Category: kesq-local-news

Garrett Hottle

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) Gas prices across Riverside County dropped Tuesday to their lowest level in more than four years, according to new data, offering some relief to drivers across the Coachella Valley.

Figures from AAA and the Oil Price Information Service show the average price for a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Riverside County fell to $4.146, the lowest average recorded since June 3, 2021. The price declined 1.7 cents overnight and has dropped five of the past six days, according to City News Service.

The countywide average is now 1.6 cents lower than one week ago, 28.3 cents lower than one month ago, and 16.5 cents below what drivers were paying one year ago. Prices have dropped more than $2.22 since reaching a record high in October 2022.

Despite the recent declines, prices in the Coachella Valley remain significantly higher than the national average, which currently stands at $2.81 a gallon, according to GasBuddy.

Nationally, the recent five-day streak of gas price declines ended with a slight increase, though prices remain lower than they were one month and one year ago. Analysts say seasonal trends are largely driving the current movement at the pump.

“Another week, and motorists have been greeted with the sixth straight weekly decline in the national average price of gasoline as seasonality continues to drive trends at the pump,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, in a statement released Monday.

Experts note that most short-term price changes are driven by domestic factors such as refinery production, distribution costs, and regional fuel requirements. At the same time, global oil markets remain sensitive to broader geopolitical conditions. Ongoing uncertainty surrounding crude oil production and exports from countries such as Venezuela, which holds some of the world’s largest oil reserves, can influence global crude prices, though those impacts typically affect local gas prices gradually rather than immediately.

Analysts expect gas prices to continue fluctuating in the weeks ahead, with prices likely bottoming out before beginning a seasonal rise as spring approaches.

 News Channel Three will continue tracking gas prices across Riverside County and the Coachella Valley. Tune in tonight at 4pm, 5pm, 6pm and 6:30pm for a full report. 

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Luis Avila

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – Safer roads at a cost. Cathedral City has recently installed new bike lane barriers along Perez Road in an effort to improve roadway safety. However, some local business owners argue the barriers are having unintended consequences.

Renae Samaan, owner of Johnnie’s Barbershop, says, “The barriers — I became aware of when they put them in. I knew that they were going to resurface the street… but I didn’t know they were going to take my parking away in the front.”

On top of what she says was a lack of notice and less parking, Samaan says the changes are hurting her business. She says the new barriers make it confusing for drivers to navigate, resulting in a decline in foot traffic.

Green bollards line the new bike lanes on Perez Road in Cathedral City.

Getting answers, News Channel took these concerns to the city.

John Corella, public works director for Cathedral City, says businesses were notified of the bike barriers. The city sent out notices and held a community meeting last June.

“370 notices were sent out to all the businesses along that stretch of Perez Road… 20 people showed up,” reveals Corella.

Moving forward, he says the city will proactively maintain the barriers to ensure they don’t become a further problem as drivers learn to navigate them.

He explains, “Part of our grant, we actually got an extra pallet of these barriers so it’s going to be hard to knock one down because they are flexible.”

But business owners, like Samaan, remain skeptical and hope the challenges are resolved sooner rather than later.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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Daniella Lake

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – This morning, the City of Indio and the Imperial Irrigation District is hosted a groundbreaking ceremony to commemorate the Avenue 42 substation upgrade project, which will expand the substation. The expansion is the first of four projects planned under the Indio Electric Financing Authority. It’s part of an effort to expand the electrical grid’s capacity to meet up with the city’s growing energy demands.

“We need power. I think people don’t realize the extent that power is used in all communities and our public safety environment as well,” says Indio Mayor Elaine Holmes.

The Avenue 42 upgrade project costs $12 million and is funded through a surcharge for residents. City officials say the average surcharge is around $11 per household, but depends on residents’ electricity usage. The target completion date for the Avenue 42 upgrade project is August 2026.

Once all four substations are complete, officials say it’ll power up to 16,000 homes and businesses in Indio.

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Luis Avila

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif (KESQ) – Broad reactions are coming in from across the Coachella Valley after Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was captured by U.S. forces — including from some local South American-owned businesses.

Monica Moreno, owner of Mi Cultura Cuisine in Palm Desert, says it’s been the topic of conversation all day and reactions have been mixed. The restaurant’s Peruvian and Columbian flavors mirror the South American roots of both staff and customers, making developments in Venezuela hit close to home.

“Right now, what I just heard is my employees have been talking and asking questions,” she explains. “They don’t know what’s going to happen. Some of them are happy because they are finally going to go back to where they were raised where their roots are.”

Moreno says she understands this is a major turning point for Venezuelans and is standing with her South American friends and neighbors as the situation continues to evolve.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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Garrett Hottle

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) New tonight, Nicolás Maduro appeared before a U.S. judge today, pleading not guilty after being captured and brought to the United States. The dramatic move is reshaping Venezuela’s future and reopening deep concerns for Venezuelans living here.News Channel Three’s Garrett Hottle is at the Breaking News Center.

Maduro’s court appearance comes after years of U.S. pressure on Venezuela’s leadership, dating back to the era of Hugo Chávez. Some supporters of the move call it accountability, while some critics warn history shows foreign intervention rarely brings stability.

With Maduro now in U.S. custody, Delcy Rodríguez, a longtime Maduro ally, is overseeing the government in Caracas, with the military and state institutions still aligned with the existing power structure.

