Alex Bias Decides To Run For DHS Mayor Again

The November election is right around the corner, and two valley cities have important deadlines this week.

The official county deadline for cities to file candidate lists is close of business this Friday. Desert Hot Springs and Palm Springs both have elections on November 8th.

Palm Springs will be electing mayor (4 year term) and 2 council seats. Desert Hot Springs will also be electing their city mayor (4 year term) and two council seats.

News Channel 3 has also learned that former Mayor Alex Bias has pulled papers to run against Yvonne Parks in Desert Hot Springs for the city’s Mayor.

Bias a controversial former mayor who Parks actually unseated in 2007 says he plans to make it official tomorrow.

Bias was most recently in the headlines earlier this year when his wife was arrested for robbing two banks in Palm Springs.

Along with Bias, Robert Bentley has also pulled papers to run against Parks. Parks is the only one to qualify to run for mayor at this time.

Councilman Russell Betts whose seat is up for election decided not to run against Parks and just seek a second term on the council. Incumbent Karl Baker is also pulled papers to run for council but is yet to be certified. Adam Sanchez is also running for Mayor and still needs to qualify. Candidates have until close of business Thursday to file their official paperwork.

In Palm Springs, News Channel 3 has learned that Ginny Foat will not run against incumbent Mayor Steve Pougnet for mayor.

There was some speculation that she would run for Mayor if Pougnet decided to run for Congress against Mary Bono Mack in 2012. He made the decision last month to just concentrate on his Palm Springs Mayor race.

Seven other candidates have filed papers to run for the City’s top position. Three of those candidates along with Pougnet have been certified at this time.

In the city council race in Palm Springs, both Incumbents Rick Hutchinson and Lee Wiegel have filed papers. Only Hutchinson has qualified for the ballot as of Wednesday.

Four other candidates have pulled papers to run for the two seats. Palm Springs City Clerk Jay Thompson says candidates have until close of business on Friday to file supporting paperwork to qualify for the ballot.