We are grateful for our advertisers. Become one today

Wednesday, March 18 | ☀️ 100°/72°

Happy Wednesday, where if you haven’t looked at the price while you fill your gas tank, our advice is you don’t! Gas prices in the state are the highest in the nation, averaging around $5.56 a gallon. Locally, you can find better prices if you do some research before filling up (KESQ has a handy tool here), but you can also save with some simple tips: Drive at moderate speeds, accelerate smoothly, keep your car well-maintained and tires properly inflated, and use your A/C sparingly (much easier said than done this week!).

🎶 Setting the mood: "Election Day" by Arcadia

A group of Palm Springs residents has filed paperwork seeking to place a charter amendment on the November ballot that would restore a citywide elected mayor, launching a campaign to change the city's governance structure.

Driving the news: The group, calling itself Citizens for an Elected Mayor, submitted a notice of intent Monday to the Palm Springs city attorney requesting approval to begin circulating petitions for a ballot measure that would amend the city charter to allow voters to elect a mayor directly.

How it would work: Under the proposal, the mayor would remain a voting member of the City Council and would continue to serve largely ceremonial functions. Palm Springs operates under a council-manager form of government, in which the city manager oversees daily operations.

Why it matters: The effort comes weeks after the City Council signaled plans to examine the city's mayoral structure. During a February meeting, councilmembers agreed to place the issue on a future agenda, with the expectation that any potential change would involve legal analysis and public engagement.

Yes, but: Councilmember Grace Garner, who represents District 1 and previously served on the city's California Voting Rights Act working group, said any proposal to alter the city's election system should undergo a robust public process similar to the one used when Palm Springs adopted district elections in 2018.

What's next: The city attorney must prepare an official ballot title and summary before proponents can begin collecting signatures to qualify the measure for the ballot.

Celebrating Broadway and the songs that inspire, engage, uplift, comfort, and call us to action with the desert’s premier men’s vocal ensemble, A Cabbello, In Residency at Mizell Center. Wednesdays, March 25 & April 1 at the Cascade Lounge Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs. Soaring harmonies. Unforgettable melodies.

Sunshine Sisters Breakfast
8 a.m. | Location TBD
Join other Palm Springs Sunshine Sisters for breakfast and conversation. Check the meeting location at this Meetup page.

Morning Coffee Book Club
10:30 a.m. | Welwood Murray Memorial Library
Scott Biegen, a PSPL Librarian, leads this monthly book club in the Cornelia White Community Room. The group meets the 3rd Wednesday of the month from 10:30 a.m.–12 p.m.; coffee and muffins provided by Aspen Mills. Contact Scott Biegen to join the email list.

Simply Meditate
12 p.m. | Buddhist Center
Learn the basics of meditation and how to integrate it into everyday activities. Drop-in sessions run Tuesday–Thursday, 12–12:30 p.m., based on New Meditation Handbook by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche. Everyone welcome. ($5)

Administrative Appeals Board
2 p.m. | City Hall
The Administrative Appeals Board hears appeals on actions taken by administrative officers or agencies relating to the Municipal Code. The board meets the third Wednesday of each month. Contact the Office of the City Clerk at 760-323-8204.

Live Music Wednesdays
4 p.m. | The Social Cafe & Lounge
Enjoy a rotating lineup of live music each Wednesday alongside coffee, cocktails, and cuisine. Whether catching up with friends or enjoying a solo evening out, it's a perfect mid-week blend of community and entertainment.

Palm Springs Airport Commission
4 p.m. | Palm Springs Airport
The Airport Commission meets the third Wednesday of each month at 4 p.m. in the airport conference room, central lobby mezzanine level. The meeting is open to the public and parking is validated for all attendees.

Cocktails & Cabaret with Francesca Amari & Jeff Lantz
5 p.m. | Palm Springs Cultural Center
Step into the VIP Lounge for an evening of mod pop, yacht rock, Broadway show tunes, classic Rat Pack gems, and interactive fun hosted by Francesca Amari and Jeff Lantz with special guests. Expect silly stories, surprise guests, and plenty of audience participation. ($20)

Lesbian and Queer Women's Social
5:30 p.m. | Gertie's Salon & Bar at Alice B’s
An inclusive and welcoming social for lesbians and all women in the queer community to connect, dance, and build joyful connections. Hosted inside Alice B PS.

Catherine O'Hara: Simply the Best — Beetlejuice
6:30 p.m. | Palm Springs Cultural Center
A big-screen tribute celebrating the career of comedy icon Catherine O'Hara, featuring a Schitt's Creek screening at 6:30 p.m. followed by Beetlejuice at 7 p.m. ($12)

Desert Blues Revival
7 p.m. | Agua Caliente Casino
Authentic Blues, Soul, R&B, and Rock from artists around the globe every Wednesday. ($17)

The Green Room
7 p.m. | Palm Springs Cultural Center
The Bent presents Jason Reale's Green Room as part of its reading series, featuring Billy L'Amour, Melanie Blue, Michael Pacas, and Alex Price. ($12)

Renée Taylor's 'My Life on a Diet' One-Woman Show
7 p.m. | The Plaza Theatre
Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Renée Taylor revives her autobiographical one-woman comedy, originally co-written with her late husband Joseph Bologna. ($65–$125)

Drone pilots in the Palm Springs, consider this your friendly — and official — heads up: The police department and its partners are watching the skies, and they don't like what they're seeing.

Driving the news: The PSPD, working alongside federal partners, is actively monitoring illegal drone flights in Palm Springs controlled airspace and issuing citations to pilots flying without proper authorization.

Why it matters: Depending on location, flying a drone illegally isn't just a rules violation — it can rise to the level of a criminal offense, with citations currently being issued by federal authorities.

What you need to know: The FAA requires pilots to understand where they can and cannot fly, and where prior authorization is needed before taking off.

Learn more: On social media this week, police shared two resources for drone operators: an FAA map of controlled airspace across the United States, and an FAA page on stepped-up drone enforcement for 2025.

Recently published stories

📚 Kendall was delighted to overhear teens at the bookstore call Mary Shelley “the GOAT [greatest of all time]” and say that “Wuthering Heights” is “actually pretty crazy”.

🐶 Mark thinks that if Idyllwild can have Mayor Max the Golden Retriever that Palm Springs is more than ready for Mayor JoJo — Mark’s Chihuahua. Let’s get him on the November ballot, people!

🙋‍♀️ Want to know what The Post is all about? Read this.

Our network of publications has nearly 50,000 email subscribers and we send 125,000 newsletters each week! That gives advertisers unmatched reach to engaged local readers across the Coachella Valley. Click the button below to learn more or receive our rate card.

We deliver free news to communities throughout the Coachella Valley and a roundup on Saturdays. Click below to subscribe to our other newsletters!