Category: kesq-local-news

Tommy Gallegos

The countdown to another season of hockey in the Coachella Valley is officially underway.

The Coachella Valley Firebirds announced their 2026-27 American Hockey League regular season schedule on Thursday, revealing a 72-game slate that begins Friday, Oct. 2, with a home opener against the Ontario Reign at Acrisure Arena. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. PT.

Entering their fifth season as the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Seattle Kraken, the Firebirds will once again face every team in the Pacific Division while also taking on the Texas Stars from the Central Division.

Fans can expect familiar game times throughout the season. Weekday home contests will begin at 7 p.m. PT, while Saturday home games are scheduled for 6 p.m. PT. Sunday home games will feature either 3 p.m. or 5 p.m. start times. One notable exception comes on New Year’s Eve, when the Firebirds will host a special 5 p.m. puck drop on Thursday, Dec. 31.

The full schedule remains subject to change, with game dates, opponents and start times potentially adjusted throughout the season.

The Firebirds also announced that information regarding single-game tickets, additional ticket packages, promotional nights and theme nights will be released at a later date.

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Tommy Gallegos

Community members are invited to make a difference tomorrow by supporting the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Venezuela Quake Drive, a donation event benefiting families affected by the recent earthquake in Venezuela.

The drive will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Palm Springs Police Department Training Center.

Donations of clean, gently used, or new items are welcome. Needed supplies include clothing, shoes, blankets, bottled water, and other everyday necessities that can help families as they recover from the disaster. Organizers ask that all donated items be in good condition to ensure they can be distributed quickly and effectively.

Those who are unable to attend the drive but would still like to help can make a monetary contribution online by visiting califriedfoundation.com.

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Garrett Hottle

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) Train robberies sound like something out of the Old West. Investigators say they’re happening right now, across the Coachella Valley, and far more often than most people think.

The News Channel 3 I-Team went undercover on the desert train theft network. We rode along with an undercover Union Pacific Railroad Police agent and a Riverside County sheriff’s deputy. We’re hiding their faces to protect law enforcement operations.

The tracks cut through Coachella, Thermal and North Shore. Investigators say criminals are watching them closely.

Look back at March 19. A Union Pacific train derailed near North Shore. Law enforcement says thieves targeted the cargo left exposed in the desert. The undercover agent says more than $1 million in goods was stolen after the derailment.

“Ripping off the furniture, like living room furniture,” the deputy said. “They end up having to adjust parts of the train so they could open the doors, because they were hitting it so bad.”

Just this month, investigators say thieves went after a train carrying weed trimmers through the desert. The I-Team got video, never shown publicly, of boxes recovered after that theft.

In the Mecca area, deputies recently arrested several suspects accused of targeting trains and recovered nearly $200,000 in merchandise.

“Four people actively breaking into the train, and all four were caught,” the deputy said. “They didn’t care that police was right there.”

Investigators say crews follow trains through the desert and wait for them to slow near crossings or sidings before moving in. Some thieves are using social media to track stopped trains.

“People will take a photograph of the train, then post it on Facebook or Instagram,” the deputy said. “And they’re like, ‘See, this train is stopped.'”

The investigation also took us inside encampments built along the tracks. Investigators say many were filled with stolen goods.

“Queen-sized bed. They had TVs,” the agent said. “It was like a makeshift condo underground.”

In one case, investigators say thieves took hundreds of rifles off a train. Empty rifle boxes later turned up in Mecca and Coachella.

Deputies say the danger isn’t just the thefts. They say people have been killed on tracks in the area, and that trains are quieter than people expect.

“You don’t hear it until it’s like four or five seconds away from you,” the deputy said. “By the time you look up, if you’re not looking both ways — they’re very silent.”

The same tracks people drive past every day have become the center of a growing crime problem, and law enforcement is asking the public to pay attention.

Anyone with information about the weed-trimmer thefts or other railroad crimes can call Crime Stoppers at (760) 341-STOP. Tips are anonymous and can earn a reward of up to $2,000.

