Category: kesq-local-news

Jesus Reyes

LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – The American Express golf tournament is less than a month away and officials shared the latest on the 2026 edition Tuesday during Media and Sponsor Appreciation Day.

Media Day for the 2026 @theamexgolf! We are 44 days away from tournament week here in @LaQuintaCA! pic.twitter.com/JvUxWu3ylG

— Blake Arthur (@BlakeArthur24) December 9, 2025

As part of the ceremonies, Pat McCabe, Tournament Director for The American Express®, announced that the 2026 edition has received commitments from six world-class players, which include major champions Wyndham Clark and Brian Harman, as well as Ben Griffin, who is currently ranked ninth in the Official World Golf Rankings after a stellar 2025 campaign.

“The 2026 American Express® is officially on the horizon and we could not be more excited to once again host some of the best players in the world,” said McCabe.

Check Out Our AMEX Section For More Coverage

Joining Clark, Harman, and Griffin in this year’s tournament is Rickie Fowler, who hails from Southern California, as well as Akshay Bhatia and defending champion Sepp Straka.

Notable commits, as of now, in the 156-player field for 2026 @theamexgolf. $8.8M purse this year.

– Harris English- Ben Griffin- Akshay Bhatia- Wyndham Clark- Brian Harman- Fan favorite and So Cal native Rickie Fowler@KESQ @PGATOUR

— Blake Arthur (@BlakeArthur24) December 9, 2025

“I could not be more excited to return to The American Express, a tournament that now means a great deal to me,” Straka said. “Everything about this event is special, from the world class hospitality to the remarkable golf courses. Winning this historic tournament was one of the highlights of my career and I am thrilled to return to the Coachella Valley to defend my title.”

Straka posted a trio of sub-65 rounds over the first three days and ultimately shot 25-under par to win the 2025 title by two over Justin Thomas. The Austrian went on to have a stellar season, which included a Signature Event victory at the Philadelphia Cricket Club in May. He then went on to help Europe win the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, where the European Team became the first road team to emerge victorious in the competition since 2012.

Bhatia, meanwhile, has two PGA TOUR victories to his name but has never made the 54-hole cut at The American Express®. He hopes to change that in 2026.

Fowler, who won THE PLAYERS Championship in 2015, quickly became one of the most popular players in the world after he joined the PGA TOUR in 2010. Since then, the former Oklahoma State Cowboy has amassed six TOUR victories and competed in five Ryder Cups and three Presidents Cups for Team USA.

Clark and Harman became household names in the sporting world thanks to their career-defining victories during the summer of 2023. At the Los Angeles Country Club, which hosted the U.S. Open for the first time, Clark held off numerous top players to win by a stroke. He also has two other PGA TOUR victories and hopes to regain his 2023 form at The American Express® this upcoming January. As for Harman, he hoisted the Claret Jug at Royal Liverpool a month after Clark’s victory, dominating the English links to win The Open Championship by six. Harman has won three other times on the PGA TOUR, most recently doing so in April 2025. 

Last but certainly not least, Griffin will arrive in the Coachella Valley as one of the game’s brightest stars following a 2025 season that saw him win three times. He also made his first U.S. Ryder Cup team. Griffin’s T-7 finish at the 2025 The American Express® served as a harbinger of things to come for the former North Carolina Tar Heel. 

More player commitments are expected to follow in the coming weeks. 

The 67th edition of The American Express® will take place January 19-25, 2026, at PGA WEST’s Pete Dye Stadium Course (host course) and Nicklaus Tournament Course, as well as La Quinta Country Club.

Once again, this tournament will have 156 amateurs competing alongside 156 professionals over the first three rounds, with each player having the opportunity to play one round on each course. Then, after 54-holes, the top 65-professionals and ties make the cut as the final round will commence on PGA WEST’s Pete Dye Stadium Course.  

In addition to seeing world class players compete, fans who buy tickets for Friday and Saturday’s rounds will be given the opportunity to attend the 2026 Concert Series. After the second round, country music sensation Old Dominion will take the stage on Friday, January 23rd and renowned pop rock band OneRepublic is set to perform on Saturday, January 24th following the third round.  

All ticket holders – regardless of which day they attend – will have access to the Michelob Ultra Beers Fore Birdies, which is located on the famous par-3 17th on the Pete Dye Stadium Course known as ‘Alcatraz.’

