Category: kesq-local-news

Jesus Reyes

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – A retired cross-country truck driver previously convicted of murder in Texas pleaded not guilty to charges in the 1992 murder of a woman found dead in Desert Center.

Douglas Thomas pleaded not guilty to charges in the murder of Sherri Herrera, 30, of Tulare, California. He is scheduled to return to court for a felony settlement conference on Dec. 3.

Thomas worked as a truck driver for more than 40 years and traveled extensively across the United States.

Douglas Thomas

Herrera, a mother of four, was found dead on March 30, 1993, on the eastbound Hayfield Road on-ramp to I-10 in Desert Center.

Sherri Herrera

The case went cold for nearly 30 years until a breakthrough in 2022.

In May 2022, Thomas was arrested by Texas Rangers after DNA evidence linked him to the April 1992 murder of a woman in Titus County, Texas. He was later convicted in that case and sentenced to 40 years to life in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

According to the DA’s office, Thomas’s DNA also matched evidence recovered in the Herrera investigation. Detectives with the Riverside County Regional Cold Case Homicide Team traveled to Texas to interview Thomas about Herrera’s murder.

Following their investigation, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office charged Thomas with the 1993 murder of Herrera. Prosecutors also filed a special circumstance allegation of  murder during the commission of a rape.

Although Thomas is serving his Texas sentence, the Riverside County DA’s Office initiated the Interstate Agreement on Detainers process with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The agency said the legal process allows California authorities to take custody of Thomas despite his Texas incarceration, ensuring he will face justice in Riverside County.

Click here to follow the original article.

Kendall Flynn

LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – Desert Sands Unified School Districts is honoring the lives lost 24 years ago on Sept. 11. The district’s principals and other administrative staff gathered together for moments of silence and patriotism.

Two of DSUSD’s principal are retired military, and each shared their experience in 2001. Both believe it is ceremony’s like this that are vital to keeping everyone educated on the tragedy, but to also teach their students about kindness and bullies.

Stay with News Channel 3 to hear from the principals and superintendent about the ceremony.

Click here to follow the original article.

Kendall Flynn

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – While the new generation of students was not born during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers, local schools continue to teach them about its history.

Studies show teaching students about 9/11 is important to give the younger generation factual information about a significant day that shaped the nation. As the day has complex global factors, educators say breaking down what lead to the attacks, what happened during and after is important even 24 years later.

Eighth grade U.S. History teacher, Debbie Sanchez, at Raymond Cree Middle School spent the day teaching her students about the tragic events. She molded the lesson into ways to discuss heavy topics respectfully, but asking students to choose words to define that they felt drawn to.

Students chose a variety of words like justice, freedom, diversity and rights. Sanchez said it’s important to teach them how to have respectful conversations about divided topics.

“As adults, we actually tend to discourage discussing religion politics because it can be divisive,” Sanchez said. “And the students, the children of the community, they came together and discussed…in a academic, caring and thoughtful way.”

She said each year her teaching style has to adapt to her students, especially as they are not a generation that was alive during the attacks. She makes sure the lesson is impactful and palatable.

“I don’t think it will always be like this,” Sanchez said. “I think as a teacher it’s my job to change to adapt to deliver to my audience information in a way that is interesting and palatable for them but it it’ll never change the impact and the importance of 9/11.”

Stay with News Channel 3 to hear from a teacher and students about the day of remembrance and how their honoring it with education.

Click here to follow the original article.

Athena Jreij

SAN JACINTO, Calif. (KESQ) — As the Riverside County Department of Animal Services battles it’s overcrowding crisis, they’re pushing more volunteers to take dogs out into the community seeking adopters.

The program, ‘Dog Day Out,’ allows for one-day foster field trips where volunteers can give dogs a day of activities away from their kennel, which include walks to the park, a local coffee shop or mall for some.

“These outings are gamechangers: dogs get to exercise, socialize, de-stress, and show off their personalities—all of which help them shine for potential adopters. In fact, studies show that just one day out of the shelter makes a dog 5x more likely to be adopted,” the county says.

