Category: kesq-local-news

Garrett Hottle

Millions of dollars are on the table for local nonprofits across the Coachella Valley, thanks to the Desert Healthcare District’s expanding grant programs.

As part of its mission to improve regional health outcomes, the District is offering up to $5 million annually in grants through Desert Care Network. The funding supports a wide range of initiatives from mental health services and school-based wellness programs to mobile medical clinics that bring care directly into underserved neighborhoods.

“It’s been very good for the community. It’s expanding,” said Chris Christensen, CEO of the Desert Healthcare District. “We now have two mobile clinics that we go to the public and to the residents in the community to be able to provide access to care.”

The grant funding is largely supported by local property taxes. Beginning in 2027, an additional revenue stream will come from the lease on Desert Regional Medical Center, increasing the district’s grant-making capacity even further.

The District is also broadening its focus. With a new strategic plan underway, environmental health is now on the agenda—starting with a public summit this fall to address air and water quality concerns.

“It’s exciting for us right now,” Christensen said. “We’re implementing and beginning a new strategic planning process… to utilize these resources to benefit the community and the community residents.”

You can find more about the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation’s grant programs and strategic plan at this link.

and the programs and services they provide click this link.

For more tips on living a healthier life, visit our Living Healthy tab at this link.

Click here to follow the original article.

City News Service

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Indio police officers issued six citations and arrested one person for allegedly evading officers during a DUI checkpoint, authorities announced today.

The checkpoint was conducted from 6 p.m. Friday until 1 a.m. Saturday at Jackson Street and Dillon Avenue, police said.   

Citations were issued for violations including driving with a suspended license, being unlicensed and improper child seat use.   

Funding for the checkpoint was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

Click here to follow the original article.

City News Service

BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) – Jury selection is slated to get underway tomorrow for the trial of a 43-year-old Banning man accused of raping two women on separate occasions while they were intoxicated, as well as molesting his 12-year-old girl.  

Steven Roy McElroy was arrested in 2022 following an extensive Banning Police Department investigation that relied on statements from alleged victims going back a decade.

McElroy is charged with two counts each of forcible rape and aggravated assault, as well as one count of lewd acts on a minor.   

Pretrial motions were convened last week at the Banning Justice Center, and they continued Monday. Riverside County Superior Court Judge Mark Singerton ordered the prospective jury pool to appear at the courthouse Tuesday for screening.

McElroy is free on a $1 million bond.   

The defendant was arrested and arraigned on the charge related to the 12-year-old girl in March 2022. 

Banning police detectives received information afterward concerning two women who alleged they had been sexually assaulted by him on different occasions in 2015 and 2016.  

According to Detective Jack Loera, the two women heard about the molestation charge filed in connection with the girl and decided to speak to police.   

McElroy has a felony conviction in another jurisdiction that wasn’t listed in court documents.

Click here to follow the original article.

Allie Anthony

With one of the LPGA’s major tournaments this week, 24-year-old Mary Liu is hoping to turn heads and make a lasting impression.

Originally from China, Liu now proudly calls Rancho Mirage her home. And her home course is the Indian Wells Golf Resort.

From early victories on the LPGA China Tour to earning her LPGA Tour card in 2024, Liu’s journey is a has brought her now to the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Frisco, Texas.

As she tees off in this week’s major, her community back home will be cheering for their rising star.

Click here to follow the original article.

Tori King

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — Beginning on Monday, the Plaza Theatre will be one step closer to opening.

According to the City of Palm Springs, the demolition of Kalura Trattoria’s patio is set to begin on Monday, June 16th. The demolition is needed to construct a new patio, which will meet fire and building codes and allow construction of a new theatre entrance.

The city says it will remove Kalura Trattoria’s existing patio in the shared courtyard with the Plaza Theatre, to construct a new 60-seat patio that will be built along the public right-of-way on S. Palm Canyon Drive, spanning from Ben & Jerry’s to Kalura. This move would ensure a required 20-foot-wide path from the theatre to the public sidewalk.

Demolition starts Monday and will last about a week, residents and tourists should expect intermittent lane closures on S. Palm Canyon (southbound lane near site).

The entire patio completion is expected by early August. The official reopening the the Plaza Theatre is set for December 1st.

Click here to follow the original article.

Luis Avila

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – This Pride Month, ongoing protests, immigration fears, and rise in anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric are weighing heavily on the community. As these tensions escalate, concern for mental health is only deepening.

