COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a candidate for Governor, spoke to News Channel 3 about the endorsement of Republican Steve Hilton by President Trump and whether this has affected Bianco’s poll numbers.   Bianco stated that he was not disappointed by the endorsement, as he is focusing on getting the endorsements of Californians rather

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – The city of Coachella has a new city manager and could soon have a new city councilmember. During Tuesday’s meeting, which went past midnight due to discussions on the controversial data center project, councilmembers unanimously voted to appoint Gustavo J. Romo as the city’s new manager. Romo, who currently serves as

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. (KESQ) – Steve Hilton, the Republican candidate for Governor in California, has been endorsed by President Trump.  He talked to News Channel 3’s John White about the issues and the campaign ahead of the June 2nd primary.  Hilton is running on lowering taxes, including no state income tax on the first $100,000

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. (KESQ) – The primary election for the newly redrawn 48th Congressional District is a race to watch.  Proposition 50 redrew the district lines, transforming what was once a Republican stronghold into a district that now favors Democrats. The competitive primary features a well-funded Republican and a wide field of Democratic candidates vying

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. (KESQ) – The race for Riverside County Supervisor is heating up, featuring incumbent Manuel Perez and challenger Steve Sanchez, a La Quinta City Councilman. It’s a non-partisan election.  The Riverside County Supervisor position plays a significant role in various aspects of residents’ lives, including transportation, air quality, health care, and public safety. Although the race is

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – A March 9th letter from Supervisor Manuel Perez encouraging the construction of a proposed data center in Coachella, has now been rescinded according to his team. The Fourth District Supervisor’s letter was sent to project developer, Stronghold Power Systems, highlighting the benefits of the project. Screenshot It reads, “Based on current

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – The city of Coachella is now accepting applications for residents interested in filling the vacant council seat. During Wednesday’s council meeting, councilmembers directed staff to prepare applications to be ready for Thursday. It will remain open until Tuesday, May 26, at 5 p.m. The application is available through the City Clerk’s

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – Coachella hosted a community town hall tonight regarding the city’s Municipal Utility and the proposed data center concept. It was a packed room at the Boys & Girls Club of Coachella Valley as residents pressed city leaders and Stronghold developers for answers. The meeting started with a presentation on the proposed

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Jonathan Nicks is officially the new city manager of Indio. The City Council approved Nicks’ contract during Wednesday’s meeting. Details on the contract were not available. Nicks was working as assistant city manager, joining the city in Aug. 2024. Nicks is an experienced public servant with over two decades in local

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ)  – Moments ago, the Coachella City Council decided to continue the search for City Manager. Councilmembers were in closed session to discuss appointing a new city manager, but once city leaders returned, officials announced there was “no reportable action from closed session.” The new mayor, Dr. Frank Figueroa, previously told News Channel

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – The Riverside County Registrar of Voters Office has sent 1.4 million vote-by-mail ballots for the June 2 Statewide Direct Primary Election to the U.S. Postal Service, officials announced on Monday. “The County of Riverside Registrar of Voters encourages all eligible voters to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming Statewide

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – Beginning Tuesday and continuing to the day of the primary election, Riverside County residents interested in seeing how the Office of the Registrar of Voters processes vote-by-mail ballots and coordinates other tasks are welcome to have a look. “Election Observer Tours” start Tuesday and thereafter will be held every Tuesday and

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – With candidate changes, endorsements, and shifting polls. “There are so many top-tier candidates,” said former local Assemblyman Chad Mayes. Watch News Channel 3 this Wednesday night for in-depth “Your Vote 2026” coverage of the governor’s race. “Is that a product of an open primary?” John White asks. The remaining candidates,

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – California voters could be deciding new voter identification requirements in November. The ballot initiative has received enough signatures to appear on the November ballot. If approved, voters would be required to show a government-issued ID every time they go to the polls. Mail-in ballots would need the last-four digits of

Takeaways from the latest California governor’s debate Originally Published: 28 APR 26 22:36 ETUpdated: 28 APR 26 22:40 ETBy Arit John, CNN (CNN) — Eight candidates seeking to become California’s next governor met for an unwieldy debate Tuesday, where the candidates discussed their plans to make the state more affordable and sought to gain ground

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – Dr. Frank Figueroa, Coachella’s new mayor, joined News Channel 3 live at 4:00 p.m. for an in-studio interview with Peter Daut. Figueroa was appointed on Wednesday following a contentious meeting. He was serving as the city’s mayor pro tem before. More: Dr. Frank Figueroa talks transition, priorities in first interview

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – Riverside County voters will have to choose between three attorneys for their next judge, all of whom are women. The three candidates are vying for a single seat in the upcoming June election, and an upcoming judicial candidate forum in Palm Desert will help voters make their decision, hosted by

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Palm Springs City Council continued its discussions over a potential change to how the city selects its mayor.  Since 2019, the city has rotated the mayor’s role each year among the five city council members. Changes then also moved the city to district council elections to avoid a lawsuit involving

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – Dr. Frank Figueroa was officially appointed the new mayor of Coachella during Wednesday’s city council meeting. Figueroa was immediately sworn in after the vote. His term will run through November, the remainder of former Mayor Steven Hernandez’s term. Figueroa’s appointment came after a nearly 30-minute discussion that got somewhat heated over

COACHELLA, California (KESQ) – More than 100 residents attended Wednesday’s Coachella city council meeting to protest a proposed data center. News Channel 3 has followed the proposal for the past month, working to get answers on the proposed 240-acre technology campus at Avenue 52 and Filmore Street. City records show the campus could grow as

Jessamyn Dodd IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – Assemblymember Jeff Gonzalez (R) was recognized for his service both in uniform and in the community as he was honored as Veteran of the Year by the Calexico Baja Runners. The award recognizes his military service and continued work supporting local Veterans. Assemblymember Gonzalez, who represents California’s 36th

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – Leaders of culture, justice, and law all meet at College of the Desert in Palm Desert on Thursday. The Mobius Conference is a two-day event connecting local students with those figures. At the event on Thursday is a Democratic candidate for California governor, Xavier Becerra. We asked his opinion on

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – Riverside County will not be picking up the tab in the legal battle over Sheriff Chad Bianco’s ballot investigation. The Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 on Tuesday to decline to hire or pay outside counsel to defend Bianco in four lawsuits tied to his ballot seizure investigation. A county spokesperson confirmed

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – A town hall hosted by Congressional representative and gubernatorial candidate Eric Swalwell, scheduled for Thursday in Palm Desert, was canceled. News Channel 3 was given late notice that the event was canceled due to illness. Representative Dr. Raul Ruiz was set to join Swalwell, a democrat who is leading in