Category: kesq-local-news

Zachariah Perez

YUCCA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – Yucca Valley announced the new opening of its Founders Plaza. Town officials touted it as a “significant milestone in the town’s ongoing efforts.”

Earlier this month, council members held a small ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the completion of the project.

Officials are set to plan a larger community celebration later this year to allow residents and visitors to mark the official opening of the plaza’s new community gathering space later this year.

“This project is just the beginning.” Said Mayor Jeff Drozd. “Founders Plaza reflects our community’s past while creating a space for connection, events and future growth in Old Town. We’re excited for residents to start using the space and looking forward to the grand opening later this year.”

Formerly known as “Old Town Beautification and Sustainability Project,” the space is now renamed Founders Plaza following a community-wide naming campaign. Which is located along the Elk Trail between Twentynine Palms Highway and Yucca Trail. Founders Plaza will represent its first completion phase of a broader initiative to enhance Old Town’s walkability, visual appeal and more.

While the plaza is already being enjoyed by the public, additional improvements are still planned ahead as funding becomes available. 

For more information on the founders Plaza and future project phase, visit https://www.yucca-valley.org/our-town/departments/public-works-engineering/old-town-project

Stay up to date with KESQ News Channel 3 for the latest information on this project.

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City News Service

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – Modest gains offset minor losses across the regional economy, leaving Riverside County’s unemployment rate unchanged last month, according to figures released today by the California Employment Development Department.

The countywide jobless rate in May, based on preliminary EDD estimates, was 4.9%, equaling the rate published in April.   

According to figures, the May rate was four-tenths of a percentage point higher than the year-ago level, when countywide unemployment then stood at 4.5%.

The combined unemployment rate for Riverside and San Bernardino counties — the Inland Empire — was 4.8%, down from 4.9% in April, the EDD said.   

Data showed Cherry Valley had the highest unemployment rate countywide in May at 10.2%, followed by Coachella at 8%, Rancho Mirage at 7.9%, Banning at 6.6% and Hemet at 6.5%.

Bi-county data indicated that payrolls increased by the widest margin last month in the agricultural sector, which added 1,500 positions.   

Further gains were recorded in the construction, hospitality, information technology, professional business services and public sectors, which expanded by a total 3,100 jobs, while miscellaneous unclassified industries added another 400, according to figures.

The only sector drop identified in May was in the trade, transportation and utilities sector, which shed an estimated 400 jobs, according to the EDD.

The financial services, health services, mining and manufacturing sectors were unchanged.

The statewide non-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in May was 4.9%.

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City News Service

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – A 58-year-old convicted felon accused of intentionally driving into a crowd of protesters marching along a downtown Riverside street, seriously injuring one of them, is slated to make his initial court appearance today, along with his girlfriend.

Russell Alan Prentice and 39-year-old Candase Wenzel, both of Riverside, were arrested Monday following a Riverside Police Department investigation that began Saturday night.

Prentice is charged with assault using a deadly weapon, hit-and-run resulting in great bodily injury and being a two-strike felon. Wenzel is charged with being an accessory after the fact.

Both defendants are being held at the Robert Presley Jail — Prentice in lieu of $1 million bail, Wenzel on $625,000 bail.   

“From the officers in the field that night to our detectives who immediately launched the investigation, along with support from our Crime Analysis Unit, this case was solved quickly thanks to their combined efforts,” police Chief Larry Gonzalez said Tuesday. “Equally important were the tips we received from our community, and we’re grateful for the information they provided.”  

Prentice was driving his SUV in the area of University Avenue and Orange Street shortly after 9 p.m. Saturday when he encountered marchers taking part in one of the many “No Kings” rallies that occurred nationwide. The organized events drew a variety of interests to denounce the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement actions and other policies, timed to coincide with the 47th president’s birthday.

Police spokesman Officer Ryan Railsback alleged that Prentice floored his SUV, aiming directly for a number of demonstrators making their way along University, between Orange and Main streets. A young woman was unable to jump out of the vehicle’s path and was struck.

“The SUV then fled the scene,” the police spokesman said.  

The victim was taken to Riverside Community Hospital, where she remained in critical but stable condition on Thursday.   

“Officers found the suspect vehicle’s license plate number, and detectives from the Robbery-Homicide Unit began their investigation and subsequently identified the suspect driver,” Railsback said.

A search warrant was served at Prentice’s residence on Jackson Street Monday afternoon. The defendant was taken into custody without incident.   

“Detectives also arrested Wenzel … for her role in taking the suspect vehicle to Phelan, intentionally destroying and concealing evidence,” Railsback said.

She was taken into custody at the same time and place as Prentice.   

He has documented prior felony convictions in another jurisdiction that weren’t listed in court records. Wenzel has no documented prior felonies.

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Kendall Flynn

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Trevor Project received official notice June 17 of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration initiating the closure of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services program.

