Category: kesq-local-news

Jesus Reyes

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (KESQ) – A pursuit ended in Rancho Mirage Wednesday morning.

The pursuit started at around 8:10 a.m. in the area of Frank Sinatra Drive and Bob Hope Drive in Rancho Mirage for a vehicle code violation, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies attempted a stop for a vehicle code violation but the vehicle failed to yield and a pursuit was initiated.

The vehicle stopped in the area of Highway 111 and Thunderbird Road in Rancho Mirage, where deputies negotiated with the driver to surrender.

The driver was ultimately taken into custody and transported to a local hospital with minor injuries. There was no additional information available on the suspect.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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Gavin Nguyen

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – Monsoonal thunderstorms have brought some summer rain to Riverside County’s local wildland, but fire officials say it has done little to curb the region’s high fire danger.

Because of the lingering fire risk, firefighters with CAL FIRE caution outdoor restrictions for campfires, trails, and other activities will likely remain in place until more significant winter rainfall impacts the area.

CAL FIRE also lists this year’s fire statistics on its website.

INTERVAL
WILDLAND FIRES
ACRES

2025 Combined YTD (CALFIRE & US Forest Service)
6,504
425,680

2024 Combined YTD (CALFIRE & US Forest Service)
5,356
408,911

5-Year Average (same interval)
5,622
772,489

The number of wildfires and total acreage burned has already surpassed last year’s totals, though officials say so far, Southern California has been spared from large wildfires like last year. According to CAL FIRE, most wildfires have been contained to less than 10 acres, and the larger fires have been kept within the 500 to 1,000 acre range.

Captain John Clingingsmith, a spokesman with CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department, cautioned that Southern California’s peak fire season is still on the way, which typically occurs September through October.

News Channel 3 is breaking down the fire risks and how monsoonal rainfall can affect fuels. Stay with us for the latest.

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KESQ News Team

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – Yellow Cab of the Desert, operating throughout the Coachella Valley for more than a decade, is no longer in business.

Several drivers reached out to News Channel 3 on Tuesday saying the company is out of service.

News Channel 3 called their office and a voicemail confirmed the company is no longer in service, directing customers to another phone number. The number directed us to City Cab, which is absorbing Yellow Cab of the Desert.

Dozens of Yellow Cab employees were laid off. The company had a fleet of more than 50 vehicles, including a seven-passenger van.

SunLine Transit Agency is the taxi regulatory agency for the Coachella Valley.

The agency’s Director of Board and Legislative Affairs Edith Hernandez says SunLine learned of the closure on Tuesday, and says she doesn’t yet have details as to why Yellow Cab went out of business. She adds, “There are still three other agencies or companies out there that can provide taxi service to our residents and visitors alike.”

News Channel 3’s Peter Daut spoke in-depth with Hernandez on Wednesday about this development in the local taxi industry.

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Kendall Flynn

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – The Palm Desert City Council has been discussing the fate of streetside patios along El Paseo, something that restaurants added during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Now, the city council has declined to adopt rule changes for the outdoor dining decks as the suggestion faced pushback from numerous eateries along the shopping district. 

The restaurants where forced to remove their outdoor patios because of a $4.8 million project for roadway rehabilitation along El Paseo, all at the expense of the owners. Now they say the new rule changes would be backtracking on what the City had told them before the construction, as they were told patios could return after construction.

The new changes would require restaurants to redevelop their outdoor seating to be on the sidewalk rather than within street parking limits. Many owners and managers said this would be an added cost as they would have to redevelop their patio.

Currently multiple restaurants are storing their street side patio parts to rebuild them starting in October, once street construction is done. However, there’s a chance they could rebuild and then have to take then down entirely again in June 2026 if the rules change.

The Palm Desert City Council will now wait until California State Legislature revisits AB-969. The law passed during the COVID-19 pandemic allowed for alcohol sales and consumption along public sidewalks and streets in entertainment zones.

