Coachella Valley residents are getting a new drive-thru spot to sate their coffee fixes Dutch Bros Coffee, a popular and fast-growing coffee chain is opening its first west valley location in Cathedral City The company is known for its specialty coffees but also a variety of other beverages like energy drinks Its set-up is slightly different from a traditional drive-thru in that employees come up to your car window to take your order and have you pay directly with them before you pull forward to grab your items from a window Forbes reported that Dutch Bros had about 950 locations as of late last year having nearly doubled that number in just three years You'll be able to find Dutch Bros at 34-051 Date Palm Drive When will it open?While Dutch Bros did not announce a specific date for its Cathedral City opening the company did say it's on track to open this summer Ani Gasparyan covers the western Coachella Valley cities of Desert Hot Springs and Cathedral City (KESQ) – Residents in the Verano Neighborhood in Cathedral City are dealing with mass sand accumulation after three to four weeks of strong winds in the Valley The north end of the neighborhood faces and unconstructed area of sand Residents say the fences that once held back the sand have since broken and let the sand into the street Residents are unable to drive on both sides of the road The sand has also overcome their sidewalks They say it's not only a safety hazard for cars as they park along the street One resident says his wife has gotten sick from the dust and it has caused issues in their pet dog's fur After conflicting responses while reaching out to Cathedral City officials and the Home Owners Association HOA officials said the streets were the City's but the blow sand would remain until September because of weather and burrowing owl mating season Stay with News Channel 3 to hear from Cathedral City officials and residents on the ongoing issue News Channel 3 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community Guidelines KESQ-TV FCC Public File | KPSP-TV FCC Public File | KDFX-TV FCC Public File | EEO Report | FCC Applications | Do Not Sell My Personal Information Food + Drink, Things to Do by | Feb 8 Whether you’re a local looking to experience something new or a visitor hoping to connect with the community take a seat on the lawn and enjoy the festivities INDIO (CNS) - A 32-year-old man accused of gunning down his one-time girlfriend's lover as he left her Coachella Valley home was inflamed with rage and intended to shoot to kill while the defense argued that the defendant was blinded by passion and also believed the victim was going to pull a gun on him "There's no excuse for this,'' Riverside County Deputy District Attorney Kevin Roeder told jurors in his closing statement in the trial of Jose Ernesto Martinez of Desert Hot Springs Testimony in Martinez's roughly four-day trial concluded Tuesday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio at which time the prosecution and defense rested Superior Court Judge James Hawkins directed the two sides to deliver closing arguments Wednesday morning Martinez is charged with first-degree murder and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations for the slaying of 27-year-old Isaac Valles of Rancho Mirage The prosecution recounted how Martinez was incensed that his girlfriend was seeing another man and staked out her residence in the 31800 block of Neuma Drive There had been a text exchange between the woman and defendant in which he apparently admitted being close by Roeder said the defendant grabbed a self-assembled semiautomatic ``ghost gun'' from under the driver's seat of his car Dayanira witnessed the attack and screamed at Martinez ``You're not leaving; you just killed him!'' according to the prosecution ``He was emotionally compromised,'' Deputy Public Defender Fernanda Oviedo told the jury in her closing She characterized him as full of anger and pain over Dayanira's behavior alleging the woman was not only spending time with the victim She said the combination of his emotional strain and the fact that he could not see well on the night of the shooting He didn't have his glasses on and believed Valles had a gun,'' Oviedo said referring to statements by the defendant that he had seen the victim reaching into his waistband Roeder countered that Valles was simply trying to pull up his shorts Oviedo nonetheless asserted that the most her client should be convicted of is voluntary manslaughter in the heat of passion Cathedral City Police Department officers took the defendant into custody without incident at his home two hours after the shooting based on Dayanira's and other witnesses' statements as well as evidence collected at the scene He's being held on $1 million bail at the Benoit Detention Center in Indio He has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County (This story has been updated with new information.) Cathedral City police on Tuesday provided details about the robbery of a United States Postal Service mail carrier that occurred in the city Saturday one of two instances in which mail carriers have been attacked at gunpoint in the Coachella Valley in recent days Police said that during the Saturday robbery a man approached a carrier who was driving in his postal truck and then brandished the pistol grip of a handgun at the carrier and demanded he give him his keys The carrier removed the keys from the ignition and gave them to the man That attack occurred in the 30-400 block of Avenida Los Ninos in Cathedral City at around 10 a.m The carrier who was attacked was not named but was described as a 53-year-old residing in Rancho Mirage The second robbery occurred in Palm Desert on Monday Two men approached a mail carrier outside his truck and held him at gunpoint according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department The two suspects took some of the man's belongings and then fled in a truck inside a residential neighborhood at the intersection of Storke and Bertrain drives no arrests had been announced as of late Tuesday morning Postal Inspection Service said her agency is also investigating both robberies Postal Inspection Service serves as the law enforcement security and crime prevention arm of the postal service "As part of our mission to protect our employees robberies of postal employees are a top priority for Postal Inspectors," she wrote in an email to The Desert Sun Desert Sun staffer Paul Albani-Burgio contributed to this report (KESQ) - A Cathedral City man was arrested after being accused of tossing a trash bag with five kittens who were later found dead in someone's backyard The crime was first reported Tuesday after 2:00 p.m A resident called police and said they found a bag containing five dead kittens in their backyard the Cathedral City Police Department announced Wednesday CCPD officers found surveillance video which showed a suspect tossing a trash bag the reporting party’s fence on Friday "The trash bag that was tossed over the fence contained five kittens which were later found deceased inside the bag Officers were able to locate the suspect from the video," reads a CCPD news release identified as a 54-year-old from Cathedral City He was arrested and booked into the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio Jail records show he was released on $10,000 bail on Wednesday Cathedral City Police remind residents that if a stray animal is located it can be reported to Cathedral City Police by calling their nonemergency phone line at (760)770-0300 If you have any information reference this incident contact Cathedral City Police Officer Chris Jones at (760)770-0303 That was the question the Cathedral City High School football team and its fans had to be asking themselves all night as the Lions were held scoreless by Palm Springs and fell to the Indians 13-0 in the final week of the regular season PHOTOS:Palm Springs vs Cathedral City football The Lions had scored no fewer than 34 points in a game all year but Friday they were only able to get into Palm Springs territory twice they mustered just five first downs and their superstar running back was held to under 100 yards — 76 to be exact — for the first time all year All of this led to a loss that dropped Cathedral City — a team that could have won a share of the Desert Valley League title with a win — into a tie for third place with Palm Springs VIDEO:Sights and Sounds: PS at CC, Week 11 You figure you’re going to score more than 13 points they did a good job defensively,” Cathedral City head coach Richard Lee said has to hope that its 8-2 record is good enough to earn them the lone wild card spot in the CIF Southern Section Palm Springs certainly didn’t light it up offensively either but they did just enough to come away with the win It began and ended with kicker Jorge Benitez-Gonzalez who scored the first points of the game on a 36-yard field goal in the second quarter He added to that with a 43-yarder to end the first half just look at the ball and follow through,’ and then I just heard the crowd I didn’t even see it go through,” said Benitez-Gonzalez “It was an amazing feeling — all my teammates were standing around — it was just great.” All of the scoring occurred in the second quarter with the only touchdown of the game coming in between Benitez-Gonzalez’s two kicks It was by far and away the most spectacular play of the night: A 40-yard flea flicker that quarterback William Olvera lateraled to Riley Hagar launched a 40-yard bomb to Randolph Mullen in the end zone We had to weather the storm in the first quarter,” Olvera said “We just had to come out and play and do what we do and we did that in the second quarter and got whatever points we could get who went 2 for 2 for 59 yards and the touchdown Mullen led the team in receiving with 68 yards on three catches and Alex Gillison led the Indians on the ground with 58 yards on 10 attempts But it was the Indians’ defense that shone the brightest “Our defense stuck to the game plan that we devised and played with a lot of emotion and believed in what we were doing and it paid off for us,” Palm Springs