MECCA, Calif. (KESQ) – Two Coachella Valley residents were arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old girl in the community of Mecca in 2025, authorities said today. Christopher Placencia Balderrama, 19, of Thermal, was booked into the Benoit Detention Center on suspicion of murder, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. He
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COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – The Desert Healthcare District & Foundation Board approved a $2,975,625 grant to help establish the Coachella Valley’s first teaching health center, a move aimed at addressing a longstanding physician shortage in the region. At its March 24 board meeting, the district approved the funding for Innercare, a federally qualified health center
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PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – The city of Palm Desert is honoring a man whose work helped change humanity’s understanding of the universe. Frank Locatell, one of the principal architects behind NASA’s Voyager missions, was recognized for a legacy that stretches far beyond Earth. Designed in the 1970s, Voyager One and Two went on to
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COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – If your AC unit isn’t keeping up, there are some things you can do on your own before making that call for service. As temperatures start to climb, many people are turning on their air conditioning, only to find it’s not working as it should. “I went around to check
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PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Nearly one year after the Palm Springs fertility clinic bombing, local first responders are being honored for their courage and quick action. The Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual Police and Fire Appreciation Luncheon on Thursday, reflecting on a day that shook Palm Springs. “Our firefighters, before getting toned out
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COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – Steven Hernandez is now also out as chief of staff for Supervisor Manuel Perez, a day after Coachella’s ex-mayor pleaded guilty to a conflict of interest charge. “Steven Hernandez no longer working for the County of Riverside. Supervisor Perez terminated his employment today,” reads a message from Darin Schemmer, Perez’s communications
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COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – A man and an infant were injured after a crash along Highway 86 in Coachella. The crash was reported at around 5:25 p.m. on Highway 86 south of 50th Avenue. Early reports from the California Highway Patrol stated that there was a person and two infants in the vehicle. CHP confirmed
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LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – The family of Liam Cantu, a 14-year-old that was hit and killed by an alleged drunk driver last year, is continuing their calls for justice after a court hearing today. Jose Villegas Orbe, the 47-year-old driver accused of killing Cantu, appeared in Indio court Thursday for a felony settlement conference
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WHITEWATER, Calif. (KESQ) – Traffic is backing up on the westbound side of Interstate 10 due to smoke from a big rig fire at the Whitewater Rest Area. The non-injury blaze was reported shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday near the Whitewater rest area exit, according to the California Highway Patrol. The agency stated that a
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RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – A teenager died from a flu-related illness, the first confirmed pediatric flu death of the 2025-2026 flu season in Riverside County, health officials announced Thursday. According to the Riverside University Health System – Public Health (RUHS – PH), the western Riverside County teen died in early March and was identified through death records. The teen was not believed to have
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Rebecca Haro’s preliminary hearing has been set for May 29 to determine if there is enough evidence to move the case forward against her in connection with the death of her son, Emmanuel Haro.
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COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – As temperatures rise across Coachella Valley, local officials are warning residents and hikers that rattlesnake season is underway. Increased snake activity is common during the warmer months, bringing a higher chance of encounters along popular trails and desert paths. Wildlife experts emphasize that rattlesnake are not aggressive by nature and
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COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – The city of Coachella is beginning its search for a new mayor. It comes one night after former Mayor Steven Hernandez resigned after pleading guilty to one felony count of conflict of interest. Dr. Frank Figueroa, Coachella Mayor Pro Tem, said council members now have 60 days to appoint someone to
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INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Six people were being treated for various injuries following a major crash at the city limits of Indio and Coachella. CAL FIRE said the collision happened around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday night at Avenue 48 and Dillon Road near Grapefruit Boulevard at the edge of those two cities. Two cars were involved, and 6 people were
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INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Three people were displaced after a palm tree fire spread into a residential structure Wednesday afternoon in Indio. The fire was first reported at around 5:15 p.m. on the 79000 Block of Bethpage Avenue. “Firefighters responded to reports of a residential structure fire, and the first arriving chief officer reported a
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CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – Planning was underway today for next year’s Cathedral City LGBT+ Days after this year’s Pride celebration drew record-breaking attendance and had a significant increase in vendor sales. “This 10th anniversary wasn’t just a celebration of how far we’ve come, but a blueprint for where we are going,” Montage Events Marketing
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RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – A thump, screeching tires, and a stop. That’s the future of bringing pursuits to an end – or preventing them altogether – and it’s all thanks to a new tool being rolled out by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. The department said it began testing the Grappler system last March. It
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PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Some high school students are sending their talents to new heights. The Rancho Mirage Aviation Club is lifting up the next generation of aerospace engineers, pilots, and drone operators when they’re needed the most. The six-week Aviation Pathway Pilot Program is the first of its kind for the Palm Springs
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PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Palm Springs has reported a spike in tourism, with hotel bookings increasing 2.7% since last year, according to Visit Greater Palm Springs. “We were pleasantly surprised. This quarter one for us has been the best we’ve seen since we’ve been open, which is almost nine years,” says Christine Delgado, director
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CABAZON, Calif. (KESQ) – Firefighters rapidly contained the Almond Fire, a 21-acre vegetation fire sparked by an RV in Cabazon, preventing damage and injuries. Crews used engines and hand teams to stop the spread, allowing evacuation orders to be lifted soon after. Officials say the fast response kept the fire from growing larger, but warn
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