Category: kesq-local-news

Tommy Gallegos

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — A vehicle collided with a building in the 400 block of S. Calle Encilia Monday morning, prompting a response from Palm Springs police and fire crews.

Authorities received a report of the crash at approximately 7:44 a.m. Police and fire personnel responded to the scene and found the driver uninjured.

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The building was evacuated after a reported natural gas leak was discovered following the collision. According to authorities, the gas leak has since been cleared by the Gas Company.

A building inspector was also dispatched to assess the extent of the damage caused by the crash.

No injuries were reported in connection with the incident.

Authorities said that, at this time, there does not appear to be a criminal element associated with the collision. Fire and police personnel remained at the scene as the investigation and damage assessment continued.

Additional information about the cause of the crash was not immediately available.

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Dakota Makinen

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – With temperatures climbing into the triple digits across the Coachella Valley, air conditioning systems are working overtime to keep homes cool.

But not all AC units use energy the same way.

Newer high-efficiency systems are designed to cool homes while using less energy than many older units. Systems that are 15 or 20 years old may have to work harder and run longer to maintain the same indoor temperature, potentially contributing to higher energy bills.

News Channel 3 spoke with Cortland Knudson at Sunlogix in Palm Desert about what homeowners should know about the differences between older and newer AC systems.

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KESQ News Team

OJAI, Calif. (KESQ) – The Ojai Raptor Center says Jackie, the bald eagle found at Big Bear Lake, remains in critical and unstable condition.

The center says Jackie’s packed cell volume (PCV) — a measure of the percentage of red blood cells in her blood — fell below 6% yesterday. Today, it increased to 9%.

While the increase is a small improvement, the center says Jackie’s PCV remains critically low and her overall condition is still extremely serious.

Her condition is being closely evaluated by a collaborative team that includes nine veterinarians, along with representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The center says there is no additional medical information to share at this time, adding that the team’s focus remains on Jackie’s welfare and providing the care she needs.

Jackie has been receiving treatment after being found on the ground on Big Bear Lake following a confrontation with two other bald eagles.

The center revealed that the encounter with eagles likely left her grounded, but experts do not believe it is what caused her illness.

Officials say another update will be provided when there is meaningful new information about her condition.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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KESQ News Team

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ)- UPDATE 8/14: Palm Springs police have arrested a suspect in connection with an assault that injured nine people during a Splash House event at the Palm Springs Air Museum on August 9.

Police said a dispute escalated when bottles were thrown into a crowd, injuring nine people. Detectives, working with the San Diego Police Department’s Violent Crime Task Force, identified a 35 year old man from El Cajon as the suspect, who later agreed to surrender.

The suspect turned himself in Friday, August 14, and was arrested on suspicion of multiple counts of assault with a deadly weapon under California Penal Code Section 245(a)(1). He was booked at the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio.

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Palm Springs police at 760-323-8136 or Javier.Carrillo@palmspringsca.gov.

Original article from August 9th

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Palm Springs Police Department says nine people were injured after bottles were thrown into the crowd during a Splash House event at the Palm Springs Air Museum in the early hours Sunday morning.

At about 1:37 a.m. Sunday morning, officers working at the event were alerted to a reported assault. Additional officers responded and secured the area while the incident was investigated.

Their investigation determined that a dispute occurred, and ultimately escalated, with bottles being thrown into the crowd that injured a total of nine partygoers who were not involved in the initial dispute.

Two were treated at the scene, while seven others were transported to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries, some sustained from broken glass.

The incident occurred during Saturday night’s “After Hours at the Air Museum” event, which featured performances by The Chainsmokers and Ship Wrek.

Investigators are actively looking into the incident and are asking anyone with information to contact the Palm Springs Police Department at 760-323-8116.

Stay with News Channel 3 for updates.

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Timothy Foster

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — A group in Palm Springs is continuing its effort to decriminalize or deprioritize the enforcement of laws involving certain psychedelic plants and fungi.

The Palm Springs Psychedelic Society held an educational event Saturday at the Mizell Center, one year after the organization first introduced the community to the Decriminalize Nature movement.

The group is seeking support for a proposed resolution that would ask the Palm Springs City Council to decriminalize entheogenic plants and fungi, including substances containing psilocybin.

Organizers say the proposal has been presented to all five Palm Springs City Council members. The resolution would need the support of at least three council members to move forward.

John Ninos, a Palm Springs resident involved with the effort, said the goal of the educational events is to provide information about the potential uses of psychedelics and challenge what he described as longstanding stigma surrounding the substances.

