Month: September 2012

Dozens of film-goers turned out to Camelot Theatres for the Cinema Diverse: Palm Springs Gay and Lesbian Film Festival on Thursday. Twenty-two features and 38 short films are set to screen over the weekend. “We do have a wide-variety of films, from gay bashing to gay marriage,” said Festival Director Michael Green. Controversy is not

It’s been one week and there are still no suspects in a Palm Desert hit and run that left a teen fighting for his life. The Riverside County Sheriff’s department says they are following leads but so far no arrests have been made. In the meantime, the victim, Grant Virgin, is showing progress. John Virgin,

The former transportation director for the CoachellaValley Unified School District was convicted today of misappropriating andembezzling district funds, and his longtime girlfriend was found guilty ofgrand theft. An Indio jury deliberated for about three days before finding that RaulPortillo Lopez, 56, misappropriated tens of thousands of dollars in districtfunds between 2003 and 2007. He was

Ameritas College of Brandman University kicked off the grand opening of its Palm Desert location on Thursday. The new college is geared for Hispanics who want to pursue a higher education but may have never had the opportunity. “We know that there is a big underserved population of Hispanics that would love to go back

A new quarter is just getting started at Cal State San Bernardino’s Palm Desert campus. As usual, students there are worried about higher fees — especially after a 9.6 percent tuition increase that just kicked in. “I’ll keep working part-time to pay whatever little I can. I had to pull out loans so it’s scary

The late Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Chairman Richard Milanovich saw the lands behind west Sunny Dunes Road in Palm Springs as sacred, and wanted an easier way to share them with the valley. “He’s had this vision for as long as I can remember,” says Milanovich’s childhood friend Bob Fey, “To get a

El Departamento de Salud del Condado de Riverside, confirm que dos personas, un hombre de 72 aos y una mujer de 22, resultaron infectados con el virus del Nilo en el Valle de Coachela, uno de ellos vive en Rancho Mirage y otro en Mecca. Las dos personas fueron hospitalizadas, ya recibieron tratamiento y ya

The Palm Desert veterinarian, whose dog died after he left it in the car, on a hot summer’s day, will not face any charges, by the Riverside County D.A.’s office. Dr. Douglas Huber, of Desert Veterinary Specialists, in Palm Desert has faced harsh criticism since August 4th, when a Sheriff’s Deputy broke a window in

A 10-day streak of decreases ended today when the average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in the Inland Empire rose six-tenths of a cent to $4.124. The streak of decreasing prices was the longest since a 52-day streak ended July 13, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service.

A new bridge was set to be dedicated and opened Thursday in Palm Springs. The Richard M. Milanovich Memorial bridge is located at Belardo road and Sunny Dunes drive. In a statement from the city, a spokeswoman said the Milanovich bridge had been in the works for more than 20 years and will connect the

Andrew Hayduke and his son Drew are regulars at the tennis courts at Whitewater Park in Rancho Mirage. Hayduke says, “We play a lot of tennis and try to come every other day, sometimes a little more. There are all kinds of bugs this time of year.” That includes mosquitoes. On Wednesday, the Riverside County

Twenty riders were trapped about 300 feet above Knott’s Berry Farm on the Wind Seeker thrill ride for more than three hours today before the ride was lowered and they were returned safely to the ground. The Wind Seeker, which also became stuck on Sept. 7, stopped workingabout 4 p.m, Jennifer Blazey of Knott’s Berry

An alleged Desert Hot Springs gang member on trial for the murders of two people and the attempted murder of another man testified today that he never told two friends or his former girlfriend that he killed someone. Emilio Manuel Avalos, 35, could face the death penalty if convicted of one or both murders he’s

Threemonths ago Palm Springs Organicaopened its doors knowing full wellit was violating a city ordinance, operating as anon-permitted medical marijuana dispensary. “Sometimes when you believe in something that’s right, it goes against what some other people think is right, and just gotta do what you gotta do, and I firmly believe in this,” said Charles

The mobile home park known as “Duroville” is still drying out more than a week after a powerful storm cell moved through Mecca. Several inches of rain fell in a short amount of time. But enough time to do a lot of damage. The storm knocked out power, caused sewage ponds to overflow, and disabled

A man was shot Wednesday afternoon in a Mecca grape vineyard but that is not where he ended up. According to detectives on scene, a man was reported shot outside the old fire station on 4th Street in Mecca around 3:25 p.m. The man told deputies that the shooting occurred in the vineyard on Grant

Dozens of people lined up at a Reno gas station Tuesday to buy gasoline for $1.84 a gallon as part of a political event. The cheap gas was offered by the Gas Can Man, a group funded by a called PAC Morning in America, focusing on energy policy. The conservative group Americans for Prosperity also

The California State University Board of Trustees approved a 5 percent tuition hike today that would only be implemented if Proposition 30 is rejected by voters in November. The board approved a “contingency” plan aimed at covering an anticipated $250 million hit to the 23-campus system’s budget if the tax initiative — championed by Gov.

Neighbors and local leaders turned out to support the grand opening of Assemblyman Manuel Perez’s campaign headquarters in Coachella on Tuesday night,which iswhere we caught up with community members to ask which key issues are at the top of their lists this election season. “Jobs, education, health care,” said Mirna Flores, of Desert Hot Springs.