Author: KESQ

John White

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Sunday is the one-year anniversary of the historic Section 14 settlement approved by the Palm Springs City Council.

Just weeks ago the settlement of nearly $6 million from the city of Palm Springs to the group, Section 14 Survivors, was finalized. 

Coming up on Saturday, the organization is holding a summit, they say will be a celebration. It comes as a smaller group raises questions about the settlement, arguing it falls short of righting the wrongs of the past.

Tonight at 6 p.m., News Channel 3 anchor John White has an I-Team follow-up on how the fight is far from over for some.

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City News Service

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The next chapter of Desert X, the Coachella Valley outdoor art exhibition, will bring new changes to the sixth edition and 10th anniversary in 2027, officials announced today.

The exhibition will take place from Oct. 30, 2027 through May 7, 2028, which will extend its programming through winter and spring.   

Organizers said the expansion is part of a new format to embrace the desert’s climate, ecology that will allow artwork to align “with the desert’s natural rhythms” and will change and dissolve in tandem with the land itself.   

In addition, Desert X will overlap with numerous of the regions events, including Modernism Week, the Palm Springs International Film Festival and the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival to land a new generation of people.

“Over the past decade, Desert X has evolved from an idea into a movement,” President and Founder of Desert X Susan Davis said. “Each edition has expanded our reach and deepened our relationships with artists, audiences and communities across the Coachella Valley and the world. As we enter our next decade, the same spirit of thoughtfulness, dialogue and delight that has guided us since our funding, will continue.”  

It will be curated by Artistic Director Neville Wakefield and Kaitlin Garcia-Maestas, who both curated the 2022 and 2025 editions.  

“Changing the ways in which we experience, see and talk about art is fundamental to Desert X’s mission. Establishing new paradigms also involves evolving our own, and as we prepare for the 2027 exhibition, I’m grateful to Kaitlin Garcia-Maestas for adding continuity to the journey of change,” Wakefield said.  

To adapt the new format, Melissa Netecke joined the organization as director of development.

Desert X has presented five exhibitions in the Coachella Valley since its inception in 2017.

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City News Service

LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – With a storm expected to roll through the Coachella Valley this week, Imperial Irrigation District officials today said they will be prepared to respond for any possible service disruptions.

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Forecasters predict heavy rainfall with gusty winds will fall into the region starting Thursday evening, according to the National Weather Service.   

A flood watch will be in effect from 4 a.m. through 10 p.m. Saturday including in the cities of Cathedral City, La Quinta, Coachella, Indio, Palm Desert and Palm Springs.

In the Coachella Valley, temperature highs will be in the 80s Thursday with a nighttime lows in the upper 60s. For the rest of the week, daytime highs will be in the upper 60s and nighttime lows in the upper 50s. The strongest possible change for heavy rainfall will be Saturday, with precipitation at 80% between a quarter- and half-inch predicted, NWS said.   

IID officials said crews will respond to any power outages or disruptions if conditions will be safe enough to work.   

“Customers can rest assured that IID is ahead of this, working to minimize impacts and service interruptions that could occur due to this expected storm,” IID Power Manager Matt Smelser said.

Officials advise residents the following tips to be prepared ahead ofthe storm:   — Keep an emergency kit ready filled with flashlights, batteries, bottled water, medicine, a battery-operated radio and wind-up clock;   — Charge essential devices, including phones and tablets;   — Be familiar with service panel and main circuit breaker;   — Trim trees and clear debris away from power lines, and   — Avoid using electrical equipment when outside.

Customers can report power outages through IID’s mobile app, contacting customer service at 800-303-7756, or at www.iid.com/outage.

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Kendall Flynn

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – Local farmers and agriculture leaders gathered in Coachella Thursday to share the challenges they’ve been facing in the industry. From high labor costs, competition or imported goods and the lack of education on local farming, leaders are asking for change.

The main concern from local farmers is the high labor cost implemented in January of a $16.50 minimum wage with a 1.5% overtime pay. While they agree workers should be paid fairly, the high cost does not align with their profits because of imported competition.

Mexico is a leading source for importing in California because of the reduced cost for labor at between $4.50 and $6 per hour. When those goods are imported at a lower cost, locals feel California goods are forgotten.

They said this is also a concern because of the high quality of California agriculture. There are many strict regulations on agriculture, especially when it comes to pests or pesticides, that ensure the products are clean, and those same regulations are not on all imported goods.

Tonight on News Channel 3 local leaders in agriculture are sharing how they have to continue to innovate their practice to stay alive in the industry, and they’re asking for help from the community to shop local.

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Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A traffic collision has led to a road closure near Ramon Road and El Placer in Palm Springs Thursday afternoon.

Details on the crash were not immeditely available; however, Palm Springs confirmed two vehicles were involved.

Police said three people were injured in the crash, including one person who is in critical condition.

Roads were closed for several hours, but reopened by 3 p.m.

Police said drugs and/or alcohol do not appear to be a factor at this time.

Anyone with information about this collision is asked to contact the Palm Springs Police Department Traffic Division at 760-323-8125.

Stay with News Channel 3 for updates.

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Jesus Reyes

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Two people, including a wanted suspect, were taken into custody following an hours-long standoff in Indio on Thursday.

