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Friday, May 29 | ☀️ 81°/61°
TGIF, folks! A few weeks back we told you the city of Palm Desert had revamped its website. The change was a wise move, since websites can often grow a bit out of control and become harder to use. Here at The Post, we decided to get out ahead of the issue by switching over to the same website builder (and design) used for our other publications. Even though we are less than a year old, we still had about 100 stories to move to the new system, and are working on cleaning up any oddness on the pages that moved over.
🎶 Setting the mood: "June" by Florence + The Machine
Leading Off
A vast network of cameras and license plate readers can be monitored from the new Coachella Valley Real-Time Intelligence Center in Palm Springs.
Palm Desert council signals support for drones, crime surveillance center
The Palm Desert City Council expressed broad support Thursday for a potential drone and real-time surveillance program, directing staff to keep evaluating the technology after a study session with the Riverside County Sheriff's Office.
Driving the news: The council reviewed proposals for a Drone as First Responder program and a Real-Time Crime Center that would integrate aerial surveillance, license plate readers, dispatch data, and live camera feeds into a centralized monitoring hub. No vote was taken, and no funding or contracts were on the table.
The proposed surveillance center would include a 12-by-6-foot ultra-high-resolution LED video wall, 12 analyst and operator workstations, and integration with regional camera systems.
By the numbers: The drone program would cost an estimated $4.2 million over five years — roughly $846,000 annually — covering nine docked drone systems, four patrol drones, software, training, and storage. The surveillance center buildout is estimated at $1.2 million.
Both figures represent costs shared among Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, and Indian Wells, with a cost-share model yet to be finalized.
On privacy: Councilmembers questioned how residents would be protected from drones over private property. Chief Deputy Ken Reichle said residents could access a portal showing the flight path of any drone that passed over their property.
Councilmember Gina Nestande said she worries about individual freedoms but called the program "a step that will really improve our community."
What's next: Staff will continue refining program scope, costs, governance structure, privacy safeguards, and an operational framework before returning to the council with a formal proposal.
Palm Springs and Cathedral City already jointly operate a similar drone and crime center program.
Briefly
Mountaintop view of Palm Desert residential rooftops and palm trees. (Photo: Shutterstock/trekandshoot)
🏠 City’s home prices dip, sales rise
Median prices for detached homes in Palm Desert fell 4% year over year to $725,000 in April, according to the Greater Palm Springs Realtors Desert Housing Report. Attached home prices dropped nearly 6% to $510,000.
Valleywide, all nine valley cities saw year-over-year price decreases for detached homes, though Indian Wells, La Quinta, and Rancho Mirage posted slight gains in attached home prices. The valley median for detached homes stood at $691,000, down 4.6% from last year.
Details: Palm Desert led the valley in sales with 180 transactions during the three-month period ending in April, up from 174 in the same period in 2025. Homes are taking longer to sell, averaging 51 days on the market compared to 44 days last year. Valley inventory dipped 7% year over year to 3,534 units.
🏘️ Council rejects appeal of 156-unit housing project
The Palm Desert City Council unanimously rejected an appeal Thursday by Supporters Alliance for Environmental Responsibility (SAFER) against environmental approvals for the 156-unit Portola Springs single-family home development at the southwest corner of Frank Sinatra Drive and Portola Avenue.
Councilmember Karina Moreno said housing needs outweighed environmental concerns, adding that CEQA "needs to be reformed." The developer's attorney accused SAFER of using the environmental review process as leverage to secure labor agreements from home builders — a charge SAFER's attorney denied.
Details: SAFER argued the Portola Springs project should have been reviewed alongside the neighboring Catavina development. The city attorney's office rejected that argument, siding with the developer. In February, the council also unanimously rejected a separate SAFER appeal against the Catavina project.
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
Weekly certified farmers market held Fridays through May featuring fresh local produce, chef-prepared foods, and artisan vendors.
Neuropong Workshop
Today | 10:45 a.m. | Civic Center Park
Desert Recreation District hosts a specialized therapeutic table tennis program designed for individuals with Parkinson's, MS, Alzheimer's, and dementia.
Road Run
Saturday | 6 a.m. | Meet near Jamba Juice
The Desert Run Club hosts a series of runs open to everyone whether you’re chasing a PR, training for a race, building consistency, or just showing up for the miles and good vibes.
College of the Desert Street Fair
Saturday | 8 a.m. | 43-500 Monterey Ave
Locals and visitors alike can spend their day with an open-air shaded shopping experience second to none.
The Lucie Arnaz Awards
Sunday | 4 p.m. | McCallum Theatre
Annual awards celebrating outstanding musical theater work by teachers and students from Inland Empire high schools.
Ribbon Cutting at H&H Bagels
Tuesday | 9:30 a.m. | 73131 Country Club Dr
Ribbon cutting celebration for H&H Bagels with networking, staff introductions, and business card sharing.
Morning Grounds Networking Coffee
Wednesday | 8 a.m. | Desert Kid Coffee
Monthly morning networking meetup for Coachella Valley community and portfolio managers, hosted by Harvest Landscape Enterprises and Ivan's Painting; meets the first Wednesday of every month.
LGBTQ+ Youth Hangout Palm Desert
Wednesday | 4:30–6 p.m. | Portola Community Center
Monthly safe space hangout for youth ages 10–18 featuring games, art projects, and films; meets the first Wednesday of each month.
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.
Board Game Night
Thursday | 5 p.m. | The Dragon Den
Bring your own games or rent from their selection of strategy, area-control, and cooperative games; discounts available in the Used Games section. ($10–$20)
✨ And Finally …
Canyon Creek Mushroom Farm at 77917 Wildcat Dr.
For residents in the central portion and eastern end of the Coachella Valley who dread watching their nearest farmers markets close up shop when summer heat arrives, relief may be on the way — air-conditioned relief, at that.
Driving the news: A new indoor farmers market is set to open in Palm Desert this summer, held every Sunday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Canyon Creek Mushroom Farm, 77917 Wildcat Dr., running from June 14 through mid-September.
The farm is located north of Interstate 10, just west of the Washington Street entrance to Sun City Palm Desert.
What to expect: Shoppers will find fresh baked goods, flowers, artisan and handcrafted items, farm-fresh produce, specialty foods, and local favorites — all under air conditioning and misters.
Why it matters: Several Coachella Valley markets suspend operations during summer, including those in Rancho Mirage, La Quinta, and Desert Hot Springs. Indio, the valley's easternmost major city, has no farmers market and relies in part on Madison Street Produce, a farm stand that also closes in May.
The Palm Springs market continues through summer but relocates to the Palm Springs Pavilion.
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