Category: kesq-local-news

Jesus Reyes

UPDATE: 7/28/2026: PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — Palm Springs Police have arrested a suspect in connection with a July 15 hit-and-run collision that seriously injured an 80-year-old resident near Hermosa Drive and Vista Chino.

Following a two-week investigation, the department’s Traffic Division worked with the Coachella Valley Real-Time Intelligence Center (CVRTIC) to identify the suspected vehicle using investigative resources and technology.

On Tuesday, July 28, investigators served a search warrant at a home in the 2300 block of Nicola Road, in Palm Springs, where they recovered evidence related to the crash, including the suspected vehicle.

Police arrested a 67-year-old resident of Palm Springs, who was booked into the John Benoit Detention Center on suspicion of felony hit-and-run causing injury.

News of the arrest comes after News Channel 3 spoke to the family of the 80 year old victim, Henrietta Ruiz. Her daughter Raquelle Martinez says her mother has vivid memories of the accident, and her first words were ‘white truck,’ when she woke up.

Now, her family says she’s fighting for her life at Desert Regional Medical Center, and has since undergone multiple surgeries while remaining in critical condition.

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Traffic Investigator Steve Sanders at (760) 323-8125 or submit anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers at (760) 341-STOP (7867).

Original story from July 15th

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A pedestrian was rushed to the hospital after being struck by a vehicle in Palm Springs Wednesday evening.

The collision was reported just after 6:30 p.m. in the area of Hermosa Drive and Vista Chino.

Police found an 80-year-old woman from Palm Springs suffering from major injuries. She was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Investigators determined the woman was struck by a vehicle that fled the scene before officers arrived. Investigators are currently working to identify the suspect vehicle and driver.

The suspect vehicle was believed to be a white Ford F-150, possibly a model year around 2000, driven by a Hispanic man in his 60s with a scruffy white beard, police said.

Witnesses reported the driver briefly stopped after the collision before leaving the scene.

Anyone with information, surveillance video, or dash camera footage from the area around the time of the incident is encouraged to contact the Palm Springs Police Department Dispatch Center at (760) 327-1441 or Crime Stoppers at (760) 341-STOP (7867). Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any updates.

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Jesus Reyes

THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) – The California Highway Patrol issued a Feather Alert for a 45-year-old man last seen in Thermal on July 1.

Raymond Torres of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians tribe was last seen near the area of Martinez Road and Polk Street. He is believed to be on foot.

He is described as five feet and 11 inches tall, weighing approximately 165 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.

Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians announced there will be a search party searching for Raymond Torres Friday.

The group will meet at the Tribal Hall tomorrow, July 17, 2026, at 7AM to search for Torres.

The group says all are welcome to volunteer, with water provided, and ask everyone to dress appropriately for the heat.

If seen, you are asked to call 9-1-1.

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Matthew Pearce

Update 7/15/26 – 8:30 PM

The Cathedral City Planning Commission approved the proposal, with some conditions of approval.

An accessible crossing must be provided between the southeast corner of AutoZone and southwest corner of Target

Adding to condition 317, all outbound deliveries shall leave the premises during the same hours

No distributions can occur to other stores from the AutoZone store

Include all recommendations for the Architectural Review meeting from June 17

Original 7/15/26 – 5:00 PM

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – We are working to get you answers on plans to construct a new AutoZone “mega-hub” which has members of one valley city speaking out.

Cathedral City is considering the approval of this mega hub in the Cathedral City Canyon Plaza Shopping Center, between Target and Boomers.

Residents say the noise and traffic from construction vehicles are not consistent with the Cathedral City 2040 general plan. Residents believe the building will serve as a wholesale distribution hub for AutoZones and repair shops in the region.

However, according to the city, this store will be one hundred percent retail purchases.

“You know, I have no personal objections to AutoZone being in Cathedral City, but we have areas that are perfect for mixed retail and wholesale use,” resident Fred Bronson said. “This is not a business park. This is not a place for a wholesale distribution center.”

From the city’s perspective, they are filling a vacant building in an existing shopping center.

The city believes the impact this shop will have is minimal in comparison to the Target next door — which is more than three times the size.

Additional concerns from residents included increase in noise and traffic as well as changes to parking.

After speaking with the city, though, a noise study conducted by the city shows day and night time levels did not exceed limits.

A traffic study done by the city also shows they predict 85% of vehicles going to the proposed AutoZone store would come through the shopping center, not Jones road.