coach Dan Murphy said The Lions’ 80 yards in penalties didn’t help them either Our kids were really jacked up and were a little too fired up early and just mistake “You could see the momentum just slip away We just didn’t come to play; we picked the wrong time to not come to play.” 4-2) must hope for a wild-card spot to make the postseason (KESQ) - Prosecution testimony got underway Tuesday in the trial of two men accused of gunning down the owner of a Cathedral City convenience store during a robbery Charles Lamar Campbell of Beaumont and Joel Ortiz Hidalgo of Desert Hot Springs allegedly killed 61-year-old Chris Sgouromitis of Cathedral City in 2021 Both men are charged with first-degree murder attempted robbery and a special circumstance allegation of killing in the course of a robbery Campbell is additionally charged with sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations Riverside County Superior Court Judge Otis Sterling swore in two separate juries -- one for each defendant -- to hear the matter at the Larson Justice Center after which the prosecution and defense delivered opening statements The judge directed both panels to return to the Indio courthouse Tuesday for prosecution testimony Each defendant is being held without bail at the Benoit Detention Center Cathedral City Police Department officers were sent to the Outpost Market at 68171 Ramon Road to investigate reports of a holdup and discovered the convenience store owner mortally wounded Despite first responders' efforts to save him Sgouromitis was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later The victim was a beloved member of the community and the CCPD released a statement within a few days of his murder saying he was a "father of four with strong local ties who was not involved in criminal activity and died in his longtime place of business." Detectives relied on evidence gathered at the scene who were both arrested without incident within a week of the deadly shooting Neither man has documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County A Little Caesars in Riverside and Al-Reef Mediterranean Grill in Murrieta were closed by Riverside County health inspectors this week due to a sewage overflow and rodent infestation but no restaurants were closed in the Coachella Valley inspectors conducted a complaint-based investigation regarding alleged rats inside Villa Bakery in Cathedral City on Wednesday rat droppings were observed by the inspector in the bakery prep area The bakery was allowed to stay open as long as a pest control service provided treatment for the entire facility The bakery had a reinspection date of this article's publish date so an update has yet to be provided as of noon Friday Here are the restaurants that were inspected in the Coachella Valley March 14 through 21: means a restaurant passed an inspection and met minimum health standards No restaurants were inspected in Coachella this week 51-433 Education WayImagine Schools Riverside County 51-375 Van Buren St.Cahuilla Desert Academy No restaurants were inspected in Indio this week 39-225 Jefferson St.Desert Ridge Academy cafeteria Note: No restaurant inspections were reported for businesses in the cities of Indian Wells and La Quinta for the week of March 14 through 21 (KESQ) - Palm Springs Unified School District officials announced the new Cathedral City High School Principal on the District's Facebook page on Tuesday "The Board of Education this evening named Julia Bartsch as Cathedral City High School’s Principal She joined PSUSD in 1998 as a physical education teacher at CCHS and has also served as a health teacher For the past five months she has served as the Interim Principal at CCHS." The Facebook post was met with many comments congratulating Mrs This change in leadership comes after the school's former principal was let go after a school Disneyland trip last year Some Cathedral City High students testified at a board meeting last November that a student suffered a medical emergency on that trip and it took about an hour to get ahold of the teacher who had medication for the student The students also testified that one of the teachers on the trip was intoxicated (KESQ) – Several construction projects are slowing traffic in the Coachella Valley this week slowdowns are expected along East Palm Canyon Drive between Canyon Plaza and Perez Road All lanes are open during the daytime hours on Monday but traffic control will be in place for both directions of Palm Canyon starting from 8:00 p.m Some lane restrictions will also be in place Wednesday and Thursday Cathedral City officials ask you to reduce your speed in the construction zone Indian Canyon Drive is closed all week this week (from April 7th to 11th) as workers continue widening the North Indian Canyon bridge Be sure to take these construction projects into account as you plan your travel in the valley this week says it has been difficult for his clients to navigate the construction zone "It has been affecting everyone's business .. it's making our appointments late," Meza explains "Definitely less walk-in traffic has been happening It's a similar story for Acapulco Tax Services also says the traffic has been impacting business "People [have been] getting a little bit lost because of traffic as well having to call and ask where we're located," says Crespo With the tax filing deadline fast approaching Crespo hopes the traffic impacts ease sooner rather than later "People are going to start coming in more and we want to be as secure with their appointments and their schedule the most." Despite the slower business and late appointments Meza says the road improvement project is welcome: "The roads definitely were pretty messed up I'm happy to see that the roads are going to improve and it's going to look better for the overall area." Cathedral City is joining the Desert Recreation District for parks and recreation services which has no parks and recreation department of its own has been considering joining the DRD for at least 10 years and placed a tax measure on the July 2022 ballot to help fund doing so Measure K would have taxed property owners and required a super-majority to pass the city council approved placing a sales tax increase on the November 2024 ballot that would help fund a variety of things that included annexing into the DRD thus increasing the city’s sales tax from 8.75% to 9.25% The city council unanimously approved joining the DRD on Wednesday now that the city has the money secured to afford being able to do so It also approved a tax exchange agreement to pay for the DRD’s services What is DRD going to do for Cathedral City?The DRD is California’s largest park and recreation district with a mission to “work closely with municipalities to ensure that every community has access to quality recreation services,” according to a city staff report It will help the city maintain Dennis Keat Soccer Park Esperanza Park is still under construction but is expected to be finished in March Cathedral City will keep maintaining Memorial Park Town Square Park and the Community Amphitheater Joining the DRD will also provide the city with more recreation programs Cathedral City does have a Parks and Community Events Commission that already provides some programs for residents like yoga and a Halloween dog costume contest but its scope is limited in comparison to what the DRD can do for the city City Manager Charlie McClendon said the commission will continue to do those programs and the DRD will expand on them It will offer programs like soccer leagues These will be conducted at parks and other facilities like the library while the city works toward eventually building a recreation center Cathedral City residents will also be able to register for the DRD’s programs in any of the cities it works with and pay the discounted prices How much is this costing?The council approved a tax transfer agreement “in which 15% of the city’s 1% property tax allocation will be directed to the district to pay for recreation services,” according to the city staff report The city expects that this will be about $1 million a year McClendon said the city will more clearly meet the requirements from the Local Agency Formation Commission through a tax exchange agreement rather than direct payments of sales tax proceeds LAFCO manages city and district boundaries “It will have the same effect on our general fund because we will transfer approximately 15% of our property tax which is about $1 million over to the Desert Recreation District,” he said we’ll use the million from Measure W funds to replace that in our general fund.”  