Category: kesq-local-news

Tori King

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – Papa Dan’s is set to open back up, a little over a year after a devastating arson fire that destroyed a row of businesses in Palm Desert.

The restaurant has been part of Palm Desert for more than 40 years.

“I think I’m still in shock,” said Ira Mosley, the restaurant owner on the fateful morning the restaurant burned to the ground. News Chanel Three’s Tori King was the first one on the scene that day, and that’s where she met Mosley.

“I don’t think it’s really set in yet,” he told her. On the morning of April 14th 2024, Mosley, along with a crowd of horrified bystanders watched the beloved pizza restaurant was reduced to rubble. It had been a Palm Desert staple, serving customers for more than four decades, until the tragedy hit.

That day, Mosley swore to rebuild.

Since then, the shopping center has been leveled, and construction is on-going. The building’s framework is now standing, but the progress is slow.

But Papa Dan’s won’t be rebuilt in its old spot. Instead, its moving a few doors down. Still remaining in the same shopping center off Monterey and Country Club.Mosely gave News Channel 3 a behind the scenes look at the current progress as construction continues.

“This is where the patio is going to be,” said Mosley. “This will all have a block wall built around it because of the cars and parking lots.”Over the last 13 months Mosely has been planning, preparing, and progressing through red tape, construction delays, and permits to get this new building restaurant ready.

“It originally started out as a Jobs and Pools, and then it was a Wells Fargo,” said Mosley. “Then it was Curves Gym, but it’s never been a restaurant. I’m thrilled about a separate building, no neighbors, parking lot of my own, the visibility on Monterey.”

Mosely says the City of Palm Desert stepped in to help, providing him with a $200,000 dollar grant to resurrect the restaurant.

“These people have bent over backwards for me,” explained Mosely. “In everything that they’ve done, from permits, from inspections. I call for an inspection, they’re here the same day. I mean, I couldn’t ask for more.”And according to Thomas Soule, the city was more than happy to help.”We’ve also tried to be there to help him work through all the bumps in the road,” Soule explained. “As everybody knows, rebuilding building processes are complicated and unforeseen things happen, and so we wanted to be there to work hand in hand with him, to make sure that he could get through that process and get back up and running as quickly as possible.”

Mosely says the new space will be larger than the last, will include two kitchens, and a brand new bar, something the other location lacked. A majority of the original staff will also be returning to welcome back customers on opening day.

“All the weight staff is coming back,” said Mosley. “Almost all the kitchen staff is coming back. Almost all the front counter and delivery drivers are coming back. I didn’t want to leave this area, because this is geographically, the exact center of Palm Desert. And we’ve been here for 42 years. You know, it’s everybody comes here, it’s home, it’s home.

The construction continues, but Mosely says it will likely reopen in the late summer, making all of the work worth it in the end.

“I didn’t think I would do this at this 77,” said Mosely. “This is made for young people, not made for old people. Anyone can rebuild. How much effort you want to put in? It’s a lot of effort. And it’s finally going to be done soon.” News Channel 3 will continue checking in with Mosley for an official reopening date.

Click here to follow the original article.

City News Service

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Palm Springs Aerial Tramway officials today announced the return of extended summer hours and seasonal programming, beginning Memorial Day weekend.

On Sunday, May 25, the final tram up will depart at 9 p.m., with the last tram down at 10:30 p.m. On Monday, May 26, the last tram up will be at 8 p.m., and the final tram down will be at 9:30 p.m., officials said.  

The summer schedule will run from May 23 through Sept. 1, with extended hours every Friday and Saturday, including a final tram up at 9 p.m. and down at 10 p.m.

In addition to extended hours, summer programs hosted by Mount San Jacinto State Park and the Natural History Association will include topics such as backcountry navigation with map and compass training and tips for minimalist camping.

State park volunteers will also lead guided nature walks on Sundays from May 25 through Sept. 1, offering visitors the chance to explore either the Desert View Trail or the Long Valley Nature Trail, officials said.   

For more information on the program schedule, visit www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=636.

Click here to follow the original article.

Luis Avila

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – Pets are back safe and sound at the Animal Samaritans shelter in Thousand Palms, after a fire Tuesday.

Tom Snyder, CEO of Animal Samaritans, says he’s proud of the team for following the evacuation procedures for the animals. One of the reasons for the swift response was the availability of transport vans prepped with dog kennels and cat carriers.

He’s also glad there was plenty of space at the veterinary clinic to take in the animals.

