2 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT
JANUARY 2024
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Mailing address: 31855 Date Palm Drive, No. 3-263 Cathedral City, CA 92234 (760) 904-4208 www.cvindependent.com
Editor/Publisher Jimmy Boegle staff writerS Haleemon Anderson Kevin Fitzgerald coveR and feature design Dennis Wodzisz Contributors Nicole Borgenicht, Charles Drabkin, Katie Finn, Bill Frost, Bonnie Gilgallon, Bob Grimm, Valerie-Jean (VJ) Hume, Clay Jones, Matt Jones, Matt King, Keith Knight, Kay Kudukis, Cat Makino, Brett Newton, Greg Niemann, Dan Perkins, Theresa Sama, Maria Sestito, Jen Sorenson, Robert Victor The Coachella Valley Independent print edition is published every month. All content is ©2023-2024 and may not be published or reprinted in any form without the written permission of the publisher. The Independent is available free of charge throughout the Coachella Valley, limited to one copy per reader. Additional copies may be purchased for $5 by calling (760) 904-4208. The Independent may be distributed only by the Independent’s authorized distributors. The Independent is a proud member and/ or supporter of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia, the California Newspaper Publishers Association, CalMatters, DAP Health, the Local Independent Online News Publishers, the Desert Business Association, and the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert.
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As we approached deadline on this, our first print edition of 2024, I felt concerned—about journalism in the United States, and our country in general. In recent days, two stalwarts of independent local journalism announced major changes and cutbacks. The Chico News & Review said its January print edition would be its last, although the 46-year-old Northern California publication will continue—in a more limited form—online. “For the past 3 1/2 years, the newspaper has persevered, publishing monthly with the hope that ad sales would bounce back post-COVID pandemic,” said editor Jason Cassidy in a note to readers. “Unfortunately, they haven’t, and we find ourselves at a crossroads. We will now try to forge a new path. The CN&R’s mission will persist online, where we will channel our resources toward enhancing coverage of local government and continuing as the go-to resource for local arts information.” A few states to the east, the 30-year-old Colorado Springs Independent announced it would be taking “a break” and would “cease publishing for the immediate future.” “If we’re going to succeed, we will need everyone’s support and encouragement,” wrote publisher Fran Zankowski. “It’s too important for the health of our community to let this voice be silenced. With great hope, optimism and resilience, our plan is to eliminate our debt, reorganize and return in February with a financially stable, successful and revitalized publication.” This is not to say that all news outlets are in trouble, or even doing poorly—but the industry as a whole is not in great shape. TheWrap, a media/entertainment news source, had this to say in a December article: “Broadcast, print and digital outlets collectively saw 2,681 journalism job cuts in 2023, up 48% from 1,808 in 2022 and 77% from 1,511 in 2021, according to a report from employment firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. With a collapsing advertising-revenue model and more media companies experimenting with artificial intelligence to create content, the outlook for journalism is dimming, media analysts told TheWrap. The decline underscores the need for the public and even governments to fund news gathering if it is to survive in its current form and avoid widespread ‘news deserts,’ they said.” I’ve said it before, but I need to say it again: Fewer news sources and fewer journalists on the streets means bad things for communities. When elected officials and other people in power don’t have a watchdog, that leads to corruption. When there are fewer arts writers, local culture gets less exposure. Less wellsourced, factual news means the public is less informed. In some ways, we’ve been fortunate in the Coachella Valley. The Desert Sun has been spared from major cuts, unlike some of its fellow Gannett publications, in part because the unionized newsroom is in the midst of contract negotiations, and is therefore protected from major changes by labor laws—and in part because the editors have been successful at getting community and nonprofit support to pay for two positions (the opinion page editor and the philanthropy editor) that corporate eliminated. The Palm Springs Post, only a few years old, does good work, and several other smaller, lessprofessional online-only outlets have their moments. Here at the Independent, we’re doing OK—we don’t have the resources to grow, unfortunately, but we’re not in any immediate danger of cuts, either. (If you can support us, please do: CVIndependent.com/supporters.) Local media needs the support of advertisers and readers—yes, readers like you—to survive. Please do your part. —Jimmy Boegle jboegle@cvindependent.com
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 3
JANUARY 2024
February 15-25, 2024 | Tickets and Information at modernismweek.com Modernism Show Preview Party
February 15 | Palm Springs Air Museum
February 16 | Convention Center
Modernism Week Featured Homes
Double Decker Architectural Bus Tours
Jake Holt
David A. Lee
Opening Night Party: Disco in the Desert
February 15-25 | Various Tour Times Daily
Christine Joo
Clinton Meyer
February 16-25 | Various Tour Times Daily
Dr. Barry Bergdoll: Modernist Architecture on Exhibition
Columbia University
Museum of Modern Art
Soichi Sunami, The Museum of Modern Art Archives
Keynote Presentation | February 17 | Annenberg Theater
Grand
Major
Platinum
Civic Presenting
Premier
Media
Diamond
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JANUARY 2024
OPINION OPINION
CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION MAKE THE EASY CHOICE
HIKING WITH T
Wildflowers are already blooming— THE #1 CHOICE and the Whitewater Preserve has reopened COMFORT AIR
BY THERESA SAMA
L
ast month, I wrote about a few of the many trails here in the Coachella Valley. I briefly covered the Camille Canyon Ridge Loop in Desert Hot Springs, and how some reviewers think it is more difficult than “moderate,” while yet others say it’s hard to follow. My hiking buddy and I checked this trail out recently—and sure enough, it’s a tough one, and it is very hard to follow. This is a trail that’s more off the beaten path and less-traveled. We only saw two other people on the trail, and this was during a weekend. The trail certainly has a variety of terrain. We started counterclockwise and faced some steep, rocky climbs. Coming down wasn’t any easier—although it was most interesting: We were in about a three-foot trench. The ground was so soft that the loose, sandy dirt covered our shoes trumpet, yerba del diablo and Jimson weed) completely. The trail walls were about half as is a plant that is classified as poisonous. Howtall as us, and the path was so narrow that ever, it’s also considered to be a spiritual plant we barely fit through it. It took us around 1 that magnifies strength, wisdom and creative 1/2 hours to complete the nearly three-mile solutions as a hallucinogen. It has been used loop. We did lose the trail toward the end by certain tribes as a painkiller in initiation and finished via streets after we shimmied rituals and as a narcotic for ritual sacrifices. underneath a barbed-wire fence. It’s known as a significant part of the AmerI recommend wearing a great pair of hiking ican Southwest’s cultural history, central to shoes or boots with excellent traction, and the Zuni people’s relations with rain, accordbring hiking poles. I used a satellite map, to ing to Karla Glashow, from California State which I had to refer often. And as always, University Los Angeles, writing for Archaebring more water than you should need—at ology Southwest’s Preservation Archaeology least one liter per hour—and always be Blog. (To repeat: The sacred datura is considprepared for the unexpected. ered poisonous, so don’t consume it.) We saw a lot of animal scat along this trail. Also, brittlebush, desert mallow, purple My thoughts are that animals use this trail verbena and so many more wildflowers are more than humans. blooming all throughout the desert. Blooms All that said, the scenery is most are becoming prevalent from northwest of the spectacular and rewarding from the valley in the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve to high points (approximately 2,200 feet in the Coachella Valley National Wildlife Refuge elevation), with clear, 360-degree views. in Thousand Palms, and the throughout the Looking west, in the distance, you’ll see San Coachella Valley Preserve/Thousand Palms Gorgonio Mountain—the highest peak in Oasis Preserve in the east valley. I’ve heard Southern California, at 11,503 feet. Looking that Anza-Borrego Desert State Park has southwest over the city of Desert Hot blooming wildflowers as well. It might be Springs, you’ll see Mount San Jacinto, the worth a drive to check it out. second-highest peak in Southern California, standing tall above the city of Palm Springs, Whitewater Preserve Update at 10,834 feet. As you look north and east, Good news: The prestigious Whitewater you’ll be looking into the rugged badlands Preserve is now open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 area at the base of the Little San Bernardino p.m., with free admission. Mountains. To the south, you may even see According to The Wildlands Conservancy’s the Salton Sea. Whitewater Preserve website and Facebook QUALITY EQUIPMENT BEST PRICE GUARANTEED OneHIGHEST thing I’ve learned from hiking the page, Riverside County has repaired and Camille Canyon Ridge Loop and other EXTENSIVE WARRANTIES 24/7 LOCAL SUPPORT repaved Whitewater Canyon Road, which was neighboring trails is to never underestimate damaged by Tropical Storm Hilary on Aug. the beauty and adventure of our local hills, 20. The SAVE UP TOroad is now open, as are the parking valleys and canyon trails. lot, picnic area and visitor center. However, Speaking of beauty, I’m noticing desert the Canyon View Loop Trail remains severely wildflowers popping up already across the damaged and cannot be completed as a loop, Coachella Valley and beyond. Who would although sections of the trail are accessible; dream of seeing wildflowers in the desert as LENNOX SIGNATURE SERIES SYSTEM AND RESULTS VARY it*SAVINGS can be done as an MAY out-and-back with the early as December and January!? It must be turnaround at a beautiful viewpoint. a result of the August rains. I’ve been seeing the biggest and most beautiful sacred daturas, 7The 6 Pacific 0 . 3Crest 2 0Trail . 5between 8 0 0Whitewater TODAY FOR DETAILS! and the Mission Creek Preserve remains mainlyCALL in the canyons. c o mdamaged f o r t and a cis.not c orecommended m severely The sacred datura (aka Datura wrightii,
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Texie Pastorok carefully enters a treacherous trench on the descending portion of the Camille Canyon Ridge Loop. Theresa Sama
at all; repairs are not expected before spring. There are other out-and-back hiking alternatives from the parking lot. For more detailed information, visit the ranger station/ visitor center.
Upcoming Events
Mark your calendars for Saturday, Jan. 27, and the Palm Springs Health Run and Wellness Festival. It’s a 10k and a 5k (both USA Track and Field-certified runs), with a 1k fun run (which is free for kids 12 and younger). There will be a fitness expo featuring more than 80 health and wellness booths showcasing the latest in nutrition and exercise techniques; the KESQ News Channel 3 Cooking Competition; a LifeStream blood drive; a rock-climbing wall; and more. This child- and pet-friendly event will take place at Ruth Hardy Park, 700 Tamarisk Road, from 8
a.m. to 1 p.m., and registration ranges from $12 to $50. Register and learn more at www. palmspringshealthrun.com. Join the BE A HERO 5K and JR. Superheroes Dash on Saturday, Feb. 3. This event benefits the Hazelden Betty Ford Children’s Program and the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center. The event offers a wellness fair that includes activities for kids, raffles and much more. This course starts at Rancho Mirage Community Park at 8 a.m. and takes participants along the dirt trail of the Whitewater River Wash, under Highway 111 and into Rancho Mirage’s Magnesia Falls Cove before returning to the park. It is runner-, walker- and dog-friendly and has a water stop mid-race. Enry fee is $40 (or $45 at packet pickup the day before and on race day), and $15 for the Superheroes Dash. Register and learn more at racewire.com.
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 5
JANUARY 2024
2024 Vision for the Future Award Gala
Honoring
with Tools For Tomorrow
Joe Giarrusso
Starring
Master of Ceremonies
KESQ''S Patrick Evans KESQ Dinner Show Directed by
Joyce Bulifant
Francesca Amari Gilmore Rizzo
Silent Auction
Featuring Tools For Tomorrow students
Live Music
Dinner & Show
Venue Sponsor: Agua Caliente Resort casino spa - Rancho Mirage
TICKETS, SPONSORSHIPS & TRIBUTE ADS AVAILABLE NOW!
Doors Open at 4:30pm
For More Information:
www.toolsfortomorrow.org | 760.601.3954 CVIndependent.com
Celebrate Friendship_CVIndependent-Jan_9.66x9.89.indd 8
12/15/23 2:42 PM
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NEWS PROTECTING INCUMBENTS? L
Despite opposition, the Palm Desert City Council votes to advance only one redistricting map and election schedule
by KEVIN FITZGERALD
ast June, the Palm Desert City Council unanimously voted to transition from just two electoral districts—with District 1 represented by one council member, and District 2 represented by four—to five single-representative districts in time for the November 2024 election. This action was taken after a majority of Palm Desert voters indicated a preference for five evenly sized districts during the November 2022 election. That June vote was followed by six months of public meetings, resident input and council discussions about the pros and cons of various districting approaches offered up by residents as well as the staff of the National Demographics Corporation (NDC), a firm hired by the city to help workshops,” Quintanilla said, “… It is a 60-40 guide the process. Then at the Dec. 14 City split of people asking the council to please conCouncil meeting, Councilmember Kathleen sider 102c. As a council, we drive policy, and Kelly put forth a motion for the city to further we have the option to say, ‘You know what? consider just one map, No. 109—a map which Let’s take a step back.’ … I think that here and would split the portion of Palm Desert north now, we would be ignoring the voice of our of Country Club Drive, which has generally current residents in favor of idealized future gone unrepresented on the City Council. residents.” The motion passed, 4-1, with only newly North Palm Desert resident Michael Stafappointed Mayor Karina Quintanilla in oppoford expressed disappointment in his comsition. The vote all but guarantees that Map ments as well. 109, and its proposed election sequence, will “(Residents) provided a lot of comments be finalized at the next City Council meeting to you,” he said. “But frankly, it looks a little on Jan. 11. disingenuous if you don’t take those comments The vote occurred after numerous public forward. … You limit it to one (map), and it comments at the Dec. 14 meeting that called totally discounts all the questions and confor the council to consider another rediscerns we have in the north.” tricting option, a map created by north Palm The Independent contacted City Clerk AnthoDesert resident Stephen Nelson. Nelson’s map, ny Mejia to find out the proposed districts in No. 102c, was determined to be compliant which the current council members live. He with both NDC requirements and the necresponded with the following list: essary population balance—but the council District 1: Karina Quintanilla (term ends has refused to consider that map “officially,” December 2024) because the city’s administrative staff concludDistrict 2: Kathleen Kelly (term ends ed it was submitted too late in the process. December 2024) and Jan Harnik (term ends Nelson spoke during the public comments December 2026) portion of the Dec. 14 meeting. He brought up District 3: Gina Nestande (term ends a common concern expressed by City Council December 2024) members that the northern portion of the city District 4: Evan Trubee (term ends Decemis primed for development that could make it ber 2026) grow faster than the rest of the city. District 5: None “To split the north in two … it would be According to the proposed election sequence, irresponsible to do so,” Nelson said. “Furdistricts 1, 2 and 3 would be up for election in thermore, the proposed growth that’s been 2024, with districts 4 and 5 in 2026. talked about—I have to let you know … there In a recent interview, longtime five-district are several communities that were started in supporter, former City Council candidate and 2008 that until this day remain unfinished. recently announced 2024 candidate Gregg Using the calculus that you would do today, Akkerman talked about the complicated and you would be factoring in those said commuconfusing way in which upcoming elections nities for the purposes of splitting the north. would take place. We don’t have construction schedules as to “Districts 4 and 5 on the Map 109 proposal when these ‘future residents’ may appear. This would not have (direct) district representashould be handled by the people of the north tion at all until 2026,” Akkerman said. “They when the time comes … not by this council.” would essentially continue with the at-large Quintanilla voiced her opposition by representation with Harnik and Trubee. So, for explaining that most residents from whom two years, we will have a blended City Council she’s heard wanted the council to consider … with two leftover “at-large” representatives Map 102c. (Trubee and Harnik).” “I did attend those (public redistricting)
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The Palm Desert City Council voted 4-1 to only consider this map and schedule for redistricting—even though it splits the northern portion of the city.