Cathedral City will budget and pay the remaining costs directly to the DRD in four quarterly payments that total around $785,000 What's next?The DRD will begin providing Cathedral City services on July 1 It will also start the annexation process with LAFCO now that both Cathedral City and the DRD have approved their agreements with each other McClendon said this can be a bureaucratic process but the city will pay the DRD directly if the annexation is not completed by July (KESQ) -- Two elderly men were displaced in a Cathedral City house fire Saturday evening Cathedral City firefighters and CalFire responded to the 400 block of Cerritos Way for a house fire Officials say one man suffered minor burns no residents were transported to the hospital (KESQ) – Strong winds are known to have a great impact on the Valley While it can be a driving hazard and create a dust haze Residents of the Verano Neighborhood in Cathedral City are dealing with similar aftermath of recent strong winds that have led to significant sand accumulation along the street vehicles are damages and their health is at risk "We have to park the car around the street because if you live here the sand is just going to hit the glass all the sand gets in your face...Nobody’s taking accountability for it.” Not only is there air quality when during high-wind days they say the sand in the street adds additional airborne dust and allergens that infiltrate their homes "[The sand] starts damaging the people," Rafael Oscal Hernandez and Oscal said the sand wall started three to four weeks ago Keeping cars from being able to drive or park along the street the sand is growing past the street and onto their sidewalks Residents said they've tried to reach out to Cathedral City and the neighborhood home owners association and they said it's the associations responsibility," Hernandez said And it does affect us because it keeps mounting and mounting." but sidewalks in front of homes are filled with sand Residents are unable to park their cars in front of homes but also cannot walk easily outside physically with sand coverage and poor air quality Residents reported to News Channel 3 the Verano Neighborhood HOA sent a March/April community update letter on the situation recently It confirmed the streets were turned over to Cathedral City and the HOA is responsible for blow sand the HOA reports "the sand drifts and collapsed fence will remain as is until September." This is due to ongoing weather and "burrowing owl mating season" which is hindering construction in the sand field News Channel 3 is working to confirm these efforts and claims with Cathedral City officials the local community reports it remains distressed and unable to navigate their streets safely Oscal said may residents are considering moving out of the neighborhood if the livability conditions do not change "It's so sad to see my neighborhood this way," Oscal said Stay with News Channel 3 for more on the sand impacts and to hear from residents CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) - The ninth annual Taste of Jalisco Festival began Friday and will run through Sunday in Cathedral City The event is at Cathedral City Town Square and Festival Lawn at 68600 E The first 250 residents attending Saturday and Sunday can receive free tickets to the headline shows by visiting the Solutions Tent inside the festival grounds and presenting proper identification Following the announcement of the headliners last month, the festival has finalized programming on two stages. All programming takes place at Cathedral City Town Square Park and environs and the Cathedral City Community Amphitheater The Taste of Jalisco Festival celebrates Cathedral City’s sister city relationship with the city of Tequila in the state of Jalisco The festival honors this relationship through music The Sister City relationship was first established in 1996 when the two cities entered into a formal Sister Cities agreement exchanges between the Cities have included art Parking for the carnival is free, but admission starts at $5 per person with other activities priced at varying additional fees. More information can be found at tasteofjalisco.com protests have erupted in opposition to Elon Musk’s involvement in the federal government’s reshaping efforts particularly the controversial Department of Government Efficiency Demonstrators are speaking out against what they see as Musk’s growing influence on government policies especially regarding cuts to federal agencies and the downsizing of the IRS nearly 200 people gathered outside a Tesla dealership to voice their frustrations Sunday afternoon Holding signs like “Deport Musk” and “No to Doge,” these protesters are angry about Musk's role in dismantling key government departments and reducing the IRS workforce which would impact thousands of federal employees Many also pointed to the struggles Tesla has faced in recent months with the company’s stock value plummeting by almost 50% since December Though the protest in Cathedral City was peaceful the larger wave of discontent has been marked by violent incidents Tesla vehicles were destroyed by fire in Seattle a charging station in Massachusetts was torched and a Molotov cocktail was thrown at a Tesla dealership in Oregon Protesters here in the valley are focused on making their voices heard in a collective manner Organizers have pledged to continue gathering every Sunday for an hour to keep pushing for change and to make sure they are part of the nationwide impact While the protests focus on Musk’s actions they also reflect a growing frustration with the power corporate leaders hold over political decisions and government policies (KESQ) - Cathedral City has penned an agreement with the Desert Recreation District (DRD) aimed at providing parks maintenance and recreation programming News Channel 3's Peter Daut spoke to DRD spokesman Scott Sear on Friday about the new agreement and what it means for the city received nearly three-quarters' support from voters "This partnership represents the culmination of years of careful planning and community input said City Manager Charles McClendon in a statement "Through this agreement with the Desert Recreation District we're not just maintaining parks -- we're creating opportunities for our children families and seniors to enjoy quality recreational programs right here in their community for generations to come residents will be able to access DRD programs such as art classes sports leagues and seasonal events at in-district rates DRD maintenance will also be deployed at Dennis Keat Soccer Park and Cathedral City High School's summer swim program will be allocated to DRD's management we are not only enhancing the quality of these parks but also investing in programs that strengthen communities and create safer more vibrant neighborhoods,'' said Kevin Kalman general manager of the Desert Recreation District Similar partnerships with the DRD cover more than 40 parks and recreation facilities in the Coachella Valley The District is also expected to establish a local presence The agreements will be turned over to the Riverside Local Agency Formation Commission for an annexation process Additional information can be found at DiscoverCathedralCity.com and myrecreationdistrict.com (KESQ) - CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire responded to a fire early Saturday morning in the 35600 block of Placid Place at the request of the Cathedral City Fire Department Thick smoke blanketed the area for a little more than an hour News Channel 3 has out to the Cathedral City Fire Department for more information A new shopping center under construction in downtown Cathedral City will have several fast-food restaurants including a "Chipotlane" that will allow customers to pick up their burritos from the popular chain through a drive-thru The long-awaited Cathedral Cove Center will be located near Agua Caliente Casino and Cathedral City Civic Center at the southwest corner of Date Palm Drive and East Palm Canyon Drive It will make up nearly 6 acres of an almost 14-acre development project that is also expected to include housing CEO and founder of Fountainhead Development said housing will be located on the land behind the center "The city wants residential and we are making progress with securing a residential development partner," Smith said A few structures have already been built in the largely vacant desert land where the center is set to be Residents and visitors in Cathedral City have seen construction commence over the past year which has also caused some traffic along East Palm Canyon Drive The businesses at the center will include Chipotle, Farmer Boys, Starbucks and Circle K, according to Smith. He said the Chipotle will have a "Chipotlane," which allows customers to make their order in advance on its website or app and then pick it up from a drive-thru It is not like a typical drive-thru since you can't make your order to a speaker or employee in your car and then wait in line to get it Ordering food through apps or websites to pick-up is the direction retail is headed He said he believes Chipotle and Starbucks should be opening in a couple months "There is a good chance that Chipotle and Starbucks will be open first and then Farmer Boys and Circle K will be opening at some point after them," Smith said Farmer Boys was the first business announced during the 2022 city council meeting in which the center was approved It will be the second in the Coachella Valley Smith said it is Fountainhead Development's 19th project in the valley which a lot of places in Southern California can't say that," he said which is something that we enjoy being part of." A man died while a woman was hospitalized in critical condition after both were shot early Monday in Cathedral City by a man who then apparently killed himself The agency said it was first called about a shooting in the 69-200 block of Nilda Drive at around 3:45 a.m That block of Nilda Drive is located in a residential area southeast of the intersection of Date Palm Drive and 35th Avenue Arriving officers found the man and woman, both 19, with gunshot wounds. The man, who was identified by the county coroner Monday evening as Angel Torres was eventually pronounced dead at the scene after efforts were made to treat him where police say she is listed in "critical but stable condition." Investigating officers soon determined that a suspect in the shootings had been found dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound at an unspecified location in San Bernardino County Police say preliminary information suggests the suspect entered the home found the man and woman in the bedroom and shot them The suspect then fled in his vehicle and later killed himself The agency said the victim and suspect knew each other but that a motive for the shootings has not been determined Cathedral City Police have not identified the woman or the dead suspect This is a developing story that will be updated as new information becomes available Paul Albani-Burgio covers growth, development and business in the Coachella Valley. Follow him on Twitter at @albaniburgiop and email him at paul.albani-burgio@desertsun.com (KESQ) - The Cathedral City Police Department presented its annual crime statistics report to the City Council on Wednesday highlighting a 10% overall reduction in violent crime in 2024 The department says the decline in violent crime can be attributed to a strong community engagement The department also noted that while many violent crime categories were down from 2023 the city did see some areas that increased Police Chief