INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – For local businesses in the Coachella Valley, the annual Coachella and Stagecoach festivals are more than just music events, they are a major economic opportunity and a chance to showcase their brands on a global stage. Last year, the two festivals combined brought in more than 700 million dollars to the
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RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (KESQ) — A Coachella Valley nonprofit is celebrating a major gift with a lasting tribute, renaming its building in honor of a local philanthropist. The Jewish Federation of the Desert held a dedication and luncheon Friday officially renaming its building after donor Sherwyn Turbow. Community members gathered for the ceremony, where Eve
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INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – An undocumented immigrant accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old autistic girl lured to his Cathedral City apartment on New Year’s Eve pleaded not guilty today to rape of a minor and other offenses. Enrique Bautista Vasquez, 20, was arrested in January following an investigation by the Cathedral City Police Department that
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INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (KESQ) — Gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton made a stop in the Coachella Valley Friday morning, speaking directly with local business leaders about the issues shaping the state. The Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce hosted a legislative breakfast at Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa as part of its ongoing speaker series
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MURRIETA, Calif. (KESQ) – A man and woman suspected of smuggling controlled substances to inmates at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta via the U.S. Postal Service were arrested today. A 29-year-old woman from Hemet and a 49-year-old man of Murrieta were taken into custody Friday and booked into the Murrieta jail on suspicion of
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PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Registered nurses across the six California Tenet facilities, including Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, voted to approve on a three-year contract designed to improve patient safety and nurse retention, the California Nurses Association announced Friday. With a 93% approval vote, registered nurses ratified on an agreement that will
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HEMET, Calif. (KESQ) – A 36-year-old man suspected of stealing roughly $10,000 worth of Lego sets and other merchandise from local retail stores in Hemet was behind bars today. Hugo Omar Sanchez-Sanchez was booked Wednesday on suspicion of possession of stolen property and organized retail theft, according to the Hemet Police Department. Bail information was
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By Jacob Lev, Kyle Feldscher, CNN (CNN) — Tiger Woods was arrested Friday on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to Martin County, Florida, Sheriff John Budensiek. Woods was driving a Land Rover and clipped a pickup truck pulling a small trailer, Budensiek told reporters. The collision caused Woods’ Land Rover to roll onto
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By Tami Luhby, Kaitlan Collins, CNN (CNN) — With Congress’ debate over Department of Homeland Security funding now likely to extend for at least several more days, President Donald Trump on Friday issued a promised executive action that Transportation Security Administration employees be paid immediately. “I hereby direct the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination
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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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By Jessie Yeung, Issy Ronald, CNN (CNN) — Talks between the United States and Iran are ongoing – though both sides are describing things very differently. US President Donald Trump kept changing tack on Thursday, initially saying Tehran was “begging” for a deal behind closed doors, before telling reporters at a briefing in the White
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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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