Clean-up efforts are now underway and they’re asking for the community’s continued support. For more information, click here.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

Click here to follow the original article.

Allie Anthony

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – Nearly 300 motorcyclists hit the road Tuesday in Southern California for the annual “Run for the Wall,” a cross-country ride honoring America’s missing and fallen service members.

Riders like Karoni Forrester carry personal stories that inspire them to ride. Forrester’s father, Capt. Ron Forrester, was missing in action for more than 50 years before his remains were found and laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.

“We’re honoring all who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country,” Forrester said. “We get to ride across our country and celebrate a very unifying mission that brings us all together as Americans.”

The ride, which takes place over 10 days and ends at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., serves as a moving tribute to the more than 58,000 names etched on the wall. Organizers say the sight of hundreds of bikes sparks curiosity and raises awareness wherever they go.

Click here to follow the original article.

Kendall Flynn

LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – The City of La Quinta is proposing an ordinance banning homeless camping on public property, making such camping a misdemeanor. However, some local homeless advocates are calling for it to stop.

This comes after La Quinta sheriff’s officials report an increase in homeless encampments along the underpasses of busy roadway’s. The La Quinta City Council discussed the ordinance May 6, but did not put the ordinance to a vote. The ordinance’s proposal is expected for May 20.

Officials with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department are pushing the ordinance, as they said it’s important to improve the City’s quality of life.

“The ordinance gives the sheriff’s department a lot more options when it’s dealing with homeless camping,” Lt. Frank Velasco said.

Velasco said the homeless population in La Quinta in small, with just eight people in the most recent point-in-time count. However, he said the population is transient, meaning they aren’t staying permanently. But he said they have a great impact on the city either way.

“The ordinance needed to be expanded in order for the sheriff’s department to be able to actually monitor some of the encampments coming up,” Velasco said. “It ends up causing sanitation issues – clean up issues for the city.”

According to the May 6 council discussion, with the ordinance, officials goal is to persuade unhoused people to relocate to another part of the city or use services provided by services in the Valley. If both options are refused, they can be arrested for a misdemeanor.

Matthew Naylor, the president of Well in the Desert said there aren’t enough services in the Valley for the ordinance to be efficient. He sent an email to the La Quinta City Council calling for them to stop the ordinance.

“Homeless individuals are all human and they have their different individual story in their life,” Naylor said. “The City of La Quinta and other cities in our county they should get together and talk about homelessness as a group so that we can find the solutions together.”

Well in the Desert primarily works with the homeless population in Palm Springs, a city that has a homeless arrest ordinance. Naylor said it doesn’t work.

“When the Palm Springs police chief announced that he has arrested a thousand individuals, and no I’m feeding more people, it shows that didn’t work,” Naylor said. “So why do we want another city in the Valley arresting people when it’s not working?”

For the full ordinance proposal see page 347 of the La Quinta City Council May 6 agenda here www.laquintaca.gov

Stay with News Channel 3 to hear from La Quinta city officials and from Well in the Desert organizers on how this will impact the homeless population.

Click here to follow the original article.

Gavin Nguyen

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Hiking in the heat: it’s one way some valley residents choose to exercise during the hot summer months.

Each summer, firefighters urge hikers to use caution when taking to the trails in the desert heat.

But what if someone does need help on the trails this summer? Fire officials say they’re ready.

Captain Ronald Skyberg, Public Information Officer for the Palm Springs Fire Department, says last year, the department responded to 38 hiker incidents. This number accounts for the times crews were able to locate a victim and take them from the trail. This year, he says they have already completed 12 incidents.

So far, these rescues have mostly involved injuries like sprained ankles, but as the summer months approach, Skyberg says heat-related rescues will likely increase.

“We’re going to see an increase in maybe not necessarily hiker calls necessarily, but when we do go to these hiker calls, an increase in emergency is due to dehydration, heat exhaustion, heat stroke,” says Skyberg.

The fire department trains with law enforcement partners from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department and California Highway Patrol yearly. This ensures communication between the agencies are clear and the helicopter is able to locate firefighters and patients on the ground.

“If we’re not able to get a location for the helicopter to bring down their hoist line, to hook the patient and to hoist the patient back into the helicopter, we’re – it’s never going to work,” Skyberg says.

Aboard their engines and medic squads, firefighters also keep bags – which can often weigh upwards of 60 pounds – filled with gear they need for hiker rescues. Depending on the situation, they’ll do their best to condense their equipment to improve their mobility and decrease the physical demand as they trek long distances to locate injured hikers.

