Next steps in restoring mural, locating homeless services center, come tonight
Help for an aging mural and consideration of a homeless services center are two of the items on the City Council agenda this evening that may impact residents of the city’s north end.
The mural, painted on the south side of the James O. Jesse Desert Highland Unity Center, has been fading for years. It was completed in the summer of 1997 by artist Richard Wyatt Jr. with the help of students from the neighborhood. The story of the mural and the students who helped was told by The Post in this article on September 30.
Wyatt visited the mural and spoke about it with Palm Springs Public Arts Commission Shawnda Faveau on September 9. Faveau is behind an effort to restore the mural using hand-glazed ceramic tile. Council members are expected to approve $3,500 of public arts funds for a structural review to determine whether the exterior wall can support what could be more than 1,100 five-pound tiles.
“It’s epic. It’s beautiful,” Faveau said of the mural. “But it needs to be restored.”
The Council will also consider whether to purchase property in the neighborhood for use as a campus for transitional housing and services for those experiencing homelessness in Palm Springs.
The property, located at 3589 McCarthy Rd., is one of two being considered this evening. It sits on 3.6 acres of industrial land and contains three buildings with 47,000-square-feet of usable space. It is currently in escrow for $5.9 million, but the owner has offered to allow the city to assume the purchase.
The other property, located at 4775 E. Ramon Road, is on two acres and has 40,000 square feet of usable space. It was believed to have been in the process of being sold, but the city was informed last week that it had recently fallen out of escrow.
At a meeting last week, residents who addressed the Council favored moving forward with a facility to aid the homeless. But some who live near the proposed McCarthy Road location asked the city to look elsewhere. Many had expressed a similar sentiment during a District 1 listening session with Councilmember Grace Garner on October 25.
In other action this evening:
- The Council will meet in a closed session to discuss a breach of contract lawsuit filed against the city in 2019 by the owner of Dave’s Towing Service. Among other claims, the owner sought to prevent his removal from the city’s official police tow rotation schedule and disputed tow rates allowed by the city.
- The Council will meet in a closed session to discuss the price and terms of sale of the Tahquitz Court Apartmentsat 2990 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way. Tahquitz Housing Associates currently own the 5.4-acre property.
- The Council will hold the first in a series of public hearings tonight to receive feedback on redistricting efforts following the 2020 U.S. Census. The redistricting process will be conducted in multiple phases, with the first of many hearings planned during the regularly scheduled meeting. The hearing will focus on the general redistricting process and the online mapping tool the city will be using to receive community input.
Participate: Written comments may be emailed to the City Council at cityclerk@palmspringsca.gov and must be received prior to the start of the meeting. The public may also offer comments by calling the Office of the City Clerk prior to the meeting no later than 5 PM. The phone number is 760-323-8204. At the appropriate time, a staff member will call members back to provide testimony.
Tune in: Residents can watch the Council meeting live on YouTube here, or on Palm Springs Community Television Channel 17.
BRIEFLY
LICENSE REVOKED: The owner of both a marijuana retail store and a grow operation has had her cannabis license revoked, pending appeal of allegations she was illegally cultivating marijuana at a space adjacent to where she was licensed. Joy Brown Meredith, who operates Joy of Life Wellness on West Oasis Road and a grow operation on nearby West San Rafael Drive, was informed of the decision on October 13, a letter from a city attorney obtained by The Post shows. Meredith, who also owns the Crystal Fantasy retail store downtown, filed a six-page appeal on October 26. She said Wednesday that the Palm Springs City Council would consider her appeal, but she was not told when. Until the Council hears the appeal, however, her cannabis businesses remain shut. Read the complete story here.
CHILDREN’S VACCINES: Starting today, children ages 5 through 11 are among those eligible for free COVID-19 vaccinations, regardless of immigration or insurance status. Parents who wish to find a walk-in clinic or make an appointment for a child can go to this website to book appointments or find clinics. Parents with students in Palm Springs Unified School District should be on the lookout for more information about how the district plans to partner with Desert Oasis Healthcare to provide vaccines to students. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the pediatric shots last week, and a CDC advisory committee OK’d them Tuesday morning. CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky gave final approval Tuesday afternoon, making the shots immediately available to those aged 5 through 11.