George Crum says the department has a commitment to public safety "While we're encouraged by these positive trends we remain vigilant and focused on addressing the areas that still need improvement." While property crime in the city went down 11% The police department invites anyone interested in hosting a community meeting on or having the police department give a presentation on crime prevention contact Deputy Rick Sanchez at rsanchez@cathedralcity.gov or call 760-202-2488 Calif. — The Cathedral City Fire Department responded to a structure fire on Avenida Juarez and 30th Avenue on Christmas night The battalion chief confirmed it was a chimney fire The fire department requested assistance from Palm Springs Fire and Cal Fire CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) - Cathedral City Police honored fallen officer Jermaine Gibson, Sr., who was killed during a high-speed pursuit in 2011 CCPD held a remembrance ceremony on Wednesday "It has been 14 years since we tragically lost one of our own in the line of duty will never be forgotten along with the dedication he had for his community and for making the ultimate sacrifice," reads a social media post by CCPD Gibson, 28, was killed in a fiery crash on March 19, 2011 during a high-speed pursuit of a stolen vehicle Marine Corps Veteran and Purple Heart recipient He served with the Cathedral City Police Department for 18 months and served in law enforcement for three years The Cathedral City Police Department unveiled a Memorial Plaza named “The Protector” in December 2018 to honor those who lost their lives in the line of duty The area features benches inscribed with the names of two officers who lost their lives in the line of duty over the city’s history The statue at the center of the plaza features an officer holding the hand of Jermaine Gibson The suspect in the stolen vehicle, Durjan Germaine Gray, was convicted of second-degree murder in 2016. Gray was also found guilty of DUI gross vehicular manslaughter, felony evading and DUI, and was sentenced to 32 years to life in prison. In August 2018, an appeals court upheld his murder conviction LGBTQ+, Things to Do by | Mar 6 “Cathedral City is inclusive,” Parman says “We want to make sure people feel welcome here.” A Honda SUV crashed into a motorcyclist on Tuesday evening in Cathedral City sending the rider to the hospital with moderate injuries Officers and emergency crews arrived at 5:31 p.m and found that a Honda SUV had struck Marco Torres as he rode west on Ramon Road at the intersection with Avenida Los Ninos Authorities closed the intersection until about 7:30 p.m stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators Commander Nate Hanley of the Cathedral City Police Department said in a press release He added that drugs and alcohol did not appear to have played a role in the crash Police urged drivers to stay alert and check their surroundings for motorcycles Jennifer Cortez covers education in the Coachella Valley Reach her at jennifer.cortez@desertsun.com California (KESQ) Authorities are investigating two separate armed robberies involving U.S Postal Service mail carriers in Cathedral City and Palm Desert over the past several days The first incident occurred Saturday in Cathedral City Officers with the Cathedral City Police Department responded to a report of a robbery involving a mail carrier who was approached by a man while delivering mail in his postal truck The suspect brandished what appeared to be the pistol grip of a handgun and demanded the keys to the vehicle The victim removed the keys from the ignition and handed them over before the suspect fled in a black Genesis SUV Officers canvassed the area for surveillance footage and spoke with nearby residents as part of the ongoing investigation The second robbery took place Monday at about 10:45 a.m near Storke Drive and Bertain Drive in Palm Desert According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department a mail carrier reported being held at gunpoint by two Hispanic males while outside his work vehicle The suspects stole some of his belongings before fleeing the scene in a vehicle At this time it's not clear if the robberies in Cathedral City and Palm Desert are connected Anyone with information is urged to contact local law enforcement Postal Inspection Services about the robberies One Cathedral City restaurant was closed down temporarily by Riverside County health inspectors due to sewage overflowing from the facility this week Applebee's Grill + Bar in Cathedral City had sewage/wastewater overflowing from the floor drains inside of the restaurant and from the grease interceptor outside and flowing into the street inspectors were called back because the eatery was able to stop a blockage and confirm that the sewer and the drains were fully functional Several other local restaurants scored "A" grades during their recent inspections Here are the restaurants that were inspected in the Coachella Valley Feb Note: No restaurant inspections were reported for businesses in the cities of Coachella and La Quinta for the week of Feb Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic (This article has been updated to add new vote counts.) Shoppers in Cathedral City will soon have to start paying an additional half cent per dollar in sales tax otherwise known as the Cathedral City Services Measure will raise $5 million a year for city services like emergency response The city's current sales tax rate is 8.75% tied with Palm Springs for the highest in Riverside County 73.4% of votes counted were in favor of the tax increase and 26.6% were opposed Voters in Desert Hot Springs and Palm Desert also had sales tax hikes to consider this fall which would raise their city's tax rates by 1 cent per dollar Who's winning? Live Coachella Valley election results Cathedral City councilmembers' decision to add a sales tax increase measure to the ballot came after the city surveyed residents to see whether they thought more funding was needed and identify their priorities It found that the majority of surveyed residents thought the city did need more funds Their top priorities included things like maintaining emergency services and recruiting well-trained paramedics and firefighters City Manager Charlie McClendon also previously said the revenue from the measure would help Cathedral City's finances which have faced a $30 million loss in state funding over the last five years Voters also considered a tax increase in Cathedral City's 2022 election Measure K proposed taxing property owners so the city — which doesn't have its own parks and recreation department — could join the Desert Recreation District It was a single-purpose tax measure and therefore required a two-thirds majority in order to pass Stay informed: Download the app and sign up for alerts Measure W is expected to generate about the same amount of revenue as Measure K would have but this year's measure required only a simple majority to pass The city council will ultimately decide how the additional revenue will be spent though a resident committee suggested it be used for things like annexing into the Desert Recreation District adding $1 million a year for street maintenance and adding six new ambulance staffers for the Cathedral City Fire Department A gang member who joined a teenage cohort in attempting to gun down a rival in a Cathedral City park -- but wounded a young mother and a boy playing soccer instead -- was sentenced today to 32 years to life in state prison of Cathedral City was convicted in January of attempted murder three counts of firearm assault and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations for the 2021 attack During a hearing at the Riverside Hall of Justice Friday Riverside County Superior Court Judge Sam Shouka imposed the sentence required by law for the offenses According to a trial brief filed by the District Attorney's Office identified only as ``A.G.,'' both documented members of the Barrio San Rafael Gang went to Ocotillo Park in the 33000 block of Moreno Road on the evening of March 26 possibly with the intent of confronting members of a rival street gang Prosecutors said Reynoso's associate was armed with a handgun The pair soon encountered a young man affiliated with the rival gang identified only as ``N.G.,'' and a dispute ensued Reynoso and his associate started to retreat from the park The bullets missed the gang rival and struck a young mother identified in court documents only as ``Pilar,'' who was walking with her tot She was struck in the chest and collapsed on the ground identified only as ``Steven,'' in the shoulder as he stood on a soccer field including one who captured the pair via his cell phone camera running away Cathedral City police officers swarmed the area in response to 911 calls and the defendants were arrested minutes later Pilar and Steven were taken to a Coachella Valley hospital for treatment and both victims ultimately recovered from their wounds but his case was transferred to Riverside County Juvenile Dependency Court No information was available regarding its disposition Reynoso had no documented prior felony convictions in adult court within the county INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) - A 25-year-old woman who lured a man to a Cathedral City Park, where he was fatally assaulted over her bogus accusations that he'd raped her was sentenced today to life in prison without the possibility of parole Rena Lizette Alaniz of Thousand Palms was convicted in December of first-degree murder and a special-circumstance allegation of lying in wait for 2020 slaying of 29-year-old Ruben Argentis Mujica of Palm Desert During a hearing at the Larson Justice Center in Indio Friday Riverside County Superior Court Judge James Hawkins imposed the sentence required by law on Alaniz Ruiz was found guilty of first-degree murder and was sentenced in January to 50 years to life in state prison Moreno was acquitted of the murder count but convicted of assault resulting in great bodily injury and was sentenced in January to five years in prison According to a trial brief filed by the District Attorney's office Alaniz first encountered the victim on Aug when she was trawling the dating app Tinder Mujica agreed to a date with the defendant smoked marijuana and engaged in sexual intercourse.''    