The Palm Desert City Council passed the Outdoor Dining Deck Program around the same time as the law to permit businesses to build outdoor patios. The program has the same expiration date as the law in June 2026.

City officials are looking for a more permanent solution to the streetside seating, but they will currently return this fall to El Paseo. The City will revisit the conversation ahead of the projects possible expiration.

Stay with News Channel 3 to hear from restaurant owners and the City about the ongoing decision. 

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Athena Jreij

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. (KESQ) – County officials are hoping to get more unclaimed pets out of shelters thanks to a new pre-adoption incentive, “DIBS for Dogs.”

Just this week, Riverside County animal shelters have taken in more than 150 animals, officials say a large part of those animals are unclaimed, lost pets.

The new program would allow prospective owners to place “dibs” on dogs that are still in their legally required stray hold period, if they have no microchip or ID tag. That period can vary from 6-10 days depending on the information an animal is surrendered with.

If no family has reclaimed them by the time that period ends, the dog is automatically paired with a family and can go into a new home that same day.

Gisela Dalton was one of the first to sign up for the program at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus. Now, she’s hoping to take home ‘Vanilla’ when her stray holding period ends this weekend.

“She looks kind of shy and right now I just need some emotional support going through some emotional things with health with someone I love. So I thought that would be a really good pick me up for me,” Dalton said.

Marlo Clingman, manager at CVAC, says the key is getting animals out quicker.

“The goal with sheltering is to reduce length of stay. The longer a pet spends in the shelter environment, the more chances they have to, contract a disease, get injured, develop behavioral problems. Because, as you know, being in a kennel all day is no fun,” Clingman said.

All in all, shelter officials hope owners are proactive in reclaiming their pets. Technology like Petco’s Love Lost has made it easier. The app uses AI and facial recognition technology to match lost dogs with animals in their database and in local shelters.

“We’ve seen a 12% increase in return-to-owner reunifications that we make. So that’s 12% more pets that are getting back home with Petco Love Lost,” Clingman said.

“DIBS for Dogs” kicks off this week at all four shelter locations in Riverside County.

If you’re interested in putting “DIBS” on a dog, all you have to do is:

Visit a Shelter – This program is currently in-person only.

Fall in Love – Spot a dog on stray hold you want to call DIBS on.

Call DIBS – Staff will verify eligibility, help you complete the process, and let you know when you can pick up your pet.

Pick Up Your Dog – Return on the available date and head home with your new family member.

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Luis Avila

THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) — Parents within the Coachella Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) say the new school year has brought daily transportation struggles.

From buses arriving late to not showing up at all, families are sounding the alarm over what they call a growing problem affecting their children’s education and well-being.

Jessica, a parent who asked to remain anonymous, shared her experience.

“My son who’s in elementary comes out at 2:45, but comes home at 4… That cannot be possible. The first two days of school, they didn’t come for them so I had to take came. I called transportation but they never answer, the district also didn’t answer.”

Jessica, Thermal Resident

To help address concerns, CVUSD recently rolled out a new bus tracking app designed to provide real-time updates for families. But some parents report the app isn’t working as expected.

“Many parents, including myself, do not have full access to the app. I have three children going to school, only one shows up in the system.”

Jessica, Thermal Resident

Dr. Imari Nicoloff, an educational consultant, says the issue goes beyond just being late for class — emphasizing how unreliable transportation can create barriers to educational access.

In response to our inquiry, CVUSD provided a statement:

“With more students riding the bus this year, we’ve expanded service by sending extra buses to some stops. While this can sometimes result in brief delays, it reflects our commitment to providing transportation for every student.We are also working on adding color-coded routes at each school, so families can quickly identify their student’s bus in the app. This improvement is still in progress.”

However, Nicoloff says those measures aren’t enough.

“Transportation is considered a designated service that the district agrees to provide. By not providing this in a legally binding contract, the district is responsible to figure that out one way or another.”

