April 29 Daily Briefing: Monument on track, former mayor’s trial, Riviera sign, and more

Happy Tuesday, everyone, where we’re here to remind you that the clock is ticking if you’re interested in filling one of more than a dozen openings on 10 different city boards and commissions. From the Administrative Appeals Board to the VillageFest Board, you’ve got until the end of the day tomorrow to express your interest. Head to this page for more information and the list of openings.

🎶 Setting the mood: “Nature’s Child” by The Arcs

LEADING OFF

LGBTQ+ monument expected to debut by mid-October

Palm Springs has always been proud of its strong LGBTQ+ roots, and now that love for love is on track to be immortalized with a new sculpture expected to debut this fall. 

Driving the news: The monument, designed by local artists and LGBTQ+ community member Jim Isermann, will sit at the corner of Indian Canyon Drive and East Alejo Road in Frances Stevens Park. At a news conference Monday, representatives of the project’s backers, Palm Springs Pride, said the sculpture is currently being assembled in Houston.

• The LGBTQ+ monument, a stainless steel, lambda-shaped sculpture, has been in development since April of 2022 and will cost roughly $500,000. It’s being funded by community donations and should be in place by mid-October.

What they’re saying: “They had no idea who was who, and who they selected was Jim Isermann, who happened to be gay and happened to be from Palm Springs. It was just coincidental,” said Al Jones, president of the monument board of directors, explaining how judges came to choose the piece through a blind jury process.

• Isermann has lived in Palm Springs since 1997 and was among 45 international artists who submitted an entry. While his works are featured at Palm Springs Art Museum, this will be his first public art on display in the city.

By the numbers: The sculpture will be eight feet tall and 14 feet wide at its widest point. Additionally, it features 720 stainless modules painted in different colors that bolt together to form a single structure.

• It features the original colors from Gilbert Baker’s 1978 rainbow flag, as well as black and brown.

What’s next: Palm Springs Pride is asking the public for help in the project’s last funding phase. Its members need to raise $150,000 more to complete it (you can donate here). Once installed, the monument will be given to the city.

Dive deeper with our complete story

BRIEFLY

🧑‍⚖️ New trial date on the docket for case involving former mayor

Former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet and developer John Wessman are scheduled to face trial starting Thursday in a highly anticipated but frequently delayed case that started with an FBI raid on City Hall in 2015. 

• Pougnet is accused of accepting payments from Wessman and another developer in exchange for supporting their projects during his 2007-2015 mayoral term. The case has experienced multiple delays since the pair were charged in 2017, with trial dates being pushed back for months and years.
  
• Developer Richard Meaney, originally implicated in the case, will not be part of this trial after accepting a plea deal in 2023. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor conflict of interest charge.
  
• Bottom line: After years of delays, the trial of Pougnet and Wessman is on the docket at the courthouse in Indio, but there is no guarantee the trial will actually start.

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TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

Cribbage play
1 p.m. | Play Lounge & Cafe
Bring your friends or meet new ones at this casual hangout. Play Lounge has a few boards available for use or you can bring your own.

Forging Forward Community Meeting
5 p.m. | Palm Springs Cultural Center
In partnership with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) this meeting will be a Q&A-style event where HRC will inform the public on how they are responding to the current presidential administration. 

PSUSD Superintendent Search Community Meeting
6 p.m. | PSUSD District Office
The Palm Springs Unified School District is hosting a series of community meetings this week, both online and in-person, to inform the community about its ongoing search for a new Superintendent. There will also be a Zoom meeting in Spanish at noon.

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.

“The Secret of Nimh” Free Screening
7 p.m. | Downtown Park
Presented by the Palm Springs Cultural Center, the free outdoor film series continues tonight with a screening of the 1982 animated film “The Secret of NIMH.”

See all events here

SAVE THE DATE

• Keisha D Benefit Concert at one eleven bar on Wednesday.
  
• “A Song For You” Carpenters Tribute at Agua Caliente Palm Springs on Wednesday. ($23)
  
• Palm Springs Hot Rodeo starting on Thursday.
  
• Retro Palm Springs – A Nostalgic Fan Convention at Palm Springs Convention Center starting Saturday. ($28)
  
• Desert Winds Freedom Band presents “Pop, Rock, and Swing” at Jewish Community Center on Sunday. ($30)
  
• 2025 Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival starting May 8. ($17)
  
• Desert Images photography exhibition at Impell Gallery on May 10. 
  
• CommUNITY in Recovery – Sunny Dunes Clubhouse 3rd Annual Spring Gala at the Palm Springs Convention Center on May 18. ($150).
  
• “Veils: A Requiem For Trayvon” film screeningat the Cultural Center on May 23. ($18)

Submit your event here

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AND FINALLY …

It’s a case of “out with the old, in with the old” at one of the city’s most beloved properties: A Las Vegas-inspired sign that once welcomed visitors to The Riviera Hotel — which was renamed the Margaritaville Hotel and Resort in 2020, only to be changed back to Riviera last year — is back in place. 

Driving the news: The property returned to its roots last September when new owners began to restore the Riviera name — as well as the look and feel — to the hotel. Only one thing was missing: The sign that stood out front until the Margaritaville opened.

• While not the entire sign with vintage vibes that most people associate with the property, portions of it appear to now be back in place, affixed to a concrete block at 1600 North Indian Canyon Dr.

Why it matters: Many locals agree with the popular sentiment that the Margaritaville theme did not fit the property, given its early history as a glamorous celebrity hotspot. And the temporary sign installed last year left something to be desired. 

• With the dramatic, flowing script font now back in place, fans of the unique retro glam look of old are sure to be pleased.