Category: kesq-local-news

Blake Arthur

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) — The 2025 high school football season continues this week with many local teams in action.

Below is the schedule and scores for Week 4.

Friday, Sept. 12

Desert Hot Springs10
@
Shadow Hills44
F

Cathedral City6
@
Xavier Prep48
F

Western Christian47
@
Indio6
F

Palm Desert21
@
Yucaipa37
F

La Quinta22
@
Hesperia21
F

Yucca Valley21
@
Chaffey28
F

Rubidoux12
@
Twentynine Palms41
F

Coachella Valley24
@
Palo Verde Valley40
F

Desert Christian Academy58
@
San Jacinto Valley Academy7
F

Desert Chapel13
@
Nordhoff47
F

/**/

Thursday, Sept. 11

Palm Springs 49 at Colton 42 – Indians improve to 4-0 on the season.

Rancho Mirage 21 at Ramona 28 – Rattlers fall to 2-2 on the season.

How about the Tribe?! Gutsy, comeback 49-42 victory on the road over Colton. Indians remain undefeated on the year, improving to 4-0. @KESQ @BLVNBTL @KenjiitoKESQ @PSHSAD

— Blake Arthur (@BlakeArthur24) September 12, 2025

Stay with KESQ News Channel 3 for continuing coverage of local high school football throughout the season.

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KESQ News Team

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Update 9/13/2025

Palm Springs Police arrested a man in connection with a fatal shooting on Friday in the 500 block of Avenida Cerca.

Officers identified a 48-year-old Palm Springs man, as being involved in the homicide. He was arrested and booked into the John Benoit Detention Center.

That suspect is facing charges of homicide.

Officers responded around 6:50 a.m. to a report of a possible drive-by shooting near Avenida Cerca and Corozon Avenue.

Police said they found a 64-year-old Palm Springs man inside a vehicle with a gunshot wound. Officers attempted CPR, but the man died at the scene.

The victim’s identity is being withheld pending notification of his family.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Alexander Doherty at (760) 323-8142 or by email at Alexander.Doherty@palmspringsca.gov.

Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers at (760) 347-7867.

Original report

The Palm Springs Police Department is investigating a homicide that occurred on September 12, 2025, in the 500 block of Avenida Cerca, Palm Springs.

At approximately 6:50 AM, PSPD officers responded to a report of a possible drive-by shooting near the intersection of Avenida Cerca and Corozon Ave. The caller indicated uncertainty about whether a person inside a vehicle at the location had been shot. Upon arrival, officers located a 64-year-old male resident of Palm Springs inside a vehicle, suffering from a gunshot wound. Officers attempted CPR, but despite their efforts, the victim succumbed to his injuries at the scene.

Following a thorough investigation, officers identified Titus Holland, a 48-year-old resident of Palm Springs, as being involved in the homicide. He was subsequently arrested and booked into the John Benoit Detention Center on charges of 187(a) PC – Homicide.

The Palm Springs Police Department is continuing its investigation and encourages anyone with additional information to contact Detective Alexander Doherty at (760) 323-8142 or via email at Alexander.Doherty@palmspringsca.gov. Anonymous tips can be provided through Crime Stoppers at (760) 347-7867.

The identity of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Palm Springs Police are investigating a homicide near Avenida Cerca and Corazon Avenue in the Desert Highland Gateway Estates area.

PSPD officers were called to the scene Friday morning with reports that there was a body in the roadway.

They found a victim who was dead at the scene.

Officers say they currently have a person of interest in custody; however, they are continuing their investigation.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more information.

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Garrett Hottle

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Friday a 22-year-old man is under arrest in the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. Officials identified the suspect as Tyler Robinson and said a tip from someone close to him helped lead to the arrest. Investigators previously released surveillance video and said a rifle and ammunition were recovered near campus. Charges are pending.

The FBI said a suspect is in custody and asked the public to continue sharing photos and video as agents process evidence from a rooftop where they say they collected shoe, forearm, and palm impressions. The bureau had offered a reward up to 100,000 dollars before the arrest was announced. 

In the Coachella Valley, organizers say immigration-enforcement anxiety is reshaping public events. The annual Our Lady of Guadalupe pilgrimage has been canceled, with parishes planning smaller observances instead. Other Latino events have been scaled back or postponed.

