May 30 Daily Briefing: COD city campus discussed, ‘Pathway to Pride’ unveiled, students tour Nav Center, and more

Happy Thursday! We’re one day away from the weekend already thanks to that Monday off. With the forecast predicting a solid schedule of triple digits, we’re thinking about sunscreen. Should we be wearing chemical or mineral or…one of the sunscreens on offer in other countries? Turns out, countries in Europe and Asia have access to some high-tech, next-gen sunscreen ingredients that we don’t have here in the U.S. Of course, you should wear sunscreen year round, rain or shine, to protect from skin cancer, and it’s a good time to get those suspicious moles checked out by a dermatologist if you’re seeing any of these warning signs.

🎶 Setting the mood: “Heavy, California” by Jungle

---

LEADING OFF

COD, hoping to become a good neighbor, hosts presentation for ONE-PS

Members of the Organized Neighborhoods of Palm Springs (ONE-PS) saw one of the most in-depth looks at the plans for the College of the Desert Palm Springs campus, set to break ground later this year, during a special presentation Wednesday evening.

Driving the news: Dozens of residents attended the presentation at the Palm Springs Cultural Center, next door to the future home of the long-awaited campus, to learn more specifics about the project and how its construction and eventual opening will affect them.

What they heard: The presentation offered one of the most in-depth looks inside the campus, with more details fleshed out and rendered at human scale. Rather than looking at 2D site plans and floor plans of classrooms, attendees saw exactly what the computer lab, demonstration kitchen, and student lounges would look like as well as the unique indoor-outdoor learning opportunities on the campus. 

By the numbers: The board of trustees for the college allocated $405 million overall for this project. In January, the board approved a new bond issuance of $200 million, “and let’s say a sizable chunk of that is going towards this effort,” said Robert Rauscher, an associate program manager with MAAS Companies.

Yes but: Some of the concerns came from those who will soon be neighbors to the campus, like residents of the Sunrise Park neighborhood to the west of the project. The campus’s maintenance building is adjacent to that neighborhood and residents asked Rauscher about the possibility of noise.

• Rauscher said they’ve already completed a noise study on the building, and based on its findings, they moved the building further away from the west property line. “The maintenance and operations are actually fairly quiet affairs most of the time,” he said.

What they’re saying: “I do hope that what you hear from us is commitment and certitude about this project,” said Laura Hope, interim president of the college. “We are making significant investments in order to make this project occur.”

What happens next: The project team said they are wrapping up the construction documents and finalizing the first portion of the Division of the State Architect’s required review. If all goes well, that would put them on track for a groundbreaking sometime this fall, an estimated completion in spring 2027, and classes beginning in the fall of that year.

BRIEFLY

🏳️‍🌈 Acrisure Arena unveils ‘Pathway to Pride’ crosswalk for Pride Month

Thousands of loyal Firebirds fans attending the upcoming home games against the Milwaukee Admirals will notice a colorful change as they approach the arena.

Driving the news: Acrisure Arena, home of the AHL Coachella Valley Firebirds hockey team, launched “Pathway to Pride,” a symbolic rainbow-colored crosswalk, to mark the commencement of Pride Month. The unveiling was attended by local leaders including Steven Henke of DAP Health and members of Coachella Valley Pride Hockey.

Why it matters: The Firebirds putting Pride Month front and center means a lot to LGBTQ+ hockey fans and players, especially when other teams and players in the past have declined to wear Pride jerseys or recognize Pride Month at all.

• Paul O’Kane, founder of Coachella Valley Pride Hockey, said last year that it’s not uncommon to be in a locker room and hear a slur used in conversation. That’s why he founded the inclusive team to be a safe and welcoming place for skaters of all identities.

What they’re saying: “I can imagine young people who may be struggling with their identity walking across this rainbow stripe that includes black, brown, pink, blue, and white stripes, and knowing that an organization like Acrisure and the Firebirds affirms their identity,” said Henke. “It’s going to have a huge impact on their mental health, it’s going to have a huge impact on their ability to feel proud of their identity and to live a life where they can thrive, not just survive.”

---

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)

Walk of Stars Dedication: Ron Nyswaner
11 a.m. | 1301 North Palm Canyon Drive
Ron Nyswaner is a distinguished Academy Award-nominated writer and producer, widely acclaimed for his contribution to the classic film “Philadelphia,” which is currently celebrating its 30th anniversary, and most recently the Showtime miniseries, “Fellow Travelers.”

VillageFest
6 p.m. | Downtown Palm Springs
Starting next week, VillageFest, the weekly street fair featuring art, entertainment, shopping, and food, will be starting an hour later at 7 p.m. The Palm Springs Art Museum also has free admission tonight starting at 5 p.m.

SAVE THE DATE

• Greater Palm Springs Restaurant Week starting Friday. 
  
  
• Friends of the PS Library book sale Saturday at the JC Frey Building.
  
  
• Palm Springs Firefighters Association Fish Fry on Saturday at Ruth Hardy Park.
  
  
• Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus Cabaret on Sunday at Reforma Palm Springs.
  
  
• Airport Master Plan Open House on June 4 at the Palm Springs Convention Center.
  
  
• Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival on June 9 at the Palm Springs Cultural Center.
  
  
• Palm Springs International ShortFest from June 18 -24.
  
  
• Rock the City free concert at the Downtown Park on June 19.
  
  
• ONE-PS Lip-Sync Battle at the Palm Springs Cultural Center on July 7.

---

AND FINALLY …

Local middle schoolers donned hardhats and high-visibility vests this week to tour the city’s new homeless navigation shelter.

Driving the news: On Tuesday, a group of seventh graders from Cielo Vista Charter School in Palm Springs got a first-hand look at the long-awaited Palm Springs Navigation Center. City Engineer Joel Montalvo and Lauren Rath, an architect working on the project, joined the students.

What they did: Students on the trip learned about the project from architects, structural and civil engineers, electricians, and plumbers. They also learned about the unhoused population in the city and how the navigation center can help.

• The visit was made possible thanks to a grant from Anderson Children’s Foundation. Another group of students visited the Galilee Center in Mecca. 

Context: The first 50 beds at the facility opened in March, and the full opening is expected to happen sometime in August. Once fully open, there will be safe container homes and onsite services aimed at rehabilitation, rehousing, and re-employing future residents.

What they’re saying: Sergio Garcia, a school volunteer, said the tour “opened [the students’] eyes. Instead of seeing all the problems in the world, they can focus more on the solutions that are possible.”