Category: kesq-local-news

María García

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Palm Springs and Riverside County Fire responded to reports of a structure fire in an abandoned building just after 2:00 a.m. Thursday, on the corner of Sunrise Way and East Palm Canyon Drive.

Firefighters say they found heavy smoke in the vacant structure, Another two additional engines and a ladder truck were called, making it 18 fire units on scene.

No one was injured, and fire investigators are working to determine the cause and origin of the fire.

Stay with News Channel 3 for the latest updates.

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Jeff Stahl

From wildfires to earthquakes and even a tropical storm hitting the Coachella Valley, disasters can strike unexpectedly.

I-Team investigator Jeff Stahl is digging deep into Emergency Operation Plans and finding that there is a lot of work to do. 

Nine cities have nine unique plans.

The I-Team has been requesting and combing through the documents. 

Palm Desert and La Quinta approved their latest plans in 2010, and Palm Springs in 2012, but you’ll find most cities are updating their plans right now.

What could this all mean during our next widespread emergency? 

Disasters come in many forms, Coachella Valley residents can all relate to, from Tropical Storm Hilary’s rain and widespread flooding, to lockdowns during the COVID-19 Pandemic, and the Los Angeles wind-driven wildfires to our west. 

In Palm Springs, Emergency Planning documents show the city’s top disaster concerns include a major earthquake, fire, flooding, dam failure, hazardous materials spills, severe heat– even civil unrest and terrorism.

Palm Springs Emergency Management Coordinator  Daniel DeSelms confirmed with News Channel 3, “Those are our major ones.”  

Like others we examined, the city’s plan presents an organizational chart for the police, fire, and all other department operation centers to work together and with outside districts, state, and federal agencies during high-stress times.

DeSelms said, “When two more of those are activated on a single incident, the Emergency Operations Center gets kicked into gear.” 

He says the city’s new plan will be more streamlined, closer to a hundred pages from the current 600. It will list important crisis job requirements and remove many redundancies to make the new document more readable. DeSelms has been working on it for several years now.

“What any community member can take from this,” DeSelms said, “is knowing that the city is planning for protecting the community. That is our number one priority.”  

Cathedral City is like most others in the Coachella Valley with these Emergency Operations Plans. They run several hundred pages. This is just a fraction of Cathedral City’s and was produced in 2022. They are working on a new version of this plan and hope to have it completed by June.”

“Now, for us, we were already in the process of planning it out when we had Hurricane Hilary,” Fire Chief Michael Contreras said, adding, “While I think we did everything we could, what can we do better?

Contreras says the pandemic and especially Tropical Storm Hilary highlighted the need for updates including the types of services the fire department should be involved with that previously it had not been.

“Depending on jurisdiction, because a lot of it was run by the county,” Contreras said, adding, “but in a lot of places, the fire department ran the vaccination clinics, because that’s one thing we do pretty well.”   

As for those updates. Who can forget the images of a neighborhood flooded with gooey mud– a derailed freight train– or those senior citizens rescued from a flooded care home in a tractor’s scoop? Here is exactly what Contreras hopes the new plan solves.

The city is streamlining its emergency plan by making it shorter and easier to read, and with more specific information on all of the potential resources available to help when disaster strikes. 

Contreras says the city secured the heavy equipment to rescue those stranded seniors from the mud that came from the Edom Hill Landfill, which is not a traditional equipment supplier. Now, the new plan will also list that and other non-traditional potential sources for potentially needed resources. 

Yet questions remain.

“Now, for us, we were already in the process of planning it out when we had Hurricane Hilary,” Contreras said, adding, “While I think we did everything we could, what can we do better?

DeSelms said, “Things like Ebola and other pandemics have occurred that really changed the thinking of, ‘What is a public health crisis?'”

Agencies we spoke to say they’re already prepared for wildfires so January’s Los Angeles fires in January have not required any changes for an already well-defined command structure.

