Category: kesq-local-news

Cynthia White

UPDATE: Indio Police Department reports officers responded to the area of Clinton Street and Granada Drive around 8:00 p.m. Tuesday regarding a 51-year old woman and her teenage daughter being hit by a Hyundai SUV.

They add that both pedestrians suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were transported by ambulance to Desert Regional Medical Center for further medical treatment.

Officers say DUI did not appear to be a factor, and the adult male driver remained at the scene and was cooperative with the investigation.

The roadway was shut down until just after 8:30 for investigation, which remains ongoing.

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – CAL FIRE reports that two people were transported to a local hospital after a vehicle versus pedestrian collision in Indio Tuesday night.

The crash happened around 8:00 p.m., near the corner of Clinton Street and Granada Drive, just north of Highway 111. One northbound lane on Clinton Street was closed for around 30 minutes while Indio Police conducted their investigation.

CAL FIRE did not provide information on the extent of injury the two people suffered.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any updates.

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Shay Lawson

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ)  – Ian Tadeo Zavala Cardenas, a four-month-old baby boy, is fighting for his life after being diagnosed with a serious heart condition.

Andrea Castillo, a Thousand Palms resident and family member, said Ian was rushed to the hospital after his parents found him unresponsive and turning purple.

“They called 911,” Castillo said. “They had to do CPR on him because they realized that he wasn’t getting any oxygen.”

She said he was airlifted to Loma Linda Children’s Hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with a heart disease.

“He’s already had 3 heart attacks at such a young age,” Castillo said.

She said Ian’s parents remain by his side, unable to work as he undergoes breathing machines and blood transfusions.

“All we ask for is prayer and having faith,” Castillo said. “He’s just so little and he has so much life ahead of him. He’s already been through so much.”

The family is now asking for prayers and support.

A GoFundMe has been established to help Ian’s parents cover medical and living expenses while they remain at his bedside.

Stay with News Channel 3 for the full story at 10 and 11 p.m.

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Hernán Quintas

Coachella Valley businesses are joining the movement to end hunger. Telemundo 15 anchor Hernan Quintas spoke with Katie Finn, owner of Desert Wine Shop in La Quinta, who shared her personal story on why this campaign is crucial to our community.

Finn is no stranger to serving up some of the best wine found in the desert, but now she is uncorking a special promotion to help stamp out hunger.

“We are putting together some three-bottle promotional gift packs for Find Food Bank for Hunger Action Awareness Month. These are different price points, different bottles that I’ve put together and curated for great hostess,” Finn said

Finn is no stranger to the FIND Food Bank. For the last five years, the unique wine shop has been supporting this campaign to end hunger.

“We appreciate the local support of businesses like Katie at the wine shop to step up to the plate, so to speak, to be able to say, while you’re doing your normal course of activities in La Quinta or other cities in the valley, and you have an opportunity to also support fine food bank, please do that, especially during Hunger Action Month,” said La Quinta Mayor Linda Evans.

And even though Katie never experienced food insecurity herself, her mom as an educator here in the Coachella Valley, saw the need directly. 

“When my mother became a school teacher in Palm Springs, she became aware that a lot of times the lunch provided breakfast or lunch was the only meal that these kids would ever get, and so she stocked a utility cabinet full of snacks that she would buy in bulk, and realizing that, you know, you can’t do you can’t learn if you’re hungry, you can’t Focus, you can’t concentrate,” Finn said.

Debbie Espinoza, President/CEO of the FIND Food Bank, added, “So it’s not just the kids. We’re looking at a community-wide effort to make sure that the kids and their families are taken care of, as well as our fixed-income seniors. They may be coming in from the summertime, where they were in higher need, but they still are in need during the time of school. They’re very active. They have to take tests. They have to make sure that they can do well in school, and it takes healthy and nutritious food that they have regular access to at all times in order to be able to do that.”

“I think my mother would be very proud that we’re supporting the fine food bank and helping people not be food insecure,” Finn said.

Both FIND and the City of La Quinta are grateful to all local businesses for their support and extend an invitation. Hunger Action Month campaign runs throughout the month of September, and it is not too late for other businesses to join in. 

“FIND Food Bank, which is the Regional Food Bank that serves our area, wants to thank all of the cities and all of the businesses, like desert wine shop, like the city of La Quinta, for lighting up orange, for creating really beautiful packages where people can both support local business as well as supporting local ending hunger initiatives, so that everybody is taken care of here in our community,” Espinoza said.