Other activations include local business concessions, The Turn located between the 1st tee and 9th green of the Stadium Course, Bushmills Irish Whiskey Lounge, Corona Premier Par-Tee Lounge, and the Patriots Outpost presented by SoFi. A premier merchandise tent, which includes unique collaborations such as the one between Malbon and American Express, is also a highlight for every fan who attends. 

Tickets are now on sale at the tournament’s official website, www.theamexgolf.com. American Express Card Members can get 20% off the ticket price for General Admission, Clubhouse, and Champion Club tickets when they pay with their American Express Card. Terms and exclusions apply. 

Click here to follow the original article.

City News Service

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – Riverside County supervisors today approved a funding agreement for a new power substation slated for construction in Thousand Palms, benefiting several communities served by the Imperial Irrigation District.

“When there are blackouts in the summer, there’s no air conditioning. It’s hot,” board Chairman Manuel Perez said ahead of the 5-0 vote in favor of the Cook Street Substation Project. “It makes things tough. Advancing a new substation in the Thousand Palms area is important.”

The board voted to support the project with a promised $5.6 million investment via the newly established Coachella Valley Power Fund. The county committed an initial $250,000 Tuesday, drawn from the Unincorporated Communities Initiative account, which was established five years ago specifically to provide money for projects intended to uplift underserved or economically challenged areas.

Further appropriations will be added to the power fund as the project matures. Its total cost was estimated to be $42.62 million.   

In addition to the county, the cities of Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage, as well as IID and the nonprofit Berger Foundation, are parties to the funding compact.  

The project will be situated in the immediate vicinity of Cook Street and Chase School Road, just north of Interstate 10 and less than a mile northwest of Acrisure Arena. The property is owned by the Berger Foundation, which will be involved in the planning stages of the substation, according to documents posted to the board’s agenda.

No groundbreaking date has been set yet, and a timeline for construction wasn’t published.

IID officials said the station will house one 28 mega volt-amperes transformer and one 50 mega volt-amperes transformer, with space for a third 28 MVA transformer in the future. Substations serve as power flow regulators, distributing electrical current to homes and businesses via the grid with safeguards. The stations don’t generate electricity independently.   

“Our team has been able to draft a regional solution to the infrastructure needs of the eastern Coachella Valley,” IID spokesman Antonio Ortega told the board. “It took a lot of work, effort and diligence to get us to this point. Here we are today. But this is just the start.”

The county Transportation & Land Management Agency and other entities are also working toward the future establishment of a substation on Avenue 58 in La Quinta. That remains in the conceptualization phase.   

The Cook Street Substation will fall under the purview of the Coachella Valley Power Agency, a joint powers authority set up in May to provide a forum for government and private interests to work in concert toward expanding and improving power grid infrastructure throughout the region.

Click here to follow the original article.

Daniella Lake

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – As the holidays roll around and more people travel in and out of the Palm Springs International Airport, rideshare drivers are sharing some of their concerns.

Some drivers don’t have Lyft or Uber stickers displayed on their cars, which other drivers think can be potentially dangerous.

“How does that rider know that they’re being picked up by an actual Lyft and Uber driver?,” says Todd Wheelan, a rideshare driver.

News Channel 3 asked the airport what they do to ensure drivers identify their vehicles, they shared that their curbside operations staff issues warnings and citations to violators.

“We’re working hard to ensure that drivers are properly displaying their Uber or Lyft decals so passengers can easily and confidently identify their ride, and we are actively bringing vehicles into compliance,” Palm Springs International Airport said in a statement to News Channel 3.

Some drivers also say that passengers have trouble finding the rideshare pick up location. The Palm Springs International Airport has bright yellow signage to help passengers find they way.

“Our curbside staff and volunteer Navigators are available throughout the day to assist guests and provide directions,” they said in a statement to News Channel 3.

Click here to follow the original article.

Shay Lawson

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ)  – Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputies say too many drivers are failing to follow the state’s “Move Over” law, putting first responders and tow truck operators at serious risk.

“We’ve been noticing a lot of vehicles just drive the speed limit right past you, within a foot of us, as we’re doing a traffic stop,”  Deputy Sheriff Paul Abrego with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said.