Dr. Imari Nicoloff, Educational Consultant

As many families remain uncertain whether improvements will come soon, some are losing faith.

In the meantime, the district is reminding students to scan their cards each time they board, which they say helps improve the accuracy of app updates for parents.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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María García

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ)— A driver who was ejected from his vehicle suffered moderate injuries today in a three-vehicle crash on State Route 86 in Coachella.

The crash was first reported around 7:36 a.m. One of the vehicles involved, a blue Chevy Silverado, sustained major damage, and traffic quickly backed up as emergency crews arrived on scene.

Police said the male driver of the Chevy was ejected as he was not wearing his seatbelt.

A temporary lane closure was lifted about an hour later. The incident led to traffic backup extending to Dillon Road.

It was unclear whether the other motorists were injured.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any new updates.

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Allie Anthony

Update 1:30 p.m.

Vista Chino reopened Wednesday afternoon, officials confirmed.

Original Report

Palm Springs, Calif. (KESQ) – Drivers in Palm Springs should prepare for a temporary closure on Vista Chino this morning.

Starting at 6:30 a.m. on September 3, the section of Vista Chino that runs through the wash will be closed for scheduled maintenance. The maintenance is part of routine work by the City of Palm Springs to clear shoulders and drainage lanes. Crews will also be relocating sand to the south side of the wash.

The closure is expected to last just a few hours, with the road anticipated to reopen by the afternoon.

Drivers who rely on Vista Chino for their morning commute should allow extra travel time and stay updated in case of any changes.

Some alternate routes include Gene Autry Trail, Indian Canyon Drive and Ramon Road.

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Cynthia White

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Indio police announce they will be conducting a Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Operation on Thursday.

The Operation, focused on dangerous driver behaviors that threaten the safety of people biking or walking, will be held from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

IPD points out that violations include speeding, making illegal turns, failing to yield or give the right of way to bicyclists or pedestrians, or failing to stop for signs and signals.

Indio Police Sergeant P. Fuentes says, “We all have places to be and not everyone gets there by car. Bicyclists and pedestrians have the same rights to the road but face even more risk without the protections that vehicles have. We should all be looking out for one another.”

The Indio Police Department offers these steps to stay safe:

Pedestrians:

Be predictable. Use crosswalks when available.

Take notice of approaching vehicles and practice due care.

Do not walk or run into the path of a vehicle. At 30 mph, a driver needs at least 90 feet to stop.

Be visible. Make is easy for drivers to see you – wear light colors, reflective material and carry a flashlight, particularly at dawn, dusk, or at night.

Be extra careful crossing the streets or entering crosswalks at night when it is harder to see, or when crossing busier streets with more lanes and higher speed limits.

Drivers:

Do not speed, and slow down at intersections. Be prepared to stop for pedestrians at marked and unmarked crosswalks, and between intersections where pedestrians may cross.

Avoid blocking crosswalks while waiting to make a right-hand turn.

Never drive impaired.

Bicyclists:

Obey traffic laws, use hand signals, use lights at night (front white light and rear red reflector), and wear a helmet.

Bicyclists must travel in the same direction of traffic and have the same requirements as any slow-moving vehicle.

Avoid the door zone; do not ride too closely to parked cars.

If there’s a bike lane, use it, unless making a left turn, passing, or approaching a place where a right turn is allowed.

Yield to pedestrians. Bicyclists must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians within marked crosswalks or within unmarked crosswalks at intersections, and between intersections where pedestrians may cross.

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Cynthia White

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – An attempted traffic stop by the California Highway Patrol on Tuesday night turned into a pursuit as the suspect led officers through a Thousand Palms neighborhood.

The pursuit was reported just before 9:00 p.m., ending with the suspect crashing into a chain link fence on Arbol Real Avenue, in the neighborhood north of Ramon Road and west of Monterey Avenue.

Officers say the suspect suffered minor injuries and was transported by ambulance to a local hospital.

We’ve reached out to authorities for additional information. Stay with News Channel 3 for updates.

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