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Thursday, Feb. 12 | 🌤️ 70°/52°
Happy Thursday, everyone, where we’re celebrating our fifth anniversary! The Internet tells us wood is the traditional gift for this milestone — representing strength, deep roots, and growth — while the modern symbol is silverware, signifying shared meals and domestic harmony. That sounds about right, as we’ve established deep roots in the community and have certainly done some growing. For shared meals, we hope to have coffee with some of you today (more on that below), where we will of course be as harmonious as possible.
🎶 Setting the mood: "Tom’s Diner" by Suzanne Vega, DNA
Leading Off
Signs calling for people to speak out in opposition to the city's plans to build a new fire station on land currently occupied by parking went up recently.
Downtown property owners push city to relocate proposed Fire Station 1
A coalition of Downtown Palm Springs property owners is urging the city to move its proposed new Fire Station 1 to a different site, arguing that building the facility on a surface parking lot would devastate dozens of small businesses. City officials say the location was chosen after a years-long, data-driven process focused on emergency response times.
Driving the news: The group, calling itself "The Block 200 Club," represents property owners on the 200 and 300 blocks of North Palm Canyon Drive. Ahead of the Fire Department's Feb. 23 open house, the coalition installed banners, posted window signs and began collecting petition signatures opposing the project's current location at 261 North Indian Canyon Dr.
Why it matters: The 65-space lot is the only public or private parking serving businesses on the east side of the 200–300 block, according to building owner Matt Bousquette.
The group estimates eliminating the lot could reduce more than 4,000 customer visits per week and hurt 35 small businesses.
The other side: Assistant City Manager Flinn Fagg said Wednesday that a consultant determined that building the station anywhere other than the existing site would negatively impact response times. He said conceptual site plans are being developed to retain as much public parking as possible.
Fire Department calls have increased roughly 20% over five years, from about 10,000 in 2019 to more than 12,000 in 2023.
What's next: A public open house is scheduled for 4 to 6 p.m. Feb. 23 at Fire Station 1, 277 North Indian Canyon Dr. Public input will be forwarded to the yet-to-be-selected architect for the final design.
Briefly
The city is hoping this wall along Gene Autry Trail will help keep sand from blasting vehicles in a stretch known for high winds. (Photo: City of Palm Springs)
🧱 Wind wall along Gene Autry Trail completed
Palm Springs completed construction this week of a 590-foot brick wall along North Gene Autry Trail designed to reduce blowing sand and improve driver visibility in an area known for strong winds. The wall stands up to 14.5 feet tall and replaced an existing temporary wooden barrier between the Union Pacific Railroad bridge south of Interstate 10 and East Via Escuela.
The City Council approved the project in April and funded it primarily through Measure A, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements. Construction began in June and required biological monitoring to protect the Coachella Valley Milk-Vetch and Fringe-Toed Lizard.
Bottom line: The $2.2 million project will be evaluated to determine if additional barriers are needed along the corridor.
🔥 Chief: Preserve blaze underscores urban wildfire risks
A 3.5-acre fire that burned 100 palm trees at the Prescott Preserve on Feb. 1 was quickly contained with no injuries or property damage, but Fire Chief Paul Alvarado told the City Council on Wednesday that the blaze highlights the challenges of fighting fires with heavy natural fuels in urban areas.
The department deployed eight fire engines, a wildland fire engine, a water tender and 36 firefighters, with mutual aid from CalFire and Cathedral City. The fire's cause remains undetermined, though human cause and origin could not be ruled out. Oswit Land Trust, which owns the 120-acre former golf course, has said it believes the fire was human-caused.
Details: All trails at the preserve have reopened following cleanup. The city plans to meet with Mesquite Country Club members next week, and Councilmember Ron deHarte requested further review be placed on a future council agenda.
A MESSAGE FROM PALM SPRINGS CULTURAL CENTER
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Broadway powerhouse Jessica Vosk live at the Palm Springs Cultural Center. Best known as Elphaba in Wicked, Vosk brings her thrilling voice and star power to a romantic evening of showstoppers and concert favorites. FEB 14 | 7PM — Broadway’s Best... in the West presents an unforgettable night.
📆 Featured Events
Modernism Week
All day | Various Locations
Modernism Week returns today, celebrating and fostering midcentury and modern architecture, interior and landscape design, and historic preservation. Events are happening across Palm Springs.
Coffee With Mark and Kendall
8 a.m. | Koffi Central
Join the Palm Springs Post two-person team as we raise a cup to celebrate our fifth anniversary and the readers who've made it possible!
Dream Hotel Project Community Meeting
9 a.m. | Convention Center
A community meeting to bring the community up to date on the status of the Dream Hotel project and answer questions.
Nelda Linsk Walk of Stars Rededication
11 a.m. | Palm Canyon Dr.
On the anniversary of her star dedication, Modernism Week will host a special rededication ceremony, adding the title First Lady of Modernism Week to the granite tribute.
Intersect Palm Springs
4 p.m. | Convention Center
Intersect Palm Springs Art + Design Fair returns to Coachella Valley for one of the region's largest gatherings of art, design, and architecture, presenting leading galleries from around the world and fostering dialogue. ($35)
Friends of the Children Benefit
5:30 p.m. | Shag House
Benefitting Friends of the Children Coachella Valley, this Shag House event features hors d'oeuvres from Eight4Nine, open bar, entertainment, paddle raise, and a live auction. ($100)
📌 Save the Date
Palm Springs Modernism Show on Saturday and Sunday at the convention center
Woven Together: Karma Vision Art Exhibition on Saturday
Palm Springs International Jazz Festival on Feb. 19-22
Wag & Shag benefitting Palm Springs Animal Shelter on Feb. 20 (new lower ticket price!)
Tramview Heights Specific Plan community workshop on Feb. 23 from 5:30-7 p.m.
Fire Station 1 open house on Feb. 23 from 4-6 p.m.
Fraud Prevention Seminar at PSPD on Feb. 24
Fantasy Prom hosted by Desert Sparkles Fund on March 7
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🚠 And Finally …
Five years ago today, The Palm Springs Post launched with a straightforward goal: fill in the gaps of news coverage in Palm Springs, and then deliver that news in a simple format without paywalls or fluff.
Fast forward: Today, a newsletter that started on Substack has grown into the largest chain of news outlets in the Coachella Valley, now including The Indio Post, The Palm Desert Post, and CV Reporter.
The context: While newspapers across the country continue cutting staff, closing bureaus, and reducing coverage — or shutting down entirely — The Post has added reporters, expanded into new cities, and increased the frequency of its reporting.
The approach has attracted attention as a model for the future of local news, with the story featured in podcasts and articles examining how community journalism can thrive.
Yes, but: We owe it all to you! Reader support and advertising partnerships have sustained the growth, proving that people will fund journalism that shows up reliably and writes about what actually matters to them.
The celebration: We’d love it if you joined us today at Koffi Central, 650 East Tahquitz Canyon Way, from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. to celebrate what we’ve all accomplished and mark the milestone.
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In Case You Missed It
Recently published stories
⛷️ Kendall didn’t know the Olympic biathletes had so much drama. On the French team, one teammate stole another teammate’s credit card, and a member of the Norwegian team confessed live on TV to cheating on his girlfriend!
🫣 Mark still can’t bring himself to listen to or watch recordings of himself after he appears on a stage, in front of a camera or behind a microphone.
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