She began texting Mujica that the "sex was not consensual," alleging he raped her while she was under the influence countering that she "did indeed consent to sex." Court papers said Alaniz had used Tinder in the past to rendezvous with men whom she and others ultimately robbed He maintained that he had done nothing wrong but Alaniz remained adamant that he had taken advantage of her and expressed those sentiments to Moreno and Ruiz who had a prior felony conviction for voluntary manslaughter and was notorious for his hair-trigger temper The trio plotted to exact revenge on Mujica based on Alaniz's claims by "messing him up" and stealing his money and car She contacted Mujica and arranged to meet him at Century Park in Cathedral City after 9 p.m ostensibly to make peace and further "discuss the misunderstanding" between them The victim and Alaniz met as planned and walked to a gazebo but after confirming via text that her father and boyfriend had arrived in Ruiz's SUV the woman made an excuse to leave the gazebo while Mujica waited for her Ruiz and Moreno approached the unsuspecting victim from behind and pounced on him where he spontaneously yelled that he was ``sorry'' for whatever had motivated the attack Ruiz later told Cathedral City police detectives that ``at hearing the apology he got angry and began stabbing the victim .. with a (foldable) knife that he carried with him,'' the brief stated An autopsy determined the victim was stabbed a total of 30 times -- in the left and right torso leaving Mujica bleeding and barely conscious A passer-by walking his dog heard the commotion as the defendants ran away and went to the victim's aid Mujica died less than an hour later at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs The ensuing homicide investigation quickly turned to the victim's mobile phone communications enabling detectives to confirm with whom Mujica had been communicating up to the time of the attack The defendants were tracked down and taken into custody without incident within a month Ruiz had priors for receiving stolen property and burglary His daughter and Moreno had no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County (KESQ) - The prosecution is expected to rest next week in the trial of two men accused in the murder of a Cathedral City convenience store owner who was gunned down during an attempted robbery in which the shooter fled without taking a dime allegedly conspired in the 2021 slaying of 61-year-old Chris Sgouromitis of Cathedral City Testimony got underway Tuesday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio before two juries --  one for each defendant Each man is being held without bail at the Benoit Detention Center According to a trial brief filed by the Riverside County District Attorney's Office Campbell and Hidalgo were driving around the Coachella Valley in the latter's Acura sedan When a transaction fell through in Palm Springs where Campbell directed Hidalgo onto Shifting Sands Trail and the Outpost Market at the intersection of Shifting Sands and Ramon Road While Hidalgo sat behind the wheel of his car long owned and operated by Sgouromitis and his family security surveillance video cameras inside were operating capturing almost all of the ensuing encounter between the victim and defendant "The victim had the cash register open and appeared to be counting or organizing cash in the register as Campbell walked in .. holding a black semiautomatic handgun,'' the narrative stated revealed Campbell allegedly raising the pistol holding it with both hands and aiming it at the victim The defendant fired a shot while backing toward the double doors When the store owner tried to run away from the counter hitting the victim in the chest and lower back who accelerated away from the location as Campbell immediately exited the store Campbell was forced to flee on foot through the residences lining Shifting Sands he accidentally fired his 9mm pistol into ayard who had been resting in a room at the back of the store when the shots rang out initiated CPR on his sibling until Cathedral City Police Department officers arrived and took over the victim was pronounced dead at the scene and CCPD released a statement within a few days of his murder saying he was a ``father of four with strong local ties who was not involved in criminal activity and died in his longtime place of business.'' Hidalgo's Acura was soon identified as the vehicle that had parked outside the convenience store and the license plate was confirmed via Flock law enforcement camera recordings in Palm Springs leading to his being tracked down and detained for questioning less than a week later The defendant provided details regarding what allegedly had transpired insisting that he was only giving Campbell a ride to get some marijuana and had no foreknowledge of the planned robbery He was formally arrested at the police station Campbell was located staying in a Beaumont motel where detectives went to serve an arrest warrant listening through the door as he conversed via speaker phone with his mother and all he has to do is give me up,'' according to the prosecution at which point the defendant was taken into custody without incident the Cathedral City Police Department continued to make use of a 2024 grant from the California Department of Justice to conduct tobacco sale enforcement operations throughout the city Cathedral City police officers first used part of that grant meant for both tobacco education and enforcement Officers conducted a retailer education operation which focused on the sale of flavored tobacco products and tobacco retail sale signage Thursday's follow-up operation focused on tobacco enforcement with officers targeting retailers in the city selling tobacco products to minors including flavored tobacco and nicotine vaporizers (“vapes”) Officers visited 36 tobacco retailers and made seven arrests accusing the individuals of selling tobacco products to a minor “decoy” (a Cathedral City Police Department employee under the age of 21) Five of the seven products sold to the “decoy” were illegal flavored nicotine vaporizers Cathedral City Police officers say they will continue to use the Department of Justice grant for tobacco sale education and enforcement operations throughout 2025-2026 Officers add that if anyone has any information about illegal tobacco sales in Cathedral City please contact Cathedral City Police Sergeant Rick Osborne at (760) 202-2448 or rosborne@cathedralcity.gov You may also contact the Cathedral City Police Department by calling (760) 770-0300 or visiting the Department's website at cathedralcitypolice.com. Email tips can be sent to tips@cathedralcity.gov . Anonymous information may be reported through Coachella Valley Crime Stoppers by calling (760) 341-STOP or through the WeTip hotline at: 1-(800)-78-CRIME or wetip.com Some tip information may qualify for a cash reward The Cathedral City Police Department shared details from the investigation into a murder-suicide earlier this month and a 19-year-old woman before killing himself hours later in San Bernardino County police are still working to determine an exact motive Police said on Tuesday that investigators determined that Vizcaino entered the residence encountered Torres and the woman in a bedroom Vizcaino then fled the location in his vehicle Vizcaino committed an armed robbery at the 7-Eleven convenience store at Ramon Road and Date Palm Drive Surveillance video showed enter the parking lot in his vehicle then enter the store where he brandished a handgun at the clerk He fled the scene in his vehicle with a small amount of cash Vizcaino was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at around 11:00 a.m in the community of Kelso in San Bernardino County "Cathedral City Police Detectives responded to the scene and determined evidence collected at the scene of the suicide matched evidence located at the homicide scene," CCPD wrote in a news release Anyone with information please contact Cathedral City Police Detective Ryan Schuelke at 760-202-2455 or email at rschuelke@cathedralcity.gov (KESQ) - A 60-year-old Hemet man was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence following a crash Wednesday afternoon in Cathedral City The crash was first reported at around just before 1:50 p.m near the intersection of Avenida Los Ninos and Ramon Road According to the Cathedral City Police Department first responders learned that a Honda CRV traveling south on Avenida Los Ninos had collided with two parked vehicles The Honda then continued south to Ramon Road where it turned westbound and crashed with a Nissan Quest minivan The Honda came to rest on the north side of Ramon Road Two occupants of the Nissan were transported to the hospital with minor injuries The driver of the Honda was transported to the hospital with a complaint of pain Police said he also displayed objective signs of alcohol intoxication He was later arrested for driving under the influence and will be transported to Indio jail for booking The intersection of Ramon Road and Avenida Los Ninos was briefly closed during this investigation Cathedral City Police ask drivers to stay alert and sober when traveling on the roadways If you have any information about the collision contact Cathedral City Police Officer Marcus Ayala at (760)770-0303 Cathedral City police have issued criminal citations against a woman whose neighbors say she has been repeatedly shouting offensive comments — some of them homophobic — through a bullhorn Residents organized a demonstration recently against the woman on the 38-000 block of Charlesworth Drive in the Cathedral City Cove neighborhood The Cathedral City Police Department said it and city officials began investigating after allegations of her “using a bullhorn and yelling profanities and other offensive language.” On Monday evening, the city held a public forum to answer questions and update residents on the