Category: kesq-local-news

Luis Avila

THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) — Growing concerns surrounding a development in Thermal.

The massive 619-acre development centered around a 231-acre luxury equestrian center would be called the Thermal Ranch. A lawsuit has been filed against the county over the project citing air pollution and manure removal concerns.

Ivanna Uriarte, a housing and land use policy advocate, says this will put nearby disadvantaged residents at risk.

“The ECV (Eastern Coachella Valley) unfortunately does lack a lot of access to clean water, adequate housing, a lot of nearby homes are mobile homes that rely on private wells and still don’t have access to clean water,” she explains.

News Channel 3 visited a mobile home community just a few blocks away from the project site.

One resident — who asked to remain anonymous — says the development and amenities it would offer its guests is unfair for residents who live in the area, adding she had recently lost access to electricity and water for three days.

Uriarte says the end goal is not to stop the project, but for residents to be heard when new developments come to the area.

She clarifies, “Semillas de Resistencia and residents aren’t opposed to development in the area. They just want to see development that really reflects their needs and priorities.”

The office of Supervisor V. Manuel Perez tells News Channel 3 infrastructure concerns have been addressed.

Thermal Ranch Development County Response:

“The Thermal Ranch project is a 619-acre development that includes an equestrian facility, a variety of residential units, including workforce housing, and retail-service uses.

The project represents a major investment in the Eastern Coachella Valley, proposing critical infrastructure and amenities within the community, most notably, a new water reservoir and new substation each with additional capacity for the community.

The equestrian facilities, residential neighborhoods, and commercial spaces will attract visitors and stimulate local tourism.

This combination of amenities is expected to generate significant economic benefits, including jobs creation related to hospitality, retail, and event operations.”

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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Athena Jreij

MORONGO VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – It’s been nearly 3 months since 50-year-old Chris Garcia of Morongo Valley was killed in what authorities called an ‘intentional hit and run,’ and the family says no arrests have been made.

News Channel 3 spoke with Garcia’s wife just days after her husband’s death on November 6, 2025.

She alleges a suspect rear-ended the couple near Highway 62 and when they pulled over to exchange information, a heated exchange unfolded. That’s when his wife says he was run over by the suspect and left in the road.

“My husband was walking back to my car, the guy actually put it in reverse and backed up and then floored it and rammed right into my car, the back of my car with my daughter in it still. He then backed up and proceeded to go around my vehicle, which he then struck my husband and drug him under the truck,” his wife said.

Now, she claims movement in the case happened just days after the incident, but no arrest was made. It’s a process she says her family feels left out of.

“They ended up telling us that a suspect did get a lawyer and step forward four days after the incident, But they didn’t tell my husband’s sister or I for about a month and a half. They won’t release his name now. There were no arrests made. All they did was take a written statement and let him go. He’s claiming that it was he felt he was in fear of his life, basically,” Garcia said.

Having watched the accident, Garcia says she doesn’t believe the self-defense claim.

“The other driver struck him, and you know, ultimately drug him under his truck. So how is that? You know, if I felt in fear of my life, I would turn around and go the opposite way, not towards what I’m saying is dangerous to me,” she said.

Since her husband’s death, Garcia says it’s taken both an emotional and financial toll on her family, especially without answers.

“They took about five weeks to give the car back before I could even go and retrieve my belongings out of it. That was deemed a total loss because they had to take parts out of it. So it’s been frustrating. It’s been expensive. I mean, my daughter and I emotionally it’s been a lot. We had to spend the holidays without him,” she said.

News Channel 3 reached out to San Bernardino County Sheriff’s for more information but have been told it is an active investigation, and there are no further updates.

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Jesus Reyes

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – Two people were arrested a month after a burglary in Palm Desert that included multiple stolen firearms, authorities announced.

The suspects, a 32-year-old resident of Banning and a 32-year-old resident of Beaumont, were arrested Tuesday afternoon in the 11000 block of Legends Lane in Beaumont, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.

The arrest was connected to a burglary on Dec. 22 in the 74000 block of Joni Drive in Palm Desert. The victim reported multiple items stolen, including several firearms.

The Palm Desert Sheriff’s Station Robbery and Burglary Suppression Team (RBST) assumed the investigation and identified the suspects responsible for the burglary.

After the suspects were arrested, deputies served a search warrant in the 1100 block of East Ramsey Street in Banning. The agency said several stolen items were recovered, including the stolen firearms, as well as an additional unserialized firearm.

Both suspects were booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility and face charges of burglary, conspiracy, grand theft of firearms, and possession of an unserialized firearm. The suspect from Beaumont was also determined to have several active felony warrants for his arrest for being a felon in possession of ammunition, as well as narcotic-related offenses.

