April 19 Daily Briefing: A new safe haven, next CV Link segment starts, families reject city offer, and more

TGIF, everyone. You may have noticed we’re fans of using emojis in this newsletter. Believe it or not, choosing the right ones actually causes us a bit of stress. Thankfully, a new survey can help us out. According to data from every state, 😣 is the most confusing emoji in California, so we can cross that one off our list. It’s supposed to represent perseverance, but only 5% of the population uses it as intended. Others causing confusion are 💅, 💨, and 🙃. And in a nod to why we get stressed about them, almost half the people surveyed said they’ve seen a misinterpreted emoji create an uncomfortable situation. That has us 😟! 

🎶 Setting the mood: “Lose Yourself to Dance” by Daft Punk (ft. Pharrell Williams & Nile Rodgers)

LEADING OFF

Shelter dedicates new waystation, providing safe haven for butterflies

A new spot has opened up for a population that regularly passes through Palm Springs during its migration south from Canada. And, no, it’s not for snowbirds.

Driving the news: A new monarch butterfly waystation was dedicated Friday morning in front of the Palm Springs Animal Shelter. The waystation aims to counter the declining monarch population. 

Looking back: Roger Tansey, a master gardener trainee and former board member of the Friends of the Palm Springs Animal Shelter, proposed incorporating a sanctuary for monarchs into the shelter’s landscaping. 

How it works: The waystation is intended to serve as a sanctuary by offering a reliable food source and habitat within an urban setting. By integrating native and desert-adaptive plants, the project aims to support butterflies and other pollinators essential for biodiversity.

Why it matters: The decline in monarch butterflies in North America has sparked concern, largely due to habitat loss due to climate change and the loss of crucial plants like the milkweed.

By the numbers: According to recent estimates, this year’s monarch butterfly population is the second lowest recorded since 1993, as determined by the acreage they occupy in their Mexican clusters.

• Scientists measure the species by determining how many acres they cover when clumped together in Mexico. This year, the population was 2.2 acres, down 59% compared to last year.

BRIEFLY

🚧 Construction starting on CV Link’s northern city section

Construction of a highly anticipated section of the CV Link multi-modal paved path in Palm Springs is underway. When complete, it will offer a major new route for cyclists, walkers, runners, and more. 

• Crews began work this week on the 1.5-mile section along the Whitewater River Stormwater Channel levee, stretching from North Palm Canyon Drive to East Vista Chino.
  
  
• Construction is set to be “substantially complete by the end of this year,” officials said. During construction, residents and businesses along the Whitewater River Stormwater Channel may experience construction-related noise during the day.
  
  
• Bigger picture: With the next phase of the valley-wide project underway here, some city commissioners are already considering how to integrate it with existing infrastructure. Members of the city’s Sustainability Commission noted at a recent meeting that there needs to be more access points for the CV Link in the city and promised to look at how that could be achieved.

🏠 Palm Springs settlement offer rejected by Section 14 families

Families formerly residing in Palm Springs’ Section 14 have turned down a $4.3 million settlement offer from the city for its role in displacing residents and demolishing homes over 50 years ago. 

• The rejection, reported Thursday by The Desert Sun, could open the door for further negotiations, with the families’ attorney, Areva Martin, expressing hope for a collaborative effort towards resolution.
  
  
• The city’s offer aimed to compensate up to 145 households with approximately $29,500 each, acknowledging the city’s wrongful actions in the destruction of homes in Section 14 in the 1960s.
  
  
• Bottom line: The Section 14 Survivors group is seeking a more substantial settlement. Previous communications from Martin to the city outlined a proposed settlement range between $187 million and $365 million.

