Category: kesq-local-news

City News Service

(Palm Springs, CA) – An estimated $707 million jackpot will be at stake in tonight’s Mega Millions drawing, making it the nation’s largest lottery prize since a $1.8 billion Powerball jackpot was won Dec. 24.

The jackpot ranks as the 10th largest in Mega Millions history. The winner could choose a cash option of more than $300 million, according to the Mega Millions Consortium.

There were no tickets sold with all six numbers in Friday’s drawing, causing the jackpot to roll over from an estimated $672 million.

There also were no tickets sold matching the five white-ball numbers but missing the Mega Ball.

The odds of matching all five numbers and the Mega number is 1 in 290,472,336, according to the Mega Millions Consortium. The overall chance of winning a prize is 1 in 35.

The Mega Millions game is played in 45 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. Virgin Islands.

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Matthew Pearce

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) — CVS Health announced Tuesday it is expanding its pharmacy offerings to include select pet-only medications, including insulin, flea and tick treatments, pain relievers and other prescriptions.

This change is a nationwide expansion, bringing these medications to nearly 9,000 stores across the nation.

Pet owners need a written prescription from a veterinarian, or the veterinarian can send the prescription directly to CVS.

Pet owners can also add their pets to their CVS app profiles to manage prescriptions at any time.

News Channel 3 is speaking with pet owners to see if this addition will change how they manage their pets’ medications.

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Kiera McKinney

COACHELLA, CALIF. (KESQ)- U.S. Department of Homeland Security is rescinding the 2022 public charge ground of inadmissibility regulations (“2022 Final Rule”).

The Public Charge Rule is used to decide whether someone is likely to depend mainly on government assistance. If immigration officers determine that an applicant is likely to become a public charge, they can deny a visa, admission to the U.S., or a green card.

The change gives immigration officers more freedom to look at a person’s overall situation, including:

Age

Health

Family size

Income, assets, and financial resources

Education and job skills

Under federal guidelines, officers may consider whether an applicant has received certain means-tested public benefits, along with their financial and personal circumstances, when making that decision. The goal of the policy is to encourage immigrants to be financially self-sufficient.

While DHS cannot determine the number of individuals who will read the rule, DHS assumes immigration lawyers, immigration advocacy groups, benefits providing agencies, nonprofit organizations, non-governmental organizations, and religious organizations, among others, would choose to familiarize themselves with this rule.

Dates:

The final rule is effective on September 18, 2026.

This rule applies to applications for admission made on or after September 18, 2026 or applications for adjustment of status postmarked or electronically submitted on or after September 18, 2026.

Receipt of means-tested public benefits before September 18, 2026 will be considered consistently with the 2022 Final Rule.

Attorney Claudio Koren says officers can now look at an applicants job history, come, and medical history.

“This administration said we don’t want somebody that eventually, potentially can ask us for money. We don’t want that. They can ask for whatever they want or whatever happened in the past” said Koren.

A Coachella Valley resident who did not want to be identified says he is worried because he relies on Medi-Cal, despite already having a green card.

“I have had Medi-Cal and it has benefited me quite a bit. I even just had surgery on my leg. Now with this thing that it is going to be a public charge, it is going to be very difficult for us” he said.

Costs:

Costs will include the opportunity cost of time to read the rule and subsequently determine applicability of its provisions.

DHS estimates that the time to read this rule in its entirety would be 8 to 9 hours per individual.

DHS estimates that the opportunity cost of time will range from about $384.40 to $432.45 per individual who must read and review the rule, according to the Federal Register.

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Tommy Gallegos

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – Season Ticket Memberships are officially live for the inaugural Coachella Valley Lakers season at Acrisure Arena.

Fans can now lock in their seats, enjoy exclusive member benefits, and be there from day one as the newest chapter of professional basketball begins in the desert.

Beginning this fall, Acrisure Arena will serve as the home of the Los Angeles Lakers’ G League affiliate, bringing professional basketball to the valley. The inaugural season will run from November 2026 through March 2027, giving fans months of action right here in the Coachella Valley.

Season Ticket Memberships include access to all 24 regular season home games at Acrisure Arena, along with exclusive member events and experiences, 25% off select food and beverage purchases, and discounted parking.

Fans who have already placed a membership deposit will be contacted by the ticketing team to discuss available seating options and finalize their membership.

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Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Plaza Theatre is producing a tribute to the long-running show, the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies, which ran at the theatre for 23 seasons.

“Still Kicking: Celebrating the Legacy of the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies,” the special one-day event will be held on Monday, December 14 at 7 pm. The all-new production will feature a documentary screening and performances featuring Susan Anton and Donna Mills in this celebration of the legendary musical revue.

For more than two decades, the Follies captivated audiences from around the world with dazzling musical revues that featured extraordinary dancers and entertainers ranging in age from 55 to 84. It was one of the defining cultural attractions in Palm Springs and was an inspiration to generations of performers and audiences alike until it eventually closed in May 2014.

Sept 2025: Riff Markowitz, co-founder of ‘Fabulous Palm Springs Follies,’ dies at 86

To honor this extraordinary show, the Plaza Theatre Foundation has organized an entertaining look back at the Follies, which will celebrate its enduring legacy with an exclusive screening of the Academy Award®-nominated documentary Still Kicking: The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies, an entertaining and heartfelt tribute to the remarkable performers whose energy, humor, and artistry made the Follies an international sensation. The show will include all-new LIVE performances by former Follies performers, celebrated guest artists, and outstanding local entertainers.