Trubee lives in would become District 4, and his term does not end until December 2026, so he would become the “de facto” District 4 representative. That would leave only District 5 with no direct representation until 2026. Wouldn’t it therefore be logical to allow a District 5 election to take place in 2024, instead of District 2? Kelly’s term ends in 2024, and Harnik could represent the district until 2026—but such a change would leave Kelly unable to run again in 2024, if she chose to do so, whereas she can run under the current proposed schedule. “As far as choosing how to roll out districts, they will favor the incumbents when they can … and they said as much at the council meeting,” Akkerman said. “And that’s what they’re doing. Each of the districts being rolled out in 2024 has an incumbent whose term is ending in 2024. That was clearly done on purpose to allow them to have a district to run in if they want to.” Palm Desert moved from at-large elections to its current two-uneven-district system only because two plaintiffs—Quintanilla being one of them—sued them under the California Vot-
ing Rights act. Akkerman said during his public comments at the Dec. 14 meeting that he feared Map 109 and the current proposed elections sequence could lead to another lawsuit. “That would also be very expensive if it happened,” Akkerman said. “So I hope we get this right.” In our subsequent interview, Akkerman elaborated on those concerns. “There are many lawyers who are willing to take up the California Voting Rights Act and find reasons to sue cities that don’t seem to be complying,” Akkerman said. “I think the Map 109 that they’re choosing is open to challenge. I think it’s very possible that a lawyer will take up the case down the road. “Many residents spoke up,” Akkerman continued. “They gave their opinions. They responded to the call for participation—and it feels like the City Council invited them to the table and then ignored the responses they heard. That’s frustrating. It feels disingenuous (on the council’s part) to say, ‘Please participate—unless your opinions are different from what ours are.’”
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 7
JANUARY 2024
O U T S TA N D I N G I N T H E I N L A N D E M P I R E !
#1 Regional Hospital
plus quality awards in 20 specialties. On behalf of Eisenhower Medical Center, we say thank you. To U.S. News & World Report, for the honor and recognition. To our care teams, for their drive and dedication. And to all of you in our wonderful community who choose us for their care. Besides being ranked as the Inland Empire’s Best Regional Hospital and ranked as the 12th Best Hospital in California, we were recognized for high quality care in the following categories: • Aortic Valve Surgery
• Heart Attack
• Knee Replacement
• Pneumonia
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Heart Bypass Surgery
• Leukemia, Lymphoma & Myeloma
• Prostate Cancer Surgery
• Colon Cancer Surgery
• Hip Fracture
• Diabetes
• Hip Replacement
• Neurology & Neurosurgery
• Geriatrics
• Kidney Failure
• Orthopedics
• Heart Failure
• Lung Cancer Surgery
• Spinal Fusion • Stroke
In the coming year, we pledge to keep doing our best to be the best, delivering compassionate, high-quality, leading edge care to the Coachella Valley. Thank you, one and all. You are, and always will be, our inspiration to reach new heights.
Learn more about our accreditations and recognitions at EisenhowerHealth.org/Awards
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JANUARY 2024
NEWS A MUCH-NEEDED UPGRADE A
The Mizell Senior Center’s newly expanded kitchen is helping with an increased demand for Meals on Wheels
by Kevin Fitzgerald
growing number of homebound Coachella Valley seniors rely on Meals on Wheels to provide them with daily sustenance—and critical human interaction. The program—funded by the Riverside County Office on Aging and prepared/ administered by the Mizell Senior Center—provides these reliable and nutritious meals across the entire valley. Prior to the pandemic, Mizell’s kitchen was producing about 450 meals a day, including those going to Meals on Wheels clients. During the first year of the pandemic, the numbers spiked to roughly 800 meals per day, and then gradually receded to 650 per day. Now the numbers are rising again. significant gift into the kitchen. We’ve named Fortunately, Mizell now has a new and expanded kitchen to prepare all of these meals. it the Anastasia Angel Nutrition Center. They gave the largest personal gift, and on the other Located in the center’s Palm Springs building, side of that would be the city of Palm Springs, the kitchen had measured just 642 square feet which put in a significant amount of Measure since 1951, when it was first commissioned J money.” as part of what was Palm Springs Fire Station Other major donors included Norman No. 2. But after a redesign by architect Chris Kerewsky (whose initial gift jump-started the Mills (who was also the architect of the project), Carol Fragen, the Berger Foundation, 1991 renovation and expansion of Mizell), the Coeta and Donald Barker Foundation, the kitchen is now 1,834 square feet—and Mary Mix Livingston, and Cynthia and James includes plenty of much-needed storage space. Williams. Wes Winter, the executive director of the Now that the new kitchen is a reality, meal Mizell Senior Center, said during a recent production is humming along. interview that Mizell is currently feeding 800 “It’s a much more pleasant environment for people a day via Meals on Wheels and the the staff to be working in,” Winter said. “Now center’s congregate programs. they’re able to spread out from one another to “We would not have been able to continue work in a way that really meets their personal to feed the number of people that we are in needs as well as their professional needs. Also, that old kitchen,” Winter said. “.. There was we have an incredible amount of new storage not enough storage space, and there was not space that we didn’t have before. Storage enough room for the staff to move around. was always a problem. We had to get daily (The kitchen renovation) has allowed us to deliveries from our different vendors that nearly double our meal production. Still, supply us with the food, but now we can get we’re hoping that over time, we can bring in deliveries a couple of times a week, because additional resources and increase from 800 we have the space to store food, and we have to more. Our goal is that no senior should be adequate refrigeration.” experiencing food insecurity, whether that’s Since the fundraising campaign brought in because they’re homebound due to a medical a little more than expected, the congregate issue, or they want to come to a congregate dining room got an upgrade as well. site. We want food to be available to people. “Yesterday, we had a little over 100 people That’s the whole thrust of the program. This come for lunch, and they were sitting in a new kitchen is helping us do that.” much-improved environment,” Winter said. Mizell first announced its intention to “We ripped out the old carpeting that had renovate the kitchen in April 2022. By June been on the floor for years … and put down 2022, the center had already raised about luxury vinyl. Local artist Bill Chiaravalle did an $500,000 of the $1.3 million target—and by amazing mural for our dining room wall. … It’s November 2022, Mizell had raised that $1.3 53 feet long and about 10 feet high. It’s just million, plus a little more. a much more pleasant environment to come “We were pleasantly surprised,” Winter said. to. … We have an amazing chef, Aaron Piceno, “… We had it in mind to create a whole capital who joined us this past April. Quite honestly, campaign with a giving pyramid and the whole thing. Then we started letting folks know what he has transformed our meal offerings. So you can enjoy your lunch, meet with your friend we were doing, and it was amazing how people and become part of the community. That’s stepped up. So many of our longtime donors really the whole point of our congregate meal said that they wanted to be a part of this. One program. It’s really about community and family (the Angel family) that was involved nutrition.” in the construction of the building that I’m Even though the kitchen is capable of sitting in right now came back and put a
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CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS
The newly expanded Mizell Senior Center kitchen is 1,834 square feet in size—up from 642 square feet.
managing the increasing demand for homedelivered meals, the center’s Meals on Wheels team is under mounting pressure to keep up. “Of those 800 meals a day that we’re serving overall, about 500 of them go to homedelivered clients, so, yes, that’s increased pretty dramatically,” Winter said. “That’s put different kinds of stresses on our system. Our drivers are doing everything they can to make as many deliveries as they can, but we’re sort of maxed out in terms of our routes. We have eight routes right now that go all over the Coachella Valley to individual homes to deliver meals, and then we have another route that delivers to the senior centers. That works pretty well, but as we bring additional participants into the program, we’re going to need to add routes. Adding a route means (adding) a vehicle and all the costs associated with a vehicle— insurance, maintenance, gasoline, etc.—along with a staff person to drive the route and make the deliveries. It also would require additional nutrition program administrative staff who would handle the additional (client) assessments and re-assessments. While we want to bump it up and keep moving up, we know that in order to do that, we have to bring in additional resources.” Attracting more cash donations requires that as many valley residents as possible
are familiar with the Mizell Senior Center’s programs. In particular, Winter pointed out a personal favorite, Mizell’s “Third Wednesday” speaker series. “Topics are different every month,” Winter said. “One month, it may be a premiere of a film that’s going to be released in L.A., and they want to roll it out here first. Another time, it might be an author talk. We had a photographer come in who does coffee table books. … We get anywhere from 75 to 110 people. The whole thrust of it is to bring new people into the center. We wanted to present programming that had a broad appeal, and that would attract folks who may be new to being a senior—maybe someone in their late 50s or early 60s—and this gives them a chance to come into the center, hear about whatever the topic is, and learn a little bit about us. … It’s just a great opportunity to let the community know who we are and what we’re doing here.” The topic on Wednesday, Jan. 17, is “Alzheimer’s at the Opera: A Conversation and Recital.” A reception starts at 5:30 p.m., with the program starting at 6 p.m.; general admission tickets are $15. For more information on the Mizell Senior Center, including Third Wednesday tickets and details on Meals on Wheels enrollment, visit mizell.org.
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 9
JANUARY 2024
Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel
®
Concerts with Commentary
Neil Berg’s Fifty Years of Rock and Roll Part 3
The Power and Passion of Beethoven Mon, January 8, 7pm
Presented through the generosity of Carlyn & Robert Stonehill
Paul Anka
Seven Decades Tour
Tue & Wed, January 9 & 10, 7pm
Photo: Kenneth Tan Fotografie
Presented through the generosity of Barbara Arnstein – January 9 Carol & Henry Levy and Aviva & Ron Snow – January 10
The Maestro and The European Pop Orchestra Fri & Sat, January 12 & 13, 8pm Sun, January 14, 3pm
Presented through the generosity of: Hart Family Foundation and Nancy & George Croom – January 12 Shelly & Ron Tamkin – January 13
Mitch’s Picks
3
Jimmie Herrod Mon, January 15, 7pm
Presented through the generosity of Nancy Bleiweiss-Nevil and Elise Pasetta
Wed, January 17, 7pm Thu, January 18, 3pm & 7pm ALL NEW SHOW! Presented through the generosity of: Kim Smith – January 17 Linda & Manny Rider – January 18, 7pm
Pretty Woman The Musical
Fri, January 19, 8pm Sat, January 20, 2pm & 8pm Sun, January 21, 2pm & 7:30pm Presented through the generosity of: Barbara Arnstein – January 19 Sarah & Jerry Mathews – January 20, 8pm Rebecca Benaroya – January 21, 7:30pm
Peter Hillary Climb Your Own Everest Mon, January 22, 7pm
Presented through the generosity of Deanna Daneri
Classic Albums Live
The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers Tue, January 30, 7pm
Order online ONLY at
Order tickets by phone
mccallumtheatre.org
760-340-2787
73000 FRED WARING DRIVE, PALM DESERT • BOX OFFICE HOURS: MONDAY-FRIDAY, 9:00am-5:00pm
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10 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT
JANUARY 2024
NEWS
CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS
OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD RESEARCH
I
by Kevin Fitzgerald
n July 2023, three College of the Desert professors and one student researcher received the exciting news that NASA had chosen their project to be funded with a $900,000 M-STAR grant. The team of Ahmed Elshafie (associate professor of physics and astronomy), Amira Elsenousy (professor of astronomy), Michael Gariety (assistant professor of physics and astronomy) and student researcher David Jackson created the proposal, “A Penetrolyzer for Extracting Oxygen and Hydrogen From Mars Regolith.” In a recent media release, the COD professors explained the purpose of their project. “This grant will contribute to our future human exploration of planet Mars in the 2030s,” said university systems. Elshafie. David “Jack” Jackson, the student researcher, “Extracting oxygen and hydrogen from is savoring the opportunity. the surface of Mars will be a challenge,” said “One of the things I think is awesome about Elsenousy. this project is that it allows me to perform “Hydrogen will be utilized (by travelers real-world research that’s actually going into a to Mars) as fuel, and oxygen will be used for larger, grander scheme,” Jackson said during breathing,” said Gariety. our interview. “You know, there are a lot of The research began in earnest in Septeminternships that allow you to practice your ber 2023, and will continue through the skills, but usually at the end of the internship, three-year term of the grant, which expires in that’s pretty much it. You walk away with the August 2026. experience you had, that you practiced, but “We’re three months into our award,” Gariwhat does that translate to? This project is ety told the Independent in a recent interview. going (to contribute) to the development of “We’ve purchased the equipment that we need. mankind, and for the future missions to Mars We hired six student researchers, and we’re by NASA, which is a very impressive thing. It’s starting to do experiments. The ball is rolling humbling that we even get that opportunity at quickly. We’re getting good results. We’re getthe community college level. It’s thanks to proting good design. We’re still in the first quarter fessors like professor Gariety, Dr. Ahmed and of the timeline of the grant, but we’re progressDr. Amira Elsenousy, who are working really ing nicely according to our goals.” hard on these projects. I don’t know if they get The ultimate goal is to prove that pure paid much extra for it, but I’m just very thankoxygen and hydrogen can be extracted in largeenough quantities to provide life support during ful that they’re here to help us out.” This isn’t the first collaboration between exploration (and maybe inhabitation) of Mars. “The most challenging part is that no one has COD and NASA. The community college submitted a proposal to NASA back in 2018 which done this before,” Elshafie said. “So there is no was also funded. literature survey that we can use to help us in “It focused on developing a course in one of our experimental work. That’s why we have to the NASA areas of space technology,” Elshafie try everything ourselves, and to replicate everysaid. “We selected ‘Entry, Descent and Landing’ thing ourselves. In terms of the experimental (as our topic) specifically because of my expesetup itself, you cannot go out and buy it from rience being part of different space missions, any industrial partners. You have to 3-D design such as the landing of the Philae lander (probe) (it). You have to 3-D print, and you do trial and as part of the Rosetta mission. We landed (it) error, and you make your own design that’s on Comet 67P back in 2014. That led to other going to fit your needs to meet your goals and objectives. That’s where we are right now. We’ve experiences in my Ph.D. work where I was part passed multiple design phases in order to do the of investigating the mechanical properties of different planetary bodies.” setup for our experimental work, and we now For the current project, the COD team will be have confidence in our setup and our data.” designing and building from scratch a prototype The magnitude of the opportunity to partner of the “penetrolyzer” machine that would penon a research project with NASA is not lost on etrate the Martian surface to gather brine-rich any of the participants. soil, from which the oxygen and hydrogen mole“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for cules would be collected. community college students to be involved in “The oxygen and hydrogen that we’re prothis Ph.D.-level research,” Gariety said. Only one ducing from the Martian surface is in water,” other community college in the nation received Gariety said. “In small amounts in the sub-surgrant funding under this NASA research proface of Mars—we’re talking the first half-foot to gram, while seven grants went to major state
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College of the Desert professors, students work on a NASA-funded project that would help sustain human life on Mars
College of the Desert professors Ahmed Elshafie (second from left) and Michael Gariety (third from right) discuss their research with student researchers Cody Frank (left), Miguel Rodriguez (seated) and David Jackson (right). Kevin Fitzgerald
a foot—there are brines. There’s salty water six inches down on Mars.” Added Elshafie: “Those kinds of brines, which are mainly salty material, have the ability to combine with liquid water, basically. We have Dr. Amira Elsenousy working with us. … She is the expert in the chemistry part (of the project), and she is the expert on the brine and the chemistry of Mars.” The penetrolyzer, when completed, will become the model tool to access the brines containing the desired chemical elements. “As that prototype is going to be delivered to NASA, it needs to meet certain credentials and a certain technology readiness level,” Elshafie said. “… To do that means we’re going to test our instrument in an environmental chamber that simulates the environmental conditions on Mars (in terms of) pressure and temperature. It’ll be a real-life testing. After that, we deliver it to NASA.” The group of student researchers is performing the necessary, sometimes mundane and always repetitive monitoring tasks that make up the foundation of the research. In addition to Jackson, the group includes Cody Frank, Miguel Rodriguez, Xitlaly Lopez-Arcos, Jazmin Chavez and Ezequiel Rodriguez. Their responsibilities include setting up equipment, recording data, monitoring anomalies in results, doing computer-aided designs, manufacturing those designs on 3-D printers, building the electrical circuits, writing the software to integrate to those circuits, collecting the data from those circuits, and mixing brine samples. The six student researchers—all of whom are paid for their efforts out of the grant funds—welcome the challenges and understand the need for patience. “I think what surprises me most about the project is just how iterative it is, how much is unknown, and how much is trial and error,” said student researcher Cody Frank. “We’re gradually
encroaching on a better understanding, but everything is sort of unique and its own little problem. It’s not as generalizable as I initially thought it was.” Added student researcher Miguel Rodriguez: “What’s impressed me the most is Professor Gariety’s and Elshafie’s drive to figure out what’s going on. For my part, I was very confused as to why the oxygen saturation level is acting the way it is, but we kept going, and now we’re understanding a little more.” The professors hope the project sends the message that local students have more to gain from enrolling at the College of the Desert than one might expect at a typical community college. “We need to widen (people’s perception) and feature what the College of the Desert is capable of,” Elshafie said. “This kind of opportunity is unique, and it’s here in the valley. You don’t have to be in a high-ranking university system like Stanford or others in order to pursue some grade-A research aligned with NASA.” Added Gariety: “We have established now, going back almost six or seven years, a successful working relationship directly between NASA and the College of the Desert. If more high school and junior high school students knew about that, they could see that there are opportunities right here in the desert, and they don’t have to leave to the big colleges. … We have a nice working relationship with NASA. They’re impressed with us, and we’re impressed with them. It’s very successful.” Finally, there’s one more benefit that appeals to the student researchers. “As part of the grant, two students per summer will be selected to go on a 10-week internship at NASA JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) in Pasadena,” Gariety said. “It’s really exciting for the students to get that kind of experience at the community college level.”
