News

Firefighters are making progress against a 1,500-acre wildfire burning in a remote area of eastern San Diego County. Authorities say the blaze east of Julian is 60 percent contained Friday. No homes are threatened. More than 600 firefighters, aided by aircraft, are battling the blaze. One firefighter suffered a minor injury. The fire began Thursday

A former La Habra police officer who stole more than $60,000 from an Orange County charity that raises money for youth scholarships was sentenced today to 240 days in jail. Kirk Robert Lotzgesell, 45, of Winchester, stole from the Orange County Cop Bowl Association, which includes police officers who play football games against other law

Passes for the 2014 Coachella Valley Music and ArtsFestival go on sale Friday morning. Passes will go on sale at 10 a.m., and information is available onlineat www.coachella.com. Passes range in price from $349 for general admission to$6,500 for a “safari tent” package, and are valid for an entire weekend. The festival, which is held

In honor of the City of Palm Springs’ 75th anniversary, HBO and film producerJerry Weintraub will premiere two free sneak peek screenings of their new film “Behind the Candelabra” on Saturday,May 25 at the Palm Springs Convention Center. The screenings will be held at 4 p.m. and at 7 p.m. in the Primrose Ballroom,located at

The jury foreman in Jodi Arias’ murder trial says the 18 days she spent on the witness stand didn’t do her any good. William Zervakos says the jury began the case presuming innocence, but Arias told many contradictory stories while testifying, some of it during a prosecutor’s aggressive cross-examination. Arias once lived in the Coachella

Part of state Route 86 today will be named after a California Highway Patrol officer fatally struck by a car after pushing his partner out of the way. The segment of Route 86 from Interstate 10 to a mile north of Airport Boulevard will be renamed the CHP Officer Saul Martinez Memorial Highway at a

An investigation was underway today at a house in Eastvale where an indoor marijuana farm and nearly 1,000 plants were found by a sheriff’s Special Enforcement Team serving a search warrant, authorities said. The warrant was served at a house in the 13000 block of Ellis Park Trail around 5 p.m. Thursday as part of

American flags waved as a caravan of Coachella Valley volunteers drove in to Palm Springs carrying nearly 80 Marines from the Twenynine Palms Marine base.All of them were ready to fly home. “I fly out tomorrow. I can’t wait,” said Justin Garduque. Kyle Pickles said, “Atlanta, Georgia is home. I can’t wait to go fishing

Well-know retailer Dick’s Sporting Goods is set to open at the mall in Palm Desert. A representative for the nationwide chain says the store will be ready for customers at Westfield Palm Desert in the fall of 2013. No other details regarding staffing, or an exact opening date were available at this time. However, it’s

An earthquake strikes Northern California’s Plumas County with a preliminary magnitude of 5.7. Rafael Abreau, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Earthquake Center, says the temblor struck at 8:47 p.m. and was centered six miles west northwest of Greenville, and 26 miles southwest of Susanville. Abreu says there have been no reports of

Retired U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walkerhad encouraging words Thursday for an audience of more than 300 at the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast in Palm Springs. “It’s true much remains to be done, but we can also take a good deal of satisfaction that we have progressed quite remarkably,” said Walker. Walker became a key figure

The Boy Scouts of America’s National Council has voted to ease a long-standing ban and allow openly gay boys to be accepted as Scouts. Of the local Scout leaders voting at their annual meeting in Texas, more than 60 percent supported the proposal. Under the proposal drafted by the Scouts’ governing board, gay adults will

Funeral services were held today for pro golfer and sportscaster Ken Venturi.The longtime Valley resident passed away last week. The funeral was a final farewell for one of golf’s most celebrated figures both on and off the course. Nearly 400 people attended the service for Ken Venturi in Palm Desert, including some of golf’s greatest.

Nearly one-third of the country will be traveling this weekend for Memorial Day and with plenty of sun and great weather in the forecast, Palm Springs will be a prime destination. Local businesses and visitors are gearing up for the unofficial kickoff of summer. Palm Springs ranks 23rd nationally in Trip Advisor.com’s 2013 Travelers Choice

Passes for the 2014 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival will go on sale tomorrow morning. Passes will go on sale at 10 a.m., and information is available online at www.coachella.com. Passes range in price from $349 for general admission to $6,500 for a “safari tent” package, and are valid for an entire weekend.The festival,

What: Memorial Day Observance, presented by Desert Veterans’ Memorial Association & Palm Springs Cemetery District, with welcome message from Congressman Raul Ruiz, MD, keynote speakers and music.When: 9 a.m. Where:Desert Memorial Park Cemetery, 31705, Da Vall Dr., Cathedral City. What:Memorial Day ceremony, with patriotic music, wreath-laying, refreshments and souvenirs. When:10:30 a.m.Where:Forest Lawn, 69855 E. Ramon

The attorney for Sunline has confirmed that Sunline General Manager C. Mikel Oglesby was placed on paid administrative leave yesterday after a closed session of the Sunline agency’s board of directors. Sunline’s attorney Jeff Goldfarb said the paid leave was pending an investigation and he cannot comment further on the investigation because it would jeopardize

The head of NASA is visiting the Jet Propulsion Laboratory where engineers are working on a proposed mission to lasso a small asteroid and drag it closer to Earth for astronauts to explore. During Thursday’s visit, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden viewed a prototype ion engine that JPL engineers are developing with counterparts at NASA’s Glenn