Category: kesq-local-news

Jesus Reyes

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – After a years-long search and several changes to its administrative team, the City of Coachella officially appointed Lincoln Bogard, CPA, CFE, as its new Finance Director.

Bogard brings more than two decades of financial leadership experience across municipal, private, and public sectors, with a career spanning executive, management, and auditing roles.

“As a Coachella Valley resident, I care deeply about the community where I live and work. The City of Coachella is well positioned to become a regional economic leader, with upcoming projects that will create jobs, improve infrastructure, and expand resources for residents,” said Bogard. “I’m honored to join a team dedicated to serving our community, and my immediate goals include implementing a new Enterprise Resource Planning system and ensuring fiscal responsibility for the years ahead.”

Most recently, Bogard served as Deputy City Manager for the City of Banning, where he oversaw Finance, Human Resources, Payroll, Purchasing, Utility Billing, Risk Management, and IT. During his tenure, he implemented critical payroll and financial systems, restructured human resources operations, and helped the City earn recognition for Achievement in Excellence in Procurement and the GFOA Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting.

“Lincoln’s deep experience in municipal finance, combined with his expertise in risk management, budgeting, and fiscal transparency, makes him an invaluable addition to Coachella’s executive team,” said Councilmember Yadira Perez. “We are confident his leadership will strengthen the City’s financial foundation and support our community’s long-term growth.”

Previously, Bogard held leadership roles as Finance Director and City Treasurer for the City of American Canyon and Senior Accounting Manager/Deputy Auditor-Controller for the County of Sacramento, where he directed large-scale financial reporting, budgeting, and system modernization projects. His career also includes key roles with the Superior Court of San Bernardino, City of Berkeley, Bank of the West, and Ernst & Young, where he specialized in fraud investigations and internal audits.

Bogard holds a Master of Science in Accountancy from the University of Denver and a Bachelor of Science in Business with an emphasis in Corporate Finance from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, graduating Summa Cum Laude. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in California and Colorado and a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), with professional memberships in the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), California Society of Municipal Finance Officers (CSMFO), and Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE).

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Gavin Nguyen

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – It’s that time of the year! Students at DSUSD returned to school Wednesday morning for the start of the 2025-26 school year.

Desert Sands has 34 total schools, which includes eighteen elementary schools, one charter elementary school, six middle schools, one charter middle school, four comprehensive high schools, two continuation high schools, one alternative education school, and preschool.

Nearly 26,000 students are enrolled in the district for the 2025-26 school year.

The district gave News Channel 3 exclusive access to Indio Middle School as faculty and students welcomed back their peers for another academic year.

The school played music as a long line of students and teachers greeted everyone walking into school for their first day back. The school’s mascot – a tiger – joined in on the celebrations, too. It was an energetic welcome, which students said was important to make new students feel more welcome as they start their next chapter of schooling.

Andrew Ruiz, an eighth-grade student, said, “I feel like we have to help the 6th graders because they were just in elementary school and it was, like, their first [school transition]. So, you know, you got to help them.”

Ruby Flores, another eighth-grader, added, “I feel like everybody needs a good start for 6th grade. Like, that’s where you really start, and if you have any issues, it’s going to, like, have … spread out through [their] whole middle school experience.”

Angel Reyes brought his daughter, Allison, to her first day of middle school.

“We’re excited. She’s my only child. So, you know, it’s a first for us,” Reyes said. “It’s probably nerve-racking for [students] today, and they’re scared a little bit. But I remember my first days of school, they were the same and then a couple of more days, you know, all that goes away.”

Students, faculty, and parents all shared that they were excited for a successful start to the school year, and school staff reassured everyone that they’re there to guide students on the path to success.

“This is the first step in a longer journey and we just are glad to be a part of it. We’re going to do everything we can to support our students here,” said Robert “Cully” Cullinan, the principal of Indio Middle School.

With a beaming smile, he added, “Let’s have a great year.”

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Allie Anthony

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – Riverside County animal shelters were operating at 240% capacity in July. Through waived adoption fees and campaigns, the shelters are now at 180% capacity, with 177 dogs in 81 kennels. These shelters are still overcrowded, but conditions are improving.

During the entire month of August, the county launched their “Adopt a Hero” promotion, offering free adoptions that include spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchipping, and ID tags.

Despite progress, shelters still need help. Residents are encouraged to foster pets, even temporarily, and to volunteer for tasks like walking dogs, socializing cats, and cleaning kennels.

Community support remains critical as shelters work toward sustainable solutions.

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Athena Jreij

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) — The desert’s heat is impacting more than just locals’ wellbeing, it could also be taking a toll on your car. That’s according to AAA, who say high temperatures can increase wear on a vehicle’s battery, tires, engine and fluids.

“We know that the three top roadside emergencies caused by heat are overheating, dead batteries and flat tires,” Anlleyn Venegas with Auto Club of Southern California said. 

Officials say running your air conditioning on high can demand more from your engine, heat can increase tire pressure, leading to blowouts, and gas may burn quicker as fluids evaporate under high temperatures.

Sergio Ceballos, the owner of Sergio’s Automotive in Thousand Palms, says he’s also seen the impact with more drivers coming in for service.

“Especially when it’s hot. Cars are overheating, tires, belts, the water pump leaking,” Ceballos said. 