Evans added, “So any challenge to these city officials that are listening or watching other cities, please make sure that you get behind FIND Food Bank, so many of our residents, collectively, are getting services from FIND and we need to get that path out of poverty, and by helping food insecurity, we can do that together.”

List of local businesses participating:1)Desert Wine Shop in La Quinta    •    Selling special 3 bottle wine packs where 100% of the proceeds will be donated to FIND    •    Promo runs from 9/1-9/302) Nutrishop in Indio     •    donating 10% of sales from the store on Monday 9/8/253) Handel’s Ice Cream (3 locations)    •    donating 20% of sales from all 3 locations in Indio, La Quinta and Palm Desert Thursday 10/2/254) Grill-A-Burger in Palm Desert    •    Monthlong milk shake campaign 9/1-9/30, portion of each milkshake sold will be donated to FIND in addition to a second promo below    •    20% of Sales from Tuesday 9/30/25 donated to FIND5) La Fe Wine Bar in Palm Desert    •    wine event (date TBC) check out our website for updates on the wine event6) Burgers & Beer in La Quinta and Rancho Mirage    •    more details coming soon

And to be clear, it’s not just businesses that can be part of this campaign; you too can be a part of the Hunger Action Month.  

Details can be found on findfoodbank.org/events

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Jesus Reyes

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Two of the headliners for the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival might be set, according to a report by Rolling Stone.

The Rolling Stone reported on Tuesday that Sabrina Carpenter and Karol G will be among the headliners next year. Both artists have performed at Coachella in recent years: Karol G in 2022 and Carpenter in 2024.

Goldenvoice, operators of the festival, are looking to lock down the final two headliners, Rolling Stone wrote.

The Coachella line-up has not been officially released. In recent years, the line has been released as early as November and as late as January.

Coachella will take place on the weekends of April 10-12 and 17-19, 2026 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing festival updates.

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Jesus Reyes

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – Several events around the Coachella Valley will remember and honor those who lost their lives during the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. All events will be taking place on Thursday, Sept. 11.

Palm Springs: Never Forget 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony at 8:30 a.m.

The Palm Springs Fire Department invites the community to join in solemn reflection and heartfelt tribute to the Heroes of 9/11 during the annual Never Forget 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony. This gathering offers a chance to honor the innocent lives lost, the brave first responders who rushed toward danger, and the enduring spirit of unity that emerged in the face of tragedy. What: Never Forget 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony When: Thursday, September 11, 2025 at 8:30 a.m., guests are asked to arrive by 8:15  Where: Palm Springs Fire Station 2, 300 North El Cielo Road Following the ceremony, attendees are invited to gather for coffee and donuts at 9:00 a.m. The Palm Springs Fire Department encourages all to join in honoring the legacy of those we lost and those who gave everything in service to others. 

Indio: 9/11 Remembrance and groundbreaking ceremony for new memorial at 9 a.m.

The city of Indio will host a remembrance ceremony at Miles Avenue Park at 9 a.m. honoring the lives lost during the tragic events of September 11, 2001. The ceremony will also recognize the courage, sacrifice, and ongoing service of first responders and members of the military who protect our nation.

Following the remembrance, the City of Indio will host a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Indio 9/11 Memorial, which will feature a striking 12-foot-tall steel artifact from the former World Trade Center. The proposed Indio 9/11 Memorial Project is designed to inspire a sense of collective humanity and community, creating a place for reflection, remembrance, and education. Visitors will be able to approach and touch this sacred piece of history, forging a tangible connection to the events and the resilience that followed.

The City of Indio welcomes residents, visitors, and neighboring communities to join in this day of honor and reflection. This memorial will serve as a lasting tribute to the memory of the victims and the heroism of our first responders.

La Quinta: 9/11 Candlelight Vigil from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Vigil will be held at Civic Center Campus (78495 Calle Tampico)

Join the community in honoring the lives lost on September 11 with music, reflections from local leaders, and public art displaying a World Trade Center artifact.

The 9/11 Memorial on La Quinta’s Civic Center Campus features an actual piece of steel beam from the fallen World Trade Center towers

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City News Service

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – Two upcoming events in Palm Desert will highlight the importance of planning for an emergency, in conjunction with September’s National Preparedness Month.

The Coachella Valley Disaster Preparedness Network, in collaboration with Southern California Edison, will present a Personal Preparedness Seminar from 9-11 a.m. Wednesday at the Regional Access Project Foundation’s conference room at 41550 Eclectic St.

Attendees will receive a kit bag at the free seminar and will learn about planning, such as the importance of knowing your neighbors and how to sign up for live-saving alerts.