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Deputy Pouchoulen of the Palm Desert Sheriff’s Station by calling (760) 836-1600.

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Shay Lawson

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ)  – Dozens of protesters gathered Wednesday afternoon for a peaceful march in Indio calling for changes to immigration enforcement and greater accountability from federal authorities.

Organizers called the demonstration “ICE Out of Indio,” urging community members to stand in solidarity with people they said have been harmed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Protesters met near 45th Street and Jackson Street around 4 p.m. and marched to Indio City Hall.

The event was promoted as a peaceful gathering, with organizers encouraging participants to address city leaders during public comment at the Indio City Council meeting, which began at 5 p.m. in the council chambers.

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

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Luis Avila

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Taxi drivers at Palm Springs International Airport say the loss of a designated staging area is making it harder for them to work efficiently.

Leonel Reyes, a local taxi driver, says the problem began last month, when the airport stopped allowing taxis to use a dedicated waiting area that previously offered air-conditioning, restrooms, food space, and vending machines. Drivers say those amenities were especially important during busy travel days.

Reyes says the airport is still allowing taxi drivers to wait in other areas on airport property, but that is creating a new set of problems.

“We are kind of being pushed into the ‘call lot’ where most of the local residents who are here to pick up their loved ones are normally waiting for their passengers to arrive,” he explains. “There are restrooms available but these are porter potties. Now, that’s one of the bigger concerns.”

Reyes says he was unsure of the reason behind the relocation, noting only that he had heard it might be designated for construction engineers. He also raised concerns about gaps in communication between airport officials and taxi drivers.

He says, “They may be communicating but we’re not getting the communications. When I say that, I don’t want to put the owners at fault but we’re not getting a complete story as to where we’re going to go.”

An airport spokesperson tells News Channel 3 they were not aware of the drivers’ concerns but said the issue is being reviewed.

Palm Springs International Airport Statement:

“As part of ongoing airport improvement projects, the previous taxi staging area is temporarily being used for construction staging.

Taxi operations remain active and supported, with access to curbside queuing, alternative waiting locations, and restroom facilities both at the new waiting area and inside the terminal.

These adjustments are part of planned airport enhancements and are not expected to impact service for passengers or drivers.”

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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City News Service

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – City officials will open the Indio Business Connect Center in downtown Indio next week, a new facility designed to expand access to business resources, training and education.

The facility will host its first free event from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Jan. 28 at 45222 Towne St.

In partnership with the Riverside County Workforce Development Center, the “Introduction to Employer Services” workshop will offer information on hiring and recruitment support, training and wage subsidies, layoff aversion services and employer incentives.

“The Indio Business Connect Center marks an exciting next step in the city’s continued investment in its growing business community and in the entrepreneurs and business owners who are driving Indio’s economic future,” Mayor Elaine Holmes said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to be kicking off 2026 with a dedicated, welcoming space specifically to support our hardworking business owner.”

Funded by the city’s Economic Development Department, the center will host business classes, workshops, panel discussions, one-on-one consulting, a future co-working space and a learning lab for hands-on skill building, officials said.

More information on programming and events can be found at indio.org/IBC.

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Jesus Reyes

YUCCA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – A Yucca Valley man was arrested after a road rage incident involving a woman and her two young children over the weekend.

The incident happened on Sunday at around 4 p.m. in the 6800 block of Avalon Avenue.

Deputies arrived at the scene and found a woman and her two children, ages one and three, standing near a crashed vehicle. An investigation revealed that the collision was caused by the suspect, a 28-year-old man.

Deputies determined that the crash was an intentional and violent act by the suspect. It’s believed the suspect used his vehicle as a deadly weapon, deliberately ramming the victim’s vehicle during a road rage incident, all while the driver’s juvenile children were inside.

All victims were transported to a local hospital for treatment of pain related to the assault.

The suspect was arrested at around 5:15 p.m. in Joshua Tree. He faces charges of Assault with a Deadly Weapon Other than a Firearm. According to jail records, he was released on bail on Monday.

Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact the Morongo Basin Station at (760)366 4175. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or leave information on the We-Tip website at www.wetip.com. 

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City News Service

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – An undocumented immigrant accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old autistic girl allegedly lured to his Cathedral City apartment on New Year’s Eve was charged today with rape of a minor and other offenses.

Enrique Bautista Vasquez, 20, was arrested last week following an investigation by the Cathedral City Police Department that began at the start of the year.

Along with rape, Vasquez is charged with sentence-enhancing allegations of sexual assault of a person unable to consent and abuse of a victim deemed “particularly vulnerable.”