The termination could be effective for July 17, 2025, if passed by Congress. The Trevor Project is one of seven centers that currently make up the LGBTQ+ Youth Subnetwork. The program allows callers to “press 3” or “rely PRIDE” to be connected with counselors trained specifically to assist LGBTQ+ contacts.

The service reports in 2024 it directly served more than 231,000 crisis contacts and previously, with the LGBTQ+ Youth Subnetwork, received up to $50 million in restricted federal funds for the lifeline services.

In the projects press release, CEO Jaymes Black said “This is devastating, to say the least. Suicide prevention is about people, not politics. The administration’s decision to remove a bipartisan, evidence-based service that has effectively supported a high-risk group of young people through their darkest moments is incomprehensible.”

Stay with News Channel 3 to hear from mental health experts from the Hazelden Betty Ford Center and The LGBTQ+ Center on the the impacts of this potential termination.

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Luis Avila

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A private appreciation BBQ was held Friday to honor members of the Palms Springs Police and Fire Departments for their service and courage, following last months fertility clinic bombing. The event was put together by the Hispanic-American Chamber of commerce in partnership with other groups.

“We are so honored so happy to feed these guys because they’re the ones who work 24 hours a day to keeping security and safety.”

Rafael Oscal, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce president

Local leaders and community members rolled up their sleeves to serve first responders.

“I traded in my suit for some gloves and just wanted to give back. My role is just to be a community member and show love to the men and women who constantly go into the line of fire.”

Jeff Gonzalez, 36th Assembly District assembly member

Our local heros share what this means for them.

“Honestly, it’s overwhelming. We’re so lucky. This city is something else, special. We have people like David who reach out to us… we work together as a team.”

Michael Torres, PSPD Lieutenant

“To have other people serve us, it feels good… This community has always stepped up and given back. Not only do they give it to us but they give it to everyone impacted. Especially with this bombing, the way it came together.”

Jeff Van Lierop, PSFD Deputy Chief

The gratitude didn’t end there. Organizers were also recognized by locals leaders for their work and dedication. For volunteers, many of whom were directly affected by the bomb, this was about healing too.

“It’s the least we can do to give back to our first responders. They were there within minutes during the bombing and we appreciate the personal touch even Michael calling us and making sure that we’re ok.”

David Rios, Velvet Rope Hotel owner

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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Julia Castro

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — North Gene Autry Trail has reopened after being closed Friday morning due to low visibility caused by blowing sand through the Whitewater Wash.

The temporary closure affected the stretch between Salvia Road and East Via Escuela.

Other nearby Whitewater Wash crossings, including Indian Canyon Drive and Vista Chino, remain open

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Allie Anthony

As summer temperatures rise, your electric bill might too.

Dan Cornelius from Dan Only HVAC recommends setting your thermostat to 78 degrees and keeping it running. Using a smart thermostat, closing blinds during the day, and running ceiling or floor fans can all help keep your space cooler without relying solely on your AC.

Keeping your AC unit in good shape is just as important. Regular maintenance, like cleaning or replacing filters, shading the outdoor unit, and scheduling professional tune-ups can help your system run more efficiently and lower your energy bills over time.

Another way to save money is through incentives and rebates through the Imperial Irrigation District or Southern California Edison.

Stay with News Channel 3 today for more money saving advice.

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Athena Jreij

MECCA, Calif. (KESQ) — The woman who says she notified authorities about multiple illegal growing farms, leading to a raid and the arrest of 70 undocumented workers, is now speaking out.

Perla Verduzco says the three farms targeted in Thermal and Mecca earlier this week were hotbeds for human trafficking and illegal growing.

“It’s owned by a Chinese guy that pays bail bonds or brings them illegally from China, and he puts them to work in the marijuana cultivation.”

Verduzco says many of those detained are her own neighbors who she witnessed by abused by farm leaders for years.

“The manager from the resort, he likes to take advantage of his people like he yells at them. He treats them really bad and they let him treat them however he wants because he tells them that he’s going to call immigration on them, or that he’s going to kick them out,” she said.

She also claims the investigation into the farms was ongoing for years, and that she reported the working conditions after a manager at her mobile home park called immigration enforcement on her husband. Verduzco added those leaders put pressure on her to move out of the park.

While officials have stood by the response, some community leaders have questioned if the use of militarized personnel was too extreme.

Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez has been outspoken against recent immigration raids in the valley.

“We’ve seen marijuana raids happen throughout the Coachella Valley, but I’ve never seen a 500-person crew go into a marijuana field, and do such an operation,” Hernandez said.

Authorities have been clear it was a DEA operation, but immigration enforcement was called to detain those without proper documentation.

Still, ICE or not, Hernandez says the fear it’s instilled in the community is the same.

“The goal was to create a presence and create fear and, I think mission accomplished on their end.”  

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CNN Newsource

By Devan Cole, CNN

(CNN) — A federal appeals court is allowing President Donald Trump to maintain control over thousands of members of California’s National Guard.