Statement from Assemblymember Greg WallisAssemblymember Greg Wallis provided the following statement to News Channel 3:

“Political violence in any form must be unequivocally condemned, not only by elected leaders but by all of us, from dinner tables to boardrooms.

Every American should be free to exercise their First Amendment rights without fear.

Charlie’s tragic death has forced us to confront an unsettling reality, but we must not shy away from robust public debate and civil discourse.

This is the American way, the path to rediscovering our shared values, not retreating into silos.”

Kirk, 31, was shot during a campus event in Orem on Wednesday. Officials released new video Thursday night that appeared to show the gunman climbing down from a rooftop and running. Gov. Cox and federal officials announced the arrest on Friday.

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Cynthia White

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Nearly three years after a deadly shooting in Indio, Indio Police announce the arrests of two men connected to the 2022 homicide.

On December 23, 2022, around 2:00 a.m., Indio Police detectives responded to a homicide investigation at 45955 Grace Street, near Jackson Street and Highway 111. They found Steven Matthew Sanchez, 44, who had died at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds.

IPD reports that on September 5, they arrested Isaac Anthony Martinez, 21, who they charged with murder and accessory to a crime.

Isaac Anthony Martinez

Days later, on September 10, the department, along with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office Gang Impact Team, located Efren David Bracamonte, 21, in Thousand Palms. Bracamonte was charged with murder and also booked into John Benoit Detention Center. Bracamonte pled not guilty at his arraignment on Friday, and is being held on $1 million bail. He is due to be back in court later this month.

Efren David Bracamonte

News Channel 3 was at the scene of of Bracamonte’s arrest on Wednesday.

IPD has filed charges against both individuals with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.

The Indio Police Department is urging anyone with additional information regarding this case to contact Detectives Belman and Ortega at (760) 391-4057.

Stay with News Channel 3 for updates on this story.

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Gavin Nguyen

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Parents and students are concerned after a number of school threats have been made to PSUSD schools in recent days.

Several emails and phone calls were made into the KESQ Newsroom after posts on social media began circulating online on Wednesday about violence that would occur on Thursday at Desert Springs Middle School in Desert Hot Springs.

The Desert Hot Springs Police Department released a statement Thursday night and deemed the threat was not credible. The department said it will maintain an increased police presence on Friday out of an abundance of caution.

Palm Springs Unified School District reassured parents with several district emails and messages after the threat was deemed to be fake by investigators. Since the threat was first discovered, the district said it sent five messages to parents, acknowledging anxiety & fear over recent violence.

The most recent district update came at 4:35 p.m. on Friday:

Hello PSUSD Families!As we get ready for our weekend, it has become a happier Friday. Thanks to the diligence of the Desert Hot Springs Police Department, working in collaboration with our District security team and administrators, the author of recent threatening social media posts has been identified as a juvenile. In an abundance of caution, police and security presence around DHS schools will continue in the upcoming days.

We are grateful to our law enforcement partners and District security team for their dedication and commitment to keeping our scholars and staff safe and working together to bring this incident to resolution. We also want you to know that PSUSD has a zero tolerance for behavior that threatens the safety of our scholars, and the person(s) responsible for this incident will face the most severe disciplinary and legal consequences allowed,

I want to thank you all again for your continued support, understanding and confidence in us. Please hug your children and give them reassurance that their safety comes first and all of us at PSUSD are committed to providing a safe learning environment each and every day.

I wish you all a relaxing and peaceful weekend!

Sincerely,Marcus Funchess, Ed.D.Superintendent of Schools

Thursday’s threat comes after another phone threat was called into Palm Springs High School last week, which was also deemed to not be a credible threat.

Dr. Funchess said if parents or their students discover an online threat like the one on Thursday, they should remain calm. He encouraged parents to first speak with their children and help them stay calm, and if possible, get more information on where the threat came from.

Parents should also reach out to law enforcement, the school, or the district to inform them of the threat. They can call those places directly, or use the district’s reporting system called “Sprigeo.”

“Do you have a message for parents or students who might be a little bit scared to be going to school right now?” News Channel 3 asked the superintendent.