The city’s planning commission will discuss this topic at their meeting later tonight as residents hope for collaboration with the city to come to a conclusion.

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Haley Meberg

CABAZON, Calif. (KESQ) – Three suspects are under investigation in connection to an organized retail theft in Cabazon on Tuesday afternoon.

Police said the theft took place on the 48000 block of Seminole Drive and was reported to the Cabazon Sheriff’s Station following the suspects leaving a store with approximately $1,000 worth of merchandise.

Through coordinated efforts from the Cabazon Station Patrol deputies, the Cabazon Special Enforcement Team, and security personnel, the three suspects were detained and investigated.

Following the investigation the alleged robbers were estimated to have stolen over approximately $2,000 worth of items across several different stores in the area.

All three suspects are residents from Chula Vista and were arrested and booked into the Smith Correctional Facility for organized retail theft, multiple counts of theft with prior convictions, and conspiracy to commit a crime. No further details have been released at this time.

Anyone with additional information regarding the investigation is urged to contact Deputy Rael at the Cabazon Sheriff’s Station at (951) 922-7100.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more information.

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Haley Meberg

YUCCA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – An investigation continues following a pedestrian being fatally struck by a vehicle in Yucca Valley on Saturday evening.

Deputies from the Morongo Basin Station, California Highway Patrol and rescue personnel from the San Bernardino County Fire department responded to a call regarding a vehicle that collided with a pedestrian at 10:48 p.m. on Saturday evening.

The incident took place near the intersection of Twentynine Palms Highway and Joshua Lane in Yucca Valley. Deputies concluded the pedestrian had walked into the east bound lane of Twentynine Palms Highway prior to being struck.

When the collision occurred the 62-year old driver stopped and rendered medical aid to the 54-year-old pedestrian until emergency workers arrived. Despite life-saving efforts, the female pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene.

At this time local law enforcement does not believe drugs or alcohol played a role in the incident on the part of the driver.

The investigation remains ongoing and anyone with information about the collision is encouraged to contact the Morongo Basin Station at (760) 366-4175.

For more information stay with News Channel 3.

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Karen Devine

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) — What began as one Coachella Valley woman’s fight to regain control of her home has grown into a statewide conversation about whether California homeowners have enough protection when signing real estate documents online.

Last month, the KESQ I-Team introduced viewers to 85-year-old Jessie Schumaker, a Palm Desert homeowner who believed she was simply requesting information from an online “cash for houses” company.

Instead, she found herself caught in a legal dispute over her home.

“This is all I have,” Schumaker told the I-Team during our first investigation.

I-Team: Signature Scam? – CV woman says one swipe nearly cost her the home she spent a lifetime paying off

After the I-Team began asking questions and contacted attorney Matthew Corsaut, who represents Evergreen Capital LLC, the legal disputes involving Schumaker’s property were dismissed or resolved, allowing her to move forward.

For Schumaker, the ordeal is over.

For the I-Team, it was just the beginning.

Viewers across California came forward

Almost immediately after our first investigation aired, emails began pouring into the I-Team inbox.

Homeowners.

Attorneys.

Financial advisors.

Real estate professionals.

Many described different situations, but raised remarkably similar concerns involving online real estate transactions and electronic signatures.

Those emails led to weeks of additional reporting, including reviewing lawsuits, corporate filings, licensing records and court documents.

One email came from Ira Frazer, a California attorney and homeowner who is now suing Evergreen Capital LLC.

Frazer says Evergreen agreed to purchase his La Jolla home for $2.2 million. After both sides signed a contract, he says the company attempted to renegotiate the purchase price.

“They’re saying we cannot pay you 2.2. How much would you take less? I said, no, the price is 2.2. I told you that we have a signed contract.”

Frazer says the transaction eventually collapsed. He has since filed a lawsuit seeking damages.

“I was made a fool by this. It’s a matter of principle. If I sign a contract, I have to live by my word. If they sign a contract… they should have to honor it.”

Evergreen Capital LLC has denied wrongdoing in court filings in Frazer’s case, and the litigation remains pending.

Investigation prompts discussion among Realtors

The I-Team also shared its findings with Paul Herrera, Government Affairs Director for the Inland Valleys Association of REALTORS®.

After watching the investigation, Herrera presented the story to approximately two dozen Realtors and brokers during a Housing Policy Committee meeting, asking whether they were seeing similar situations involving homeowners.

The response surprised him.

“The ubiquity of it surprised me.”

