Category: kesq-local-news

Jesus Reyes

Update 6/19/26

Two suspects were arrested on Thursday, police said.

One suspect, a 34-year-old man, was arrested on Thursday at around 3:05 p.m. in the 300 block of E. Ramsey Street in Banning. Later that evening, police arrested the second suspect, a 22-year-old man, in the 200 block of W. Dale Street in Beaumont.

Both suspects face charges of murder and active participation in a criminal street gang. The 22-year-old also faces an additional accessory charge.

Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact the Banning Police Department Detective Bureau at (951) 922-3170 and reference Banning Police Department Case #26-1078.

Original Report 6/8/26

BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) – The investigation into a shooting that killed a 21-year-old man in Banning on Sunday remains ongoing.

The shooting was reported just before 11 p.m. in the area of 6th Street and Ramsey Street.

Police said officers arrived and found David Hernandez-Enriques suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in the 600 block of W. Ramsey Street. Hernandez-Enriques was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Banning Police Department Detective Bureau is actively investigating this incident. The investigation remains active and ongoing.

Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact the Banning Police Department Detective Bureau at (951) 922-3170 and reference Banning Police Department Case #26-1078.

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Haley Meberg

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ)– Riverside County’s unemployment rate dropped marginally amidst payroll losses and gains in the regional economy.

California Employment Development Department (EDD) reports that throughout the month of May countywide jobless rates estimated at 4.7%, compared to 4.9% in April. The May 2026 rate lies three-tenths of a percentage lower than last year’s level, when unemployment rates in Riverside County stood at 5%.

Countywide payrolls in the professional business, health services, hospitality, information technology and trade, as well as transportation and utilities sectors faced significant declines with 4,200 positions being shed throughout the county.

However, bi-county data from the EDD revealed large payroll expansions in the agricultural, construction, manufacturing, and public sectors with 2,400 positions being added in May, contributing to this change in rate.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more updates.

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City News Service

PINE COVE, Calif. (KESQ) – A hiker trekking today with his family in the San Bernardino National Forest northeast of Pine Cove fell and suffered injuries, leading firefighters to mount a rescue operation with the help of a sheriff’s helicopter crew.

The “hiker down” call was received at 11:30 a.m. Friday along Black Mountain Truck Trail, east of Highway 243, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

Capt. John Clingingsmith told City News Service the man, whose identity was not released, went down on the trail and experienced a “medical emergency” that left him unable to continue.

The victim’s family members, accompanying him, called 911, and engine crews were sent to the trailhead to mount a rescue.

Clingingsmith said due to the terrain, firefighters promptly requested that a sheriff’s helicopter crew based at Hemet-Ryan Airport initiate an air search for the parties.

As of noon, the search was getting underway.

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Luis Avila

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – A late-night fire has temporarily closed Hamachi Sushi, leaving the restaurant’s future uncertain.

Owner Carlos Pardo says an employee discovered smoke inside the building on Thursday.

Firefighters spent about three hours battling the blaze. Pardo says investigators determined the fire started when electrical wiring between the attic and ceiling came into contact with wood.

Pardo says he had previously reported concerns about the building’s wiring, insulation and roof leaks to the landlord.

Now, his focus is on supporting employees and reopening as quickly as possible.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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Dakota Makinen

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) — As communities across the country prepare to celebrate Juneteenth, News Channel 3 took to the streets to find out how much local residents know about the holiday and its significance in American history.

Some events taking place this weekend to celebrate Juneteenth:

Juneteenth Pageant

Join the Palm Springs Black History Committee for the 2026 Juneteenth Pageant: A Century of Black History Commemorations an evening celebrating Black culture, history, excellence, and community.

The event takes place June 20, 2026th, Doors Open at 5:30 PM, with the pageant Beginning at 6:00 PM at the James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center.

This special event serves as a fundraiser supporting the Palm Springs Black History Committee’s ongoing community initiatives and programs. Tickets are available online and at the door.

Juneteenth Concert

Music, Culture & Community Take Center Stage at Sunset Music and Education Foundation’s Joyful Juneteenth Celebration at XOXO Palm Springs.

The Sunset Music and Education Foundation’s (SMEF) Juneteenth Celebration during XOXO Palm Springs, is bringing an afternoon of music, storytelling, poetry, dance, live jazz, and community spirit to Revolution Stage Company on Saturday, June 20, from 2–4 PM.

Doors open at 1:30 at the Revolution Stage Company.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage of Juneteenth celebrations and the latest updates.

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María García

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. — A fire caused moderate damage to the Hamachi Sushi restaurant in Cathedral City late Thursday night, prompting an overnight response from local firefighters.

The fire was reported shortly after 11 p.m. at the restaurant near the intersection of Ramon Road and Date Palm Drive. Fire crews responded quickly and worked through the night to contain and extinguish the flames.

According to firefighters at the scene, the blaze caused moderate damage inside the restaurant. Officials said there was no fire or water damage reported to neighboring businesses within the commercial complex.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Firefighters were expected to remain at the location for an additional one to two hours before clearing the scene.

No injuries have been reported at this time. Additional details are expected to be released as the investigation continues.

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Athena Jreij

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – The city of Palm Desert is looking to extend it’s guidelines for outdoor dining patios, after public outcry to keep the additions.

Local restaurants have feared changes to the city’s regulations on the covid-era patios, as they neared a June 30th deadline.