TURKEYS PROVIDED: Erkies Electrical Heating and Air Conditioning owner Dane Feldman is once again providing free turkeys for those in need in the community. Thanks to Feldman, this year, 400 Thanksgiving dinner tables throughout greater Palm Springs will have a turkey. The “Erkies Turkeys” giveaway was originally launched as a customer appreciation gift, but this year offers the birds to anyone who wants one on their table on Thanksgiving Day. The giveaway will be held on Thursday, November 18, in the Palm Springs Air Museum parking lot, 745 N. Gene Autry Trail, beginning at 3 PM. Volunteers from the museum and Palm Springs Mounted Police Search and Rescue will assist. In honor of their service to the community, onsite donations to the Search and Rescue are encouraged. “Thanksgiving has always been a very special holiday in my family,” says Feldman. “…I want to bring the joy I experience being with my family on Thanksgiving to everyone, and if it starts by providing a turkey for the holiday meal, I’m happy to organize the resources to do it.”
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
PRIDE CONTINUES: Greater Palm Springs Pride, the city’s largest celebration, lasts through Sunday when an annual parade is held downtown. The parade will be broadcast live on PromoHomo.TV’s YouTube channel, with host Nicholas Snow. All week long, expect music, parties, and more throughout Palm Springs as the community gathers to celebrate and honor the strength, equality, and self-determination of the LGBTQ community. Find a complete list of all musical performances here.
MIZELL EVENTS: The Mizell Center, 480 S. Sunrise Way, offers jewelry making, a movie of the week, journaling, and more today. The Mizell Center is located at 480 S. Sunrise Way. A complete list of everything offered can be found online here.
STORY TIME: The Palm Springs Public Library offers story time for preschoolers starting at 10:30 AM via YouTube. Librarian Nancy Valdivia reads stories, sings songs, and shows early learning concepts (Wednesdays in Spanish and Thursdays in English). You can find more information here and watch the YouTube videos here.
WOMEN’S CHAT: The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert offers a chat group for all women — no matter how you identify — to discuss topics of interest and find connections every Thursday at 10:30 AM. You can find information about the event here.
WASTE REDUCTION: The city Sustainability Commission’s Standing Subcommittee on Waste Reduction meets at 2 PM via Zoom. An agenda and participation instructions can be found here.
NOT TEEN TALK: The Palm Springs Public Library’s teen librarian hosts an Instagram Live session each Thursday at 3:30 PM. To follow along, follow @psplteenzone on Instagram here.
FOOD AVAILABLE: FIND Food Bank distributes food in the city today at a community food bank, 610 S. Belardo Rd., between 5 PM and 7 PM, and at the Palm Springs Convention Center, 277 N. Avenida Caballeros, from 4:30 PM until 6 PM. A complete calendar of food distribution in the community this month is available here.
FREE MUSEUM ADMISSION: The Palm Springs Art Museum offers free admission from 5 PM to 7 PM. Tickets are required and can be obtained here.
CITY COUNCIL: The Palm Springs City Council meets in closed session at 3:30 PM, and then in regular session at 5:30 PM. Instructions for participating or viewing the regular meeting, as well as an agenda for both meetings, can be found here.
VILLAGEFEST: The city’s weekly outdoor street fair takes place at 6 PM on Palm Canyon Drive downtown. The event includes vendor booths on both sides of the street, which is closed to vehicular traffic.
LGBTQ+ ARCHIVES: Starting tonight and running all weekend, the newly formed LGBTQ+ History & Archives of the Desert holds its inaugural exhibition, titled “Sharing Our Desert’s LGBTQ+ History,” for free at the Welwood Murray Memorial Library in downtown Palm Springs. The library is located at 100 S. Palm Canyon Drive. The exhibit runs this evening from 6 PM until 8 PM; Friday and Saturday from 10 AM until 5:30 PM; and Sunday from 12 PM until 5:30 PM.
ONGOING & UPCOMING
CRWU CELEBRATION: The Come Ride With Us (CRWU) program will celebrate its anniversary Friday with an event at James O. Jesse Desert Highland Unity Center, 480 W. Tramview Rd., starting at 4 PM. The event will feature food, prizes, a bunny hop contest, bike races and more. The program is run by the city’s Parks & Recreation Department.
INTERFAITH KABBALAT SHABBAT: People of all faith communities and beliefs are invited to join a 2021 Pride Welcoming of the Sabbath Service in person or online Friday at 6:30 PM. The pluralistic online prayer service with a core of Jewish liturgy will include song, ancient poetry, contemporary readings, and meditation led by members of our local clergy. The in-person event is at United Methodist Church of Palm Springs, 1555 E. Alejo Rd. The online live stream can be found here on Facebook Live.