Herrera says once the discussion began, Realtors from around the room began sharing similar experiences involving clients.

“Once one started, then the stories came in from all directions.”

Within minutes, the group proposed reviving the Real Estate Fraud Advisory Team, a collaborative working group that previously brought together Realtors, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, title companies, escrow professionals and other agencies to identify emerging fraud trends.

According to Herrera, that group previously helped identify problems involving California’s PACE financing program.

He says those discussions eventually contributed to legislation, investigations, consumer protection efforts and recovery programs.

The association is now working with county officials, state agencies and lawmakers to restart the group.

Concerns reach Sacramento

The investigation has also drawn the attention of Assemblymember Greg Wallis, who recently hosted a Senior Scam Stopper seminar in Palm Desert.

After watching the I-Team investigation, Wallis said he was surprised by how quickly an electronic signature could potentially affect a homeowner’s property rights.

“I couldn’t believe it could happen like that… It’s really important that we create awareness around that.”

Wallis acknowledged there may be gaps in current law as technology continues to evolve.

“The Legislature has a responsibility here, and we need to figure out how we can close those gaps.”

He says lawmakers are now working with Realtors, consumer advocates and government agencies to examine possible policy changes aimed at better protecting California homeowners.

The investigation continues

What began with one homeowner asking the I-Team for help has now expanded into:

New lawsuits

Renewed conversations about consumer protection

A revived Real Estate Fraud Advisory Team

Discussions about possible legislative changes in California

Frazer’s lawsuit remains pending, and he says he intends to continue pursuing the case.

“No one should be allowed to pick on people and do this.”

The I-Team will continue following the pending litigation, the proposed legislation and the efforts to restart the Real Estate Fraud Advisory Team.

If you’ve experienced a similar issue involving an online real estate transaction, we’d like to hear from you.

Email the I-Team: ITeam@KESQ.com

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Haley Meberg

Update 7/17/26

455 backpacks were donated during the school supply drive.

———-

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – SunLine Transit Agency hosts their 12th annual “Pack the Bus” event July 16 to bring school supplies to students of the valley.

The “Pack the Bus” event will take place at the Walmart in Palm Desert on Monterey Avenue from 7:00am to 7:00pm. SunLine reports school supplies ranging from backpack and notebook to glue sticks and pens are most needed in ensuring students have all the resources they need to start the school year.

“It provides them with a confidence to go back to school for those that don’t have as much, they can have a new backpack with new supplies and go to school with that confidence and that hope to succeed in the school year,” said Carmen Cubero, SunLines Marketing and Events Director stated.

This donation event is co-sponsored by Connisseur Media, KESQ, and Walmart. The beneficiary of the 2026 event is the Coachella Valley nonprofit, JFK Memorial Foundation, who will distribute the donations across the valley.

Top Needed School Supplies:

Backpacks

Calculators

Crayons

Colored Markers

Colored Pencils

Erasers

Folders

Glue

Highlighters

Rulers

Scissors

Pencils

Pencil Cases

Glue Sticks

Pens

Sharpies

Tissue Papers

Three‑Ring Binders

Composition Books

Notebook Papers

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.

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Tommy Gallegos

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Richard “Dick” Oliphant, the longtime Indian Wells developer, former mayor, philanthropist and education advocate whose influence helped shape the Coachella Valley for decades, has died at age 92, according to Indian Wells Mayor Toper Taylor.

Few individuals have shaped the growth and development of Indian Wells and the Coachella Valley as profoundly as Oliphant and his wife, Janice. Through decades of leadership, community involvement, and visionary development, the Oliphant’s have left an enduring mark on the region’s landscape, education, and civic life.

Some of Oliphant’s most recognizable projects are the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, home to one of the world’s largest professional tennis tournaments, the Indian Wells Golf Resort, and the Classic Club golf course. These landmark destinations have become synonymous with the Coachella Valley’s reputation as a premier destination for sports and recreation.

Among their many contributions, the Oliphant’s played a key role in helping secure the California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) Palm Desert Campus, expanding access to higher education for residents across the Coachella Valley.

Beyond development and education, Oliphant also served as Indian Wells’ first fire chief, volunteering with the fire service for three decades. Last month, the City of Indian Wells announced plans to rename Fire Station 55 in his honor as part of the city’s 60th anniversary celebration. Mayor Taylor tells KESQ that a bust, statue of Oliphant is being commissioned to be placed outside the fire station.

