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Tuesday, May 12 | ☀️ 99°/68°
Welcome to Tuesday. The Palm Springs Police Department is asking for the public's help identifying a suspect in connection with a theft that occurred in Palm Springs on April 29 — if you recognize the individual pictured in this social media post, Detective Tiedeman can be reached at 760-323-8156 or via this email, referencing Case #2604P. And remember — all suspects are innocent until proven guilty!
🎶 Setting the mood: "Open Ocean" by The South Hill Experiment
Leading Off
Better cycling wayfinding, like these CV Link lanes in the city, was discussed during a Monday meeting. (File photo)
Subcommittee flags safety gaps in bike routes as downtown protected lane gains traction
Palm Springs officials are working to close gaps in the city's bicycle network while debating a longer-range plan to bring protected bike infrastructure to the downtown core.
Driving the news: The Sustainability Commission's Standing Subcommittee on Active Transportation met Monday to review several street improvement projects and identify missing connections to the CV Link regional trail, with subcommittee members raising pointed concerns about cyclist safety along South Palm Canyon Drive.
A proposed wayfinding sign directing riders from the end of an existing bike lane onto Belardo Road drew criticism, with one member warning it would "catapult everybody into the line of traffic" rather than improve safety.
The backdrop: A more protective design for the South Palm Canyon Drive intersection — including a parallel bike lane, green-painted crossings and a curb cut — was rejected after city consultants found it violated California's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
The subcommittee asked staff to provide the specific code sections and said members would submit photographs of comparable designs from San Francisco and Portland for review.
By the numbers: A subcommittee member presented a map identifying several priority gaps in CV Link connectivity, including an unconnected path near the Tramway area, a missing link serving the Desert Highland Gateway Estates neighborhood, and a spot near the Gene Autry Trail bridge where a protected bike lane runs within 15 feet of the trail with a fence and no opening between them.
The big picture: Subcommittee members began discussing a bidirectional protected bike lane running along Palm Canyon Drive or Belardo Road from Alejo Road to Ramon Road — a concept one member acknowledged could be "a 5, 10, 20-year plan."
What's next: The subcommittee's next meeting is scheduled for June 8 at 1 p.m.
Briefly
File photo
🏛️ Council to discuss tourism district, more at tonight’s meeting
The Palm Springs City Council holds its regular meeting tonight at 5:30 p.m. According to the agenda, councilmembers will hold another discussion regarding the city’s mayoral position, a tourism district public hearing, and more.
The Council will hear a report from the Mayoral Position Ad Hoc Subcommittee regarding ongoing discussion of a district vs. at-large mayor position. Also planned is a public hearing on the formation of the Palm Springs Tourism Infrastructure District (PSTID), more money for homeless encampment sweeps, and approval of parking updates at the Palm Springs International Airport.
Details: The Council will also vote on a $495,976 construction contract with Global Builders, Inc. for the Victoria Park restroom replacement and consider approving plans to begin the bidding process for the South Palm Canyon Drive road reconfiguration project. Tune in live on YouTube or submit public comments to the City Clerk’s office by email.
🚨 Palm Springs man among those arrested in child exploitation sweep
A year-long, multi-agency operation led by the Riverside County Child Exploitation Team identified more than 500 suspected distributors of child sexual abuse material and resulted in 42 arrests, including a 56-year-old man from Palm Springs.
Authorities served 46 residential search warrants and identified more than 500 unique IP addresses linked to child sexual abuse material distributed on peer-to-peer networks. Fourteen of those arrested were classified as high-risk offenders, including a child psychologist, a naturopathic doctor, a hospital chief technology officer, and three registered sex offenders.
Zoom in: The effort, known as Operation Volcano, ran from March 2025 through March 2026. Details of the operation were announced Monday by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.
A MESSAGE FROM
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📆 Featured Events
Voter Registration
1 p.m. | Mary Pickford is D'Place
The Primary Election is June 2. Register to vote, update your address or name, or change your party affiliation with on-site assistance.
Backgammon Club
3 p.m. | Market Market
Weekly game for novice and advanced players alike. New players can get a quick lesson and jump right in.
ONE-PS Monthly Meeting
4 p.m. | Police Training Center
Monthly meeting of the Organized Neighborhoods of Palm Springs (ONE-PS), bringing together neighborhood representatives, board members, City Council, public safety officers, and city officials.
Eisenhower Health 2026 Annual Mixer
5 p.m. | Spencer's Restaurant
Networking mixer hosted by Eisenhower Health and the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce in the Bougainvillea Room. Includes hors d'oeuvres and refreshments; tickets required for entry. ($20–$30)
Palm Springs City Council
5:30 p.m. | City Hall
The regular City Council meeting regularly held on a Wednesday is being held on Tuesday due to scheduling conflicts. The meeting is open to the public.
PSUSD Board Meeting
6 p.m. | Palm Springs High School
PSUSD Board of Education regular meeting, held the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at District Headquarters is being held this evening at PSHS. Parents, guardians, and community members are encouraged to attend.
Pets in Recovery Fundraiser
6 p.m. | Location provided upon RSVP
Alcohol-free fundraiser marking the nonprofit's seventh year supporting its pet foster care program for people in substance abuse rehabilitation. Contact [email protected] to inquire about availability.
📌 Save the Date
Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast at the Palm Springs Convention Center on Thursday ($95)
Agave Paradiso Cocktail Party benefiting Palm Springs Animal Shelter on Saturday ($25-$250)
Ride of Silence at Ruth Hardy Park at 6:30 p.m. on May 20
Pool Party for Cause at Palm Springs Surf Club at 6 p.m. on May 22 ($25)
Memorial Day Air Fair & Flower Drop at Palm Springs Air Museum at 10 a.m. on May 25 ($23)
Heroes on the Diamond Charity Exhibition Baseball Game at Palm Springs Stadium at 5:30 p.m. on May 31
Palm Springs 70mm Film Festival at Palm Springs Cultural Center runs May 29-31 ($22)
Marilyn 100 Celebration runs May 29 through June 1
PS/NEXT Summit 26 at Palm Springs Convention Center runs June 22-23
🚠 And Finally …
Seniors in the Palm Springs Unified School District line the stage at Richards Center for the Arts Monday evening after receiving Kente stoles to celebrate their achievement.
What started six years ago as a response to a troubling disciplinary disparity has grown into one of the most meaningful graduation traditions in the Coachella Valley.
Driving the news: The African American Parent Advisory Council held its sixth annual End of the Year Celebration and Kente stole presentation Monday evening at the Richards Center for the Arts at Palm Springs High School, bringing together nearly 100 future graduates from the Palm Springs Unified School District.
Each senior received a traditional Kente stole — a colorful, hand-woven sash rooted in Ghanaian tradition — to wear at their upcoming commencement ceremony.
Why it matters: The event was born out of concern over disproportionately high suspension and expulsion rates among Black students in the district. AAPAC chairperson of student enrichment Jarvis Crawford said the goal was to replace a culture of punishment with one of empowerment.
Worth noting: The Kente stoles were purchased entirely with funds donated by the Palm Springs Black History Committee — no district money required. Awards were also presented to students in grades K-12, a deliberate signal that younger students are being watched and valued, too.
The bottom line: "When they walk across that stage, they'll have some pride to show that they have a community that backs them," Crawford said.
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