Volunteer Ashleigh Dunn has taken dozens of dogs out and with the help of social media promotion, she says nearly all have been adopted.

” I think it’s just important to kind of beat the stigma of shelter pets always having these issues like they’re all aggressive or can’t be placed in a family home when really they’re just like most other dogs,” Dunn said.

She says the difference in animals behavior when they get out of the shelter, is noticeable almost immediately.

“They’re usually 80 to 100% different from when they’re in their kennel. So when you take them out so and they’re barking at you in the kennel, and then you take them out and they turn into a normal dog, they just want to take a nap,” Dunn said.

It comes as shelters deal with critical overcapacity, with the San Jacinto Animal Campus at 286% over-capacity.

“In particular to San Jacinto, we do need to see more foot traffic here for the amount of animals that continue to come in. Fostering, adopting and making space in any of our kennels helps the other shelter systems, because that’s making space that we might not otherwise have,” Veronica Perez with RCDAS said.

Dog Day Out trips require appointments at the San Jacinto Animal Campus and the Riverside County West Animal Shelter. Walk-ins are allowed at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus.

If you’re interested in participating, visit: https://rcdas.org/dog-day-out

Click here to follow the original article.

Karen Devine

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – A tragic case in Desert Hot Springs is shining a spotlight on the growing danger of fentanyl — not just for users, but for the most vulnerable: children.

An I-Team investigation has uncovered two separate cases in the last two years where children under the age of four died from fentanyl exposure in Desert Hot Springs alone. One of those children was just two years old.

Nova Morreo was only two years old when she was found unresponsive in her home last year. Detectives say life-saving efforts were attempted, but it was too late.

“A call was placed, it was a 911 call from the home that a child was unresponsive. Our patrol team responded out there, and they attempted life-saving measures. However, the child had visible signs of death already,” said Detective Celia Romero of the Desert Hot Springs Police Department.

Nova’s mother, Crystal Monique Ward, and her boyfriend, Israel Contreras, were charged with felony child endangerment after toxicology reports revealed a substantial amount of fentanyl in the child’s system.

“A two-year-old did not obtain the drug themselves. What we know is that somebody brought it into the home or put it in a place where the child could have easily gotten to it,” added Romero.

Nova’s case is not the only one.

According to Desert Hot Springs detectives, this marks the second case in just two years where a child under the age of four has died due to fentanyl exposure.

“It’s a tragedy when anybody passes away, period. It’s even more tragic when someone passes away of a 100% preventable situation, and it’s even worse when it’s a child,” said Detective Sergeant Cory Carranza.

The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office is pursuing harsh penalties in fentanyl-related deaths. But fentanyl awareness advocates argue more accountability is needed.

“Less than 2% of all drug deaths result in the conviction of a drug dealer and we need to reverse that,” said Matt Capelouto, who lost his daughter Alexandra to fentanyl poisoning in 2019.

Capelouto successfully helped push for the prosecution of the man who sold his daughter the counterfeit pill. The dealer was sentenced to nine years in federal prison in 2022.

“Law enforcement has taken a strong stance. These drug dealers are very aware of it and they’re making conscious efforts to avoid dealing drugs in these areas,” Capelouto added.

California voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 36 last year, allowing felony charges and increasing sentences for certain drug and theft crimes.

“People are realizing we’re serious about this. Now they’re going to jail, and they’re putting the word back out on the streets,” said Detective Sgt. Carranza.

Detectives emphasize that fentanyl use around children is especially dangerous and often fatal.

“Unfortunately, drug users are not cautious with their drugs. They are very irresponsible, and a lot of times they’re left out where children can mistakenly take a pill and mistake it for some candy,” said Detective Romero.

While Narcan, a medication that reverses opioid overdoses, is widely available, it’s not stopping usage — just the fatal overdoses.

“It’s not uncommon to see even unhoused people out in the streets who are fentanyl users have a whole bunch of Narcan with them,” Carranza noted.

