The resort’s “Stars, Stripes & Sizzle” celebration will take place June 26-28 and again July 3-5, featuring fireworks, live music, DJs, carnival-style games and themed dining specials throughout the property.

The festivities will officially begin June 26 with a fireworks display scheduled for 9 p.m. Resort officials said the event is intended to give visitors an early start to Independence Day celebrations while recognizing the nation’s semiquincentennial, marking 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Throughout both weekends, guests can enjoy live entertainment on multiple stages, poolside activities, interactive games and promotional giveaways.

A centerpiece of the celebration will be Morongo’s “Rev, White, and Blue” vehicle giveaway promotion on June 28. The festivities continue July 3 with the resort’s “250 for 250” promotion, which will award a total of $250,000 in prizes in honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary.

On July 4, guests will also have an opportunity to receive a commemorative 250th anniversary hat while supplies last.

Amy Hunstock, vice president of marketing for Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, said the resort wanted to create an event that brings together entertainment, community and summer traditions.

“As the country prepares to celebrate 250 years, we’re excited to bring guests together for a series of events centered around entertainment, celebration, and community,” Hunstock said. “From fireworks and live music to gaming, dining, and special promotions, this summer lineup reflects the energy and experiences guests have come to expect at Morongo.”

In addition to entertainment and gaming promotions, visitors will find a variety of limited-time food and beverage offerings inspired by classic fair and carnival favorites.

Featured menu items include a giant Bavarian pretzel with beer cheese sauce, fried chicken tenders paired with French toast sticks, corn esquites topped with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, caramel apples, specialty frappuccinos and dessert shakes. Additional themed beverages and treats will also be available at various dining locations throughout the resort.

Owned and operated by the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, Morongo Casino Resort & Spa is located along Interstate 10 near Cabazon. The AAA Four-Diamond resort features gaming, dining, entertainment, lodging, a full-service spa and access to the nearby Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon.

The celebration will include dining specials across the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, including:

• Good Times Cafe – Giant Bavarian Pretzel with whole grain mustard and beer cheese sauce | $14
• Ruffled Feathers – Fried Chicken Tenders & French Toast Sticks with maple syrup and powdered sugar | $13
• Fiesta Taco – Corn Esquite with Flamin’ Hot™ Cheetos | $12
• Pink Coffee – Assorted Caramel Apples | $8.50 or Carnival Candy Crunch Rich chocolate Frappuccino topped with colorful carnival sprinkles and whipped cream | $8
• Mozen Express – Carnival Cake Shake, Strawberry confetti shake topped with whipped cream and a vanilla cupcake | $14
• Marketplace – The Carnival Cruiser in a Souvenir Cup Baja Sipper, tropical fruit, pineapple, cherry, and island flavors | $19.99

Additional information about the Stars, Stripes & Sizzle celebration and event schedules can be found through Morongo Casino Resort & Spa.

Source: Morongo Casino Resort & Spa press release.

About the Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa

The AAA 4-Diamond Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa is located along the 10 Freeway near Palm Springs, Calif. Owned and operated by the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, the Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa offers the hottest slots and an array of table and high-limit gaming at one of the largest tribal gaming centers in the United States. The towering 27-story resort features top-rated restaurants, a stunning swimming pool with private cabanas, a world-class spa, legendary live entertainment and, nearby, the 36-hole championship Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon. Learn more at morongocasinoresort.com.

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THERMAL

Man Arrested In Thermal After Barricading Himself In Home

A man who allegedly barricaded himself inside a Thermal home when sheriff’s deputies arrived to serve arrest and search warrants was behind bars today.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department received a complaint on Aug. 27 involving alleged criminal threats and a felon in possession of a firearm at a home in the 88700 block of Thermal, and arrived a week later with a warrant to search the home, according to sheriff’s Sgt. Sal Gonzalez.

When deputies arrived at the residence on Tuesday, 31-year-old Jose Eduardo Mascareno — who was also wanted on two outstanding felony arrest warrants — holed up inside, the sergeant said. Deputies initially deployed a remote-controlled robot and a K-9 unit to search the home before making entry, he said. They found Mascareno hiding behind a dresser in one of the bedrooms, Gonzalez said.

Mascareno was booked into the Indio jail, with bail set at $150,000.

City News Service

BANNING

Felon Charged with Leading Cops on 30-Mile Chase

Felony charges were filed today against a parolee accused of stealing an SUV in Hemet and leading law enforcement officers on a 30-mile chase into Moreno Valley, where he was captured.

Andrew Devin Barnes, 34, of Hemet, was slated to make his initial court appearance this afternoon at the Banning Justice Center on charges of evading and receiving a stolen vehicle and parole violations.

