Feb. 22 Daily Briefing: Pause on some projects at PSP, Navigation Center tour scheduled, and more

Welcome to Thursday, where we’ve got a warning from Palm Springs police. Yesterday, the department posted a message on social media alerting the community to the fact they are not affiliated with and do not accept any funding from the U.S. Deputy Sheriff’s Association (USDSA). So, if you get a donation form in the mail from USDSA asking you to help pay for bulletproof vests for the city’s officers, please note that, if you donate, none of your money will actually go to the PSPD. The city pays for their bulletproof vests and they have all they need.

🎶 Setting the mood: “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” by Beyoncé

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LEADING OFF

One PSP expansion plan paused as FAA withdraws $5.7 million grant

The planned renovation and expansion of the Palm Springs International Airport’s (PSP) baggage claim area, which was set to begin construction next year, is now on pause after the Federal Aviation Administration rescinded a $5.7 million grant it had previously awarded.

Catch up fast: One year ago, the FAA informed PSP that it had been awarded the funds as part of the national Airports Terminal Program under the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

• The plan calls for an expansion of the baggage claim and rental car area to meet an expected increase in passengers in the coming decades.

Driving the news: Earlier this month, the FAA told airport officials that because the environmental review for the project has taken over a year, they had rescinded the grant and awarded it to another airport.

At issue: The environmental review process is taking so long because the Donald Wexler-designed terminal building was added to the National Historic Register. “That requires a couple of different layers of additional scrutiny,” said PSP Executive Director Harry Barrett.

What we know: Barrett said they don’t believe the FAA’s action will impact the project, but airport officials are “taking a breath” and examining the timing of other projects and how they’ll be affected.

Next up: PSP can reapply for the grant again next year, but the FAA said there’s no guarantee that they’ll get the funds.

In the meantime: PSP officials and consultants are still in communication with the FAA about the decision, “We don’t think their interpretation is completely accurate,” said Barrett. “We think there’s a misunderstanding there but we need additional information from the FAA.”

BRIEFLY

🏠 Navigation Center open house planned in March

The city of Palm Springs, in collaboration with Martha’s Village and Kitchen, is set to unveil the first phase of the Palm Springs Navigation Center, a project designed to assist the homeless population and facilitate their transition to permanent housing.

• The open house event, scheduled for March 12 at 11 a.m. at 3589 McCarthy Rd. will provide community members an opportunity to learn about the center’s mission and services.
  
  
• Plans call for the facility to operate as a low-barrier, service-enriched shelter, with a primary focus on transitioning individuals into safe, reliable housing.
  
  
• Details: For additional information about the project, visit this page on the city website.

⚾ Winter League players receive pro contracts

Twentynine players from the 2024 California Winter League (CWL) season have received professional baseball contract offers from Major League Baseball Partner Leagues, including the Frontier League, Pioneer League, Atlantic League, and the USPBL.

• All 16 teams in the Frontier League have extended at least one contract offer to a player from the CWL this season, including 2024 batting champion Alejandro Lara, who signed with the Windy City ThunderBolts, and Ayura Kobayashi and Allan Goodwin from the British Columbia Bombers, who will join the Florence Y’alls.
  
  
• Zoom in: Since its inception in 2010, the CWL, which plays it games in Palm Springs, has seen more than 850 players secure professional contracts.

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TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

Sugar Shack: A Blues & Soul-Inspired Night Session
5:30 p.m. | Palm Springs Art Museum
Embark on a blues-inspired Night Session that will have you swaying to the rhythm. Featuring the legendary Norman Carter, former lead singer of the iconic Delfonics. 

Parks and Recreation Community Workshop
5:30 p.m. | Palm Springs Pavilion
Palm Springs wants your input in creating the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. The Master Plan will shape the future of parks in the city. This is the first in a series of community workshops. 

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.

“Something Rotten!”
7 p.m. | Palm Canyon Theatre
In this mash-up of sixteenth-century Shakespeare and twenty-first-century Broadway, brothers Nick and Nigel are desperate to write a hit play but are stuck in the shadow of the master playwright known as “The Bard.” ($38)

“Witchland”
7 p.m. | Revolution Stage Company
“Witchland” combines elements of traditional theatrical storytelling with immersive haunted elements. The story is based on the author’s experiences growing up in Richland, Washington, deemed the most toxic place in the Western Hemisphere. ($25)

SAVE THE DATE

• Dann Foley Lifestyle Pop-Up Shop Opening on Saturday.
  
  
• Desert Pet Walk benefitting Palm Springs Animal Shelter on Saturday.
  
  
• Palm Springs International Jazz Festival on Feb. 24 and 25.
  
  
• Mizell Center Third Wednesday Speaker Series on Feb. 28.
  
  
• An evening with PSIPC and Friends on Feb. 29.

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AND FINALLY …

Christian Cooper, renowned author and birder, will share insights into his activism for civil rights, environmental conservation, and LGBT rights during the Mizell Center’s third Wednesday Speaker Series.

Context: He was thrust into the spotlight in 2020 when a white woman in New York City’s Central Park weaponized race by threatening to call the police when he asked her to obey park policy by putting a leash on her dog.

• Cooper has since channeled this experience into his autobiography, a PBS show on birding, and efforts to increase African American participation in birding.

Driving the news: Cooper’s upcoming discussion will not only explore his personal journey through activism but also address how his experiences with racism and homophobia have shaped his advocacy work.

Background: Cooper is a Harvard-educated comics and science writer and editor.

Details: Cooper will be in conversation with Lorenzo Taylor. The event is on Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. with a reception at 5:30. Tickets are $10 for Mizell members and $15 for anyone else. Get tickets here.