audit of the Coachella Valley Unified School District.

“This has to do with right and wrong. And wrong is taking place and we want answers!” Gonzalez said.

The announcement comes in the wake of the district’s announcement of its now $60 million budget deficit, which News Channel 3 has been following since it was uncovered.

The district is laying off hundreds of staff members in an effort to balance its budget, with Assemblyman Gonzalez saying local communities deserve answers.

“What do you hope a state audit will accomplish?” News Channel 3’s Peter Daut asked Gonzalez.

“Transparency,” The Assemblyman answered. “An audit of financials, shouldn’t be a controversial issue if there’s nothing to hide.”

CUSD Superintendent Dr. Frances Esparza has attributed the deficit to the end of federal COVID relief funds, lower-than-expected state funding, and cost-of-living adjustments as contributing factors.

“This may be something that really doesn’t have to do with our finances. Unfortunately, I have to say that because but that’s really what I feel,” Esparza said.

“What do you mean by that?” Peter Daut asked.

Esparza answered, “I feel like this is more political. A political stunt to grab some attention.”

Peter followed up, asking, “But if the district has nothing to hide, why not support an audit by the state for full transparency?”

“We’re not saying no to it. We’re not saying no to it, but at what point does the Assemblyman have a conversation with the district, have a conversation with the board ‘Hey I’m concerned,'” Esparza said.

“So you’re saying Assemblyman Gonzalez has never reached out to the district or contacted anyone there about his concerns?” Peter asked.

“No. Never,” Esparza said.

Gonzalez said this is not a political stunt.

“They are tone deaf because the community has been asking for answers. You’re firing 300 people. I don’t need a question-and-answer session to tell me that. You’re doing that. We need answers, and we need them today! This is not a political stunt,” Gonzalez said.

Esparza shared a message to the community on the issue.

“What I want the community to know is I don’t think some of our politicians understand school finance or school districts, and it would be best for them to come and ask to sit down with us to ask those questions of us. But we’re not hiding anything. We’re not afraid of a state audit,” Esparza said.

Gonzalez told News Channel 3 he is willing to sit down and have a conversation with Esparza or a district representative.

“I’d love to have that conversation when they come up here for the audit,” Gonzalez said.

The Joint Legislative Audit Committee hearing is scheduled for June 18 in Sacramento, where legislators will formally review the audit request and next steps.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any new developments.

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