Police said a witness reported seeing a suspect wanted at around 10:30 a.m. near Sun Gold and Valencia Avenue. The suspect, a 30-year-old man, was wanted for allegedly striking his brother in the head with a crowbar and stabbing him several times with a knife.

IPD officers surrounded the residence where the suspect is believed to be located. Officers made multiple attempts to communicate with the suspect through a “surround and callout,” but the suspect did not exit the residence, resulting in a police standoff.

Desert Regional S.W.A.T. responded and assisted in efforts to take the suspect into custody safely. 

At around 1:30 p.m., the suspect exited the residence and was safely taken into custody without further incident. Roads were closed around the area, but all roads were back open by 2 p.m.

Police said the victim in the stabbing remains in stable condition in the hospital. The suspect faces attempted homicide charges.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Indio Police Department at (760) 391-4057 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at (760) 341-STOP.

We’ll have the latest at Noon on News Channel 3.

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Jesus Reyes

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (KESQ) – A 68-year-old woman from Rancho Mirage has been reported missing, prompting a Silver Alert from the California Highway Patrol.

Jeri Chamberlain, 67, was last seen on Wednesday at 10:20 p.m. in the area of Mirage Cove Drive and Peterson Road.

She is described as five feet, five inches tall, weighing 124 pounds, with gray hair and hazel eyes. She was last seen wearing a yellow sundress.

Chamberlain is believed to be on foot.

If see, CHP asks that you call 9-1-1.

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Athena Jreij

JOSHUA TREE, Calif. (KESQ) — Since the beginning of the government shutdown, News Channel 3 has followed the impact on Joshua Tree National Park, as it remained open and free for entry with limited rangers.

Now, as the longest shutdown in U.S. history comes to an end, many visitors say they haven’t noticed a difference thanks to the park’s continued staffing on a limited basis.

The National Park Service told News Channel 3 the park has remained open, clean and safe thanks to their contingency plan, that allowed limited staff to work on essential services during the shutdown. That includes cleaning restrooms, emptying trash bins and keeping visitor centers open.

“I was a little nervous. Like, who would be available and if we could get the information we needed to be safe and do great hikes. It was great to see the rangers back and it’s been great so far,” Lisa Skiba, a visitor from Chicago said.

Many locals echoed concerns that the shutdown would bring back the same destruction seen in 2018-2019 during the 35 day shutdown.

“It was apocalyptic. There was trash everywhere. The bathrooms were disgusting. We organized over 1,000 volunteers. People really stepped up to the plate, helped, and we were planning to do that again. And then, frankly, it just wasn’t needed,” Seth Zaharias, co-founder of Cliffhanger Guides and Joshua Tree resident said.

Zaharias said himself and many others were bracing for the worst but have been pleasantly surprised.

“I think this is my fifth or sixth shutdown that I’ve lived through here while working in the tourism economy here and this wasn’t like any other shutdown I’ve ever seen,” he said.

However, one thing that hasn’t gone back to normal is business. Zaharias says they’ve seen a 30-40% decrease since the shutdown, for what he believes is confusion around the park being open.

“It’s been a pretty rough 40 days. I think about half the country either thinks that national parks are closed or it was inappropriate to visit them, and our numbers are down pretty significantly. Anybody that lives and works in this community is feeling it right now,” he said.

Now as they get ready to welcome thousands of visitors back everyday, he hopes support for the local economy will come back too.

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Cynthia White

LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – Riverside County Sheriff’s Office Thermal Station have arrested four women suspected to be in connection with what they call an “Organized Retail Theft Crew” that targeted multiple businesses in La Quinta.

Deputies began an investigation on October 20th into the thefts, and determined that four women were responsible. They report that those same women were also connected to 28 other thefts throughout Southern California, totaling over $50,000 in merchandise.

On Monday, deputies located a vehicle matching the description of the suspects in the area of Cook Street and Country Club Drive in Palm Desert. After stopping the vehicle, all four women were taken into custody without incident.

During the stop, deputies found approximately $12,000 in merchandise. They arrested the four women and booked them into the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio, charging them with theft, organized retail theft, and petty theft with priors.

The Sheriff’s Office says this in an ongoing investigation, and there are no further details available at this time. They ask anyone with information regarding this incident to call the Riverside Sheriff’s Thermal Station at 760-863-8990. Information can also be reported anonymously through Crime Stoppers at (760) 341-STOP (7867).

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Cynthia White

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Three male suspects are facing felony theft charges after a shoplifting incident in Indio on Tuesday.

Indio Police officials say that an employee of a business in the 42000 block of Jackson Street reported that three men stole several items from the business around 11:30 a.m. and fled from the area in their car.

After a search, officers found three men in the suspect vehicle at a gas station in the 44000 block of Golf Center Parkway. When the officers contacted the men, two of them ran from the car, while the third remained.

Both suspects ran across the I-10 freeway and one was caught by officers after a short pursuit. Officers found the other man hiding in dense brush in the wash area east of Golf Center Parkway.

Police found stolen merchandise in the suspect car worth over $4,500 and returned it to the business.

Police say the male suspects were arrested and booked into the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio on felony theft-related charges.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Indio Police Department at (760) 391-4057 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at (760) 341-STOP.

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