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YOUR WEEKEND

ALL WEEKEND

“Nice Work if You Can Get It”
Friday – Sunday | Coachella Valley Repertory
CVRep says this will be the biggest production ever mounted on their stage, a fitting grand finale for the 2023-2024 season. The show has just been extended through April 28. It’s classic Broadway blockbuster filled with actors, singers, dancers, and beloved Gershwin tunes. ($50)

“Sherlock Holmes Confidential”
Friday – Sunday | Palm Springs Cultural Center
This weekend is your last chance to see the world premiere of a new play by award-winning playwright Tony Padilla. The story centers around an alternative version of the Holmes origin story, a spurned romance leads to someone threatening to unmask the young detective as a fraud. ($37)

“Mr. Parker”
Friday – Sunday | Palm Springs Woman’s Club
It’s the final weekend you can see “Mr. Parker,” a new play by Michael Mckeever. At 54 years old, Terry Parker finds himself at a crossroads in his life. After the loss of his partner of 30 years, he finds himself suddenly single and unable to adjust to a world that has moved on without him. ($48)

“Billie! Backstage with Lady Day”
Friday – Sunday | Revolution Stage Company
Ending its run this weekend, “Billie! Backstage with Lady Day,” is a musically haunting, unpredictable journey into the winding road of love, joy, blues, racism, and astounding hit songs that tell the story of the amazing Billie Holiday. ($35)

“The Boys in the Band”
Friday – Sunday | Palm Canyon Theatre
It’s also the final weekend for “The Boys in the Band.” In his New York City apartment, Michael throws a birthday party for Harold, a self-avowed “thirty-two-year-old, pockmarked, Jew fairy,” complete with a surprise gift: “Cowboy,” a street hustler. ($32)

TODAY

Friends of the Palm Springs Library Book Club
2 p.m. | Palm Springs Public Library
This month, the book club is discussing “The Guncle” by local author Steven Rowley about a once-famous gay sitcom star whose niece and nephew come to visit him in Palm Springs for the summer. To learn how to get involved in the book club and check out the rest of the books they’re reading, click here.

Drive the Plaza Theatre Into the Future
5 p.m. | Prescott Collection Hangar
The Palm Springs Plaza Theatre supporters will have the opportunity to attend a fundraising event at an exclusive venue that houses more than 100 rare and vintage automobiles. ($100)

SATURDAY

Free Shredding Event
8 a.m. | Palm Springs City Hall
The city’s popular free shredding event has returned, so stop by with up to three banker-sized boxes for shredding. You can also bring e-waste and bulky items, but not hazardous waste. Read more about the event here.

Tahquitz Creek Cleanup
8 a.m. | Tahquitz Creek Foot Bridge
Gloves and trash bags will be provided for this monthly cleanup effort. Meet at the south side of the pedestrian bridge.

Certified Farmers’ Market
8 a.m. | Palm Springs Cultural Center
The farmers’ market is open for business on Saturday with local farmers and vendors offering fresh agri­cul­tural and related products.

Coachella Acapella: I’m With The Band
7 p.m. | Palm Desert High School
Coachella Acappella will sing the songs from boy and girl bands spanning decades. In addition to the chorus, we’ll feature the men’s quartet “Seventh Variety.” and Coachella Acapella’s own quartet “Party of 4.” They will be joined by singers from Palm Springs High School for a few numbers as well. ($20) 

SUNDAY

Sunday Jams
3:30 p.m. | Melvyn’s 
From smooth jams to timeless fare and cocktails, Sundays are in full swing at Melvyn’s iconic haunt with an ongoing lineup of live music every Sunday. ($25 minimum food/beverage spend)

SAVE THE DATE

• Dining Out For Life at multiple restaurants and other eateries on April 25.
• Palm Springs Entertainment Convention on May 4 at the Palm Springs Convention Center.
• Desert Winds Freedom Band Concert on May 4 at Temple Isaiah.
• PSUSD Multicultural Festival on May 4 at the Palm Springs Air Museum.
• Palm Springs International ShortFest from June 18 -24.

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AND FINALLY …

We had the pleasure of dropping by the Palm Springs Public Library earlier this week for a special event, and can’t tell you the last time we’ve had so much fun surrounded by children’s books!

The event: Drag Story Hour, which has been going strong since 2019 — including when it went online during the pandemic — features our very own Hostess With The Mostest, Bella da Ball, reading both educational and uplifting stories to children and the young at heart.

Zoom in: Tuesday night, Bella not only read books, but was joined by library staff who helped set up a crafts table and even perform some impromptu dances to help everyone get their wiggles out.

Why it matters: “All the books we use are about making kids feel that it’s OK to be themselves and be who they are,” explained Director of Library Services Jeannie Kays. “Everyone is unique in their own way.”

Details: The event is held most months at the library. You can check the latest schedule here.