Eric Hartley

News Editor at The Desert Sun (Palm Springs, CA)

Living “the life of kings” @MyDesert. Formerly @CapGazNews, @VirginianPilot and more. Rolling Donut.

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Articles

Ex-councilman Russell Betts pleads guilty in Desert Hot Springs road rage case

Mar 7, 2025 | desertsun.com | Eric Hartley

A former Desert Hot Springs City Council member, Russell Betts, pleaded guilty this week to a misdemeanor charge in what prosecutors called an apparent road rage incident, court records show. Betts pleaded guilty to unlawfully fighting in public or challenging someone to fight. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and a $400 fine, although people without prior criminal records generally receive lesser sentences.
Incident closes one runway at Palm Springs airport; no injuries, main runway still open

Nov 17, 2024 | yahoo.com | Eric Hartley

(This article was updated to add information and a photo.)The smaller runway at Palm Springs International Airport was closed Sunday after an unspecified "incident" involving a small plane. All four people on the plane were safe, and other flights continued to operate normally as the airport's main runway remained open, airport spokesperson Jake Ingrassia said. He did not say what time the incident happened or offer any details.
Race for Desert Hot Springs City Council dead even; vote counting continues

Nov 17, 2024 | desertsun.com | Eric Hartley

The race for a spot on the Desert Hot Springs City Council was not just close, but deadlocked this weekend as vote counting neared its end. Daniel Pitts challenged Councilmember Roger V. Nuñez for the District 2 seat. And as of the latest vote counts released Saturday night, both men had 1,190 votes. Previously, they'd swapped narrow leads, with Pitts ahead on election night and Nuñez taking a slight advantage later in the counting.
Who will pay for public safety at Trump's Coachella rally?

Oct 12, 2024 | desertsun.com | Eric Hartley

Whenever a presidential candidate holds a rally — especially one who’s also a former president — it costs big money. That’s true for the U.S. Secret Service, which has primary responsibility to protect former President Donald Trump at all times, including at his rally on Saturday at Calhoun Ranch near Coachella. But local governments, including police and fire departments, also incur a lot of costs for rallies.
REI opening first Coachella Valley store Friday in Rancho Mirage

Sep 5, 2024 | msn.com | Paul Albani-Burgio |Eric Hartley
Man arrested after dog beat to death in Palm Springs

Aug 12, 2024 | desertsun.com | Eric Hartley

A man was arrested Monday in Palm Springs after police said he beat his dog to death. Heat may also have been a factor in the death, said a police spokesperson, Gustavo Araiza. Officers got a call at 9:54 a.m. about a man seen dragging and kicking a German Shepherd near East Baristo Road and South Sunrise Way, according to a police press release. The officers didn't witness the beating, Araiza said, but found the dog had been seriously injured.
‘Threats are all elevated’: FBI lays out top priorities in Coachella Valley

Jul 30, 2024 | desertsun.com | Eric Hartley

Once an agent and now the boss, Akil Davis returns to Palm SpringsWhen he arrived in Palm Springs for his first posting as a rookie FBI agent nearly 20 years ago, Akil Davis thought it seemed like a small town. Today, he has a different reaction: “It feels like Phoenix.”The Coachella Valley’s growth is just one of the scores of challenges he’s juggling now.
Palm Springs Police: No suspect at large after 3 found dead in related scenes near I-10

Jun 30, 2024 | yahoo.com | Ema Sasic |Eric Hartley |Matt Solinsky

Ema Sasic, Eric Hartley and Matt Solinsky, Palm Springs Desert SunUpdated June 30, 2024 at 9:33 PM·1 min readThree people were found shot dead near the Pilot Travel Center in North Palm Springs on Sunday afternoon, police said. Officers received a call for a gunshot victim near North Indian Canyon Drive and Garnet Avenue about 1:15 p.m., the Palm Springs Police Department said in a news release.
Photo Story: 'Slightly Above Below Average' with Steve Vanderhoek in Virgin, Utah

Jun 20, 2024 | pinkbike.com | Eric Hartley

As every biker knows, Utah holds a special and unique place in all our hearts as an epicentre to hone and increase youâ€™re skills. It's a place we all watched our favourite riders develop the sport as we grew up. So when Steve and Kelsey mentioned this project to me I instantly knew it was something I wanted to be a part of. Being a rider as well as a photographer, this trip was a dream come true.
Eastern Coachella Valley man wanted as ‘person of interest’ in 17-year-old’s death

Jun 13, 2024 | desertsun.com | Eric Hartley

Sheriff's investigators are searching for a 20-year-old man as a "person of interest" in the slaying of a 17-year-old from Mecca, authorities announced Thursday. More than two months after Francisco Ramirez died, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said investigators are looking for David Lopez Espinoza, 20, also of Mecca. Espinoza "is wanted on an outstanding felony warrant for an unrelated robbery and assault with a deadly weapon investigation," sheriff's Sgt.