Category: kesq-local-news

KESQ STAFF

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) — As the Coachella Valley faces high temperatures, Berger Foundation Iceplex is bringing the ice back just in time.

The rink reopens to the public on Monday, August 10, after crews began flooding the ice on August 5 and painted the surface, lines and logos on August 6.

To celebrate the return of public skating, the Iceplex is offering BOGO Saturdays on August 15, 22 and 29 from 6:30–9 p.m. Guests who purchase two or more public skate admissions will receive 50% off, plus a complimentary Denny’s pancake coupon while supplies last.

Guests can also take advantage of the new Skate & Swim promotion by pairing a Friday Night Extended Skate with a Saturday 21+ Night Swim at Palm Springs Surf Club to receive 50% off the second experience.

Registration is also open for Skate Academy, running August 12–October 3, with skating and hockey programs for all ages and skill levels, including adaptive skating.

With temperatures soaring across the desert, Berger Foundation Iceplex offers a cool and affordable way for families and skaters of all experience levels to stay active this summer.

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City News Service

BLYTHE (CNS) – The ongoing turnaround plan for bankrupt Palo Verde Hospital in Blythe is continuing apace with assistance from local, state and federal sources.

“We brought operational expertise from the Riverside University Health System, but this hospital has its own history, its own way of doing things. The learning (has gone) both ways,” Interim Executive Director of Administration Michelle DeArmond said earlier this week.

According to the Palo Verde Healthcare District, plans are afoot to modernize treatment rooms and the cardiopulmonary unit, as well as install appropriate Americans with Disabilities Act signage around the edifice, located at 250 N. First St. Hundreds of boxes of decades-old documents are being removed, too, officials said.

In May, more than two dozen certified emergency room physicians were brought aboard under a contract with Emeryville-based Vituity Healthcare Solutions for 24-hour patient intake and treatment. However, additional slots remain unfilled, including radiology, environmental services, ultrasound andcardiopulmonary technicians, according to the district.

The county Board of Supervisors in February signed off on a six-month financial and technical rescue plan to bring the facility back to a sustainable condition.

The board authorized a $3.44 million allocation from the General Fund as payment to the California Department of Health Services on behalf of the healthcare district. That followed a separate $1 million General Fund disbursal directly benefiting the hospital. The money was the core of a stabilization loan to keep the insolvent hospital afloat.

According to the district, the county’s outlays enabled the district to tap into taxpayer-backed credit available under Medi-Cal totaling $9.9 million to bolster hospital operations. Afterward, the district was further awarded a $3 million state grant, which came on the heels of $1.8 million infederal relief.

A “strike team” authorized by the board and composed of RUHS medical professionals initiated a reformation on Feb. 23 intended to stabilize the hospital’s emergency clinic.

Under the management services agreement between the county and PVHD, RUHS staff are implementing all necessary processes connected to the strike team support plan, with the goal of maintaining emergency operations at the cash-strapped hospital.

The monetary agreement between the county and district specifies the county will have “first priority” status among the district’s creditors and will not be liable for any of its debts.

Last September, the PVHD Board of Directors voted to seek federal Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection while efforts were made to stanch ongoing financial losses. Administrators noted the hospital had been struggling to remain afloat since the start of the current decade, with revenue streams withering while patient loads remained unchanged.

The California Health Facilities Financing Authority extended an $8.5 million infusion from the Distressed Hospital Program in 2023, but that turned into a short-term fix, according to the district. Officials expressed frustration at the time about the inability to recruit a chief financial officer who would stay the course in sorting out possible solutions. Four CFOs came and went in an 18-month span.

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KESQ News Team

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – An attorney for College of the Desert Trustee Ruben Perez entered a not guilty plea on his behalf Thursday to a second DUI case, and Perez is due back in court later this month.

Perez was not present for the arraignment at the Larson Justice Center.

In court, the judge laid out the allegations, saying Perez was pulled over in Palm Desert in May because his lights were not on and that there was alcohol in the car.

Perez is the former chief of staff to Riverside County Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez, and son of Riverside County Supervisor Manuel Perez.

It is his second DUI case since 2023. Perez was arrested in La Quinta in February of that year and pleaded guilty the following spring. He was sentenced to four days in custody, to be served through a work release program.

