Category: kesq-local-news

Jesus Reyes

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A motorcyclist was taken to the hospital after striking a curb and colliding with a palm tree early Wednesday morning in Desert Hot Springs.

Police said the crash happened at around 1 a.m. on Palm Drive, near Park Lane.

“The rider was northbound on Palm Drive when he struck the east curb and subsequently collided with a palm tree,” DHSPD Chief Steven Shaw wrote. “The adult male rider suffered moderate injuries and was transported to an area hospital but is expected to survive.”

The cause of the crash is still under investigation. 

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City News Service

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A 40-year-old Cathedral City man accused of targeting vehicles whose owners were touring a popular outdoor art showcase in the Coachella Valley must stand trial for receiving stolen property, a judge ruled today, while dismissing multiple felony counts originally filed against the defendant.   

Steven Patrick Porter was arrested in April 2023 following a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigation into vehicle break-ins at the DesertX exhibition near Palm Desert months earlier.

At the end of a preliminary hearing Wednesday, Superior Court Judge Susanne Cho found there was not sufficient evidence to bound Porter over for trial on two counts each of grand theft and burglary, as well as one count each of vandalism and petty theft. However, she ruled Porter should be held to answer for the one felony count of receiving stolen goods.   

Cho permitted the defendant to remain free on $50,000 bail and scheduled a post-preliminary hearing arraignment in the case for Sept. 24 at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.

Porter has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.   

During the DesertX event in December 2022, multiple vehicle and related commercial burglaries were reported that resulted in about $70,000 in valuables stolen, according to sheriff’s Sgt. Travis Mountz.

He said the ensuing investigation led to Porter being identified as the alleged culprit, but no other details were disclosed.   

Mountz said search warrants were executed at properties associated with the defendant, and some of the stolen property was ultimately recovered.   

It was unclear whether investigators identified other potential conspirators. No one else has bee charged in connection with the burglaries.

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Luis Avila

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A realistic-looking BB gun found Wednesday morning near the entrance of the CV Link at Monroe Street in Indio prompted a response from law enforcement and sparked a broader conversation about public safety and the risks posed by imitation firearms.

A photo submitted to News Channel 3 showed law enforcement officers surrounding what appeared to be a rifle. The weapon was later confirmed by Indio Police to be an airsoft rifle, also known as a BB gun. Although not a firearm, experts warn that these replica weapons can be dangerous.

“BB guns shoot a plastic and metal projectile, and they can, like my mom used to say, put an eye out. So there’s the direct danger of the BB’s which should be only used on a paper target with adult supervision. But the other thing is a kid running around with a BB gun that looks like an AR-15.”

Storm Jenkins, Guns of Distinction Owner

Storm Jenkins, a former law enforcement officer and owner of Guns of Distinction, explained that the design of BB guns has evolved over the years. Unlike the obvious toy-like appearance of older models, modern BB guns are often made to look strikingly similar to real firearms. Although laws require BB guns to be sold with an orange tip for identification, those tips can be easily painted over—making it nearly impossible for bystanders or officers to tell the difference in a split-second encounter.

“When I was a police officer, BB guns looked like a Daisy rifle or a plastic revolver — you knew it wasn’t real. Now, they look so realistic. The person being pointed at may not know it’s not a real gun.”

Storm Jenkins, Guns of Distinction Owner

Under California law, it is generally legal to own a BB gun. However, displaying one in public is prohibited, and anyone under the age of 18 must have parental permission to possess one.

Jenkins believes more education is needed around the safe use and handling of BB guns. His advice to the public: if you come across any object that looks like a firearm—don’t take chances and call the authorities.

How the BB gun ended up near the CV Link remains unclear. Indio police say they are taking proactive measures to ensure public safety in the area.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – “Mr. Palm Springs” Harold Matzner was peacefully laid to rest on Wednesday.

Loved ones shared that a public Celebration of Life will be held on Tuesday, October 21 in the Palm Springs area. Further details will be released in the upcoming weeks.

Statement sent to News Channel 3

“The family of Harold Matzner wishes to share that he was peacefully laid to rest today, September 10, in a private ceremony attended by close family members. The family is deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and support during this time.”

Matzner, a prominent local philanthropist and icon of Palm Springs, died at the age of 88 on Thursday. Matzner was widely known as “Mr. Palm Springs,” who helped transform the city into a world-class destination for arts and civic life.

He was the chair of the Palm Springs International Film Festival Film Awards for more than 20 years, saving the festival from near collapse in 1999. 

Harold Matzner speaks with News Channel 3 in what would be his final interview

He is survived by his partner for life, Shellie Reade; his son, Devin; his daughter, Laura; his grandchildren, Elizabeth and Emily; his nephew, Jason; and his two Cavalier King Charles spaniels, Little Guy and Doc.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the charity of your choice, in honor of Harold Matzner’s extraordinary spirit of giving.

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City News Service

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Palm Springs police will host an open house for the department’s new downtown sub-station later this month.   

The event will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 30 at 230 Museum Drive, according to the Palm Springs Police Department.   

The event will feature light refreshments, guided station tours and music by DJ Big John.

Police said the substation will make the department more accessible to the community, and “will provide a place to report crimes, ask questions and connect directly with our team.”

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Jesus Reyes

Julia Lucero has been found, per CHP.

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CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – A Silver Alert has been issued for an 81-year-old woman last seen in Cathedral City Tuesday night.