“It makes a big impact on sales, on our servers and guests if we don’t have an outdoor patio when the weather’s beautiful, we don’t get a lot of action,” Kitchen 86 general manager Travis Morgan said.

After a city council meeting last week, city officials now say they’ll extend the guidelines for a year, while looking into more permanent regulations to keep the outdoor dining spaces.

“Existing compliant operators just have to resubmit application making sure that they’re going to continue to the exact same thing and get property owner approval on it,” Carlos Flores, Deputy Director of Development Services for Palm Desert said.

For some, it comes too late, with Kitchen 86’s patio one of the last standing on El Paseo.

“Last summer when they decided to do the construction, they used that opportunity to basically take all outdoor dining away. Mama Gina’s, Armando’s, Daily Grill, which again changed the whole face of El Paseo,” Morgan said.

Just down the street at Little Bar, owner Skip Paige says he’s facing new obstacles to renewing his permit.

Paige claims criteria passed in October now requires his landlord’s approval of the deck, making them financially responsible for any damage on the public property. It’s a barrier he worries could take away the beloved addition.

“They do have a permit and an agreement that they need to sign off on. There are terms within their in terms of liability if there is an incident or if there’s anything that their infrastructure does on our property,” Flores said.

Still, the city says public outcry is pushing them to find long-term solutions.

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Kiera Seapy

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ)- More than 250 scholars from across the Coachella Valley gathered at the UCR Palm Desert for the OneFuture student leadership conference.

“OneFuture is focused on students finishing their degrees and then moving on to the career or even graduate school. That is their dream. And so for us to be able to help students do that, we provide, yes, the money. But as importantly, and maybe even more important is what’s called holistic support services” said Sheila Thornton, the president and CEO of OneFuture Coachella Valley.

The support includes mentorship, leadership training, and career guidance that is designed to help students not onlt enter college but also complete their degree and move into the future.

Janelly Martinez-Sanchez, a OneFuture Scholar and a master’s student says “It means a lot just because money is very tight. It really does help me and my education.”

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Peter Daut

MOUNTAIN CENTER, Calif. (KESQ) – News Channel 3 and the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation presented another Impact Grant to improve lives and help those in need. A $25,000 charitable gift was awarded to Pathfinder Ranch to support camp scholarships for Coachella Valley children, as well as the camp’s horse program.

Nestled in the mountains of Mountain Center, Pathfinder Ranch is giving children a chance to unplug, explore nature, and create lifelong memories.

The summer camp, which serves children ages 7 to 14, offers a wide range of outdoor activities, including rock climbing, horseback riding, canoeing, hiking, archery, and more.

Ten-year-old camper Abigail Fargo said being surrounded by nature is one of her favorite parts of the experience.

“I love it,” Fargo said. “I love nature, and I love going on hikes and playing outside. It’s really fun.”

Pathfinder Ranch is dedicated to helping children from diverse backgrounds build confidence, develop new skills, and form lasting friendships through outdoor experiences.

Camper Iker Ayon said he has already learned several new activities during his time at camp.

“I learned how to rock climb, I learned how to do archery in the archery range,” Ayon said. Although he initially struggled with some of the activities, he said he eventually figured them out and had fun in the process.

Founded in 1964, Pathfinder Ranch was originally created to provide Coachella Valley children with an escape from the desert heat. Over the decades, it has grown into a year-round destination offering summer camps, outdoor education programs, and retreats, while remaining focused on its mission of connecting people with nature and one another.

“It is a key opportunity for kids to strike out on their own socially and be away from parents,” said Chris Fife, executive director of Pathfinder Ranch. “They’re still in a safe environment where they’re observed, supervised, and guided, but they’re learning a lot of soft skills. Camp provides a different environment than school for that kind of growth.”

That mission recently received a boost thanks to a $25,000 Impact Grant from the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation and News Channel 3.

The grant will fund camp scholarships for children from the Coachella Valley and help support horse care and equestrian programs at the ranch.

Fife said the funding comes at a critical time as camp operating costs continue to rise.

“It’s a huge help,” Fife said. “The camp, like everything else, is getting more expensive these days, and it’s harder for us to make those scholarship dollars stretch. With this grant, we’re going to be able to add another 29 full scholarships, and that’s 29 kids who probably wouldn’t be able to make it here.”

For Fargo, the grant means more children will have the opportunity to enjoy the same experiences she has had this summer.

“I’m really excited because kids also get to have fun like us this summer,” she said.

In addition to its summer sleepaway camp, Pathfinder Ranch operates outdoor education programs that serve students from across Southern California.

More information about Pathfinder Ranch can be found at pathfinderranch.com

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Tommy Gallegos

A suspect was arrested Thursday afternoon following a pursuit involving a stolen vehicle through the Coachella Valley, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.

At approximately 1:25 p.m., deputies located a stolen vehicle in the area of Bob Hope Drive and Casino Drive and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. Sheriff’s say the driver failed to yield, prompting deputies to initiate a pursuit.

During the chase, the vehicle briefly stopped near Bob Hope Drive and Dinah Shore Drive, where a passenger exited the vehicle. The driver then continued fleeing from deputies through the city.

The pursuit came to an end in the area of Gene Autry Trail and Vista Chino, where the suspect abandoned the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot. Deputies quickly apprehended the suspect, who was taken into custody without incident.

Authorities searched for the passenger who exited earlier in the pursuit but were unable to locate the individual. Investigators are working to identify that person.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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