Category: kesq-local-news

City News Service

PALM SPRINGS (CNS) – The newly restored Plaza Theatre in Palm Springs will reopen its doors to the public with a monthlong slate of shows, starting with the “Opening Night Gala” on Monday, December 1st.

“Wicked” actress Cynthia Erivo will headline the Gala at 7:30 p.m. at 128 S. Palm Canyon Drive. Her one-night performance will feature Mark Meadows and the Palm Springs Pops Orchestra.

Erivo is a Tony-, Grammy-, Emmy-award winner as well as a three-time Academy Award-nominated actress, singer, and producer.

“Opening night at the Plaza is the moment we’ve all been waiting for,” said Senior Vice President of Oak View Group and general manager of the Plaza Theatre John Bolton. “We’re honored to welcome Cynthia Erivo for this milestone performance; it’s the perfect way to begin a vibrant new chapter in the Plaza’s story.”

Every ticket will include a copy of Erivo’s book, “Simply More: A Book for Anyone Who Has Been Told They’re Too Much,” a commemorative ticket, and a limited-edition poster created exclusively for opening night.

Actress Lily Tomlin will perform at 7:30 p.m. December 2nd through December 4th. Tomlin has received nine Emmy’s, two Tony awards, a Grammy, two Peabody awards, the Mark Twain Prize, the Kennedy Center Honor and SAG Lifetime Achievement honor, officials said. She has starred in “The Late Show,” “9 to 5,” “The Incredible Shrinking Woman,” and Netflix’s “Grace and Frankie.”

Filmmaker John Waters will have his comedy revival show, “A John Waters Christmas,” at 8:00 p.m. on December 5th.

Many more events have been scheduled well into 2026. Other scheduled events coming up in the next few weeks include:

Comedian Fortune Feimster on December 6th

Palm Springs Symphony from December 7th through July 4th, 2026

Palm Springs Icons on December 8th

Queens of the Stone Age on December 9

Modern Men Cool Yule on December 13th and 14th

Palm Springs Speaks series with Rob Reiner on December 16th

Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus from December 19th through April 26, 2026

Since 1936, the venue has hosted a variety of events starting with its opening night with the world premiere of the Oscar-winning film, “Camille,” starring Greta Garbo. It has hosted movie premieres and live radio shows featuring stars like Bob Hope, Jack Benny, Amos ‘n’ Andy, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra.

The restoration began in March 2024 under the management of Oak View Group and a partnership between it and the Plaza Theatre Foundation and the city of Palm Springs. News Channel 3 has followed the restoration from the first months of work, to the middle of the progress, and leading up to just days before the curtain rises again.

Information on tickets and all events, including holiday, can be found at www.palmspringsplazatheatre.com/events.

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KESQ News Team

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – An employee with the Palm Springs Unified School District was placed on paid leave after being arrested earlier this month.

Jarvis Williams, 45, of Coachella, was arrested on November 15 after allegedly recording video at a bathroom on the 72000 block of State Highway 111, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.

Williams was later located in the area of Shadow Mountain Road and Highway 74, where he was taken into custody without incident.

He was released on $2,500 bail the same day as his arrest, according to court records.

Williams is PSUSD’s Coordinator of Family Engagement. The district confirmed to News Channel 3 that he is on paid leave pending investigation.

He has not been formally charged as of Friday. Jail records show he faces a misdemeanor charge of video tape w/ invasion.

Williams is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 30.

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Luis Avila

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – The Cabazon Band of Cahuilla Indians are celebrating their 42nd annual Powwow at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino this weekend, bringing together community members and visitors to honor Native American culture, tradition, and heritage.

The event featured a lively display of music, dance, and colorful attire, with gourd rattles and drums filling the air. Performers showcasing Cahuilla bird dancing while wearing intricately beaded, handmade regalia.

“I think our culture really appreciates it to put our people more out there too.”

Deana, Morongo Band of Mission Indians

Food also played a central role in the celebration, with fried bread emerging as a favorite among attendees. Vendors emphasized that sharing traditional dishes helps bring people together, crossing tribal lines.

“My friend is from the Quechan reservation, I’m from the Northern Arapaho. We just got together and we were like ‘we should sell fried bread.’”

Christina, Northern Arapaho Tribe

The weekend’s festivities concluded with a powerful grand entry, uniting people of all ages and tribes in a celebration of heritage and tradition.

Event Schedule:

Friday, Nov. 28:

5 p.m.

Gates open

Bird singing

8 p.m.

Grand entry

Saturday, Nov. 29:

11 a.m.

Gates open

1 p.m.

Grand entry

5 p.m.

Bird singing

8 p.m.

Grand entry

Sunday, Nov. 30:

11 a.m.

Gates open

12 p.m.

Grand entry

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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Tauli Anderson

CABAZON, Calif. (KESQ) – Thanksgiving is officially behind us, and Black Friday shopping is in full force. Desert Hills Premium Outlets, the region’s largest luxury outlet center, features more than 180 stores.

Shoppers lined up before dawn to score scope discounts from designer brands. Stores opened their doors at 6 a.m.

Some of the most popular stores include high-end fashion brands offering 40–70% off select items.