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 11
JANUARY 2024
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CIVIC SOLUTIONS W
No, really: We all need to do more to cut down on waste
By Maria Sestito
hen I think about the holidays, one of the things my mind wanders to is all the waste, and the consumerism of it all—all the stuff thrown away that was still good, and all the packaging, wrapping paper and bags. I know it’s a downer subject, and being the person to bring this up all of the time really sucks. It’s clearly more fun to rip off the wrapping and packaging with wild abandon than to consider the environmental impact of the paper being made, used and just thrown away. The anxiety I often feel about these things—and other forms of waste—is what I imagine those raised during the Great Depression feel like. Just like my grandmother did, I, too, save food containers that can be used again, as well as rubber bands, twisty ties and anything else that seems like it could be reused. out who all of them are at sos.ca.gov/elections/ What can I say? The message of “reduce, who-are-my-representatives.) reuse and recycle” (along with the 1990s show • Buy fewer new products. Instead of Captain Planet and the Planeteers) really had an contributing to the supply and demand chain, impact on me. buy used items from thrift stores, online Ever since I was a kid in New Jersey, I’ve marketplaces or community yard sales. (I been pestering people about recycling. I luckily hold a clothing swap a few times a year where landed in California, where it’s taken relatively my friends and I essentially trade clothes. seriously, at least by residents. In New Jersey, Knowing they’re going to a good home helps— there are still a few relatives who refuse to and your wardrobe will have a few new-to-you reduce, reuse or recycle, and when I see that items in it.) Diet Coke bottle go into the regular garbage • If you need to buy something new—and bin, I cringe. It takes all my willpower to let it you can afford this option—try to buy from go instead of giving a lecture or fishing it out a local business or one that has verifiable and temporarily storing it in my rental car. sustainability practices. Fast fashion is difficult I try not to blame the individual. I know that to avoid, but adding thoughtfulness when there’s a lot about recycling that’s problematic, making purchases should help reduce textile including putting the responsibility on the waste and buyer’s remorse. consumer. Even California Attorney General • Say “no.” When getting takeout, don’t Rob Bonta has called out the plastics industry accept things you don’t actually need, like for acting like recycling is the answer: “For napkins, plastic utensils, ketchup packets, etc. more than half a century, the plastics industry The same goes for plastic bags and, shoot, has engaged in an aggressive campaign to even reusable bags. I have enough reusable deceive the public, perpetuating a myth that shopping bags and totes that I could supply my recycling can solve the plastics crisis,” Bonta whole neighborhood. I can no longer accept told the Los Angeles Times in 2022. free branded totes, pens, stress balls or other But what are we supposed to do in the face promotional products disguised as useful items. of growing landfills and climate change? Do we • Reuse, repair and upcycle! It’s rather easy just throw our arms up in defeat and give up? to sew a hole in most clothing, stuffed animals, We cannot. So, what can we do? Here are sheets and other textiles. If you don’t know some ideas: how to sew by hand, you can enjoy learning a • Try to go plastic-free—and single-usenew skill! Alternatively, you could hire a dry free—or at least decrease it. That could mean cleaner, tailor or crafty friend to sew the holes buying a water filter instead of plastic water in your socks for you. Also, starting in July, bottles, cooking and having leftovers instead of Californians will also be able to repair certain takeout, or buying in bulk at the grocery store. goods that were previously off-limits to third• Love a particular product or company that party repair shops, including Apple products, uses a lot of unnecessary packaging? Write thanks to the passing of the Right to Repair them; review them; contact them over social Act, or SB 244. media, etc., to let them know that, while you • Donate responsibly. So much that is love the product, you don’t appreciate the brought to thrift stores, especially large chain packaging—and you may look elsewhere if ones, ends up in the landfill. We consume and their sustainability efforts don’t improve. get rid of so much stuff that even the biggest • Similarly, you can let your elected thrift stores don’t have the room to store our representatives know your frustrations! (Find best discard piles. Make sure whatever you
donate is in usable and purchasable condition. If it isn’t, try to reuse the product—is that shirt now a rag to wipe dust off the television? Maybe an animal shelter, theater group, senior center or school could make something useful out of it, and if not, there are textile recycling programs out there—just not a lot of them. (I try to donate to retailers whose mission and values seem extraordinary. My local favorites are Revivals, the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission and Desert Best Friend’s Closet.) • Learn about what’s recyclable in your city, and recycle those items only. Some accept all types of plastics, while others only accept specific ones. Even if something isn’t recyclable using your recycling bin, there may be a recycling event where you can bring batteries,
old tech, broken hair dryers and other odds and ends. • Compost or use city-provided compost bins. You could even join a community of composters via Desert Compost. Speaking of community—and I’m going to challenge myself here, too—we could be creating our own local projects, spreading the mission of reducing, reusing, repairing and recycling, while also making friends! We can hold a community cleanup, help a friend go through their belongings or offer to make a donation drop for a neighbor who doesn’t drive. We can make art installations out of old bottles, display it for visiting house guests, and start a lively discussion! The choice is yours. CVIndependent.com
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JANUARY 2024
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CV HISTORY T
Cahuilla Chief Juan Antonio welcomed settlers—and eventually regretted it
by greg niemann
he Cahuilla Indians, the original occupants of the Coachella Valley, lived for centuries in bands around Mount San Jacinto, in the San Gorgonio Pass, and across the Colorado Desert. Today, much of Palm Springs is on land owned by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. Their heritage is still prominent—and is the subject of the beautiful new Agua Caliente Cultural Museum. Juan Antonio was born near Mount San Antonio in 1783. His Cahuilla name, Cooswootna, translates as “He gets mad quickly.” He was a major chief of the Mountain Band of the Cahuilla from the 1840s to 1863, the year he died. Lugo’s relative, José Maria Lugo, in 1851 to Anglo Americans did not encounter the help track down Cupeño Chieftain Antonio Cahuilla until the 1840s. By 1846, Chief Juan Garra and his men. Garra had organized a Antonio had five Cahuilla clans—from the revolt, protesting unfair taxation by the San San Gorgonio Pass to the Colorado River— Diego tax collector. Chief Juan Antonio and under his leadership. Held in high regard by Lugo captured Garra, thwarting some of the white travelers and settlers, he was known as Southern California tribes’ plan to attack Los the Lion of the Cahuilla partly because of his Angeles. During the capture, Garra’s son, also stout figure and leonine features. named Antonio Garra, knifed Juan Antonio in In some instances, he was reportedly quite the arm and in the side. The elder Garra was cruel in dispensing justice, allegedly burying a turned over to the Americans, found guilty of murderer alive, and cropping the ears off two treason, blindfolded over an open grave and Indian youths caught stealing. executed by a San Diego firing squad. At one time, he traded with and hauled In 1852, Juan Antonio and other timber for Pauline Weaver, a white settler Indigenous leaders signed a treaty with the in the San Gorgonio Pass. With California U.S. commissioner of Indian Affairs, which still under Mexican rule, the chief and gave them exclusive use of land 40 miles long several Cahuilla were invited to an American by 30 miles wide in the San Gorgonio Pass. Fourth of July barbecue at the Weaver ranch, But it was never ratified and, to the confusion witnessing what is said to be the first raising of the tribes, was not fulfilled. of the American flag in California. For years, Chief Juan Antonio helped MorWith bows and arrows, he and a group of mon settlers ward off marauders from San BerMountain Cahuilla later helped guard the nardino, yet the Mormons still began settling large Antonio Maria Lugo ranch, as well as the on Cahuilla land without permission. They ranches of his family members and other San were also zealously trying to make the tribe Bernardino colonists. They drove off Paiute members convert, which the Cahuilla did not marauders who were stealing cattle and horses appreciate. from the ranchers. The more confused the situation, the more Juan Antonio also helped a U.S. Army both tribal members and white settlers looked expedition defend an attack by Ute warriors. to Juan Antonio for leadership. Despite the For his help, the expedition leader, Lt. Edward refusal of the federal government to ratify the Fitzgerald Beale, awarded him a set of military treaty of 1852, Juan Antonio and 24 other epaulets, which he wore regularly thereafter. Cahuilla leaders continued to work to secure When the United States started to take Indian rights to land and water. On May 15, over California, the Indigenous tribes were 1856, they sent a petition to the commiscaught in the middle of the resulting Mexicansioner of Indian Affairs. It read: “Since the American War and didn’t know whom to occupation of Californians and the Americans, support. Juan Antonio’s Cahuilla group white settlers have taken possession of a large joined forces with the Mexican and Spanish portion of our best farming and grazing lands, settlers and fought one battle against a group diverting the water from our lands, depriving of Luiseño Indians who had allied with the us of the means of irrigation. What we ask of U.S., killing many and capturing others. The the government is that certain public lands be prisoners in Juan Antonio’s custody were later set apart for our use exclusively (which lands killed as well. Lugo, the settler, reportedly we have long occupied and improved), and chastised the Cahuilla chief for the apparent from which we may not be forced by white cruelty, but Juan Antonio reminded Lugo that settlers.” (An audio version of this petition can had it been the other way around, every last be found in the new Agua Caliente Cultural Cahuilla would have been roasted alive. Museum in downtown Palm Springs.) Juan Antonio was also called upon by
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An audio version of the May 15, 1856, petition to the commissioner of Indian Affairs can be found in the new Agua Caliente Cultural Museum in downtown Palm Springs. Greg Niemann
Juan Antonio became an eloquent spokesman. This speech of his was printed in the San Bernardino Weekly Patriot on Dec. 7, 1861: “I am an American. My people are all Americans, although we are Indians. If we should hear of armed men in these mountains, we should come and tell you, and help you fight them. If bad men should come here to fight you, we should fight with you. This is our country, and it is yours. We are your friends; we want you to be ours.” In 1862, a smallpox epidemic ravaged many throughout Southern California—and Juan Antonio became ill. Per custom, he tried sweat baths and plunges into icy water, and eventually dragged himself out of his hut in Saahatpa (northeast of San Timoteo Canyon), dying alone in early 1863. According to the Los Angeles Star on Feb. 28, 1863, he and the bodies of four tribal members who died of smallpox were not buried immediately, but shamefully left to the animals. It was an inhumane end to a powerful leader. Before he died, Chief Juan Antonio had turned bitter toward the white man. He had listened to decades of promises, yet he watched as Indigenous lands were taken, and
imported diseases ravaged his people, including ultimately himself. He regretted capturing Garra and lamented that he should have had his men join forces to aid Garra’s battle. It wasn’t until 1876 that the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation was established in what is now Palm Springs by executive order from President Ulysses S. Grant. Nearly a century after Chief Juan Antonio’s death, a 1956 archeological expedition discovered his body at Saahatpa. He was identified by his cherished gifted epaulets and reburied with military honors. Today, he’s remembered as one of the bravest, most loyal and intelligent Indigenous leaders in the history of California. Sources for this article include Mukat’s People: The Cahuilla Indians of Southern California by Lowell Bean (University of California Press, 1972); The Cahuilla Indians by Harry C. James (Malki Museum, 1969); Palm Springs: First Hundred Years by Mayor Frank Bogert (Palm Springs Heritage Association, 1987); and The Cahuilla Indians of Southern California by Lowell Bean and Harry Lawton (Malki Museum Press, 1976).
