Jan. 9 Daily Briefing: Statue on the move, SunLine needs your thoughts, one man’s candy crush, and more

TGIF and Happy Quitter’s Day! That’s right — data shows today, the second Friday in January, is when many people abandon their New Year’s resolutions. But don’t let the name get you down — it’s also a great reminder to reset with smaller, more sustainable goals like taking a daily walk instead of overhauling your entire life overnight. You got this! 💪🏼

🎶 Setting the mood: “Shout” by Otis Day and the Knights (If you’re confused by all the “Animal House” references in the video, the movie was filmed at the University of Oregon)

Leading Off

Commission approves Frank Bogert statue’s return to public display

The Palm Springs Public Arts Commission voted 5-1 Thursday (with two abstentions) to relocate the controversial statue of former Mayor Frank Bogert to the Village Green downtown. The decision includes a requirement for educational materials addressing the statue’s history.

Driving the news: The Palm Springs Historical Society will assume all costs for transporting, installing and maintaining the bronze sculpture at the heritage center that houses several historic buildings including the McCallum Adobe and the Historical Society’s Oasis Museum.

Looking back: The statue was removed from City Hall in 2022 following a Human Rights Commission report linking Bogert to the displacement of Section 14 residents in the late 1960s.

• Though the report was never formally accepted, the city went ahead with removing the statue.

Why it matters: The vote highlighted ongoing divisions within the city over how to remember Bogert’s legacy nearly four years after the statue was removed from public view. 

• Opponents, including Section 14 survivors and descendants, called the relocation a betrayal of recent reconciliation efforts.
  
• Supporters argued that Bogert was an essential part of the city’s fabric and that his actions have been unfairly characterized.

What’s next: The placement requires approval from the Historic Site Preservation Board and a written agreement between the city and the historical society. No timeline for installation was provided.

Dive deeper with our complete story

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Briefly

🚌 SunLine seeks public input to reimagine area’s transit

• SunLine Transit Agency has launched a “Rides Reimagined” initiative to gather community input on the future of public transportation in the Coachella Valley. The agency is reviewing its fixed-route bus system, SunRide rideshare program, SunDial paratransit service and other mobility options through a community survey open through Feb. 28.
  
• The year-long initiative will unfold in four phases starting this month, including stakeholder focus groups beginning in March, mobile pop-up events throughout the valley, and development of draft service recommendations in April and May. The agency will present final recommendations in October and November based on community feedback.
  
• Details: Residents are being asked to complete the survey at this website. It should take just a few minutes and enters participants for a chance to win a $100 or $50 gift card. The agency emphasizes every voice matters, whether someone rides daily, occasionally or not at all.

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Your Weekend

MULTIPLE DAYS

• Paradise Road Show 2026 at the Ace Hotel & Swim Club Friday and Saturday ($40)
  
• Debby Holiday at The Purple Room Supper Club Friday and Saturday ($50)
  
• Palm Springs International Film Festival across Palm Springs all weekend
  
• Midnight Orienteering at Rubine Red Gallery all weekend

TODAY

• Intermediate Spanish at Mizell Center at 10:30 a.m. ($100)
  
• Community Clean-Up at James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center at 12 p.m.
  
• Foodie Fridays at the Cultural Center at 5 p.m. 
  
• O Canada! At PS Underground at 7 p.m. ($190)

SATURDAY

• Oswit Canyon Fountain Grass Cleanup off South Palm Canyon at 8 a.m. 
  
• Palm Springs Certified Farmers’ Market at the Cultural Center at 8 a.m. 
  
• Free Document Shredding at Palm Springs Convention Center from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m.
  
• Palm Springs Pugs Meetup at Demuth Park at 10 a.m.
  
• Modern Men’s Chorus Auditions at United Methodist Church at 11 a.m.
  
• Jason Webber’s Piano Riot at Revolution Stage Company at 5 p.m. ($20)
  
• A Night At the Movies at PS Underground at 7 p.m. ($190)
  
• Herman’s Hermits at the Plaza Theatre at 7 p.m. ($87)

SUNDAY

• Giants of Architecture Tour starting on Indian Canyon Drive at 9:30 a.m. ($40)
  
• Mahjong Meetup at the Social Cafe & Play Lounge at 12 p.m. 
  
• Ten-Minute Play Festival at the Revolution Stage Company at 2 p.m. ($25)
  
• The Judy Show! at the Purple Room Supper Club at 5 p.m. ($45)

AND FINALLY …

The Welwood Murray Memorial Library is offering visitors a taste of candy nostalgia with a new display featuring PEZ dispensers from the collection of part-time Palm Springs resident Don Yager, who has been collecting the iconic candy holders for approximately 10 years.

Driving the news: The special PEZ display opened Wednesday in the display cabinets at the downtown library and will remain for approximately six weeks.

• The display traces PEZ’s evolution from a 1927 Austrian peppermint breath mint marketed as an anti-smoking tool to the beloved children’s candy and collector’s item it became in the 1950s with fruit flavors and iconic cartoon heads like Popeye, the first licensed character.

The details: The library is located at 100 South Palm Canyon Drive and features rotating displays throughout the year celebrating local heroes, LGBT icons, authors, and art.

• Viewing is free during regular library hours: Monday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with extended hours on Thursdays until 8 p.m.