Category: kesq-local-news

Shay Lawson

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ)  – Palm Springs City Council approved the city’s budget for fiscal year 2025-26 and 2026-27 comprehensive budgets at Wednesdays meeting.

It comes after finance officials incorporated recommendations from Mayor Ron deHarte after he raised concerns of potential shortfall at the June 11 meeting.

The mayor recently published a “Resident Guide to the Palm Springs Budget,” detailing his concerns that the city is spending more than it’s making in revenue.

He cited rising labor costs, the end of outside funding for the city’s homeless Navigation Center and revenue flattening.

The proposed budget reflects some adjustments based on deHarte’s calls to rein in spending and prepare for future financial challenges.

Stay with News Channel 3 for updates on this developing story.

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City News Service

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – The 10 highest-paid officials in Riverside County government last year were working in public safety and public health, according to a report released today by the California Controller’s Office.   

The agency published its 2024 “Government Compensation in California” analysis, showing how taxpayer funds were spent in the previous year, and who was receiving what for being on the public payroll.

The data is available at www.publicpay.ca.gov.   

“This report is a vital tool in promoting fiscal transparency and accountability in local government,” Controller Malia Cohen said. “Californians deserve to know how public funds are being spent and who isbeing paid with their tax dollars.”  

The individual who received the largest income in county government was an unnamed staff psychiatrist for the Riverside University Health System’s Department of Behavioral Health. The individual received a total of $540,881, a large part of which may have been related to overtime claims.

In the 2023 report, Sheriff Chad Bianco was identified as the county employee with the largest composite compensation at $593,518. In 2024, the sheriff, who is running for governor on the Republican ticket, did not even land in the top 100, taking a backseat to union-represented master investigators and lieutenants, who grossed salaries well in excess of $400,000.   

Amounts documented by the controller’s office include base pay, overtime and lump sum disbursals, which are often tied to banked vacation and sick leave time that wasn’t used, sometimes for years, but then cashed out.   

The second-highest paid in 2024 was an unnamed District Attorney’s Office bureau commander, whose composite salary last year was $539,539. The D.A.’s office could not immediately confirm the reasons for the significant earnings, though they were possibly bundled into a retirement payout.

Figures showed the next in line was another RUHS psychiatrist, who received $536,644, followed by Director of Behavioral Health Dr. Matthew Chang, whose total intake last year was $522,783. Chang has consistently ranked in the top 10 in the 2020s.

Nos. 5-8 on the list were additional psychiatrists, whose annual earnings ranged from $476,513 to $520,277.   

Riverside University Health System-Medical Center CEO Jennifer Cruikshank, whose total comp last year was $470,253, ranked No. 9, according to the report.

Rounding out the top 10 was an unnamed psychiatrist assigned to Detention Health Services, geared to inmates, for which the doctor was paid $468,619 in 2024.

County CEO Jeff Van Wagenen was at No. 30, with total compensation of $399,214, according to the report.  

The five members of the Board of Supervisors were way down the list for annual comp packages, making less than many deputy district attorneys, deputy public defenders, registered nurses, sheriff’s administrators, pharmacists, assistant medical directors and others. A “senior legislative assistant” for one of the supervisors was even paid well above his or her boss at $341,794 in 2024, according to data.  

The supervisors’ composite pay ranged from $143,042 to $226,359 in 2024, with Supervisor Kevin Jeffries, who retired at the end of December, at the bottom because he consistently declined pay raises. The man elected to fill his seat, Jose Medina, assumed the same salary, vowing to voluntarily freeze his compensation in keeping with the tradition established by his predecessor.   

The controller’s website indicated the average pay for a county employee last year was $65,739. County government is the single largest employer in Riverside County, maintaining more than 25,000 positions. Roughly $2.23 billion in total wages were paid in 2024.

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Jesus Reyes

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A Palm Desert man known as the former drummer of the indie power-pop group the New Pornographers pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography and recording a minor in a public restroom at a local restaurant.

Joseph Seiders, 44, of Palm Desert, pleaded guilty to multiple charges on Wednesday, according to court records.

Details on his conviction were not immediately available. Seiders was scheduled for a felony settlement conference today before pleading guilty to charges.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 26.

According to sheriff’s Sgt. Daniel Milbrant, deputies from the Palm Desert Station, received a report of a suspicious circumstance in the 73000 block of Dinah Shore Drive on April 7. They interviewed an 11-year-old boy who told them a man allegedly recorded him on a cell phone inside the restroom of a Chick-fil-A.

Two days later, deputies received another report from an employee at a nearby business who said a man was allegedly seen entering and exiting a restroom with several young males, Milbrandt said.