The defendant is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Benoit Detention Center. He was slated to make his initial court appearance Wednesday, but it has continually been delayed. As of Friday, Vasquez is scheduled to be arraigned on March 27.

According to a bail-setting declaration authored by CCPD Detective Steven Armenta, the alleged assault occurred late on the night of Dec. 31, into the predawn hours of Jan. 1, in the apartment Vasquez shared with others, whose identities were not disclosed, on Victoria Drive.

Armenta said the victim, whose identity was not disclosed, has a habit of wandering out of her family’s home without telling anyone and walking the streets — behavior attributed to her autism.

On the rainy night in question, she walked to Mayfield College on Date Palm Drive for unknown reasons and encountered Vasquez near the campus, according to the police affidavit. The defendant persuaded her to walk with him around a business center for an unspecified period before coaxing her into returning with him to his residence, Armenta alleged.   

“Once the two arrived at his apartment, they engaged in vaginal intercourse,” the detective said, adding that during the alleged assault Vasquez also sodomized the girl.

Armenta said that after several hours at the location, the juvenile was allowed to leave and returned home. Her family contacted police the same day, prompting an immediate investigation.

A medical examination supported the allegation that the youth had been sexually assaulted, according to the declaration. Investigators ultimately procured a search warrant for the defendant’s apartment and discovered “a pair of black women’s boots in his closet, which were reported by the victim to have been left in the bedroom after their encounter, due to the fact that they were wet from the rain,” Armenta wrote.   

He said there was also blood found on the bed sheets, substantiating that the alleged assault which the victim described had occurred.   

The detective said efforts to confirm Vasquez’s identity turned up a Social Security card and federal Permanent Resident card in his wallet.   

“The documents in his possession were determined to be fraudulent,” Armenta said, noting the Social Security card belonged to a Texas resident and had been issued years before the defendant’s birth.

The Permanent Resident card was “fraudulently obtained for immigration purposes,” according to the bail affidavit, establishing that the defendant is a “foreign national” who entered the country illegally.  

Armenta said Vasquez should be considered “a flight risk who will undoubtedly evade future legal proceedings” if given the opportunity to gain release from custody.  

The defendant has no documented prior felony convictions in California.

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Peter Daut

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Palm Springs International Airport handled a record 3.3 million passengers in 2025, marking a roughly 2.4% increase over 2024, airport officials announced today.

March was the airport’s busiest month, with about 500,000 passengers passing through the terminal. Officials said passenger demand remained strong even after the peak travel season.  

“We’re proud to see more travelers choosing to fly from Palm Springs,” Executive Director of Aviation Harry Barrett Jr. said in a statement. “It reflects the strength of our air service and the convenience of PSP. Every trip that starts here supports local jobs, helps sustain the regional economy and creates momentum for expanding nonstop air service that benefits the entire Coachella Valley.”

Airport officials attributed the growth in demand to increased travel through local and domestic routes.

Although the airport welcomed more travelers, PSP handled about 3,800 fewer commercial flights in 2025 than in pre-pandemic years due to airlines using larger, quieter and more fuel-efficient aircraft that carry more passengers per flight.

The airport has invested in infrastructure improvements to enhance the guest experience, including new shops and restaurants, expanded passenger seating and charging areas, additional water bottle filling stations and a remodeled conference space.

Additional upgrades are underway, including an expanded zero-emission vehicle fleet and 80 new electric vehicle charging stations in the main terminal parking lot, officials said.

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Gavin Nguyen

LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – The American Express Golf Tournament is expected to bring thousands of fans to the City of La Quinta.

Local businesses and the city are excited to welcome the increase in visitors and the businesses it is set to bring.

“We’re talking about $24 million in economic impact,” said Mayor Linda Evans. “Over 1,200 volunteers support that tournament, many of whom are residents of La Quinta, which we love.”

Mayor Evans, who also serves on the board for the Impact Through Golf Foundation, also highlighted the way the tournament benefits local charities in the Coachella Valley, too. She said over the years, over $67 million has been injected back into community nonprofits.

“We had donated a half a million dollars to FIND Food Bank over two years. That helped their workforce development center in the new the new warehouse that they have over in Indio that complements the other ones,” she recounted.

With the influx visitors comes heightened traffic. The city said traffic impacts from the tournament are expected to be minimal, with the only road closures happening on Jefferson Street from the entrance of PGA West to Avenue 52 on Friday and Saturday from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The city is encouraging its residents to avoid the area and take alternate routes if they won’t be attending the tournament or concerts.

News Channel 3 is hearing from Mayor Linda Evans and small businesses in La Quinta on the turnout they’re hoping for. Stay with us for the latest.

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