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Friday, May 22 | ☀️ 94°/68°
Welcome to Friday, everyone, where we hope you’re starting a long, holiday weekend. If you’re looking for a way to honor our fallen service members, The Palm Springs Air Museum's annual Memorial Day Flower Drop & Air Fair returns Monday with flight exhibitions, live music, food vendors, and a solemn Missing Man Formation that will release 5,000 red and white carnations, as well as a dozen red roses to honor local Gold Star Families (including the family of fallen Marine Hunter Lopez). This year's event also commemorates the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, with three decorated Vietnam Aviator Honorees on hand to meet visitors. More information is available here.
🎶 Setting the mood: "Je vulesse" by Nu Genea
Leading Off
Developer Lindsay Ross was granted a one-year extension Tuesday for his proposal to subdivide this lot in the Ironwood Country Club neighborhood in south Palm Desert. (Photo: Redfin)
Planning Commission extends stalled subdivision, flags HOA confusion
A Palm Desert developer got more time Tuesday to advance a long-stalled subdivision proposal — but left the meeting with the same unresolved question that has dogged the project for years: who, exactly, has the final say?
Driving the news: The Palm Desert Planning Commission granted developer Lindsay Ross a one-year extension on his proposal to subdivide a lot in the Ironwood Country Club neighborhood, pushing the new deadline to February 2027.
At the same meeting, it was revealed that HOA approval for a proposed home on the site had already expired.
The backdrop: Ross's proposal to split a third lot into two additional parcels was initially approved in 2024 — over Ironwood's objections — with a condition that he obtain HOA sign-off on stormwater drainage plans. Ross said he contacted Ironwood multiple times seeking approval and received no reply; the association said it was waiting on a satisfactory drainage report before acting.
Deputy Director of Development Services Carlos Flores acknowledged the arrangement was ambiguous, saying the city lacks a specific condition requiring HOA approval and stops short of enforcing HOA covenants — meaning any conflict would ultimately become a civil matter.
What they're saying: "The HOA thinks that they have some ability to approve a project, and they don't," said Commissioner John Collum. Commissioner Joshua Nickerson, who asked staff to explore ways to clarify responsibilities, noted the commission had twice this year fielded comments from HOAs about projects within their communities. "There seems to be a big confusion on who's responsible for what," he said.
What's next: Chair Lindsay Holt recommended Ross hire an engineer to review all requirements — from both the city and the HOA — before the new deadline.
Briefly
Post photo illustration
🎷 McCallum Theatre to launch inaugural Jazz Experience
Palm Desert’s McCallum Theatre will host its inaugural Jazz Experience next month, offering a full day of music, education, and live performance across multiple venues in Palm Desert on Saturday, June 13.
A free morning Jazz Lab at the Palm Desert Library begins at 9 a.m. and includes an art workshop and a family concert at 11 a.m. featuring musicians from the Pacific Jazz Orchestra. A Community Jazz Jam moves to the McCallum stage at 1 p.m., showcasing local talent for $15, followed by an evening Jazz Spotlight at 7 p.m. with Grammy-nominated pianist David Benoit and vocalist Courtney Fortune, with tickets starting at $33.
Details: Reservations are required for the morning session. For tickets and information, visit McCallumTheatre.org or call 760-340-2787.
A MESSAGE FROM
CITY OF PALM SPRINGS
📅 Featured Events
Rancho Mirage Certified Farmers Market
Today | 8 a.m.–2 p.m. | Rancho Mirage Community Park
Held Fridays October through May, this weekly market features fresh local produce, chef-prepared foods, and artisan vendors.
Girls Who Move wellness event
Saturday | 7:30 a.m. | lululemon El Paseo
Just Girls and Coachella Moves host a free morning wellness event beginning with a 2-mile walk/run around El Paseo followed by a yoga session with instructor Crissy.
College of the Desert Street Fair
Saturday | 8 a.m. | College of the Desert
The College of the Desert Street Fair returns to the Palm Desert campus.
Monthly Warhammer Tournament
Saturday | 10:30 a.m. | The Dragon Den
Three-round Warhammer 40k RTT tournament with a 2k points limit; first match begins at 11 a.m. Visitors must RSVP by calling the store the Friday before the tournament. ($20–$40)
Sew Social
Sunday | 2 p.m. | Flat Black art supplies
A fiber and fabric art meetup featuring vendors, live music, and art. Attendees are welcome to bring their own project or use supplies provided on-site.
Evening 5k and 5-Mile Road Run
Wednesday | 6 p.m. | lululemon El Paseo
Join Desert Run Club for a 5k or 5-mile evening run meetup. Come hydrated and wear lightweight, breathable clothing for the warm weather.
Line Dancing
Wednesday | 6:30 p.m. | Civic Center Park
Weekly line dancing class led by instructor MC Callaghan, covering classic and contemporary dances including the electric slide and Tush Push. No prior experience required. ($17 drop-in / $68 resident session fee)
Film Noir Thursday
Thursday | 2:30 p.m. | Palm Desert Library
This week's screening is “Touch of Evil,” Orson Welles' stylish thriller about a corrupt detective in a Mexican border town, followed by a brief discussion. Registration required.
Palm Desert City Council
Thursday | 4 p.m. | City Hall
City Council meetings are held in person with live-stream participation available via Zoom. Public comments may be submitted in writing to [email protected] by 10 a.m. on the day of the meeting.
An Evening in the Garden Wine Tasting
Thursday | 6 p.m. | Location sent after RSVP, Palm Desert
An open-house evening in Palm Desert, featuring a 5-course natural wine tasting by Rosemary HiFi. RSVP required; space is limited. ($65)
Free Concerts in the Park
Thursday | 7 p.m. | Civic Center Park
Palm Desert's Concerts in the Park series wraps up the season with The Yellow Brick Band, an Elton John tribute. Bring lawn chairs or blankets; food trucks will be on site. Alcohol and smoking are not permitted.
✨ And Finally …
A city committee has recommended that Nine Ancestral Feathers along El Paseo be acquired as part of the city’s permanent art collect.
Palm Desert may soon own a new piece of public art that does double duty as a geography and history lesson — and it's made of feathers.
Driving the news: The Palm Desert Cultural Arts Committee voted unanimously this month to recommend the purchase of "Nine Ancestral Feathers," a sculpture currently on display along El Paseo, for permanent installation in a Gerald Ford Drive median in the city's northern sphere. The recommendation goes to the Palm Desert City Council for final approval.
About the sculpture: The work by Adrian Litman consists of nine painted metal feathers, each bolted individually to the ground, standing between 10 and 12 feet tall.
The nine feathers correspond to both the nine bands of Cahuilla people in the Coachella Valley and the nine incorporated cities of the region.
Why it matters: Committee Chair Maureen Boren summed up the appeal simply: "It speaks to our ancestral culture."
What's next: The sculpture will remain on El Paseo until the exhibition concludes in October, after which it will be relocated to a median on Gerald Ford Drive west of Dinah Shore Drive. Installation at the new site is expected by the end of November.
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