According to Hemet police Lt. Nate Miller, a patrolman cruising the 600 block of West Florida Avenue about 7 p.m. Thursday spotted a red Saturn Vue occupied by a man and woman who were behaving suspiciously.

The officer ran a check on the compact SUV’s license plate and confirmed that it had been reported stolen earlier in the week, Miller said.

He said the officer signaled the driver to pull over, and the convicted felon initially complied, but before the lawman could approach the Saturn, Barnes allegedly accelerated, triggering a non-injury pursuit that went north through San Jacinto and then west into Homeland, where Barnes turned onto northbound Interstate 215.

California Highway Patrol officers took over the high-speed pursuit, with a Riverside County sheriff’s helicopter crew tracking overhead, Miller said.

When the defendant reached Moreno Valley, he stopped on Golden Crest Drive and bailed out of the Saturn, leaving his female companion sitting in the front passenger seat, according to the lieutenant.

Officers quickly caught up to Barnes and took him into custody without further incident. He was booked at the Smith Correctional Facility, with bail set at $170,000.

The woman was questioned and released at the scene.

According to court records, the defendant has prior convictions for assault with a deadly weapon, making criminal threats and theft.

City News Service

CABAZON

Man Killed In Cabazon Crash ID’d

Authorities today released the name of a New Mexico man killed in a collision on Interstate 10 in Cabazon.

Scott Fliegel, 56, of Albuquerque, was pronounced dead at the scene of the two-vehicle crash, which was reported at 10:08 a.m. Tuesday on eastbound I-10 near Main Street, according to the California Highway Patrol and the coroner’s office.

Fliegel’s passenger, a 43-year-old woman from Albuquerque, was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center with moderate injuries, and the other driver, a  Torrance man, was treated for minor injuries at San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital in Banning, the CHP reported.

The 51-year-old motorist, whose name was not released, was weaving in and out of traffic in a 2008 Mercury Marquis when he swerved into Fliegel’s Ford F-150 pickup truck in another lane, CHP Officer Darren Meyer said.

The back of the Mercury struck the front of the truck, causing both drivers to lose control of their vehicles, which slid sideways toward the right- hand shoulder, Meyer said. Both vehicles overturned, tumbled down an embankment and landed on Railroad Avenue just south of the freeway, he said.

Meyer said an investigation was underway to determine whether alcohol, drugs, driver distraction and mechanical failure may be factors in the Collision.

City News Service

HEMET

Water Leak in Hemet Causes Brown Water, Repairs Set to Resume

Work to repair a large leak in Hemet’s main water distribution line is set to resume today.

The leak occurred in a facility near Ivy Street and Carnation Avenue about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday and stirred up sediments that turned water brown, according to the Hemet Water Department. It affected water pressure, turned water brown and prompted city officials to warn residents not to use tap water until repairs could be made.

Water department officials announced about 5 p.m. Tuesday repair crews had isolated the water main leak and secured the site for repairs.

Due to the location of the water main line impacted, the department asked all other utilities in the area to locate and mark any underground utility infrastructure near the repair site.

Ivy Street between Wildflower Street and Carnation Avenue will be closed during the repair, officials said.

The brown water caused by the main line leak should begin to subside as system pressure normalizes. Water department officials warned residents it could take up to 24 hours to flush the system and clear water of sediments and the brown color and they could experience a drop in water pressure while repairs were underway.

The discolored water is not dangerous, but the water department recommended that residents temporarily not use tap water for any nonessential purposes in order to allow time for the sediments to clear.

Once repairs have been completed, residents were urged to open their cold water faucets and let the water flow until clear, then do the same with the hot water. Once both cold and hot water was clear, water is ready for use as normal, the water department said.

City News Service

RIVERSIDE

Average Riverside County Gas Price Rises For Sixth Consecutive Day

The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Riverside County posted its sixth consecutive increase today after dropping 23 times in 25 days to its lowest amount since March 26.

The average price rose eighth-tenths of a cent Wednesday to $3.581. It has risen 8.9 cents over the past six days, including 1.2 cents on Tuesday, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. It is 8.7 cents more than one week ago and 3.8 cents higher than one year ago but six- tenths of a cent less than one month ago.

The increasing pump prices stem from Southern California refiners buying gasoline supply on the wholesale market last week, which drove wholesale prices up by about 30 cents, according to Marie Montgomery of the Automobile Club of Southern California.

City News Service

INDIO

Man Accused Of Stabbing Sister To Make Court Appearance

A Desert Hot Springs man who allegedly stabbed his sister in the face is due back in court today.

