Month: May 2013

A deadly crash in Palm Desert over the weekend left one person dead and two people critically injured. Police say 29-year-old Melissa Ramos lost control of her car and was ejected when it rolled over on Highway 74 between El Paseo and Highway 111. It happened just before 2 a.m. Sunday. The Desert Hot Springs

Palm Springs police are on the trail of a driver suspected of fatally striking a motorcyclist at an intersection and running away from the scene, a sergeant said today. “Traffic investigators are tracking down leads and close to finding a suspect,” said Palm Springs police Sgt. Erik Larson. Eric Strzelczyk, 29, of Bermuda Dunes, was

It will be an anxious wait for a small Florida city to find out who won the biggest Powerball jackpot in history. The winning ticket worth $590.5 million was bought sometime late last week at a Publix supermarket in Zephyrhills (ZEH-fur-hills), about 30 miles northeast of Tampa. Whoever has the ticket hadn’t come forward as

The Women Leaders Forum of the Coachella Valley will distribute $100,000 in college scholarships to local students at its annual Scholarship Luncheon Monday. The 11:30 a.m. luncheon will be held at Miramonte Resort & Spa, and the $100,000 is the most ever raised in the Women Leaders Forum’s history. The group received a $50,000 matching

Early Sunday morning turned deadly on the road outside the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs. “It’s tragic, it’s just really tragic. Especially this morning,” Tiffany Wojciak, who is staying at the Ace, said. Around 4:30, a motorcycle and a white pickup truck collided at East Palm Canyon Drive and Camino Real. The motorcyclist, 29-year-old Eric

For Greg Bryan, life is good. He hasn’t been on a swing in almost 30 years. “That was like outer space, flying in an airplane,” Bryan said. Now, thanks to AGC Charities, Inc and volunteer contractors, Angel View in Desert Hot Springs offers independence outside. It’s the latest in AGC’s ‘Operation Opening Doors.’ “How amazing,”

A rock climber is dead after falling 150 feet while scaling a rock face in the San Jacinto Wilderness near Idyllwild. Riverside County authorities said Saturday that Lucas Dunn died Friday while scaling Lily Rock in Humber Park, a popular climb just outside of Idyllwild, in the mountains just south of Palm Springs. Deputies and

Lottery officials say the winning numbers in a near-historic Powerball jackpot have been drawn. They are: 10, 13, 14, 22, 52 and Powerball 11. Officials say the latest Powerball jackpot figure results are still pending. They had estimated it at $600 million. With four of every five possible combinations of Powerball numbers in play, someone

As Katie Evans watches her son, Michael, take swim lessons, last year’s incident isn’t far from her mind. “We were getting out of the pool and I took Michael out of his life jacket, turned around to dry my other son, and within two minutes, Michael was already back in the pool floating,” Evans said.

Gary Cherlin owns Desert Organic Solutions in Palm Springs. It’s one of three legally operating medical marijuana clinics in the city. He says it was a lengthy two-year process to get there, but well worth it. “Patients come here because they feel safe and know that we’re licensed by the city and zoned properly,” said

The former transportation director of the Coachella Valley Unified School District was sentenced today to nearly seven years in prison for misappropriating and embezzling district funds. Raul Portillo Lopez, 57, was found guilty last September of 25 felony counts of misappropriation of funds and one felony count of embezzlement. The indio jury that convicted him

Jorie Parr shops at Angel View Thrift Store three times a week, but in a perfect world, “I’d like to come three times a day which I think is the optimal time to come because good things fly out,” Parr said. People fly out of the desert this time of year, too, but luckily for

A deadly crash near desert hot springs has left two young boys without a mother. 24-year-old Eluteria Leon died Wednesday when her SUV rolled over on Palm Drive near Desert Hot Springs. Her two young sons, properly fastened in their booster seats, survived. Neighbors have set up a memorial fund to pay for funeral expenses

In a world where perception is reality, things can look pretty appealing from the outside, even when they’re not. Since the 90’s, rappers like Lil Wayne have glorified sizzurp. You get this drink from mixing prescription cough syrup, a soft drink like sprite, and candy. Lil Wayne isn’t the first rapper to sing about sizzurp.

The fire that shut down GG’s Island Restaurant in January 2012 has been ruled arson, according to Cal Fire investigators. The case is still open pending further investigation. No arrests have been made. Huge flames engulfed the famous GG’s Island Restaurant early last year, destroying the Coachella Valley landmark. Also, Friday we learned that former

The Coachella Valley dog found tied to train tracks now has a new home. Hundreds of families from all over the world offered to adopt Banjo, but ultimately a couple from Huntington Beach took him home Friday. It was love at first sight for Jeff and Louisa Moore. “I have no doubt in my mind

Venturi was born in San Francisco in 1931. He learned to play golf at an early age, and developed his game at Harding Park Golf Course and other public courses in the bay area. In the early 1950’s, Venturi was a pupil of golfing legend Byron Nelson, and also influenced by Ben Hogan. Venturi won

A new scheme targeting people who want to work from home is growing in popularity. It’s called “re-shipping fraud” and getting involved could truly cost you. “Most of the victims are thinking they are doing it as a ‘work at home’ job and have no idea they are tied to any scam whatsoever,” said U.S.

A helicopter was sent to rescue a rock climber whofell about 100 feet in the Humber Park area in Idyllwild today, a county firedepartment spokeswoman said. The fall was reported about 10:45 a.m. in the “Vampire” climb area.The victim’s condition was unclear, Riverside County Fire Departmentspokeswoman Melody Hendrickson said.

For the first time in nearly 4 1/2 years, RiversideCounty’s unemployment rate dipped below 10 percent, state officials reportedtoday. The county’s non-seasonally-adjusted jobless rate in April, based onpreliminary estimates, was 9.6 percent, compared to 10.5 percent in March,according to the California Employment Development Department. The rate was two percentage points below the level of April