Top Stories Archives

Riverside County sues Frontier Communications for alleged false advertising

May 19, 2021 12:53 PM City News Service

Riverside County and federal prosecutors today filed suit against internet service provider Frontier Communications for alleged false advertising and other civil violations stemming from the company’s failure to provide customers with high-speed service. The federal lawsuit, initiated by the Federal Trade Commission, was filed in U.S. District Court following a months-long investigation in California involving

What you need to know about drought, water, and fire danger in the Coachella Valley

May 19, 2021 10:49 AM Taban Sharifi

Riverside County is in severe to extreme drought conditions. Strong winds and dry conditions elevate fire danger. Through Thursday, A First Alert Weather Alert Day is in effect for strong winds that will keep fire danger elevated. Desert Water Agency shared information Wednesday about drought conditions in California and the Coachella Valley. They described how

Desert Water Agency hosting webinar on statewide emergency drought declarations

May 19, 2021 5:59 AM Madison Weil

A drought emergency has been declared in certain parts of the state. The Desert Water Agency (DWA) is hosting a webinar Wednesday morning for residents who want to learn more. According to DWA, California experienced a very dry winter season up and as a result, a drought emergency has been declared in 41 counties. Riverside

Desert Hot Springs High School seniors create ‘Kindness Garden’ to uplift underclassmen

May 19, 2021 6:29 AM Madison Weil

Senior students at Desert Hot Springs High School have been hard at work creating an art project to help inspire and encourage underclassmen. The senior class has built what they’re calling a “Kindness Garden.” It’s a garden on campus filled with colorful, hand-painted rocks. Each rock has an uplifting message painted on its surface. The

Coachella standoff ends with arrest

May 19, 2021 6:21 AM KESQ News Team

Police took one person into custody late Tuesday night who’s facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon. The violence was reported at 8:58 p.m. on the 84000 block of North Sienna Circle, according to a Riverside County Sheriff’s Sergeant Lionel Murphy. Deputies on the scene said the suspect, who’s not yet been named, barricaded

As Riverside County remains in orange tier 2+ weeks, valley bars look to fully reopen next month

May 18, 2021 8:26 PM Jake Ingrassia

Riverside County will remain in the orange tier of reopening for at least another two weeks, based on new reopening metrics released Tuesday. The county’s adjusted case rate is 2.8 new cases per 100,000 residents. It needs to drop below 2 for the county to move into the yellow tier. That means certain local businesses,

Desert Hot Springs murder suspect pleads not guilty

May 18, 2021 9:33 PM City News Service, KESQ News Team

A reputed gang member accused of joining three accomplices in a fatal robbery more than three years ago in Desert Hot Springs pleaded not guilty today to murder and other offenses. Shyrum Trequell Taylor, 24, was arrested Thursday in connection to the fatal shooting of 25-year-old Alycia Alexander in October 2017 during a botched drug

Preliminary hearing date set For man accused of killing grandparents

May 18, 2021 7:16 PM City News Service

An Aug. 6 preliminary hearing date was confirmed today for a 34-year-old man accused of gunning down his octogenarian grandparents inside a gated community in Palm Desert. Frank Scott Castro III was arrested in September 2019 on suspicion of killing Frank Castro, 83, and Carolina Castro, 81, whose bodies were found in their home in

Deputies investigate 2nd shooting in less than 24 hours in Coachella

May 18, 2021 5:05 PM Jesus Reyes

For the second consecutive day, the Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating a shooting in the city of Coachella. A spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Department confirmed the shooting happened in the area of First Street and Vine Avenue, just west of Grapefruit Boulevard at around 4:06 p.m. Information on this shooting remains limited as the

Desert Water Agency hosting webinar discussing local plans for drought conditions & water shortage

May 18, 2021 3:27 PM Jesus Reyes

Last week, California expanded its drought emergency to 41 California counties following an extremely dry winter with low snowpack and little rainfall. Riverside County wasn’t one of the counties where the emergency was declared, however, many have been left wondering how we would be affected locally. The Desert Water Agency is hosting a virtual webinar