The new Palm Springs plan is set to be approved by the city council this month. Rancho Mirage tells us its plan is still current, but it will be updated next year. 

ey’re already prepared for wildfires– so January’s LA fires have not required any changes for an already well-defined command structure.

The plans are intended to facilitate multi-agency and multi-jurisdictional coordination, particularly between the cities and Riverside County, special districts, and state agencies, in emergency operations.

The new Palm Springs plan is set to go before the city council for approval this month. Rancho Mirage tells us their plan is still current, but they are set to update it next year.

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Cynthia White

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – With unanimous approval by the Indio City Council on Wednesday to enter an agreement with the agency, the Coachella Valley Power Agency-Joint Powers Authority (CVPA-JPA) is now official.

The goal of the new governing authority is to give Coachella Valley residents more control over their electricity.

The City of Indio joins La Quinta and Riverside County as the first three members of the JPA though the agency provides the ability for additional members, including tribal nations and more cities, to join in the future.

Once the JPA is formed, representatives from all participating entities will be chosen to form a board, weighing concerns for local power governance and infrastructure. The board will then work with Imperial Irrigation District to address their issues.

News Channel 3’s Shay Lawson earlier reported on some of the details of the CVPA-JPA.

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Cynthia White

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – JFK Memorial Hospital held a celebration on Wednesday for achieving an advance certification in perinatal care.

Peri-natal care is care offered to pregnant mothers beginning at conception and extending to a time after the baby is born.

The certification comes from the Joint Commission and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. It is awarded to hospitals that demonstrate excellence in providing comprehensive, coordinated care for expectant mothers and their infants.

JFK Director of Maternal Child Services Geraldine Samaniego, RN says, “Our team at JFK Memorial Hospital is dedicated to providing the highest quality level of care for expectant mothers and their newborns. Receiving the Advanced Certification in Perinatal Care is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of our entire staff.”

JFK CEO Karen Faulis adds, “We are thrilled to have earned this certification and look forward to continuing to serve our community with exceptional perinatal care.”

JFK Memorial is the second hospital in the Coachella Valley and one of only 15 in California to achieve advanced certification in perinatal care. Last year, Desert Regional Medical Center became the first hospital in the Inland Empire to achieve the new certification.

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Cynthia White

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – A Palm Desert man was taken into custody on Wednesday on suspicion of exposing himself while in his car, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

The Department reports that Palm Desert Sheriff’s Station deputies were called to the 77000 block of Country Club Drive in Palm Desert just after 10:30 a.m. Wednesday for a report of indecent exposure. Before deputies could get to the location, the suspect drove away from the scene.

Deputies later found the car and the suspect driver, who was arrested and booked into the John Benoit Detention Center.

The Investigations Bureau is handling the ongoing investigation, and they ask anyone with information on this incident to call Investigator Hickok at 760-836-1600.

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Jesus Reyes

Update 5/19/25

Two minors were identified as the suspects behind the anti-Semitic graffiti that occurred on the morning of May 4 in the 45000 block of Deep Canyon Road, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office announced.

“Following the release of surveillance photographs to the public, investigators received multiple credible tips that led to the identification of two male juveniles. Due to the suspects being minors, their names will not be released. Vandalism charges will be filed with the Riverside County Probation Department,” reads an RSO news release.

Investigators continue to search for the suspect who committed anti-Semitic vandalism on April 30 on El Paseo in Palm Desert.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call Investigator Grasso at 760-836-1600, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Dispatch non-emergency number at 951-776-1099, or submit an anonymous tip through Riverside County Crime Stoppers at 760-341-7867

Original Report 5/7/25

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office released photos of suspects believed to be behind a series of anti-Semitic graffiti in Palm Desert.

The first graffiti incident report happened last Wednesday just before 10 p.m. on the 73000 block of El Paseo.

“The caller reported drawings of swastikas on a store window. Deputies arrived and reviewed surveillance video where an unidentified male adult was seen drawing the swastika on the window with a marker,” reads an RSO news release.

