Category: kesq-local-news

KESQ News Team

LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – A candidate for the Desert Recreation District Board of Directors is facing questions over his financial disclosures and business licensing.

Sean Webb is running for a four-year seat representing District 4. He currently serves on La Quinta’s Art and Community Services Commission.

The controversy centers on Webb’s required Form 700 financial disclosure filings.

An FPPC complaint filed last month alleges Webb failed to disclose a property services business, income from that business and his spouse’s income on multiple financial disclosure forms. The complaint also raises questions about whether Webb properly filed a required candidate Form 700.

Webb says he considers the issue a non-issue, telling News Channel 3 that he corrected the paperwork immediately after learning about what he described as an inadvertent administrative oversight. He also says he completed the necessary paperwork for the business license.

Webb says he is running for the Desert Recreation District because he believes he can contribute to the work the district does for Coachella Valley communities. He says his campaign will focus on fiscal responsibility and safe parks and recreation opportunities for families.

La Quinta Mayor Linda Evans, however, says the issue raises concerns about Webb’s approach to required disclosures.

Evans has withheld her endorsement of Webb, saying the repeated omissions from his financial disclosures and the business licensing issue raised concerns about integrity.

In an interview with News Channel 3, Evans called the situation “sloppy and unacceptable.”

“It’s just shocking that somebody who is self proclaimed community guy, community leader didn’t follow the instructions that were on the first page. Over and over again,” Evans said.

Evans is not the only La Quinta official to raise concerns. Councilmember Kathleen Fitzpatrick and former Councilmember Robert Radi have also questioned Webb’s financial disclosures.

The FPPC complaint was filed. The commission has not announced any findings in the case, and there is currently no set date for action.

Cindy Uken with the Uken Report first reported on the controversy.

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Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — Step up, stand out, and make your voice heard! Greater Palm Springs Pride is kicking off its landmark 40th anniversary with the Pride Equality Walk on Saturday, October 17.

The event starts at 8:30 a.m. from the Arenas District in downtown Palm Springs.

Schedule:

7:00 a.m. — Registration Opens 8:00 a.m. — Warm-Up & Kickoff Remarks 8:30 a.m. — Walk Begins (followed by the Arenas District Block Party)

The community is invited to take to the streets of downtown Palm Springs for an unforgettable morning of rally-style action, live music, and radical inclusion.

A Festival on the Move

Stepping off at 8:30 a.m. from the Arenas District, the walk pairs civic advocacy with downtown party energy:

Live Entertainment: High-energy performances by the Desert Winds Freedom Band, A Cabbello, and the Flaggers of the Desert. Energy Zones: Beat the heat at the Blue Zones Water Stop and dance through the route at the DJ Dance Zone. Celebrity Emcees: KESQ News Channel 3 personalities Peter Daut and Sandie Newton kick off the walk. Post-Walk Block Party: Return to Arenas District for food, drinks, live DJs, and community connection.

Walk to Keep Pride Free

Every step matters. Funds raised by walking teams directly support Greater Palm Springs Pride’s mission to keep all signature programming, including the flagship November 6–8 Pride Festival and Parade 100% free and accessible to everyone.

“For 40 years, Palm Springs Pride has stood as a foundation of visibility and relentless advocacy,” said Jasmine Sullivan-Waits, Executive Director. “The Pride Equality Walk honors that legacy by doing what we do best: showing up together. Whether you walk, start a fundraising team, or cheer along the route, your presence shapes our future.”

To register, build a team, or donate, visit www.pspride.org/walk.

Greater Palm Springs Pride

Greater Palm Springs Pride will take place Nov. 6 through Nov. 8 in downtown Palm Springs and the Arenas District. This year marks the 40th anniversary of celebration of Pride in Palm Springs, honoring four decades of history, community engagement, and progress.

The event culminates with the Palm Springs Pride Parade on Sunday, November 8.

News Channel 3 is a proud sponsor of Pride. We will broadcast the parade on News Channel 3 and our website.

More entertainment announcements, including the complete roster of performers and stage schedules, will be released in the coming weeks.

For festival information, updates, and ways to support Palm Springs Pride, visit pspride.org.

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City News Service

PALM DESERT (CNS) – The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert has received an award from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums for its senior outreach program, it was announced today.