And in partnership with the city’s library, Palm Desert will host a family-friendly emergency preparedness day later this month aimed at residents of all ages.

The Emergency Readiness Expo will be held from 2-4 p.m. on Sept. 24 at the Palm Desert Library, 73300 Fred Waring Drive.   

The free event will feature “Story Time with First Responders,” in which members of the city’s fire and police departments will give children safety tips. In addition, a workshop will be held teaching adults on how to create their own household emergency kits.

Information booths from community partners and numerous local organizations, including the American Red Cross and the Palm Desert sheriff’s station, will be in attendance to provide live-saving tips.

“Don’t wait for a crisis to figure out what you need. Take this chance to get informed and equipped for anything. The Emergency Readiness Expo is your opportunity to take meaningful steps toward protecting your family and helping your community,” city officials said.

More information can be found at www.palmdesert.gov, and www.ready.gov/september.

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Kendall Flynn

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – Coachella Prospera is a city project aiming to create a “resilient and equitable community.” The project works on neighborhood planning, healthy child development and aiding the senior community. Part of this includes providing opportunities for job training through the Center for Employment Training.

Through the grants, Coachella Prospera has created the Center for Employment Training providing job opportunities for HVAC technicians and green technology. Trainees also learn building and maintaining a home, along with interior and exterior finishes.

The HVAC technician and green technology program each are 9 months and 900 hours for free, as long as the applicant is within the Coachella Prospera area. CET will also be adding a new electrician and residential training program, which is currently being built. It will follow the same timeline of 9 months and 900 hours for free.

Organizers say this program is to enhance the quality of life of residents but giving them life-long and individual skills for jobs.

While students learn the trade, they are are nearly guaranteed a job afterward through CET’s partnerships with businesses. They’ve also seen over 80% of students receive jobs after training as either an apprentice or in a full-time position.

This comes just after the US job market report for March, where he US economy added about 911,000 fewer jobs than initially estimated for the year ending in March, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics report.

However, CET said they don’t believe this applies to them or their students ability to get jobs after training. With their partnerships and turnover rate, they haven’t experienced any issues placing students in jobs and they don’t see that changing in the future.

Stay with News Channel 3 for the latest at 6 p.m.

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City News Service

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – The Board of Supervisors today approved amending Riverside County’s campaign finance regulations so the county superintendent of schools is required to comply with the same caps in place for other county elected officials, while also approving new requirements for so-called “intra-candidate transfers” of funds.

In a 4-0 vote without comment — and Supervisor Chuck Washington absent — the board implemented the regulatory changes, which were submitted by the county Executive Office.

“The … amendments provide greater transparency and allow everyone the right to participate and support the candidates of their choice,” according to an EO statement. “The purpose of this ordinance is to ensure that individuals and interest groups continue to have a fair and equal opportunity to participate in electing candidates for county elective office.”  

The changes were the first ones put forward since Ordinance No. 963, which fixes limits on campaign contributions for county candidates, was enacted in the fall of 2020. For unexplained reasons, the revisions did not include the county superintendent of schools.

“It was and remains the intent of the Board of Supervisors to have included the superintendent of schools in the original version of this ordinance,” the EO stated. “This amendment is correcting an oversight.”

Then-Supervisor Kevin Jeffries, joined by Washington, sought adoption of No. 963, which caps all individual contributions to any one candidate for county office at $20,000.

With the board’s approval Tuesday, the ordinance has set contribution parameters for the schools superintendent that are the same for the assessor-clerk recorder, auditor-controller, any county supervisor, district attorney, sheriff and treasurer-tax collector. The limits do not affect state, federal or municipal elections.   

The $20,000 cap applies to all individual contributions in a general, primary, recall or other election cycle. However, exemptions are permitted for candidates who contribute to their own campaign. For instance, the ordinance permits a candidate to self-loan up to $100,000 per election, but in doing so, the loan recipient’s opponent is entitled to accept an equal amount in funding to ensure parity.

The other amendment passed by the board concerned intra-candidate transfers, which will no longer be permitted without the express written consent of individual donors.

“When a donor gives money, they express support for a candidate for a specific office, and that expression is protected by the free speech clauses of the state and federal constitutions,” according to the Office of County Counsel. “But when a candidate then chooses to run for a different office, what becomes of the donor’s speech?”   

The attorneys said a candidate for a certain office cannot expect that just because he or she pursues a different office, the original individual contributors support that new campaign and want the money they previously gave going to the new political endeavor.

“This (amended) ordinance prohibits intra-candidate transfers without the consent of donors to the first campaign,” according to the EO. “All intra-candidate transfers must be transparent and accounted for.”