Nova Morreo’s case is moving forward. Her mother and her mother’s boyfriend face up to six years in prison if convicted. They are expected back in court next month.

“I felt like we had closed a chapter for Nova — a chapter that needed to be closed. Somebody needed to go out there and seek justice for what happened to her,” said Detective Romero.

Fentanyl continues to take lives across California, but when children become the victims, law enforcement and community advocates are drawing a clear line: this is not an accident and there will be consequences.

Click here to follow the original article.

Garrett Hottle

CABAZON, Calif. (KESQ)  Twenty-four years after the September 11th terrorist attacks, firefighters climbed the stairs of Morongo Casino Resort & Spa today to honor the 343 FDNY firefighters who gave their lives at Ground Zero.

The 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb began with a morning ceremony, followed by participants scaling the equivalent of 110 stories inside the casino tower. The number of participants is capped at 343 climbers to reflect the number of fallen firefighters.

Morongo Fire Chief Abdul Khamet recalled the shock of watching events unfold on duty in 2001.

“We were completely in shock for what we were witnessing,” he explained. “Firefighters were entering into the tower to save as many lives as possible. And in the course of doing that, some of them met their fate,” Khamet said.

The Morongo Fire Department, which began as a volunteer wildland crew called the Flying Eagles in the 1950s, now operates as a full-time department with nearly 50 firefighters and EMTs answering more than 1,500 calls a year.

Captain Krone with the Morongo Fire Department said the climb shows the department’s commitment to remembrance.

“It feels great, it’s inspiring,” he said. “It reminds us every day when we get on the truck what we’re here to do. The phrase we’ll never forget gets tossed around, but an event like this truly shows it.”

This year’s event carried a powerful local connection. 

In August, New York officials confirmed the identification of 72-year-old Barbara Keating of Palm Springs, nearly 25 years after she died aboard American Airlines Flight 11 when it crashed into the North Tower.

Chief Craig Sanborn with the Cathedral City Fire Department described the challenge of the stair climb and the meaning behind it.

“Climbing the stairs, it’s exhausting, it’s hot… but we power through. We cheer each other on, and I always say a little prayer for the name I’m carrying.”

Keating’s identification is among more than 1,650 victims identified to date. Roughly 1,100 remain unidentified.

“My heart goes out to the families,” Chief Khamet said. “We are here to make sure, as we always say on the side of our engines, that we will never forget.”

The stair climb is one of dozens nationwide organized by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Funds raised support programs for the families of fallen firefighters.

Click here to follow the original article.

Allie Anthony

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Palm Springs is coming together for the city’s annual “Never Forget 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony” at Fire Station 2.

The event is set for 8:30 a.m. and will honor the nearly 3,000 lives lost in the attacks and paid tribute to the heroic first responders who acted with courage on that tragic day.

The Palm Springs Fire Department invites the public to reflect, remember, and unite.

Click here to follow the original article.

Julia Castro

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) —Palm Springs is moving forward with a $125 million modernization and expansion of its convention center, coupled with new pedestrian and multimodal links to better connect the site with downtown and nearby neighborhoods. The city council approved the renovations during its Wednesday council meeting.

For residents, the plan means phased interior renovations and critical system upgrades at the venue, plus an east-entrance expansion designed to handle larger and outdoor events. The city says the surrounding streets will see streetscape and safety improvements aimed at making the area more walkable and accessible.

Palm Springs has issued requests for qualifications (RFQs) for architectural and engineering services and for an owner’s representative, with an urban design RFQ expected later this month. Pre-qualification conferences are Sept. 17–18, and the selection process includes a local-preference scoring category for firms.

Funding options under consideration include a citywide Tourism Infrastructure District, Measure J, Measure A, and other tools.

The city says its goal is to reinvest convention revenues back into the facility and the surrounding community.

Click here to follow the original article.

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.

Click here to follow the original article.

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.

Click here to follow the original article.