The facility, located at 47900 Portola Avenue was awarded the 2026 Angela Peterson Excellence in Diversity Award for its program, which expands access to conservation education to elder individuals, officials said.

The diversity award recognizes AZA-accredited institutions that demonstrate leadership and help transform the zoo or aquarium into a more diverse, equitable, accessible and inclusive organization.Dan Ashe, president and CEO of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums congratulated the Living Desert for the recognition, saying in part, “This award recognizes the best of the best in the global aquarium and zoo community. The work being done at the Living Desert further strengthens the impact of our entire community and is something Palm Desert can be proud of.”

The senior outreach program features the Living Desert partnering with living communities, memory care facilities or senior community organizations throughout the region to provide older adults, who might experience challenges visiting the facility, opportunities to learn about conservation.

Our senior outreach program was built on the belief that conservation education should be accessible to everyone regardless of mobility or circumstance. By bringing engaging conservations education directly to older adults throughout the Coachella Valley, we’ve been able to foster connection, curiosity and lifelong learning. It’s incredibly rewarding to see this work inspiring other institutions to expand access and reach new audiences in their own communities,” Dr. Anna Young, vice president of learning and impact at the Living Desert, said in a statement.

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Matthew Pearce

COACHELLA, CA (KESQ)- With the general election approaching, residents of the Eastern Coachella Valley had an opportunity to meet candidates running for local and state office and ask questions about issues affecting their communities.

Alianza Coachella Valley hosted a candidates forum Wednesday evening at the Coachella Library. The event was free and open to the public.

The forum featured candidates for the Coachella Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees, whose responsibilities include decisions involving school budgets, curriculum, student discipline and support, and the allocation of resources across district campuses.

Organizers said the event was intended to give families an opportunity to hear directly from candidates about their priorities for local schools and to ask questions about issues affecting students and families.

CVUSD Board Candidates Expected at Forum

According to Alianza Coachella Valley, the following candidates for the Coachella Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees are expected to participate in the forum:

Valerie Garcia — Trustee Area 1 Loretta Perez — Trustee Area 1 Alena Callimanis — Trustee Area 2

The candidates will have an opportunity to discuss their priorities and answer questions from community members about the future of CVUSD schools.

The Trustee Area 1 race features Garcia and Perez, while Callimanis is running in Trustee Area 2.

Assembly District 36 Candidates to Open Forum

The evening will begin with candidates competing for California’s 36th Assembly District seat.

Republican Jeff Gonzalez and Democrat Dr. Ida Obeso-Martinez are scheduled to participate before the school board candidates take the stage.

Following the Assembly candidates, the CVUSD Board of Trustees candidates will discuss their visions for the district and respond to questions from community members.

Alianza Coachella Valley is a nonpartisan organization that does not endorse candidates.

The organization said the forum is designed to give voters an opportunity to become informed about the candidates and their positions before casting their ballots.

Local school board decisions can have an immediate impact on students and families, from how schools spend resources to the policies that govern students’ daily experiences.

Organizers are encouraging residents to attend with family members and neighbors and participate in the conversation.

What: Meet the CVUSD School Board Candidates Forum When: Wednesday, Oct. 7, 5–7 p.m. Where: Coachella Library, 1500 6th St., Coachella, CA 92236 Cost: Free and open to the public Provided: Childcare, Spanish interpretation, tacos and refreshments

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Tommy Gallegos

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — DAP Health has announced that the 33rd annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards will return as a masquerade-themed gala on Saturday, February 20, 2027, at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

Presented by Desert Care Network, the event will bring together community members, philanthropists and supporters to raise funds for DAP Health’s mission of providing accessible, affirming health care and support services.

The 2027 event will feature creative formalwear, masks, cocktails, dinner, silent and live auctions, community honorees and entertainment throughout the venue, culminating in a live-DJ dance party.

The Chase is named for renowned interior designer and philanthropist Steve Chase, whose early support helped DAP Health grow. Over the past three years, the event has generated more than $2 million in net revenue for the organization.

Funds raised through The Chase support programs including HIV prevention and care, services for uninsured patients, and expanded health care initiatives such as a new LGBTQ+ health clinic planned for Oceanside and a women’s health center opening in Palm Springs in 2027.