Their commitment to the community has also been recognized with numerous honors. In 2016, Richard and Janice Oliphant received a star on the Palm Springs Walk of the Stars, celebrating their significant contributions to the region.

Richard and Janice Oliphant speak to KESQ while receiving star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars (2016)

The following year, the Desert Sands Unified School District voted to name a new school in Indio in Richard Oliphant’s honor, recognizing his lasting impact on education and the local community.

Beyond philanthropy and civic leadership, Richard Oliphant has been instrumental in shaping the Coachella Valley’s residential and commercial growth. According to the California Homebuilding Foundation, he helped develop several of the area’s most notable communities.

Among his first projects in the desert was the development and construction of Palm City, later named the Palm Desert Country Club, which was California’s first retirement community. His work has also included the development and construction of country clubs, housing communities, commercial centers, and office buildings throughout Palm Desert.

Oliphant also played a pivotal role in local politics across the valley, serving as the founding chairman for the Lincoln Club of the Coachella Valley.

Following news of his death, tributes poured in from local leaders and organizations across the Coachella Valley, including the Palm Springs Air Museum, where Oliphant served as a longtime board member.

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A post shared by Palm Springs Air Museum (@psairmuseum)

“For more than two decades, Dick served the Museum with integrity, humility, wisdom, and an unwavering commitment to others,” the post from the Air Museum reads. “His leadership helped shape our institution, but his greatest legacy lives in the countless people he mentored, encouraged, and inspired.”

In a statement released by the City of Indian Wells, Mayor Taylor said, “Dick Oliphant was the visionary mayor of Indian Wells who used his financial acumen, real estate development expertise and powerful political relationships to establish Indian Wells as a globally recognized destination for tennis, golf, luxury accommodations and a fiscally sound, safe, tranquil desert community.”

“Today we mourn a man whose contributions to Indian Wells we will honor for generations to come,” stated Mayor Toper Taylor.

Katie Slimko-Tuvell, the President and CEO for the Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce said in a statement, in part, “Rancho Mirage has been shaped by leaders like Dick Oliphant. His vision reached far beyond city boundaries, strengthening the entire Coachella Valley through his generosity, leadership, and steadfast dedication to the organizations and causes he believed in.”

Mary Bono, former U.S. Congresswoman who represented the Coachella Valley for 15 years, said in a post on Facebook, “Dick was a giant in the Coachella Valley in too many ways to count, and perhaps too many ways to truly understand the depth of Dick’s impact on countless lives, and all for the better.”

“I will miss him deeply, but I will carry his lessons with me always,” said Bono.

Plans and details for a memorial have not yet been announced and will be shared when available.

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City News Service

PALM SPRINGS (CNS) – A new film series showcasing the portrayal of journalism will be screened at the Palm Springs Cultural Center’s theaters starting in September, with discussions featuring several journalists set afterward.

“Journalists have been one of the most widely portrayed professions in films, because the public is fascinated by the work they do,” Randy Lovely, the Coachella Valley Journalism Foundation’s board president, said in a statement. “CVJF is excited to partner with the Palm Springs Cultural Center to screen these amazing movies and to engage the community in conversations about the work of journalists — and the important role they play in society.”

The series, titled “Bylines, Broadcasts and the Big Screen,” will take place from September through April 2027. “Citizen Kane,” the first film to be screened, is set for Sept. 13 and will feature special guests Josh and Ben Mankiewicz, grandsons of the film’s screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz.

Other participating guests throughout the series will include reporter and author Carl Bernstein, “60 Minutes” producer Lowell Bergman, New York Times reporter Megan Twohey and author and entertainment journalist Dave Karger.

Other films being screened include “Network,” “`Good Night and Good Luck” and “All the President’s Men.”Tickets for individual screenings will go on sale on July 27.

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Athena Jreij

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – As a wave of data center dissent spreads across the Coachella Valley, both Coachella and Indio advanced measures heading for permanent bans on Wednesday evening.

The city of Coachella’s planning commission approved the draft for a permanent ban ordinance on data centers during Wednesday’s meeting. It comes after city council extended a 45-day data center moratorium to 10 months and 15 days, to build out a permanent ban.

Coachella’s Mayor Frank Figueroa says a permanent ban would change the city’s municipal code, which would require two votes by the city council to change. The votes are scheduled to be held on Aug. 12 and Aug. 26.

In Indio, the city council voted to extend a temporary 45-day moratorium to also make way for a permanent ban. City staff requested more time for a permanent ban, which is expected that the permanent ban could be in place by last October or early November.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.

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