Smoke from multiple fires burning west of the Coachella Valley caught the attention of city residents Tuesday evening as it filled the air and left behind a lingering odor.
The largest of the fires, dubbed the Davis Fire, burned in Moreno Valley. It reached 300 acres before fire crews were able to halt its forward progress, CAL FIRE reported around 3 PM. That fire was mostly contained and smoke had dissipated by 7 PM. Smaller fires were also reported in Valle Vista near San Jacinto around 5 PM, and near Perris at 2 PM.
Winds from the west blew smoke from all the fires into the Coachella Valley Tuesday afternoon.
Earlier in the day a fire was also reported at a homeless encampment off Interstate 10 in Rancho Mirage. Smoke from that incident was visible from Palm Springs but did not reach the city.
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BRIEFLY
T-DANCE ON AGAIN: In yet another sign of life returning to pre-pandemic normalcy, Oscar’s in downtown Palm Springs held its first T-Dance in more than a year on Sunday. About 300 fully vaccinated partygoers celebrated the return of the event, which has become a regular celebration of gay life in the city. “Thank you for the glorious reopening celebration yesterday,” said one reveler on social media. “A few tears of joy seen on many faces throughout the day reminded me why I love Oscar’s tea dance so much.” In addition to showing proof of COVID vaccination, owner Dan Gore, who was lauded for persevering through the pandemic to keep the venue open, required patrons to sign waivers and purchase tickets in advance.
LEAF BLOWER RULES: Proposed additions to the city rules against gas-powered leaf blowers, first reported by The Post here, will like come before the City Council in July, city staff informed members of the Palm Springs Sustainability Commission Tuesday evening. During its regular monthly meeting, the Commission was presented a report identifying ways the city could step up enforcement of the rules, first put into place in 2019, including increasing penalties for repeat offenders. Among other ideas that may be brought for a vote is a proposal to fine homeowners who hire gardeners who violate the rules. That idea could make waves, however, as staff explained many of the homes where violations occur are vacation rentals managed by third parties who hire the gardeners, and not the homeowners. “It’s clear that we have a lot of improvement we could do in regard to the enforcement process,” Patrick Tallarico, Manager of the city’s Office of Sustainability, told Commission members.
CAMP SPONSORS NEEDED: The city is hoping members of the community will step up to help provide “a little bit of normalcy” for children this summer in the form of donations that will allow some to attend summer camp during the day. Anyone interested in helping out is encouraged to make a donation here or email the Parks and Recreation Department at recinfo@palmspringsca.gov. A $50 donation pays for one week of summer camp tuition. The city is offering seven weeks of summer camp this year, starting in mid June. Parents interested in having their child sponsored are encouraged to reach out to the department at the same email address. More information on the different camps being offered, including registration forms, can be found here.
TODAY’S EVENTS
- MIZELL EVENTS: The Mizell Center hold four events today. For a complete list, you can see the facility’s calendar here.
- WATER WEBINAR: Desert Water Agency holds an online meeting at 10 AM to discuss drought conditions in California, groundwater conditions and water shortage contingency plans in the Coachella Valley. Information on that meeting is here.
- BOOK CLUB: The Palm Springs Library’s Afternoon Coffee Book Club meets at 2 PM via Zoom. More information about the club, and its current reading list, is available here.
- AIRPORT COMMISSION: The City’s Airport Commission meets at 5:30 PM via Zoom. Information about joining that meetings, as well as an agenda, can be found here.
- ARTS COMMISSION: The City’s Public Arts Commission meets at 5:30 PM. Information on joining the meeting, as well as an agenda, can be found here.
ONGOING
- VACCINES: Anyone 12 and older now qualifies for a COVID-19 vaccine in Riverside County. If you qualify, you can get one at the Palm Springs Convention Center, 277 North Avenida Caballeros, from 8:30 AM until 4:30 PM Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and from 8:30 AM until 7 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Appointments are not required, and those age 12-17 need to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. You can also find a list of community providers such as pharmacies here.
COMMUNITY CONNECTION
Want to know about city and other municipal events? Road construction in your neighborhood? Building activity? Have something to report? The following links should help:
City of Palm Springs calendar of events
Police reports | Submit a police report
Code compliance reports | Report a code violation
Current road projects and closures
Currently active development projects