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 13
JANUARY 2024
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JANUARY ASTRONOMY
Late sunrises mean great (not-so)
Planets and Bright Stars in Evening Mid-Twilight early morning opportunities to see For January, 2024
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By Robert Victor
bright planets and stars
This sky chart is drawn for latitude 34 degrees north, but may be used in southern U.S. and northern Mexico. N January's
evening sky chart. n early January, we experience our latest sunrises of the year (except for late October and early ROBERT D. MILLER November, when late sunrises result from the artifact of daylight saving time). Dark skies within an hour before sunup allow stargazers in this first month of 2024 to conveniently enjoy Venus, the brilliant “morning star” shining at magnitude -4 in the southeast; Mercury, to its lower left; eight to 10 stars of first magnitude or brighter across the sky; and a waning moon from Jan. 1-9 (hiding one of those stars on Jan. 8), returning for a second morning engagement on Jan. 25. Pollux Ranking next after Venus before dawn are three stars of magnitude zero: Arcturus, high in the Castor southern sky; Vega, low in the northeast; and Capella, very low in the northwest. After January’s first few days, Mercury will exceed these stars in brilliance; binoculars will be handy to pick it up low in the glow of twilight. moon in a dark sky shortly before 5:39 a.m., Vega Capella The Big Dipper stands high in north to and reappear along the dark edge of the moon northwest as morning twilight brightens. Its just before 6:33 a.m., with the moon’s dark edge curved handle, extended, leads to Arcturus and invisible in very bright twilight. Antares will be Deneb first-magnitude Spica, well up in the southern easily seen with binoculars until a few minutes Procyon sky. Low in the west-northwest is a pair of stars before immersion, but a telescope will be needBetelgeuse 4.5° apart: Pollux, of magnitude 1.1, and fainted to observe the star the two contact times. Aldebaran E W er Castor, of magnitude 1.6. As Earth passes On Jan. 9, the 5 percent old crescent moon, Altair between the sun and these “Twin” stars of Gem- with Mercury 7° to its upper left, appears within ini late in January’s second week, they’re visible 13° to the lower left of Venus. Antares is now in 1 8 15 22 29 all night: Low in the east-northeast at dusk, the clear, 7° to Venus’ lower right. Rigel Jupiter south of overhead in the middle of the night, Three planets at dawn: Venus shines at mag29 22 and low in the west-northwest at dawn. Sirius nitude -4 in the southeast as twilight brightens. 15 8 1 Following Pollux by five weeks, the star Approaching superior conjunction on far side Saturn Regulus, heart of Leo, the Lion, will take its of the sun to be reached on June 4, Venus narturn at all-night visibility, on night of Feb. rows its distance west (to the upper right) of 18-19. On January mornings, find 1.4-magthe rising sun from 37° to 31° during January. Fomalhaut nitude Regulus in the western sky, 37° to the Combined with the sun-to-Venus line making upper left of Pollux. On New Year’s morning, a an ever-smaller angle with horizon this season, 73 percent waning gibbous moon stands 13° to Venus drops noticeably lower each month. As the upper left of Regulus. Venus recedes from Earth, its phase becomes The moon shifts eastward through the zodiac less impressive, from 78% lit and 14” (arcsecconstellations at an average rate of 13° per day. onds) across on Jan. 1, to 86% and 12” on Jan. On the mornings of Jan. 4 and 5, about 10 days 31. Follow Venus going 1.2° east per day against S before Earth takes direct aim at Spica, a fat cres- the background: 1.0° north of Beta in the head Evening mid-twilight when Projection cent moon appears near that same star. of Scorpius on Jan. 1; 6.3° north of Antares on west at dusk on Jan. 12. Theoccurs waxing moon skips later in the evening andStereographic returns to the morning the Sun is 9° below the horizon. Map by Robert D. Miller On Jan. 7, the southeast sky hosts a beautiful Jan. 7; and 3° north of Lambda Sagittarii, top past Saturn Jan. 13-14, and past Jupiter Jan. sky. Find the waning gibbous moon at dawn, Jan. 1: 44 minutes after sunset. display: Venus, 15° to the lower left of an 18 the of Teapot, on Jan. 28. Look for Mercury in 17-18. Approaching skips past near Regulus on Jan. 27. 15: 42 full, " the " moon " 31: 41 " " percent crescent moon, with the red supergiant twilight, to the lower left of Venus, by 19° on Castor and Pollux Jan." 23-24. The Astronomical Society of the Desert will star Antares, heart of the Scorpion, just 6° to Jan. 1; 11° on Jan. 14-22; and back up to 13° Evening stars: The Summer Triangle of Vega, host a star party on Saturday, Jan. 6, at the the lower right of Venus. Binoculars give a strikon Jan. 31. Mercury brightens from magnitude Deneb and Altair is visible at dusk through Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National ing view of stars in the head of the Scorpion to +0.4 on Jan. 1 to magnitude 0.0 on Jan. 4; then midmonth. Before Altair, its southernmost Monument Visitor Center; and Saturday, Jan. the moon’s lower left, and two third-magnitude slowly to magnitude -0.3 by Jan. 31. member, sets just north of west, check the 13, at Sawmill Trailhead, a site in the Santa Rosa stars, the “outworks of the heart,” closely flankEvening planets, moon and stars: At dusk, east-southeast for the rising of Sirius, the Dog Mountains at elevation 4,000 feet. For maps ing Antares. Look 13°-14° to the lower left of Jupiter shines at magnitude -2.6 to-2.4 in Star. (You’ll need unobstructed views in both and directions to the two sites, visit astrorx.org. Venus for zero-magnitude Mercury. Using binAries, high in the southeast to south-southwest. directions.) To find Sirius, extend Orion’s belt The Abrams Planetarium Sky Calendar is oculars, can you spot 1.4-magnitude Mars, very Saturn, at magnitude +0.9 to +1.0 in Aquardownward toward the horizon. To the left of available by subscription from low in twilight, within 9° to Mercury’s lower left? ius, sinks through the southwest toward the Sirius and a little higher, look for Procyon, the www.abramsplanetarium.org/skycalendar. For On the next morning, Jan. 8, the moon and west-southwest horizon. Saturn’s rings look “before the dog” or “little dog” star, and Betel$12 per year, subscribers receive quarterly mailAntares are both 6° to the lower right of Venus, “skinny” now, only 9.1° to 7.7° from edge-on. geuse, Orion’s shoulder, forming the nearly ings, each containing three monthly issues. but you may or may not spot Antares very close In the morning sky during spring 2025, they’ll equilateral Winter Triangle with the two dog to the moon, depending exactly on when you be presented edgewise in turn to Earth and the stars. After Sirius rises and before Altair sets, the Robert Victor originated the Abrams Planetarium look. That’s because the 11 percent crescent sun, and will disappear. The new moon occurs six stars of the Summer and Winter Triangles, monthly Sky Calendar in October 1968 and still moon actually occults, or covers, Antares! on Jan. 11 at 3:57 a.m., setting up an easy view plus five additional stars of first magnitude or helps to produce an occasional issue. He enjoys As seen from Palm Springs, the star will be of a 4 percent young crescent moon within 38 brighter (totaling 11), are visible simultaneously. being outdoors sharing the beauty of the night sky covered by the leading sunlit bright edge of the hours later, low in the southwest to west-southAfter passing full on Jan. 25, the moon rises and other wonders of nature. CVIndependent.com
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Surveillance is all around us. From smart phones to Ring cameras, devices are watching us—and recording us. This includes license-plate scanners. In recent years, the technology has become ubiquitous, and is now used in eight of the nine Coachella Valley cities. The one exception: Coachella. The east valley city bucked the trend this summer, with the City Council voting 3-2 against a proposal to install 70 ALPR (automated license plate recognition) cameras within its city limits. Meanwhile, other valley cities are adding more. In October, the Palm Springs City Council approved 15 stationary cameras within its city limits, and the Riverside County Board of Supervisors OK’d 210 additional cameras to be placed in the county, making for a total of 538. Indio will soon add 25 cameras to the 20 it has operated since 2022. Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez said he finds it surprising that Coachella is the only valley holdout. The plan to add the cameras was first introduced to the City Council more than two years ago. “When the conversations started, we weren’t thinking that way,” said Hernandez. “We didn’t know where the other cities in the valley were going. But now? We’re CVIndependent.com
JANUARY 2024
Sheriff’s Office have encouraged cities to get on board. Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Indio and Cathedral City have their own police forces; the cities of Palm Desert, Coachella, La Quinta, Indian Wells and Rancho Mirage contract with the county sheriff for public safety. There’s consensus among law enforcement that the cameras deter carjackings and auto theft—and, in some cases, more serious crimes. Local city councils have, for the most part, been listening. La Quinta voted last spring to install 69 cameras. In March, the Palm Desert City Council accepted a staff recommendation to amend its original contract with Flock Safety to add 53 more cameras to the 49 in operation since October 2022. Palm Desert’s ALPR bill is $291,100 in the first year, with an annual bill of $258,500 every year thereafter. The report referred to the expensive technology as an “effective force multiplier,” and proposed that the city would save $53,000 with the additional order—because Flock’s yearly subscription rate was about to increase by $500 per camera. Most Coachella Valley cities use Flock Safety, an Atlanta-based company with contracts in more than 1,500 U.S. cities. The service is subscription-based; Flock provides all equipment and installation. Inclusive of fees, mounting rigs, maintenance, software and upgrades, data storage and LTE connectivity, each camera costs around $2,500-$3,000 a year. Palm Springs Police Lt. William Hutchinson said there is evidence the cameras increase “solve rates,” citing success stories from all over the state. He said the cameras helped Torrance police disband a 10-person autorecovery task force, because it was no longer needed. “El Cajon had 50 (car-theft) recoveries in three months. (They said to Palm Springs police), ‘You’re going to love Flock,’” he said. Palm Desert’s staff report credited the ALPR system with the recovery of 45 stolen vehicles, some containing guns and stolen
merchandise. Several pounds of fentanyl and smaller amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine were taken off the street, according to the report.
Privacy Concerns
While law enforcement is pushing hard to add more cameras, groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation are pushing back. They say the expansion of police surveillance is a slippery slope, and have documented problems with ALPR systems—including cases of misread plates, mistaken identities and traffic stops turned violent, as well as deliberate abuse. Dave Maass is investigations director at the EFF. He has done extensive research on surveillance technology, government transparency, immigration enforcement, prisoners’ rights and other digital-rights issues, and he said it’s possible these cameras do more harm than good. “Law enforcement has a very narrow view of the potential for internal abuse of camera data. They don’t believe there are rogue cops or that they make mistakes,” said Maass. surrounded.” In 2022, the Independent Institute awarded Hernandez said the council majority ALPR systems with a California Golden Fleece ultimately saw the cameras as an Award. The Oakland-based public-policy encroachment on people’s privacy. research center awards the dubious honor “We get the trends; we get public safety,” annually as part of its work to “expose waste, Hernandez said. “This is not new. But at the fraud and abuse in California on the state or same time, there’s also got to be a voice that local level.” The “award” criticized California says, ‘Can we do things better than creating a cities and law enforcement agencies “for surveillance state?’” adopting automated license plate readers In Palm Springs, the City Council decided without proper safeguards to protect public the benefits to law enforcement efforts privacy and public safety.” According to outweighed privacy concerns, voting 4-1 in the Independent Institute’s 19-page report favor of the cameras, with then-Mayor Grace that went along with the award, most police Garner the lone dissenter. departments started using the cameras before Councilmember Lisa Middleton said she putting data usage or privacy policies in place. understands the concerns about privacy. “But The Independent Institute cited a 2020 this is a very modest technology that does California State Auditor’s Office report fundamentally important police work,” she reviewing ALPR data-processing procedures said. from four police agencies—the Fresno Police Local police and the Riverside County Department, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Marin County Sheriff’s Office and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. The Auditor’s Office determined that none of the four had implemented all of the practices required by Senate Bill 34, which became law in 2015. Senate Bill 34—one of the few California laws that apply to ALPR systems—requires that personnel receive training on how to use the system. It permits only authorized personnel to access the data, and places restrictions on the sharing of that data. —Palm Springs City Councilmember In 2019, a state audit
“
I want us always to be incredibly careful and respectful of individuals’ civil liberties, but (when a violent crime occurs), we want our police department to be able to move as promptly and as efficiently and as accurately as they possibly can, to get the perpetrator and not someone else.
”
Lisa Middleton
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 15
JANUARY 2024
Hernandez. Despite assurances that data is purged every couple of weeks, he believes local motorists who drive regular routes through the valley will end up generating a continuous loop of data. “It’s voyeuristic,” said Hernandez, Most of the ALPR cameras used in the Coachella Valley are made by Flock Safety. likening the Credit: Mike Katz-Lacabe/Center for Human Rights and Privacy cameras to “big brother.” found wide variations in the amount of time The EFF, along with the ACLU and other that ALPR data is stored. Among 391 law privacy advocates, lobbied the state to stop enforcement agencies surveyed, the average law enforcement from sharing data out-oftime of storage was two years, but some state. agencies were keeping archival files for up to “In California, what (constitutes) a crime five years. is much different than in other parts of the Maass said storing this much data, for this country,” said Maass. long, is unnecessary and can lead to abuses. “They are storing (information) that is no one’s business. Why not keep it for just three minutes?” he said, referring to the amount of Hernandez said Coachella’s status as a time it takes the system to run a plate against sanctuary city also led to worries about the “hot list” of vehicles reported stolen. installing the cameras. Palm Springs formerly kept ALPR data for Coachella became a sanctuary city in up to one year, according to Lt. Hutchinson, 2017. (Palm Springs and Cathedral City have but the city recently revised its policy, also declared themselves to be sanctuary allowing camera data to be archived for just cities.) Cities with that designation 30 days. typically discourage local law enforcement Cameras can scan 2,000 license plates per from reporting the immigration status of minute. According to EFF research, more than individuals unless it involves the investigation 99.9% of the data collected by the massof a serious crime, and do not coordinate with surveillance technology is unconnected to any ICE unless a violent crime is involved. crime or other public-safety interest. There was a creeping sense that camera data This vast data storage bothered Mayor
Defending ‘Sanctuary’
“
We get the trends; we get public safety. This is not new. But at the same time, there’s also got to be a voice that says, ‘Can we do things better than creating a surveillance state?’
