Sept. 25 Daily Briefing: Fitness icon tells her story, City Council preview, pickleball for a cause, and more

Welcome to Thursday, everyone. We don’t often cover entertainment — like local sports, it’s already well covered by others. But now and then, a story comes along that we feel uniquely positioned to tell. That’s the case today with Maggie Miles’s piece on 1990s fitness icon Susan Powter. If you remember Powter, you’re not alone — she was everywhere, then suddenly gone. Her journey, which she’ll share at an upcoming event, was so compelling we jumped at the chance to feature it. Below is a preview, but be sure to read Maggie’s full story here. You’ll be glad you did.

🎶 Setting the mood: “Nights In White Satin” by The Moody Blues

LEADING OFF

Fame and survival: A reinvented Susan Powter brings her story to Palm Springs

Fitness guru Susan Powter, whose “Stop the Insanity!” empire dominated the 1990s, is sharing her story of corporate betrayal and homelessness ahead of a new documentary about her life. The 67-year-old will appear at Oscar’s in Palm Springs on Oct. 2 to discuss her journey from multimillion-dollar success to living in unsafe housing.

Looking ahead: Powter’s forthcoming documentary “Stop the Insanity: Finding Susan Powter,” executive produced by Jamie Lee Curtis, chronicles her rise and fall from fitness stardom to poverty and back.

• The film hits theaters later this year and explores themes of corporate exploitation and societal disregard for older women.

The backstory: In November 2018, Powter was evicted from a Las Vegas KOA RV park where she had lived for five years when new rules banned RVs older than 10 years.

• Unable to afford other parks, she spent years bouncing between unsafe weekly rentals after having her camper towed to storage.

Finding fitness: Powter built her empire in the early 1990s after losing weight as a single mother in Texas, creating fitness programs that emphasized modifications for all body types rather than one-size-fits-all approaches.

• Her infomercials led to New York Times bestselling books and a syndicated talk show before corporate pressures forced her to walk away from Hollywood.

What’s next: Powter says she’s ready to rebuild without corporate interference, calling her previous success “the dress rehearsal” for what’s coming.

• Tickets for her Oct. 2 Palm Springs appearance range from $40 to $60.

Dive deeper with Maggie Miles’s complete story

---

BRIEFLY

👁️ Council to consider more surveillance tech, library naming rights, and more

According to the agenda, the Palm Springs City Council will vote on buying more surveillance tech from Flock, naming rights for areas of the redesigned public library, and a plan for federal tax credits to help fund the restoration of The Plaza Theatre during its regular meeting this evening. 

• The city already purchased 15 automated license plate readers (ALPRs) from the company in October 2023 and voted in December 2024 to replace the city’s public safety camera system with Flock cameras at 52 non-residential intersections. Tonight’s vote is about implementing the controversial Flock Nova system, which would integrate more data and information with the license plate cameras.
  
• Though California state law prohibits law enforcement from sharing license plate data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, several sheriff’s departments throughout southern California have violated that law. Federal agencies can also get side-door access to license plate data by asking local and state police to do searches for them.
  
• Details: The regular meeting is open to the public in council chambers at City Hall. You can submit comments via an online public comment form, in person, or by calling the city clerk’s office at 760-323-8204 at any time prior to the end of the public comment period. View the meeting live on YouTube.

---

TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

Fresh Face Opening Reception
10 a.m. | Rubine Red Gallery
The Rubine Red Gallery is welcoming the start of the Fall Season with a splash of new art! Making her debut at the gallery as well is artist Andy Julo who specializes in blue cyanotypes.

Cinema Diverse
11:30 a.m. | Palm Springs Cultural Center
Weekend two of the Cinema Diverse: LGBTQ Film Festival gets underway in Palm Springs. There are a series of screenings throughout the day to enjoy! ($14)

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. 

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. 

Nights on the Oasis Trail
6 p.m. | Agua Caliente Cultural Museum
There’s a number of fun activities for the whole family to participate in from Bird Singing to interpretive hikes. ($10)

VillageFest
7 p.m. | Downtown Palm Springs  
The street fair features art, entertainment, shopping, and food. Starting next week, the festivities begin at 6 p.m.

The Dinah Event and Music Festival 2025
9 p.m. | The Riviera Palm Springs
The Dinah is five days of parties, concerts, dancing, DJs, and women from all over the country and globe. Join us as we create a safe, joyful space for our community. (starting at $24)

View all events here

SAVE THE DATE

• Cans ‘N Kibble Pet Food Drive on Friday at four area locations, including Palm Springs Animal Shelter
  
• 18th Annual Palm Springs Body Mind Spirit Weekend at Crystal Fantasy this Friday through Sunday
  
• WALLSPACE October Modernism Exhibition at Janssen Artspace starting Oct. 3
  
• “Do You Remember?” screening with Clive Davis and Barry Manilow on Oct. 3
  
• Free shredding event at the convention center on Oct. 4
  
• One Night Out Paris benefitting The Foundation for PSUSD on Oct. 4 
  
• Junior Ranger Expo at Indian Canyons on Oct. 11
  
• Spooktacular 5K/10K Run at Ruth Hardy Park on Oct. 11
  
• Pride on the Page on Nov. 1
  
• Coachella Valley Filipino Festival on Nov. 15

---

AND FINALLY …

If you’ve been looking for a way to combine your love of pickleball with holiday spirit the Palm Springs Police Department has just the ticket.

Driving the news: The 2nd Annual Paddles for a Cause Pickleball Tournament returns Saturday, Nov. 1, to raise funds for the department’s Shop with a Cop program, which pairs local children with officers for holiday shopping experiences.

Why it matters: PSPD says Shop with a Cop initiative builds positive relationships between law enforcement and the community while bringing holiday joy to children in need.

The details: Check-in begins at 7 a.m. at The Rowan Palm Springs Pickleball Courts, with games starting at 8 a.m.

• Tournament organizers are also seeking sponsors, with opportunities ranging from $100 team sponsorships to $5,000 major support levels.

How to participate: The deadline to register is Oct. 22. Register online here.