Juan Angel Lopez, 38, is scheduled to appear this morning for a trial- readiness conference. He’s accused of attacking his sister on Dec. 7, 2017 at a transient camp in the Desert Hot Springs.

After the two argued on and off throughout the day, Lopez allegedly approached his then 35-year-old sister while she was talking to someone and stabbed her in the face with a knife, according to an arrest warrant declaration.

He was originally charged in early 2018 with attempted murder, mayhem and several sentence enhancements for causing great bodily injury, but a judge dismissed the attempted murder charge in January.

The nature of the argument between Lopez and his sister was not detailed in the warrant, nor was the severity of her injuries.

The sister, as well as other witnesses, positively identified Lopez as the suspect, according to the declaration, which also alleges that he sent several text messages to one of the witnesses that indicated he was coming to the area to stab his sister.

Lopez remains jailed in Indio in lieu of $1 million bail.

City News Service

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MURRIETA

Man Admits Sexually Assaulting Menifee Girl

A 22-year-old man who groped a girl in a Menifee park pleaded guilty to lewd acts on a child on Wednesday, August 21. 

Roland George Riddell admitted the felony count during a status hearing at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.

Riverside County Superior Court Judge Mark Mandio scheduled a sentencing hearing for Oct. 24. Riddell is free on a $55,000 bond. According to sheriff’s officials, on the evening of April 21, 2018, Riddell was roaming La Ladera Park when he accosted the young girl, whose name was not released and whom Riddell did not know.

Riddell touched the child’s buttocks several times while speaking to her, prompting adults supervising other children nearby to shout at him, investigators said.

Riddell tried to run away, but several men chased him to the edge of the park and grabbed him, holding him until deputies arrived.

No one was injured.

Part of the apprehension was videotaped by a witness using a cellphone, authorities said.

Riddell’s attorney sought a mental health assessment, but that endeavor was abandoned when the plea agreement was reached, according to court records. Riddell has no documented prior felony convictions.

Palm Desert

DUI Traffic Collision

On Wednesday, August 21, 2019, at approximately 4:00 PM, Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, Palm Desert Station, responded to a single-vehicle traffic collision on the 49-000 block of Hwy 74, Palm Desert.  It was determined the driver, Mark Jonathan Wilson, 60 years of Palm Desert, was traveling southbound on Hwy 74 when he veered off the roadway and collided with a wall. Wilson suffered superficial injuries as a result of the collision.  During the investigation, it was determined Wilson showed symptoms of being under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. Wilson was arrested for driving under the influence and was transported to a local hospital as a precaution. Once treated, he was booked into the Riverside County Jail in Indio. 

Lake Elsinore

Homicide

On Saturday, August 17, 2019, at 7:55 PM, deputies from the Lake Elsinore Sheriff Station responded to a report of a deceased male, in an open area west of the roadway at S. Main Divide about 3.5 miles south of Ortega Highway. CAL Fire initially responded and pronounced the male deceased. Based on trauma found on the victim, a crime scene was secured, and the Central Homicide Unit responded. The victim has not been identified at this time. This investigation is on-going and no further information will be released at this time.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department encourages anyone with information regarding this incident to contact Central Homicide Investigator Manjarrez at (951) 955-2777, or Lake Elsinore Sheriff Station Investigator Gilbert at (951) 245-3300.

Riverside County Sheriff’s Department

Palm Desert

DUI Injury Traffic Collision

On August 21, 2019, at 12:07 a.m., Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, Palm Desert Station responded to a single-vehicle traffic collision in the 70500 block of Dinah Shore Drive, within the city of Rancho Mirage. Deputies determined a silver Honda sedan traveling westbound on Dinah Shore Drive veered off the roadway causing the vehicle to roll over. The driver of the Honda, Jesus Ernesto Ontiveros-Rodriguez, age 28 of Cathedral City, was determined to have been operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Jesus Ernesto Ontiveros-Rodriguez was transported to a local hospital and was admitted for non-life-threatening injuries.

The investigation is still ongoing and anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact, Deputy Christopher Williams from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department at 760-836-1600, or Crime Stoppers at 760-341-STOP (7867). Riverside County Sheriff’s Department urges all drivers not to drink and drive.

Riverside County Sheriff’s Department

INDIO

Trial Delayed For Man Accused Of Causing Mobile Home Fires

The trial was delayed on August 21, for a man accused of trying to kill two people by setting fire to homes at a Desert Hot Springs mobile home park in 2016.

Michael Eric McPeters, 45, is charged with two counts of attempted murder, three counts of arson of an inhabited property and one count each of arson of an uninhabited property, arson of a structure or forest land and making criminal threats.