situation which was also attended by Deputy Chief Rick Sanchez and Commander Jon Enos City officials who attended included City Manager Charlie McClendon Mayor Nancy Ross and Councilmember Rita Lamb said police issued Coleman citations last week for three criminal offenses: maliciously disturbing others with loud and unreasonable noise using offensive words in a public place likely to provide a violent reaction and willful disobedience of a court order The case has been sent to the Riverside County District Attorney's Office which will decide whether to take the charges to trial Someone called police to report a woman yelling with a bullhorn on Jan But officers were unable to find or hear anyone yelling “The police department recently obtained a video of a woman yelling into a bullhorn in what appears to be in the backyard of a residence,” police said a criminal investigation has been started into the potential criminal misconduct of the woman using the bullhorn.” the woman’s neighbor and a former city council candidate said she has been harassing him for three years with homophobic and other offensive comments He said she recently went around her property to yell at other neighbors as well This is what prompted his neighbors to organize the protest “We don't want to have people saying awful things in our backyard Hayes went to court in 2023 to get a restraining order against Coleman Riverside County Superior Court records show "It hasn't been but for the last couple days that we actually are starting to feel the pressure settle down because it is a horrible horrible thing to live through and I just admit it I can't believe it sometimes," he told The Desert Sun on Monday While Hayes said issues with Coleman began three years ago Coleman said they began about 10 years ago when Donald Trump was running for president She thinks the recent presidential election has sparked more outrage against her household and that the neighborhood is discriminating against them for being straight and Trump supporters A video Hayes sent The Desert Sun shows Coleman in her backyard yelling things like "Bye the biggest piece of (expletive) ever" and "You'll be dead before you're Democrat anything again" through the bullhorn MAGA" and taunting liberal neighbors about Trump's win Coleman said she couldn't attend the town hall on Monday because of medical issues but apologized that her behavior disturbed neighbors other than Hayes She said she's given the bullhorn to police "Didn't realize how far it was going and how many people I disturbed and if I was in more of a mind that was thinking clearly "I should've known that and I just wanted to announce something to (Hayes)." Coleman said she is not homophobic but could not recall whether she made homophobic comments over the bullhorn She said some things she's said in the past could be considered homophobic The two neighbors have had a number of disputes over the years An ongoing one has been over several cameras that Hayes has set up along the property line they both share that appear to be facing Coleman's backyard and windows She said she's asked him to remove them many times Hayes said he would not take them down and they are there for security When Coleman was shouting over the bullhorn she was primarily insulting Hayes after being fed up with him and calling him a "Peeping Tom." Coleman said she fears for her safety and has hired a security guard after the recent protest "This friendly neighbor (Hayes) turned against us 10 years ago when he found out we supported Trump," she said "The level of faux outrage over a one-sided story is way over the top and very sad." Concern mixes with hope at forumThere were around 80 people who attended the community meeting He said he felt empowered after it was finished and to have one person cause such havoc and such hate and such fear it needs to be addressed and taken care of," he said John Taylor hosts KGAY radio and lives in Palm Springs but decided to attend the meeting to show up for other members of the LGBT community He said it is frightening to see what's happening in Cathedral City "The people who hate have been emboldened to be very vocal about it — with a bullhorn or with social media or with just expressing that hate," he said It makes me feel sad for these people that are so worried about other people just going about their lives and want to stop them from being happy." Taylor referenced a comment on KESQ Facebook post about LGBT+ Days Cathedral City's annual Pride event and the first Pride event of the year in California One commenter wrote that someone needs to drive through the event with a truck said the police department is addressing it McClendon said resident should not assume someone has reported an incident just because they're talking about it or see it posted on social media "The most important thing is to get things reported," he said Crum said the city should have a forum every other month to address concerns in the LGBT community A date for the next meeting has not been set yet Cathedral City won't approve any new cannabis businesses for at least the rest of the year as the city looks for ways to address rising odor complaints The city council voted Wednesday to extend a moratorium on new cannabis licenses and conditional use permits, as well as building permits for building or expanding new cannabis businesses. It previously passed an urgency ordinance to enact a 45-day moratorium in January the moratorium will be in place for another 10 months and 15 days the council may extend it only once more for a one-year period “The purpose of this is really to take a time-out To allow us to evaluate the regulations that we have in place while not permitting new businesses to come in and exacerbate an existing problem,” said Andrew Firestine the city’s community and economic development director to look at potential changes and to bring those changes back while not continuing to make an existing problem worse.”  Smells like cannabisThe moratorium is a result of community members reporting strong cannabis smells to the city. Residents living at the Outdoor Resort Palm Springs, an RV Park in Cathedral City, have been particularly outspoken about the cannabis smell permeating from Cat City Cannabis Co Firestine said there were 38 odor complaints from January 1 to March 30 2024 and then 904 cannabis odor complaints from April 1 to December 31 Residents made 220 of those complaints in November and 501 in December with a large number of complaints occurring in the vicinity of Date Palm Drive and Ramon Road,” he said “The balance of the complaints are pertaining to businesses located off Perez Road Cathedral City has 64 cannabis businesses with 105 licenses Outdoor Resort Palm Springs residents have gathered to speak out against the cannabis business at several council meetings — including the one on Wednesday Their concerns about the smell include harm to property value said it doesn’t take much to detect that there’s a cannabis odor problem in the area He was also critical of Cat City Cannabis Co. which claims to be California's largest indoor growing facility and has a building size of 325,599 square feet “Putting that massive building in a residential area is — I just cannot believe it,” Assaly said Firestine said Cathedral City has conducted more staff training created patrol routes to detect cannabis smell allowed for overtime so patrols are done in the evening too required more odor mitigation and worked with police to gather more data The city has also been communicating with cannabis enforcement staff in other Coachella Valley cities and the state Department of Cannabis Control and looking at other cities’ cannabis regulations Cathedral City staff patrolled the area around Cat City Cannabis Co and detected cannabis odor 37% of the time But the report notes odor has decreased since Cat City Cannabis Co chief operating officer of Cat City Cannabis Co. He said the business is aware of the impact it has had on the community and has put a lot of effort into solving the problem but it isn’t easy to do so “A concern that we have with the moratorium is you know 10 months is a long time to wait for guidance,” Bernard said “And we would hope that you know there would be a path that we could see some type of odor control policy odor management policy that we can then act on we want to solve this problem as quickly as possible.”  Firestine said city staff have detected cannabis smell less frequently since mid-January but it is still detecting odor The Riverside County Department of Environmental Health and the South Coast Air Quality Management District also inspected Cat City Cannabis Co The city plans to present a draft ordinance for cannabis regulations to the Planning Commission There will be public hearings regarding the ordinance while the moratorium is in place The proposal will address areas like zoning for cannabis businesses Mayor Pro Tem Raymond Gregory said the city needs to take the time to address problems in its cannabis business regulations is not necessarily going to address the current issue but why keep digging the hole when we’re already up over our head?” he said 8vs10Seattle Beach Softball Loses Two Heartbreakers Saturday In Cathedral City2/22/2025 3:04:00 PM | Softball Freshman Priscilla Iniguez hit a home run in both games for Long Beach State The coroner's office identified the man killed in the crash as Christopher Rodriguez There is no word on the status of the man arrested We've reached out to the agency for an update (KESQ) - A 25-year-old was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence following a deadly crash early Wednesday morning on Interstate 10 near Whitewater According to the California Highway Patrol identified only as a 28-year-old man from Cathedral City CHP officials said the crash remains under investigation Cathedral City man dies weeks after being struck by hit-and-run driverCity News ServiceA 52-year-old man who told police he was struck by a vehicle while crossing a street in Cathedral City last month died from his injuries this week Officers received a report of the crash on