Category: kesq-local-news

Matthew Pearce

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — The Bianca Rae Foundation is scheduled to host its 13th annual Rae of Hope Retreat this Saturday, September 12th, at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

This year’s event, themed “The Real Me,” will welcome a record 750 middle school students through partnerships with local unified school districts.

The retreat offers free workshops on leadership, mental wellness, and life skills to empower youth across the Coachella Valley.

News Channel 3 is speaking with organizers and participants to learn more about the impacts of this retreat.

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Julia Castro

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — After more than 24 years with the Palm Springs Police Department, Captain Melissa Cain is leaving the agency and continuing her law enforcement career with the Beaumont Police Department.

Cain joined PSPD in 2002 and went on to serve in a number of assignments during her time with the department.

She also achieved several historic firsts, becoming PSPD’s first female motor officer, sergeant, lieutenant, captain and acting police chief.

The department said Cain’s impact extended beyond her titles, describing her as a mentor, trusted leader and advocate for collaboration and new ideas.

PSPD also credited Cain with helping pave the way for others in the department and challenging colleagues to approach problems from different perspectives.

Cain will now continue her career with the Beaumont Police Department.

Palm Springs police thanked Cain for her more than two decades of service to the department and the community, saying she will remain part of the PSPD family.

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Tommy Gallegos

(PALM SPRINGS, CA) (KESQ) – One of the people being remembered today on the 25th Anniversary of the attacks on Sept. 11th has a direct connection to the Coachella Valley.

Barbara Keating was a 72-year-old Palm Springs grandmother who attended St. Teresa Catholic Church in Palm Springs and was very involved in the congregation.

She was aboard American Airlines Flight 11 and was heading home to help care for a sick grandchild.

Just last year, Keating’s remains were identified and returned to her family in Massachusetts, where she was finally laid to rest.

In 2021, News Channel 3’s Jeff Stahl spoke with members of St. Teresa Catholic Church who knew Keating as part of a special report, “Remembering Barbara Keating: Palm Springs resident who died in 9/11 terror attacks.“

Twenty-five years ago tonight, we first reported on her death — making 9/11 hit home even more than it already had on that fateful day.

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City News Service

INDIAN WELLS (CNS) – Coachella Valley’s top decision-makers met today to discuss the region’s economic future, infrastructure and key public policy issues.

The Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual All Valley Mayors, County and Tribal Chairpersons Luncheon to bring together mayors from all nine valley cities alongside Riverside County leadership and tribal chairs.

Panelists discussed an array of topics regarding the Coachella Valley including economic development, tax policy and business regulations.

This year’s program featured a streamlined format designed to reduce sponsor remarks as to allow more time for direct panel discussions among participating leaders.

“We’re creating more time for meaningful conversation among the panelists and giving attendees an even deeper look at…priorities shaping the Coachella Valley,” said Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce CEO Brandon Marley.

The luncheon took place at the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort and Spa, located at 44400 Indian Wells Lane in Indian Wells.

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Gavin Nguyen

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Veterans at American Legion Post 519 are coming together in Palm Springs to honor the lives lost in the September 11th attacks 25 years ago.

The 9/11 Observance and Ceremonial Dinner will begin at 4:00 p.m. at the post, located at 400 N Belardo Rd. in Palm Springs. Organizers said guest speakers will include La Quinta Councilman Steve Sanchez, a Marine veteran himself, and Palm Springs Police Chief Kyle Stjerne.

News Channel 3 will have live coverage of the event starting at 4:00 p.m. Stay with us for the latest.

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Raymond Kalra

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Twenty-five years after the September 11 terrorist attacks, a piece of the World Trade Center now has a permanent home in the Coachella Valley.

The City of Indio unveiled its new 9/11 memorial Friday at Miles Avenue Park, bringing together city leaders, first responders and community members to remember the nearly 3,000 people killed on September 11, 2001.

At the center of the memorial is a 12-foot steel beam recovered from the World Trade Center.

For Indio Mayor Elaine Holmes, the anniversary remains deeply personal.

Holmes said she still remembers getting ready for work that morning and learning what had happened. She said the memorial is meant to give people a place to reflect, while also helping teach younger generations about a day they did not experience firsthand.

The memorial was designed by artist James Dinh, who said the project began about three years ago after the city put out a call for artists.

Dinh submitted a design that was eventually selected by a city committee. He said one of his main goals was to create a gathering space rather than simply a monument people would pass by.

The memorial is built in the shape of a circle, which Dinh said represents unity.

Surrounding the steel beam is a wall containing nearly 3,000 small circular openings. Each one represents a life lost in the attacks.