The second incident was reported on Sunday, May 4 at around 7:40 a.m. in the 45000 block of Deep Canyon Road.

“Upon arrival, deputies found an electrical box spray-painted with swastikas and anti-Semitic graffiti. Additional anti-Semitic graffiti was located at several locations within the same general area,” RSO wrote in a news release

The Palm Desert Station Investigations Bureau assumed the investigation and obtained video surveillance footage of two unidentified male suspects.

The Palm Desert Sheriff’s Station is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the suspects in both cases.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call Investigator Grasso at 760–836–1600, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Dispatch non-emergency number at 951–776–1099, or submit an anonymous tip through Riverside County Crime Stoppers.

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Shay Lawson

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. (KESQ)  – For adults in their 40s and 50s, mental health professionals say life can feel like a juggling act—caring for young children while also tending to aging parents.

Experts call this group the “sandwich generation,” and they say the emotional toll of multigenerational caregiving is rising.

According to Pew Research Center, more than half of Americans in their 40s are part of this caregiving group. Nearly a quarter of adults are providing financial support to both an elderly parent and a child.

“It’s a lot of extra stressors all at once,” said Dr. Evita Limon-Rocha, child adolescent and adult Psychiatrist with Kaiser Permanente.

She said for example, people in this generation might be managing young kids with illnesses from school while also trying to keep parents on track with their medications and appointments.

Dr. Limon-Rocha also said she’s noticed an increase in this phenomenon among her patients.

“I see families all the time that are juggling,” she said.

To help ease the pressure, Dr. Limon-Rocha recommends caregivers prioritize self-care, seek help from family or professional resources and stay connected socially.

“I always encourage my family members and caregivers just kindness toward self,” she said.

As life expectancy increases, and families continue to share responsibilities across generations, experts said supporting sandwich caregivers is more important than ever—for their health and the well-being of those they care for.

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

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City News Service

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Jury deliberations began today in the trial of a man accused of gunning down a Cathedral City convenience store owner during a botched robbery, while testimony continued in the separate trial of his alleged co-conspirator.

Charles Lamar Campbell of Beaumont and Joel Ortiz Hidalgo of Desert Hot Springs, both 23, allegedly joined in the 2021 slaying of 61-year-old Chris Sgouromitis of Cathedral City.

Charles Lamar Campbell (Left) and Joel Ortiz Hidalgo (Right)

Both men are charged with first-degree murder, attempted robbery and a special circumstance allegation of killing in the course of a robbery. Campbell is additionally charged with sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.

Two juries — one for each defendant — were convened to hear the matter, and after almost three weeks, testimony concluded in Campbell’s trial Tuesday. On Wednesday, the prosecution and defense delivered closing arguments at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, where Riverside County Superior Court Judge Otis Sterling sent jurors behind closed doors to begin weighing evidence. They deliberated briefly, then broke for the day, slated to return Thursday morning.

Testimony in Hidalgo’s trial is expected to wrap up Thursday or Friday.  

Each man was being held without bail at the Benoit Detention Center.    According to a trial brief filed by the District Attorney’s Office, on the night of Feb. 21, 2021, Campbell and Hidalgo were driving around the Coachella Valley in the latter’s Acura sedan, seeking to purchase a “plug” of marijuana. When a transaction fell through in Palm Springs, the men headed into Cathedral City, where Campbell directed Hidalgo onto Shifting Sands Trail and, ultimately, the Outpost Market at the intersection of Shifting Sands and Ramon Road, according to court papers.

While Hidalgo sat behind the wheel of his car, Campbell entered the convenience store, long owned and operated by Sgouromitis and his family, prosecutors said.

Although no one else was in the outlet, security surveillance video cameras inside were operating, capturing almost all of the ensuing encounter between the victim and defendant, according to the brief.

“The victim had the cash register open and appeared to be counting or organizing cash in the register as Campbell walked in … holding a semiautomatic handgun,” the narrative stated.

