Month: April 2013

State auditors have found significant problems in how California agencies collect and spend money from certain specialty license plate funds. That included the loss of more than $22 million in revenue that could have been used for programs to help veterans, college students, firefighters and others. Gov. Jerry Brown and lawmakers sought the audit after

Testimony has resumed in Jodi Arias’ murder trial as a defense attorney attacks the credibility of a prosecution witness who says the defendant wasn’t a battered woman and doesn’t suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Clinical psychologist Janeen DeMarte is testifying as a prosecution rebuttal witness after the defense rested its case. Arias’ attorneys portrayed her

Linda Gaston, Community Affairs Director and receptionist at Gulf-California Broadcast Company, has died after a long battle with cancer. As our Community Affairs Director, she helped keep our stations in touch with the many charitable organizations in the Coachella Valley. As our receptionist, Linda was the first voice you heard on the telephone when you

When kids get to school, anything goes, but, should teachers discuss terror attacks with students? “I think that at any age, if they can understand, they should be taught and spoken to about the situations,” mom Jenece Griman said. “If they ask. I think it’s on a need to know basis,” mom Basia Hoffman said.

Federal officials are denying that a suspect is in custody in the Boston Marathon bombings. A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation told The Associated Press on Wednesday a suspect was in custody. But the FBI and the U.S. attorney’s office in Boston dispute that. The official who spoke to The Associated Press did

A murder charge was filed today against a Palm Springs mansuspected of fatally striking a 70-year-old bicyclist while driving under theinfluence in Cathedral City. Brandon Royce Melton, 27, is also charged with DUI gross vehicularmanslaughter and hit-and-run resulting in death or injury. He is scheduled tobe arraigned on the three felony charges this afternoon at

The median price of a home in Riverside Countyincreased by 22.5 percent while the number of homes sold in the county droppedby 6 percent in March, compared to the same month a year ago, a real estateinformation service reported today. According to DataQuick, 3,532 homes were sold in Riverside County lastmonth, compared to 3,756 in

An actress who starred in “The Blair WitchProject” and an author will speak about marijuana growing at UCR Palm Deserttonight. The 6:30 p.m. talk is the last event in the campus’ Arts & Letterslecture series. The speakers are actress Heather Donahue and writer MarkHaskell Smith. Donahue starred in the 1999 horror film “Blair Witch Project”

Only 30 minutes after crossing the finish line, Eduardo Herrada, of Desert Hot Springs, watched the tragedy unfold at the Boston Marathon on Monday when two explosions unleashed chaos, killing at least three people and injuring 176 more. “I honestly thought it was fireworks. It was a holiday in Boston. I couldn’t imagine it was

The owner of a Riverside tobacco shop was severely beaten Tuesday by a hammer-wielding suspect who robbed the business. The 52-year-old woman, whose identity was withheld, was attacked around12:30 p.m. inside Smoke Shop Plus at 1788 University Ave., just north ofChicago Avenue, according to Riverside police. A man walked into the location and began striking

Attorney Paul Marchand will give a lecture in Palm Desert today about legal milestones in LGBT equality. The lecture, titled “Eyes On the Prize — Major Legal Milestones in theEvolution of LGBT Equality,” is scheduled at 10 a.m. in the OliphantAuditorium at Cal State San Bernardino Palm Desert, 37500 Cook St. Marchand is an instructor

Testimony in Jodi Arias’ murder trial resumes as a prosecution witness explains the defendant wasn’t a battered woman and doesn’t suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Defense attorneys rested their case Tuesday after about 2 1/2 months of testimony aimed at portraying Arias as a domestic violence victim who fought for her life the day she

North Indian Canyon Drive has reopened in both directions afterbeing closed since Sunday because of blowing sand. Gene Autry Trail, closed Sunday for the same reason, will likely stayclosed through Wednesday. Motorists are asked to use Date Palm Drive, Ramon andTipton roads, North Indian Canyon and Highway 111 as alternate routes. Here are the latest

The impact of the bombings at the Boston Marathon is being felt all the way in the Coachella Valley. It’s changing the way police departments are approaching safety at major events this next week. Tens of thousands of music fans are expected to attend the second weekend of the Coachella Music and Arts festival. The

There are two major allergy culprits in our valley this time of year. That’s just one thing local doctors are talking about when looking at “What’s Going Around” the area where you live. Dr. Michael Jardula is seeing a lot of intestinal illness this week in Palm Springs with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. The bug

High winds, blowing dust and sand closed roads, cancelled outdoor events and caused property damage all over our valley. With the wind settling down the cleanup process can begin. The wind has taken a toll on valley drivers some sand blasted cars had enough damage to put in an insurance claim. For others, a simple

As the winds began to taper off on Tuesday, the South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a windblown dust advisory for the Coachella Valley. Before the advisory came out late in the morning, the air quality index was over 150, which is considered unhealthy for everyone. Although it was later downgraded, the particulate levels

Eduardo Herrada left Desert Hot Springs to cross the coast and run his third marathon. “I heard the bomb and I thought it was fireworks,” he said. In the wake of chaos, he told us he wanted to help, but couldn’t. “After a marathon, you cannot walk very good. I thought if I ran, I

The bombs that ripped through the Boston Marathon crowd appear to have been fashioned out of ordinary kitchen pressure cookers , packed with nails and other fiendishly lethal shrapnel, and hidden in duffel bags left on the ground, investigators and others close to the case said Tuesday. President Barack Obama branded the attack an act