The Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act is providing the iconic trees with more legal protections. The law, which went into effect on July 1., allows Joshua trees to remain a candidate species under the California Endangered Species Act. The Center for Biological Diversity originally filed a petition for Joshua trees to be protected under the
Continue Reading
The Desert Healthcare District and Riverside Public Health are introducing their fentanyl education campaign and survey in the City of Indio. “It comes down to saving lives, we need to save lives,” said Wendy Hetherington, principle investigator for the Riverside Overdose Data to Action program. The fentanyl campaign and survey was created to better address
Continue Reading
A 40-year-old man accused of killing a Palm Springs retiree in 2008 was afflicted with “a feverish need for money,” so he devised a plan to murder and defraud, a prosecutor said today during opening statements in the man’s retrial — while the defendant’s attorney said his client is not guilty because law enforcement failed
Continue Reading
Leanna Bonamici, the founder of the Palm Springs Chapter of Women in Film & Television, has passed away after a battle with cancer. When Bonamic first moved to the desert, she purchased the old post office in Desert Hot Springs with the help of her father. She turned it into a functioning film studio. She was a producer, director,
Continue Reading
Fourth of July fireworks can be a dazzling display for humans and a nightmare for pets. Colorful, thundering fireworks can lead to sensory overload, which can spike your pet’s blood pressure and heart rate. The intense adrenaline rush can also cause pets to have a “fight-or-flight” response, a big reason why many pets run away
Continue Reading
The Palm Springs Airport Committee is working to refine daily operations. The committee is in the process of reviewing airport parking capacity and overflow parking. In April, the committee discussed the possibility of implementing a multi-phase project that would expand overflow parking. Improved signage is also a prevalent issue, including the need for bilingual signs. Palm
Continue Reading
Indio’s Public Arts Program is looking for local artists to enter their submissions for a 3D light projection mapping show on the historic M.H. Whittier Co. Water Tower Tank. The city says the 3D light projection piece should reflect the history and character of Indio. The projection piece should also be between three to five
Continue Reading
Palm Desert city council voted to establish a city-led library, separate from Riverside County. The council agreed that the unanimous decision would increase the library’s revenue to $2.6 million a year and would allow the city to enhance the services currently provided. Under the current system, the city spends over $1 million to operate the
Continue Reading
On June 8., the Climate Prediction Center, a branch of the National Weather Service, called an El Niño Advisory. According to Spencer Blum’s original report, the arrival of El Niño is determined, “…when waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean are at least 0.5°C (0.9°F) warmer than average, we meet the criteria for El Niño.” To
Continue Reading
A First Alert Weather Alert has been issued for gusty winds that will last through tonight at 11 p.m. During this time, strong winds may create difficult conditions on the roads and reduced visibility. A Wind Advisory has been issued by the National Weather Service and a Windblown Dust Advisory is in place from the
Continue Reading
As the Coachella Valley has embraced the Firebirds, the players have become household names. Now we’re getting to know the families that support the Firebirds on and off the ice. Alexis McCormick moved to the Coachella Valley with her husband and Firebirds’ captain, Max McCormick back in November. “The fans, first of all, are unbelievable,”
Continue Reading
The Riverside County Board of Supervisors approved a summer-long run of the public service announcement campaign Faces of Fentanyl which originally aired last October. CEO Jeff Van Wagen proposed a $275,000 media contract with 3 Olives Media, who will re-distribute the campaign across media platforms. 3 Olives Media has also been contracted to handle a
Continue Reading
The Palm Springs Black History Committee is preparing for their 4th annual Juneteenth Celebration. In 2020, President Joe Biden declared June 19. a national holiday in commemoration of the emancipation of enslaved people in 1865. Courtesy of: Palm Springs Juneteenth Committee In celebration of the holiday, the Palm Springs Black History Committee will be hosting
Continue Reading
Get ready for gusty conditions! Sunday night will be breezy, but more wind arrives for Monday. A First Alert Weather Alert is in place from 4 p.m. to midnight on Monday. During this time, strong west and northwest winds are expected to strengthen, potentially reducing air quality and visibility. This may lead to challenging driving
Continue Reading
Summer is just weeks away which means increased “Mosquito Days” could be on the horizon. According to Climate Central, Mosquito Days occur when the average relative humidity is 42 percent or higher. Mosquitos thrive in muggy, warm weather, which can be synonymous with Coachella Valley summers. Increased Mosquito Days could lead to more opportunities for
Continue Reading
Mike Thompson is the new executive director of the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert. Thompson returns to the center and the position he held for six years before leaving in 2021 to be closer to family. The center hosts community events, assistance programs and other forms of support to the valley’s LGBTQ community. Thompson
Continue Reading
As the kids wrap up the school year and we enter the hot Summer months, more people will be spending time by the pool! A simple swim lesson can be lifesaving, and Desert Recreation District is helping families get access to free swim lessons. “In the desert a lot of us have pools. We may
Continue Reading
The city of La Quinta is inviting community members to provide feedback on their proposed master plan draft for Fritz Burns Park on Monday. Here is the current layout of the park: Proposed improvements include: additional parking, pickle ball courts, lighting, shading and a water feature as pictured below in the master plan draft: La
Continue Reading
Cathedral City representatives say they are moving forward with a 5-year Strategic Plan which was approved in April by the city council. The plan is complete with input from Cathedral City residents, who responded to surveys about what they want to see accomplished by 2028. “The fact that [residents] knew that we had a strategic
Continue Reading
This summer, valley residents can earn a California Naturalist Certification and college credit through UC Davis by participating in the Nuestro Desierto program. Colin Barrows, the co-founder of the Cactus to Cloud Institute, says that the program is especially beneficial to those who are interested pursuing a career in the environmental field. “It’s a great
Continue Reading