CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – 1/3 of Riverside County’s Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force teams victims are juveniles, according to Sergeant Jeff Hammond. It’s why the task force is partnering with the Palm Springs Unified School District Family Engagement Center to educate students about human trafficking. PSUSD is holding a free film screening and panel discussion
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INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) — FIND Food Bank is one of several food banks nationwide impacted by the United States Department of Agriculture’s decision to halt $500 million in food deliveries. Debbie Espinosa, President & CEO of FIND Food Bank, said while one of its federal programs worth $1.5 million was reinstated last week, others were
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PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) — Dozens of citizens gathered outside Congressman Ken Calvert’s (CA-41) Palm Desert district office on Sunday. Jared Milrad, organizer, lives in Congressman Calvert’s district and said he’s concerned about potential changes to Social Security and Medicaid, Medi-Cal programs. “We organize an empty chair town hall to encourage our Congressman to come
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RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – The federal Emergency Housing Voucher Program is running out of money. The five billion dollar pandemic era funding could impact over 60,000 renters, including renters in the Coachella Valley. Right now, the County of Riverside is assisting 300 households – 58 of those households in the Coachella Valley – for at
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PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — Due to a state of emergency, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) is temporarily easing restrictions on portable generators. CARB says there’s a shortage of state-certified generators in some areas because of increased demand from wildfires. To address this, CARB announced in January, it’s allowing the sale of generators that
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DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A new push to clear homeless encampments is creating mixed reactions. At Tuesday’s meeting, the Desert Hot Springs City Council passed the camping restrictions ordinance that is aimed at removing homeless encampments from public spaces, while citing safety and sanitation concerns. Some Desert Hot Springs residents say it’s long
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RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (KESQ) – The Coachella Valley Irish community say they’re facing a significant loss. O’Caine’s Irish Pub in Rancho Mirage is closing its doors March 29 due to rising rent and struggling to financially recover post pandemic. Over 31 million Americans claim Irish ancestry according to U.S. Census Bureau 2021 data. News Channel
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RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (KESQ) – A beloved Irish pub is pouring its last pint. O’Caine’s Irish Pub is closing its doors March 29, making this St. Patrick’s Day the businesses final celebration. Brenda Johnson, owner, cited a mix of reasons for her decision to close doors. “One factor is that we had a very tough
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COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – Some Coachella residents are demanding Councilmember Yadira Perez resign from her position following her husband’s arrest in February and her recent votes on key city matters. News Channel 3 received this message from a viewer ahead of Wednesday’s city council meeting. The demands come after revelations of Perez’s husband, Isidro Jimenez-Ibanez,
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INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (KESQ) — Rain may have stopped play at the BNP Paribas Open, but for fans outside the stadiums, the game of fun continues. Thousands of attendees at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden have found other ways to enjoy their day. Some said they are exploring the food vendors, while others take in
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CABAZON, Calif. (KESQ) – Steve De Leon was always friendly to everyone in the Coachella Valley, according to Bob Simpson, a close friend. De Leon was pronounced dead after a vehicle struck his bicycle and fled the scene early Sunday morning in Cabazon. Now, Simpson is honoring his friend’s memory by raising awareness about the crucial role
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PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The 12th annual Palm Springs Jewish Film Festival is back this week, drawing some of its largest audiences yet. “We’ve brought it from 25 to 30 people coming to a showing to anywhere from 200 to 500 people per showing,” Michael Frydrych, Chairman/Program Director said. Known for showcasing powerful stories
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INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Chachi “The Rocketman” Valencia, cannonball performer, is recovering after a stunt went awry at the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival on Sunday. Valencia said an unexpected wind gust altered his performance, causing him to strike the side of his safety net and land on the asphalt. He said he
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RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – The Vatican says Pope Francis is in stable condition after his episodes of acute respiratory failure on Monday. The Pope has been in the hospital since February 14, being treated for double pneumonia and other respiratory complications. Doctors say this situation serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting our
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Local representatives and experts from both sides, will weigh in on President Donald Trump’s Presidential address to a joint session of Congress. Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz spoke with News Channel 3’s Shay Lawson moments after the address. “It was very intense,” Ruiz said. “I’ve never heard a speech to Congress that contained more lies.” He shared
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PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – As the Trump administration implements 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, Coachella Valley businesses are weighing the impact. News Channel 3’s Shay Lawson spoke with the owners of Las Casuelas Terraza in Palm Springs, Jessup Auto Plaza in Cathedral City and GHA Companies about the tariffs. Some of the
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PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – AAP – Food Samaritans supporters gathered inside Trio Restaurant in Palm Springs celebrating the 97th Annual Academy Awards. For the 13th year, the “Hollywood’s Biggest Night” event is benefiting the nonprofit. AAP – Food Samaritans has been serving the community for 34 years — supporting people living with HIV/AIDS and
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The Drone as First Responder (DFR) programs goal is to enhance public safety in Palm Springs. The DFR program, recently approved, is a concept where drones are strategically placed on rooftops throughout cities, William Hutchinson, Palm Springs Lieutenant explained. “You have a team listening to 911 calls coming in,” Hutchinson said. “Those operators are sending
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A families life changed in an instant. News Channel 3 spoke exclusively with Helen Becerra after her son and grandchildren were injured in a deputy involved crash during a pursuit on Monday. She said the Becerra’s car was not involved in the pursuit. Becerra, the children’s grandmother, said her 8-year-old granddaughter sustained the most severe
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UPDATE: February 26, 2025 Riverside County Sheriff’s Office is reporting that Yadira Perez has “…resigned from the department for personal reasons.” UPDATE: February 26, 2025 Coachella City Councilmember Yadira Perez says her husband, Isidro Jimenez-Ibanez, is now out on bond. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the FBI arrested Isidro Jimenez-Ibanez, 51, in Coachella
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