Dec. 11 Daily Briefing: Warehouse project addressed, new mayor seated, youth celebrated, and more

Happy Thursday! Tonight’s the night to experience a throwback TV event — the Third Annual Tail-A-Thon runs from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. on NBC Palm Springs, bringing back the classic telethon format with live hosts, ringing phones, and real-time donation totals to raise funds for the Palm Springs Animal Shelter and Desert Wildlife Center. If you remember the days when Jerry Lewis worked the phones for hours on end, you’ll appreciate this retro-style fundraiser with a local animal rescue twist. Save 760-278-7709 in your Rolodex and call in when the time is right!

🎶 Setting the mood: “Green Peppers” by Herb Alpert

LEADING OFF

Council advances review of 2.85M square-foot warehouse on tribal land

The Palm Springs City Council adopted a conformity report Wednesday for a massive warehouse complex proposed on Agua Caliente tribal land in north Palm Springs, a required step that enables the city to submit recommendations and request a joint meeting with the tribe.

Driving the news: The Desert Mountain View Business Park would bring four warehouse buildings totaling 2.85 million square feet to 217 acres of tribal trust land west of Tipton Road, between Interstate 10 and Highway 111.

• Developer Shopoff Realty Investments operates under a long-term ground lease with the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, the landowner and lead agency.

Why it matters: The council has no authority to approve or deny the project due to tribal sovereignty, but can review and recommend nonbinding conditions under a 1998 land-use agreement.

• The council concluded the project doesn’t conform with the city’s General Plan, which designates the land as open space.

What they’re saying: Over 20 residents spoke against the project Wednesday, citing concerns about truck traffic, air pollution and desert landscape disruption.

• “What you’ve heard tonight is not anger, it is care,” said Oswit Land Trust founder Jane Garrison, calling it the “largest industrial project ever proposed near our city.”

The latest: City Manager Scott Stiles apologized for late public notice, with many community members first learning about the project Friday when the council agenda was published.

What’s next: A joint meeting between the city and tribe will likely occur in January or February, with final tribal action expected in late winter or spring.

Dive deeper with Erin Rodes’ complete story

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BRIEFLY

👩‍⚖️ Soto sworn in as latest Palm Springs mayor

• Naomi Soto was unanimously appointed as Palm Springs’ 28th mayor Wednesday, with her husband administering the oath of office before a packed Council Chamber. David Ready was appointed mayor pro tem, both for one-year terms.
  
• Outgoing Mayor Ron deHarte praised Soto’s qualifications and reflected on a “busy and challenging year” during his tenure. Soto thanked deHarte and emphasized her vision for making Palm Springs accessible and equitable for residents at all life stages, from young families to retirees.
  
• Bottom line: Soto outlined her focus on continuing long-term projects including airport modernization, convention center updates, road paving and downtown investment. “This year may be short, but let’s stay focused on the work that we can move forward,” she said.

Dive deeper with our complete story

⛳ Council freezes golf fees after resident pushback

• The Palm Springs City Council voted Wednesday to halt a planned resident rate increase at Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort following objections from residents. The city manager issued an administrative order pausing the hike and backdated it to Dec. 1 to ensure no golfers were overcharged.
  
• Council members unanimously approved the measure to freeze current rates and praised both residents for speaking up and staff for responding quickly to community concerns. The rates had been approved to increase up to 73%.
  
• Bottom line: The decision keeps golf affordable for locals at one of the city’s most popular recreational facilities, with officials pledging a more transparent process for any future fee proposals.

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TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

Dream Community Meeting
9 a.m. | Convention Center
A community meeting designed to give residents an update on the Dream Hotel project, a mixed-use project involving 155 hotel rooms and 89 condos and townhomes in Downtown Palm Springs.

Lesbian and Queer Women’s Chat
10:30 a.m. | Virtual
This chat group is a welcoming place to find friendship, laughter, support, and understanding.

Birds Beyond the Binary
3 p.m. | Mizell Center
Speaker Lindsay Rowe, senior education coordinator for Audubon California’s Salton Sea & Desert Program, will lead this discussion about how many species on Earth are capable of exhibiting characteristics humans have described as “Queer.” 

Animal Shelter Tail-A-Thon
4 p.m. | Virtual
Get ready to dial, donate, and make a life-changing impact! The Third Annual Tail-A-Thon, benefitting the Palm Springs Animal Shelter and the Desert Wildlife Center, brings back the charm of the old-school telethon with live hosts, ringing phones, feel-good stories, surprise moments, and nonstop fun.

PS Woman’s Club Walk of the Inns Bake Sale
4 p.m. | Palm Springs Woman’s Club
The 170 members have created every kind of delicious holiday goodie you can think of, and this year they will also be having a raffle and silent auction to support the college scholarship fund benefiting PSHS graduates.

Art Museums Free Admission
5 p.m. | Palm Springs Art Museums 
From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., enjoy free admission to galleries and exhibitions, and explore the collections at both museums at your own pace. 

VillageFest
6 p.m. | Downtown Palm Springs  
The street fair features art, entertainment, shopping, and food. 

Plaid Tidings
7 p.m. | Revolution Stage Company
This production is not just another Christmas show; it is a heartfelt, hilarious, and harmonically flawless journey that captures the very essence of seasonal joy, making it the can’t-miss theatrical event of the year. ($33) 

View all events here

SAVE THE DATE

• Fundraiser for Shop with a Cop at Palm Springs Tennis Club on Friday.
  
• Psychedelic Society documentary “Last Journey” on Saturday.
  
• Palm Springs Police Department Blood Drive on Dec. 16.
  
• Palm Springs Speaks with Rob Reiner on Dec. 16.
  
• Palm Springs Santa Pub Crawl on Dec. 18.
  
• Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus food drive outside The Plaza Theatre Dec. 19-21.

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AND FINALLY …

The O’Donnell Golf Club in Downtown palm Springs traded its usual tee times for something more meaningful Tuesday evening, hosting 10 outstanding young leaders from the Boys & Girls Club of Palm Springs for a celebration dinner.

Driving the news: The honorees — Da’Mien Bordeaux, Jayda Canales, Blanca Hernandez, Luis Hernandez, Maia Houston, Allison Arias Parra, Giselle Arias Parra, Liam Parris, Damian Ramirez-Sandoval and Rigoberto Valdivia — enjoyed appetizers, dinner and a behind-the-scenes kitchen tour led by Chef Woo and Jacy Bennett, both O’Donnell staff members and Boys & Girls Club alumni.

The extras: Before dinner, the teens got a private shopping experience at Wil Stiles, where owners Molly and Wil Stiles opened after hours to help them select attire for the event.

• An anonymous Boys & Girls Club board member donated $100 per participant for the shopping spree.

Who showed up: Palm Springs Councilmember Ron deHarte attended on his final evening as mayor, while O’Donnell Golf Club Board President Ken Talmage delivered remarks emphasizing the club’s commitment to supporting young people.

Why it matters: Margaret Keung, CEO/Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club, noted the collaboration reflected “the strength and generosity of the Palm Springs community.”