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Friday, June 26 | ☀️ 97°/70°
Happy Friday, Palm Springs! If you've been navigating the construction zone near “the curve” on South Palm Canyon Drive, here's some good news: the city engineer told the City Council on Wednesday that the contractor is on time and on track to have all lanes of the South Palm Canyon bridge open by the end of December — and crews just wrapped up beam placement on the eastern span. One more bonus: no work is planned for July 3 in observance of Independence Day, so you'll get a little break from the construction noise this holiday weekend.
🎶 Setting the mood: "June (TM Juke Remix)" by Gizelle Smith
Leading Off
Gay Fathers of Palm Springs/Coachella Valley at their recent Father’s Day celebration, hosted by Tony Lipscomb (in red tank top) and his partner, Mark Floyd (in black tank top).
Gay Fathers of Palm Springs offers community for fathers navigating estrangement, late-in-life coming out
A Palm Springs support group is helping gay and bisexual fathers navigate some of the most painful consequences of coming out later in life — including estrangement from their children.
Driving the news: Gay Fathers of Palm Springs/Coachella Valley, founded a year ago by Robert Figucia, hosted a Father's Day Zoom discussion called Father's Day and Family Ties: Navigating Distance, Hope, and Healing. Gay fathers from four countries joined the call, including one participant in Australia who woke up at 3:30 a.m. to attend.
The big picture: Many of the group's members are baby boomers who married women and had children during a time when being openly gay was not accepted in their workplaces, churches, or communities. Coming out later in life has often meant navigating ex-spouses' shock or anger, guilt and shame, complicated divorces, and strained or severed relationships with children.
"The distance with your kids, it doesn't erase your commitment to fatherhood," Figucia said. "And for those who are dealing with estrangement, it's painful, but it's not permanent."
Why it matters: Member Tony Lipscomb has not heard from his daughter in more than six years after she cut off contact following her involvement with a religious organization. Each Father's Day, he waits for a call that has not come.
"I will have the greatest of hope that she will call me up till 11 o'clock at night, and then realize I've gone another year without a Father's Day call," Lipscomb said.
What they offer: The group hosts monthly restaurant meetups, pool parties, potlucks, and discussion groups focused on issues uniquely affecting gay fathers, including dating, self-acceptance, and showing up at family milestones as openly gay men.
Briefly
Shutterstock image
🏠 Palm Springs moves to require permit numbers on vacation rental listings
The Palm Springs City Council on Wednesday introduced an ordinance that would require short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO to display city-issued permit numbers in all listings, incorporating a new state law that authorizes cities to compel platforms to share property data.
Finance Director Kristopher Mooney told the council that with staff auditing only 150 to 200 smaller rental properties per year when fully staffed, some properties may go five or more years between compliance reviews. He said he would explore outside consultants to speed up audits but cautioned that full outsourcing may not be cost-effective.
Details: The ordinance incorporates nine of 13 proposals from the stakeholder group Vacation Rental Owners and Neighbors (VRON) and extends the appeals window from 10 days to 30 days. A second reading is required before it takes effect.
🔥 Kitchen fire injures two at mobile home park
Palm Springs Fire Department crews responded to a kitchen fire at approximately 12:45 a.m. Thursday at the Palm Canyon Mobile Home Club on Pali Drive, rescuing two occupants from the smoke-filled residence.
Firefighters arriving on scene found light smoke coming from a double-wide mobile home and, after learning an occupant remained inside, removed two residents before extinguishing the blaze. Both were transported for medical assessment.
Details: The fire was contained to the kitchen and did not spread to other parts of the home. No firefighter injuries were reported, and the cause remains under investigation.
A MESSAGE FROM
CITY OF PALM SPRINGS
Celebrate America's 250th Birthday at the Palm Springs All-American Fourth of July Celebration! Enjoy three days of family fun, including VillageFest activities, a Dive-In Movie Night, a July 4 Pool Party, live music, baseball, and the Palm Springs Fireworks Spectacular. Most activities are free and open to all.
📆 Your Weekend
Multiple Days
Shortfest 2026 at Festival Theaters all weekend
Today
Art Museum Preview Day: Alternative Palm Springs at the Architecture and Design Center at 10 a.m. (free for members)
Live in the Lobby music at Ace Hotel at 2 p.m.
Foodie Fridays at Palm Springs Cultural Center at 5 p.m.
Palm Springs Power baseball game at Palm Springs Stadium at 7 p.m. ($5–$16)
Mikael Healey's Baby Grand: Pure Imagination at Hotel Zoso at 7 p.m. ($32–$57)
Drag Race: All Stars 11 Viewing Party at one eleven bar at 7 p.m.
Saturday
Juneteenth Community Gathering at Palm Springs Pavilion at 10 a.m.
PetSmart Adopt Joy at PetSmart at 11 a.m.
"Asco: Without Permission" film screening at Palm Springs Art Museum at 1 p.m. ($20–$25)
Palm Springs High School Class of '76 Mini Reunion Pop Up at Las Casuelas Terraza at 5 p.m.
Baby Boomer Blockbusters: "The Goodbye Girl!" at Palm Springs Cultural Center at 6 p.m. ($14)
The Sunny Side of the Street at PS Underground at 7 p.m. ($169)
Palm Springs Power baseball game at Palm Springs Stadium at 7 p.m. ($5–$16)
LGBTQ+ Country Western Dancing at Dance Ranch PS at 7 p.m. ($5)
Unbuttoned, A Boylesque Social Experience at Social Cafe & Lounge at 7:15 p.m. ($29–$45)
Sunday
Retreat to the Heat writers retreat at Hotel Zoso at 9 a.m.
Musical Matinees: "Meet Me in St. Louis" (1944) at Palm Springs Cultural Center at 3 p.m. ($14)
🚠 And Finally …
Palm Springs Firefighters push a new engine into Fire Station 1, honoring a firefighting tradition that dates back to the 1800s. (Photo by Brelinda)
Palm Springs firefighters honored a tradition dating to the 1800s on Thursday, rolling a huge piece of new equipment into Station 1 by hand.
Driving the news: The event at the downtown fire station marked the arrival of two new enforcer pumpers — one for Station 1 and another at Station 3 — that arrived years ahead of when they were expected.
The department landed the fire engines after the San Bernardino Fire Department cancelled its own order for the same equipment; without that cancellation, Fire Chief Paul Alvarado said the wait could have stretched to five years.
The tradition: Push-in ceremonies reportedly trace their roots to the 1800s, when horse-drawn apparatus had to be manually rolled into station bays because horses couldn't back the equipment in.
But wait: While the department celebrates its newest equipment, the Palm Springs Firefighters Association is working to save its oldest.
Local 3601 is raising $100,000 to restore "El Diablo," a 1931 American LaFrance engine recognized as the city's very first fire truck. Donations can be made at the campaign's online site here.
In Case You Missed It
Recently published stories
🧸 Kendall hasn’t seen a new “Toy Story” movie since the third one. It felt like a fitting end!
🚒 Mark once got to ride on a fire engine by submitting the winning poster in a fire prevention week campaign in grade school.
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