Category: kesq-local-news

Gavin Nguyen

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – After an active week of anti-ICE protests across the nation, several protests are being planned here at home.

Organizers are making preparations for big crowds in three separate Coachella Valley protests on Saturday.

A protest in Cathedral City will push back against ICE and recent immigration enforcement. It is planned to take place from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in front of city hall.

Two other protests are also planned in Rancho Mirage and Palm Springs and are both aligned with nationwide ‘No Kings’ protests. The protest in front of Rancho Mirage City Hall will run from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., while the one in downtown Palm Springs is planned from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

According to organizers, these are just two of 1,800 demonstrations being held nationwide in a day of coordinated, nonviolent protest under the ‘No Kings’ banner.

Emily Vogt, a spokesperson for Indivisible of the Desert, said in a press release on Thursday, “We’re coming together to send a clear message: No Kings. Kick out the clowns.”

Meanwhile, a birthday celebration for President Trump is also set to take place at the Patriot Store in Palm Desert. That event is happening from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday.

News Channel 3 is speaking with organizers on these planned protests. Stay with us for the latest.

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Julia Castro

PALM DESERT (KESQ) — Two people are in custody after crashing into a business late Tuesday night and attempting to flee the scene, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

Deputies were dispatched to the area of Monterey Street and Highway 111 at 10:33 p.m. following reports of a single-vehicle crash. When they arrived, they found that a vehicle had collided with a business.

Witnesses told deputies that both the driver and passenger fled the scene on foot. Authorities quickly located and detained both individuals.

Investigators determined the driver was under the influence and booked into jail on DUI charges. The passenger was arrested for outstanding warrants.

No injuries were reported, and the extent of damage to the business has not been released.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any updates.

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John White

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco says more than 100 of his deputies are participating in a five-county mutual aid operation in Los Angeles as Immigration and Customs Enforcement protests continue.

The Sheriff, who is currently running for Governor, blasted Governor Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass for their lack of leadership in a social media post Tuesday night.

News Channel 3’s John White talked with the Sheriff about that, President Trump’s decision to call-in the National Guard and Marines, and how Riverside County is preparing for protests on Saturday, June 14th.

Nationwide protests are being organized by Democrats and other critics of President Trump in what’s being called “No King’s Day.”

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Cynthia White

LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – Desert Sands Unified School District is sharing that its free summer meal program is available weekdays for children and teens 18 and under.

The program includes both breakfast and lunch, and is offered Monday through Friday at multiple schools throughout the district as well as at select locations of community partners. Kids wanting to take part in the program do not need to be attending summer school – anyone meeting the age requirements may visit any participating location.

In addition to age requirements, the free meals offered must be eaten on site.

For more details on locations, service dates, and times, visit dsusd.us/news/whats_new/summer_2025_meals, or visit coolschoolmeals.com.

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Garrett Hottle

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) Firefighters responded to a structure fire Wednesday afternoon at a cannabis dispensary in Cathedral City, where heavy smoke and sprinkler flooding caused extensive damage but no reported injuries.

The fire broke out at the Twisted Peach Growing dispensary, located inside Vista Point Plaza. Cathedral City Fire Chief Vinny Salazar told News Channel 3 the fire appears to have started in an air conditioning unit and was knocked down quickly by crews already in the area.

“When we got inside, there was a decent amount of smoke coming from the back grill room,” Salazar said. “We’ve done a great job of locating the scene of the fire and getting it knocked down… Praise God, we got no victims at this point and we got a primary all-clear.”

As Cathedral City crews cleared from Vista Point Plaza, they began redirecting units to a second, unrelated fire at Sky Blue, according to Salazar.

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City News Service

MURRIETA, Calif. (KESQ) – A jury deliberated one day before convicting a young man of first-degree murder for fatally shooting a 17-year-old Cathedral City boy during a street confrontation that possibly stemmed from ill-will that had developed when the two worked together.

A Murrieta jury on Tuesday afternoon found Juan Alfredo Landeros Garcia, 26, of Cathedral City, guilty of the murder count, along with shooting at an occupied vehicle and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations, for the 2020 slaying of Isaiah Guerra.

Jurors had begun deliberations in the nearly two-week trial late Monday afternoon at the Southwest Justice Center.   

Riverside County Superior Court Judge Johnnetta Anderson did not immediately schedule a sentencing hearing, according to court minutes.   

Garcia is being held without bail at the Byrd Detention Center.   

According to a trial brief filed by the District Attorney’s Office, on the evening of April 4, 2020, Garcia was walking to a relative’s house, crossing near the intersection of Avenida Alvera and McCallum Way, when Guerra drove up in his Hyundai Elantra.

The victim got Garcia’s attention, but it was unclear what words were exchanged between them. Prosecutors said they had previously worked together at a Palm Springs Italian restaurant, though specific details about their on-the-job relationship and any conflicts were speculative.

During the roadside encounter, Garcia pulled a 9mm semiautomatic handgun and fired 10 times, striking Guerra in the chest, arms and legs as he sat in the driver’s seat of the four-door sedan, according to the brief.   

The mortally wounded motorist attempted to drive away but crashed 300feet from where the gunfire erupted, his vehicle coming to rest on a sidewalk. He died at the scene.   

