Aug. 1 Daily Briefing: Parks plan, earthquakes strike, cat intakes paused, and more

TGIF and welcome to August, which we hope we’re not jinxing by pointing out is arguably the slowest and longest four weeks of the year for us local news types. With no city meetings, many sources taking vacations, and a lot of you still hunkering down in cooler climates, we have to work extra hard to find newsy tidbits for you each day (although it’s nice to get a break from attending night meetings). We’ll counter some of that scramble by taking our annual week off this month (more on that later) and hope you stick with us when we do! 

LEADING OFF

The city is in the process of replacing aging playground equipment and adding shade cover at multiple parks, including Victoria Park, seen here.

Timeline to transform city’s 312 acres of parkland unveiled

Palm Springs Parks and Recreation Department leadership presented a detailed implementation schedule this week for executing its ambitious master plan over the next five years. The comprehensive timeline assigns specific tasks to each fiscal year to ensure the community-driven plan doesn’t “sit on the shelf.”

Driving the news: The master plan was completed in 2024 after extensive community engagement involving over 700 residents through more than 15 events, with Parks and Recreation Director Nicholas Gonzalez presenting the implementation strategy to ensure accountability.

• Residents identified four major needs during the planning process: climate-resilient parks, facilities serving multiple community functions, better maintenance with community investment, and more parks for equitable access citywide.

The six themes: Implementation centers on communicating the experience, connecting people and places, keeping facilities climate resilient, renewing the system, stewarding the future, and expanding impact.

• Marketing efforts include hiring consultants and partnering with a social media company, which has already paid off with 500 new social media followers.

Climate focus: Tree planting partnerships with the sustainability commission and park cleanups will address resilience, while water features balance community demands for splash pads with conservation requirements.

By the numbers: The department aims to increase cost recovery from the current 16% to 20-25%, following peer city recommendations, while managing 11 parks, seven facilities, 15 trail heads and numerous programs.

What’s next: The next two years will focus on establishing baselines through improved data collection and marketing efforts, with the Parks and Recreation Commission working alongside a Master Plan ad hoc committee to track progress and advocate for resources.

BRIEFLY

Healthcare District approves $1.2 million in community health grants

The Desert Healthcare District & Foundation Board recently approved $1 million in grants to continue mental and behavioral health support for youth and families in the Coachella Valley, building on work that began with five local nonprofits three years ago.

• The funding will support a new request for proposals titled “Empowering Resilient Youth and Families: Advancing Mental and Behavioral Health Support,” with grants distributed over the next two years based on lessons learned from the initial program.
• Additional grants approved include $193,000 for Visión y Compromiso to expand mental health services for children and families, funding two community health workers and program materials, and $75,000 for Alianza Nacional de Campesinas to address food insecurity in farmworker communities.
• But wait: The board also discussed but tabled a proposed three-year, $5.2 million grant to address physician shortages in Spanish-speaking communities by funding a teaching program and family medicine residency at Innercare in Coachella.

4.3 magnitude earthquake strikes near Fontana, felt across region

A 4.3 magnitude earthquake struck near Fontana at roughly 9:30 a.m. Thursday, with tremors felt across several regions including Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley. No injuries or major damages have been reported.

• Three additional earthquakes hit the Rialto area Thursday morning: a 3.0 magnitude quake at 8:34 a.m., a 2.8 magnitude quake at 8:42 a.m., and a 3.1 magnitude quake at 9:36 a.m.
• Looking back: Two nearly identical earthquakes occurred seconds apart near Cabazon late Monday morning, according to the US Geological Survey. The first measured 3.0 magnitude around 11:30 a.m. with a depth of 6.71 miles, followed 34 seconds later by a 3.1 magnitude quake at 6.96 miles deep. Both earthquakes were centered about three miles north of Cabazon.

YOUR WEEKEND

TODAY

• Game Night at Starbase 505 starting at 4 p.m.
• Torch Songs With a Twist at the Cultural Center at 7:30 p.m. ($35)
• Jimmy O Yang at Agua Caliente Casino Rancho Mirage at 8 p.m. ($86)

SATURDAY

• Tobacco Waste Clean-up at Demuth Park at 6:30 a.m.
• Indoor Palm Springs Certified Farmers’ Market at the Palm Springs Pavilion starting at 8 a.m.
• “Repo Man” Sci-Fi Summer screening at the Camelot Theatre at 6 p.m. ($14)
• Dive-In Movie “Moana 2” at the Palm Springs Swim Center at 7 p.m.
• Country Western Dancing at Step by Step at 7 p.m. ($5)
• Comedy Night at Hotel Zoso at 9 p.m. ($10-$18)

SUNDAY

• Labubu Tote Bag Paint and Sip at La Quinta Brewing in Palm Springs ($55)
• Sunday Stompat Reforma Palm Springs starting at 6 p.m. ($5)

AND FINALLY …

In today's Daily Briefing we welcome August by reporting on how the city plans to roll out parks improvements, why the animal shelter is temporarily halting cat and kitten intakes, and what you can do around town this weekend.

The Palm Springs Animal Shelter is temporarily closing its doors to new cats and kittens through Aug. 13, implementing what officials are calling a necessary pause to address a viral outbreak before it spreads further through the facility.

Driving the news: The two-week hiatus, which began Thursday, aims to prevent the kind of widespread illness that can occur when shelters become overcrowded and infectious diseases find ideal conditions to spread.

• Residents who find stray cats or kittens during this period are encouraged to call the shelter’s admissions team at 760-416-5718. A team member can provide alternative resources and guidance until normal operations resume.

The bigger picture: Shelter overcrowding creates a perfect storm for viral outbreaks, making prevention through temporary intake pauses a more effective strategy than treating widespread illness after it takes hold.

Why it matters: The temporary closure allows staff to focus on the health and well-being of animals already in their care while preventing new arrivals from being exposed to illness.

Officials are using this time to encourage pet owners to consider spaying and neutering, explore alternatives to surrender, and support adoption efforts to help current shelter animals find permanent homes.

The post Aug. 1 Daily Briefing: Parks plan, earthquakes strike, cat intakes paused, and more appeared first on The Palm Springs Post.