Riverside County reaches lowest ever number of COVID patients in intensive care

May 18, 2021 1:29 PM Jesus Reyes

Over the past 24 hours, Riverside County reported 3 fewer ICU patients with COVID-19. This brings the current total number of patients to 11, a new all-time low for ICUs in the county. The county’s previous record low was 13 patients which was set on the first day data was being recorded for the pandemic,

Report: Riverside County will end fiscal year with larger reserve

May 18, 2021 12:45 PM City News Service

The Board of Supervisors signed off today on a report indicating that Riverside County government will end the fiscal year in better condition than originally expected, with a larger reserve pool and no untenable deficits within county agencies. In a 5-0 vote without comment, the board approved the Executive Office’s 30-page compendium on third-quarter finances,

Valley seniors prepare for 2021 graduation season

April 29, 2021 10:41 AM Dani Romero

New California Department of Public Health guidelines state commencement ceremonies for 2021 graduations can allow in-person attendees with limited capacities. While graduates in 2020 experienced virtual and drive-by ceremonies, high school hope this year will allow them a more normal ceremony. It was about this time last year that COVID-19 wiped out many graduation ceremonies.

Now Hiring: Become a life skills instructor with Desert Arc

May 18, 2021 12:00 PM Kylie Miller

This week’s Now Hiring employer is looking for some big hearts to help support the local disabled community. Desert Arc is looking to hire several full and part time life skills instructors. The nonprofit has served the Coachella Valley for 61 years, providing skills training for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Admin Assistant and

Firefighters contain tamarisk tree fire off 10 freeway in Rancho Mirage

May 18, 2021 9:06 AM Angela Chen

No injuries have been reported in a fire that broke out Tuesday morning off the I-10 freeway near the Bob Hope exit. Firefighters battling this blaze in Rancho Mirage said the tamarisk tree fire broke out around 7:20 a.m. at Ramon Road and Bob Hope Dr. The fire is near a homeless encampment and has

California won’t follow new CDC indoor mask guidelines until June 15

May 17, 2021 11:22 AM Jake Ingrassia, City News Service

California health officials announced Monday the state will not lift its mask mandate for another month, despite new federal recommendations that say fully vaccinated people can take their masks off in most indoor and outdoor places. Under state rules right now, fully vaccinated people can take their masks off outdoors, except in large crowds. But

Defense Attorney: ‘Bail agent’ charged with murder shoots gun at command of PSPD officer

May 14, 2021 7:18 PM Shelby Nelson

New questions are arising after Fabian Herrera’s defense attorney, Rajan Maline, told News Channel 3 on Friday that Herrera fired a gun at the command of a Palm Springs Police officer during a tense confrontation the morning of April 23. Herrera, 36, was charged with murder in the killing of David Spann, 33, at Spann’s

Deputies investigate shooting in a Coachella neighborhood

May 17, 2021 8:23 PM Jesus Reyes

Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating a shooting that left a man injured Monday evening in Coachella. The shooting happened at around 7:29 on the 50000 block of Sunburst Street, just west of Cesar Chavez Street and Westerfield Way. The investigation remains ongoing so details remain limited. A spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Department confirmed that

Woman who perpetrated immigration fraud with help of terrorist’s pal sentenced

May 17, 2021 9:32 PM City News Service

A Russian immigrant who entered into a fake marriage with the confidant of an Islamic terrorist who murdered more than a dozen people in San Bernardino was sentenced today in Riverside to three years federal probation. Mariya Chernykh, 30, of Ontario pleaded guilty in 2017 to conspiracy, perjury and making false statements to U.S. Department

Indio man must stand trial on murder charge for allegedly killing girlfriend

May 17, 2021 9:19 PM City News Service, KESQ News Team

An Indio man accused of stabbing his girlfriend and dumping her body near a Thermal cemetery after proclaiming she had been possessed by “a witch and a demon,” then setting her mobile home ablaze, must stand trial on murder and other charges, a judge ruled today. Christian Pacheco, 26, is suspected of killing 30-year-old Elilia