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Athena Jreij

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. (KESQ) – Riverside University Health System (RUHS) is warning residents about a dramatic rise in electric bicycle-related injuries across Riverside County.

According to county data, emergency room visits involving e-bike crashes have climbed sharply over the past three years, increasing from 224 cases in 2023 to 494 in 2024, and reaching 958 incidents in 2025—more than four times the number reported just two years earlier. Through the first half of 2026, at least 416 e-bike-related injuries have already been recorded.

The county has also experienced a rise in fatal crashes involving e-bikes. According to Riverside County Coroner records, e-bikes were involved in one fatality in 2024 and two fatalities in 2025.

Health officials say many of these injuries involve children and young adults, with riders between the ages of 10 and 24 accounting for the largest share of emergency department visits.

“E-bikes move faster and are much more powerful than traditional bicycles, so the injuries can be much more serious,” said Dr. Michael Mesisca, Chair of Emergency Medicine at RUHS Medical Center.

“Blunt head trauma, rib fractures, collapsed lungs and lacerations are more in line with what we’re seeing in the Emergency Department, particularly among teens and young adults. Those injuries can have dire, sometimes permanent impacts.”

Emergency department visits have risen significantly among younger riders. Cases involving children ages 10 to 14 more than doubled from 155 in 2024 to 339 in 2025, while injuries among riders ages 15 to 24 increased from 122 to 248 during the same period.

Officials believe the true number of crashes may be even higher, as hospitals continue refining how they classify injuries involving the growing variety of electric bicycles now on the road.

Second District Supervisor and Riverside County Board Chair Karen Spiegel said the increase highlights the need for greater awareness among both riders and parents.

“Unfortunately, too many youngsters riding around our communities on e-bikes are making dangerous choices by driving too fast, not wearing a properly fitted helmet or not following the rules of the road,” Spiegel said. “It’s time for all of us to slow down and commit to safety guidelines that will save lives.”

RUHS recommends riders wear a certified helmet that fits properly and is securely fastened, use bright or reflective clothing to improve visibility, and wear elbow and knee pads for additional protection. Riders should obey traffic signals, stop signs and right-of-way laws, and ride at controlled speeds. Riders should also participate in bicycle safety or e-bike training courses to help prevent accidents.

RUHS offers local training opportunities, educational resources for parents and a free e-bike safety pledge designed to help families reinforce safe riding habits throughout the summer

With e-bike popularity continuing to grow, health officials hope greater awareness and responsible riding practices can help reverse the trend of growing accidents and keep Riverside County roads safer for everyone.

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Luis Avila

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A public dispute between Oscar’s Palm Springs and the Plaza Theatre continues to escalate, with both sides offering conflicting accounts of negotiations over a room located inside the Oscar’s building.

The disagreement centers on a space the Plaza Theatre has used to support performers, known as the ‘green room.’ Oscar’s owner Dan Gore says the theater wants complete control of it, but believes he should be compensated because the space is part of his lease.

Gore said the relationship between Oscar’s and the theater changed after Oak View Group took over management of the Plaza Theatre.

Gore invited News Channel 3 inside the room. According to Gore, the room is uniquely valuable because it provides direct access to the Plaza Theatre’s backstage area and connects to six dressing rooms.

In a statement, the Plaza Theatre said it approached Oscar’s in 2024 about subleasing the space. The theater claims Gore instead requested that either the Plaza Theatre or the property owner buy out his entire business lease.

Gore disputes that account.

He showed News Channel 3 emails he says demonstrate the buyout proposal was only discussed after months of negotiations, when he believed the theater was unwilling to compensate him for continued use of the green room.

“I said that wouldn’t be a problem as long as I’m compensated because for the last several years prior to Oak View Group, I was compensated,” Gore said. “Not directly, trade or we sold booze and food to the theater patrons.”

The Plaza Theatre also said it offered several incentives during negotiations, including preferred caterer status, promotion and sale of pre-show dinners, and waived fees for use of Plaza Theatre facilities.

