Jan. 7 Daily Briefing: Students prep for transformative tours, Biden in desert, library concerts, and more

Happy Tuesday, everyone! If you’re a bus rider, you’ll want to note several changes that went into place on Sunday, including a few that involve SunLine Transit Agency service in Palm Springs. Fortunately, most of the changes are only minor schedule adjustments to improve transfer connections between routes and service reliability. You can check out the entire list of changes and plan your trips accordingly here. 

🎶 Setting the mood: “DARE” by Gorillaz

LEADING OFF

Local students to embark on transformative college tour

Palm Springs Unified School District’s African American Parent Advisory Council is gearing up for its fourth annual college tour program. This year, the tour combines visits to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) for the first time.

Driving the news: In April 2025, 48 selected 11th-grade students will embark on a fully-funded trip to explore universities on the East Coast, including Norfolk State University, Howard University, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Maryland, and Morgan State University.

Why it matters: Many participants would be first-generation college students and are from economically challenged backgrounds, making this trip a crucial stepping stone in their educational journey.

• The tour exposes students to diverse campus cultures and helps make college feel more attainable.

What they’re saying: “To see the looks on these children’s faces — for many of them, it’s their first time flying, for many of them it’s their first time being away from mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, or whomever their guardian may be,” says Jarvis Williams, coordinator of family community engagement for the district.

• He added that students are paired with roommates from other schools during the trip, creating opportunities for new friendships. “So they’re getting engulfed in a truly rich pre-college experience.” 

The impact: Students who have attended previous tours have gone on to be accepted and even attend some of the schools on the tour. 

Go deeper: Beyond campus visits, students will engage with political figures in Virginia and Washington, D.C., and explore cultural sites like the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

More information: You can support students taking these trips by making a tax-free donation to The Foundation for the Palm Springs Unified School District, where 100% of funds will go directly to students. Click here to make your donation.

• “We solicit the community because we know that when the community stands behind these children, they don’t just see my parents and the school district, but the community is rallying behind me, and we know that some of our kids can benefit from that extra money,” says Williams. 

Dive deeper with Maggie Miles’ complete story here.

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BRIEFLY

🏜️ Biden to visit the Coachella Valley today

President Joe Biden is set to visit the Coachella Valley today as a part of his creation of two new national monuments in the state. Locally, the designation will protect over 620,000 acres of desert woodlands and washes, preserving critical habitats and sacred tribal sites.

• The president landed in Los Angeles late Monday evening and will spend the morning in that area before departing for the Thermal airport shortly after Noon. Once there, he is expected to announce the creation of the national monuments. He is not expected to pass through Palm Springs.
  
  
• In establishing the Chuckwalla National Monument south of Joshua Tree National Park and the the Sáttítla National Monument in Northern California, Biden will make drilling, mining and other energy- and industrial-related activity illegal in the areas.
  
  
• Details: When established, the new national monument here will protect approximately 627,000 acres of federal public lands that reach from the Coachella Valley in the west to the Colorado River in the east. Both areas are of cultural significance to tribal nations and Indigenous peoples.

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TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

Palm Springs International Film Festival
The 36th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival starts today and there are screenings of films, new and old, all weekend, as well as the festival’s “Talking Pictures” conversations with actors and directors.  

Queer Colon Care Collective
5 p.m. | Virtual
This support group is open to LGBTQ+ colorectal cancer patients, survivors, or caregivers. Organizers will offer resources and a sense of community in a safe place to share experiences. 

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)

Palm Springs Historic Site Preservation Board
5:30 p.m. | City Hall
Board members will meet to go over applications for alterations to historically significant properties or nominations for new historic properties. Check out the agenda here.

SAVE THE DATE

• Rock The Park with Led Zepagain on Wednesday in Downtown Park.
  
  
• Free shredding at the convention center on Jan. 11.
  
  
• Coachella Valley Media Hall of Fame luncheon on Jan. 14.
  
  
• “A Very Sordid Wedding” at Palm Canyon Theatre starting Jan. 17. ($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.
  
  
• 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.

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AND FINALLY …

The Welwood Murray Memorial Library in Downtown Palm Springs is launching a free weekly music program on Tuesdays this month.

Driving the news: The Palm Springs Public Library is expanding its programming with this community-focused event, bringing live music to the heart of downtown.

• The series starts today and continues throughout the month.

Learn more: The Simon Duo, a guitarist and vocalist, will perform on the library’s patio from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., offering a relaxing lunchtime experience for downtown visitors.

• The patio is located just behind the library building.

The performers: The Simon Duo, consisting of Adriana Simon (vocals) and Robert Simon (acoustic guitar), brings 15 years of experience to the series.

• The duo has released three albums and boasts impressive musical credentials.