At their disposal: backboards and Stokes baskets to carry victims down the trail, oxygen cylinders, masks, IV drips, and more. Carrying this equipment takes a physical toll.

Engineer Paramedic Nicholas Wood says, “It’s physically demanding on us. We wear our full uniform when we hike out there. We carry all this gear. But that’s why it’s important in our job to, you know, stay physically fit so that we can, you know, help help the community.”

Fire officials highlight three main takeaways for you to consider if you’re planning on hiking over the next few months:

Hike in the morning to beat the heat

Keep a charged cell phone with you

Always hike with a partner; never hike alone!

Click here to follow the original article.

Athena Jreij

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) — Inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic and Coachella Valley’s nursing shortage, Jason Davalos is graduating California State University, San Bernardino Palm Desert Campus (PDC), with a degree in nursing.

Davalos graduates this weekend as PDC’s Outstanding Student of the year and as a University Legacy Scholar, a scholarship that provided a full-ride to the school. He hopes to transform healthcare by breaking down language barriers and providing clinical care to at-risk patients.

Davalos says he was drawn to the profession when he saw the need for nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. His own personal experience with immigrant parents also inspired him.

“My parents, they both came from low-income, immigrant households. I think they really dared to dream. Many times, I’m that they felt the odds were stacked against them, especially with my father having such a huge language barrier,” Davalos said.

While he received a full scholarship at PDC, he says when things got rough it was the hands-on learning programs that kept him there.

“Our street medicine program, that’s when we go out into the community, we host community clinics with mainly unhoused individuals, but also migrant farmworkers out in the East Valley. Also, low income and uninsured individuals. I think that for me, I made some very meaningful connections with community members,” Davalos said.

According to him, the biggest challenges facing local families are a lack of insurance and language barriers.

“With the street medicine program, we’re able to bridge that gap, we’re able to serve as that intermediary between the health care system and, and our community. So expanding those services, bringing services to them, is a huge goal of mine,” Davalos said.

While his time at CSUSB-PDC comes to an end, he says there’s still unfinished work in his community.

“Everybody here would agree that the goal is to see this campus as California State University Palm Desert. A standalone campus here in the Coachella Valley that’s unique to our population, unique to our student’s needs.”

Click here to follow the original article.

Tori King

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ)– A new report found the euthanasia rate for the Riverside County Department of Animal Services dropped by 33%. Data shows in 2025, there have been 540 fewer animals euthanized this year compared to this same time period last year.

According to the Riverside County Department of Animal Services, a report on the progress from the first part of 2025 showed measurable gains in lifesaving, pet reunification, and adoption outcomes. Mary Martin, the newly hired director for the Riverside County Department of Animal Services, says the data in the Year-to-Date Highlights show the early impact of targeted, ongoing operational changes implemented in collaboration with Riverside County, Outcomes Consulting Group, RCDAS staff, volunteers, and community partners.

“I like a challenge,” said Martin. “There are a lot of improvements we can make day to day, but change takes time.” The new report showed the effects of the improvements being made in 2025 so far.

Positive Outcomes So Far This Year:

Live release rate increased to 80.9%, up from 72% during the same period last year

Euthanasia decreased by 33%, with 540 fewer animals euthanized

Adoption rate increased to 42%, up from 34% compared to same period last year

Transfer-out rates rose across both cats and dogs

The department says it is focused on removing barriers and increasing placement opportunities for animals through multiple ongoing operational improvements.

Key Operational Improvements:

Expanded public access by opening shelters on Sundays and extending hours on Wednesdays, making it easier for families to adopt or reclaim pets

Waived Return-to-Owner fees to remove financial barriers and help more lost pets return home

Increased the frequency of fee-waived adoption events, leading to faster placements and reduced length of stay

Completed cross-country pet transfer flights and enhanced partner rescue outreach, creating more adoption opportunities in partner regions and reducing local overcrowding

Enhanced marketing and visibility for adoptable animals through improved photography, promotion, and outreach

Martin just recently stepped into her new role this year, and has only been on the job for eight weeks. Martin was first introduced in March, and spoke with News Channel 3 about her decision to take on the role. As the shelter system continues to make substantial changes, Martin says she has a plan for the county’s shelters as she steers the department into the future.

News Channel 3’s Tori King spoke with Martin about the changes she has been able to make so far. “These results are a testament to the hard work of our staff and the strength of our community partnerships,” Martin said. “The team made real progress in just a few months, and we are committed to continuing this momentum to save more lives.”

