In-Depth Archives

Local leaders set to talk post-Hilary air quality concerns in meeting with state representatives Thursday

September 11, 2024 11:55 AM Jeff Stahl

Questions continue to grow about what’s in the air around the Coachella Valley following last August’s Tropical Storm Hilary. A meeting will be held Thursday where local, regional, and state leaders will focus on those questions and search for potential solutions. The meeting is set to bring together local representatives from local cities, tribes, and Riverside County along with the South Coast

Use of Force: Inside look at protocols police officers use

June 19, 2024 2:35 PM Jennifer Franco

Recruits from different law enforcement agencies are the region with one thing in common. They’re completing basic academy at the Ben Clark Training Center in Riverside. A total of 70 hours is dedicated to defensive tactics – or use of force – which includes ground fighting. “Our curriculum is based on Jiu-Jitsu and they’ll also

In-Depth: Indio sees transformation after years of investment

June 12, 2024 2:22 PM Peter Daut

Big changes are underway in the Coachella Valley’s largest city, as it enters an exciting new phase of development. News Channel 3’s Peter Daut took an in-depth look at a transformation worth millions of dollars and years of investment. And as he discovered, it’s not just a revitalization; it’s a renaissance. When American Idol winner

Crowd Control: County shelter responds to criticism, reveals major changes at facility

May 24, 2024 5:19 PM Angela Chen

It’s the perfect storm at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus county shelter in 2024. Between inflation, HOA rules, and post-pandemic effects, people are having a tough time adopting large dogs, which means more of them are crowding the kennels. It’s part of the reason behind recent animal advocate protests, which have taken place at the Coachella Valley

In-Depth: Restoration of the Plaza Theatre in Palm Springs

May 7, 2024 6:28 PM Peter Daut

The Plaza Theatre is one of Palm Springs’ oldest and most iconic venues, and it is currently being restored to its original splendor. Renders of the newly renovated Plaza Theatre From the outside, the Plaza Theatre looks nearly the same as it did almost nine decades ago– years before Palm Springs was even incorporated as

From Homeless to Homeowner: Local man shares his recovery off the streets

April 27, 2024 8:47 AM Jeff Stahl

California’s growing homelessness crisis has no easy solution but some people have broken free from living a life on the streets as the state’s unsheltered homeless numbers surge as much as 7.5% from 2022 to 2023. A Rancho Mirage homeowner has found a way into a new home and is now celebrating a new life he’s living he

Coachella Valley animal shelters see worst overcrowding since pandemic

April 17, 2024 4:30 PM Angela Chen

What do we do with a sweet dog like Hercules? Brought in as a stray, with his past a mystery, 2-year-old Hercules is now the longest residing dog at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus. The average length of stay here is only 13 days. Hercules has been here more than 100. “Animals aren’t meant to

Avoiding a health code violation: In-depth look at Riverside County’s food safety inspection process

April 2, 2024 8:01 PM Jennifer Franco

Most people don’t usually think about food safety until they or someone they know gets sick from contaminated food. Every day, inspectors with the Riverside County Environmental Health Department go out and assess whether food facilities meet health standards. Most inspections are routine, but some are prompted by complaints. A health scare at Desert Regional Medical

Combating the Fentanyl Crisis: A Town Hall Discussion

April 1, 2024 4:46 PM Karen Devine

News Channel 3 and the Women Leaders Forum of the Coachella Valley held a town hall meeting earlier this month, “Combating the Fentanyl Crisis.” The event was hosted by News Channel 3 Anchor Karen Devine. Multiple panelists including professionals in healthcare, education, and law enforcement spoke at the town hall. They all shared the work they’ve

News Channel 3 In-Depth: Pets on Meth

March 18, 2024 8:54 PM Peter Daut

In light of National Pet Poison Prevention Week, a Palm Desert woman has an urgent warning after she recently rushed her dog to the animal hospital to find something she never expected: Her dog had ingested meth. And veterinarians say this is becoming increasingly common. El Paseo is one of the Coachella Valley’s most high-end