Garcia ran from the location, tearing off his shirt and throwing the pistol onto a rooftop, the brief stated. Security surveillance cameras mounted on homes throughout the neighborhood captured the defendant in his flight, recording images of his tattoos and other salient marks later used to confirm he was the shooter.   

Cathedral City police detectives obtained a warrant for Garcia’s arrest less than a week later, and he was taken into custody without incident at a family member’s property on Modalo Road.

The defendant admitted to his girlfriend, whose identity was not disclosed, that he’d shot the victim, but insisted that the teenager had “banged” on him, referring to gang-related hostility, then asked him, “Do you remember me?” according to the brief.  

Garcia told the woman he’d pulled his gun and fired in self-defense.   

The defendant had no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.

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Jesus Reyes

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – A fire has damaged at least four homes in Cathedral City Wednesday afternoon.

Viewers called the newsroom at around 12:30 p.m. to report a structure fire on Sky Blue Water Trail.

Cathedral City firefighters confirmed the fire damaged two duplexes.

There were no injuries reported, however, two people, including a firefighter, were evaluated.

Viewer videos shows multiple vehicles damaged by the fire, as well as a tree.

Courtesy: FLO GT DRAGO

Courtesy: FLO GT DRAGO

Courtesy: Ray Chavez

Smoke is visible as far out as Rancho Mirage.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates.

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Luis Avila

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – An Indio neighborhood was shaken early Wednesday morning when multiple sheriff patrol cars and law enforcement vehicles arrived unexpectedly at the Arabian Gardens Mobile Home Estates, triggering panic among residents who feared it was an immigration raid.

Many began calling family members to warn them to stay indoors.

““People got scared, didn’t know what was going on. A lot of people thought it was ICE. They didn’t want to leave their homes.”

Arturo, resident

City Council Member Oscar Ortiz responded to the incident after receiving a call from a terrified mother hiding in her bathroom with her children. Upon arriving, Ortiz confirmed that it was a search warrant service operation, targeting a single residence, not ICE.

Ortiz acknowledged the broader concern within the community, pointing to recent raids across the state that have heightened fear among undocumented residents.

“Especially being they are targeting work places now, we see people afraid to go to work, we see businesses struggling to find workers, we know it’s going to be impacting our economy. Biggest impact right now is families and the fear they’re having.”

Oscar Ortiz, Indio council member

He reminds residents that Indio police and sheriffs are not supposed to ask about immigration status, and urge the community to continue seeking help when needed.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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Gavin Nguyen

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – As fears amid ongoing immigration raids continue throughout Southern California, a nonprofit organization, TODEC, is providing community members with mental health resources.

“A lot of stress on mental health, for sure. A lot of families may be scared to come outside to, you know, engage in going to the stores, going to go into work, going to school,” said Ismael Cruz, the Civic Engagement Coordinator for TODEC.

The nonprofit’s newly-opened ‘Farmworker Justice Center’ is directing farmworkers and laborers in the East Valley to important resources for immigrants and their families.

Those resources include immigration legal assistance, information about their constitutional rights, and mental health support lines.

“They are able to come in and we just want to be able to give you that peace of mind. We’re giving [them] the resources and the knowledge to know what to do in case there is something happening,” Cruz said.

For citizens and non-citizens alike, the stress of the current political climate has had significant mental health effects.

In an interview posted to TODEC’s Instagram, one Moreno Valley resident said in Spanish, “I can’t be living like this. I feel so hated that I can’t allow my body to relax to be okay without knowing what’s going to happen. My daughter is also doing really bad because of this same situation, she is also an American citizen.”

Mental health experts, like Carolina Vasquez, a clinical therapist and Executive Director of Desert Insight in Cathedral City, told those struggling mentally to remember the good.

“If you do happen to find yourself in those situations, stay grounded, which I know is a very hard thing to do. To breathe, to know that you’re not alone, that there [are] people that are speaking up for you. Those of us that can are trying to,” she said.

To view the interview that TODEC posted on its Instagram, you can find it here. That post also says in part:

We urge our community to seek help if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the trauma caused as a result of these raids by contacting 24/7 Mental Health Support (951) 509-2499 or (800) 398-0018.

TODEC (@todec1, Instagram)

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Kendall Flynn

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens introduced two bobcat kittens to their new habitat and what care professionals are calling their “forever home.”

David and JoAnn are brother and sister, and were brought to the zoo from Oregon. The siblings were found in a box on a driveway near Springfield and Eugene. Officials with The Living Desert are unsure who took them, where they were found originally or where their mother is.

Photo Courtesy: The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens

“It’s really important that we know that when we see animals out in the wild that might be struggling or that we perceive need help, that we’re contacting authorities rather than taking things into our own hands,” Heather Downs said, one of the zoo’s animal care curators.

Down and Elizabeth Hiner were a part of the team caring for David and JoAnn, which required around-the-clock care to feed them and ensure they were gaining weight daily. Hines, the animal care lead keeper, said it was a special experience for her.

“It’s not every day that you get to raise little ones from kittenhood to adulthood,” Hiner said. “And it makes us feel good that we’ve kind of set them up for success.”

Photo Courtesy: The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens

Photo Courtesy: The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens

Because of the circumstances they were found under, with no mother present, the kittens will spend their lives under the care of the living zoo staff. They say without human intervention, the siblings would not have survived in the wild.

Stay with News Channel 3 to hear their story, more about their care and how important officials say it is to coexist with animals.

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