Category: kesq-local-news

Tori King

LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ)– A brand new Chick-fil-A is coming to La Quinta. It’s set to open up in just a few days, and News Channel 3 got an inside look. The new restaurant is located just off Highway 111 and Dune Palms Road.

This franchise will become the second Chick-fil-A location to open up in the Coachella Valley, with the only other one being in Palm Desert. Tuesday morning, local officials and the owner of the restaurant hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the big occasion.

La Quinta City Council Member Steve Sanchez attended the event, saying the city of La Quinta is pro-business, and constantly growing. He also says the council always looks forward to bringing in more opportunities and revenue to the area.”For months now, I’ve had friends and just random people asking when will it open up,” said Sanchez. “It’s really great not just for the community who loves Chick-fil-A, but great for commerce and great for the area. We’re grateful that Chick-fil-A chose La Quinta. It’s the gem of the desert for a reason. We welcome businesses. We work together. It’s a partnership. It is a family, our residents and our businesses and our visitors. It’s all a family.”This new location is also creating dozens of jobs for local residwnts. As of Tuesday morning, the company has hired over 100 employees, and they expect to hire even more in the coming days.The official grand opening is set for Thursday at 6:30 a.m.

If you dress up as a cow, you can also get a free meal, which is all part of their ‘Cows Eat Free’ event for the grand opening.

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Tori King

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (KESQ)– The City of Rancho Mirage is warning its residents about a concerning new report of aggressive solicitors in the area. News Channel 3’s Tori King reached out to the city about these incidents, Rancho Mirage official released this statement:

“Rancho Mirage is a safe and welcoming community, and while these recent solicitor reports are unusual, they’re happening across the valley, not just here. We take them seriously and urge residents to stay alert…by working together, we can help keep our community safe.”

According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, there has been a recent influx of residents experiencing these incidents. Authorities also say some people are being dropped off at night especially in the Magnesia Falls Cove neighborhood, and they’ve been seen entering people’s back yards and refusing to leave the property when asked. There have also been some reports of residents being threatened.

News Channel 3 spoke with RSO, who had tips for residents on how to stay safe. Here are some practical tips on what to do if someone encounters an aggressive solicitor:

1. Stay Calm: Remain composed and avoid escalating the situation. Take deep breaths and try to keep your tone calm.

2. Assess the Situation: Determine if the solicitor is being overly aggressive or if their approach is simply persistent.

3. Set Boundaries: Politely but firmly let the solicitor know that you are not interested. You can say something like, “Thank you, but I’m not interested in what you’re offering.”

4. Avoid Engagement: If the solicitor continues to press, avoid engaging further. Walk away or close the door if you’re indoors.

5. Document the Encounter: Take note of any details about the solicitor, including their appearance, the nature of their solicitation, and any aggressive behavior. This can be useful if you need to report the incident later.

6. Inform Neighbors: Share your experience with neighbors or local community groups to raise awareness about aggressive solicitors in the area.

7. Know Your Rights: Familiarize yourself with local laws regarding solicitation, as there may be regulations that protect residents from aggressive sales tactics.

8. Use Community Resources: Encourage residents to reach out to local community organizations or neighborhood watch groups if they feel threatened or need advice.

9. Trust Your Instincts: Always trust your gut feelings. If a situation feels wrong, prioritize your safety and remove yourself from it.

10. Report Suspicious Activity: For non-emergency situations, contact the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department dispatch line at 760-836-3215. In any situation involving an immediate threat, call 911 without delay.

When reporting, provide dispatch with a detailed description of the individuals involved and any associated vehicles, including license plate numbers if available. Accurate and timely information helps law enforcement respond effectively and strengthens ongoing investigations.

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Allie Anthony

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – The Coachella Valley Rescue Mission is hosting its annual Backpack Bonanza this Thursday.

According to the National Retail Federation, back-to-school costs are projected to average $875 per student. To help ease the burden for low-income families, the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission is giving stuffed backpacks to local students. The event will begin at 6:30 AM on Thursday.

Backpacks and supplies can also be dropped off at the CVRM located at 47470 Van Buren St. in Indio.

Backpacks, spiral notebooks, yellow highlighters, pencil sharpeners, lined paper, and all other related supplies are needed. Donations of backpacks and supplies are welcome until August 13. Children must be present to receive a backpack.

