Category: kesq-local-news

City News Service

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Indio police hosted National Night Out at Center Stage in the downtown area today as part of an effort to strengthen relations with the community.

The event began at 6 p.m. Tuesday at 82881 Miles Ave.   

“This is a night for America to stand together to promote awareness, safety, and neighborhood unity. National Night Out showcases the vital importance of police-community partnerships and citizen involvement in out fight to build a safer nation,” National Project Coordinator Matt Peskin said in a statement.   

It featured more than 40 community partner booths, including other law enforcement agencies, police said. Officers, in partnership with the California Highway Patrol Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program, will distribute promotional items that state “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Drive High, Get a DUI.”  

National Night Out, sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch, aims to “heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, generate support for and participation in local anti-crime efforts and strengthen neighborhood spirit,” the department said.

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

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Kendall Flynn

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Mosquitoes collected from a routine surveillance trap in the City of Palm Springs have tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV), according to Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District.

The sample discovery was taken near the intersections of South Camino Real and East La Verne Way. This is the first WNV-positive mosquito sample reported in Palm Springs this year and the 11th in the Coachella Valley.

News Channel 3 brought you the first WNV discovery of the year in the North Shore community in May. Now the latest discovery is prompting the City of Palm Springs to alert its residents. With recent rain, the mosquitoes are more likely to be around, especially near still water.

Now the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District is working to treat areas in Palm Springs, including hot spots for breeding and at residents homes. The district’s Public Information Manager Robert Gaona said it’s a process of killing the mosquito larva before it reaches adulthood for maximum mitigation.

“Each mosquito will lay, 300 eggs,” Gaona said. “So, it is best to treat them when they’re in water to prevent them from becoming adults. It’s much easier and more effective to get rid of them before they’re flying around their communities.”

From storm drains throughout the city alone, thousands of mosquito larva swim near the surface. Vector control takes a sample to determine the breed of mosquito before deciding what method of treatment they need to use. It is often an oil-based treatment sprayed on the surface to inhibit the larva from reaching it.

Mosquito larva sample taken on the corner of E Tachevah Drive and N Avenida Caballeros.

Jonathan Herrera, vector control technician two, said the treatments are efficient until it rains. The storms wash away the original oil treatment, forcing them to consistently return to the area. He said with the rain also comes more mosquitoes around still water.

“It all depends especially with the rain events that we are scheduled to have this coming up Thursday and Friday,” Herrera said. “Unfortunately, that’s just the nature of the beast. But in the meantime, you could always…remove any stagnant water, also use repellent.” 

Stay with News Channel 3 to hear from officials on what treatment looks like and what residents need to know.

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Allie Anthony

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) — SunLine Transit Agency is offering free rides across its entire fixed-route bus system in support of two major statewide efforts to improve air quality.

The free ride campaign lasts from October 7 through October 11 during Rideshare Week. This is a statewide initiative encouraging commuters to rethink their travel habits in favor of more sustainable options.

No passes, promo codes, or special tickets are required. Riders can simply show up, board, and ride free of charge during the promotional dates.

SunLine hopes the initiative not only helps clear the air but also introduces new riders to the convenience and reliability of public transit.

For more information about routes and schedules, visit this site.

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City News Service

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Herbert W. Burns, a pioneering architectural designer, will posthumously be honored with the 480th star on the Palm Springs Walk of the Stars in the category of Architect/Artist/Designer.

The star will be unveiled at 300 S Palm Canyon Dr. on Friday, October 17 at 2:00 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

Burns died in 1988 at the age of 91 and his impact on the city lives on to this day.

According to the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce, Burns was one of Palm Springs’ earliest architectural visionaries, credited with helping shape the desert city’s iconic midcentury character. Entirely self-taught, Burns worked in a distinctive “Late Moderne” style that blended sleek modernism with the desert landscape, giving Palm Springs its reputation for the seamless indoor–outdoor lifestyle.

His very first project in town—the Town & Desert Apartment Hotel (1947), now The Hideaway—garnered international press, and many of his subsequent works, including the Village Manor (1955), now Orbit In, the Gillman Residence (1948), and the Crockett Residence (1951), have been recognized as Class 1 Historic Sites by the City of Palm Springs.

His portfolio also includes the Desert Hills Apartment Hotel (1956), The Four Hundred (1955), and The 500 West (1970), all of which reflect his lasting impact on Palm Springs’ built environment.

Burns’ influence extended far beyond architecture. After serving as an officer in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II, he moved permanently to Palm Springs in 1945 and quickly immersed himself in civic life. He served on the Palm Springs Park and Recreation Board, helped oversee the planting of more than 300 palm trees along Palm Canyon Drive, and sat on the steering committee for the creation of the 22-acre Tamarisk (now Ruth Hardy) Park. He was elected to the Chamber of Commerce in 1948, became president of the Village Hotel and Apartment House Managers Association, and even ran twice for city council.

Burns was also a familiar face in the community, active with the Tennis Club, the Palm Springs Shrine Club, and later as a member of the newly formed Police Aero Squadron. His professional and civic life reflected a deep love for Palm Springs and a vision for its future as both a resort town and a community.