Joining the celebration will be an extraordinary lineup of performers and special guests whose careers span television, film, music, dance, and the stage. Among those appearing in the show are acclaimed singer and actress Susan Anton, whose celebrated career has included Broadway, television, film, and Las Vegas; Donna Mills, the Emmy Award-winning actress best known for her iconic portrayal of Abby Cunningham on Knots Landing; Kym Johnson, international ballroom champion and two-time Dancing with the Stars champion; Trina Parks, actress, singer, dancer, and the first African American Bond girl, who also performed as a featured headliner with the Palm Springs Follies; and Marcia Harp, award-winning vocalist, choreographer, and former featured soloist with the Palm Springs Follies.

“Over nine decades, the Plaza Theatre was privileged to host scores of engaging events, including film premieres, live radio broadcasts, fantastic live performances, and the first Palm Spring International Film Festival,” said J.R. Roberts, President of the Plaza Theatre Foundation. “In its later years, the theatre welcomed people from around the world to attend the Follies, so it is fitting that as we honor the that popular program with a special tribute.”

Tickets for the show range from $50 to $125 and will be available for purchase on Friday, July 24 at 10 am. All proceeds from the evening will benefit the Plaza Theatre Foundation and support its continued operations, programming, and stewardship of the theatre.

The tribute is part of the theatre’s year-long 90th anniversary celebrations. Additional Ninetieth Anniversary events will be announced later.

For more information, go to palmspringsplazatheatre.com.

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Tommy Gallegos

INDIO, Calif. — The Indio Police Department and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office are among a select group of California law enforcement agencies receiving state funding to expand education efforts aimed at preventing impaired driving.

The grant is part of more than $41 million awarded by the California Highway Patrol to 183 state and local agencies through the state’s Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program, which is funded by tax revenue generated under voter-approved Proposition 64.

Indio Police, along with Riverside County Public Health are two of just 12 agencies statewide selected to receive education grants. The organizations will use the funding to educate local communities about California’s impaired driving laws while highlighting the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

The education grants are designed to increase public awareness through outreach campaigns, community events and educational programs focused on preventing impaired driving before it occurs.

In addition to Indio Police, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office was also awarded funding through the Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program. The Sheriff’s Office was among 160 law enforcement agencies statewide receiving enforcement grants, which support DUI enforcement operations, training for drug recognition evaluators, expanded efforts to identify drug-impaired drivers and public education campaigns.

Another 10 grants were awarded to toxicology crime laboratories to reduce forensic testing backlogs, improve laboratory capacity and purchase upgraded testing equipment. Los Angeles Medical Examiner also received a two-year grant to improve data collection related to impaired driving cases.

The CHP administers the Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program using tax revenue from cannabis sales approved under Proposition 64.

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City News Service

DESERT HOT SPRINGS (CNS) – Firefighters battled a blaze at a mobile home that was engulfed in flames in the unincorporated Sky Valley area north of Desert Hot Springs and Cathedral City, authorities said today.

The fire was reported at 3:26 p.m. near 22nd Avenue and Hot Springs Road on Sunday, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

At 5:32 p.m., fire officials reported the flames were out. No injuries were reported.

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Dakota Makinen

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – As the cost of living continues to rise, more Coachella Valley residents are turning to side hustles to bring in extra income. From gig work to temporary jobs and small businesses, we explore why more people are taking on additional work and how these extra income streams are changing the way people earn a living.

Stay with News Channel 3 for the latest updates.

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Matthew Pearce

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) — As of June 2026, the average price of ground chuck per pound are at $6.98, up 88 cents, or 14%, from June 2025.

The increase is part of a longer trend. Ground chuck prices have climbed steadily over the past two decades, outpacing price increases for other grocery staples, including dairy products and vegetables.

The higher prices come as the U.S. cattle and calves inventory has steadily declined since the 1970s, reaching just over 86 million heads as of Jan. 1.

News Channel 3 spoke with Coachella Valley residents to hear how they’re managing higher grocery costs in today’s inflationary economy.

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Gavin Nguyen

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Concerning trends around swimming pools are pushing doctors to remind the public about drowning prevention.

According to Desert Regional Medical Center, drowning-related visits in 2026 are already on pace to exceed the number of incidents it saw in 2025.

Drowning-Related Emergency Department Visits

2025 (full year): 6 visits

2026 (through June/July): 6 visits

“When we have pools that are not gated adults, that just their attention is being distracted for just a few seconds, a child falls into a pool and, and has a near-drowning incident. Every year we see that uptake in the summer,” said Dr. Rebecca Ward, the Chief of Pediatrics at Desert Regional Medical Center.

“A lot of people think that drowning is this big, loud, splashy event. Most of the time it is actually silent. A lot of kids, they fall into the pool and then just quickly sink to the bottom. There’s no splash, there’s no loudness,” she explained. “You have to keep your eyes on the pool at all times.”

“Working in the Pediatric ICU, I saw a lot of severe submersion injuries, and it’s so sad because it’s so preventable,” she continued.

Dr. Ward, an avid swimmer herself, said the issue was especially key for her. Her message: drowning is preventable. Always have an adult supervising children in the pool. She also recommended water safety training for children, which can be done as early as six months.

Jaskaran Singh brought his three children to Pawley Pool in Indio to do just that. Desert Recreation District (DRD) also offers swim lessons and for all ages – from six months old to adults – at its pools across the valley.

Singh watched on as his youngest took part in one of those programs. He said he was building a new pool at his house, and wanted to make sure he and his children were educated before jumping in.

“It’s going to prevent it, and then we’re going to have peace of mind from them swimming and stuff,” Singh said.

For more resources on drowning prevention, she said great resources are created by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

For more information on the swim lessons and other pool programs DRD offers, links to those programs can be found here. Also, if the cost of these lessons are a barrier, DRD also offers scholarships for some of those programs. Click here to learn more about those free youth swim lessons.

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