SHREK PERFORMANCES: Palm Canyon Theatre’s production of Shrek The Musical ends this weekend. Showtimes are 7 PM tonight, 8 PM on Friday and Saturday, and 2 PM on Sunday. Children under 12 get in free with proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of the performance. For tickets or other information, call the box office at 760-323-5123 or order online by visiting PalmCanyonTheatre.org. The theater is located at 538 N. Palm Canyon Dr., at the corner of Alejo Road. Box office hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM until 4 PM.
PRIDE RUN: The Palm Springs Pride 5K Run & Walk takes place Saturday at 8 AM. The event is both in-person and virtual for 2021. Registration is available here.
SKATER GIRLZ JAM: Lesbo Expo Presents hosts a woman-identified LGBTQIA+ skateboarding eventon Saturday at Palm Springs Skate Park, 405 S. Pavilion Way. The event includes a skateboarding clinic at 2:30 PM for anyone who wishes to participate. Gates will open for ticket holders and day-of ticket sales at 4:30 PM. The main event gets underway at 5 PM. prizes will be awarded for highest Ollie, longest boardslide in transition, longest manual, dizzy lick flips, youngest ollie, and more. Tickets are available here.
MARILYN THEMED EVENT: The Palm Springs Hash House Harriers is inviting all active-duty military, veterans, their friends, and family to participate in the “Marilyn White Dress Hash” on Saturday from 2 PM until 5 PM. The event starts at Palm Springs American Legion Post 519, 400 N. Belardo Rd.
DOG PARK CLOSURE: The Palm Springs Dog Park behind City Hall will close for annual maintenance next week. The park, located at 3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, will close starting November 11 for seeding and maintenance and is anticipated to reopen on December 20. The Demuth Dog Park, located at 4200 E. Mesquite Ave., will be open seven days a week from dawn until dusk.
VETERANS DAY PARADE: The 24th Annual City of Palm Springs Veterans Day Parade is slated for Thursday, November 11, at 3:30 PM. The parade runs along Palm Canyon Drive. This year’s theme is “Honoring All Who Serve.” Note that VillageFest will not be held that Thursday. For more information, visit www.psveteransdayparade.com.
WELLNESS SUMMIT: Brothers of the Desert is conducting its third annual wellness summit focusing on Black gay men and their allies in the Coachella Valley and beyond in-person (and virtually) on Saturday, November 13, at Margaritaville Resort in Palm Springs, 1600 North Indian Canyon Drive. The one-day event runs from 8:30 AM until 4:30 PM. Registration for the event is available here.
SPEAKER SERIES: The next event in the 3rd Wednesday Speakers Series is November 17 at 5:30 PM at Mizell Center, 480 S. Sunrise Way. A screening of L.A. A Queer History – Where It All Began, a film by Gregorio Davila, will precede a talk with the filmmaker moderated by Brian Blueskye, The Desert Sun’s arts and culture reporter. The screening is afree event. More information is available here.
DESERT JAM: The annual benefit for Palm Springs-based Well in the Desert — Desert Jam 2021: Jammin’ for the Well — is slated for Monday, December 6 at the Agua Caliente Resort Casino ballroom in Rancho Mirage at 6 PM. The Jackson-Garrett Band and a host of other musicians are slated to perform, with Jeanie Cunningham serving as masters of ceremonies. Aside from the music, attendees can expect dinner, live and silent auctions, and a special tribute honoring jazz singer Yve Evans. All proceeds benefit The Well’s work to feed and provide for those experiencing homelessness in our community. More information, including how to purchase tickets for the event can be found here or by calling 760-285-7297.
POLICE AND FIRE EVENT: The Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce is taking reservations for its annual Police & Fire Appreciation Luncheon, held Tuesday, December 7, from 11:30 AM until 1 PM at the Palm Springs Convention Center. More information about tickets and sponsorship opportunities is available here.
COMMUNITY CONNECTION
Want to know what’s happening in your city and at agencies that make decisions affecting your neighborhood? See below for calendars, meeting agendas, and links to all city services, police reports, code enforcement reports, and more:
City of Palm Springs calendar of events | Eventos en Espanol
Official city contacts | Conectar en Espanol
Police Blotter | Submit a police report
Short-term rental map | Code compliance reports | Report a code violation
Palm Springs Public Library calendar of events
Palm Springs Unified School District calendar | Board meetings
Palm Springs High School athletics and other events
Desert Healthcare District Board of Directors meeting agendas
Transgender Health and Wellness Center calendar
LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert programs
Mizell Center calendar of events
Current road projects and closures
Palm Springs Disposal pickup schedule | Holiday schedules
Currently active development projects