The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals granted a request from Trump to lift, for now, a lower-court ruling that had required the president to relinquish control of roughly 4,000 guardsmen from the Golden State that he had federalized to beef up security in Los Angeles amid unrest over immigration enforcement.

The court said in an unsigned ruling “that it is likely that the President lawfully exercised his statutory authority” under the federal law he invoked to federalize the guardsmen earlier this month, rejecting arguments pushed by California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom that Trump had violated federal law when he seized control of part of his state’s militia.

The panel of judges who issued Thursday’s ruling is comprised of two Trump appointees and an appointee of former President Joe Biden.

Last week, US District Judge Charles Breyer directed the president to relinquish control of the guardsmen after concluding that Trump had violated several provisions of the law he leaned on in order to take control of the troops, including one that requires presidents to issue an order “through the governor” when they want to federalize state troops.

The appeals court briefly put Breyer’s ruling on hold shortly after it was issued, and Thursday’s ruling from the 9th Circuit extends that pause while the legal challenge plays out. California has the option of asking the Supreme Court to step in on an emergency basis.

Though the ruling hands a significant loss to Newsom, the appeals court still rebuffed some of the arguments Justice Department lawyers had presented to the judges earlier this week, including that courts lacked authority to second-guess a president’s determination that certain requisite factual predicates had been met to justify his decision to invoke the law at issue in the case.

But the court concluded that its “review of that decision must be highly deferential” to the commander in chief.

“Under a highly deferential standard of review, Defendants have presented facts to allow us to conclude that the President had a colorable basis for invoking” the law, the judges said in the ruling, going on to note that some protesters in California had targeted federal property or agents. “Those activities significantly impeded the ability of federal officers to execute the laws,” the court said.

In leaning on the law, 10 USC 12406, Trump pointed in part to one provision of it that said a president can federalize a state’s National Guard if they are “unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.”

The appeals court on Thursday also rejected another key argument California had made in its challenge to Trump’s actions: that he violated a procedural aspect of the law that requires presidents to issue an order “through the governor” when they want to federalize state troops. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave the state’s top general, not Newsom, Trump’s June 7 memo calling up members of the militia.

But since the California general is an “agent” of the governor, the appeals court said, Trump and Hegseth’s actions “likely met the procedural requirement.”

The ruling comes as the situation in Los Angeles has calmed significantly since last week, when the legal fracas over Trump’s decision to send troops to the streets of America’s second-largest city began after a weekend of unrest there.

Shortly after the court’s ruling, Trump boasted on his Truth Social platform, calling it a “BIG WIN” and insisting the decision means that “all over the United States, if our Cities, and our people, need protection, we are the ones to give it to them should State and Local Police be unable, for whatever reason, to get the job done.”

More legal wrangling over how Trump is actually using the guardsmen on the ground in Los Angeles is expected to continue during a hearing Breyer, of the federal court in San Francisco, has set for Friday afternoon.

This story and headline been updated with additional developments.

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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Haley Meberg

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KESQ)- This past Monday, U.S. Border Patrol agents and Homeland Security discovered the origin point of a sophisticated drug smuggling tunnel connecting Tijuana to the San Diego area. 

In early April, U.S Border Patrol agents from the San Diego Sector Tunnel team uncovered a drug-smuggling tunnel that was actively under construction. They report that the tunnel was equipped with electrical wiring, lighting, ventilation systems and a running track that seems to be designed to transport large amounts of contraband. 

This tunnel is said to have been incomplete but spanned over 1,000 feet into the U.S. with an exit that was projected to connect to a commercial warehouse space based on the initial evidence.

The tunnel itself was measured by authorities and spans 2,918 feet in total and about 50 feet underground at its deepest point. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security and the Government of Mexico, located the origin point of the tunnel to a residence in Nueva Tijuana. Following a warrant served by the Mexican authorities, it was revealed that the entry point had been freshly tiled over. 

This was not the first obstacle that the agents faced. Upon their initial entry into the tunnel they were met with haphazardly placed barriers that were said to be placed in attempts to impede their progress.

 “As we continue to strengthen the nation’s air and maritime border security, it’s not surprising that foreign terrorist organizations would resort to underground routes,” said Jeffrey D. Stalnaker, Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the San Diego Sector. “Disruption of narcotics smuggling tunnels is critical to protecting American lives. I’m grateful for the exceptional work of the Tunnel Team agents who placed themselves in danger, as well as the cooperation of our Mexican law enforcement partners.”

This tunnel is set to be filled with thousands of gallons of concrete to prevent the tunnel from use by Foreign Terrorist Organizations.

Since 1993, over 95 different tunnels have been uncovered and remediated in the San Diego area alone. In hopes of preventing the smuggling of human, drugs and other contraband the U.S Border Patrol is maintaining high vigilance along pathways away from the U.S border. 

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