April 15 Daily Briefing: Bridge construction woes, superintendent search, quake strikes, and more

Happy Tuesday, everyone, where we probably don’t need to remind you that it’s time to file your taxes (or request an extension). If you’ve waited until the last minute, don’t worry, free resources and tools like IRS Direct File are available to help you file, extend your deadline, or set up easy payment plans. You can find links to those tools here. Need more time or extra assistance preparing your return, especially if you’re military or disaster-affected? The IRS has you covered there as well.

🎶 Setting the mood: “EARFQUAKE” by Tyler, The Creator

LEADING OFF

Business owner pushes back on bridge project timeline, citing risk to local economy

A Palm Springs car wash owner is pushing back against the city’s South Palm Canyon Bridge construction project, saying the current timeline could force his business to close. Bob Smiland warns the nearly two-year project would cut customer access to his Desert Hand Car Wash, potentially reducing revenue by half.

First things first: No, you’re not having déjà vu. This is yet another story about a bridge project in the city. We get why you’re confused, as there are currently six bridge projects at various levels of planning throughout the city, and two of the projects are on South Palm Canyon.

Context: This bridge project is a 98-foot-long bridge planned for South Palm Canyon Drive across Tahquitz Creek. The city said it’s necessary to replace the existing 95-year-old bridge to improve safety and ease the traffic bottleneck. When finished, it will feature widened sidewalks, two lanes in each direction, and a median. 

Driving the news: Smiland said his car wash employs 18 people and he relies entirely on South Palm Canyon drive for customer access, with no alternate entry points. 

• Smiland has been urging officials to delay the project’s start date to mid-June and shorten the overall construction timeline to prevent what he predicts will be devastating impacts on local businesses. 

The response: Andrea Suarez from Connect and Company said the project team is exploring ways to minimize impacts but cited constraints including environmental permits, federal funding requirements, and union agreements limiting weekend work.

• Officials warned that delaying the start could increase both the cost and duration of the project. Right now, the project is estimated to be completed in late 2026.

The criticism: Smiland expressed frustration about inadequate communication with businesses, saying project planners haven’t finalized traffic detours or access points for his customers and suppliers.

• “Their first visit to my car wash was three weeks ago,” he said. “They spoke to my part-time cashier for four minutes and left brochures.”

What’s next: Preliminary work continues this week with sidewalk demolition and utility relocation. One-on-one meetings with affected business owners are scheduled for April 24-25.

More information: You can read more about the project on its website and even follow the project on Facebook and Instagram for construction updates.

Dive deeper with our complete story here.

BRIEFLY

🏫 PSUSD seeks public input for new superintendent search

The Palm Springs Unified School District Board of Education is looking for community input as it begins the process of replacing retiring Superintendent Dr. Tonatiuh “Tony” Signoret, who leaves his position on June 30. Signoret is the third superintendent to lead the district in the last five years. 

• The board has launched an anonymous survey asking parents, students, staff and community members to share their thoughts on desired traits and qualities for the next superintendent. The survey asks respondents to rate the importance of various professional experiences, leadership qualities, and personal attributes.
  
• In addition, three in-person input meetings have been scheduled: April 28 at Desert Springs Middle School, April 29 at PSUSD District Office Board Room, and April 30 at James Workman Middle School. All meetings begin at 6 p.m. with translation services available.
  
• The survey, available online in both English and Spanish, will remain open through April 30.

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TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

Melba Miller’s Jazz Oasis
5:30 p.m. | Cultural Center
Join songstress Melba Miller and special guests for an evening dedicated to serious listeners and lovers of Jazz. ($22)

Sustainability Commission
5:30 p.m. | City Hall
The Commission reviews and makes recommendations to the City Council on issues relating to energy and natural resources conservation, including water conservation, air pollution, waste management and recycling. 

Trivia Night
6:30 p.m. | Play Lounge PS
Come alone or bring a group to participate in this popular trivia night. Win bagging rights and other prizes.

Movies in the Park: “The Love Bug”
7 p.m. | Downtown Park
Movies in the Park returns with favorite films playing at Downtown Park. Note that extreme weather or rain may force rescheduling of some events and that start times will vary depending on what time the sun goes down. Check out the rest of the movies in the series here.

See all events here

SAVE THE DATE

• People For Palm Springs Parkshosts a walk in Sunrise Park to discuss possible improvements with city officials Wednesday morning.
  
• Coachella Valley Local Government Vendor Fair at the Palm Springs Convention Center on Wednesday.
  
• Movie Night in the Park: “The Wild Robot” at DeMuth Park on Wednesday.
  
• “Falsettos” at Dezart Performs starting Friday. ($53)
  
• “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” at Palm Canyon Theatre starting Friday. ($32)
  
• “Egg-cellent” Duck Dive at the Swim Center on Saturday.
  
• Palm Springs Fire Foundation Easter Egg Hunt at Ruth Hardy Park on Saturday.
  
• Self-Advocacy in Healthcare Conference at the Mizell Center on Saturday.
  
• PS Gay Men’s Chorus “Disney Pride In Concert“ starting April 24. ($35)
  
• Earth & Arbor Day Festival at Victoria Park on April 26.
  
• Forging Forward – Community Convening at the Cultural Center on April 29.
  
• “A Song For You” Carpenters Tribute at Agua Caliente Palm Springs on April 30. ($23)
  
• Retro Palm Springs – A Nostalgic Fan Convention at Palm Springs Convention Center on May 3-4. ($28)
  
• Desert Freedom Band presents “Pop, Rock, and Swing” at Jewish Community Center on May 4. ($30)
  
• 2025 Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival starting May 8. ($17)

Submit your event here

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AND FINALLY …

We felt it, you felt it, (almost) all of us felt it: a 5.2 magnitude earthquake shook up Southern California yesterday. It was recorded at 10:08 a.m. near Julian, a town in the mountains northeast of San Diego.

Dive deeper: Seismologist Dr. Lucile Jones said the quake “seems to be associated with the Elsinore fault line” which runs right near the town of Julian. Check out this fault line map here. The quake was preceded by a 3.3 magnitude earthquake on Sunday.

By the numbers: The quake was about eight miles below the surface. Something like 25 million people in SoCal experienced “weak to light shaking” according to modeling data from United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The big one: It’s a question that gets asked after every sizable earthquake: “Is this just a precursor to The Big One?” Dr. Jones says there is no reliable way for scientists to predict whether Monday’s quake could lead to a bigger earthquake. 

What about us: We live near the San Andreas fault, a roughly 800-mile fault line down the length of California. Though scientists can’t predict earthquakes, they do their best to forecast and determine probabilities of major earthquakes. A USGS report from 2015 estimated a 7% probability that an earthquake of magnitude 8 or higher will occur in the next 30 years along the San Andreas fault.

• For reference, the 1994 Northridge earthquake was a magnitude 6.7 quake.

Be prepared: If you ran outside during the earthquake, you may need to brush up on safety tips! Ready.gov recommends you drop, cover, and hold on instead. Check out more of their tips here.