Ramon Road shortly after 7:45 p.m according to a statement from the Cathedral City Police Department Officers found Ruben Mijarez of Cathedral City in the eastbound lanes on the bridge just west of Landau Road Mijarez told officers he had been hit by a vehicle while attempting to cross the road though police were unable to determine whether he was struck in the eastbound or westbound lanes Officers did not locate any witnesses or the suspect's vehicle Mijarez was transported by the Cathedral City Fire Department to Desert Regional Medical Center before being transferred to Loma Linda University Medical Center Police asked anyone with information to contact Traffic Officer Jeff Bird at 760-770-0332 or JBird@cathedralcity.gov Anne Bedrick works in her art studio six days of the week The space is filled with Bedrick’s paintings — canvases that are a cacophony of colors on the walls Her most recent works have been experiments with water and how it moves pigment Though she studied sculpture at the University of Michigan she went on to become an elementary school teacher for about 30 years went on to teach art to kids in kindergarten through fourth grade her background as a children’s educator influences how she approaches her art and then my adult brain kicks in and I edit what parts are working,” she said “But I feel like the best parts of the paintings are always when you can keep that joy that starts at the beginning.” Bedrick is one of nearly 50 artists who have studio and/or gallery spaces at the Perez Art District in Cathedral City the district looks like a nondescript one-story plaza with rows of storefronts but it's really a developing art community that Bedrick has been helping grow The Perez Art District allows artists a space to interact with one another and their patrons — especially with its “Art Walk” that is held on the fourth Friday of every month except July and August due to the scorching heat The majority of artists in the district will open their doors at 4 p.m to allow people to walk through their galleries and studios to view their work nibble on snacks and perhaps make some purchases they get to see how we grow from month to month,” Bedrick said “It’s kind of a combination between being able to support the art Bedrick has lived in Palm Springs for around six years She said that when she first moved to the Coachella Valley she dreamt of finding a studio space that also had a gallery in the front Someone suggested the Perez Art District to her — a space that had once been filled with artists but at the time only had three or four But Bedrick enjoys being around other artists She said she wanted to be around other people to bounce ideas off of and push each other to evolve So she decided to help get more artists to come to the district “I wanted to find an art community that I could be part of and when I couldn’t find that I just started to build it,” she said She started promoting the district to other artists so that they could fill empty spaces One way she did this was through restarting the district’s Art Walk which had been done the second Saturday of the month at one time but had died off The district held its Art Walk on the first Friday of the month for three or four years but Bedrick said they switched to the fourth Friday of the month two years ago after realizing they were competing for the same crowd attending El Paseo’s Art Walk She said it’s been more successful since the change Other artists in the district call Bedrick their “mayor” for all the work she does She continues to promote the district to other artists though there isn’t always space available for them Bedrick has also spoken at several city council meetings to urge Cathedral City to support the district more as she believes it would boost tourism One of her ideas was for the city to organize a shuttle for people going to the Art Walk since parking can be sparse Bedrick has always been an organizer — something she credits to her background in teaching mainly involving getting people excited and on board to open their studios to the public She was also one of the founders of Desert Open Studios and the Modernism Art District Tour at the beginning when I was here I really wanted to help people find me and find this district a rising tide lifts all the boats and so if I bring attention to the art of the whole desert it’s also going to bring attention here,” Bedrick said The Perez Art District is home to artists that practice a variety of mediums Bedrick studied sculpture but now she is a painter — a transition she made due to lack of space and then fell in love with She doesn’t share her studio but does share her gallery with another painter Lisa Loudin is a pen and ink artist who occupies a gallery and studio space in the district by herself She said she’s been an artist most of her life but has been doing it officially in the last 10 years She studied illustration at Northern Illinois University but had left art behind for some time before coming back to it She and her wife were originally snowbirds who would visit the Coachella Valley from Illinois but made the full-time move to Cathedral City in 2020 She got her space at the district about a year and a half ago “It's been dreamy ever since,” Loudin said describing the one she uses most as being “needle size.” Loudin hides positive messages in her trees some that you can see if you get up close and others that she obstructs purposely “I feel like people see the messages that they need to see … from a distance it’s a tree but when you get up close there’s more there there,” she said Loudin’s gallery is open to the public from 11 a.m but she’s still there even when her door isn’t open to visitors I love being here in this little studio,” Loudin said Loudin found out about the space through Anne Bedrick It belonged to another artist about five years ago and Loudin remembers thinking it would be an ideal spot for creating and displaying her art even though she didn’t even live in the valley full-time yet She jumped on it when it opened up despite it being one of the desert’s notoriously hot summers “These little places are really hard to come by because this is a great district to be part of “People help each other and it’s like a little family I really have enjoyed that aspect of it.”  She said the Art Walks have been a major focus of being part of the district’s community and are something she loves “It brings in people from all over the valley and beyond art designers and it just opens whole worlds to people,” she said “That has probably been one of the biggest benefits of being here because it's the one day or one evening that we all open our doors and invite people in Bill Schinsky is an artist who has a large space He used to have a space in Indio that was 20,000 square feet and made up of 20 artists He’s been on Perez Road for a little bit over a year though he made some space for a gallery by the entrance It usually has in-house artists’ work displayed but he likes to bring in work from other artists every now and then Schinsky said he’s been doing art off and on since the 1970s He was always a curator and administrator in the field but the pandemic pushed him into doing art again He is currently working with textiles and other materials like PVC and cardboard tubing and said he’s been inspired by the late Russian artist El Lissitzky Everyone is inspired or impacted by other artists You just do an interpretation thereof,” he said “Hopefully using a different technique or a different approach But the inspiration of somebody from the past is always there.”  He added that conversations with other artists are always inspiring He is hosting an upcoming workshop about viewing your art in a more professional manner and also hosts a figure drawing group every second Saturday with a model “It kind of gives you a recharge on your energy,” Schinsky said A deeper relationship with artKim Manfredi having completed her undergraduate and masters degrees at the Maryland Institute College of Art but in her current series she’s been paring it down and looking at depicting light She is the only artist in her space and has had it for four years She had come to visit artists there and even showed her work in Bedrick’s gallery before she had her own on Perez Road I think it's really nice to have people to have lunch with or just hang out with,” she said “I actually like that it’s a mixed-use space because there’s furniture refinishers there’s auto mechanics and it's all people that are working with their hands I really love being part of that handmade tradition.” Manfredi previously had her studio space in her garage but having her own studio has given her both more space and better ventilation I make big works and I have a gallery in LA and I have a gallery in Oakland so I need to have a lot of inventory that can move around to the different spaces,” she said Like many of the other artists on Perez Road she believes the district’s art walk is a good way to connect the community to art “I think having an event where people can come and see the process of artists — where they work how they make their work — I think that deepens the relationship of the public to art,” Manfredi said Bedrick said there are now five art districts in the Coachella Valley People with an affinity toward artists have become interested in moving to the valley because they’re realizing how much great art is there You make people aware that there’s artists and then more artists come,” she said “Kind of like what happened here at Perez is happening all over the valley.” The Perez Art District is located at 68-845 Perez Road “Most people in our community have some sort of missing or murdered relative or are connected to one in some way,” said Zelaya Divina Sanchez Sanchez, who is Native American, was one of about 15 people who protested in Cathedral City on Thursday to demand justice for the murder of San Carlos Apache teenager Emily Pike in Arizona Pike’s death is the latest to draw attention to the staggering number of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls in the United States “It seems like we all