Deputies identified and arrested Seiders at the scene.   

A subsequent search of Seiders’ residence turned up evidence tying him to both incidents, along with possession of child pornography, sheriff’s officials said.

Details about the interaction between the suspect and the juvenile males inside the restroom were not disclosed.   

Earlier this month, authorities said investigators identified more potential victims in the case against Seiders.

Seiders was the drummer of the New Pornographers, fronted by AC Newman and the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Neko Case. He joined the band in 2014.

After the arrest was reported, the New Pornographers issued a statement reading: ”Everyone in the band is absolutely shocked, horrified, and devastated by the news of the charges against Joe Seiders– and we have immediately severed all ties with him. Our hearts go out to everyone who has been impacted by his actions.”  

Seiders has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates on this case.

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Spencer Blum

The National Weather Service is comprised of 122 Weather Forecast Offices, which work day and night to monitor local weather conditions for every inch of the United States.

This is in addition to 9 additional specialized offices, such as the National Hurricane Center and the Storm Prediction Center, which monitor hurricanes and severe weather, respectively. 

“The main mission of the weather service is to protect lives and property and enhance the national economy.”

First Alert Meteorologist Spencer Blum traveled to the NWS office in San Diego for an inside look at what they do every day to put together their forecast for Southern California. 

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City News Service

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Twenty Coachella Valley college students have been awarded more than $90,000 in scholarships through Modernism Week’s annual scholarship program, officials announced today.   

Modernism Week is an annual celebration of midcentury architecture and design in Palm Springs. Proceeds support local preservation efforts and scholarships for Coachella Valley students pursuing careers in architecture and design, in partnership with OneFuture Coachella Valley.

“Awarding Modernism Week scholarships is one of the most rewarding and impactful aspects of out work each year,” said Modernism Week CEO Lisa Vossler Smith in a statement. “There’s no greater investment than in the future of our local students.”  

OneFuture Coachella Valley contributed $22,500 in matching funds to the scholarship program.

Organizers said the program launched in 2011 and has awarded more than $400,000 to date. Funding is raised through community-led fundraisers and ticket proceeds from neighborhood tours, with donations reinvested into local organizations and charities.

“Modernism Week has a long-standing history of helping other organizations raise funds to benefit the local community,” Board Chairman William Kopelk said. “One of the most important outcomes of Modernism Week events each year is the opportunity for out neighborhood and partner organizations to raise funds to support preservation, education, civic improvements, or to reinvest back into other local charities.”

The nonprofit also donated $10,000 to the LA Fire Relief Fund during recent wildfires.

Modernism Week events are scheduled for Oct. 16-19, 2025, and Feb. 12-22, 2026.

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Jesus Reyes

MECCA, Calif. (KESQ) – First responders rescued an elderly patient who was injured in Mecca Wednesday afternoon.

The incident was first reported at a little after 1 p.m. on Painted Canyon Road and Box Canyon Road.

The man was hoisted out of the canyon and taken to Thermal Airport for further medical evaluation.  

Authorities said the scene was cleared within an hour.   

Details on the man’s identity and the specific nature of his injuries were not immediately available.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any updates.

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City News Service

BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) – Testimony is slated to wrap up before the end of the week in the trial of a 43-year-old Banning man accused of raping two women on separate occasions while they were intoxicated, as well as molesting a 12-year-old girl.  

Steven Roy McElroy was arrested in 2022 following an extensive Banning Police Department investigation that relied on statements from alleged victims going back a decade. McElroy is charged with two counts each of forcible rape and aggravated assault, as well as one count of lewd acts on a minor.  

The prosecution began calling witnesses last week at the Banning Justice Center, and the government’s final witness was expected to be summoned Wednesday. It was unclear whether McElroy intended to take the stand in his own defense.

He’s free on a $1 million bond.   

The defendant was charged for the alleged assault on the 12-year-old girl in March 2022. Banningpolice detectives received information afterward concerning two women who alleged they had been sexually assaulted by him on different occasions in 2015 and 2016.

According to Detective Jack Loera, the two women heard about the child molestation charge and decided to speak to police.

Asked why it took so long for her to make the allegation, one of the women said she didn’t think authorities would take her seriously regarding the alleged rape at the time, so she waited for the other woman to make her allegations before disclosing her own, according to court papers.

The original incident that led to all of the charges occurred on Dec. 26, 2021, according to the brief.  

McElroy has a felony conviction in another jurisdiction that wasn’t listed in court documents.

Stay with News Channel 3 for updates.

