Month: May 2013

Well-know retailer Dick’s Sporting Goods is set to open at the mall in Palm Desert. A representative for the nationwide chain says the store will be ready for customers at Westfield Palm Desert in the fall of 2013. No other details regarding staffing, or an exact opening date were available at this time. However, it’s

An earthquake strikes Northern California’s Plumas County with a preliminary magnitude of 5.7. Rafael Abreau, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Earthquake Center, says the temblor struck at 8:47 p.m. and was centered six miles west northwest of Greenville, and 26 miles southwest of Susanville. Abreu says there have been no reports of

Retired U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walkerhad encouraging words Thursday for an audience of more than 300 at the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast in Palm Springs. “It’s true much remains to be done, but we can also take a good deal of satisfaction that we have progressed quite remarkably,” said Walker. Walker became a key figure

The Boy Scouts of America’s National Council has voted to ease a long-standing ban and allow openly gay boys to be accepted as Scouts. Of the local Scout leaders voting at their annual meeting in Texas, more than 60 percent supported the proposal. Under the proposal drafted by the Scouts’ governing board, gay adults will

Funeral services were held today for pro golfer and sportscaster Ken Venturi.The longtime Valley resident passed away last week. The funeral was a final farewell for one of golf’s most celebrated figures both on and off the course. Nearly 400 people attended the service for Ken Venturi in Palm Desert, including some of golf’s greatest.

Nearly one-third of the country will be traveling this weekend for Memorial Day and with plenty of sun and great weather in the forecast, Palm Springs will be a prime destination. Local businesses and visitors are gearing up for the unofficial kickoff of summer. Palm Springs ranks 23rd nationally in Trip Advisor.com’s 2013 Travelers Choice

Passes for the 2014 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival will go on sale tomorrow morning. Passes will go on sale at 10 a.m., and information is available online at www.coachella.com. Passes range in price from $349 for general admission to $6,500 for a “safari tent” package, and are valid for an entire weekend.The festival,

What: Memorial Day Observance, presented by Desert Veterans’ Memorial Association & Palm Springs Cemetery District, with welcome message from Congressman Raul Ruiz, MD, keynote speakers and music.When: 9 a.m. Where:Desert Memorial Park Cemetery, 31705, Da Vall Dr., Cathedral City. What:Memorial Day ceremony, with patriotic music, wreath-laying, refreshments and souvenirs. When:10:30 a.m.Where:Forest Lawn, 69855 E. Ramon

The attorney for Sunline has confirmed that Sunline General Manager C. Mikel Oglesby was placed on paid administrative leave yesterday after a closed session of the Sunline agency’s board of directors. Sunline’s attorney Jeff Goldfarb said the paid leave was pending an investigation and he cannot comment further on the investigation because it would jeopardize

The head of NASA is visiting the Jet Propulsion Laboratory where engineers are working on a proposed mission to lasso a small asteroid and drag it closer to Earth for astronauts to explore. During Thursday’s visit, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden viewed a prototype ion engine that JPL engineers are developing with counterparts at NASA’s Glenn

An Indio woman suspected of driving under theinfluence of prescription drugs when she allegedly clipped another vehicle inPalm Desert was free on bail today. Brittany Dale Hawks, 30, was arrested on suspicion of driving under theinfluence around the time of the crash, which was reported about 4:30 p.m.Wednesday at Fred Waring Drive and Deep Canyon

El Servicio Nacional del Clima envi una alerta para el Valle de Coachella y para las montaas del Condado de Riverside desde hoy a las 3:00 p.m. hasta las 3:00 a.m. de maana viernes. Se esperan vientos sostenidos de 20 a 30 mph con rfagas de hasta 55. La agencia subray que la zona ms

Police today were investigating gunshots that wereapparently fired from a vehicle in downtown Palm Springs. Police officers heard several shots fired near Indian Canyon Drive andAndreas Road about 8:15 p.m. Wednesday, Sgt. Melissa Desmarais said. “Evidence discovered at the scene indicates that several undisclosedcaliber rounds were fired from a vehicle, described by witnesses as a

Gusty west winds will blow through the CoachellaValley and mountains of Riverside County today, according to the NationalWeather Service. The agency issued a wind advisory for the mountains and Coachella Valleyfrom 3 p.m. today to 3 a.m. Friday, saying sustained winds of 20 to 30 milesper hour, gusting up to 45 mph, were likely. Isolated

Update: Indio police now say a man suspected of trying to abduct a student near Indio High School on Tuesday did not try to kidnap her. However, there is a “strong possibility that an assault did occur” said Indio Police Commander Hank Peeters. A possible suspect has been identified, but he has not been connected

The nation’s two largest firefighting planes are moving out of California. The Riverside Press-Enterprise says the firm that owns them, 10 Tanker, will move its corporate headquarters from Victorville in Southern California to Caspar, Wyoming in the next month or two. That’s about a two-hour flight for the converted DC-10s, each of which holds 11,600

Gov. Jerry Brown is set to continue his climate change charge, joining scientists releasing a 20-page call to action on environmental problems including pollution, extinctions and population growth. Brown plans to address Silicon Valley leaders, as well as climate scientists from University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University and NASA, on Thursday morning at a conference

Law enforcement agencies throughout Riverside County will be ramping up patrols to catch drunken drivers, speeders and other scofflaws during the upcoming holiday weekend. The Avoid the 30 campaign — named for the number of area police agencies involved — will conduct saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints beginning 6 p.m. Friday and wrapping up shortly

As the Palm Desert High School faculty prepares for graduation, they might have less help from teachers than ever before.Teachers have threatened to boycott the graduation over a contract dispute. “I’ll be at graduation. I’m hoping the teachers will be there to enjoy the seniors and their gradation,” Palm Desert High School principal Rob Hicks