In May, Perez said he was taking a leave of absence from his public duties and entering treatment for alcoholism and depression.

Perez has not been convicted in the current case. He is due back in court Aug. 24.

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KESQ STAFF

The 2026 Acrisure Series returns to Acrisure Arena in Greater Palm Springs from Nov. 21-26, bringing together 26 NCAA Division I men’s basketball programs for 26 games over six days during Thanksgiving week.

This year’s field includes top programs such as USC, LSU, Stanford, Arizona State, South Carolina, SMU, Utah State and Grand Canyon. Marquee matchups include Stanford vs. Colorado, USC vs. South Carolina, Arizona State vs. LSU and Grand Canyon vs. Saint Louis, with additional games scheduled on Thanksgiving Day.

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Tickets start at $25 (plus fees) and go on sale Saturday, Aug. 8 at 10 a.m. PT through Ticketmaster and the Acrisure Arena box office.

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Kiera McKinney

CATHEDRAL CITY, CALIF. (KESQ)- As students head back to school, the roads around campuses are about to get much busier.

From crowded drop-off lanes to school buses and kids walking or biking, law enforcement is reminding drivers that a few seconds of slowing down can prevent a tragedy.

According to the Transportation Research Board, about 25,000 children are injured each year while walking to or from school. Roughly 57 million children travel to and from schools across the United States each day.

Principal Wendy Meca from Landau Elementary school says, “So please, please slow down. there are kids walking home with their families. We want to make sure everyone gets home.”

Meca also tells me they’ve had a great partnership so far with the Cathedral City Police Department, and the department is going to have extra eyes on protolling in the mornings.

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Luis Avila

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – As local animal shelters face one of their most challenging times of the year, Animal Samaritans is bringing back a lighthearted fundraiser with a serious purpose.

The nonprofit’s annual “Poorly Drawn Pets” campaign invites pet owners to donate $20 in exchange for a hand-drawn portrait of their pet. While the artwork is designed to spark laughs, every donation helps support Animal Samaritans’ mission of caring for animals across the Coachella Valley.

Shelter officials say summer presents unique challenges.

“The shelters are always overcrowded,” one staff member said. “During the summer, we have a lot of our volunteers that are snowbirds. They leave during the summer, and then when we’re in need of fosters, it’s harder to find them… Especially for fostering because that is usually when kitten season starts.”

To help meet those needs, volunteers are once again putting their artistic talents—or lack thereof—to work.

“We’re not that good at art, it’s just a lot of fun,” another staff member said. “You never know what you’re going to get.”

The fundraiser has become a community favorite. Last year, volunteers created more than 200 pet portraits, raising money for shelter programs that support both shelter animals and local pet owners.

“Whether that is shelter costs, medical care, spay and neuter services, every donation helps.”

News Channel 3’s Luis Avila will once again participate as one of the fundraiser’s celebrity artists.

The “Poorly Drawn Pets” fundraiser runs throughout August.

For information, click here.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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Dakota Makinen

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – OneFuture Coachella Valley is hosting its Gents Alliance College Send-Off at the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus, bringing together incoming and returning male college students from across the Coachella Valley before the start of the new academic year.

The event celebrates students as they take the next step in their educational journey while connecting them with mentors, peers, and campus resources. Organizers say attendees will also learn about men’s mental health and the ongoing support available through Gents Alliance.

The event connected students with mentors, peers, scholarships, mental health resources and campus support services designed to help them navigate college and prepare for future careers.

For Joseph Gonzalez, a Gents Alliance participant, the program helped transform his college experience.

“I was a very shy person. I didn’t know how to get involved,” Gonzalez said. “I took that leap of faith, and everything shifted.”

Gonzalez said the program gave him the confidence to become active in student government, earn scholarships and pursue his goal of becoming a teacher in the Salton Sea area to mentor future generations.

Organizers say the support doesn’t end after students arrive on campus. Through continued mentorship, career guidance and networking opportunities, Gents Alliance aims to help students stay on track through graduation and into the workforce.

OneFuture Coachella Valley says it will continue offering opportunities for students across the region to connect with colleges, universities and community partners throughout the academic year.

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Timothy Foster

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) — A Salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeños has sickened 345 people across 27 states, including in California, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

36 people have been hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported.

