Category: kesq-local-news

Matthew Pearce

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) — The 2026 FIFA World Cup concludes this afternoon with Argentina taking on Spain in the tournament final.

As the tournament comes to a close, many say and feel its impact on soccer in the United States is likely to extend beyond the final whistle.

The record-setting events brought unprecedented attention to the sport, drawing large crowds, television audiences and fan engagement across the country.

News Channel 3 spoke with residents of the Coachella Valley to hear how they believe the tournament has influenced soccer’s popularity and future in the U.S.

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Timothy Foster

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) — Soccer fans from across the Coachella Valley gathered at The Shops at Palm Desert this weekend to watch the World Cup in a unique indoor setting that offered relief from the desert heat while bringing the community together.

Hosted by the City of Palm Desert in partnership with The Shops at Palm Desert, the free two-day event transformed the mall’s Main Court into a community watch party, where fans watched the tournament on a large screen while enjoying music, shopping, food, local vendors, giveaways and family-friendly activities.

The event was part of the city’s “Discover What’s Next” summer campaign, which aims to promote local businesses and create opportunities for residents to connect.

City of Palm Desert Marketing and Tourism Manager Thomas Soule said the goal was to create a place where the community could come together to experience the excitement of the World Cup. He said The Shops at Palm Desert was the ideal location because its indoor, air-conditioned setting gave residents a comfortable place to watch the matches while also enjoying everything the mall has to offer.

In addition to live match viewing, attendees explored a local vendor fair, participated in a kids craft area, listened to a live DJ, entered prize drawings and took advantage of discounts offered by participating stores and restaurants.

Fans said hosting the event indoors made it a great alternative to watching the match outside in the triple-digit temperatures. They added that the atmosphere allowed people to enjoy the games comfortably while spending time with family, friends and fellow soccer supporters.

Many attendees also said the large crowd created an exciting environment that made the experience feel more like attending a live sporting event. Others praised the city for offering a free event that brought the community together around one of the world’s biggest sporting competitions.

Organizers said the celebration continues Sunday with another community watch party for the World Cup final. The free event will once again feature live match viewing, family activities, local vendors, giveaways and special promotions from participating businesses.

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Matthew Pearce

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) — In a bipartisan vote, the U.S. House advanced the ‘Sunshine Protection Act,’ a bill that would make daylight saving time permanent and end the twice-yearly clock changes.

Versions of the proposal have been introduced numerous times in state legislatures and in Congress over the years but have repeatedly fallen short. Now, with support from President Donald Trump, the measure is headed to the Senate for consideration.

News Channel 3 is hearing from residents across the Coachella Valley to hear their thoughts on the topic. Stay tuned for more tonight.

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Garrett Hottle

VALLEY CENTER, Calif. (KESQ) – More than 800 birds and two dogs were seized from the man behind a troubled Riverside County duck sanctuary following reports of neglect, San Diego County’s Animal Services announced on Friday.

The 820 birds — including 400 ducks — were removed from a Valley Center property on Thursday. County animal services officers were tipped off by their counterparts in Riverside County after the property owner moved to Valley Center.

Animal control officers spent about 12 hours removing the animals and transporting them to the county’s Bonita and Carlsbad animal shelters for treatment. he public can help by donating to the fund athttps://www.sddac.com/content/sdc/das/donate-volunteer/donate.html. Every dollar donated to the Spirit Fund goes directly to animal care — none is used for administrative costs, the county says.

News Channel 3 spoke to the operator of that sanctuary, Howard Berkowitz, earlier this year when Riverside County took nearly 500 ducks from his property over in Anza.

San Diego County’s chief veterinarian says officers found birds in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions.

Berkowitz was arrested on a Ramy warrant, but no criminal charges have been filed in either county.

Animal Services will continue to investigate, and next steps in the enforcement process are yet to be determined.

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Jesus Reyes

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – The head coach of the Coachella Valley Lakers has been moved to the NBA side, leaving their G-League affiliate without a head coach ahead of its debut season in the desert later this year.

Zach Guthrie, coach of the then South Bay Lakers, is now a Lakers assistant coach and head of player development, ESPN Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania reported on Friday.

Guthrie guided South Bay to the G League’s best record last season in his first year as head coach.

There has been no word on who could take over the bench for the Coachella Valley Lakers.

The Coachella Valley Lakers will play their home games at Acrisure Arena beginning in the 2026-27 G-League season, which is set to start in November.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage of the CV Lakers.

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Tommy Gallegos

Deputies arrested a wanted suspect Thursday afternoon after a brief foot pursuit that ended at a nearby closed school campus.

