Dec. 7 Daily Briefing: Negotiations over hospital stall, book reader festival details announced, new Modernism Week events, and more

Good morning, Palm Springs. As Hanukkah commences tonight, it does so in the shadow of an alarming global surge in antisemitic rhetoric and attacks. This year, the holiday’s poignant message of finding light in times of darkness holds a deeper resonance. The eight-day celebration offers our Jewish readers a time for reflection and hope in these challenging times and we want them to know they are in our thoughts. 

🎶 Setting the mood: “Light One Candle” by Peter, Paul and Mary 

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LEADING OFF

‘We’re at a logjam’: Negotiations over future of Desert Regional stall

The Desert Healthcare District Board of Directors expressed frustrations with the pace of negotiations over the future of Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs Wednesday evening, with its members indicating they are seeking other alternatives.

Zoom out: The district’s current lease agreement with Tenet Healthcare, a for-profit corporation, ends in 2027. Tenet hopes to buy the hospital at the end of a new lease expiring in 2056.

• With state-mandated seismic refurbishments required by 2030, at an estimated cost of $222 million, district officials are trying to find solutions to avoid taxpayers footing the bill.

Zoom in: The 30-year lease presented by Tenet in September would see the company make initial and final $75 million payments as well as annual payments. The payments would total roughly $600 million combined.

Behind the scenes: District officials responded with their concerns to Tenet in early October but have not communicated formally with the company since.

What they’re saying: “Given the lack of progress in our talks, we believe we have a duty on behalf of the community that we serve to explore alternatives to a lease extension with Tenet,” stated a letter to Tenet that was read aloud during the meeting.

Looking ahead: A consultant for the district, Steve Hollis, explained that before the district can look at other options, it needs data about the hospital that Tenet owns.

• “We’re at a logjam,” Hollis said. “We’re not proceeding in the discussion with Tenet. We need to talk with others, but we don’t have the data we need to enable us to talk with others.”

What to watch for: In addition to sending a formal letter to Tenet, the board also voted to direct staff to present them with a consultant to determine how to take back the hospital. 

• Any decision on the hospital’s future will need significant public input and a public vote, adding to the time crunch. 
• The district estimates the earliest possible date for the public to vote on any transaction would be November 2024. 

Dive deeper with our full story here.

BRIEFLY

🏠 New attractions announced for Modernism Week 2024

Modernism Week has expanded its already robust lineup for February 2024 to include new home tours, exclusive events, and interactive talks in Palm Springs.

• Kicking off on Feb. 15, the 11-day festival will have more than 350 events, including tours of iconic Palm Springs homes, architectural bus tours, fashion events, and entertaining nightly parties.
  
  
• The additions include engaging talks like “Stunning in Sunmor,” detailing a Palmer and Krisel home’s remodel; a 25th-anniversary celebration of “Palm Springs Modern” at the Palevsky residence in the Little Tuscany neighborhood; and new free tours, including one on bike through South Palm Springs.
  
  
• Bottom line: With some events filling up fast due to limited space, interested attendees are encouraged to purchase tickets right away at modernismweek.com.

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FEATURED EVENTS

Coffee with a Cop
8 a.m. | Play Lounge & Cafe
The Palm Springs Police Department regularly holds these coffee with a cop sessions to give residents the opportunity to meet and chat with neighborhood officers to learn more about their jobs.

Waste Reduction subcommittee
2:30 p.m. | City Hall
According to the agenda, subcommittee members will hear more about the Palm Springs Disposal Service’s progress on the state’s requirement for better organic waste disposal.

VillageFest
6 p.m. | Downtown Palm Springs
The weekly street fair features art, entertainment, shopping, and food. The Palm Springs Art Museum also has free admission tonight starting at 5 p.m.

Machine Dreams: “A.I. Artificial Intelligence”
7 p.m. | Palm Springs Cultural Center
The Cultural Center continues its cinematic voyage into the world of artificial intelligence with 2001’s “A.I. Artificial Intelligence,” starring Haley Joel Osment as a robotic boy programmed to love. ($12)

SAVE THE DATE

• American Legion toy giveaway for parents starting on Thursday.
  
  
• Friends of the Palm Springs Library Holiday Bazaar on Saturday.
  
  
• Sip, Shop, Swim holiday market on Saturday.
  
  
• Palm Springs Animal Shelter Tail-A-Thon on Dec. 14.
  
  
• Ed Begley, Jr. book signing (rescheduled) on Dec. 17.
  
  
• Snowtopia at Palm Springs Air Museum starting Dec. 19.
  
  
• “Die Hard” at the Cultural Center on Dec. 24.

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AND FINALLY …

📚 The Best Bookstore in Palm Springs is set to launch the inaugural Palm Springs Readers’ Festival, promising a diverse and engaging literary experience from Feb. 2 to 4, 2024.

Driving the news: Organized in partnership with Sarah Lacy and Paul Carr, the festival aims to deliver thought-provoking discussions, workshops, and panels focused on literary voices representative of the Coachella Valley’s reading community.

In context: The two came up with the idea after seeing the lineup for the 2024 Rancho Mirage Writers’ Festival, which includes President Trump’s Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, anti-trans writer Bari Weiss, and President George W. Bush’s deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove.

• At the time, Carr said it’s “ridiculous and frankly embarrassing,” that a festival with that kind of lineup is the highest profile literary gathering in the valley, “a region that’s home to the gayest, most liberal city on the planet.” 

Looking ahead: The Readers’ Festival lineup features New York Times best sellers, Pulitzer Prize finalists, and prominent authors, including Angie Kim, Jasmine Guillory, and Chris Pavone, with more names to be revealed later.

Details: Scheduled across from Best Bookstore at Hotel Zoso, the festival offers All-Access Passes for $150, alongside other to-be-announced free and discounted options for students.

• Ticket sales begin on Dec. 11 on the store’s website.