Month: May 2009

COACHELLA – The Coachella City Council are looking to trim their $3 million deficit by the 2009-2010 fiscal year. They presented ideas to save during a budget study session Thursday. One item they left off the budget was $32,000 for a consultant to help iron-out the differences between council members. Absent from the meeting was

CATHEDRAL CITY – Two valley teens are behind bars for allegedly breaking into a home and robbing a disabled man at gunpoint in Cathedral City Thursday night. Darius Cabudol, 18, of Palm Springs and a 16-year old juvenile from Cathedral City are accused of a home invasion robbery around 10:30 p.m. on the 33300 block

PALM SPRINGS- The Palm Springs Power will open its sixth Southern California Collegiate Baseball Association season tonight by playing host to the Casa Grande Cotton Kings at Palm Springs Stadium to start a three-game series. Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet will throw the ceremonial first pitch around 7 p.m. A mix of Division I and

SACRAMENTO – Governor Schwarzenegger and Democratic lawmakers are hoping the Obama administration and members of Congress will lend some help in getting California out of its financial problems. State leaders are not asking for a cash bailout, but are asking the federal government for loan guarantees. The proposal would have Washington act as a sort

PALM DESERT – Students from Ronald Reagan Elementary School are going to explore the ocean, tide pools, and marine life. but instead of getting onto a bus, they gather in the media center. By using a video conference system, the students take a virtual field trip to Crystal Cove State Park in Laguna Beach. “They

PALM SPRINGS – Maria Quintero is a popular girl. The 23-year-old has gone to at least four proms. Four of them. “We go eat first. Then, we sit around until everybody gets there,” she says. “Then, we dance together.” But these are no ordinary proms. These proms are for a very special group: residents of

INDIO – It’s supposed to bea short wait to see immigration attorney Karen Kler. But for 200 of his clients, the wait to find out if they’ll be deported is way too long. “I go to court, the judge says we’ll see you back June 2010. I’m writing down, the brain is not registering. He

Say “cheese”…at least for now, because a state D.M.V.office near you could start saying “no” to wide-mouthed grins on driver’s licenses. It’s all in the name of security. Arkansas, Indiana, Virginia and Nevada invested in software designed to match pictures of applicantsto help prevent identity theft. But there’s a problem. The technology is not well-versed

PALM SPRINGS – Thomas and Robert Van Ettan are approaching their 1 year anniversary after being together over 40 years. They were involved in the case brought before the State Supreme Court regarding the legality of Proposition 8. They were hoping to celebrate their anniversary with a different decision. “My heart went into my stomach

INDIO – News of Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court quickly spread through the Coachella Valley’s Latino community Tuesday. The reaction was largely positive. “I think it’s a great idea,” said Indio resident Delila Cardona. “I think it’s a good idea for everybody else and the Latino ‘gente’,” said Indio resident Fred Orosco.

Dennis P. Carden, R.N. Dennis P. Carden began his journey through the world of Aesthetics as a student under the direction of noted make-up artist Erik Pai, more than twenty years ago. His passion for beauty and style brought him to photographer Stuart Young, where he developed his artistic skill into a talent that would

PALM DESERT – Governor Schwarzenegger wants to slash the state budget by $5 billion, ending programs that affect the lives of many people living in the Desert when they need it most. Lisette Zambrano, who is unemployed, relies on a state-funded Healthy Families program that could be axed. “We don’t have to pay for doctor’s

THERMAL – Our local schools are making some of the most difficult decisions in history and the future doesn’t look much better. “It’s a challenge for us,” says Ricardo Medina, new Superintendent at Coachella Valley Unified School District. Ricardo Medina put himself right in the middle of this growing challenge. As he prepares for his

PALM SPRINGS – Michael Sausser and Rodrigo Rodarte may have waited too long to get married after the California Supreme Court ended recent efforts to bring gay marriage back Tuesday. The court’s decided to uphold the voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage, also known as Proposition 8. “My love for Rodrigo isn’t about getting married or

JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK – Firefighters have fully contained a brush fire in Joshua Tree National Park in the Mojave Desert. Park spokesman Joe Zarki says the 450-acre fire was fully contained Tuesday morning. A water-dropping helicopter and several crews will remain at the scene to mop up the blaze. The fire erupted Sunday afternoon

By: Elyse Miller News Channel 3 Reporter emiller@kesq.com PALM DESERT -Gas prices are up, so instead of burning up fuel people are staying close to home and cooking up a Memorial Day meal. “With the economy doing so bad, it makes more sense to eat at home and save money,” says grocery shopper, Lori Birndorf.

COACHELLA- Nine suspected parole violators, mainly violent offenders or gang members, were arrested today in a citywide raid in Coachella, authorities said. Operation Safe Coachella, which was led by Coachella police and parole officers from the California Department of Corrections, began around 2:30 p.m. at Bagdauma Park and is expected to continue into the evening.

A Valley sixth grader is taking the safety of his fellow students into his own hands, broadcasting an important message to the school. “My mom always told me to look both ways before crossing the road,” says sixth grader Efrain Avelar. This message stuck with Efrain. He always follows safety tips, but not everyone does.

THOUSAND PALMS – A 63-year-old man was treated for burns on almost half of his body after a mobile home caught fire Friday afternoon in Thousand Palms. According to CalFire, crews were called to the Tri-Palms Estates Mobile Home Park in the 32-100 block of Saucon Valley Street just after 4 p.m. Fire officials say

THERMAL – The vast farm fields of the East Valley hide the fact that some farm workers are being abused. Some workers toil away in the summer heat with few water and shade breaks. Four local farm companies were punished by state officials for labor violations. They are Valley Breeze Farms and Salvador Alvarado contracting