At approximately 3:03 p.m., deputies located the wanted suspect near Blackhawk Way and Adams Street. As deputies attempted to take the suspect into custody, the individual fled on foot and ran onto the grounds of a nearby closed school campus. Sheriff’s did not disclose what school the pursuit ended at, but the closest campus to the location of the arrest is La Quinta High School.

Deputies quickly established a perimeter around the area and requested assistance from the Sheriff’s Aviation Unit. The suspect was subsequently located and taken into custody without further incident.

The investigation remains ongoing, and no additional information is being released at this time.

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Haley Meberg

CALEXICO, Calif. (KESQ) – Imperial County Sheriff’s Office (ICSO) teamed up with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to carry out a gun bust near Calexico on Thursday afternoon.

The stop began at approximately 12:00pm Thursday, July 16th, when the ICSO officers assigned to South County Patrol conducted a traffic stop for a 22 year-old male driver. The stop took place on Interstate 8, west of Highway 89, where the driver refused consent for a vehicle search.

ICSO reached out to the CBP, who sent out officers and a gun detection K-9. Following their arrival CBP Officers received a positive alert and a search of the vehicle commenced.

Multiple assault rifles, a grenade launcher, ammunition, ballistic vest and helmets were found in the car and the driver was taken into custody.

The suspect was booked at the Imperial County Jail in connection to multiple felony weapon possession charges at a $55,000 bail.

For more information stay with News Channel 3.

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Timothy Foster

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – A nationwide foodborne illness outbreak linked to contaminated shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants is raising concerns among Coachella Valley shoppers, even though no local cases have been reported.

Federal health officials say at least 1,644 people in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia have become sick with cyclospora, a microscopic parasite that causes an illness known as cyclosporiasis. The outbreak has resulted in 94 hospitalizations, but no deaths have been reported.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s investigation, the contaminated lettuce was supplied by Salinas-based Taylor Farms, one of the nation’s largest producers of fresh-cut vegetables and a major supplier to Taco Bell.

Taco Bell said it has taken immediate action to voluntarily remove potentially impacted lettuce from a supplier in the affected states. Taylor Farms also announced that it is voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico while the FDA’s investigation continues.

Cyclospora can cause severe diarrhea, nausea, bloating, stomach cramps and fatigue. Symptoms can last for days or even weeks, and the illness is typically treated with antibiotics.

Although the affected Taco Bell restaurants are located outside California, the outbreak is making some Coachella Valley shoppers more cautious about purchasing fresh produce.

Some residents said they are concerned about buying lettuce and worry about the possibility of cross-contamination, causing them to be more hesitant when shopping for fresh produce.

Others said they still plan to buy lettuce but will be more careful by washing it thoroughly before eating it.

Some shoppers were less concerned, saying they already grow their own vegetables or believe washing produce is a simple but important step because consumers do not always know where their fruits and vegetables come from.

Health officials continue to recommend washing hands before and after handling fresh produce, rinsing fruits and vegetables under running water, and following any food safety advisories as the CDC’s investigation remains ongoing.

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Tommy Gallegos

(Desert Hot Springs, Calif.) — Southern California Edison (SCE) crews are continuing restoration efforts in the City of Desert Hot Springs after a power outage initially impacted more than 11,000 customers in the area.

According to the utility, the outage first affected 11,224 customers in the city. As of the latest update, service has been restored to the majority of those impacted, with approximately 3,700 customers still without electricity.

SCE has established an estimated restoration time of 6:30 p.m. for the remaining affected customers.

Utility officials said their immediate priority is restoring power safely and as quickly as possible. Once electrical service has been fully restored, crews will begin investigating the cause of the outage.

“We’re focused right now on safely restoring power and then will look into the cause,” Southern California Edison said in its latest update.

Southern California Edison will continue providing updates as restoration efforts progress and additional information becomes available.

A small vegetation fire broke out today around 1:35 pm near a warehouse building in Desert Hot Springs before it was contained, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

A transformer and downed power lines were initially believed to be involved in the fire, but crews did not encounter any signs of either matter, according to reports from the scene.

The agency said crews contained a 20-foot-by-20-foot spot of fire in less than 30 minutes.

There was no immediate word on what might have started the blaze and if it triggered the power outage.

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Tommy Gallegos

Soccer fans and families are invited to The Shops at Palm Desert on July 18-19 for the free Palm Desert Community Soccer Watch Weekend. Presented by the City of Palm Desert, the two-day celebration will feature live championship match viewing, a DJ, kids’ activities, local vendors, giveaways, and special shopping and dining discounts.

Guests can also participate in the Palm Desert Playbook Passport for prize opportunities and the “Wear Your Team” Instagram contest. Advance registration includes a commemorative giveaway, bottled water, and entry into daily grand prize drawings while supplies last.

The event will take place in the Main Court at The Shops at Palm Desert, with seating available on a first-come, first-served basis. More information and registration are available online.

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