“Number one, I understand as a father first and a superintendent second, I understand those fears and anxieties, but I give you my 100% word that it is our job, our number one priority, and our goal to keep your scholar safe in our school district,” Dr. Funchess replied. “And that’s what we are working at and that’s what we will continue to do, working with our law enforcement professionals and working with you as our parents by communicating, receiving information from you and doing our job well.”

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Timothy Foster

LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) — Summer in the desert is always a challenge for local businesses, but this year, some restaurant owners say the slowdown hit harder than usual.

From July through September, restaurants typically see a dip in sales as triple-digit heat keeps many customers away. Brian Murphy, owner of Jimmy John’s in La Quinta and Palm Desert, said this season was slower than last year. Other restaurant owners he spoke with reported that business was either flat or down. On top of that, rent, insurance, food prices, and minimum wage increases added to the financial strain.

To get through the slower months, many local restaurants adjusted staffing, cut costs, and carefully managed food orders. Murphy explained that business owners rely on forecasting, using data from previous years to make decisions about labor and inventory.

The challenges extend beyond the Coachella Valley. The National Restaurant Association warns that new tariffs on food and beverages from Canada and Mexico could cost the industry more than $12 billion nationwide. With restaurants already operating on slim margins of just 3.5 percent, owners remain uncertain about the future.

Marco Honnold, general manager of Burgers & Beer in La Quinta, said his restaurant benefits from having a reliable distributor, but he noted that smaller establishments without the same resources may struggle even more. He added that rising costs from tariffs or inflation put added pressure on everyone in the industry.

Customers like Justin Thompson also recognize the importance of community support. He emphasized that shopping and dining locally helps strengthen the regional economy, especially during the slowest part of the year.

As temperatures finally begin to drop, restaurants hope customer traffic and revenue will rise again. Until then, they say it is local support that makes survival possible.

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Julia Castro

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — Extra security is in place at Desert Hot Springs schools after threatening social media posts targeted Desert Springs Middle School, according to police.

In a statement released on Thursday, the Desert Hot Springs Police Department stated that the investigation into the posts is ongoing, but so far, there is no credible threat to any campus.

Police and district security officers will maintain an increased presence at schools “out of an abundance of caution,” the statement said.

Officials thanked the Palm Springs Unified School District for its support and the community for its understanding as the investigation continues.

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CNN Newsource

NEW YORK, NY (CNN) – Palm Springs resident Barbara Keating was killed in the September 11 terror attacks when the plane she was on board crashed into the World Trade Center.

Twenty-four years later, her family recently gained a new sense of closure when her remains were identified by the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME).

The OCME has been working to identify 9/11 victims using DNA reference samples from their families. So far, the OCME has identified the remains of 1,653 individuals killed in the attack.

Keating’s son Paul says his family is eternally grateful for the work being done to give families like his answers.

Paul Keating spoke with CNN Correspondent Leigh Waldman about the identification and the sense of closure it gave to Barbara’s family.

News Channel 3’s Jeff Stahl highlighted Keating’s story in 2021, when St. Theresa Catholic Church in Palm Springs held its annual remembrance ceremony.

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Jesus Reyes

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – A hiker was taken to the hospital after suffering a “minor medical emergency” while on the Bump and Grind Trail in Palm Desert Thursday morning.

The incident was first reported at around 11 a.m.

A Rescue9 helicopter hoisted the patient out of the trail and onto a landing zone. The patient was then transported to the hospital via a ground ambulance.

No other details were available as of Thursday afternoon.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any new developments.

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Spencer Blum

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (KESQ) – The 2nd annual “Healthy Desert, Healthy You” Environmental Health Summit presented by the Desert Healthcare District and Foundation got underway on Thursday with a full slate of panels.

The event, being held at the Westin Rancho Mirage, brings together experts from across the valley to talk about various community health topics ranging from renewable energy and a sustainable future, to air quality, to infrastructure.

News Channel 3’s First Alert Meteorologist Spencer Blum was there and spoke with vendors, panelists, and organizers about some of the issues, including some related to his work every day.

The Environmental Health Summit continues on Friday.

For more information, visit healthydeserthealthyyou.com.

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