Supporters point to research involving psychedelics and areas including depression, anxiety, addiction, PTSD and end-of-life care. They say greater education could help people better understand the potential benefits and risks.

Scott Rusczky, president of the Coachella Valley Cannabis Alliance Network, also attended Saturday’s event. He said education is important when discussing both cannabis and psychedelic substances.

Supporters also emphasized that decriminalization would not mean legalization.

Under a decriminalization approach, possession or use of certain substances could become a lower law enforcement priority, while the substances would remain illegal under state and federal law unless those laws are changed.

The Palm Springs Psychedelic Society says it hopes the city will eventually consider its proposed resolution. If approved, supporters say Palm Springs would become the seventh city in California to adopt a decriminalization policy involving entheogenic plants and fungi and the first in Southern California.

The movement remains controversial, with supporters citing potential therapeutic benefits while critics have raised concerns about safety, misuse and the lack of broad legal authorization for psychedelic substances.

For now, organizers say they plan to continue holding educational events and talking with members of the community as they seek support for the proposal.

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Matthew Pearce

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) — A backpack giveaway in Cathedral City allows students to choose their backpacks and build excitement for the upcoming school year.

Hosted by Assemblymember Greg Wallis, the event aims to prepare students for the new school year by providing school supplies.

Helmets were also given to students to promote safe biking habits and help protect those who ride their bikes to school.

Hear more about this event tonight on News Channel 3.

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Jesus Reyes

MECCA, Calif. (KESQ) – A person was rushed to the hospital after being struck by a vehicle Thursday night in Mecca, authorities confirmed.

The crash was reported just before 8:40 p.m. on the 67000 Block of Hammond Road, north of Johnson Street.

Details on the crash remain limited. We’ve reached out to the California Highway Patrol for additional information.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any updates.

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City News Service

MORENO VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – A probationer from Cathedral City accused of threatening a motoristduring a road rage confrontation in Moreno Valley was charged today with being a felon in possession of live ammunition and other offenses.

Germaine Wade Murphy, 33, of Cathedral City was arrested Friday following a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigation.

Along with the possession count, Murphy is charged with probation violations and being a prior-strike felon.

The defendant, who is being held in lieu of $20,000 bail at the Smith Correctional Facility, was slated to make his initial court appearance Tuesday afternoon at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

According to sheriff’s Sgt. Rafael Victorio, on July 31, deputies received reports of a man brandishing a pistol at another driver during an unspecified conflict that happened on city streets, though the exact location wasn’t provided.

Victorio said investigators were soon able to confirm the alleged assailant’s identity, without disclosing how. For nearly two decades, Moreno Valley has operated a Citywide Camera System that sometimes aids in apprehending crime suspects who used area streets to make getaways.

Victorio said an arrest warrant was obtained for Murphy, and deputies tracked him to the 34000 block of Gateway Drive in Palm Desert, where a traffic stop was executed early Friday morning, and the defendant was taken into custody without incident.

Deputies then served a search warrant at his residence in the 37000 block of Bankside Drive.

“They located articles of evidentiary value,” the sergeant said, without disclosing anything further.

No firearm was seized. It was unclear whether Murphy allegedly brandished a pistol at the victim, whose identity wasn’t provided, or something resembling one.

Court records show the defendant was convicted last year of elder abuse and an enhancement for inflicting great bodily injury. No details were available regarding that case, which resulted in a six-month jail term and two years’ felony probation.

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City News Service

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Indio has launched a new phone app designed to assist residents and visitors, the city announced today.

Explore Indio will serve as the city’s official digital guide, featuring local businesses, dining and attractions.

“Indio has so much more to experience, and this app gives our community and visitors a fun new way to discover everything our city has to offer,” Mayor Elaine Holmes said in a statement. “It provides a convenient and engaging way for people to explore what makes Indio such a dynamic place to live, visit and enjoy.”

Community members can customize an itinerary through what officials described as an easy-to-use free app, which can be found on the Apple Store and Google Play. More information is available at https://www.indio.org/our-city/experience-indio.

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City News Service

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – A 53-year-old wanted suspect was arrested today in Coachella.

Deputies with the Gang Task Force found the suspect at 11:07 a.m. Friday in the area of Cesar Chavez Street and Bagdad Avenue, according to Lt. Deirdre Vickers of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

He was taken into custody without incident, Vickers said.

Details about why the man was wanted were not immediately known. His city of residence was not provided.

He has not been formally charged.

The investigation was ongoing.

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