June 5 Daily Briefing: Groundwater agreement, arrest in bombing, intersection issue, and more

Welcome to Thursday, where we’ve got a small traffic alert for you. Desert Water Agency is doing emergency water main repairs near the South Palm Canyon Bridge between Sunny Dunes and Mesquite today between approximately 2 a.m. to 11 a.m. Expect traffic in both directions to be shut down in that area, with detours set up along Belardo Road to help you get around. To avoid delays, take another route if you can. On the map here, the yellow lines show the detour and the orange line shows the closed area.

🎶 Setting the mood: “Rainbow” by Cage The Elephant

LEADING OFF

Tribe, water districts reach historic settlement on groundwater rights

The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and two Coachella Valley water districts have signed a comprehensive settlement confirming the tribe’s right to 20,000 acre-feet of groundwater annually. The agreement, announced Wednesday, seeks up to $500 million in federal funding and must still receive Congressional approval.

Driving the news: The May 19 settlement between the tribe, Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) and Desert Water Agency (DWA) resolves litigation dating back to 2013 and establishes a cooperative framework for managing the valley’s water resources.

• Federal courts ruled in 2015 and 2017 that the tribe has federally reserved groundwater rights, but the specific amount had not been determined until now.

By the numbers: The federal funding request includes $300 million for tribal water development projects, $100 million for groundwater augmentation, $50 million for water management, and $50 million for operations and maintenance.

• Additionally, approximately 2,742 acres of Bureau of Land Management land will be transferred into trust for the tribe.

Why it matters: The tribe’s water rights carry priority dates of 1876 and 1877, tied to when the federal government established the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation, giving them senior water rights in the valley.

What’s next: The agreement creates a Technical Advisory Committee with representatives from all three entities to monitor groundwater conditions and recommend management actions if water levels decline.

• The settlement now requires Congressional approval and appropriation of funding to take effect.

Dive deeper with our complete story

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BRIEFLY

⚖️ Washington man arrested for supplying explosives in fertility clinic bombing

The FBI arrested a 32-year-old Seattle area man on Tuesday for allegedly providing 180 pounds of ammonium nitrate used in last month’s bombing of a Palm Springs fertility clinic that killed the bomber and injured multiple victims. The suspect was taken into custody at JFK International Airport after being deported from Poland, where he had fled four days after the attack.

• Federal authorities identified the arrested man as Daniel Park, who allegedly shipped the explosive chemicals to the 25-year-old Twentynine Palms man who carried out the bombing and died in the blast at American Reproductive Centers off North Indian Canyon Drive. The FBI said Park also paid for an additional 90 pounds of ammonium nitrate shipped to the suspect days before the attack.
  
• The two men reportedly met in online forums dedicated to fringe beliefs and conducted bomb-making experiments together in Twentynine Palms from Jan. 25 to Feb. 8. 
  
• Bottom line: Park faces charges of providing material support to terrorists and could receive up to 15 years in federal prison if convicted. 

Read our complete story online

⚖️ Closing arguments next in bribery trial

Closing arguments could start today in the trial of real estate developer John Wessman at the Banning Justice Center. Wessman is accused of providing six-figure payments to former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet to secure support for downtown redevelopment projects.

• Wessman faces nine counts of bribery of a public official and one count of conspiracy. Prosecutors allege he and co-defendant Richard Hugh Meaney provided $225,000 in illicit payoffs to Pougnet between 2012 and 2014 to gain support for projects in Downtown Palm Springs.
  
• Pougnet reached a plea agreement last month, admitting to nine bribery counts and other charges, with sentencing scheduled for July 2. Meaney’s felony charges were dismissed, but he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor financial conflict charge and faces sentencing Monday.
  
• Yes, but: Defense attorney David Greenberg told jurors there is “very little evidence” against Wessman and that the payments were legitimate. He argued his client followed proper procedures and blamed Meaney for any improprieties involving cash payments to the mayor.

Read more from City News Service online

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TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

Pink Purple & Blue Crew
4 p.m. | Scott Hines Behavioral Health Clinic
In-person drop-in bisexual support group to help those in the community find acceptance and love. Facilitated by Andrea Swartz, Clinical Trainee.

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. 

Community Food Bank Distribution
5 p.m. | The Center
Ran every Thursday, The Center provides free groceries for local families and residents. Operates under a drive-thru model servicing food directly to the vehicle. Walk-ups accepted.

Public Arts Commission
5:30 p.m. | City Hall
Commissioners will hear several updates on ongoing projects according to the agenda.

VillageFest
7 p.m. | Downtown Palm Springs  
The street fair features art, entertainment, shopping, and food. Currently starting at 7 p.m. until September.

View all events here

SAVE THE DATE

• Silent Auction & Snowsports Trade Show at The Riviera Resort & Spa on Friday.
  
• Palm Springs Firefighters Fish Fry on Saturday.
  
• Palm Springs Equality Wine & Food Fest on Saturday.
  
• Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival Sunday at the Cultural Center.
  
• Second Annual “She Is” Women’s Conference on June 14 at Mizell Center.
  
• 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.

Submit your event here

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AND FINALLY …

Call it the San Rafael River, Sunrise Lake, or whatever you want, there’s no doubt that the constant accumulation of water at the intersection of East San Rafael Drive and Sunrise Way is frustrating for many residents who receive frequent reminders about conservation in California. Now, there might be some progress in stopping the flow.

At issue: A long stretch of turf along East San Rafael Drive and a smaller stretch along Sunrise Way have been sending water flowing down the street and pooling in the intersection multiple times per week for years, thanks to sprinklers that didn’t get the memo about water conservation.

Driving the news: After four years in the planning pipeline, the city is now poised to move forward with a solution. A long-awaited project will replace existing grass and spray irrigation systems with drought-friendly landscaping, drip or bubbler irrigation, and possibly additional trees.

• The project will be funded by Measure J tax dollars.

Next steps: Commissioners at Tuesday’s Sustainability Commission Standing Subcommittee on Waste Reduction heard that city staff are finalizing cost estimates before launching community outreach to gather neighborhood input on design elements, including tree preferences, lighting options, and potential amenities like benches.

• There was no timeline announced for the start of the community outreach or the project.