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Blake Arthur

THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) – IndyCar will not be returning to the Thermal Club in 2026, track founder Tim Rogers told News Channel 3 Sports Director Blake Arthur.

Rogers says they hope to host another race in the near future, ideally in 2027.

BREAKING: @IndyCar will NOT return to @TheThermalClub next year. TTC Owner Tim Rogers tells me they hope to secure a title sponsor and host another race in the near future, ideally as soon as 2027. @KESQ #INDYCAR pic.twitter.com/hn1nkgvJvD

— Blake Arthur (@BlakeArthur24) June 25, 2025

The official 2026 IndyCar season schedule has not been released yet, although there were some rumors brewing since April that the race may not return.

KESQ reached out to IndyCar for information on this story. Their response was “INDYCAR is evaluating the 2026 schedule. Hope to have more towards the end of summer.”

IndyCar held races the last two seasons at the Thermal Club. A special $1 million exhibition race in March 2024 that did not count towards the title race. This year, IndyCar returned to the track for an official Grand Prix.

ESPN reports that about 3,000 fans attended this year’s race in what was noted as “the smallest turnout over three days for an IndyCar championship event.”

It’s worth noting that Rogers called Sports Director Blake Arthur Wednesday evening, saying that discussions are still ongoing.

Rogers added that IndyCar saw this story and expressed interest in still doing a race, especially if Mexico City doesn’t work out, which is the preferred destination for next year.

With that, Thermal Club could still be in play for a race, but no event is scheduled as of right now.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any new developments on this story.

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City News Service

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A Coachella man with outstanding warrants who led deputies on a vehicle pursuit was bound for state prison today to serve one year and four months.

Trevor Alexander Berry, 46, was arrested June 11 after fleeing from Riverside County sheriff’s deputies, authorities said.   

Berry pleaded not guilty for evading arrest during an arraignment before Superior Court Judge Dean Benjamini on June 13.   

However, during a felony settlement conference at the Larson Justice Center in Indio Tuesday, Berry changed his plea to guilty. Benjamini then imposed the mandatory state prison sentence.

Deputies attempted a traffic stop attributed to Berry’s outstanding arrest warrants shortly before 5 p.m. on June 11 at the intersection of Main and Fern streets in Cabazon, according to Sheriff’s Sgt. Juan Cedeno.   

A vehicle pursuit ensued at an unconfirmed rate of speed as his white 2003 Ford pickup truck entered eastbound Interstate 10 toward Palm Springs, Cedeno said.

The chase continued eastbound on Highway 111 and ended in the 1100 block of North Indian Canyon Drive in Palm Springs. It was unclear how the pursuit ended.

Berry was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning. He was held without bail.

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Gavin Nguyen

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A project to reduce the impacts of blowing dust and sand along Palm Springs roadways has begun construction.

The nearly 600-foot wind wall project along North Gene Autry Trail will stand at 14.5 ft tall.

The city wrote online at its Engage Palm Springs website:

“Work is under way on the construction of an approximately 590′ long brick wall along the North Gene Autry Trail corridor, an area we all know gets pummeled by strong winds and blowing sand – reducing visibility and creating sand dunes on the roadway.”

The project was given the green light in April after the City Council approved a $2,195,800 contract. Construction was slated to start in June and finish by December 2025.

The site is located along North Gene Autry Trail, between the Union Pacific Railroad bridge (just south of the I-10 Freeway) at the north and E. Via Escuela at the south.

News Channel 3 asked Palm Springs Mayor Ron deHarte about the effectiveness of the wall once completed.

“So the city is spending $2.2 million on this wind wall project, are you confident that it’s going to work?”

The mayor responded, “Well… Mother Nature will tell us if it’s going to work or not. But the plan is to help reduce those wind events and blow sand events that we have on Gene Autry.”

Other attempts to mitigate wind impacts on Gene Autry Trail have generated little success. The remains of wooden barriers, like the one this latest brick wall will replace, are visible from the roadway. Local motorists are less confident about the project.

Hector Valderraint, of Desert Hot Springs, said, “If they could just do a little something different and not just a bigger wall – or more wall – that might make it a little more… I guess you could say we could appreciate it more out here.”

The mayor said there are no current plans for other wind wall projects for other Palm Springs wash roads, like Indian Canyon and Vista Chino, but left the door open for future work in those areas.

“You’ve got to look at the environment, the microenvironment. But, you know, we’re certainly following engineer recommendations on which is best for each crossing,” deHarte said.

Meanwhile, city officials remain confident that the Gene Autry project will help thousands of commuters.

“I think the residents can see their tax dollars really put into good work here,” Mayor deHarte assured.

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