LOS ANGELES (KESQ) – The 29-year-old man accused of setting a New Year’s Day fire that prosecutors say smoldered for a week and grew into what became the deadly Palisades Fire pleaded not guilty today to a trio of federal charges. Rinderknecht pleaded not guilty Thursday afternoon in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom to one
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Update 10/23/25 Police arrested the suspect, Ramon Alexis Salazar, 34, of Coachella on Wednesday, police said. According to county jail records, Salazar was arrested in Riverside. He is scheduled to appear in court on Friday. Original Report 10/20/25 INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Police are continuing to search for a suspect in a robbery at an
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INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) A driver who says he was nearly hit during Wednesday’s police pursuit through La Quinta and Indio is describing what he calls a “terrifying, split-second” moment that could have taken his life. Twenty-year-old Jesse Bautista told KESQ News Channel he was driving east on Avenue 48, near Jefferson Street, when he suddenly saw
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INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – The need for resources for homeless individuals continues to grow in the Coachella Valley, and local organization are consistently working to provide supplies to those in need within their shelters and programs. Martha’s Village and Kitchen and the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission are both working toward donation drives for their homeless
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BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) – A former girls soccer coach from the Coachella Valley was a habitual predator, kissing, fondling and propositioning multiple players, the prosecution said today, while the defense argued the witnesses’ testimony was unreliable and possibly driven by a hostile co-worker who encouraged the victims to tell stories. Juan Manuel Pantoja Troncoso, 29,
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THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – Jose Daniel Piña known as “Daniel”, a beloved mail carrier who served in Thousand Palms, tragically passed away earlier this month. Piña wasn’t just known for delivering letters — coworkers said he delivered kindness, laughter and warmth on every route. He was also the mail carrier for the KESQ newsroom.
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INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – An attempted traffic stop by Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies in La Quinta on Wednesday afternoon escalated into a chase that ended near the Indio-Coachella border, with the suspect crashing into another car and fleeing the scene. Deputies report that the suspect failed to cooperate with the stop around 4:00 p.m. in
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Palm Springs, Calif. (KESQ) – Palm Springs Pride announced its four-day festival entertainment lineup, centered around a dynamic LGBTQ+ Artist Showcase that spotlights groundbreaking queer talent from across the nation. Organizers said the celebration of community, visibility, and fierce energy will feature a total of 68 diverse performances, kicking off Thursday night on the Arenas District Main
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LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) Lake Cahuilla Veterans Regional Park will officially celebrate its grand reopening on November 8, following months of construction and nearly a decade of planning. After months of construction, parts of Lake Cahuilla Veterans Regional Park have reopened to the public, giving visitors their first glimpse of a $12 million enhancement project
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PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Palm Springs Police say travelers from out of the state are ending up homeless in parts of Palm Springs. In an Instagram post, Chief Andy Mills said earlier this week, “Some jurisdictions and non-profits send people here with little or no support. Some come here for rehab, fail and end
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DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – As the federal government shutdown continues, food banks in the Coachella Valley are being challenged as they work to provide food for those in need. Food Now in Desert Hot Springs reported decreasing shipments from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA typically supplies the food bank with
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PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The City of Palm Springs voted 4-0 Wednesday night to approve a proposal that nearly triples the city’s funding for the annual Palm Springs Pride Festival – from $125,000 to $350,000 annually through 2027. Mayor Ron deHarte, who also serves as the CEO of Greater Palm Springs Pride, recused himself
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LOS ANGELES (KESQ) – The former Associate Dean of CSU San Bernardino has been awarded $6 million in a gender discrimination lawsuit against Cal State University, attorney group Helmer Friedman LLP. announced. A jury in Los Angeles County returned a $6 million verdict in favor of Dr. Anissa Rogers. According to her attorneys, the lawsuit
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PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association is hosting its annual convention in Palm Springs at the Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel. The convention runs from October 21 until Saturday, October 25. Programming includes workshops on advancing LGBTQ+ travel, inclusive work-abroad opportunities for LGBTQ+ youth, and more. The IGTLA was founded in 1983 and seeks
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PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Palm Springs police are asking for the community’s help identifying suspects in a dog theft. Police said the theft happened on Friday, Oct. 17 at around 10:30 a.m. A man and a woman are believed to have stolen two small Yorkshire Terriers—Maggie and Winnie—that had wandered from their home after
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COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – A suspected DUI driver was arrested after a pursuit that went from Beaumont to the Coachella Valley, causing a brief closure of eastbound Interstate 10 on Wednesday morning. The pursuit started at around 10:55 a.m. in Beaumont. CHP said officers spotted a driver traveling erratically and attempted a traffic stop.
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INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A 47-year-old probationer accused of vandalizing the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office’s Coachella Valley branch, then attempting to hide on the roof of a nearby building, where he was forcibly taken into custody, was charged today with nearly a dozen felony and misdemeanor offenses. Sean Allen Camba of Temecula was arrested
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PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) — Acrisure Arena capped off a historic stretch of world-class entertainment branded as “The Magnificent Seven.” The arena hosted seven major events over a two-week period, including Paul McCartney, The Who, blink-182, Maroon 5, Los Angeles Lakers, and the Coachella Valley Firebirds. According to officials, the arena welcomed 56,981 fans, drawing
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DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Three graduates from the Desert Hot Springs High School class of 2025 just completed Marine Corps Boot Camp on Friday. Their Master Sergeant Terrance Simmons at DHSHS said it was by chance all three of them ended up in the same platoon for boot camp. Simmons said usually their
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UPDATE 10/22/2025 – 6:03 AM — All lanes are now open. THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) — A traffic collision early Wednesday morning caused significant delays on the westbound I-10 near Cook Street. The collision was reported just before 4:30 a.m. in the westbound lanes near Acrisure Arena. All westbound traffic came to a complete stop,
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