RCDAS has been criticized for it’s euthanasia policies, namely in 2023 when the shelter system had the highest animal kill rate in the county. In 2024, the county’s overall live release rate was 71%, which lagged behind the Coachella Valley Animal Campus’s 80% rate.

“Hearing data like that feels like taking a bullet,” said Martin. “No one wants to see animals be euthanized at that rate. But I think the really important thing to focus on is not that the shelter is euthanizing that many animals. I mean we have to address it. But in order to fix it, we need to ask why the animals are coming to us in the first place. Why are animals losing their homes at the rate that they’re losing their homes?”

These rates have caused some local leaders and advocates to file a lawsuit against the county over shelter conditions.  

“I can’t speak to the lawsuit itself, but what I can tell you is that we are laser focused on making sure that we’re doing all the things that we need to do for the animals in our care,” said Martin. “I think, once again, I keep coming back to this hiring of dozens of people, because I do think that the crew here want to do the right thing for animals, and just simply haven’t really been able to.”

Martin knows monumental efforts like this take a village.

“People here love animals,” said Martin. “I think we all agree that we love animals and don’t want to see them harmed. There is that laser focus on life saving so I think, there’s not enough people, and so greatness doesn’t shine through as much as it should. Because they’re so split in having to try to solve multiple problems at a time.”

To achieve no-kill status, shelter’s must hit a 90% release rate. And it’s something Martin has experience with after taking a Maricopa County shelter from 82% to 96% live release rates. But she says in order to make this a possibility in the future, the shelter needs more funding, and more employees.

Over the last two years, RCDAS had a budget of around $39,000,000 per year. When asked if that was enough money annually to make the shelter system eligible for no-kill status, Martin said no.

“If that were the budget and we weren’t going to get any additions, I would say probably not,”: siad Martin. “Given the amount of animals coming to us, it’s just not enough funding to get there. I believe the county is dedicated now to improving conditions in the shelters, not just for for the community, but for the people who work in the shelters too.” However, with more funding she says nothing is impossible.

“There’s no magic number,” explained Martin. “Do I believe it can happen one day? Yeah, I do. With the investment, with the community stepping up to help us. I don’t believe we can do it alone. Absolutely not.”

Click here to follow the original article.

Garrett Hottle

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) Palm Springs is launching a bold new health movement aimed at helping locals live longer, healthier lives. Called the Blue Zones Project Palm Springs, the initiative officially begins with a community kick-off celebration on Thursday, May 15, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Festival Theater. The free event will include a talk from the founder of Project Blue Zones – Dan Buettner, who will unveil a community-driven plan designed to make healthy living simpler and more enjoyable for everyone.

The Blue Zones Project takes a grassroots approach, focusing on reshaping policies, public spaces, and social connections to support better everyday habits. The goal is to mae it easier for people to eat healthier, move more naturally, and stay socially connected in their daily routines.

The launch event will also feature a relaxed reception with wine and light refreshments, giving attendees a chance to connect the Palm Springs Blue Zones team and national project leaders. This kickoff marks the start of a five-year plan to bring the Blue Zones Life Radius model to life in Palm Springs emphasizing permanent and semi-permanent changes to local infrastructure, food access, public policy, and social networks that make healthier choices more intuitive.

The Palm Springs project is part of a wider effort across Riverside County, backed by partners like Riverside University Health System Public Health, Inland Empire Health Plan Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Molina Healthcare, and Eisenhower Health. Together, they aim to create measurable improvements in community health and well-being across the region.

News Channel 3’s Garrett Hottle will be speaking with Blue Zones Project Palm Springs’ Community Engagement Lead, Chris Ruetz, on this exciting development and what it means for region.

Be sure and tune into News Channel 3 at broadcast at noon, 4pm, 5pm, and 6pm!

Click here to follow the original article.

Allie Anthony

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) — The Marinelli Bros Circus premieres tonight at The Shops at Palm Desert, with performances running through May 26. The show is brand new, and Palm Desert is only the third city on its tour.

From trapeze and aerial straps to high-wire feats, the show offers thrilling entertainment for the entire family. The circus is performing under its own big top, bringing fans even closer to the action. The intimate setup allows the audience to be fully immersed in the experience.

Whether you’re a lifelong circus enthusiast or introducing your family to the magic for the first time, the Marinelli Bros Circus presents a performance that’s bold and bursting with energy.

The circus runs nightly through May 26 at The Shops at Palm Desert.

For ticket information head to this site. 

Click here to follow the original article.