Month: February 2009

There’s one thing that love may not conquer this year, the economy. “We’re seeing customers that are downsizing on their arrangements, trying to keep their budgets lower,” says Juana Cardenas with Floral and Hearty Florist in Palm Desert. The faltering economy may have left people with less spending money this Valentine’s day, but it doesn’t

PALM DESERT – Margie Nash and her husband live in the Palm Lake Villas. She says thieves robbed her neighbor’s house a few weeks ago. They entered through the window and stole some cash. “There were the police and the residents,” Nash said recalling the moment the burglary was reported. “I asked the police [about

PALM DESERT – Opening day for the Certified Farmers’ Market in Palm Desert couldn’t have gone much better. Plenty of fresh produce and food were for sale at the Palm Desert Visitors’ Center on Highway 111, with no shortage of customers. And mind you, this is a mid-week market open only on Wednesdays. “I am

It’s been a long year since Luis Felix, 17, injured his left arm in a motorcycle crash in Mexico. During his hospital stay, the arm became infected and doctors had to amputate. Luis moved to Thermal to live with his aunt and uncle. His aunt and uncle said Luis became seriously depressed and withdrew from

If you donated money to support Proposition 8 last fall, there’s a good chance we know where you live. A new website puts Prop 8 supporters personal info on an internet map for everybody to see. News Channel 3 went door-to-door to talk with Proposition 8 supporters to find out if they think this is

INDIO – A 25-year-old La Quinta man pleaded guiltyMonday to the Thanksgiving Day murder of his mother, who he reported missing several days later. Kevin Brom unexpectedly entered his plea as a preliminary hearing was set to get under way to determine if there was enough evidence to order him to stand trial on a

NEW YORK- Alex Rodriguez has admitted that he used performance-enhancing drugs from 2001-03, saying he did so because of the pressures of being baseball’s highest-paid player. In an interview with ESPN, Rodriguez says he felt the need to perform at a high level everyday. His admission came two days after Sports Illustrated reported he tested

RANCHO MIRAGE – If the nation’s economy is going to turn around, the real estate market will lead the way. That was part of the message Dr. Lawrence Yun had for more than 400 Desert realtors Tuesday. Dr. Yun, the chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, spoke at the Agua Caliente Casino while

BLYTHE – From smart phones to cell phones worn on your wrist, more and more California prisoners are getting bars behind bars. Chuckawalla State Prison in Blythe is one of those facilities where there has been a big spike in prisoners using cell phones. The number of inmates found with cell phones doubled between 2007

WASHINGTON – First lady Michelle Obama says it is important to think about where you’ve come from and how you can give back. Mrs. Obama visited a social services center in the heart of Washington on Tuesday. She read a book to toddlers and had a round-table discussion with a group of teenagers who participate

Chicago would seem to be on quite a roll these days. The city is a leading contender to host the Summer Olympics in 2016. The hometown Cubs had the most wins of any team in the National League last year and are one of the early favorites to win the 2009 World Series. And, of

BANNING – A man who robbed a bank at gunpoint in Banning remained at large, police said. The bandit walked into the Washington Mutual branch at 1118 W. Ramsey St. around 4:20 p.m. Monday, demanded money and fled with an unknown amount of cash, Banning police said. No injuries were reported. Anyone with information about

ALTADENA – A woman who apparently wrote a suicide note and disappeared with her two sons from their Altadena home, prompting the issuance of a statewide Amber Alert, were found safe in Mexico Friday night, authorities said. Lisa Vigil Ruelas, 38, and her sons, Gabriel, 10, and Evan Ruelas, 5, were found in Mexico, Deputy

PALM DESERT – Every Friday, students at Ronald Reagan Elementary shake up their usual routine by exercising to start off the day. This is called Fitness Friday. For 30 minutes, students jump rope, run, or do aerobics. “They get their energy out, and then, when they come back to class, they are more calm,” teacher

INDIO – Inside the Riverside County Mental Health Rehabilitation center in Indio, the patients will soon be forced to leave. The word came down. The money is out. This clinic closes June 30. “We don’t have anything in the Coachella Valley for mentally ill, suicidal type patients,” said nursing student Julie Logan. She also says

PALM SPRINGS – “I didn’t have any idea that today was the start of the DMV being closed.” Sheri Pattison was one of a handful of people who were expecting to take care of vehicle-related business on at the Department of Motor Vehicles office in Palm Springs on Friday. Some of those people were met

DESERT HOT SPRINGS – Authorities have released the name of a man shot dead inside the Desert Hot Springs store he was workingat. Juan Pablo Munoz-Tovor, 33, was killed Wednesday night when a gunman walked into the Super 1 Food Store on Hacienda Avenue just after 9 p.m. Authorities said the gunman, described as a

RANCHO MIRAGE – Three men are behind bars on suspicion of a home invasion robbery at the Rancho Mirage Country Club, authorities said. Jason Hammer, 30, Norman Lee Gant, 28, and John Wayne Wilson, 24, all of Palm Springs, were arrested at 6 p.m. Thursday on suspicion of robbery, attempted murder and torture, according to

Most parents want their children to graduate high school and go to college. Now, there’s a website to track the success of high school students by how many do go on to college. The new database displays all high schools within a selected county. Then, it shows the percentage of students from each school who

The director of a local Boys and Girls Club is out of a job, andhe claims his firing was politically-motivated. Adam Sanchez worked fornine years at the club in Desert Hot Springs. He says the board of directors fired him after a study on the feasibility of a new Boys and Girls facility said he