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—Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez
could be used to target his community. “This was a concern to us,” said Hernandez. “They’ll argue that they don’t do that, but we don’t even want to go down that route.” Those fears heightened when the EFF revealed that the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, the Palm Springs Police Department and the Desert Hot Springs Police Department had been sharing data with law enforcement agencies in other states, including states where abortions are now illegal or severely restricted. EFF investigations have also found that some California agencies had shared ALPR data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. Hernandez said council members were taken aback to learn this information. “The council felt that when the sheriff has this information and this data, and has used this data with states throughout the country, and that’s been well documented—then how is privacy being protected?” Hernandez asked. That sheriff to which Hernandez refers is Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. The former Oath Keeper made headlines this summer when he joined Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ coalition of sheriffs to address the “border crisis.” Activists decried the sheriff’s actions as anti-immigration. “We’re a Latino community, and a lot of our families are first-generation or just recently migrated,” said Hernandez, adding that many of the 42,000 Coachella residents work in the agriculture industry. “They are very essential to production in the Coachella Valley. We were not going to have the local government be part of immigration enforcement.” In October, California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office issued a guidance policy regarding ALPR data, making it clear that Senate Bill 34 prohibits police from sharing data collected from license plate readers with out-of-state or federal agencies. Last year, the EFF made California Public Records Act requests with California law enforcement agencies, asking for lists of agencies with which they were sharing ALPR data. After the Palm Springs Police Department, the Desert Hot Springs Police Department and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office all disclosed they were sharing data with out-of-state agencies, they received letters from the EFF demanding that they stop. Lt. Hutchinson said Palm Springs’ response was to indeed stop. “As a precaution and just for good faith, we stopped sharing out of state,” he said. Middleton said elected officials have to balance privacy concerns with crime prevention. “I want us always to be incredibly careful and respectful of individuals’ civil liberties,” she said, “but (when a violent crime occurs), we want our police department to be able to move as promptly and as efficiently and
Palm Springs Police Lt. William Hutchinson said there is evidence the cameras increase “solve rates.” “El Cajon had 50 (car-theft) recoveries in three months,” he said. as accurately as they possibly can, to get the perpetrator and not someone else.” While Palm Springs has a popular police chief, Andy Mills, who answers to the city, Coachella’s law enforcement is handled by the county—and, ultimately, Sheriff Bianco. This is one reason why Coachella is considering creating its own police department. “We’ve been around since 1946, and we’re growing," said Hernandez. “I’ve been very vocal about (having our own police department) as mayor. We used to, in the 1990s, and there are a lot of folks in the community (who want that now).” He envisions a city where community policing could make ALPR systems unnecessary. “It’s taking a very holistic approach to public safety,” said Hernandez. “It’s looking at intervention and prevention, and it’s looking at second chances. It’s looking at having community policing and making sure we’re getting at the root causes of crime.” Hernandez said he’s OK with Coachella being an outlier in a sea of surveillance. “You know, that’s a cool thing about local democracy: Each city has their own way and their rights to govern themselves,” he said. “And that’s the beauty of our marble cake federalism, if you want to call it that, where communities have the right to govern as they please.” CVIndependent.com
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DO-GOODER
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SUSTAINABILITY + COMPETENCY By CHARLES DRABKIN
T
he Friends of the Desert Mountains’ mission is to protect and preserve delicate local ecosystems while recognizing the importance of cultural competency in their efforts. Beyond land acquisition, the nonprofit works to ensure the sustainable existence, use and enjoyment of the Coachella Valley’s natural and cultural heritage. Over the last 35 years, Friends of the Desert Mountains has protected more than 60,000 acres of land, from the San Gorgonio Pass to the Salton Sea. Valley Unified School District and Friends of So why is cultural competency so crucial in the Desert Mountains brought together 220 the realm of conservation? youth for a two-day program—with one day in “Our education staff comes from the eastern the classroom, and one day hiking in the desert Coachella Valley, (and we have) an Indigenous to talk about environmental stewardship. community liaison,” said Oscar Ortiz, the “When we are out in the desert, it creates a director of education. “These staff members are communal feeling with the youth, who end up able to relate and understand the environmental learning while having fun,” Ortiz said. “We see issues facing the communities we serve.” them open up and able to ask and think about A program in partnership with the Coachella hard questions in a very different way than they do in the classroom.” Through these programs, students are introduced to the desert’s delicate balance—its unique flora and fauna, its gorgeous landscapes and the cultural significance of the Indigenous communities. These lessons are more than just facts and figures; Friends of the Desert Mountains is preparing these students to become the future guardians of our planet. Friends of the Desert Mountains also provided 500 high-quality hiking backpacks for their youth program. The organization equipped the packs with the Friends’ 10 Desert Essentials for hiking. This list includes obvious things like water, a flashlight and a first-aid kit—and less-obvious items like a comb, for pulling cactus spines out of boots. As the young participants learn about the intricacies of desert ecosystems, their newfound awareness is shared with friends, families and communities. The ripple effect of their education spreads far and wide. “On our hikes, we stress the importance of staying on trails to preserve the land and protect the hiker,” Ortiz said. “When people leave the trail, they could be stepping on a plant about to grow, or scaring off an animal in its environment.” The Friends’ lecture program sends experts into the community to talk about, among other topics, water in the Coachella Valley, how it is being used, where it is coming from, and how we can best conserve it. The Friends partner with organizations like Desert Mirage High School’s Green Academy, the Torres Martinez Reservation’s Living Desert Youth Environmental Ambassadors, and Alianza Coachella Valley. The group also holds Oscar Ortiz, the Friends of the Desert Mountains director special events, like its Desert KIDS Fun Fest, of education, speaks to kids on the Randall Henderson Trail. Veronica Barajas Chavira scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 13, at the Palm
Friends of the Desert Mountains both preserves local land—and teaches the next generation about sustainability
Desert Civic Center Park “Youth engagement in environmental groups is growing very quickly,” Ortiz said. “Families and communities often rally around their children’s participation, which furthers a sense of shared responsibility for the landscapes and cultural heritage of the region. As they grow, youth can become advocates for environmental and cultural causes.” By encouraging diversity in youth participation, the organization ensures that
many voices are represented in its programs. “Everyone here loves what they do; we are not just going out on hikes and having fun, but teaching people how to be respectful of the environment,” Ortiz said. The Desert KIDS Fun Fest will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 13, at Palm Desert Civic Center Park, 43900 San Pablo Ave. Admission is free. For more information, visit desertmountains.org.
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FILM
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ON THE BIG SCREEN R
The 35th Palm Springs International Film Festival adds iconic retro movies to the award contenders
By MATT KING
eturning for a 35th edition, the Palm Springs International Film Festival will once again put the Coachella Valley at the center of the cinematic world. Nearly 200 films will be shown at six different venues—and then there’s the star-studded Film Awards ceremony, this year honoring Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, Emma Stone, Billie Eilish and many others. It all takes place from Thursday, Jan. 4, through Monday, Jan. 15. During a recent interview with Lili Rodriguez, the festival’s artistic director, she said films are added to the lineup up until the last moment. “When the announcement first went out, I think we were at 176 (films),” Rodriguez said. Fall, Winter … and Spring from Kim Ki-duk. “We’re always adding things if the right film presents itself, if the right guest presents itself. When do you get a chance to watch something on 35 in the desert anymore?” … People should keep checking the website or Rodriguez shared her personal pick for the keep checking in with the festival over social, South Korean focus. because we’re always adding fun little things. “My pick was Memories of Murder from We’re at 180 (films) right now, with maybe Bong Joon-ho,” Rodriguez said. “It’s one of my more to come.” favorite films of all time, and it’s a famous film. There are many celebratory aspects of this It’s not a little hidden gem by any means, but year’s festival. Not only is this the first year I’ve never seen it on a big screen, so selfishly, since 2020 that there will be no pandemicI thought that this needs to be seen on the related restrictions; a special selection of films big screen. … When am I going to have the that premiered in the festival’s first year are chance here in the desert to watch that with being shown. other people? At our member preview, which “This is the 35th edition of the festival, so we is an event we do right after the lineup goes wanted to look back a little bit and celebrate,” out … I brought up Memories of Murder, and I Rodriguez said. “The first edition happened in asked people if anyone had seen it. I didn’t see 1990, so we thought it’d be fun to bring some a lot of hands go up. We were less interested of those 1990 hits. … It’s three iconic films in finding something that people haven’t seen, that I’ve never seen on the big screen, and I’m and more interested in highlighting the things excited. I’m going see if I can sneak out (to see that we love because personally. We think these films). I don’t know if it’s something that they’re great, and wouldn’t we love to watch will continue in the future, but we do have a lot them on the big screen? That was our angle.” more retros than we have had.” Another unique programming highlight The PSIFF often focuses on films that are is a focus on filmmaker James Ivory, who part of the festival/awards circuit, but this partnered with producer Ismail Merchant to year’s edition features a broader variety— create Merchant Ivory Productions, which including a focus on South Korean filmmakers. produced 44 films between 1961 and 2005. “In our South Korean focus, we have a few “Before we decided to do a little mini-focus, films that were part of this festival circuit—so we had a film, a new documentary, directed by new films, including Concrete Utopia, which Stephen Soucy,” Rodriguez said. “I didn’t know is the submission to the Oscars—but it’s this when we selected the film, but he’s a local, also a selection of programmers’ picks,” said and he made this wonderful film about the Rodriguez. “… We’re doing 15 retros total.” Merchant and Ivory relationship and the films In this streaming era, there’s still magic in seeing a film on a big screen, with big sound, in that they made together. We selected the film for the festival just like we would, and then this a room full of other people. “Festivals can be gateways into new cinema,” idea of a mini-spotlight came up. … It was just curated by (Ivory). He unfortunately isn’t going Rodriguez said. “It’s not just about what’s new, to come to the festival, but before all of the but it’s also learning about film and history. older titles, there’ll be a Palm Springs-exclusive … I really like looking back and highlighting intro from James Ivory about the film, so works that maybe have gotten under-seen by that’s exciting.” some of our audiences, and giving them a new PSIFF always includes local works. This year, audience. Even if you’ve seen the films, what a the local spotlight is on Amongst the Trees by pleasure it is to watch them on the big screen directors Trent Ubben and Jack Jensen, as again and revisit them that way. We have one well as The Green Desert by director Leo Zahn. in our South Korean focus that is screening in Even more local love is being shown via the 35 millimeters. We’re doing Spring, Summer, CVIndependent.com
Concrete Utopia, the South Korean submission to the Oscars, is part of the 2024 PSIFF focus on South Korean films.
world premiere of Miller’s Girl: The film’s star is Palm Desert’s very own Jenna Ortega, the Wednesday phenomenon who will return to the Coachella Valley for the festival. “It’s not a local film, but she’s homegrown, and we love her,” Rodriguez said. “We were thrilled to have the opportunity to be the world premiere for this. It’ll be a “Talking Picture,” so she, (co-star) Martin Freeman and the director, Jade Bartlett, are doing a Q&A. It’s really exciting. It’s very grown-up. It’s a different character, but she’s so good. She’s just such a talent, and I can’t wait to see what else she does.” Festival organizers want to spread a love for movies to all ages—hence the inaugural Family Day, from noon to 4 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 14, at the Mary Pickford Is D’Place Theatre.
“On the last Sunday of the festival, we’re showing four films (at Family Day),” Rodriguez said. “Three of them have been out—the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, (SpiderMan: Across the) Spider-Verse and Flamin’ Hot. There’s going to be a Hot Cheeto bar with Flamin’ Hot. Eva Longoria is going to be there with the film, so we’re going to do a Q&A and eat Hot Cheetos with her. Then we have Dancing Queen, as we wanted to throw in an international title. It’s Norwegian and for kids, a really sweet coming-of-age film.” The Palm Springs International Film Festival takes place from Thursday, Jan. 4, through Monday, Jan. 15. General admission tickets to single films are $15. For a complete schedule and more information, visit psfilmfest.org.
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ARTS & CULTURE
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Revolution Stage Company’s Ten-Minute Play Festival gives aspiring playwrights a stage
SUPPORTING NEW WORKS Events 2023 T By MATT KING
he Revolution Stage Company in Palm Springs has collected a series of short works submitted by playwrights both local and international—and is giving them a stage during the company’s first Ten-Minute Play Festival. Part One will take place at 2 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 13, and 5 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 14, while Part Two happens at 7 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 13, and 2 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 14. Each part includes five plays. During a recent phone interview with Gary Powers, the co-owner and producing partner of Revolution Stage Company, he talked about starting the company. “I came out here about eight years ago from New York City. I worked in the professional The goal of the festival stems from the theater for 35 years, and the last 15 years Revolution Stage Company’s vision “to utilize on Broadway as a ticket seller,” Powers said. the extraordinary capabilities of local artists “I was around a lot of the most professional (and) to lift up and stimulate the quality of people in the business, and I usually went to theater across Coachella Valley.” 35 to 40 shows a year on Broadway. I became “We really wanted to do a play festival so sort of like a Broadway snob. No matter if the that new playwrights, people who were having play is good or the play is bad, the quality of trouble getting their work onstage, would shows on Broadway is the ultimate. “I came out here, and I was like, ‘The shows have an opportunity to do that,” said Powers. Powers said they received about 40 aren’t very good here.’ If I wanted to see submissions. really good stuff, I had to go to L.A. or San “Unfortunately, some of the people Diego or Pasadena or something. But then didn’t really read the rules, because the I was doing a show a year and a half ago at rules basically said that you can submit a this theater in Palm Springs called the Desert 10-minute play, but if it’s accepted, you have Rose Playhouse. … I was in the show called to bring it to our stage as a fully developed Mid-Century Moderns with another guy by the production,” Powers said. “It’s not going to name of James Owens.” be a reading; you’re going to have to get the When Desert Rose closed a couple of years actors together. You’re going to have to get a ago, Powers and Ownes saw an opportunity. director together and put the play on itself.” “We said, ‘Well, maybe we should take Revolution enlisted the help of two over that space and open up our own theater seasoned theater pros to coordinate the company, and try to produce quality work,’” festival: Susan Freedman, who Powers Owens said. “There’s a lot of talent out here, described as “a famous Canadian fringe and I’m not quite sure why the shows aren’t performer who winters down here in Palm better. I’m a playwright, and I just found it Springs,” and high desert actor/producer difficult to get work done out here, because, Kevin Bone. unfortunately, people want to see the same “As a playwright myself, I would try to get old things. … We’ve been open since October, and we’ve done two original musicals already.” my plays in a lot of these established theater companies, and they’re like, ‘Well, we have to The inspiration for the Ten-Minute Play do something that people know; we can’t do Festival came from an international exercise something that people don’t know,’” Powers in which he participated during COVID-19. said. “The (normal play-writing) process is “There’s this group in London that does you write something; you show it to your something called ‘28 Plays in 28 Days,’” friends; you do a reading of it; hopefully Powers said. “A bunch of us here from Palm somebody likes it; they give you notes … Springs participated in it, and every day, and then you do another reading, and then they gave you an idea for a play, or certain eventually, maybe you get a production of it elements of the play, and then you had 48 somewhere. There has to be a place where hours to write a play, usually a 10-minute people can do that kind of stuff and have the play. We ended up in the month of February opportunity.” writing 28 plays in 28 days, which was really When Powers was a young theater pro in kind of interesting. Some of them were kind New York, he approached composer John of crappy, but some were pretty good. We Kander, hoping to gain a few tidbits of thought, ‘Well, that would be kind of cool to knowledge to guide his aspirations. do an evening of 10-minute plays,’ so we put “I was like, ‘I just got out of college a out the word over the summer, and we invited couple of years ago, and I really want to learn people to submit plays.”
DATE
EVENT
Sept 10
Riverside’s Inland Empire Pride Festival 2023
Sept 20
2023 Business Expo & Taste of Palm Springs
Sept 20–24
Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend
Sept 22-24
Gay Days Anaheim
Sept 23
8th Annual Aging Positively Conference
Oct 5-8
JoshuaTree Fall Music Festival
Oct 6
Singing with the Desert Stars
Oct 7
Pride Under the Pines
Oct 11
National Coming Out Day
Oct 13–14
Pride On the Page
Oct 19–22
Modernism Week - October
Oct 20
LGBTQ Center Gala, Center Stage 2023
Sept 21-24/28-Oct 1
Cinema Diverse
Oct 26–29
PS Leather Pride
The Revolution Stage Company opened last October in the space previously occupied by Desert Rose Playhouse.
how you said to will attract locals. Octdevelop 28 a new musical.’ HeDAP Health Equity Walk 2023 me, ‘Well, come and meet me for breakfast “We made the tickets really inexpensive, tomorrow morning, and I’ll tell you exactly $15, and the playwrights are going to Oct 29 Palm Springsonly Halloween on Arenas what we’re doing,’” Powers said. “It was a have a share of the box,” Powers said. “We show with Lauren Bacall called Woman of the have 150 seats in the theater, and I think it’s 3–5every morning for aPalm Springsgoing Pride Year. INov met him month, to be really cool that people will have and he would tell me exactly what they were an opportunity to come out and support new doing, and the reason they were doing it, and work and emerging playwrights. Who knows? why they were changing things. It was like You may get to see a brand new 10-minute a masterclass from one of the most from the Newsletter next Tennessee Williams or Subscribe to famous the Oasisplay Insiders Broadway composers, and that’s what we’re Arthur Miller or David Mamet.” orRevolution. visit ourWe’re Day-By trying to do with the really Day Events Calendar trying to help people develop new work, and The Ten-Minute Play Festival will take place at 2 it’s all about collaboration. … My philosophy and 7 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 13; and 2 and 5 p.m., is, if you do really good work, people are going Sunday, Jan. 14, at the Revolution Stage Company, to come out and support it.” 611 S. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs. Tickets Powers hopes that the festival’s mission to are $15 per performance. For more information, support the next generation of playwrights visit revolutionstagecompany.com.
