Month: February 2017

John Wessman, one of three defendants facing charges in an alleged corruption case in Palm Springs, has formally retired following Thursday’s announcement by Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin. According to John Hall with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, Wessman surrendered to authorities on Thursday and was released on bail. KESQ and CBS Local

California officials are slowing the release of water from a lake behind the nation’s tallest dam so crews can remove debris from the bottom of the structure’s damaged spillway. Officials had been releasing 100,000 cubic feet of water, or enough to fill an Olympic-size swimming pool, each second from the lake since Sunday, when the

UPDATE: 6:49 p.m. One year, five months and 15 days after federal and regional agents raided Palm Springs City Hall, Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin announced bribery charges against former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet, and developers Richard Meaney and John Wessman. “It was buying of influence,” Hestrin said. “This large amount of money

A confidant of one of the terrorists who carried out a 2015 massacre in San Bernardino pleaded guilty Thursday to charges he conspired to commit acts of terror in Riverside. Enrique Marquez Jr., 25, admitted to one count each of providing material support to terrorists and making false statements in the acquisition of firearms. Marquez

Cathedral City police arrested a 20-year-old man on charges of involuntary manslaughter and possession of a stolen firearm after an 18-year-old man was shot and killed Wednesday night. The shooting happened in the 34500 block of Vaquero Road at about 9:15 p.m. A preliminary investigation wrapped up Thursday and officers arrested a suspect, Calvin Villareal,

You may have caught Olympic style games on TV, or driven past a group of people carrying tires and wondered what’s that about? CrossFit is all the rage, and has been since it picked up popularity in the early 2000s. “People think think they’re going to come in and do the things they see on

KESQ News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 received a statement from the attorney of Steve Pougnet following the charges filed in connection to the corruption case at Palm Springs City Hall, which began on September 1, 2015. “Steve Pougnet is very proud of his service as Mayor of Palm Springs. He always worked with

The Indio Police Department has called a SWAT team to a home where a mentally distraught suspect has barricaded himself inside, and is possibly armed with a handgun, authorities said Thursday. Indio Middle School was on Locked out mode while police and SWAT responded to the home Thursday afternoon, and students were expected to be

Police found a pipe bomb in a home during an investigation, bomb squad was called and detonated the device. According to DHSPD, a pipe bomb was found at a home on Cielo Rd while they were investigating a home invasion. Police immediately cleared the home, and notified bomb squad. Bomb squad detonated the device in

Palm Springs’ city council members gathered at city hall early T hursday morning, as District Attorney Mike Hestrin announced 30 charges against former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet and developers, Richard Meaney and John Wessman. Palm Springs Mayor R obert Moon read aloud a statement in regards to the on-going corruption case, promising transparency and

Various Coachella Valley businesses were shut down Thursday due to the ‘Day Without Immigrants’ protest in opposition to President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. Some businesses closed voluntarily in solidarity with the protests while others had to shut down like a McDonald’s in Cathedral City which temporarily closed due to its staff walking out. One worker

It’s all about midcentury modern architecture in Palm Springs this week. Modernism week is in full swing and Palm Springs Life is helping to bring more midcentury architecture to the desert with the Chino Canyon Project. The project a collaboration between the magazine and local architects– builders and developers. This contemporary home is the work

The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office has released all of the charges Steve Pougnet, Richard Meaney and John Wessman are facing in the Palm Springs corruption case. More information about the Scandal at City Hall

California Secretary of State Alex Padilla announced today a new effort to protect consumers seeking services from immigration consultants as a result of anticipated spikes in demand due to recent federal immigration actions. As part of this new effort, the Secretary of State launched new online resource portals that outline consumers’ rights as well as

Modernism Week, the annual celebration of midcentury modern architecture and design in Palm Springs, kicked off Thursday, laying the foundation for more than 250 events scheduled throughout its 10-day run. Tours and wine tastings will be the first offerings available to the public, with Thursday’s events to include walking tours through the heart of Palm

Following months of hammering out enhanced regulations intended to quell Palm Springs’ booming vacation rental industry, the city will operate without such restrictions on rental owners, as officials rescinded the city’s original ordinance, while a new amended ordinance failed to gain the requisite votes for passage. The Palm Springs City Council voted 3-1 Wednesday on

The city attorney for the city of Coachella filed a lawsuit Thursday against a La Quinta man who’s accused of using the Coachella Valley Authority name to market residential water testing services and products. The suit was filed against Yaso Cupina. City officials said Coachella Water Authority is a joint powers authority that operates the

UPDATE: 7:11 p.m. Palm Springs city leaders, vacation rental professionals and neighborhood leaders stood in front of residents Wednesday morning, announcing a new vacation rental ordinance up for vote for a meeting Wednesday night, along with repealing the previous ordinance. After holding nearly two dozen meetings with industry professionals and residents, city leaders said the