News Headlines
Work in an office? You’ll have to wear a mask past June 15 if you or a coworker is not vaccinated
The states occupational safety and health board, Cal/OSHA, voted Thursday to keep masks mandatory for employees at work past June 15, unless everyone in the room is fully vaccinated. “This is one I think people are going to be particularly frustrated; they already are in California. Weโve been routinely behind all the other states and
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Guide Dogs of the Desert unveils its new, on-site nursery for puppies
Guide Dogs of the Desert official unveiled its new nursery in Whitewater with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday morning. The new Sanford J. Reed (Sandy) Nursery will allow puppies to begin their Guide Dog journey in a comfortable, stress-free environment with round-the-clock attention. The nursery is named in memory of Sanford (Sandy) Reed, who died in
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Indio man convicted of shooting man over a missing cellphone sentenced to 39 years to life
An ex-con who shot a man in the head over a missing cellphone in Indio was sentenced today to 39 years to life in state prison. Jurors deliberated one day in March before finding John Kevin Medina, 40, of Indio guilty of attempted murder, and finding true several gun and bodily injury sentence-enhancing allegations. Medina,
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Cathedral City brothers plead not guilty to false imprisonment, assault; Bail increased to $1 million
Two brothers accused of holding a 36-year-old man against his will and beating him with a wooden paddle over several days in Cathedral City pleaded not guilty to felony charges. The judge also increased bail from $135,000 to $1 million for both defendants, who remain in custody Carlos Jose Espinoza, 30, and Eduardo Luis Espinoza,
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Desert Hot Springs man accused of fatally shooting guest at Riverside motel pleads not guilty
A 45-year-old man accused of gunning down a motel guest during an altercation in Riverside pleaded not guilty today to a murder charge. Robert Donald Intong of Desert Hot Springs was arrested last month following a Riverside Police Department investigation into the May 17 slaying of 31-year-old Cole William Birchard. He was arraigned on the
Continue ReadingPalm Springs Fire Department urges hikers to prepare for scorching temps
With temperatures hitting triple digits, the Palm Springs Fire Department today urged hikers to take a series of precautions while exploring local trails. Hikers are advised to begin their journeys prior to 9 a.m., when temperatures are cooler, and avoid hiking alone. Cellphones or GPS devices should be taken for safety reasons. When on the
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Golf cart accident shuts down busy Palm Desert intersection
According to Cal Fire, crews responded to a crash at Cook Street and Hovley Lane in Palm Desert involving a vehicle and a golf cart. The crash was reported at approximately 10:23 a.m. A spokesperson for the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Sheriff’s Department said that at this time, alcohol does not appear to be a
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Employees required to wear masks at work past June 15, unless everyone is vaccinated: Cal/OSHA board
UPDATE: 7:30 PM: The states occupational safety board, Cal/OSHA, voted Thursday to keep masks mandatory for employees at work past June 15, unless everyone in the room is fully vaccinated. But the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board made clear Thursday night that the regulations are only a stopgap while they consider further easing
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Desert Hot Springs Aquatics Center reopens, here’s how to sign up for summer swim lessons
The John H. Furbee Aquatics Center in Desert Hot Springs reopened this week. The center is once again offering swim lessons for the summer and spots are filling up fast. Roberta Crncic, Executive Program Manager, City of Desert Hot Springs, says making the pool and their amenities accessible and affordable for all is a priority:
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Valley school districts wrap up 2020-21 school year, look ahead to fall
After a long year, our local school districts have finally reached the finish line. Friday is the last day of school for Desert Sands and Palm Springs Unified School District families. Thursday was the last day for Coachella Valley Unified School District. Many schools are hosting graduation ceremonies in June, with certain modifications or capacity
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Wanted suspect arrested after hours-long search at Thousand Palms mobile home park
Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a wanted suspect following an hours-long search within a mobile home park in Thousand Palms Thursday evening. The search started at around 7:30 p.m. at Pacheta Square inside the Tri Palm Estates. Sgt. Lionel Murphy of the Sheriff’s Department said the suspect was wanted for a previous assault with a
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Firefighters brace for destructive wildfire season as amount of fires skyrockets compared to 2020
Around this time last year there were 1,988 fires reported in the state of California, which burned roughly 3,611 acres, according to Cal Fire. That number has skyrocketed in 2021 to 2,878 fires which has already covered 16,800 acres between the months of January and May. One of the latest fires to erupt is the
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Artists and athletes: New arena to help cultivate young talent in the valley
The new Coachella Valley arena, which broke ground Wednesday, will be a place for local youth to cultivate their talents, both on and off the ice. โWeโve been without ice in the desert for over a year now,โ said Dawn Loyola, the secretary of the Desert Figure Skating Club. Since the Desert Ice Castle closed
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Firefighters work to contain fire at mobile home in Thousand Palms
Cal Fire / Riverside County firefighters are at the scene of a residential structure fire at a mobile home in Thousand Palms Thursday afternoon. The fire is at a home in the Tri-Palm Estates and Country Club near the area of Chiricahua Drive and Broadmoor Drive. Residential Structure Fire in Thousand Palms RPT @ 5:23
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I-Team: Will drive-thrus ever be allowed in Palm Desert?
Drive-thru ordering surged over the last year as the pandemic closed indoor dining and made customers wary of going into restaurants. Now, many fast-food chains are ramping up investments to make drive-thru lanes more efficient. But in Palm Desert, drive-thrus remain a sensitive issue. For years they’ve been banned on Highway 111 but now is
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Man killed in rollover crash near Cabazon identified as Cathedral City resident
The Riverside County Coroner’s office has publicly identified a man killed in a rollover crash in Banning earlier this week. Miguel Ortiz Jr, 28, of Cathedral City was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash on Tuesday afternoon. The crash was reported near Malki Road and Johnson Lane at around 2:00 p.m. According to
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Officers find hawks, guns, & vehicles stolen from a local home depot during Coachella search warrants
The Coachella Valley Violent Crime Gang Task Force found red tail hawks, guns, and multiple vehicles stolen from a local Home Depot during a search of a residence and ranch in Coachella. The discovery was made Wednesday at Noon when task force officers, with assistance from the Riverside Auto Theft Interdiction Detail and California Department
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Cathedral City brothers charged with false imprisonment, assault of 36-year-old man
Felony charges were filed today against two brothers accused of holding a man against his will and beating him with a wooden paddle over several days in Cathedral City. Carlos Jose Espinoza, 30, and Eduardo Luis Espinoza, 32, both of Cathedral City, were arrested Tuesday. They remain behind bars awaiting their initial court appearances, scheduled
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Riverside man admits to fatally torturing Chihuahua puppy, faces maximum of 7 years in prison
A 19-year-old Riverside man who tortured a Chihuahua puppy in his apartment, inflicting ultimately fatal wounds depicted in a video he posted online, pleaded guilty today to a federal animal abuse charge. Angel Ramos Corrales admitted one count of animal crushing, which refers to intentionally subjecting certain creatures to violent abuse that results in grave
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