Jan. 14 Daily Briefing: Los Angeles evacuees land here, help for city baseball fields, and more

Welcome to Tuesday, where we have yet another traffic heads up to tell you about. If you use North Indian Canyon Drive to reach Interstate 10 or Desert Hot Springs, you’ll want to note that it will be closed between Sunrise Parkway and Garnet Avenue from 12 a.m. (midnight) tonight until 12 p.m. (noon) on Wednesday. The closure is due to ongoing work to widen the roadway and install a new bridge over railroad tracks. For more information about the Indian Canyon Bridge Project, visit this website.

🎶 Setting the mood: “Laredo” by Leon Bridges

LEADING OFF

LA fire evacuees find refuge, support in Palm Springs

Thousands of Los Angeles residents have fled to Palm Springs and surrounding desert communities as devastating fires force mass evacuations in that city. Local businesses and hotels are mobilizing to support the influx of displaced residents seeking shelter from the disaster that has already destroyed 12,000 structures and claimed two dozen lives.

Driving the news: Nearly 100,000 people are under evacuation orders in Los Angeles as fires continue to spread, with many choosing Palm Springs as their temporary home due to its proximity and safe conditions.

By the numbers: The crisis has triggered a sharp rise in local hotel occupancy, with many reporting they are at full capacity.

• At Hyatt Palm Springs, many evacuees are extending their stays due to ongoing uncertainty. Hotel staff were initially overwhelmed but said Monday that now, “It’s just a lot of uncertainty.” 

The response: Not only are local hotels offering discounted rates and waiving pet fees, but other local businesses are organizing support efforts. Those efforts range from free flower deliveries to supply drives filling trucks that then head to Los Angeles.

The impact: Evacuees face uncertain futures as they await news about their homes. Among those we spoke to Monday were Victoria Malone and her husband, who fled their Malibu home and spent days trying to determine if their house survived, relying on crowdsourced information and social media updates.

• “I’m devastated for LA,” Malone said. “I’m devastated for everyone in Malibu and Pacific Palisades and Altadena.”

Bottom line: As more assistance efforts spring up throughout the desert, the city has launched a dedicated web page to coordinate local efforts as the city continues to offer refuge for those displaced by the fires.

Read Maggie Miles’ complete story online

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BRIEFLY

📚 Palm Springs celebrates Black authors with free community event

Mark your calendars because the Palm Springs Public Library and Mizell Center are teaming up to present “Our Voices Our Stories: Celebrating Black Authors,” a free community event to kick off Black History Month.

• The event aims to spotlight Black authors and their contributions to literature, featuring a lineup of notable writers and local community members. Actress and author Jenifer Lewis, who starred in “Black-ish” is the featured keynote speaker. 
  
  
• There will be a hosted lunch for the first 100 registrants and the Best Bookstore in Palm Springs will be on hand with a selection of titles from the featured authors, along with local Black writers.
  
  
• Details: The event is on Feb. 1 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is a free event, but registration is required due to limited seating. Register online here.

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TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

Lunchtime Music On The Patio
11:30 a.m | Welwood Murray Memorial Library
Every Tuesday in January, the Welwood Murray Memorial Library downtown is offering a chill lunchtime live music program from the Simon Duo, with Adriana Simon on vocals and Robert Simon on acoustic guitar.

ONE-PS Monthly Meeting
4:30 p.m. | Online and in-person
The Organized Neighborhoods of Palm Springs (ONE-PS) holds its monthly meeting to discuss neighborhood issues with city council members, public safety officers, and others.

Melba Miller’s Jazz Oasis
5:30 p.m. | Cultural Center
Join songstress Melba Miller and special guests for an evening dedicated to serious listeners and lovers of Jazz. ($22)

VillageFest Board
5:30 p.m. | Palm Springs City Hall
The VillageFest Board consists of seven members appointed by the City Council. The Board typically meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month.

SAVE THE DATE

• Tramview Heights Specific Plan Update at James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center on Wednesday.
  
  
• “A Very Sordid Wedding” at Palm Canyon Theatre starting Friday. ($32)
  
  
• “The Light in the Piazza”at Coachella Valley Repertory starting Jan. 22. ($90)
  
  
• An Evening with figure skater Randy Gardner at the Cultural Center on Jan. 23. ($27)
  
  
• Desert Open Studios 2025 starting Jan. 24.
  
  
• “Addicted Idol” staged reading at Revolution Stage Company on Jan. 25. ($10)
  
  
• Community Clean-Up event at the James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center on Jan. 25.
  
  
• Palm Springs Health Run & Wellness Festival on Jan. 25.
  
  
• “Racist Trees” film screening at the Cultural Center on Feb. 16. ($28)

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AND FINALLY …

Professional sports field managers converged on Palm Springs’ Demuth Park Monday to deliver a state-of-the-art renovation of its baseball fields. 

Driving the news: Roughly 80 expert volunteers attending Sports Field Management Association’s (SFMA) 36th annual conference in the city this week completely transformed the ballfield in less than four hours.

• The free renovation, included installation of a new pitcher’s mound, home plate, and bases, as well as irrigation repairs.

Why it matters: Prior to the work kicking off, those who gathered at the project site were told that green spaces and athletic fields are vital to urban communities, shaping brighter futures and transforming lives.

• The project also showcased industry expertise while benefiting young athletes.

Details: Project EverGreen, SFMA, and staff from the city’s Parks and Recreation Department collaborated on the initiative, which not only transformed Field 4, but also included some improvements to fields 1, 2, and 3.