Additional details about performers, honorees and other event elements will be announced in the coming months.

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Raymond Kalra

INDIO, CA (KESQ) – A new electronic dance music festival is set to take over the Empire Polo Club in Indio October 10th and 11th, bringing HEAD TRIP to the Coachella Valley ahead of the region’s traditionally busy April festival season.

Head Trip is expected to draw about 70,000 people to the city, according to Indio Community Services Manager Jim Curtis.

While the festival itself is new, managing large crowds around the Empire Polo Club is familiar territory for Indio.

Curtis has worked with the city and Goldenvoice on festival impacts for more than two decades. He said the city has continued to adjust its approach over the years based on lessons learned from Coachella, Stagecoach and other major events.

This weekend, Indio will test a street closure the city has not previously used during its major festival weekends.

Monroe Street will be closed between Avenue 50 and Avenue 52 on Saturday and Sunday.

“We are actually going to try something new for this event,” Curtis said. “And it’s kind of a test to see how it might go for April.”

Curtis said the closure is being implemented in part for safety and security around the festival grounds.

The city will also be watching how the change impacts nearby residents, commuters and businesses. Curtis said the results could help determine whether a similar traffic plan is used when Coachella and Stagecoach return in the spring.

“We’re going to test it and see how that is and maybe do that in April as well,” Curtis said.

The festival is expected to be smaller than Coachella, which Curtis said typically draws about 125,000 people, but he said 70,000 visitors will still have a noticeable impact on roads surrounding the venue.

“Our main thing is to make sure our businesses and residents can get to their homes,” Curtis said. “We’re going to have 70,000 people come in for this event.”

Indio Police are also preparing for increased traffic throughout the weekend.

Sgt. Abraham Plata said residents should expect major delays near the festival grounds and should consider alternate routes.

Police staffing will increase around the area, with additional traffic officers and patrol officers working alongside other law enforcement agencies.

Plata said drivers coming to the festival should prepare before getting into traffic.

He recommended arriving with enough gas and keeping water and snacks inside the vehicle in case of long delays.

Police are also reminding festivalgoers to stay hydrated as temperatures remain warm.

For some businesses near the festival grounds, the crowds are also bringing an opportunity.

Saguaro Coffee co-owner Janet Rocha said the shop is already seeing familiar faces from previous festival seasons, including workers preparing for the weekend.

The business is increasing its preparation ahead of Head Trip, including making additional pastries, syrups and other products in-house.

Rocha said festival weekends can be especially important after the slower summer months.

“It has a big significance,” Rocha said. “We have a little slower season in the summer. So we’re really excited to see what Head Trip brings for us, just as it’s a new festival.”

Rocha said she hopes the event introduces the shop to customers who may return even after the festival ends.

For Curtis, balancing those economic benefits with the impact on residents remains one of the city’s biggest responsibilities during festival weekends.

He said the city works closely with Goldenvoice, Indio Police and communities surrounding the festival grounds to discuss traffic, noise and other concerns.

Curtis said the city communicates with more than 30 nearby homes and communities as part of its festival planning.

Indio will also operate a 24-hour festival hotline throughout the weekend.

Curtis said the hotline is answered by a real person rather than voicemail so residents and festivalgoers can get immediate help with traffic, access, noise or other concerns.

The festival hotline is 760-391-4112.

Curtis said patience will be key as thousands of people move through the area this weekend.

“We want everybody to be safe,” Curtis said. “We want everybody to have a good time. That’s our number one goal.”

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City News Service

INDIO (CNS) – The Indio City Council unanimously approved a final one-year extension of its moratorium on new data center development applications.

The moratorium will remain in effect through Oct. 16, 2027.

The City Council unanimously approved an urgency ordinance June 3 imposing a 45-day citywide moratorium on data center development applications.

City staff subsequently identified concerns involving data centers’ water consumption, electrical demand, greenhouse gas emissions, noise and air quality.

Council members extended the moratorium for 90 days in July, and it is set to expire Oct. 16.

The second and final extension would apply to the “establishment, expansion or intensification of data centers and other similar high-intensity computing uses,” according to city officials.

