Jan. 15 Daily Briefing: Comedian finds following here, airport floor project, Elvis house, and more

Welcome to Wednesday, and Happy National Bagel Day to all who celebrate! Remember that road closure we told you was slated to occur between midnight and 12 p.m. today? Well, it turns out that’s now happening tomorrow because the contractor doing the work had a delay. So, here’s a new notice that North Indian Canyon Drive from Sunrise Parkway to Garnet will be closed from midnight tonight until 12 p.m. on Thursday. In the meantime, roadwork on portions of Highway 111 throughout the city has — to put it nicely — caught a lot of your attention! For more information about what that’s all about, turn here.

🎶 Setting the mood: “It’s A Shame” by The Spinners

LEADING OFF

Comedian Mina Hartong finds receptive audience in Palm Springs

Mina Hartong, known to fans as Miss Personality, is set to film her comedy special at Revolution Stage Company in Palm Springs this week. The event marks a significant milestone in her career, featuring two sold-out shows with introductions by musical legend Sweet Baby J’ai and comedian Robin Tyler.

Driving the news: Hartong said she chose Palm Springs as the location to film her special because of the wonderful audience she built up when she lived here for three years during the pandemic.

Why it matters: “I’m in comedy to raise the visibility of LGBTQ people and women,” she says. “What I love about comedy is being able to hold the microphone and raise visibility through humor.”

• Despite facing backlash early in her career, Hartong persisted in sharing her experiences, contributing to the normalization of LGBTQ content in comedy.

At issue: Hartong said comedy producers would discourage her from talking about her experience, “[They] would tell me, ‘You shouldn’t do lesbian material. You’re very good, but don’t do that material.’ I kept doing it,” she said. “I ignored that advice and kept going because this was my life, and comedians use that.”

Looking back: Hartong’s comedy career began unexpectedly in Amsterdam in 1994 when she began performing at English language open mics, eventually winning a contest. 

• She gained momentum after encouragement from talk show host Dick Cavett in 2018 and quit her day job as a theater teacher.

More information: While both of Hartong’s shows on Friday are currently sold out, the waiting list for cancellations will start 30 minutes prior to each performance (slated for 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.). More information is available here.

Dive deeper with the full story here.

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BRIEFLY

✈️ Airport flooring renovation aims to honor historic design

Palm Springs International Airport is set to undergo a major interior renovation, replacing existing flooring with terrazzo that matches its historic mid-century modern aesthetic. 

• The Palm Springs Historic Site Preservation Board recently reviewed plans to replace interior flooring at the Donald Wexler Terminal. The existing flooring is a combination of carpeting and non-original terrazzo from 1991.
  
  
• The project includes installing terrazzo flooring throughout the lobby, TSA area, baggage claim, and ticketing areas in two different shades of terrazzo, one lighter shade that more closely matches the original and a darker shade to provide visual variation. Brass dividers between terrazzo sections are proposed, though some board members expressed concerns about their historical accuracy.
  
  
• What’s next: Planners working on the airport project hope that by June they will have plans filed with the appropriate city departments, and they’re hoping to start installation sometime in the fall. They estimate it could take a year to complete.

🏠 Elvis Honeymoon House back on market

The Palm Springs residence where Elvis and Priscilla Presley spent their 1967 honeymoon has been listed for $9.3 million, marking a significant price increase from its last sale at $5.7 million in 2022.

• The modernist home, known as the Alexander Residence, spans 4,700 square feet and features four bedrooms, five bathrooms, and distinctive architectural elements including a butterfly roof and four interconnected circular pods.
  
  
• Current owners Nancy Cirillo and Cary Collins recently renovated the 1960 William Krisel-designed property, updating the interior while preserving its retro-spaceship exterior appearance. Features include terrazzo floors, a sunken living room, and a custom kitchen with white oak cabinetry.
  
  
• Bottom line: The Vista Las Palmas neighborhood property, which Elvis leased for a year before his marriage, includes a pool, spa, and private balcony off the primary suite. The current owners plan to relocate within the Coachella Valley.

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TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

Morning Coffee Book Club
10:30 a.m. | Welwood Murray Memorial Library
Members will discuss “The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas” (Illustrated Edition) by Gertrude Stein and illustrated by Maira Kalman, next month, they’re reading “The Great Believers” by Rebecca Makkai. Join the book club by signing up here.

Tramview Heights Specific Plan Update
5:30 p.m. | James O Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center
Palm Springs invites you to join their next workshop to discuss the Tramview Heights Specific Plan and share your vision for housing, business, open spaces, zoning, and land use.

Open Mic Night
5:30 p.m. | Play Lounge & Cafe
Join Joel Baker on piano and Brian Alec Thom as they sing the night away. Bring your own sheet music for Joel to play. ($10)

Airport Commission
5:30 p.m. | Airport Conference Room
At this meeting, commissioners will discuss updates to the noise committee and on the escalator replacement project.

SAVE THE DATE

• “Fat Ham” at Dezart Performs starting Friday. ($57)
  
  
• “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 …

🐾 Each week, The Post partners with a local animal shelter to feature one or more of the many animal companions ready for a new home in our community. 

Today we invite you to meet Woody, a 2-year-old male shepherd mix. Woody is house trained, good on a leash, interacts well with other dogs, and would benefit from some basic obedience training.

• Staff at the shelter say Woody needs some love and patience to warm up to new people, but once he builds that trust he reveals his affectionate side and personality.

If you’re interested: You can visit the shelter at 4575 E. Mesquite Ave. Hours are 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. on all days except for Mondays (open for intake only) and Thursdays (1 p.m. until 7 p.m.). You can always call the shelter at (760) 416-5718.

• Make sure to check out all the other pets at the shelter here. And get a jump start on adoption by completing the form here.