The ordinance specifies all individual contributions in excess of $1,000 be subject to instant documentation and presentation on the Office of the Registrar of Voters’ portal for transparency, adhering to the California Political Reform Act of 1974.

So-called “independent” expenditures by outside organizations in support of a candidate are not impacted by the ordinance. Political action committees, unions, corporations and similar large organized donor groups generating and paying for their own advertisements and promotions are shielded from contribution limits under the U.S. Supreme Court case Citizens United v FEC, which was decided in 2010 based on free speech arguments.

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Garrett Hottle

UPDATE: The Palm Springs City Council voted 4 to 1 in its meeting on Wednesday to approve the city’s response to a Civil Grand Jury report that found the city failed to properly safeguard taxpayer dollars in its handling of non-profit grants tied to Queer Works.

Mayor Ron deHarte voted “no,” saying he felt the response could have expressed the city’s commitment to accountability more strongly.

Mayor deHarte commented, “I feel we could have maintained that sense of responsibility to the community and the response we gave to the community a little stronger in our response here, in the response to these questions.”

Councilmember Jeffrey Bernstein said, “Mistakes were made and it really is unfortunate but how we have dealt with it, how the City Manager and staff dealt with the response, I think shows that we are committed to never letting this, or preventing this from happening.”

Councilmembers also discussed the city’s disagreement with the Grand Jury finding that not enough “oversight resulted in a loss of over 700 thousand dollars.”

The city stated it was “unable to reconcile a specific amount of loss.”

Several public speakers took issue with that defense, one saying, “The city is unable to reconcile a specific amount of loss, as if that makes it OK. Translation, we lost track of 700 thousand dollars, but since we can’t count it, it doesn’t count. With respect, that is absurd.”

In its response, the city says it’s moving forward with most of the Grand Jury’s ten recommendations – but rejected a recommendation for a forensic audit of all city departments.

Editors Note: Wed. Sep. 10 This article has been updated with corrected information regarding DAP Health. None of the Universal Basic Income funds flowed to DAP Health. All funds went directly to Queer Works.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) The Palm Springs City Council will address a civil grand jury report Wednesday evening that found the city failed to properly safeguard taxpayer dollars in its handling of nonprofit grants tied to Queer Works.

The report follows the indictment of Queer Works founder Jacob Rostovsky, who faces 53 felony counts of fraud, grand theft, and misappropriation of public funds. Prosecutors allege he defrauded taxpayers at the city, county, and state level out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The grand jury’s findings concluded Palm Springs had “no comprehensive guidelines” for processing or monitoring large grants, allowing more than $700,000 in city funds to flow to Queer.

Jurors cited a lack of progress reports, lump-sum disbursements, and no fraud-prevention training for staff.

Community leaders say the damage has been devastating. Thomi Clinton, CEO of the Transgender Health and Wellness Center in Palm Springs, told News Channel 3 the scandal left the very people the program was meant to help –  in crisis.

“It was the transgender community that was severely exploited,” Clinton said. They’re the individuals in need the most and they just want to live and survive and be productive members of society. But society is pretty much against them.”

Clinton said some members of the community are now homeless and turning to survival sex work

“They lost their hom, they are facing homelessness,” she explained. “They’re having to do sex work to pay for hotels right now. Some of them are victims of sexual assault and domestic violence,” Clinton said.

In a statement obtained by News Channel 3 Monday, Palm Springs Mayor Ron De Harte said the city has enacted reforms to ensure accountability and prevent a repeat of the Queer Works scandal. City officials said they will formally approve their response to the grand jury report at Wednesday’s meeting.

The city’s statement reads in full:Mayor deHarte. Here is a statement from him below:

“The City of Palm Springs fully supports the Riverside County District Attorney’s investigation and indictment of Mr. Jacob Rostovsky for allegedly defrauding the taxpayers of our city, our county and state out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. The 53-felony count indictment includes fraud, grand theft, and misappropriation of public funds. While the City recognizes that all criminal defendants are presumed innocent until proven otherwise, we are deeply concerned by these charges, particularly the charged misuse of taxpayer dollars, and continue to cooperate fully with the investigation to ensure accountability.

While the indictment includes allegations involving various government entities, including Riverside County and the State of California, we recognize that six of the felony counts explicitly refer to the City of Palm Springs’ Universal Basic Income Pilot Program. The City is committed to ensuring full accountability for public funds and has already taken significant steps to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.

The Grand Jury’s report underscores the very shortcomings our team identified and has already fixed. While different figures have been cited regarding the Queer Works matter, what matters is that the City identified weaknesses in its oversight and has since enacted sweeping reforms to ensure taxpayer dollars are never at risk again.