GayDesertGuide.LGBT
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ARTS & CULTURE
SAVING THE PINK ELEPHANT Nonprofit Preservation Mirage works to restore an important part of Rancho Mirage’s history
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68510 East Palm Canyon Dr Cathedral City, CA 760-296-2966 ext 101 CVRep.org
68510 East Palm Canyon Dr Cathedral City, CA 760-296-2966 ext 101 CVRep.org
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by Cat Makino
eeing “pink elephants” is a euphemism for drunken hallucinations—but people driving down Highway 111 through Rancho Mirage have been seeing a pink elephant for decades, without having touched a drop. The pachyderm in question is the iconic sign for the Elephant Car Wash, at 71490 Highway 111, which for 60 years has been a tourist-photo magnet. However, the sign—originally designed by Beatrice Haverfield, known as the “Queen of Neon”—has been starting to show its age, and is now the subject of a restoration effort. “The color is fading. It’s peeling off; there are holes in it; the facade is not watertight,” said Nathan Jacroux, treasurer of the nonprofit group story of the city of Rancho Mirage.” Preservation Mirage. “It will be restored to its According to Preservation Mirage, the original bright pink color, which we tracked Anderson family built five car washes in down, and neon tubing. We need to raise Washington state in the 1950s, each featuring approximately $40,000.” the pink-elephant sign. The sign now in Rancho Why, one might ask, should a sign for a Mirage was originally built in Seattle for a car private business, however quirky, be saved in wash in Portland, but it was moved to Southern such a manner? California in 1966 by the Rancho Mirage car “Rancho Mirage has the pink elephant, the wash’s builders, Richard Fromme and his wife, most visible midcentury sign and building on Marilyn—who was a member of the Anderson the highway,” said Melissa Riche, founder and family. The city of Rancho Mirage awarded the past president of Preservation Mirage and the sign with historic designation last September. author of Mod Mirage, a book on midcentury Randy Barnes, who bought the car wash architecture in the area. “(Highway 111) used in 2008 with his wife, Lorraine, said the sign to be the main route between Palm Springs and represents Rancho Mirage unlike anything else. Palm Desert, and this sign was much loved by “The sign is nostalgic,” he said. “It reminds lovers of vintage and midcentury architecture.” people of happy days and puts a smile on faces Riche said she grew up in a 17th-century of all ages. It’s such a landmark for Rancho house in the United Kingdom and was taken Mirage and the Coachella Valley.” by her parents to “every historic home and cathedral in Europe” as a child, so she was For more information about the pink elephant shocked to see Art Deco buildings from the restoration, visit www.preservationmirage.org/ 1930s being torn down. pink-elephant. “In California—most of the U.S., actually— because everything is relatively new, people don’t understand the value of great architecture,” she said. “They tear down things, and they can’t put them back again.” Following her return from England after the COVID-19 shutdowns, Riche had the idea to restore the sign. “When I came back, I wondered what I could do and what people would enjoy. The pink elephant sign popped up in my mind,” she said. “The pink elephant is so much a part of Rancho Mirage’s history. Besides, if everything looks the same, it’s boring. History makes things around you more interesting. It’s fun and makes people smile. “The story of Palm Springs has been told in many books. But the story of Rancho Mirage hadn’t been told, and it’s quite different from Palm Springs. It grew out of an early subdivision … near the current site of the Pink Elephant Car Wash. Then the success of Thunderbird and Tamarisk country clubs in the 1950s encouraged The pink elephant sign was installed in Rancho Mirage in developers to build more homes. That’s the 1966. Gregg Felsen
JANUARY 2024
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ARTS & CULTURE
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SHARING BEAUTY By CAT MAKINO
T
he Artists Council and the Desert Plein Air Association are teaming up for the 2024 “Paint the Desert” Plein Air Festival. Plein air is the term used to describe art produced outdoors—a technique that became popular in the late 19th century, with the development of tube-based paints and more portable equipment such as easels, allowing the Impressionists to move out of the studio and into the world of natural light and color. The festival has two competitive parts. Starting on Jan. 11, participating artists in “Paint the Desert” will be invited to a series of workshops, and then to several outdoor locations to paint— outdoors; it fosters creativity,” Moore said. with the finished works delivered to the Galen “Coachella Valley is unique in the world for its on Jan. 17. variety of landscapes. It’s priceless.” For the second part, a jury will select paintElaine Mathews, a well-known local artist, ings primarily from Coachella Valley and the high desert for the “Desert Landscape” portion has entered both portions. There are special skills required for plein air, which is “tough,” of the exhibition. she confessed. All of these works will then be on display at “The weather can change in a minute; the Galen from Jan. 18 through Feb. 4. Cash shadows move,” she said. “You’re working prizes will be awarded to winning artists, and against time, and conditions like winds, flies works will be for sale. Diane Moore is the co-founder and president and ants, so you have to work fast, probably within two hours. Many times, I’m not happy of the Desert Plein Air Association. with what I paint, but you build up experience. “Our mission encourages artists to paint
The ‘Paint the Desert’ Plein Air Festival takes artists outside
Even so, it can still be a curse.” Mathews’ techniques include using a palette knife and brushes to create both large semiimpressionistic landscapes and smaller plein air works. She has painted since she was a child. “My parents gave me a watercolor set when I was 5 or 6 years old,” Mathews said. “I painted illustrations for every letter in the alphabet, and the principal of the school hung them up on the hallways, which encouraged me to keep painting.” Mathews’ works now hang in the art collections of the Nissan Motor Corporation and Avco Financial Services, and in private collections and galleries. She won the award for “Best Featured Painting” at the La Quinta Arts Festival several years ago. Kathleen Strukoff, another well-known local artist who has entered both categories, creates artworks in a modern Impressionistic style. She doesn’t just paint in the desert; she also paints plein air on city streets. “It’s different experience,” Strukoff said. “A lot of people come up and talk to me.” But painting in the desert is also daunting. “Painting in the middle of nowhere is overwhelming. … Mother Nature is so
big,” Strukoff said. “Out in the elements is challenging, but then you get addicted to it. It’s multisensory—you remember how the sun felt on you, different sounds, birds. You can’t get it anywhere else.” Plein air paintings are not fashionable at the moment, Strukoff said; abstract is “in vogue.” “People can interpret abstraction in any way they want,” she said. “It’s open to interpretation and has appeal for designers because it doesn’t alter when trends or fashions change. It goes with anything.” Even so, the magic of plein air painting holds a fascination for artists who love the region— and love to share the beauty with others. “When people see what these artists create, it gives them hope and inspiration,” Moore said. “We need it. The world needs it.” The 2024 Desert Plein Air Festival exhibition is on display from Thursday, Jan. 18, through Sunday, Feb. 4, at the Artists Center at the Galen, 72567 Highway 111, in Palm Desert. The Center is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. For more information, including details on workshops and the competitions, visit www. artistscouncil.com and www.desertpleinair.org.
Opens January 12!
A plein air painting by Susan Eyer-Anderson, “And the Congregation Sang” (cropped).
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COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 23
JANUARY 2024
ARTS & CULTURE
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ART WITH HUMOR C
The new That Gallery shows contemporary, irreverent works in a range of budgets
By Nicole Borgenicht
onnie Maher and Ty Knudson have opened a new art gallery on El Paseo that is cool and contemporary—which features art works for collectors with virtually any budget. That Gallery—yes, that’s the name—occupies an industrial-style space that hosts works by a variety of artists, shown on long walls in numerous areas. As art collectors, Maher and Knudson choose what they love, they said, rather than art that others might believe will sell best. The artworks on display are contemporary and irreverent, from pop art to street art, with bursts of color and humor. The mission of That Gallery, Maher said, “Is art for all, and exposure for artists.” purchases are easy. Knudson, a real estate investor and art “These (rentals) are rather fearlessly collector, partnered with Maher, an interior decorated, which I hope inspires people to do decorator and “smaller budget” art collector the same in their homes,” Maher said. who takes joy in placing art. El Paseo was an That Gallery is exhibiting a tapestry by easy choice for their gallery, both because of Keith Collins, which he sewed by hand, all the art on El Paseo, and because Knudson depicting Andy Warhol; the 7.5-by-6-foot owns the building. Knudson also owns work has a $24,999 price tag. In one rentand operates SIPS, Stay in Palm Springs, a al-home instance, Maher placed the Warhol series of midcentury rental homes that they tapestry beneath a glass table, achieving a fun decorate. They QR-code the art in rentals, so center piece and a great conversation element for guests. Knudson and Collins have been friends for decades; That Gallery also is showing Collins’ large Marilyn Monroe tapestry, and his oil painting of Steve McQueen. The This Is Addictive series, by artist Daniel Cohen, blends real chemical formulas and item compositions with hysterical descriptions. Maher said the “lore” is that Cohen’s father wanted him to become a doctor—but instead, Cohen became known for anti-medical humor. These limited-edition prints, each 22 by 22 inches, are $499, signed on heavy-duty archival paper with UV-print technology. There are two Farrah Fawcett depictions in the gallery by Guerin Swing. Guerin first silkscreens famous photos onto a hand pulled canvas. “The real artistry begins when Guerin adds his signature combination of aerosol, acrylic and streak-mop markers,” Maher said. His signature mixed-media Farrah is $9,999, at 66 by 48 inches. Knudson and Maher not only want That Gallery’s art to appeal to a more contemporary, younger crowd; they also want pieces available for all budgets. They have a wall of Sugar Press Art—limited-edition prints, signed and numbered. These prints are made on recycled or sugar paper, and cost $175 to $200. “They are great for a beginning collector, a young collector or anyone young at heart,” Maher said. Toward the other end of art budgets, That Gallery has a $50,000 WhisBe Vandal Gummy Bear—a 48-inch tall, one-of-a-kind fiberglass A Farrah Fawcett work by Guerin Swing. and resin sculpture. Whether these works are
Connie Maher with Keith Collins’ Warhol tapestry. Nicole Borgenicht
viewed as irreverent, uncanny conversation pieces or simply well-done works of popstreet art, they open visitors’ minds. Knudson and Maher said they select art for the entire “curating spectrum, serious and budding.” “I am the luckiest person to be in this environment all day!” Maher said. “My 15-yearold daughter also loves to come and help.” After meeting two years ago, Knudson and Maher became instant “old friends,” and he chose partner with her due to their love of humor, as well as a similar overall approach to art, art collecting and business. They plan to match themes with events like the El Paseo Art Walk series on First Fridays, as well as annual events like the Palm
Springs International Film Festival (with a Hollywood-themed display) and El Paseo Fashion Week in March (with artist/model fashion shows). Maher said she also wants to showcase local artists, and the gallery may present popup shows of established artists in the back gallery space. Knudson and Maher want clients to enjoy their art—so they curate with humor. “Laughter is medicine,” Maher said. “If the art inspires conversation and laughter, that’s one of my goals.” That Gallery is located at 73940 El Paseo, in Palm Desert. For more information, call 760610-2036, or visit thatgallerypd.com. CVIndependent.com
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ARTS & CULTURE
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HEALING VIA TRADITIONS T
By HALEEMON ANDERSON
he focus of Danza Azteca Citlaltonac is “the preservation of our culture through our traditions,” said co-founder Gabriela Armenta. What started more than 10 years ago as two sisters remembering the traditional dances and healing practices of their mother has evolved into a nonprofit cultural group that uses ancestral rituals to promote self-care and holistic well-being. In addition to dance and blessing ceremonies, the group leads workshops on Indigenous talking circles, holistic healing, and herbal recipes and remedies. Danza Azteca Citlaltonac recently offered a traditional blessing ceremony to open the Indio International Tamale Festival, and is slated to perform a dance circle ceremony at The on ancestral practices that had been passed River’s WellFest 2024 on Saturday, Jan. 13. down throughout generations on her mother’s Armenta explained that Citlaltonac (ceeside. One day, she realized, it was now her time TLAL-toe-knack) roughly translates to shining, to carry the tradition. bright star in Nahuatl, a language of the Indig“I started inviting my cousins, my family,” enous people of Southern Mexico. Many folks said Armenta. “That’s how it started. It kind have a difficult time pronouncing it, Armenta said, and she doesn’t mind that most people just of just (spread via) word of mouth. That’s how people would join us.” refer to the group as Danza or Danza Azteca. What had once been informal, family-led lesShe remembers traveling to Mexico as a sons had to move to local parks or community child to watch her family participate in comcenters as Danza Azteca gained followers. To munal ceremonies that are similar to Native keep things going, Armenta had to get creative. American pow-wows. Armenta said that as an “We’ve had donations and sponsors,” said adult, she helped her grandparents do research
Danza Azteca Citlaltonac works to both promote wellness and share Southern Mexico’s culture
Armenta. “But for the most part, at first, it was all straight out of our pockets.” Armenta and her sister, Danza Azteca co-founder Claudia Armenta, recently enrolled in the School of Public Policy at the University of California, Riverside. As first-generation college students, the sisters had already earned certificates in social entrepreneurship from the Center for Social Innovation through the UC Riverside’s extension program. “I’m learning and studying new things, and I noticed I’m very much pulled toward public health,” Gabriela Armenta said. She sees a path to aligning the community work Danza does with larger public-health initiatives. Since becoming a nonprofit, Danza has expanded its community outreach. Armenta said the members of Danza joined the Coachella Valley Immigrant Dignity Coalition to help bring services and resources to underserved communities. Danza sponsored a holiday toy drive and donates school supplies for kids. During the pandemic, the group worked to promote mental-health awareness. As pandemic-era protections were set to expire, Armenta went before the Riverside County Board of Supervisors to lobby against evictions. Danza has also worked with the California Alliance for Retired Americans to advocate for single-payer health care. “We are big advocates on mental health,” she said. “We use the talking healing circles, not just for folks to come together and build community and learn about their roots, but also to bring in some sort of holistic healing that pertains to the emotional traumas and mental
health-issues that an individual may be facing.” Danza Azteca usually works through wordof-mouth referrals or requests submitted on their website. Most of the services are free or low-cost. “We do presentations throughout the (area) to different nonprofit organizations, museums, businesses and city (events),” Armenta said. “We try to have very reasonable fees for schools and nonprofits. Workshops … they’re free unless (the host) is requesting something specific.” Danza has about 20 active participants, including dancers, drummers and elders who participate in ceremonies, presentations and teaching practices. Armenta said Danza’s community work is simply an extension of what started in her backyard years ago. “All the things that we incorporate in our workshops are things that we were raised with and we practice all the time,” said Armenta. “So it was easy for us to just one day open it up and say, ‘Hey, would you like to reconnect with your roots, or would you like to learn about this culture?’” The WellFest Health and Wellness Expo will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 13, at The River, 71800 Highway 111, in Rancho Mirage. The family friendly event offers “a transformative day of enrichment, enlightenment and empowerment” with free entertainment and classes in art therapy, yoga, barre and breathwork; admission is free. Visit www. theriveratranchomirage.com for more information. To learn more about Danza Azteca Citlaltonac, visit www.circulocitlaltonac.com.