Footwear, winter apparel, and handbags are among the top-selling categories this morning.

Director of Marketing Lillian Flowe says Desert Hills Premium Outlets has increased staffing, expanded parking management, and deployed additional security, including California Highway Patrol and Riverside County Sheriffs to keep traffic moving smoothly.

 

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María García

JOSHUA TREE, Calif. (KESQ) — Joshua Tree National Park is a popular, crowded destination during Thanksgiving weekend.

Officials say to expect long lines, full campgrounds, and limited parking.

The holiday season brings plenty of activity to the High Desert, and for many, that means navigating busy streets and crowds. “You can’t find parking anywhere, it’s very festive, but it is very packed always,” said Daviahn Wingate.

Local restaurants, like Crossroads Café, are seeing the influx of visitors each year. “It’s been steadily growing, we’re a tiny little restaurant and right now we have an hour wait,” said Levon Kaxarian, managing partner.

Purchase your park entrance pass online in advance via Recreation.gov to save time at the gate. The park is busiest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., also consider an alternate entrance. Park entrances in Twentynine Palms and Cottonwood are typically less crowded.

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Kendall Flynn

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – Families throughout the Coachella Valley are buying their Christmas trees after Thanksgiving. Whether it’s heading to the store for a plastic tree or finding a local Christmas tree farm, they’re looking for the perfect tree and the best price.

Nationally, it’s reported that the price of imported plastic trees is up as the majority of plastic trees are made in Asia and subject to tariffs. Many trees are made in China which has a 10% tariff.

Stay with News Channel 3 to see if the costs of plastic trees are rising and how those costs compare to real trees at a farm.

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Daniella Lake

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Saturday is officially “Small Business Saturday,” a day dedicated to supporting locally-owned businesses after Black Friday. The Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce says that every dollar spent at a locally owned business supports workforce stability and a healthy local economy. 

According to the Main Street Palm Springs Business Association, around 90% of the shops in downtown Palm Springs are locally owned. Joy Meredith, president of the association and owner of Crystal Fantasy, says she’s seen a change in Black Friday shopping in downtown Palm Springs.

“These sort of days were very poorly attended years ago because people did a lot of mall shopping but I think that a lot of people are concerned with local communities,” she says.

Visitors like Roxy from Los Angeles says that she thinks critically about where she spends her money.

“A lot of corporations have shown their true colors. They’ve really shown us like who they are, what they’re willing to compromise. And now that we’re seeing them a little bit more clearly, I know for me personally, I’m really fine with opting out of shopping with them at all going forward,” she says.

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Jesus Reyes

IDYLLWILD, Calif. (KESQ) – Three earthquakes struck near Idyllwild Thursday evening.

The initial earthquake was reported at around 5:30 p.m. It was a M 3.8, according to the US Geological Survey.

Two more small earthquakes struck near the area minutes later, a M 3.5 and a M 2.1.

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Luis Avila

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) — As families and friends gather for Thanksgiving, a growing number of people are choosing to skip the kitchen and let local restaurants handle the holiday cooking.

According to recent data, 53% of Americans expect to get at least part of their Thanksgiving meal from a restaurant, up sharply from 37% last year. Another 5% say they plan to eat out entirely.

Many diners say the switch is about saving time — and in some cases, money.

“The cooking, the cleaning up, it’s just much more family time.”

Jean Logan, Visitor

“I live alone. One person. My sister lives with two people and the amount of money you spend on food for a small amount of people is a lot and there’s a lot of waste. So it’s just cheaper to eat out.”

Barbara Rosebrock, Visitor

Local restaurants are welcoming the increased demand. At Wally’s Desert Turtle, Madalyn Botello, owner, says Thanksgiving has always been one of their biggest days.

“Lots of reservations… We’ve been open for Thanksgiving since we opened our doors in 1978. We love Thanksgiving. It’s our favorite holiday. Everyone comes for turkey.”

Madalyn Botello, Wally’s Desert Turtle Owner

Over at Trio Palm Springs, Tony Marchese, owner, reported a packed house from the moment they opened.

“Busy all day since noon we opened so it’s nice… We always had Thanksgiving at my house so as a restaurant I love having people in for Thanksgiving. It’s so much fun.”

Tony Marchese, Trio Palm Springs Owner

And for many celebrating today, the joy of the holiday isn’t tied to who makes the meal.

“We wanted to celebrate the holiday. It’s a celebration.”

Nathan Zalkow, Visitor

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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KESQ News Team

YUCAIPA, Calif. (KESQ) – A tribe billboard on Interstate 10 in Yucaipa was recently vandalized with an anti-Native American message.

The sign, advertising the tribal-owned Yamaava Resort and Casino at San Manuel, was defaced with a message reading: “America is not on stolen land. Your ancestors were conquered.”

There was also an American flag hung down the middle of the billboard.

Crews have since removed the message.

We reached out to tribal leaders for comment, but so far, have not heard back.

The city said in a statement: “The city of Yucaipa strongly condemns the vandalism of the Yuhaaviatam billboard along the I-10 freeway. This is a criminal act, and we are working closely with the Yucaipa police department to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.”

Stay with News Channel 3 for any updates.

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