Let me be clear: taxpayers deserve rigorous safeguards—and they now have them. Since 2024, we have overhauled our policies to protect public dollars and ensure measurable performance. We have eliminated lump-sum disbursements for grants above $75,000; require detailed progress reports and invoice documentation before any payment; mandate annual independent audits for larger awards; tightened front-end vetting of all applicants; assigned dedicated staff oversight to each grant; and instituted formal fraud-prevention and financial-controls training for staff. These reforms are in effect today and working.”

The City Council is expected to vote on its formal response Wednesday evening. Stay News Channel Three for further developments in this story. 

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Gavin Nguyen

THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) – Paving the way for cleaner air quality – that’s the goal of a more than $4.5 million project in the East Valley.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) announced it will team up with Riverside County’s Transportation Department to pave dirt roads at mobile home parks throughout the eastern Coachella Valley.

In a written response to News Channel 3, the air quality regulator answered some of our questions:

How effective will replacing dirt roads with paved roads be, and is there any research that drove this project?The ECV community prioritized this paving project and set aside $4.57 million in AB 617 CAP Incentive funds to reduce dust from unpaved roads. Paving is one of the most effective ways to lower dust emissions from unpaved roadways, improve local air quality, and enhance community well-being.

How were sites for paving chosen? Are the mobile home parks “problem areas” for air quality?Sites were prioritized based on community input, Riverside County Housing and Workforce Solutions feedback, readiness of the sites for paving, traffic levels, and proximity to sensitive receptors. These sites were identified as locations where paving would provide the greatest benefit in reducing dust exposure for residents.

How is it being funded?The project is funded through AB 617 Community Air Protection (CAP) Incentive funds designated to reduce air pollution in disproportionately impacted communities. The paving project will be implemented in partnership with the Riverside County Transportation Division, and development of a Memorandum of Understanding between South Coast AQMD and the Riverside County Transportation Division is currently in process.

14 mobile home parks in communities like Thermal, Mecca, Oasis, and North Shore will see newly paved roads after the project begins in 2026, including the following:

Sanchez Mobile Home Park, 64975 Harrison Street, Thermal

Mountain Vista Mobile Home Park, 59700 Pierce Street, Thermal

Zakey Mobile Home Park, 88755 58th Avenue, Thermal

Maria y Jose Mobile Home Park, 85701 Middleton Street, Oasis

Seferino Huerta Mobile Home Park, 67959 Lincoln Street, Mecca

Toledo Mobile Home Park, 89171 64th Avenue, Mecca

Campos Wong Mobile Home Park, 52742 Fillmore Street, Thermal

63rd Avenue off Pierce Street near the Whitewater River, Mecca

B Bros Ranch aka Barroso Mobile Home Park, 52255 Fillmore Street, Thermal

Familia Martinez Mobile Home Park, 69780 Grant Street, Mecca

Meza Mobile Home Park, 56850 Desert Cactus, Thermal

Rodriguez, Bolanos, Meza Ranch aka Rancho La Boquilla, 56845 Desert Cactus, Thermal

Velasco Mobile Home Park, 70980 Wheeler Street, Mecca

Rancho del Sol Mobile Home Park, 96751 Highway 111, Mecca (west of North Shore)

Property owners of the Rancho del Sol Mobile Home Park – brothers Mitch and Steve Matthews – showed News Channel 3 crews problem areas within the community.

“A lot of this becomes dirt. We have existing asphalt and some of it looks a little bit newer, but then a few feet, it cracks, it brittles and then it just goes back to the natural dirt,” said Mitch as he walked along the main road through the mobile home park, riddled with potholes.

Mitch estimated roughly half of the community’s 55 households – over 200 residents in total – have made complaints about air quality and the roads in community meetings.

The two brothers recently purchased the property and are actively working to improve safety and quality of life for their residents. In recent months, they have installed a new playground, lighting, and security systems. They say their inclusion in the county road project was a welcome one.

“When we found out we were one of the 14 parks selected in the county, we were ecstatic,” recounted Steve. “It’s a very expensive process. And on a personal note, just with the children and the families that we have in here, they deserve this.”

Adriana Morales lives within the community and has two kids of her own. “We need new streets. The kids, especially. I have a son and a daughter. They would like to, you know, ride on their bikes,” she said.

“There’s a lot of dust, like when the cars go by … the space where I live. There’s a lot of dust when they turn. So once this is done, it will be nice for everybody here,” she hoped.

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