Gore says those proposals did not replace the value of the revenue Oscar’s previously received through its relationship with the theater.

“It was like, ‘No, you’re going to give us everything, in exchange for maybe helping you,'” Gore said. “It was all maybe.”

Gore also says the changes have not only impact Oscar’s, but the theater as well.

“They continue to do events and they stage events outside behind the library by the trash can area… because they refuse to even ask me for help,” Gore said. “I’m here to help us as a group and help the community as a group.”

The Plaza Theatre continues to deny Gore’s allegations, saying it negotiated in good faith and that any business challenges facing Oscar’s are unrelated to its actions.

News Channel 3 has reached out to Oak View Group for additional comment.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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Timothy Foster

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — Palm Springs Unified School District is now accepting enrollment for its Early Childhood Education programs, offering eligible families free early learning opportunities designed to prepare young children for success in school and beyond.

The district’s Early Childhood Education Department is enrolling children in its Head Start, Early Head Start and California State Preschool programs. District leaders say the programs provide a strong foundation during the critical early years of a child’s development while supporting families with educational and community resources.

Educators say the programs focus on much more than academics. Children learn social and emotional skills, communication, problem-solving, independence and classroom routines that help prepare them for kindergarten.

Head Start teacher Nancy Cortez has seen those benefits firsthand, both as an educator and as a parent.

“My two youngest were actually part of the program, the Head Start program, and I’ve just seen the way they are now, how this program has helped them get to that point,” Cortez said.

Cortez said watching children grow throughout the school year is one of the most rewarding parts of her job.

“It’s just building those relationships with the children and with the families and just watching them grow, having fun, those smiles and just those connections, those positive connections and their growth at the end of the year just watching them and seeing all that they’ve done they’ve accomplished throughout the year,” she said.

Early Childhood Education teacher Araceli Gonzalez said the classrooms help children build confidence before entering kindergarten.

“The programs are always welcome for parents if they’re unsure about enrolling their child. They can always come and observe and stay with their child,” Gonzalez said. “We help them first with social and emotional… it’s also important for their kids to be ready to deal with other students, with other kids.”

She said children who participate in the programs gain valuable experience interacting with classmates, building friendships and becoming comfortable in a classroom environment before starting elementary school.

District officials also say the programs can ease the burden on working families by providing a safe, structured learning environment throughout the day.

Early Childhood Education Director Linda Rodriguez said the programs are available at no cost to qualifying families.

“The most important thing is that it’s free,” Rodriguez said. “We know how hard it is in this economy right now, so having them in a safe environment… I invite the families to come on over.”

In addition to early learning, children enrolled in the programs receive nutritious meals, family engagement opportunities and access to support services designed to help families succeed.

Enrollment is open for eligible children ages 2 through 4. Qualifying families include those who meet income guidelines, families experiencing homelessness, foster children, children with disabilities and English learners.

Classes begin Aug. 10, and district officials encourage families to apply as soon as possible because space is limited.

Parents interested in enrolling or learning more can call 760-883-2703, email ECEstaff@psusd.us, or visit www.psusd.us for additional information.

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Garrett Hottle

CABAZON, Calif. (KESQ) UPDATE at 7/9/2026— Riverside County Animal Services removed two dogs from a property in Cabazon on Thursday, July 9, with assistance from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, as part of an ongoing animal cruelty investigation.

The action follows the circulation of a social media video that appeared to show an individual repeatedly striking and throwing a dog, prompting an investigation by the department.

The two dogs are currently being cared for during a court-mandated 14-day confiscation hold. Officials said the animals will not be available for adoption or placement while the investigation remains active.

Authorities continue to investigate the incident and are asking anyone with additional information to contact Riverside County Animal Services directly.

No additional details have been released at this time as the investigation remains ongoing.

