June 11 Daily Briefing: Pickleball project, pets and heat, a new school superintendent, and more

Welcome to Wednesday, everyone! Did you check out the full moon last night or early this morning? If you did, you may not have given it much thought. Still, it was a rather unique occurrence known as a Strawberry Moon. A Strawberry Moon — named by Indigenous peoples for the short strawberry harvest season — happens each June. But the one last night was the lowest full moon in nearly two decades. It won’t be that low again until 2043. Didn’t catch the action? Check out some pictures here.

🎶 Setting the mood:  “San Franciscan Nights” by Gábor Szabó

LEADING OFF

Commission delays pickleball complex approval over noise concerns

The Palm Springs Planning Commission postponed approval Tuesday of a proposed 16-court commercial pickleball facility near the airport. Commissioners voted 6-1 to delay the decision, citing concerns about noise impacts on nearby residents and requesting additional studies.

Zoom in: PPUSA, LLC wants to build the recreational complex at the southwest corner of Avenida Evelita and Airport Center Drive, featuring 13 competitive courts, three recreational courts and a concession building.

• The facility would operate from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily as a private club open to the public with memberships and day passes.

Yes, but: Commissioners said they were worried that pickleball’s sharp, frequent sounds from harder paddles and balls could violate the city’s noise ordinance during restricted morning and evening hours.

• The nearest residential properties sit about 200 feet away, but commissioners want professional acoustical studies before approval.

What’s next: Developers must return with noise mitigation analysis, parking circulation fixes, and traffic access clarification at Ramon Road and Avenida Evelita.

Bigger picture: The project reflects growing pickleball demand in Palm Springs, where players face crowded conditions at existing city facilities.

• The city recently approved building temporary courts while it works on doubling Demuth Park’s courts from 12 to 24 during an eight-month renovation starting later this year.

Dive deeper with our complete story

BRIEFLY

🎓 It’s official: School district selects new superintendent

The Palm Springs Unified School District Board of Education unanimously selected Dr. Marcus Funchess as the district’s next superintendent during a closed session vote Tuesday evening, with his employment set to begin July 1 following Dr. Tony Signoret’s retirement.

• The board will vote on Funchess’ employment agreement at its June 24 meeting. He currently serves as assistant superintendent of human resources at the San Bernardino City Unified School District, where he previously worked as director of human resources, elementary principal, assistant principal and teacher.
  
• “Due to his stellar reputation and demonstration of integrity, strong focus on equity for all students and history of establishing and maintaining relationships among staff and community, the board is confident that Dr. Funchess is the right person to lead us forward,” Board President Sergio Espericueta said.
  
• Details: Dr. Funchess earned his doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Redlands, a master’s degree in cross-cultural teaching from National University, and a bachelor’s degree from Cal State University of San Bernardino. He plans to focus on building trust, transparency and collaboration while elevating academic success and equity.

Dive deeper with our complete story

🏛️ City Council to discuss budget, library lease

The Palm Springs City Council will consider the city’s budget for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27, a three-year lease agreement for the public library’s temporary location during renovation, and an ordinance on co-owned housing units during tonight’s meeting scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m.

• The meeting will take place in the Council Chamber at City Hall, located at 3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, with residents able to attend in person or watch remotely.
  
• Viewing options include the City’s YouTube Channel, palmspringsca.gov, or Palm Springs Community Television Channel 17 for live coverage of the proceedings.
  
• Details: The full City Council agenda is available for review here for residents who want to see all items scheduled for discussion.

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TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

Sunshine Sisters Breakfast
8 a.m. | Rick’s Restaurant
Start the day with other Palm Springs Sunshine Sisters with breakfast and conversation.

Sustainability Subcommittee on Climate Action
1 p.m. | City Hall
According to the agenda, committee members will discuss the city’s energy-efficient upgrade ordinance amongst other items.

Palm Springs City Council
5:30 p.m. | City Hall
The city council meets this evening in closed and open session. Check out the agenda here. 

Palm Springs Power Baseball
7 p.m. | Palm Springs Stadium
Your Palm Springs Power will go head-to-head against the Alameda Anchors. Wednesdays are $5 margaritas night. ($10)

See all events here

SAVE THE DATE

• Know Your Rights: First Amendment & Peaceful Protests at PSPD headquarters on Thursday.
  
• Safe in the Streets mixer and safety talk Friday at 5 p.m.
  
• The Big Gay BBQ on Saturday and Sunday starting at 3 p.m.
  
• Second Annual “She Is” Women’s Conference on Saturday at Mizell Center.
  
• “No Kings” rally on Saturday at Downtown Park starting at 6 p.m.
  
• Juneteenth Freedom Weekend from June 19 through 21. 
  
• Palm Springs AI & Creativity Expo on June 23 at the convention center.
  
• 2025 All American 4th of July Weekend July 3-5 in Palm Springs.
  
• Glenn Soukesian (aka Colton Ford) Celebration of Life on July 5. 

Submit your event here

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AND FINALLY …

It’s safe to say that the summer heat is fully in swing here in the valley. That means it’s time to remind residents never to leave their dogs in the car unattended.

Driving the news: We spoke with Dr. Michelle Bousquet, leading veterinary for PetSmart in the Palm Springs area, and she had a few important reminders for pet owners during the hot summer months.

• First things first: it is NEVER okay to leave your pet in the car. Dr. Bousquet says that oftentimes people will leave their pet in the car for a “quick errand,” but it only takes minutes for pets to overheat. This is especially true for pets like dogs, who do not sweat.
  
• If you’re worried your dog is overheating, they will often pant quickly as a way to try and cool down. Other signs include vomiting, disorientation, and ultimately collapsing.
  
• Other factors can play into your dog getting hot as well, such as a short snout or being overweight.

What they’re saying: “If you ever see an unattended pet in a car and they seem in distress, your best bet is to call local authorities,” said Dr. Bousquet. “Ultimately, they’re the ones who can get the animal safely out of the vehicle.”

Bottom line: Dr. Bousquet said that it is never safe to leave your pet unattended in the car, even during the winter, as oftentimes cars can get far hotter than it is outside. So to be safe, always plan ahead for trips out and never leave your dog unattended in a car.