At night, the wall is illuminated from behind, allowing light to shine through the openings in a pattern Dinh compared to a constellation, a visual reminder of those who died.

Dinh said designing a memorial around an actual artifact from the World Trade Center made the project especially emotional.

The steel remains visibly twisted and warped, showing the physical force of the destruction that day. Dinh said that while the beam represents violence and loss, the surrounding memorial was designed to create a place for healing and reflection.

The memorial is also intended to speak to a generation that has no personal memory of September 11.

Assemblymember Jeff Gonzalez, who served 21 years in the Marine Corps and deployed multiple times after 9/11, said the memorial honors both those lost in the attacks and the first responders who continue to serve today.

He said one of its most important purposes is teaching those who were not alive in 2001 why the day continues to matter.

Gonzalez said September 11 remains tied not only to tragedy, but also to the way Americans came together in its aftermath.

For those who remember the attacks firsthand, Friday’s ceremony provided a place to return to those memories.

For those born afterward, city leaders and the artist behind the memorial hope the World Trade Center steel and the symbolism surrounding it provide a tangible connection to the history they inherited.

The memorial is now permanently located at Miles Avenue Park in Indio.

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Kiera McKinney

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif, (KESQ)- Artificial intelligence is becoming a bigger part of how small businesses operate, helping with tasks like social media, research, customer follow-ups and reports.

That was a major focus Friday at the Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce’s fifth annual Marketing Summit, where local business owners and industry experts discussed how AI can save time — while stressing that it is not a replacement for human intelligence or connection.

Andrew McCauley, Website Analytics and AI Manager for Visit Greater Palm Springs, said AI can take some of the tedious work off employees’ plates.

“What I see AI doing is replacing tasks more than jobs.”

A July QuickBooks survey found four out of five small businesses now use AI regularly, up from less than half two years ago.

Hakob Jibilyan, co-founder of Cheers Coffee, said his business recently started using AI for social media and research. He said it can help identify trends, determine when to post and uncover potential business opportunities.

But Jibilian said technology cannot replace the people who make his business work.

“My employees, they are the best. The human factor is very important. The simple things, communication with each other.”

That balance was a key message at the summit: businesses can use AI to handle routine tasks, but human intelligence, judgment and relationships remain at the center of the work.

Katie Slimko-Tuvell, president and CEO of the Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce, said business owners are excited about AI but also want to use it responsibly.

McCauley encouraged businesses to learn what AI can do rather than be afraid of the technology.

The summit was held at the Rancho Mirage Library & Observatory and featured speakers discussing AI, social media, customer service, storytelling and other ways businesses can adapt to changing technology.

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Tommy Gallegos

MECCA, CA (KESQ)- A 39-year-old Mecca man was killed Thursday evening after being struck by a vehicle on 70th Avenue east of Cleveland Street, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The crash was reported at approximately 7:26 p.m. on September 10, 2026.

The Riverside County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Ramiro Gonzalez Jr., 39, of Mecca.

According to the CHP, a white Honda Accord driven by a male was traveling on 70th Avenue and approaching Gonzalez, who was walking in a westerly direction. The Honda struck Gonzalez, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators are still working to determine which portion of the roadway Gonzalez was walking in at the time of the collision.

CHP said alcohol did not appear to be a factor in the crash.

The collision remains under investigation. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the CHP Indio office.

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Dakota Makinen

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Palm Springs Fire Department held its annual Never Forget 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony to honor the lives lost in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and remember the first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice.

The ceremony began at 8:30 a.m. Friday, September 11, at Palm Springs Fire Station 2, located at 300 North El Cielo Road.

The department welcomed community members to attend the ceremony and reflect on the legacy of those who lost their lives and the bravery of the first responders who ran toward danger that day.

Following the ceremony, attendees gathered for coffee and donuts.

Stay with KESQ News Channel 3 for the latest updates.

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Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A celebration in Palm Springs. On Thursday, Johnny Costa’s Ristorante celebrated 50 years of family, tradition, and Palm Springs history with a “Golden Anniversary” celebration and ribbon-cutting.

The Palm Springs Chamber honored the legacy of late founder, chef Johnny Costa. Costa opened his first

Pictured: Johhny and Vince Costa

“Yeah, my dad, he cooked with love. He always made everything from the heart, like it was from the, from the beginning. We always, it was a quality of the food that he made and to this day we continue that tradition. We cook everything to order, you know, and I think in. The service and everything else that goes along with it is why I think we are who we are and where we are,” said Vince Costa, head chef at the restaurant.

The celebration included the Costa family, Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce, invited dignitaries, and longtime friends and members of the community.

For more on Johnny Costa’s Ristorante, click here.

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