have a story that involves this issue … it's just catastrophic and really awful to think about how bad that is,” Sanchez said Pike, who was 14, had run away from her Mesa group home on Jan. 27. Police found her body in multiple bags 17 days later by a forest road near Globe, about 100 miles from where she was last seen. Authorities had not identified any suspects or made arrests as of Thursday Her death, and the brutal way her body was found, has sparked outrage on social media and rallies across the United States. Jonnathan Xander Avila-Burgueño, who previously arranged the February protest against President Donald Trump in Cathedral City that drew hundreds of people organized the “Justice for Emily Pike” rally He asked people to meet by the Fountain of Life in Cathedral City and then to march along Highway 111 a similar route to the one for the protest last month He was disappointed by the low turnout for the rally in Pike’s memory saying it's an example of how little attention is given to indigenous issues But after the group walked along the highway amid a light sprinkle of rain holding signs with messages that included “No more stolen sisters” and “Emily Pike look up her name,” Avila-Burgueño said the day was still a success He feels it's important to have protests about what happened to Pike anywhere “All these white people and anybody that’s not native don’t know anything about this and that’s the problem,” Avila-Burgueño said Urban Indian Health Institute started a study on missing and murdered American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls in 2017 The study said the National Crime Information Center reported 5,712 cases of missing American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls in 2016 but the Department of Justice federal missing persons database logged only 116 of those “The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that murder is the third-leading cause of death among American Indian and Alaska Native women and that rates of violence on reservations can be up to 10 times higher than the national average,” the study said Jacinda Townsend attended the rally wearing traditional clothing and had a red hand print over her mouth The red hand print is a symbol for the movement bringing awareness to missing murdered indigenous women but for her its to bring attention to the number of her people killed “And it makes me fear for my community and my people and my tribe.” Saviana Taylor plans to drive to where authorities found Pike’s remains to give prayers to her and her family saying her cousin was also killed and she still mourns her “I think they see what their ancestors did to conquer us but they don’t realize how hard we fight.”  which Taylor said is how they get their prayers to the sky They also played music as they walked along the street Emily Ames and Mya Souza are both members of College of the Desert’s social justice club who attended the rally said it's important to show up for people — even if they are not in your own community She brought candles to light in memory of Pike they’re really intersectional at the end of the day and they should be treated as (importantly) as any other missing person,” she said Souza said it’s a scary time — especially for women and women of color we’ve already been pushed (by) outrageous stances of having to be taken off our land and lost our heritage,” Souza said but completely those were removed and abolished and we were forced to conform to the American mind.” A gang member was sentenced Friday to 32 years to life in prison for his role in a shooting that injured a woman and a young boy playing soccer in a Cathedral City park Ivan Raya Reynoso and a younger teen had gone to the park looking for members of a rival gang innocent people were hit instead of their target was convicted in January of attempted murder three counts of firearm assault and sentence- enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations for the 2021 attack Riverside County Superior Court Judge Sam Shouka imposed the sentence required by law for the offenses identified only as “A.G.,” both documented members of the Barrio San Rafael Gang identified only as “N.G.,” and a dispute ensued and his associate started to retreat from the park identified in court documents only as “Pilar,” who was walking with her young child identified only as “Steven,” in the shoulder as he stood on a soccer field The Cathedral City girls' water polo team made the CIF-SS playoffs for the first time in at least a decade and they're enjoying it so much they decided to stick around for a while who got into the playoffs as an at-large entry after finishing fifth in the Desert Empire League were in complete control Tuesday in a CIF-SS Division 6 opening-round win as they throttled Orange High 26-4 It was 12-0 Lions before their opponents even scored The victory moves Cathedral City into Friday's second round where they will hit the road to face Los Amigos High School in Fountain Valley Hearing "Cathedral City girls' water polo" and "playoff win" in the same sentence is not something that has occurred much on the Lions' campus and it's their first season with a winning record since 2002 "We're really proud to finally get to CIF so this is a big accomplishment for us," said senior Valeria Hernandez I never would've thought something like this would happen While Tuesday's easy win was technically their first playoff game the Lions' "real" first playoff game happened last Wednesday in the Desert Empire League carousel fifth-place game The Lions needed to win to be in position to request an at-large bid but they were facing a Xavier Prep team that had won the DEL the previous four years and had beaten Cathedral City 12-5 just two weeks prior But the Lions scratched and clawed and pulled out a 10-7 upset win that surprised everyone at the pool except themselves and to see that improvement and the way we played in a big moment was just amazing," said Isabelle Roman Hernandez took it a few steps further than just "amazing" to describe the win over Xavier Prep "That was the happiest moment of my high school career," the senior said the idea of beating Xavier Prep is never something that I thought we would come close to doing And now it's given us this opportunity and this is really special." The Lions said that a great chemistry is one of the reasons for their success and Roman said they can all "read each other's minds" out there in the water but another reason for this year's success could be stability at the coaching position Blake Gonzales took over before last season and returned this season marking the first time that this senior group had the same coach two years in a row "I could tell last year that we had the making of a good team and the girls really started to believe in themselves," Gonzales said "Last year was a rebuilding year and this year they've really come together We've been on Cloud 9 since beating Xavier and then finding out on Friday that we'd be in the playoffs Joining Hernandez and Roman in the scoring column on Tuesday were Melissa Lopez and Jasmin Chavez with two goals each and single goals from Dinarah Go Bernny Cueller and even goalkeeper Karla Quintanilla and then got in the scoring column as Orange pulled its goalie in the final minutes The next question is can these Lions keep winning We've done the things we need to do in practice It's about knowing you have to battle through even if you're down," Gonzales said "The game's not over until that final buzzer goes off and when it's win-or-go-home that's when they perform best under that pressure Shad Powers is a columnist for The Desert Sun A woman, her father and her boyfriend were convicted today of charges stemming from the ambush and fatal stabbing of a 29-year-old man in a Cathedral City park after the woman falsely claimed he had raped her of Thousand Palms was convicted on Thursday of a felony count of murder with an intentional murder enhancement found true of La Quinta was also found guilty of the same murder charge but the same enhancement was found not true for him of Cathedral City was acquitted of a murder charge and had an intentional murder enhancement stricken but found guilty of assault resulting in great bodily injury All three defendants are scheduled for sentencing on Jan The prosecution and defense delivered closing arguments on Monday after which jurors went behind closed doors to weigh evidence from the three-week trial A verdict was reached after two full days of deliberation Ruiz and Alaniz were being held at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside -- Ruiz without bail Moreno is being held on $1 million bail at the Benoit Detention Center in Indio Alaniz first encountered Ruben Argentis Mujica of Palm Desert on Aug when she was browsing the dating app Tinder smoked marijuana and engaged in sexual intercourse.'' but Alaniz was dissatisfied for unknown reasons She began texting Mujica that the "sex was not consensual,'' alleging he raped her while she was under the influence countering that she "did indeed consent to sex.''    Court papers alleged that Alaniz had used Tinder in the past to rendezvous with men whom she and others ultimately robbed He maintained that he'd done nothing wrong but Alaniz remained adamant that he had taken advantage of her and expressed those sentiments to her boyfriend by ``messing him up'' and stealing his money and car ostensibly to make peace and further ``discuss the misunderstanding'' between them the defendant made an excuse to leave the gazebo while Mujica waited for her where he spontaneously yelled that he was "sorry'' for whatever had motivated the attack Ruiz later told Cathedral City police detectives that "at hearing the apology Ruiz has priors for receiving stolen property and burglary His daughter and Moreno have no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County Calif (KESQ) - Firefighters are at the scene of a structure fire at a home in Cathedral City on along the 68000 block of Concepcion Drive Authorities said it was a garage fire that spread to the attic Stay with News Channel 3 for any new developments