Fabiola Mendez, left, a Danza Azteca Citlaltonac member, with co-founders Gabriela and Claudia Armenta.
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SPARKLING INDAVID THE NEW YEAR JASON
A primer on bubbly—how it’s made, and where it’s made
HAIR STUDIO
N
By STEVELOVE NOEL YOUR HAIR
apoleon is credited with saying, “Champagne! In victory, one deserves it; in defeat, one needs it!” I couldn’t agree more. Bubbles are magical, and the pair with nearly every food, every emotion and every event. Country Club and Cook Street But not all sparkling wines are created the same. Different production methods affect Palm De sertit has, and even the everything from how a wine looks and tastes, to the amount of bubbles mouthfeel. There are four common methods of creating sparkling wines—the traditional method, the tank method, the ancestral most760-340-5959 likely made by injecting carbon dioxide method and carbonation. directly into it, like soda-makers do. This is www.jasondavidhairstudio.net The ancestral method is the original way called the carbonation method, and most to create sparkling wine. This process was wine-lovers will tell you these wines should be discovered because some wine can continue to avoided, even if you are just making mimosas. ferment in the bottle—creating carbon dioxide Winemakers usually don’t reveal the use after the cork is installed. The pressure in the of this method on the label, so if you are bottle is on the low end—two to four atmolooking at a sparkling-wine bottle that doesn’t spheres (ATM), or 30 to 60 PSI, which means mention one of the other methods, consider fewer and larger bubbles. These wines will yourself warned. often say méthode ancestrale, méthode rurale Now that we know how sparkling wine is or pétillant naturel (pet-nat) on the label. produced, let’s discuss how the name of a The most common method of producing sparkling wine can tell you where it was made. quality sparkling wine is the traditional Champagne: Champagne only comes method; it’s also the most labor-intensive and from the Champagne region in northeastern the most expensive, with the sparkling wine France, about a 45-minute train ride out of produced exclusively inside a bottle. This method involves seven steps, one of which is aging the wine in the bottle on its lees. Lees are mostly the spent yeast cells created during the fermentation process. Typically, the longer the wine spends on its lees, the better the sparkling wine is. The pressure in the bottle is between five and seven atmospheres, or roughly 75 to 99 PSI. That is more pressure than a semi-truck tire. (In other words: Be careful while opening one of these bottles!) The labels of sparkling wines produced using this method will include a term such as méthode champenoise, méthode traditionnelle, methode cap classique, metodo classico, or klassische flaschengärung. The tank method, developed in the early 1900s, involves a secondary fermentation and carbon dioxide production in a large stainlesssteel tank, not the bottle itself. This method does not involve aging or the wine setting on lees, so the resulting wines are lighter and brighter. This method is far less expensive than the traditional method and is typically used to produce prosecco and lambrusco. These sparkling wines will have on the label a term like Charmat method, metodo Italiano or cuvée close. The pressure in the bottle is between two and four atmospheres, or 30 to 60 PSI. If you are buying a sparkling wine at your local drug store in the sub-$12 range, it was CVIndependent.com
Paris. Most Champagnes are made from a blend of chardonnay, pinot noir and meunier grapes. Most Champagnes are made in a non-vintage style, meaning the wine comes from different harvest years and is identified with “NV” on the label. Champagne must be produced using the méthode champenoise. Crémant: If a sparkling wine is from France and not from Champagne, it is most likely a crémant. Crémants are made in the same style as Champagne, but can be made from different grape varieties. Crémants are generally less expensive than Champagne, and some of the best come from the Loire Valley, Alsace and Burgundy. Cava: Cava is a sparkling wine produced in several regions in Spain. Cava can be made with local grapes or from chardonnay or pinot noir grapes. Cavas are generally less acidic than Champagnes and crémants, making them easy-drinking and affordable sparklers. Prosecco: Prosecco is produced in northeastern Italy with a grape known as glera. Prosecco is the most-produced sparkling wine in the world by volume. Slightly sweeter than
a cava or a French sparkling wine, prosecco can be a great, affordable option. This is the sparkling wine used by most restaurants that pour bottomless mimosas for brunch. Asti: Asti, also known as Asti spumante, is a sweet and refreshing wine from northern Italy. Made from moscato grapes, Asti is a lower-alcohol sparkling wine with flavor notes closer to peaches than citrus. Moscato d’Asti is a less-sweet, lightly sparkling wine from the same region. Lambrusco: Lambrusco is also from northern Italy. While other types of sparkling wines are whites or rosés, lambrusco is a red sparkling wine produced from the lambrusco grape. Yes, they look amazing on a holiday table. Lambruscos range in color from pale to deep purple and in sweetness from dry to semi-sweet. Whatever your sparkling-wine preference is, let’s all pop a cork and give toast to a happy 2024! This piece originally appeared in the Reno News & Review.
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 27
JANUARY 2024
FOOD & DRINK
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CAESAR CERVISIA JASON DAVID
Winter weather—even the version we have here in the desert—makes it a perfect time for wassail
HAIR STUDIO
By brett newton
LOVE YOUR HAIR
Wassail! Wassail! All over the town; our toast it is white and our ale it is brown; Our bowl it is made of the white maple tree; With the wassailing bowl, we’ll drink unto thee. —The Gloucestershire Wassail
T
he word “wassail” (pronounced like “wah-sull”) has an interesting history. From the Old and Cook Street Norse “ves heill” (or “be well”), it is a verb Country describingClub the act of something similar to what Palm sert we know as caroling around Christmas. As a noun, though,De it describes a type of drink for the winter months, often referred to as mulled ale (or cider or wine). 760-340-5959 Before we get to the beer, let’s delve a little Is one paragraph of history enough? It is into the history. For this, I’ll turn, in part to when you have ales to mull. So I consulted ye www.jasondavidhairstudio.net Martyn Cornell. He keeps an incredible beer olde Google search and tried to compile reciblog called Zythophile (from the Greek for pes that would allow me to make mulled ale in “beer lover”), and I’m always guaranteed to a relatively painless manner—by that, I mean be plunged into a wormhole of great, detailed not having to buy kitchen accessories that I articles. In one article, Martyn references would use a handful of times and then toss in “The Holly-Tree,” a short story by Charles a drawer with other rarely used accessories. Dickens in which a traveler is experiencing What follows here can be accomplished using a particularly cruel winter, with ice blocks a pot, something to hold warm liquid, someappearing in the Thames. Arriving at the thing with which to stir, and the ingredients. Peacock Inn, this traveler “found everybody The idea is simple: You start with a beer drinking hot purl—in self-preservation.” Purl that is malty on balance. For my first attempt, is similar to mulled ale in that it is ale heated I chose my friend of many years, Samuel to the point of almost boiling, with a shot of Smith’s Winter Welcome. For this (and all gin added along with Roman wormwood, and following attempts), I poured the beer into potentially orange peel, ginger, spices and (in the pot and stirred in spices and honey. I more recent history, when it became more then warmed the beer to almost boiling; readily available) sugar. In upper-class homes, almost is essential, because boiling can lead there might be a wassail bowl for the express to isomerization of any remaining alpha purpose of serving wassail. acids from the hops in the beer, resulting in
These are some of the festive ingredients our intrepid imbiber used in his wassail experiments. Brett Newton
an unpleasant amount of bitterness, even if you’re using the most lightly hopped of beers. Some recipes call for adding an egg to thicken everything up. If doing so, whisk an egg in a separate container, and slowly add and whisk the warm ale into it (this is called “tempering”) to prevent the egg from cooking too quickly and, therefore, clumping. In this first attempt, I added clove, cinnamon and honey, and then, at the end—just before I poured it into my mug—brandy. The result was an entirely pleasant and chest-warming experience that was perfect for the spate of cold nights we’ve been having recently. My next attempt was similar to my first, with the use of Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale and a touch more honey added. You might think a malty beer would have enough sugar, but—and this is coming from someone whose threshold for sweetness is low—you should definitely consider adding another source of sweetness here. Honey seemed best, but I can see simple table sugar, turbinado sugar or possibly agave syrup working just fine. With a little rebalancing of spices and an addition of orange zest, the result of this second attempt was an even more pleasant drink. In my (minimal) research for this column’s topic, I found a simple recipe involving a Munich dunkel (Erdinger’s dunkel would do), lemon or lemon juice, and rum. It was
prepared similarly to the previous two mulled ales, with the rum added at the last second— and the result was my favorite of the bunch. Thanks to the kilned German malts involved, the flavor was that of a slightly lemony bread pudding. This was all without being overly sweet, and if I continue to try to improve my mulling abilities, this will be my preferred way forward when it comes to warm beverages on coming winter nights. In conclusion, I proclaim this experiment a success. If you, dear reader, decide to try this, let me know your thoughts and any tricks you found in the making of your mulled ale. As previously stated, there are similar recipes involving cider and wine, so if those are your preferred libations, by all means, give them a try. I could see myself trying this with a lovely cider of my choice (most likely a Samuel Smith cider, surprise, surprise). I would also suggest a serving container that allows the drink to remain warm for the entire time. Cold mulled ale is not terrible, but it kind of defeats the purpose. And with that, I leave you to your hearty beverage. Brett Newton is a certified cicerone (like a sommelier for beer) and homebrewer who has mostly lived in the Coachella Valley since 1988. He can be reached at caesarcervisia@gmail.com. CVIndependent.com
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SATURDAY AND SUNDAY 11 A.M.-2 P.M.
FOOD & DRINK INDY ENDORSEMENT
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NOW SERVING BRUNCH!
It’s time for delicious minestrone—and a lunch at one of the most beautiful restaurants in town By Jimmy Boegle
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WHAT Minestrone soup WHERE Norma’s Italian Kitchen of Rancho Mirage, 42418 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage HOW MUCH $6.50 cup; $7.95 bowl; available with $14.95 lunch special CONTACT 760-834-8738; www. normasitaliankitchen.com WHY It’s hearty and fresh. Is there a more perfect winter food than minestrone soup? Maybe—but I can’t think of one. This thought rattled around my head as I enjoyed lunch with my colleague Kevin on the lovely patio at Norma’s Italian Kitchen of Rancho Mirage. Even though Norma’s has been in business since 2015, I’d never been there before—and I’ve been missing out. We both took advantage of Norma’s fantastic lunch special: From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays, you can get your choice of 10 entrées with either a house salad or soup for just $14.95. In these inflationary times, that’s a tremendous bargain. I ordered the beef ravioli with marinara sauce, and the minestrone soup. The ravioli were quite good (and covered in tasty sauce— so much so that when a ravioli bite slipped off my fork and fell into the sauce, the resulting splatter created a significant mess)—but my mind keeps going back to that cup of minestrone soup. To say it was packed with veggies would be an understatement. Onion, tomato, carrot, celery, zucchini and other vegetable chunks rose above the broth, with some pieces of pasta hiding toward the bottom of the cup; every bite was a hearty, fresh-tasting treat. There was slight chill in the air—it is winter, after all, even here in the desert—and the soup definitely warmed me up. Norma’s regular menu includes a large variety of fare, including all of the Italian standards, as well as sandwiches, pizzas and more—and whatever I order on my next visit, you can bet that order will include more of that splendid minestrone.
WHAT Green chile chicken tacos WHERE The Pink Cabana at the Sands Hotel and Spa, 44985 Province Way, Indian Wells HOW MUCH $18 CONTACT 760-321-3771; sandshotelandspa. com/dining-bar WHY They’re tasty—and the décor is amazing. If you’re like me, you select different restaurants depending on the experience you want. Sometimes, you want cheap; other times, you want amazing food, and are happy to pay extra for it. For some meals, especially with friends, the décor and the vibe are key; for others, it’s all about the food, and the décor doesn’t matter. The Pink Cabana at the Sands Hotel Spa is definitely a restaurant where the décor and the vibe are part of the consideration. In fact, I don’t know if there’s a more meticulously designed restaurant anywhere else in the Coachella Valley. The décor was created by famed interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard, and it’s beautiful, from the pink ceiling to the green and white (sort-of) checkerboard tile floors. There’s also some outdoor seating, not too far from the resort’s lovely pool. That said, the Pink Cabana is about more than just the look; friends have told me repeatedly the food (“Mediterranean cuisine with a Moroccan influence,” according to the website) and drink are wonderful as well— and that proved to be the case during my recent lunch visit. My colleague Matt had the Moroccan club ($21)—it has the usual club sandwich ingredients, but they’re elevated a bit. I had the green chile tacos ($18), with shredded chicken-thigh meat, pickled cabbage, cotija, greens and crushed avocado. The chicken was juicy and seasoned perfectly; every bite was enjoyable. Yes, that’s $6 per smallish taco, which is a lot. Whether you’re enjoying breakfast, lunch, dinner or simply cocktails at the Pink Cabana, you’re paying a premium for the vibe—and I enjoyed every minute of my meal on a gorgeous winter day at the Sands Hotel and Spa.
