Jan. 16 Daily Briefing: Agencies report on fire readiness, Blue Zones stakeholders meet, and more

Welcome to Thursday, everyone. Last weekend, the city was unable to accept electronics at its shredding event. But, if the signs we are seeing around town and at Palm Springs High School are accurate, you’ll be able to drop them off at the school on Sunday for free. The TV and computer recycling event is scheduled from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. in the school parking lot. One of us has an old flatscreen TV and computer monitor that he’ll be loading up, so maybe he’ll see you there!

🎶 Setting the mood: “Sea Gets Hotter” by Durand Jones & The Indications

LEADING OFF

Palm Springs fire and water officials reassure residents of preparedness

Palm Springs Fire Department and Desert Water Agency (DWA) officials say they’re confident in their ability to handle major fire incidents, addressing concerns in the wake of the devastating Los Angeles fires.

Driving the news: Fire Chief Paul Alvarado and DWA representatives presented a comprehensive overview of emergency preparedness efforts at Tuesday’s Organized Neighborhoods of Palm Springs (ONE-PS) meeting.

• Staff from both the agencies explained their pro-active approach, while Alvarado emphasized the differences between Palm Springs’ “light, flashy fuels” and LA’s dense vegetation that burned in high winds.

By the numbers: Aiming to protect both residents and property, the Fire Department completed brush clearance inspections on more than 1,000 parcels in high fire severity zones.

• Meanwhile, DWA maintains 3,589 fire hydrants and employs a sophisticated reservoir system with dedicated fire flow water.

What’s next: The Fire Department plans to hire more firefighters starting next month to increase surge capacity for major incidents.

Yes, but: While water and fire personnel are prepared, residents should be as well. Officials urged residents to sign up for the city’s Everbridge notification system for emergency communications. You can do that online here.

Dive deeper with our complete story here.

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BRIEFLY

🥗 Key stakeholders gather to help kickstart local Blue Zones effort

A diverse group of Palm Springs stakeholders came together Wednesday evening at the Mizell Center to learn about and engage with the newly launched Blue Zones Project, an initiative aimed at improving community well-being through policy changes, environmental improvements, and lifestyle interventions.

• The project, supported by Inland Empire Health Plan, Eisenhower Health, Kaiser Permanente, and Molina Health, comes as data revealed 50% of Palm Springs residents don’t exercise enough, 80% are overweight or obese, and 67% lack sufficient fruit and vegetable intake.
  
  
• Success stories from other communities where Blue Zones was implemented were shared Wednesday evening. They included Redondo Beach, where smoking decreased by 50% and obesity rates fell by 25% over 15 years, according to Beach Cities Health District Director Jacqueline Sun.
  
  
• Next steps: Project leaders here will spend the next six weeks gathering community feedback to develop a blueprint, followed by a community launch event before summer. The initiative will also need three staff members to support policy work and community engagement efforts, working under Geoff Kors, a former mayor and member of the City Council. One of those roles has been filled.

Read the complete story here.

🪩 White Party Palm Springs takes a break in 2025

The White Party Palm Springs announced via a press release that organizers have made the “hard decision to take 2025 off.” However, a spokesperson said the event will continue to grow and evolve and will return in 2026.

• Organizers emphasized this is not a cancellation but an opportunity to consider the future of an event that typically draws more than 30,000 attendees to town. 
  
  
• The spokesman added that organizers felt the original goal of Jeffrey Sanker, the party’s late founder, for starting White Party Palm Springs has been accomplished.
  
  
• Bottom line: “Today, there are multiple safe spaces across the globe and a younger community that no longer hides in the shadows with the need for events like White Party Palm Springs to feel safe,” he said.

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TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

Pet Vaccine Clinic
9:30 a.m. | Palm Springs Animal Shelter
The Palm Springs Animal Shelter invites you to bring in your pet for low-cost vaccines, including vaccines for rabies and canine influenza. They are also offering microchip implantation and registration. ($15-$25)

Nonesuch Nonfiction Book Club
2 p.m. | Palm Springs Public Library
Members of the book club will discuss this month’s pick: “The House of Hidden Meanings” by RuPaul. Next month they’ll discuss “It’s A Gas: The Sublime and Elusive Elements That Expand Our World” by Mark Miodownik. 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.

VillageFest
6 p.m. | Downtown Palm Springs  
The street fair features art, entertainment, shopping, and food.

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 …

The Best Bookstore in Palm Springs has confirmed that the second annual Readers’ Festival is still happening.  The news comes after the store’s owners spent months worrying and crunching numbers and even considered canceling the event. 

Driving the news: The festival, with its lineup of impressive authors, is still on after organizers faced significant challenges, including a tough economic summer and unexpected expenses, which nearly led to cancellation.

What happened: In an email, co-owner Sarah Lacy said she and her partner had to cancel their original, expensive venue. They were at a loss until Palm Springs Special Events Manager Jasmine Waits stepped in and helped them find their new venue, in the same building as the Palm Springs Leisure Center.

The lineup: Notable authors include Lara Love Hardin, Catherine Newman, Sara Sliger, Sarah Hoover, and Manuel Betancourt, among others.

• Local authors Christina Clancy, Byron Lane, and Steven Rowley will co-headline the event.

Details: The festival will be held from Feb. 7 through 9 and tickets can be purchased online for $125 (although only a few currently remain).