Dec. 19 Daily Briefing: Leaders look ahead, residents reshape ‘Tramview Heights,’ popular clerk remembered, and more

Welcome to Thursday, where we’re giving you an early heads up that if you see a lot of Marines around town Friday morning, don’t worry—it’s all for a good reason! The USO is hosting a special send-off at Palm Springs International Airport starting at 6 a.m., with meals, snacks, and treats for 500-700 Marine students from Twentynine Palms as they head home for the holidays. Want to help support the USO? Click here!

🎶 Setting the mood: “Alaska” by Maggie Rogers

LEADING OFF

City manager outlines ambitious agenda for 2025

City Manager Scott Stiles is gearing up for a busy 2025, with several major projects set to come to fruition and new initiatives on the horizon in Palm Springs.

Driving the news: Stiles has identified the upcoming two-year budget as a top priority, emphasizing the need to prioritize projects and resources while maintaining momentum on various initiatives.

On deck: The city manager said the first part of his year will be dominated by budget planning, but he hopes to prioritize projects and resources while maintaining momentum on various initiatives.

Priorities: Public safety remains a priority as the city explores locations for a new downtown fire station. Stiles anticipates potential sites will be presented to the City Council in February. Economic development is also top of mind, as the city considers how to diversify beyond a tourism-based economy.

• He referenced projects like the proposed warehouses and opportunities for a budding tech industry as possible ideas.

Other key projects:

• The reopening of the Historic Plaza Theatre, slated for December 2025
  
  
• The full opening of the Thompson Hotel, with its second phase completed in January
  
  
• Major renovations to the city’s library, set to begin in March
  
  
• New pickleball courts, with timeline and construction approach under discussion

What they’re saying: “We’re becoming a little bit of a younger city, a younger region,” Stiles noted. “We’re becoming more year-round than I think we’ve ever been The challenge is keeping up with everything,” he said. “The only way to do that is to accelerate and step on the gas, try to keep going.”

Dive deeper with our complete story online here. 

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BRIEFLY

🏘️ Neighbors helping reimagine ‘Tramview Heights’ area

Residents in north Palm Springs are actively reshaping the future of what is now being called Tramview Heights in planning documents through a series of community workshops, focusing on transforming zoning and land use for an area currently lacking essential services. 

• The second of three planned meetings Tuesday evening engaged community members in designing a new vision for an area formerly dubbed College Park. The planning process covers four neighborhoods from Highway 111 to Indian Canyon Drive.
  
  
• Participants in Tuesday’s meeting, in workshop format, expressed strong desires for affordable housing, senior living options, and commercial developments along Indian Canyon Drive, while specifically rejecting additional fast-food restaurants, convenience stores, and cannabis operations.
  
  
• Next steps: A final workshop is scheduled for Jan. 15, after which consulting firm Terra Nova will draft a specific plan incorporating community input. City officials noted this effort runs parallel to a broader zoning code update for Palm Springs, with additional mobile engagement planned to ensure comprehensive community representation.

Dive deeper with our complete story

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TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

Nonesuch Nonfiction Book Club
2 p.m. | Palm Springs Public Library
Members of the book club will discuss this month’s pick: “How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence” by Michael Pollan. Find out how to join the book club here.

Art Museum Free Admission
5 p.m. | Palm Springs Art Museum 
From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., enjoy free admission to galleries and exhibitions, and explore the collection at your own pace. Then, head outside to the sculpture garden, where a DJ will set the mood with a carefully curated playlist that blends genres and eras. 

Measure J Oversight Commission
5:30 p.m. | City Hall
At this month’s regular meeting, commissioners will discuss updates on community initiated projects and an update on the budget.

VillageFest
6 p.m. | Downtown Palm Springs  
The street fair features art, entertainment, shopping, and food. Tonight, there will be an opportunity to have cookies with Mrs. Claus.

Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus: “Fa La La Fabulous” Holiday Spectacular
7 p.m. | Palm Springs Art Museum
PSGMC’s annual December concert has truly become the “must-see show” of the holiday season. The program will include plenty of traditional holiday fare along with new arrangements, and some truly unexpected and fabulous surprises. The performance runs through Sunday. ($35)

“Mary Poppins”
7 p.m. | Palm Canyon Theatre
The Palm Canyon Theatre presents “Mary Poppins” and invites theatergoers to England in 1910 where the magical Mary Poppins flies in on the wind, bringing with her a combination of whimsy and disciplined common sense to the Banks children’s lives. Running through Dec. 22. ($40)

“The 39 Steps”
7 p.m. | CV Repertory
Mix a Hitchcock movie masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python comedic flair and you have “The 39 Steps”, a fast-paced whodunit for anyone who loves the magic of theatre. ($55)

Skippy ‘n Bitsy’s All-Star Christmas TV Extravaganza
7 p.m. | Cultural Center
Skippy and Bitsy are taping their 1969 TV Christmas Special in front of a live studio audience, which is you! ($40)

SAVE THE DATE

• Desert Film Society Screenings on Saturday.
  
  
• Community Giving Day at the Palm Springs High School football field on Saturday.
  
  
• Blue Christmas Interfaith Service at the Church of St. Paul in the Desert on Saturday.
  
  
• Snowtopia at the Palm Springs Air Museum on Saturday and Sunday.
  
  
• Free screening of “The Muppet Christmas Carol” on Sunday.
  
  
• Hanukkah candle lighting and latkes on Dec. 29 at Gré Coffee House & Art Gallery.
  
  
• Art in the Park in the Dark at DeMuth Park on Dec. 31.

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AND FINALLY …

Richard VanWinkle, a much-loved employee at Albertsons off Sunrise Way, was remembered by over 100 community members Wednesday for his kindness and dedication during a career that spanned over three decades at the store. 

Driving the news: VanWinkle, who died after being struck by a vehicle earlier this month, was celebrated in a sunset gathering outside his former workplace.

• Known for his friendly greetings and joyful demeanor, his coworkers and customers said the 72-year-old who had recently retired was not just a hard-working clerk: He was a kind spirit and peaceful soul who left a lasting impression on anyone he encountered.

What they’re saying: “He would have loved this,” coworker Jennifer Rawlings told the crowd that gathered Wednesday to celebrate his life. “He really loved his job, and he loved all of you. You were his family.”

The celebration: After brief remarks by some in attendance, the event concluded with the release of balloons, many bearing handwritten messages expressing how VanWinkle touched many lives in the community.

What’s next: VanWinkle will be formally laid to rest at a later date.