May 23 Daily Briefing: Planning for city parks, honoring scholars, council meeting preview, and more

Happy Thursday, where we have good news for animal lovers. The Palm Springs Animal Shelter has waived adoption fees for all large dogs through Sunday. The shelter is well over capacity as large dogs are doubling and even tripling up inside the kennels. Staff told KESQ that stress levels are high on the animals and humans who work at the shelter. Speaking of staff, they’re also looking for volunteers now that snowbirds have gone home for the summer. Check out how you can get started here.

🎶 Setting the mood: “Saturday in the Park” by Chicago

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LEADING OFF

Residents share ideas to bring community together at city parks

Dozens of residents joined project leaders Wednesday evening for a lively discussion about the future of Palm Springs’ parks.

Driving the news: More than three dozen people gathered for the second community workshop, held at the James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center, to consider the update of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan.

At issue: The city’s master plan is to be used as a guide of priorities. The workshops aren’t meant to design a new park but rather for residents to share their thoughts about what parks in the city should look like and what they should have.

By the numbers: Project team members revealed new data they uncovered during their initial analysis, which found that only 34% of city residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park. When looking at a map with the data, the central part of town is almost entirely dark green, meaning residents there live within a five-minute walk from the nearest park. In the city’s northern section, only people in neighborhoods near Victoria and Desert Highland Parks have that kind of access.

• Christian Rodriguez Ceja, with Kounkuey Design Initiative (KDI), the project team, said looking at the map makes it impossible to ignore the disparity that exists in the city.

Big ideas: The ideas started flowing once attendees were asked about what they wished they had in their parks. People of all ages came up with ways to fill the voids in their community, from a roller rink and more concerts in the park to mental health and financial literacy classes.

• One of the most common desires was a splash pad or a swimming pool for the north part of town so that residents could get a break from the heat during the summer.
  
  
• Patricia Johnson said she wished there were organized family days or days for men’s and women’s groups to get together and be in the community.

In addition: Others spoke up about maintenance issues in the parks, and some felt there was a lack of communication between the Parks and Recreation Department and other city departments that handle landscaping.

Learning from the past: Many longtime residents looked to the past for ideas while coming up with new ideas. A retired teacher, Linda Gray, said she used to teach sewing and cooking at the James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center. 

• “We’d cook soul food with the kids, sew their outfits and dashikis for the pageant,” she said. However, Gray noted that those diverse options for activities had stopped being offered around 10 years ago.

What to watch for: The next community workshop will be held on June 26 at Demuth Park.

BRIEFLY

🏛️ What to watch for at tonight’s City Council meeting

The Palm Springs City Council is scheduled to meet in regular session tonight at 5:30 p.m. Among items up for discussion are approval of a new mural and repairs to an existing one, as well as improvements at the airport and housing in the northern portion of the city.

• The new mural,  to be located at Palm Springs International Airport, has already been approved by the Public Arts Commission after undergoing several revisions. The commission also recommended the city approve $3,500 to repair the George Floyd mural while its members are in the process of finding a new location for it.
  
  
• Also on the agenda is the official cancellation of the roundabout on Palm Canyon and Indian Canyon Drives and approval for historic designations for several buildings and districts. Development of new residential housing in Desert Highland Gateway Estates and a new Homeowner Opportunity Program is also up for discussion.

Details: The meeting will be held at City Hall, 3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way. Members of the public can participate in person or virtually. To join virtually, email cityclerk@palmspringsca.gov or call 760-323-8204 to obtain Zoom credentials. The meeting will also be streamed live on the city’s website, on YouTube, and on Spectrum Channel 17.

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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)

Palm Springs City Council
5:30 p.m. | City Hall
Councilmembers will consider a new mural and baggage handling system designs among other topics.

VillageFest
6 p.m. | Downtown Palm Springs
The weekly street fair features art, entertainment, shopping, and food. The Palm Springs Art Museum also has free admission tonight starting at 5 p.m.

Full Moon Drum Circle
7 p.m. | Ace Hotel and Swim Club
Celebrate the Full Moon at the monthly Full Moon Drum Circle and Celebration.Drummers, dancers, observers welcome! 

2024 Summer Cabaret Series: Edmund Bagnell
7 p.m. | CVRep Theatre
Come fall under a musical spell with internationally touring singer and violinist Edmund Bagnell who will be performing a musical celebration of wondrous moments big and small. Not limited to a single genre, the evening will include Standards, Pop, Broadway, Disco, Country, and of course Classical mashups. ($50)

SAVE THE DATE

• Walk of the Stars presentation for Bert Spivack on Friday.
  
  
• Memorial Day Air Fair and Flower Drop on May 26 at the Palm Springs Air Museum.
  
  
• COD Palm Springs Campus Meeting on May 29 at the Palm Springs Cultural Center.
  
  
• Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus Cabaret on June 2 at Reforma Palm Springs.
  
  
• Greater Palm Springs Restaurant Week from May 31 through June 9.
  
  
• Palm Springs Firefighters Association Fish Fry on June 1 at Ruth Hardy Park.
  
  
• Palm Springs International ShortFest from June 18 -24.

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AND FINALLY …

Palm Springs High School honored 52 graduating seniors from the Spanish Honor Society Class of 2024 in a special ceremony Tuesday, recognizing their academic achievements and bilingual proficiency.

Zoom in: The seniors received their stoles and certificates from Board Member Sergio Espericueta, Superintendent Dr. Tony Signoret, PSHS Principal Michael Ventura, and PSHS Assistant Principal Steven Avina. 

• Officials noted that PSHS achieved the highest rate of attaining the State Seal of Biliteracy in the district.

Special recognition: Senior and salutatorian Adriana Figueroa was honored for her outstanding academic achievements, including already graduating from College of the Desert with an Associate’s degree. She will be attending UCLA this fall.

What they’re saying: “I firmly believe that our heritage is not a limitation but rather a source of strength and pride,” said Erika Omier, PSHS Spanish teacher and Spanish Honor Society advisor. “By celebrating our culture and heritage, we showcase the richness and diversity of our backgrounds, serving as a beacon of hope and possibility for those who follow in our footsteps.”