Officials say the best way to counteract heat damage is to conduct regular maintenance checks on your vehicle including watching the engine and tire pressure.

“Overheating is a common cause of summer breakdowns. So what we tell drivers is just make sure, you check your coolant levels regularly,” Venegas said. 

Ceballos says moving up that oil change date can also help.

“People think the oil change is supposedly every 5,000 miles. But if you use the car a lot, you can do it every 4,000 miles too,” Ceballos said. 

AAA is also warning drivers to keep an emergency kit on hand, that includes batteries, chargers and water if you are stranded on the road.

For more information, visit: AAA CAR CARE TIPS

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Kendall Flynn

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – Cathedral City City Council has approved Date Palm Drive for $380,000 in repairs for a mile-long stretch. The roadway was damaged during the major storm Hilary in 2023, and a pavement condition index survey found the thoroughfare to be in critical condition.

A city staff report also said the major roadways pavement has significantly deteriorated from both sediment accumulation and the use of heavy equipment during the Hilary storm clean up. 

Stay with News Channel 3 to hear from City officials and residents about the project and its importance. 

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City News Service

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, which was closed for a week due to a mechanical issue that has since been resolved, will extend for another week a promotion offering free rides to first responders, it was announced today.

A problem with a motor contactor that supplies power from the tram drive to the tram motor was first reported Aug. 8, knocking the tram out of service until Saturday when the part was replaced, officials said.

As a result of the closure, the Tramway’s “First Responders Days” program that was set to expire on Aug. 31 has been extended to Sept. 7. The program is available to active members of first response agencies such as police and fire departments, federal agencies and others.

A valid photo ID must be presented in person to receive complimentary admission. Eligible personnel can also bring up to four guests, who will each receive 25% off regular admission prices.

“First responders are the cornerstone of every community. We greatly appreciate the dedication of al first responders and the work they put in every day to keep our communities safe,” Tramway manager Nancy Nicholas said in a statement.

For more information on the program, call 888-515-8726.

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City News Service

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – Home sales declined in Riverside County and statewide in July, the California Association of Realtors announced today.   

Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes in California totaled a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 261,820 last month. July home sales activity dipped 1% from the annualized rate of 264,400 homes in June and was down 4.1% from a year ago, when that annualized rate was 272,990, according to CAR.   

The statewide annualized sales figure represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2025 if sales maintained the July pace throughout the year. It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.

Riverside County sales were down 5% from June, and down 7.4% from July of 2024.  

Meanwhile, home prices fell in Riverside County and statewide. The median sale price of an existing, single-family home in Riverside County in July was $630,000, down from $635,000 in June, and a decline from $639,670 in July last year.

July’s statewide median home price was $884,050, down 1.7% from June and down 0.3% from $886,420 one year ago.   

“The housing market experienced a modest slowdown in both sales and prices in July as some buyers stepped back, waiting for more certainty in the market and broader economy,” CAR President Heather Ozur said in a statement. “Encouragingly, mortgage rates have recently declined to their lowest level since last October, and that has already led to an increase in purchase applications. If this trend continues, we could see stronger buyer activity and renewed demand in the months ahead.”

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Allie Anthony

NORTH SHORE, Calif. (KESQ) – Coachella Valley Unified School District is officially back in session today, welcoming nearly 16,000 students across the East Valley.

Superintendent Dr. Frances Esparza encourages all students to arrive prepared, in uniform, and ready to learn as the new academic year begins.

This year, a brand new school is opening.  North Shore Elementary, located in North Shore, is designed to accommodate up to 500 students. The new campus will help ease overcrowding at nearby elementary schools that have faced capacity challenges for years.

Superintendent Esparza is looking forward to welcoming back students across all CVUSD campuses.

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Jesus Reyes

CABAZON, Calif. (KESQ) – A fire destroyed a home near the family of the missing baby case in Cabazon Tuesday afternoon. Authorities said they do not believe there is a connection between the two.

The fire was reported along Ramona Road just after 6 p.m.

CAL FIRE officials confirmed the first arriving units reported a single-story, single-family dwelling fully involved. The fire spread to a second residence and nearby vegetation.

The fire was contained by 7:15 p.m.

Red Cross has been requested to the scene for one adult male and female.

No injuries to civilians or firefighters were reported.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, CAL FIRE officials told News Channel 3 Wednesday morning.

The fire is near the home of the family of the missing 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro. CAL FIRE told News Channel 3 that the Riverside County and San Bernardino County sheriff’s departments are aware of the fire and their investigation findings.

“There is no connection with the fire and the missing child case other than the proximity,” CAL FIRE officials wrote in an email to News Channel 3 Wednesday morning.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said a little later Wednesday morning that they have no information indicating the fire is related to that case.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any updates.

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Shay Lawson

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ)  – Friends of the Desert Mountains (Friends) said recovery will take time after the Rosa Fire burned 422 acres of conserved land in upper Palm Canyon earlier this month.

“We have multiple acres of land up in the Pinyon area,” Friends’ Executive Director Tammy Martin said. “The key area that really affected us was the trail. The first part of the Palm Canyon trail up there.”

Now, she said the non-profit organization is beginning recovery efforts.

“We are going to see about doing a restoration plan up there with many of our partners here in the Coachella Valley,” Martin said.

Stay with News Channel 3 for the organization’s message to the community at 10 and 11 p.m.

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