The additional time would allow city staff to draft permanent amendments to the city’s general plan, unified development code, zoning regulations, development standards and other applicable regulations, according to a staff report.

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Kiera McKinney

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) —Artificial intelligence is becoming more common in workplaces, including among small businesses in the Coachella Valley.

More than half of U.S. workers now say they use AI on the job, according to Gallup. Census data also shows about one in five U.S. businesses are using AI, with sales and marketing among the most common uses.

At Cheers Coffee in Palm Desert, Co-Founder Hakob Jibilyan uses AI to help with social media, including figuring out when and what to post.

“With AI, you do have everything in front of you and you get the answer right away, instantly, which makes your job way easier,” Jibilyan said.

At Starlight Parking, AI is used even more broadly.

CTO and Co-Founder Cruz Hernandez said the company uses the technology across several parts of its business, including marketing, sales, technology management and operations.

“It saves you time, so much time,” Hernandez said. “And it also allows smaller businesses to scale up and almost operate like an enterprise-level company.”

But the growing use of AI is also raising concerns about jobs. U.S. employers have cited AI in more than 120,000 announced job cuts so far in 2026, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

A McKinsey survey also found 39% of respondents expect AI to reduce their company’s workforce in the next year.

For Luis Fernando, who uses AI himself, there are still parts of an experience he wants to remain human.“I would like it to be like a human response or experience,” Fernando said. “And I don’t think AI has that.”

That is also a line both local businesses say they are thinking about.

Hernandez said Starlight does not allow AI to manage direct customer communication because the company wants those interactions to remain authentic.

Jibilyan said AI can help make parts of the job faster, but the connection between employees and customers is something technology cannot replace.

“Customers always come back just because of certain employee that we have, because they had sort of a bonding where they just chat for two minutes and it changes someone’s day,” Jibilyan said.

Both businesses say they are open to using AI in more ways, while still keeping the human connection with customers.

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Dakota Makinen

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Students at Raymond Cree Middle School joined school staff and local law enforcement officials for a group walk to campus, bypassing standard vehicle drop-off zones and carpool lanes.

This year marked a record for Palm Springs Unified, with 15 schools participating.

The collective commute aims to teach students secure pedestrian navigation while providing morning physical activity.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, youth and adolescents should participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-intense exercise daily, a requirement met in part by traveling on foot.

Safety concerns along the busy roadways surrounding the campus prompted the involvement of local law enforcement.

Matt Steed, a patrol sergeant with the Palm Springs Police Department, highlighted the traffic risks in the immediate area.

“We have a lot of traffic collisions,” Steed said. “And right here where this school is located right off the street, you know, is a particularly busy street.”

Students participating in the walk also noted reckless drivers along the route, while expressing appreciation for the law enforcement guidance.

“Seeing the police officers. Like guiding us,” one student said, while another pupil noted receiving free stickers during the walk.

School staff emphasized that the exercise provided a positive break from the daily demands of the classroom. Zuri Lowe, a school counselor at Raymond Cree Middle School, highlighted the importance of supporting students through physical activity.

“The academic workload is so rigorous,” Lowe said. “So it’s definitely good for them to be able to get out and exercise. We want our kids to see that we’re here. We’re with them. We’re walking with them.”

School administrators noted that traveling together as a group offered benefits beyond physical exercise.

Jody Diaz, assistant principal at Raymond Cree Middle School, pointed to the social aspect of the commute.

“It’s not just for your body,” Diaz said. “It’s also for your social-emotional well-being. And it’s community building.”

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Jesus Reyes

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. (KESQ) – We’re less than a month away from Election Day! Ballots are on their way to voters; below are some important dates to remember.

October 5th: All eligible registered voters will begin receiving their ballot in the mail on this day; Vote-by-Mail Drop-Off Locations open throughout Riverside County

Click Here to Track Your Ballot

October 19th: Registration deadline

Click Here for Information to Register to Vote

October 24th: 11-Day Vote Centers open for in-person voting throughout Riverside County October 31st: 4-Day Vote Centers open for in-person voting throughout Riverside County

Ballot Drop-Off Locations in Riverside County

November 3rd: Election Day!

For more information visit www.voteinfo.net or call (951) 486-7200 or (800) 773-VOTE (8683)

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