News Channel 3 Exclusive: Inside the Homeless Navigation Center in Palm Springs

March 4, 2024 4:13 PM Peter Daut, KESQ News Team

It’s a major project the city of Palm Springs is calling a “game changer” for addressing the homeless crisis. City and county officials gave News Channel 3’s Peter Daut an exclusive tour of the new Palm Springs Navigation Center, ahead of its opening. While most of the Navigation Center remains under construction, the early-entry facility

Riverside County judge discusses backlog of criminal cases

February 7, 2024 4:10 PM John White

Courts in Riverside County continue to be clogged with a tremendous backlog of cases, a year after hundreds of criminal cases were dismissed. News Channel 3’s John White sat down with Presiding Judge Hon. Judith Clark for a rare interview. “This is a growing convergence of issues, that sort of all came to a peak

Troubled Waters: Colorado River Crisis – River Rescue

November 27, 2023 6:14 AM Angela Chen

This entire month, we’ve taken you to the Rocky Mountains, followed the water, and dived into the intricacies of the crisis of the Colorado River. Experts have said we are at a critical juncture. A wet winter has eased some pressure on policymakers, but the overarching issue of chronic overuse is still a problem waiting in the

Looking ahead: We went city-by-city throughout the desert. Here’s what’s expected in Coachella Valley in 2024

January 1, 2024 5:30 PM Jeff Stahl

Many new developments, changes, and events are set to make the new year 2024 very special around the Coachella Valley. News Channel 3’s Jeff Stahl contacted every city around the Coachella Valley to find out what we should look forward to, or want to know about in this new year ahead. Full coverage here of 2023: The

Looking back at crime in the Coachella Valley in 2023

December 29, 2023 10:00 AM Karen Devine

As we close out 2023, we’re taking a look at some of the bigger crime stories in the Valley. Homicides are down but other types of crime are on the rise, reflecting what’s happening across the nation. The Gold Store on South Palm Canyon in Palm Springs targeted by thieves with masks and hammers in broad daylight

A wet and wild year for Southern California weather

December 28, 2023 12:00 PM Haley Clawson

2023 has been a memorable year for weather events, from feet of snow in the mountains to record heat in the summer. For the first time in the history of the National Weather Service San Diego Office, a Blizzard Warning was issued. Dumping feet of snow, San Bernardino mountain communities would become stranded for more

A year unlike any other: 2023 sports in our desert highlighted by historic moments, memories made

December 26, 2023 12:00 PM Blake Arthur

Wow, what a year of sports. Of course, it all starts with the Firebirds. It’s hard to overstate the success and positive impact of this team on our valley. The Firebirds took flight in 2022 but they made their mark in 2023, playing an AHL-record 98 games and soaring all the way to the Calder

Community Events throughout the Coachella Valley in 2023

December 25, 2023 7:56 AM Bianca Ventura

As 2023 comes to a close, we’re taking a look at the most memorable community events throughout the nine valley cities. Here’s a closer look at this year’s highlights. Flashing lights, red carpets, and cinema’s biggest names helped us kick off the year in the January. The Palm Springs International Film Festival returned marking the

City of Indio says its 911 emergency number remains down, offers backup number to call

December 5, 2023 5:59 AM Jeff Stahl

A 911 service outage continued Tuesday morning in the City of Indio as residents were being urged to call a backup number to receive emergency assistance. Indio Police told KESQ News Channel 3 Monday evening its emergency calls were being rerouted to the City of Palm Springs 911 emergency dispatch center, then being redirected to Indio’s dispatch center

Troubled Waters: Colorado River Crisis – On The Table

November 10, 2023 6:38 AM Angela Chen

More than 40 million people rely on the Colorado River. But with more people than ever using it, and the river drying up, the federal government has mandated that the seven states using this water take less. States have until 2026 to figure out a permanent solution. “That’s the question on the table is who get whose ox gets gored?