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Spencer Blum

It’s another hot day here in the Coachella Valley. It was a humid start to the day, but moisture levels have fallen somewhat throughout the afternoon. The persistent area of high pressure continues ot dominate the weather pattern over the western US. This is giving us the extreme heat, but also mostly clear skies. That makes for great viewing conditions for the Perseid meteor shower, which peaks this evening. However, the moon is fairly bright, so that may impact how well we can see any meteors. The best time to view the meteor shower will be between 12 & 4 AM.

The aforementioned ridge of high pressure will slowly begin to weaken in the days ahead. By Thursday, a trough of low pressure will move into the western US. This will finally allow for some gradual cooling into the weekend. As we track these changes, we may see some slightly elevated evening breezes, but nothing too far out of the normal. The cooling will continue into the weekend. We should also note that the Extreme Heat Warning has been extended into tomorrow, but the First Alert Weather Alert will expire this evening.

Temperatures will gradually cool over the next few days. This weekend, highs may even dip below the seasonal average! We do begin to trend back upwards heading into next week though.

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City News Service

THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) – Three hikers were rescued by helicopter today, with one suffering moderate injuries in a trail near Thermal.   

The incident was reported shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday near Painted Canyon Road, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. The agency said the hikers suffered heat-related ailments at Painted Canyon Trail, with one medically treated and the two others refusing medical treatment at the scene.

A Riverside County Sheriff’s Rescue 9 helicopter hoisted the three hikers out of the area and transported the victim to a hospital by ground ambulance.

Identifying information on the individuals was not immediately available.

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City News Service

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – The Shops at Palm Desert, in partnership with the YMCA and the Academy of Musical Performance, will host its inaugural nonprofit fair later this month aimed at connecting the community with numerous organizations throughout the Coachella Valley.   

The free, all-ages event will be held from 3-6 p.m. on Aug. 29 at 72840 CA-111.  

It will feature live music from 3-5:30 p.m. by the Academy, a kids craft zone hosted by the YMCA, a giveaway with prizes and a chance to win a $300 gift card pack.

Several nonprofit organizations at the event will include resources in animal welfare, health, food access, family support, environmental care and youth services.

More information can be found at shopsatpalmdesert.com/event/nonprofit-fair-at-the-shops/.

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Garrett Hottle

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) The Perseids meteor shower, one of the year’s most anticipated night-sky events, peaks Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning and skywatchers across the Coachella Valley, Twentynine Palms, and Joshua Tree are preparing for the show.

The shower runs from mid-July through late August, but this year’s peak lands just three days after the full Sturgeon Moon. Unfortunately, the bright – waning gibbous will wash out all but the brightest streaks.

Under dark, moonless skies the Perseids can produce up to 100 meteors an hour, but NASA and the American Meteor Society say this year’s rates will be closer to 10–20 per hour locally, with occasional fireballs still possible.

When is the best time to watch? 

Predicted max: 12–1 a.m. PDT Wednesday (Aug. 13), when the radiant in the constellation Perseus is high in the sky.

The American Meteor Society recommends finding a dark location away from lights, using terrain to block the moon, and giving your eyes 30 minutes to adjust.

Moonrise in Palm Springs is around 9:40 p.m. Tuesday, earlier in the night you may have a chance to catch rare “earthgrazers” low on the horizon.

Top local viewing spots include Joshua Tree National Park’s Cap Rock, Ryan Mountain, Hidden Valley, and Quail Springs, which are all part of the park’s International Dark Sky designation.

An Extreme Heat Warning is in effect through Tuesday at 8 p.m. Officials urge visitors to hydrate, avoid hiking to remote spots at night, and pull fully off roadways if stopping. Red lights are preferred over flashlights to preserve night vision.

More on the Perseids: The meteors are fragments from Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle burning up in Earth’s atmosphere, known for their speed and bright fireballs. Even in challenging moonlight, local astronomers say the Perseids are worth catching and this week’s sky show is just the start.

Later this week, Twentynine Palms hosts the AREA 29: Galactic Gathering from Aug. 14–17, a citywide celebration of UFOs, sci-fi, and stargazing, including a special “Alien Probe” stargazing night at the 29 Palms Inn.

Also on Aug. 16 the Sky’s the Limit Observatory in Twentynine Palms will host Dr. Eric Mamajek who will explore “How many planets like earth might there be?” The program starts at 8:30pm and includes telescope stargazing. Tickets are $20 and must be reserved in advance.