“The U.S. has done this before to other countries when they intervene and most of the time hasn’t gone just right,” Grecia Conteras, a yucca valley resident, born in Veneuzla said. “But these are real people. These are real people’s lives.”

More than eight million Venezuelans have fled their country in recent years, many now living in Southern California.

As Maduro’s case moves through U.S. court, they’re watching closely, hopeful for change, but wary of who truly holds power.

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Gavin Nguyen

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – California motorists may soon notice new cameras along their daily commutes.

The state is rolling out new automated enforcement programs stemming from several state Senate and Assembly Bills, including cameras at traffic signals and cameras to catch speeders in Caltrans highway work zones.

California Assembly Bill 645 was passed back in 2023 and authorized the start of the speed safety system pilot program. This allowed six pilot cities (Los Angeles, Long Beach, Glendale, San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose) to work towards implementing speed cameras in designated problem areas within their cities, including school zones and street racing corridors.

That speed safety program remains limited to those pilot cities and Malibu, which was added a year after the bill’s passing.

Assembly Bill 289, passed more recently in 2025, will expand the scope of that automated enforcement by permitting Caltrans to deploy similar speed cameras along highway work zones statewide to protect their work crews.

Senate Bill 720, also passed in 2025, focuses on red light cameras and revises existing legislation.

Historically, Cathedral City had red light cameras in some problem intersections. The city’s police department still has a webpage online about those red light violations, but the cameras have since been taken down.

News Channel 3 has reached out to Caltrans District 8, which oversees San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, to see if there are plans to deploy those cameras in local work zones.

We also spoke with advocacy groups who said these cameras are necessary to enhance safety. Stay with us for the latest.

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Shay Lawson

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ)  – A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ground stop that disrupted flights at Palm Springs International Airport over the New Year’s weekend was lifted Saturday evening.

Some travelers said they continue to face cancellations and delays Monday as operations work to return to normal.

On Monday, a spokesperson from the Palm Springs airport said the FAA issue impacting Southern California airspace, including Palm Springs International Airport, has been resolved.

The FAA issued the ground stop Saturday morning after an air traffic control issue affecting Southern California airspace forced airlines to halt departures. 

Flights began resuming over the weekend, but airport officials cautioned passengers that residual impacts and delays could continue.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.

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Daniella Lake

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The DMV of California rolled out several new laws for 2026. One new law authorizes local governments to waive or reduce parking penalties if a person is unable to pay and requires the provision of a payment plan if requested. The DMV says the goal is to help prevent escalating fines and vehicle towing that “disproportionately impacts low-income families.”

Palm Springs Police Department says that prior to this new law, drivers were able to request fee waivers up to 60 days after their citation. Now, with this new law, drivers can make that request at any point after the citation.

“It does provide a improvement for our community, especially an individual that is now not generating an income,” says Lieutenant Gustavo Araiza with the Palm Springs Police Department.

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María García

Update (01/05/26)

Mountain View Road at Dillon Road in Desert Hot Springs has reopened in both directions.

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Original Report:

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A traffic collision early Monday morning forced a major road closure on the south side of Desert Hot Springs after a vehicle struck a power pole, bringing down high-voltage power lines.

The crash happened just before 1 a.m. on Mountain View Road at Dillon Road. Authorities say the impact left power lines hanging close to the roadway, prompting officials to shut down Mountain View Road in both directions between Clubhouse Drive and Dillon Road.

There is currently no estimated time for when the road will reopen.

Southern California Edison crews are on scene working to secure the downed lines and repair the damaged power pole. The collision also triggered a power outage affecting approximately 105 customers in the area. Edison officials estimate electricity will be restored by about 10:30 a.m.

Drivers are urged to avoid the area and use alternate routes while crews continue their work.

Stay with News Channel 3 for updates.

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Timothy Foster

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ)  – Stars and filmmakers gathered Sunday morning at the Parker Hotel in Palm Springs for Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch and Creative Impact Awards brunch, held in conjunction with the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

The annual event, which takes place the day after the Palm Springs International Film Awards, recognizes established industry leaders alongside emerging filmmakers shaping the future of cinema.

This year’s Creative Impact Awards honored Dwayne Johnson with the Creative Impact in Acting Award, Teyana Taylor with the Creative Impact in Breakthrough Performance Award, and Guillermo del Toro with the Creative Impact in Directing Award.

Johnson was recognized for his performance as MMA fighter Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine. Taylor was honored for her recent work on screen and her growing impact in film, while del Toro was celebrated for his continued influence as a director and storyteller.

The brunch also highlighted Variety’s annual 10 Directors to Watch, a list that spotlights rising filmmakers from the United States and around the world. Two of the honorees were unable to attend due to travel issues.

The 2026 Variety 10 Directors to Watch honorees are:

Akinola Davies Jr. — My Father’s Shadow

Beth de Araujo — Josephine

Jan-Ole Gerster — Islands

Sarah Goher — Happy Birthday

Dave Green — Coyote vs. Acme

Chandler Levack — Mile End Kicks

Harry Lighton — Pillion

NB Mager — Run Amok

Kristen Stewart — The Chronology of Water

Walter Thompson-Hernández — If I Go Will They Miss Me

The event underscored the Palm Springs International Film Festival’s role as a platform for celebrating both influential figures in the film industry and the next generation of creative talent.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage of the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

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