According to the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, this is resulting higher rates of depression, anxiety, and trauma among LGBTQ+ individuals.

The need for help is growing, but not because of a lack of resources, rather some are still hesitant to seek help.

“A lot of our LGBTQIA+ patients have a history of discrimination, bullying, rejection… so when you have experienced those things from people that are in your direct environment, its hard to think people who don’t know me are going to act any different.”

Melissa Hawkins, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation clinical supervisor

Still amid the tensions, advocates say there’s hope, with more people stepping up to create spaces where LGBTQ+ individuals feel valued and cared for.

“When individuals are able to see there are community members that they don’t know… that there are voices advocating… saying ‘we’re here for you,’ I think it can help feel less scary knowing that there is a community at large that does support you and willing to speak up.”

Melissa Hawkins, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation clinical supervisor

Experts recommend those struggling to reach out to a close family member or friend. The first step is openly expressing how you are feeling.

Resources:

Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

Transgender Health and Wellness Center

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

Click here to follow the original article.

Jesus Reyes

LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – Homicide investigators with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department have made an arrest in the 2019 shooting death of a man in La Quinta, authorities said.

The suspect, a 23-year-old man from Whitewater, was taken into custody Friday after investigators developed new leads and reopened a cold case, according to sheriff’s Sgt. Jarred Bishop.

Law enforcement serve search warrant in neighborhood near Haugen Lehmann in Whitewater (6/13/25)

Cathedral City resident Anthony Carrillo, 19, was found with gunshot wounds inside a residence in the 53000 block of Avenida Madero Oct. 26, 2019, Bishop said. Carrillo was pronounced dead at a hospital.   

Anthony Carrillo

The case went cold after years of investigation. In 2023, Riverside County Sheriff’s investigators put out a call to the community for information on the case.

Recently, detectives reviewed the case and found evidence and information, the sergeant said.   

Investigators identified the suspect in the murder, Bishop said. He was arrested and booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta for suspicion of murder.

He was being held on $3 million bail, according to sheriff’s inmate information. The suspect is expected to appear in court on Wednesday, according to court records.

The investigation was ongoing and anyone with information was asked to call Master Investigator J. Manjarrez or Master Investigator V. Magana of the Central Homicide Unit at 951-955-2777.

Click here to follow the original article.

Gavin Nguyen

IDYLLWILD, Calif. (KESQ) – 117°F was the high temperature recorded in Palm Springs on Father’s Day! This early taste of summer heat is sending some valley residents to our local mountain communities to escape the heat.

News Channel 3 spoke with visitors and businesses in Idyllwild on Monday about recent trends and how they’re preparing for a summer boost in traffic.

Click here to follow the original article.

Jesus Reyes

BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) – Developer John Wessman was found not guilty of bribing former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet.

A jury found Wessman not guilty on all charges, which included nine counts of bribery and one count of conspiracy.

Wessman was accused of paying former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet more than $200,000 to secure city support for downtown redevelopment projects between 2012 and 2014.

Pougnet and developer Richard Meaney have both pleaded guilty to charges related to this case. Pougnet is scheduled to be sentenced on July 2. Meaney’s sentencing is scheduled for July 28.

Wessman was one of the most influential developers in Palm Springs, credited with shaping the city’s modern downtown through projects like the Kimpton Rowan Hotel, Wessman Development headquarters, and the Palm Springs Downtown Revitalization Project.

Check Out Our ‘Scandal at City Hall’ Section for More Coverage on this Case

Steve Pougnet and John Wessman (2012)

The case, which began as a federal corruption probe until it was turned over to county investigators in 2016, has been plagued by repeated delays, some resulting from ongoing challenges by the defense to the indictment, as well as the COVID lockdowns, Pougnet’s relocation to another state, changes to legal counsel and related complications.   

Pougnet served two terms as mayor, leaving office in 2015.   

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.

Click here to follow the original article.

Garrett Hottle

BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) – A jury has found former developer John Wessman not guilty on charges of bribery and conspiracy.

Wessman faced nine counts of bribery and one count of conspiracy tied to allegations of public corruption involving former Palm Springs, Mayor Steven Pougnet.

News Channel 3’s Garrett Hottle is at the Banning Justice Center and will provide updates as soon as the verdict is announced. Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.

Click here to follow the original article.