The jalapeños were sourced from Mexico and supplied by California-based Coast Citrus Distributors. The peppers were served at Chipotle, QDOBA, and other restaurants.

The outbreak is raising concerns among some Coachella Valley shoppers, who say they are paying closer attention to the fresh produce they buy.

Audrey Collier, a Sun City resident, said she is concerned about potential contamination because she puts a lot of effort into caring for her health.

Chipotle switched jalapeño suppliers for its restaurants beginning July 20, while QDOBA stopped serving jalapeños altogether on July 28.

The FDA says neither restaurant is considered an ongoing risk to consumers because of those changes.

The recalled jalapeños were distributed primarily to restaurants and food-service businesses rather than directly to grocery stores. The FDA says most consumers do not need to take action at this time.

Restaurant owners who have jalapeños on hand should check where the peppers came from. Anyone who recently ate at a restaurant where jalapeños were served and develops symptoms should contact their doctor.

The outbreak comes as health officials investigate a separate cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce. That outbreak has resulted in more than 22,000 confirmed or suspected illnesses and 517 hospitalizations, according to the CDC.

The two outbreaks are not believed to be connected.

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Jesus Reyes

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Power is back for over 600 IID customers in Indio after a semi truck hit a pole Wednesday afternoon.

The Imperial Irrigation District noted that the outage affected more than 600 customers at one point. Power was restored to customers by 8:30 p.m.

“The outage was caused by a vehicle making contact with electrical equipment. IID crews responded quickly, safely isolated the affected section, and restored service to all impacted customers,” reads a post by IID.

Additional details on the crash were not available.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any new developments.

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City News Service

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – A convicted felon who stabbed his girlfriend multiple times in an attack under an Indio bridge that he blamed on having a split personality was convicted today of assault with a deadly weapon resulting in great bodily injury and other charges.

A Riverside jury deliberated about a day before finding Jamin Demar Williams guilty of the assault count, along with domestic violence and a sentence-enhancing allegation of using a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony.

Riverside County Superior Court Judge Laura Garcia scheduled a sentencing hearing for Oct. 2 at the Riverside Hall of Justice. Williams is being held without bail at the nearby Robert Presley Jail.

According to a trial brief filed by the District Attorney’s Office, on the afternoon of April 22, 2024, the defendant became irate with the victim, identified only as an area transient, for unspecified reasons.

The brief said Williams and the woman had sometimes shared her tent under the Golf Center Parkway Bridge, and their year-long relationship had involved acts of domestic abuse, though nothing comparable to April 22.

The victim later told Indio Police Department investigators that she was relaxing in her tent when the defendant rushed inside and accused her of “setting me up.”

He punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground, the brief said.

“After kicking and punching the victim, the defendant began stabbing her,” according to the narrative. “During the assault, the defendant told her, `I’m going to kill you today. I don’ t give a (expletive) about you.'”

For over a half-hour, Williams held her inside the tent by threatening her with a six-inch knife, according to the prosecution. He inflicted a wound to the right side of her neck, stabbed her three times in the left arm and shoulder, and once behind the right ear, prosecutors said.

When the victim finally broke away, she fled to a nearby 7-Eleven and asked a clerk to call 911, which immediately brought patrol units to the location.

Officers detained the defendant under the bridge following a brief confrontation, during which he baited them to “shoot me, just shoot me then,” the brief said. No shots were fired during his arrest, and neither Williams nor officers suffered injuries.

The woman was taken to a regional trauma center for treatment of her wounds, from which she has since recovered.

Williams was interviewed by detectives that evening, telling them he had “three split personalities,” according to the prosecution. He named the persons as “Jay,” “Ashad” and “Quick.”

“The defendant stated neither Jay or Ashad harmed the victim and were unaware of what happened,” the brief said. “The defendant stated he does not talk to Quick, and Quick did not want to speak with defendant or the police. He told police he knew the woman but never lived under the bridge. Hewas unsure how he obtained blood on his clothing and body.”

Court records indicated Williams underwent psychiatric evaluations throughout 2024 and was determined to be competent to stand trial.

He has documented prior convictions for making criminal threats and first-degree burglary, resulting in prison time.

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