There were words between the men, which the video cameras did not record. The images, however, revealed Campbell allegedly raising the pistol, holding it with both hands and aiming it at the victim. The defendant fired a shot while backing toward the double doors, striking Sgouromitis in the left hip, prosecutors alleged.   

When the store owner tried to run away from the counter, Campbell allegedly fired two more shots, hitting the victim in the chest and lower back, according to the brief.

The gunfire evidently frightened Hidalgo, who sped away from the location as Campbell exited the store, the prosecution said. Campbell was forced to flee on foot through residences lining Shifting Sands, and during his getaway, he accidentally fired his 9mm pistol into a yard, where the homeowner was watching, according to court papers.   

Sgouromitis’ brother, who had been resting in a room at the back of the store when the shots rang out, initiated CPR on his sibling until Cathedral City Police Department officers arrived and took over, followed by paramedics moments later. However, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

He was a beloved member of the community, and CCPD released a statement within a few days of his murder, saying he was a “father of four with strong local ties, who was not involved in criminal activity and died in his longtime place of business.”

Hidalgo’s Acura was soon identified as the vehicle that had parked outside the convenience store, and the license plate was confirmed via Flock law enforcement camera recordings in Palm Springs, leading to his being tracked down and detained for questioning less than a week later.

The defendant provided details regarding what allegedly had transpired, insisting that he was only giving Campbell a ride to get some marijuana and had no foreknowledge of the planned robbery, according to the brief. He was formally arrested at the police station.

Campbell was located staying in a Beaumont motel, where detectives went to serve an arrest warrant, listening through the door as he conversed via speaker phone with his mother, allegedly telling her, “The driver was arrested, and all he has to do is give me up,” according to the prosecution.  

Officers ordered him out of the room, at which point the defendant was taken into custody without incident.   

Neither man has documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.

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Jesus Reyes

BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) – A Cabazon man was arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing a child, the Banning Police Department announced this week.

Andrew Chavez, 32, was arrested on April 8 at the Las Encinas Mental Hospital in Del Mar, according to jail records. He has been charged with 8 counts of child sex abuse.

Police were first notified of the sexual abuse on the night of March 30 at a home in the city of Banning, authorities said. Police say Chavez was known to the family. Detectives learned the abuse had been occurring over a period of approximately two months before it was reported.

“Banning Police Detectives immediately assumed the investigation and gathered evidence linking Chavez to multiple crimes involving the sexual abuse of a minor. Shortly after the victim disclosed the abuse, Chavez was located at a mental health facility in Pasadena, CA,” reads a Banning PD news release.

Chavez remains in custody on $1 million at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning. He is scheduled to be arraigned in court on Friday, according to court records.

“We commend the bravery of the victim and those who came forward in this case and want to reassure the community that the safety of our most vulnerable residents remains a top priority,” Banning PD wrote.

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with further information is encouraged to contact the Banning Police Department Detective Bureau at (951) 922-3170.

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Allie Anthony

May is Stroke Awareness Month. 2 million brain cells die every minute a stroke goes untreated.

Time is critical — and one major risk factor often goes unnoticed: Atrial Fibrillation (Afib).

Afib is a common heart condition, especially in people over 65. It causes the heart to beat irregularly, which can lead to blood pooling in the heart. This increases the risk of a clot forming — and if that clot travels to the brain, it can cause a stroke. In fact, Afib increases your risk of stroke by five times.

Afib is becoming more common as our population ages. Studies show that about 1 in 3 white adults and 1 in 5 Black adults will develop Afib during their lifetime.

Symptoms of Afib can include: heart palpitations, fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness and chest pain. 

One-third of people with Afib experience no symptoms at all — making regular check-ups with your doctor essential as you age.

However, there are effective treatments involving blood thinners and the Watchman device, which doesn’t correct the heartbeat itself but helps prevent blood clots from forming in the heart — lowering the risk of stroke.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more expert insights on recognizing, treating, and living with Afib. Your awareness could save a life — maybe even your own.

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