Click here for more information on the Palm Springs Walk of the Stars.

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Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The city of Palm Springs is celebrating the grand opening of its newest boutique resort.

City leaders held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday morning, welcoming the Casa Palma Hotel and Bungalows, located at 1533 N Chaparral Road.

It features over 30 rooms, 2 pools, a restaurant, and a tennis and pickleball court.

The property is the former Desert Sun resort, which closed earlier this year.

Ryan and Rochelle Jaleh, the owners of Casa Palma, say they were inspired by their childhood visits to Palm Springs.

“We’ve always loved coming out to this community and I have always loved Palm Springs, and the minute that we set our eyes on this hotel, we knew it was something special,” Ryan Jaleh said.

The Jalehs said the site was originally the Normandy Hotel built back in 1943 by iconic actor Errol Flynn.

Click here for more information on Casa Palma.

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Peter Daut

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – In the Coachella Valley, this time of year can be tough for people who suffer from allergies.

Doctors say they’re now seeing more patients and that dust, grass and weed pollens are to blame. Many golf courses cut down to reseed this time of year.. increasing the amount of particles in the air. This can lead to itchy and watery eyes, nasal congestion, and difficulty breathing and sleeping.

“If it’s having any sort of effect on your quality of life,  absolutely come and get seen, either by your primary care or an allergist. We have two allergists here at Eisenhower, allergists who can see you sooner rather than later,” Dr. Vincent Devlin, allergist and immunologist at Eisenhower Health.

Doctors say there are also over-the-counter remedies you can reach for, if you’re not able to see a doctor.

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Allie Anthony

They say a dog is a man’s best friend, but for this month’s Neighborhood Hero, that goes beyond friendship.

News Channel 3’s Allie Anthony introduces us to Ken Aggie, a local hero making an impact through his work with Guide Dogs of the Desert.

Ken was diagnosed with two rare forms of cancer. His active involvement in the community felt like a thing of the past in an instant, all until his wife had an idea.

“She was looking for something to get my mind off. My recovery,” Aggie said.

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Garrett Hottle

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Palm Springs police say 22 people were arrested and nine guns were seized during a weekend gathering of the Mongols Motorcycle Club at Hotel Zoso in downtown Palm Springs.

Chief Andy Mills told News Channel 3 the event drew roughly 1,000 Mongols members for what he described as the club’s annual “church meeting,” where members elect a new president.

“This happens every year here in Palm Springs,” Mills said. “When you have a group that’s attuned to criminality, we’re going to have some problems.”

Mills said the department brought in support from the California Highway Patrol, Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, and gang task forces to maintain safety.

“We live in a capitalist society, and hotels have the right to bring people in but there’s a consequence,” Mills said. “When they invite organized-crime groups, we have to staff up and protect the community.”

The chief said his biggest concern is the potential for violence if rival groups such as the Hells Angels appear at the same time. He referenced a 2002 clash between the two clubs at Nevada’s Laughlin River Run that left three people dead.

Hotel Zoso General Manager Bill Babis told News Channel 3 no one was arrested on hotel property and said the hotel was unable to provide an interview at this time.

Palm Springs Police said the arrests stemmed mainly from traffic stops and outstanding warrants.

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Jesus Reyes

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Seven people were left displaced after a vehicle fire caused smoke damage to a home in Desert Hot Springs Monday afternoon.

The fire was first reported at around 2:30 p.m. in the 66700 block of Cahuilla Avenue.

“The first arriving engine reported a vehicle on fire under an attached carport. The engines were quickly able to contain the fire to the vehicle and the carport with no extension into the structure,” writes Maggie Cline De La Rosa, spokesperson for CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department.

The fire burned a small portion of the front porch that is attached to the structure.

Six adults and one minor were displaced due to smoke damage. The Red Cross was requested to assist.

There are no injuries to civilians or firefighters reported. 

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Shay Lawson

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ)  – In-Shape Fitness in Cathedral City is joining the company’s 11th annual “Fight Cancer” campaign, part of a statewide effort to raise $150,000 for all cancer research and support services this October.

The monthlong fundraiser incudes kettlebell sales, special fitness events and social media challenges with every dollar raised going toward vital services such as free cancer education, emotional support for those diagnosed and free lodging for patients and caregivers who must travel for treatment.

Additionally, contributions will fuel cutting-edge cancer research at the national level, helping to advance prevention, detection and treatment.

“In-Shape’s commitment to fighting cancer shows that the fitness community can be a powerful ally in creating a world without cancer,” said Alexis Padilla, Executive Director Sacramento for the American Cancer Society. “They are not only raising critical funds to support lifesaving research and patient programs, but also inspiring others to take action and prioritize wellness. We are honored to continue to partner with them in this important fight.”

Since launching the initiative a decade ago, In-Shape officials said the clubs have raised more than $1 million.

Members and non-members can join the fight by donating to the gym at 35935 Date Palm Dr, Cathedral City, CA 92234 or learn more by clicking on this link.

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

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