McPeters also faces sentence-enhancing allegations of causing multiple structures to burn and committing arson while the state’s emergency drought regulations were in effect. His trial was scheduled to begin this morning at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, but was delayed at least until Sept. 30. Riverside County District Attorney’s Office spokesman John Hall said prosecutors are ready to proceed, attributing the postponement to the defense attorney’s schedule and other pending trials.

The criminal complaint accuses McPeters of targeting and threatening the lives of a man and a woman, as well as setting fire to several structures late on the afternoon of June 3, 2016, at Palm Drive Mobile Estates at 15687 Palm Drive, causing an estimated $40,000 in damage. Flames spread by strong winds prompted residents living downwind of the fire to evacuate.

More than 30 firefighters were dispatched to the scene, one of whom was evaluated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, Jody Hagemann of the Riverside County Fire Department said at the time. Crews contained the fire a little more than an hour later, but remained on scene for several hours, she said.

McPeters was arrested later that night by Cal Fire investigators and has remained in custody in lieu of $1 million bail ever since. He’s currently being held at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside.

City News Service

 PALM SPRINGS

Man Drowns In Palm Springs Swimming Pool

An 82-year-old Palm Springs man drowned in his backyard swimming pool, police confirmed on August 21st.

Authorities responded to a 911 call made around 4:10 p.m. Tuesday from a home on Marion Way near Joshua Tree Place, according to Palm Springs police Sgt. Mike Casavan.

The Riverside County Coroner’s Bureau was investigating the octogenarian’s death. His name was not immediately released.

City News Service

CABAZON

Quake Rattles Portion of Inland Empire Near Cabazon

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 3.4 struck near Cabazon, but no damage was reported this morning.

The quake struck at 11:50 p.m. Tuesday about seven miles north northeast of Cabazon and about 14 miles east northeast of Beaumont at a depth of about 10 miles, according to a computer-generated message from the U.S. Geological Survey.

There were no immediate reports of injuries due to the quake.

City News Service

RIVERSIDE

Woman, Boyfriend Admit Killing Baby Found Adjacent to Freeway

An 18-year-old from Corona and his girlfriend who killed their newborn daughter and dumped her remains near Interstate 15 both pleaded guilty on Tuesday, August 20, to murder.

Joshua Tyler Benson and Shawna Joelle Andritch, 23, admitted during a status hearing at the Riverside Hall of Justice to taking the life of the infant, known only as “Baby Jane.”  Under the plea agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, Benson pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, while Andritch confessed to a second-degree murder charge. He’s facing 25 years to life in state prison, and she’s facing 15 years to life when they are sentenced by

Superior Court Judge David Gunn on Oct. 18.

Each is being held without bail at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside.

The pair were arrested in December for the killing five months earlier.

Corona police investigators credited tips from the public following Baby Jane’s Dec. 6 burial at Sunnyslope Cemetery with providing the necessary clues to crack the case.

The dead infant was discovered by a landscaper in a cardboard box on the afternoon of July 27, 2018, near Interstate 15 and Cajalco Road. She was wrapped in a men’s T-shirt — which Benson later admitted was his — and had a blanket and stuffed animal with her, prosecutors said, adding that afterbirth was still on the baby’s skin.

Coroner’s officials could never confirm a specific cause of death. However, they did verify that she was not stillborn, surviving birth and killed sometime immediately afterward, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

“Further investigation revealed that the (defendants) had intended to kill the baby from the beginning … succeeding and leaving (her) in the box under the freeway,” according to an agency statement.

The case triggered community outrage, and police turned to the public for assistance identifying the parents, but few clues were forthcoming last summer.

Public safety officials raised funds to pay for Baby Jane Doe’s burial, which generated additional publicity about the case, culminating in the identification of the defendants as the perpetrators.

Andritch has no documented prior felony or misdemeanor convictions. No information was available concerning Benson, who was a juvenile at the time of the murder.

City News Service

LAKE ELSINORE

Man Whose Body Left in Forest near Lake Elsinore Identified

A man whose body was dumped in the Cleveland National Forest just west of Lake Elsinore was identified on Tuesday, August 20, as a 31-year- old Wildomar resident.

Frery Coronel’s remains were discovered by passers-by shortly before 8 p.m. Saturday along the west side of South Main Divide Road, roughly 3 ½ miles south of the Ortega (74) Highway, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

“Based on trauma to the victim, a crime scene was secured, and the Central Homicide Unit responded,” sheriff’s Sgt. Ben Ramirez said. He did not disclose how Coronel was killed, nor how long the body may have been there before it was found.  No suspects have been identified, and the investigation is ongoing, according to Ramirez.

City News Service

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