The Move Over law requires drivers to change lanes or slow down when approaching stopped emergency or utility vehicles with flashing emergency or hazard lights, to protect personnel.

“For example, if it’s a 40-mile-per-hour zone, the good practice would be to cut your speed down to 20 miles per hour as you’re passing. If you’re unable to change lanes,” Abrego said.

He said the law applies to law enforcement, fire crews, ambulances, tow truck drivers, and Caltrans workers.

“It’s not only on the highways,” Abrego said. “This is also required on city roads.”

Abrego said ignoring the law puts lives at risk.

“It could cause a fatal accident. It could cause serious injury,” he said. “All these roadside workers have loved ones at home… It’s courtesy as well as the law.”

Starting soon, Abrego said the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office (RSO) will launch enforcement operations.

“We are going to be heavily enforcing. Especially out here in the desert,” Abrego said. “Here at the Palm Desert station, we are going to be doing operations to try to protect these roadside workers and make it safe.”

Riverside County drivers who fail to move over or slow down face a $234 traffic fine.

“If something major happens, someone gets seriously injured, or a fatal accident happens, you can be charged criminally for the incident,” Abrego said.

Stay with News Channel 3 for the full report at 6 p.m.

Click here to follow the original article.

Tauli Anderson

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – As the holiday rush ramps up, post offices across the Valley are already seeing a surge in customers hoping to get gifts in the mail before Christmas. USPS Postmaster Andrea White says foot traffic has jumped by at least 20 percent.

Postal officials are urging people to mail packages as early as possible to avoid delays. They’ve released this year’s shipping deadlines.

Recommending First-Class Mail and USPS Ground Advantage to get those packages into the mail system by December 17th. Priority Mail, by December 18. If you’re one of those really, really procrastinators, December 20 for Priority Mail Express.

USPS recommends using the self-service kiosks available in many lobbies. Customers can buy postage, print labels, and drop packages directly into the outgoing slot — often in a fraction of the time.

With deadlines quickly approaching and lines already forming, USPS officials say the best strategy is simple: ship early. Dropping gifts in the mail sooner rather than later is the most reliable way to make sure they arrive before Christmas.

 

Click here to follow the original article.

Gavin Nguyen

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – Twelve intersections within Cathedral City are getting upgrades.

The project began on Monday and will continue until the spring of 2026.

The following intersections will be worked on during that period:

Ramon Road & Desert Vista Road/Avenida Del Yermo

Ramon Road & Whispering Palms Trail

Ramon Road & Cathedral Canyon Drive/Avenida Maravilla

Ramon Road & Da Vall Drive

Vista Chino Drive & Avenida Quintana/Desert Princess Drive

Date Palm Drive & Via Olivera

Date Palm Drive & Gerald Ford Drive

Gerald Ford Drive & Plumley Road/Avenida Del Sol Road

Dinah Shore Drive & Plumley Road

Dinah Shore Drive & Cathedral Canyon Drive

Landau Boulevard & 30th Avenue

East Palm Canyon Drive & El Dorado/East Canyon Plaza

New hardware upgrades are being installed, including advanced dilemma zone detection equipment, left turn phases, and pedestrian countdown heads. They are meant to provide added safety and improve traffic flow in the affected areas.

The city said residents should expect some delays during construction hours, which occur Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

For questions, you’re encouraged to contact Project Manager Andrew Lee at (760) 770-0319 or by email at alee@cathedralcity.gov.

Stay with KESQ as we hear from residents and the city on how these improvements will make your commute smoother and safer.

Click here to follow the original article.

Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Palm Springs International Film Awards announced that Kate Hudson is the recipient of the Icon Award, Actress, for her performance in Focus Features’ Song Sung Blue.

The Film Awards will take place on January 3, 2026, at the Palm Springs Convention Center, with the festival running January 2-12, 2026. The event will be presented by Kering and sponsored by Entertainment Tonight. You can watch the event live on CBS Local 2, coverage starts at 5pm

Palm Springs International Film Festival announces lineup of 168 films

“Kate Hudson’s turn in Song Sung Blue is deeply moving bringing warmth, vulnerability, and musical confidence to a role that demands both heart and grit,” said Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi. “From her breakthrough in Almost Famous to her fearless turns in romance, comedy, and drama across her career, she has shown a remarkable ability to evolve as an artist. It is our privilege to honor her with the Icon Award, recognizing not just this performance but a body of work that continues to inspire.”