Photos of the dogs from Riverside County Dept of Animal Services

Original story

CABAZON, Calif. (KESQ) The man seen punching a dog and throwing it to the ground in a video that spread rapidly across social media this week is speaking out exclusively to News Channel 3 and he says he will not apologize.

Craig D’Allessandro confirmed he is the man in the video, recorded at what he says is one his commercial properties in Cabazon.

In an interview Thursday, he admitted to hitting the dog and throwing it, calling it the first and only time he has ever put his hands on one of his animals.

“What happened was it was probably irrational, but not out of any kind of hate for my dogs,” D’Allessandro said. “That was the first and the only time I’ve ever put a hand on my dogs.”

Riverside County animal control officers are actively investigating the incident. No arrests have been made, and no charges have been filed.

D’Allessandro claims the confrontation began the day before the video was recorded, when one of his dogs escaped his yard and killed a neighbor’s animal across the street. He said he paid the neighbor for the loss and what the world saw in the video was him disciplining the dog.

“That dog wasn’t hurt physically. My hand was. But that dog’s pride was hurt,” he said.

He repeatedly refused to apologize for his actions.

“I acted irrationally that one time. And I may regret it, but I don’t apologize for it, and I will not,” he said.

During the interview, D’Allessandro showed News Channel 3 his two dogs, Bruno and Brody. Brody, the younger of the two, is the dog seen in the video.

D’Allessandro also told News Channel 3 he has received contact notices from Riverside County Animal Services and is refusing to respond to them.

“I’m still not going to contact you,” he said, addressing the county directly. “This is not me making contact with you, Riverside County.”

News Channel 3 has reviewed the video, which opens with a viewer discretion warning and appears to show D’Allessandro grabbing the dog, striking it multiple times and throwing it to the ground as a second dog stands nearby.

At this time, News Channel 3 has not obtained permission to show the video on air or online.

Veronica Perez, a spokesperson for the Riverside County Department of Animal Services, confirmed the investigation to News Channel 3 on Wednesday.

“We are aware of the video and our Animal Control Officers are actively investigating the incident,” Perez said. “We will provide an update when more information is available.”

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office also acknowledged the video in a statement posted to social media, saying it is “aware of the video circulating on social media of a man causing harm to a dog.”

“We understand the video has generated community concern, and we want you to know that Animal Control officers are actively investigating this incident,” the statement read.

News Channel 3 has reached out to Riverside County Animal Services for an update on the investigation, and are waiting to hear back.

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Dakota Makinen

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – As temperatures climb across the Coachella Valley, a local pediatrician is reminding families to take extra precautions when children are playing outside.

Dr. Rebecca Ward with Desert Care Network’s Family Medicine Center says playground equipment can heat up quickly in the desert sun, increasing the risk of burns, dehydration, and heat-related illness.

She recommends checking surfaces before children play, taking frequent water breaks, and avoiding the hottest parts of the day when possible.

Doctors say simple steps like finding shade and monitoring children for signs of overheating can help families enjoy outdoor activities safely this summer.

Stay with News Channel 3 for the latest updates.

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Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – One person was injured after a small fire at an encampment in Palm Springs Wednesday evening.

The fire was reported just before 6:15 p.m. along Tramway Road near Highway 111.

“Engine 3 arrived on scene at approximately 6:13 p.m. and located a small fire that had not extended into the surrounding vegetation. Engine 1 assisted with fire suppression, and crews quickly contained and extinguished the fire,” reads a post by the Palm Springs Fire Department.

A person sustained minor burns to the hands and arms. The patient was treated on scene by the department’s Paramedic Squad before being transported for further medical evaluation.

The fire was declared extinguished at approximately 6:25 p.m.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. No additional injuries were reported, and no structures were threatened.

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Jesus Reyes

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – A delivery truck is on fire near the Bob Hope overpass along Interstate 10 in Thousand Palms.

The incident was reported just before 6:10 p.m.

Details remain limited. Westbound traffic was briefly impacted near Monterey, with at least two lanes blocked, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Traffic as of 6:35 p.m.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates.

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