Julia Lucero was last seen Tuesday at 9 p.m. in Cathedral City. She is believed to be on foot.

Lucero is described as five feet, five inches tall, weighing about 110 pounds with gray hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a black hat, gray blouse, black pants, and blue sneakers.

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

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Garrett Hottle

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz (CA-25) joined fellow lawmakers and health professionals this week to warn about what they call the dangerous public health consequences of President Donald Trump’s environmental rollbacks.

Speaking at a press conference, Ruiz  a physician who has practiced in the Coachella Valley said attempts to roll back the EPA’s endangerment finding threaten families across Riverside County.

“As a doctor, I have seen the human cost of air pollutio… Families in Indio, Thermal, Mecca and North Shore face emergency room visits for asthma that are 60 to 80% higher than the state average,” Ruiz saidruiz.

Ruiz warned that rolling back protections could worsen smog, heat-related illnesses, heart disease, and lung disease in communities already living with pollution levels “two to three times above what’s considered safe”.

He called on Congress to reject efforts to weaken the Clean Air Act and instead invest in clean energy, resilient infrastructure, and protections for frontline communities.

Check back for updates and new reaction tonight on News Channel 3 at 4,5, and 6.

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Athena Jreij

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (KESQ) – The rich botanical history of Sunnylands is on full display in their new exhibit, ‘Curating Canopy: Trees at Sunnylands.’

The new exhibit and catalog debuted this Wednesday to the public following their summer break and is a photographic gallery of the estate’s most iconic and storied trees.

“The most exciting thing was when we first brought our interns in to see this, they said they felt like bugs, that they were in the trees and could see all of this. I think our guests will like this. We’ve sort of made things bigger or played with color and we’ve got black and whites and infused color,” Michaeleen Gallagher, the director at Sunnylands Center and Gardens.

Told through the lens of London-based photographer David Loftus, it includes photos of trees that have curated the lush sanctuary Sunnylands offers away from the desert, and the new environmental decisions the estate is making to include more native plants.

“A lot of these trees were installed in the 60s. We had a different water ethic then. We had a different thought of this desert then. So, we thought it was a good thing to talk about these conflicts of sustainability, history and adaptive reuse, and how do historic sites deal with that?” Gallagher said.

All the trees featured in the exhibit are still present at the estate, but Gallagher says they are taking action against water-smart plants.

“If you come to the Center and Gardens it’s all native, arid adapted plants from other countries. One of the things we’ve already done is remove entire rows of tamarisk trees that are historic, that do speak to the historic story here, but they’re trees that we need to start to moving out of Sunnylands,” she said.

It’s a lesson in caring for the desert landscape Gallagher hopes viewers will take home with them.

The ‘Curating Canopy’ exhibit will be open for two years through June 2027. Entry to the public is free Wednesday through Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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Gavin Nguyen

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) — The City of Indio is preparing to unveil a striking new 9/11 memorial on Thursday, featuring a 12-foot steel artifact from the World Trade Center.

The city provided these artist renderings:

A spokesperson for the city outlined the purpose of the new memorial: 

“The proposed design for the Indio 9/11 Memorial Project aims to inspire a sense of collective humanity and community by creating a physical space that invites remembrance and contemplation, and which can act as a catalyst for further conversation and learning.”

According to the city, it was entrusted with the steel beam four to five years ago. In the time since then, it searched for artists, selected a design, and carefully mulled over the best place to put the memorial.

James Dinh is the artist behind the piece. He said he submitted his design in 2023, and he described the thought process that went into it.

“It’s such a moving remnant people will be able to physically touch. I mean, it’s such a powerful gesture,” Dinh explained, referencing the centerpiece of the memorial.

A large, curved steel wall, engraved with “09 11 01” and punched with thousands of tiny holes will serve as a backdrop to the steel beam.

“All these little holes [are] illuminated like they’re intended to be, kind of like a constellation of stars, you know. So, yes, these people are no longer with us, but, you know, their… the memory is always there.”

The city said with the groundbreaking set for Thursday, the finished piece is expected to be done in the next six to nine months. Dinh explained everything still needs to be made – from fabricating the steel backdrop to fixing the steel artifact to the site.

In the meantime, city leaders, like Indio’s Chief of Police, Brian Tully, said they’re excited to see so much time and thought go into the memorial, and are glad the city took the time it needed to find the perfect spot.

“Going forward, what a fantastic place to gather, to remember in Miles Park. And what a great place to have it… I think it’s perfect for our city,” said Chief Tully.

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City News Service

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (KESQ) – Five journalists and broadcasters will be inducted into the Coachella Valley Media Hall of Fame next year in Rancho Mirage, the Coachella Valley Journalism Foundation announced today.   

The third annual Hall of Fame ceremony will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 24, 2026 at the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa, 41000 Bob Hope Drive.

Laurilie Jackson, reporter and anchor at KESQ and journalism educator at College of the Desert, will emcee the event.   

The following honorees will be inducted:– Jimmy Boegle, founding editor at the Coachella Valley Independent;

— Larry Bohannan, golf writer at The Desert Sun;

— Lina Robles, co-host of morning radio show “El Show del Grenas” on our sister station La Poderosa.

— Ric and Rozene Supple (posthumously), radio station owners and philanthropists.

In addition, a number of local journalists will be honored with Journalist of the Year and Rising Star awards.   

Admission will cost $200 per person, and all proceeds will support local newsrooms via grant making by the foundation, organizers said.   

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit cvjf.org.

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