Category: kesq-local-news

Cynthia White

EL PASO, Texas (KESQ) – Travelers on board a flight to Palm Springs from Dallas on Wednesday had their trip diverted as the pilot made a landing in El Paso, Texas.

A passenger of American Airlines flight 2709 sent video to News Channel 3, showing everyone from the flight sitting at the gate waiting for a replacement flight to arrive, saying the crew brought them water and snacks from the plane because everything in the airport is closed.

The passenger says the pilot told everyone that a cracked window on the flight deck spiderwebbed, making it unsafe to fly.

The passenger added that the replacement flight was on its way, with a planned takeoff by midnight, and most of the other passengers are taking the delay well.

News Channel 3 reached out to American Airlines and received the following statement:

“American Airlines flight 2709, with service from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to Palm Springs (PSP) diverted to El Paso (ELP) due to a mechanical issue. The aircraft landed safely and taxied to the gate under its own power. Our team is working to get customers on their way this evening. We never want to disrupt our customers’ travel plans and we apologize for the inconvenience.”

Right now, Palm Springs International lists the arrival as delayed until 12:53 a.m. Thursday.

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Shay Lawson

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Some Desert Hot Springs residents say they are being forced to choose between paying thousands of dollars or losing access to their water service.

A homeowner, who asked to remain anonymous, told News Channel 3 he and a few of his neighbors received letters from Mission Springs Water District (MSWD) informing them that their homes are deemed hazards to their water system, and as such gave them 30 days to install the “backflow protection device that meets compliance standards.”

MSWD officials said the device is designed to stop contaminated water from flowing back into the public water system, but some residents said the mandate comes with steep costs.

“The notice that I received was some sort of inspection where they just drove by my house and took a picture and said, my house is a hazard to the water system,” said the homeowner. “It wanted me to install a commercial grade pressure reducing anti-backflow device.”

The homeowner said the particular valve can cost at least $3,000 plus annual inspection fees.

He also said he’s worried about reduced water pressure.

“What an MSWD official told me is that once they install this particular device, it drops the water pressure at least 10 to 15 psi,” he said. “I’m thinking that’s going to give me like 10 psi water pressure at my house, I don’t think that’s even usable. The MSWD officials response was to just go out and buy a water booster pump. That could be $6,000 for something like that.”

Danny Friend, MSWD Director of Operations, said the district is following new state requirements that went into effect this summer.

“Recently the state made some updates and we’re aligning our program,” said Friend. “In this case, there are some homes that have a hydraulic gradient issue where they’re higher than the water system, and in circumstances where there is a water main break or a high water demand situation, it could create a reverse flow.”

Friend said homeowners are required to cover the cost of installation.

“For state requirements, the homeowner does have a responsibility to ensure that they have the properly approved backflow prevention assembly installed on the customer side of the meter,” Friend said.

He said that no subsidies are currently available.

“Unfortunately at this stage of the program, there’s nothing being offered by the state,” Friend said. “In circumstances like this, if they do need assistance, they can reach out to our public information office and we can provide them additional resources.”

So far, the district said only a handful of homes have been flagged. But Friend acknowledged that hazard assessments will eventually be conducted for all 14,000 service connections in the district.

Stay with News Channel 3 at 10 and 11 p.m. for the full story.

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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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