Share your sky-watching photos with KESQ News Channel 3 by emailing us at share@kesq.com

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Luis Avila

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A new push to overturn same-sex marriage is drawing strong reaction.

Kim Davis, a former Kentucky clerk, has filed a petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider its 2015 decision that made same-sex marriage legal nationwide. Davis made headlines a decade ago when she refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples and was later jailed for not following the law. Now, she says her religious rights were violated — and wants the Court to hear her case.

Mitchell Battersby, Director of Volunteers for Palm Springs Pride, voiced skepticism that the Court will ultimately take up the case. However, he also warned that recent history shows how uncertain legal protections can be.

“Nobody thought Roe v. Wade would be overturned and it was.”

Mitchell Battersby, Palm Springs Pride Director of Volunteers

Battersby warns that the case is about more than just marriage.

“This affects a lot of people. It affects their federal tax returns, their state tax returns, it affects deductions, it affects adopting children, having children, it affects so many things and so it’s not just gay marriage.”

Mitchell Battersby, Palm Springs Pride Director of Volunteers

Advocates are also pointing to a larger trend of anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment and policy shifts, particularly from the Trump administration.

Legal experts believe the petition will likely once again be rejected — as similar challenges have been before. At least four justices would have to agree to review the case. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito have expressed support.

Advocates say they are watching closely and urging the community to speak out.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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Gavin Nguyen

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – New technology will protect students from dangerous weather conditions.

Palm Springs Unified School District announced it deployed eight Perry Weather Monitoring Stations across its schools. It said the system tracks temperature, air quality, humidity, and severe weather (including lightning) to help schools make informed decisions about outdoor activities.

PSUSD set up a webpage showing real-time data from these weather stations. The eight stations are installed throughout the district, and parents are instructed to find the closest weather station to their student’s school as outlined in the chart below.

District officials explained that these weather systems help make them more informed decisions for canceling sports practices and games because it provides site-specific weather data.

“We’re over 500 square miles wide, and so what that means is sometimes, the weather on one side of our district is very different from the weather on the other side,” stated Laura Dyson, the district’s Director of Health Services.

It’s a problem that schools have had to navigate in the past. Assistant Principal Art Sanchez, Jr., of Palm Springs High School, recounted, “If you’re in Desert Hot Springs, because of the wind, or you’re closer in the cove, where we are, where the wind isn’t a factor, we were shutting down the whole district based on the air quality in a place that is 30 minutes [away].”

He also added that making the weather data available to the public creates more transparency between the decisions of school administration and parents.

“Parents will always know and the community will know that we’re making the best decisions on the best data for our students safety,” he said.

Other districts in Riverside County have already adopted these weather systems, though PSUSD officials said they’re glad to be the first in the valley to implement the technology.

“We are happy to be the first to implement it, but I’m hopeful that other districts in the Valley will jump on this with us because we, as you know, sports, travel. And so we need to be able to know what’s going on all around us,” said Dyson.

Officials at Desert Sands Unified School District confirmed it will be installing the same system in the coming months.

“Our Board recently approved a contract with Perry Weather, Inc., for the installation of one weather station at each comprehensive high school. These stations will serve as reference points for schools within their respective regions. This system will provide all our schools with real-time weather data and heat stress measurements, offering more precise information than general weather apps. The Perry Weather system will deliver instant updates and notifications, enhancing our existing heat mitigation efforts. As a result, the district’s email notifications will be discontinued in favor of the system’s real-time alerts. Wet bulb globe thermometers will still remain a key part of our safety protocol, providing an additional layer of heat monitoring. The Board originally approved the agreement with Perry Weather, Inc. on June 24, 2025. A small amendment to the contract is being presented for approval tonight. Once finalized, the district will move forward with installing the systems for use across all schools.”

Desert Sands Unified School District

News Channel 3 also reached out to Coachella Valley Unified School District. A spokesperson provided the following statement:

Currently CVUSD does not have plans to implement this technology in our schools. However, we continually evaluate tools and resources that enhance safety and learning environments for our students, so we’ll certainly keep this in mind.

Coachella Valley Unified School District

Be sure to stay with KESQ as we continue to follow this technology.

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Kendall Flynn

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – The Indio Police Department is starting a general traffic enforcement to lookout for unsafe driving. 

Officials are reminding residents to obey speed limits, stop at signals and stop signs, buckle up and keep from handheld phone use. 

Stay with News Channel 3 to hear from officials on why this enforcement operation is necessary in the City. 

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