Based on a true story, Song Sung Blue follows Mike and Claire as they become Lightning and Thunder, a joyous Neil Diamond tribute band that takes them from a small garage to dive bar glory to an unlikely Milwaukee stardom defined by their moving devotion to one another and the raucous power of “Sweet Caroline.” But when tragedy strikes and plunges them to the bottom, it’s the revelatory power of their love — for music and for each other — that binds the pair, provides a way forward, and ultimately helps them remember one another.

The Focus Features film is directed and written by Craig Brewer, starring Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson, Michael Imperioli, Ella Anderson, King Princess, Mustafa Shakir, Hudson Hensley with Fisher Stevens and Jim Belushi. Song Sung Blue opens in theatres nationwide on Christmas Day.

Hudson received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.

Kate Hudson is a Golden Globe Award winner and Academy Award-nominated actress, singer/songwriter, producer, entrepreneur, and bestselling author. She is best known for her roles in Almost Famous, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, and Bride Wars, which she also produced. She co-starred with Mark Wahlberg in Deepwater Horizon, Marshall, opposite Chadwick Boseman and Sterling K. Brown, and was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance in Music. She co-starred opposite Octavia Spencer in the Apple TV+ series Truth Be Told, and starred in Ana Lily Amirpour’s mystery thriller Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon. She was part of the all-star ensemble of the Netflix global smash hit, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.

She currently stars in and executive produces the hit Netflix series Running Point, which has wrapped its second season.

Hudson joins this year’s previously announced honorees Michael B. Jordan (Icon Award), Leonardo DiCaprio (Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actor), Ethan Hawke (Career Achievement Award), Adam Sandler (Chairman’s Award), Amanda Seyfried (Desert Palm Achievement Award), Hamnet director Chloé Zhao as well as actors Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal (Vanguard Award), Frankenstein (Visionary Award) and Sentimental Value cast members Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Elle Fanning (International Star Award).

Past winners of the Icon Award include Glenn Close, Willem Dafoe, Michael Douglas, Robert Duvall, Lady Gaga, Paul Giamatti, Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep. In their respective years, Close (The Wife), Dafoe (The Florida Project), Duvall (The Judge), Giamatti (The Holdovers) and Streep (August Osage County) were each nominated for an Academy Award in their respective years.

Click here to follow the original article.

Cynthia White

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Palm Springs Symphony brought the magic of the season to the Plaza Theatre on Sunday in its premiere performance.

Symphony lovers were treated to “Sleigh Ride & Symphony: A Joyful Christmas Concert,” where they were entertained with holiday classics, a festive sing-along, and a visit from Santa.

The evening blended world-class music with holiday cheer.

There are several more performances scheduled for the Palm Springs Symphony throughout the season.

For information on show dates and ticket pricing, visit palmspringsplazatheatre.com/events. To learn more about the Palm Springs Symphony, visit palmsprings-symphony.org.

Click here to follow the original article.

Cynthia White

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Santa’s elves made an early delivery to Martha’s Village & Kitchen on Monday. The elves – members of the Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus – dropped off several carloads of toys and gifts from their recent Holiday Toy Drive.

The generous donations from chorus members and the Mattel Corporation will help ensure that clients of Martha’s Village have presents to open on Christmas morning.

This is the fifth year that Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus has partnered with Martha’s Village on a Holiday Toy Drive.

Click here to follow the original article.

Juan Montesló

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Residents of a housing complex in Indio are raising concerns over the lack of proper maintenance for the trash.

They say the accumulation of garbage at Sun Castle Condominiums on Aladdin Street is bringing unwelcome guests that include flies, rats, and cockroaches into their homes.

They also say a lack of security is a concern, with homeless people digging through the trash.

Residents are frustrated, saying the homeowners association and management of the complex are doing nothing about it.

One resident comments, “I’ve spoken with the HOA, with the community manager here, and she tells me the association doesn’t have the money to fix it.”

News Channel 3 reached out to the association responsible for the maintenance of the complex on Monday, and they said they were not able to respond that day. We will have an update as soon as the organization responds to the issue.

Click here to follow the original article.