April 2 Daily Briefing: Kids get keyboards, how latest PSPD operation is going, and more

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Did you catch the show in the sky last night? Just after 7:30 p.m. Monday evening, Falcon 9, a reusable, two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX, lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc, sending 22 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit. The flight was the 15th for the first stage booster and visible to millions of people, including those of us here in the Coachella Valley. You can relive the launch and get information on future launches at the SpaceX website here. 

🎶 Setting the mood: “Casio” by Jungle

LEADING OFF

300 keyboards donated to local elementary schools

A donation of 300 Casio keyboards by the Foundation for Palm Springs Unified School District underscores the vital role of music education in enhancing academic and social development among elementary school students.

Driving the news: Recognizing the powerful impact of music education on cognitive growth and social skills, the Foundation recently concluded a three-year funding campaign, resulting in the donation of 300 musical keyboards to elementary schools across the district. 

• This initiative aims to bolster music education, which often faces cuts due to budget constraints.

Why it matters: Music education has been proven to facilitate significant biological brain changes, aiding in sound processing, neural processing, and the development of critical brain areas related to reading, language, and memory.

• Engaging in music also cultivates essential life skills, including teamwork, communication, and leadership, by promoting collaboration and empathy among students.

The big picture: Amid widespread concern over falling academic achievements, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic, the foundation thinks this donation represents a timely intervention. 

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BRIEFLY

🚔 Police update community on first month of ‘Operation Restore Hope’

The Palm Springs Police Department (PSPD) gave its first update on “Operation Restore Hope,” the department’s new operation with the goal of steering unhoused residents toward the navigation center.

• On Monday, PSPD representatives said the Impact Team has been informing unhoused residents about new resources in the city, and they have helped 39 people utilize the new access center. 
  
  
• They also said they reunited nine people with their family and cleaned 69 camps. While doing outreach, they also gave out citations and conducted arrests.
  
  
• The department transitioned from “Operation Relentless Sun,” which was aimed at weeding out the criminal element from the city’s unhoused population, to the current operation in early March. 
  
  
• Bottom line: The opening of the city’s Navigation Center last month now allows officers to steer people living on the streets or in washes toward a bed and other assistance, offering them hope.

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TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

Annual Police & Fire Appreciation Luncheon
11:30 a.m. | Palm Springs Convention Center
Greg Rodriguez will be accepting the Richard M. Milanovich Community Leadership Award at this annual luncheon honoring police and fire professionals. ($85)

“Eclipse Over America” Screening
3 p.m. | Palm Springs Public Library
In preparation for the eclipse on April 8, learn more about the previous solar eclipse in 2017. 

Green Room Theatre Auditions
4 p.m. | RAP Foundation
Green Room Theatre is looking for actors aged 16 to 90 years old for an innovative theatre event that will address the many complex layers in the history of Section 14 in Palm Springs. The production will be a staged reading, no memorization needed. Sign up for an audition slot and bring a resumé and headshot if you have one.

Queer Colon Care Collective
6 p.m. | The Center – LGBTQ – Community Center of the Desert
This new support group is open to LGBTQ+ colorectal cancer patients, survivors, or caregivers. Organizers will offer resources and a sense of community in a safe place to share experiences. Offered on the first and third Tuesday of every month in-person at the center or online at 4 p.m.

Movies in the Park
7 p.m. | Downtown Park
The classic 1988 movie “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” hits the outdoor screen in this latest installment of the city’s Movies in the Park series. Check out the rest of the movies coming up in the next few months, including “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial,” “The Sandlot,” and “Jurassic Park.”

SAVE THE DATE

• Rock the Park: Tribute to Garth Brooks on Wednesday at the Downtown Park.
  
  
• Super Bloom Art Show on Friday at Desert Art Center.
  
  
• Faux Fur Ball on Saturday at the Palm Springs Air Museum.
  
  
• Drive the Plaza Theatre car show benefit on April 19.

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AND FINALLY …

Palm Springs Unified School District students have embarked on two trips to tour Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs).

Driving the news: It’s the third year for the tours, and this year, there was a surge in applications. In total, 48 students were selected out of a pool of more than 100 applicants.

Details: The first group of 24 students took a week-long tour of five HBCUs in Washington, D.C., including Howard and Morgan State, and various cultural landmarks in late March. The second group is now on its way to tour five HSIs in Austin, including Texas State University and the University of Texas at Austin, along with local cultural sites.

Why it matters: The successful tours have allowed students to connect with their heritage, and allowed them to dream about colleges and universities that may not have been on their radar.

• Students who went on previous tours said they favorite part was forming bonds with their peers.