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 29
JANUARY 2024
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Restaurant NEWS BITES By charles drabkin TASTE OF JALISCO RETURNS TO DOWNTOWN CATHEDRAL CITY Since 1996, Cathedral City has had a sister cities relationship with the town of Tequila in the Mexican state of Jalisco—and for the eighth year, Cathedral City is celebrating that relationship with a big festival. From Friday, Feb. 2, through Sunday, Feb. 4, downtown Cathedral City will host Taste of Jalisco, including a carnival, a craft vendor market, tequila tastings and authentic Mexican cuisine. You can also enjoy daily entertainment at the Jalisco Community Stage, featuring local and regional musical groups and acts celebrating Mexican art and culture. The nearby Cathedral City Community Amphitheater will host special lucha libre shows on Feb. 3 and 4. Pre-sale tickets are $4, or $6 at the gate; kids 5 and younger are admitted for free. Carnival wristbands and the lucha libre shows cost extra. Get tickets and learn more at www. tasteofjalisco.com. PUEBLO VIEJO GRILL, CATALAN GET GRANTS Two local restaurants have been awarded $5,000 in the latest round of grants from the California Restaurant Foundation’s Restaurants Care Resilience Fund: Indio’s Pueblo Viejo Grill and Rancho Mirage’s Catalan Mediterranean Cuisine (listed on the Restaurant Care website as Salt and Saffron, the company that holds their liquor license). These grants are designed to support California’s independent restaurants and can be used for various purposes, including equipment upgrades, unforeseen hardships, employee retention bonuses and staff training. For a complete list of statewide grantees, visit www.restaurantscare.org/resilience. IN BRIEF Haus of Pizza, located at 72795 Highway 111, in Palm Desert, recently had a new chef take over—and is now up for sale on the Hughes Properties website, although it continues to operate as usual. Other local business opportunities listed include Weenee Roadhouse, O’Caines Irish Pub, RM Coffee, La Brasserie Bistro and Bar, Wrap Shack and the recently shuttered Shame on the Moon. See for yourself at hughesproperties.com. … New to La Quinta: LongHorn Steakhouse, located at 79705 Highway 111. LongHorn is a chain that’s part of the Darden family of restaurants, which includes The Capital Grille, Olive Garden, Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, Yard House and Ruth’s Chris Steak House. You can view the full menu at longhornsteakhouse.com. … Pier 88 Boiling Seafood & Bar, a chain operating throughout the U.S., has opened a location at 72363 Highway 111, in Palm Desert. Pier 88 offers seafood boils with homemade Louisiana-style seasonings and a menu that includes a variety of fried items. See the full menu and find out more at pier88seafood.com. … Minerva’s, a plant-forward bar and restaurant, is located at the new Life House Palm Springs hotel at 1700 S. Palm Canyon Drive (formerly the site of the Royal Sun Inn). Minerva’s takes reservations via Open Table and the hotel’s website—but don’t try calling, as the phone system redirects you to the website, which is lifehousehotels.com/hotels/ california/palmsprings/restaurant/minervas. … Toucan’s Tiki Lounge, at 2100 N. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs, has been sold to the owner of Chicken Ranch, and was closed for about a month for improvements, with a scheduled Dec. 29 reopening. It’s possible that there may be food options in the future. Stay updated at facebook.com/ToucansPalmSprings. … The Skylark Hotel, at 1466 N. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs, is touting the “Skylark Restaurant, Coffee and Cocktails, coming soon.” While details are limited, it is associated with Lost Property, a Los Angeles bar. Follow www.facebook.com/Skylarkhotelps to stay informed. … Newly opened: Alice B., at 1122 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, at the Living Out community in Palm Springs, is getting positive initial reviews. Chef Lance Velasquez, known for Biscuit and Counter, is leading the kitchen, with chefs Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken bringing the star power. Check out their menu at aliceb.com. … Antigua Kitchen + Bar, at 105 S. Palm Canyon Drive, seems to have closed. Their phone goes to voicemail with an unset mailbox; the website is gone; and the last social media post was in early November.
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Coachella Valley resident Mickey Thomas prepares for a Starship performance at Fantasy Springs Local musician Emanuel Cazares’ solo project Café Canela mixes old-school soul and funk 35 The Venue Report: RITA RUDNER, Jim Jefferies, Daughtry, SedOna—and a whole lot more! 38 The Lucky 13: Get to better know two outstanding musicians from the local hardcore scene
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Victor Wooten and the Wooten Brothers bring a positive groove to Pappy and Harriet’s
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MUSIC MUSIC HISTORY AND ’80S HITS By matt king
I
f you were to start naming great ’80s bands, you wouldn’t get too far down the list before you mentioned Starship. The pop-rock stars were a constant force in the ’80s, churning out timeless hits like “We Built This City” and “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now.” Starship is also part of a lineage of bands starting with Jefferson Airplane, extending into Jefferson Starship, and then simply becoming couple of tunes with Ed, and he’s calling that Starship. venture The Reindeers. It was basically Ed After a hiatus, Starship reformed in the Roland from Collective Soul and his guitarist, early ’90s and continues today as “Starship Jesse Triplett, and then we had the drummer Featuring Mickey Thomas” (the iconic voice from Guns N’ Roses, Frank Ferrer, and myself. behind those aforementioned hits). The band I’m always trying to stay busy and working is teaming up with another classic-rock force on different projects … and trying to keep my in Foghat for a performance at the Fantasy chops up.” Springs Resort Casino on Saturday, Jan. 20. At 74, Thomas said protecting and During a recent phone interview, Mickey preserving his voice is “really important”; he Thomas said the Indio performance will be a added that the more he stays busy, the better special show to him. his voice gets. “I’ve been out here 19 years,” he said. “We “I find that anytime I go into a studio and came down from Lake Tahoe in 2004. We just work on something with the recording process, got a little tired of snow and ice and decided it really helps to keep my voice sharp for live for a change of scenery, so we went from shows,” Thomas said. “It just kind of keeps one extreme to the other … but I really love your ears sharp and keeps your voice in shape. it, and we plan to stay. We’ve lived in Palm I’ll probably do 50 or 60 shows a year, but the Desert for about 16 years and Rancho Mirage studio work really helps to keep your voice for three years.” fine-tuned and ready for the stage.” Thomas talked about some of his favorite The rocker holds self-care in high regard. things to do in the Coachella Valley. “I do try to do a lot of steam showers when “It’s a great place to ride your bike. We hike I’m on the road,” said Thomas. “I drink a lot of the Bump and Grind and some other trails here, and we love the weather,” he said. “People water … and I try to get enough rest, which is sometimes difficult to do on the road. Lack of sometimes ask me, ‘How do you take it? How sleep is usually the worst thing for my voice. do you stay in the summers?’ I usually say I I try to eat decently, which is also sometimes prefer a summer in Rancho Mirage to a winter hard to do, and (I don’t have) too many vices. I in Minnesota. I don’t mind it when it’s really love a little bit of chardonnay; I like wine, but hot. I grew up in South Georgia, where it was hot and humid. I love it here. “I don’t really get out to the local bars or check out the music scene a whole lot. We do have a good friend, local singer Jetta King, who we keep up with and keep an eye on, because we’re very close to her. We check out her career, and we’ve been to see her a couple of times when she was playing locally.” Thomas said that he’s been able to stay busy thanks to other musicians coming out to write and record music in the Coachella Valley. “Just recently, my buddies in Collective Soul were out here recording a new album at Elvis’ old house in Palm Springs,” Thomas said. “I got to drop in on those sessions, and I did background vocals on five or six songs for that album, which should be coming out real soon. Ed Roland from Collective Soul was in town a couple of weeks ago and said, ‘Hey, I’m doing a couple of Christmas songs; come Starship featuring Mickey Thomas. on down, and let’s do something.’ We did a CVIndependent.com
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Coachella Valley resident Mickey Thomas prepares for a Starship performance at Fantasy Springs
that’s about my only vice these days.” Those steam showers are a huge priority— even if they freak out other members of the touring party. “It might be the middle of the summer, so it’s pretty hot outside,” Thomas said. “One of the band members or somebody will come by my room … and all this steam comes out. They go, like, ‘Jesus, it’s hot in there. How can you stand it?’ You’ve got to keep hydrated, baby, gotta keep the stream going.” The Fantasy Springs show will not be the first time Starship has teamed up with ’70s rockers Foghat. “We’ve played quite a few shows with Foghat over the years,” Thomas said. “In the last several months, we’ve done three or four shows with them, and then we have the one coming up here, and then we have a couple more after that in March. It seems to be a package that, for some reason, is working. You’d look at it and might say, ‘Foghat and Starship? How is that compatible? How does that match up? How does that work, stylistically and musically?’ But for whatever reason, it seems to be a compatible package. We seem to have a mutual audience that really appreciates both bands and loves what each band does. It’s fun working with them, because they’re really a great group of guys and easy to work with, and fun to hang out with. Foghat and Starship—who knew?” During Starship’s set, there will be a few moments of songs not by Starship. Thomas makes time for “Fooled Around and Fell in Love,” a hit song he sang with Elvin Bishop,
as well as a medley of songs that show the musical history of Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship. “(‘Fooled Around and Fell in Love’) is still one of my favorite things to sing, and it’s a really nice change of pace in the Starship set,” Thomas said. “Also, my female vocalist, Cian Coey, and myself do kind of a musical tribute to the entire history of Starship; Cian does a couple of Jefferson Airplane songs and some early Jefferson Starship, so we leave no stone unturned. Starship has its roots in Jefferson Starship, and Jefferson Starship had its roots in Jefferson Airplane, so that’s the way we frame it in the show. It’s a medley of the musical history of the band so that you can see where it all started, how it all began, and what it evolved into.” Mickey Thomas said Starship is “the best band I’ve ever been in.” “Most of the guys in the band have been with me for over 30 years, my bass player over 25 years, and my guitarist for 12 years, so we’ve been together a long time,” he said. “We obviously enjoy each other’s company, and it’s a very high-energy band. It’s a lot of fun not only to listen to, but also fun to look at onstage, so we’re definitely looking forward to it—plus I get to sleep in my own bed that night.” Starship and Foghat will perform at 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 20, at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway, in Indio. Remaining tickets start at $49. For tickets or more information, call 760-342-5000, or visit www. fantasyspringsresort.com.
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Victor Wooten and the Wooten Brothers bring a positive groove to Pappy and Harriet’s
By matt king
eing in a band with family can be a blessing … or a curse. Thankfully, for Victor Wooten and the Wooten Brothers, family and music have long gone hand in hand—and things have been respectful, loving and productive. Their funky grooves started in the 1980s when the group was called The Wootens. Each brother then went on to different things—but 40 years later, the band has reunited as Victor having an extended funk jam section. Wooten and the Wooten Brothers. Although “It’s hard for the Wooten Brothers to do the man often regarded as one of the best anything short,” Wooten said. “We understand bass players ever is at the helm, Victor that today, in music, people don’t even listen Wooten claims that, in this band, he’s back to to a whole song anymore. They put on their being the baby brother and “just back in the playlist or whatever, and they listen to part of bass-player role.” a song, and they switch to the next song. We The band is heading to Pappy and Harriet’s wanted to make sure that there was a, quote for a show on Wednesday, Jan. 24. unquote, ‘single’ version of the song ‘Sweat,’ “It’s been decades since we’ve been able but, of course, in the studio, when we are to do it, so it’s really exciting for us,” Victor together, we’re playing for long periods of time, Wooten said during a recent phone interview. “It’s great for me, because I’m the baby brother. so we put a slightly longer version out at the same time. Since we hadn’t released anything It’s not like it’s my band; this is the way I grew as the brothers since the ’80s, we wanted to up, and it’s great to be just back in the bassmake sure that our first release was a positive player role, where I could just be a bassist for a one, something that everyone could get into, great band.” that adults and kids could sing.” In recent decades, Victor Wooten became a Including both positive lyrics and anthems seasoned music educator. He travels the world in their music is a priority for the Wooten giving talks and lessons about his approach Brothers. to music. He talked about how his time in the “As the brothers, we realized that if you family band “was the best way to learn.” put anything to a good beat, people will sing “I really can’t imagine learning in any better it,” Wooten said. “There are a lot of songs out way,” Wooten said. “If you think about how there that have us singing things that may you learn to speak your native tongue … I not be so good for us to sing and repeat. We learned to speak English in a family that spoke wanted to make sure that we did not follow it. We were a team. No one ever treated me as that model. When we grew up, you’d have a beginner. No one over corrected me when I Earth, Wind and Fire, who would sing, ‘You’re said things wrong. You learn in what I call a a shining star, no matter who you are,’ and, natural way when we’re learning to speak, and ‘Keep your head to the sky.’ Sly Stone would I was fortunate enough to learn to play music say, ‘We’re a family affair.’ Even when it wasn’t the exact same way. popular, James Brown would say, ‘Say it loud. The Wooten Brothers avoided the trials I’m black, and I’m proud.’ There were a lot of that some family bands face; Victor credits his songs out there that were really positive and parents. uplifting, even though they were danceable, “My mom had a quote that said, ‘You either raise your kids, or wish you had,’” Wooten said. and we wanted to follow suit with that.” Wooten discussed his philosophy on crafting “Our parents were very hands-on, and they music that will sell. cared more about who we were as people, not “We grew up in the era where you make and who we were as musicians. They didn’t really sell records— but now, it’s not about selling care what else we would do, as long as we did it,” Wooten said. “If we want to make a living it from a good person standpoint. We (weren’t doing this, we have to figure out how, because allowed to) argue; we couldn’t fight—so it most people expect their music for free. We didn’t happen. We grew up really, really good at getting along with each other and respecting used to get television free, and we paid for music, and now we pay for television, and our each other, and … we knew how to handle our music is free. It puts a lot of us in a weird place. disagreements, and we carry that on today. … There’ll be some of us who say we don’t To mark their reunion, the Wooten Brothers think about it, ‘I’m just going to put out my released a new single, “Sweat”—but instead music,’ but even saying that proves that you’re of just releasing one version, they dropped thinking about it. It’s a different era these “Version A” and “Version B,” with Version B
Victor Wooten and the Wooten Brothers.
days, and we do have to figure out what we’re going to put out, and how we’re going to put that out, and for what purpose are we putting it out.” Wooten’s music lessons are all over YouTube and TikTok. The musician shares great insights and shows how to thump and pluck the bass like him. “I’m flying to D.C. for a ‘Music as Medicine’ conference with scientists and musicians, talking about the benefits of music,” Wooten said. “As a Western society, we’re starting to wake up to what our ancestors already knew about the power of music, and how it can heal and help, and refresh and wake up memories and all of that. The way it was taught to me was not ‘academic.’ It was not, ‘Here are your few notes; go practice your scales.’ I don’t think that’s the best way to learn music. It should be a part of music, but it should not be the main part. You don’t learn to read before you learn to talk; you talk for years before you ever learn to read, but in music, we reverse it. We try to teach you to speak through reading, and that’s a slow process, and in many cases, it robs you of your individuality and freedom of speaking your mind.”
If you go see Victor Wooten and the Wooten Brothers, you will be witnessing a performance from people Wooten describes as “complete musicians.” “It’s very cool to be able to play with people of that caliber: Steve Bailey, Marcus Miller, John Patitucci, Stanley Clarke, Ron Carter and Ray Brown,” said Wooten. “It is so much fun, because I automatically know that these are complete musicians. In other words, they’re not just bass players; they’re musicians. These guys write symphonies and orchestras; they understand music from the bottom to the top. … That is why I’ve had such a long career with Béla Fleck, because his instrument is the banjo, or Howard Levy, whose instrument is the harmonica. They’re so much of a musician that they can cover all of the roles from that instrument—and it’s amazing to play with anyone like that.” Victor Wooten and the Wooten Brothers will perform at 8 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 24, at Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, in Pioneertown. Tickets start at $45. For more information, call 760-228-2222, or visit pappyandharriets.com. CVIndependent.com
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Local musician Emanuel Cazares’ solo project Café Canela mixes old-school soul and funk
By matt king
manuel Cazares is a local musician who has been able to effortlessly stretch across various projects spanning sound and style. He is the bassist for the soulfully somber soft-rock group Burgundy Blues, and the guitarist for psychedelic, groovy riff-makers Slipping Into Darkness. Additionally, he recently started Café Canela, a funk and old-school soul solo project in which he plays, records and produces everything. So far, Cazares’ releases as Café Canela have “I wanted Café Canela to be more rawbeen strictly instrumental, allowing listeners sounding,” Cazares said. “It’s obviously to get a full focus on the fantastic instrumental instrumental; there’s no singing in that, but and production work. Songs like “Perro Wawa” there might be in the future. I want the sound and “Gemini” explore grooves and psych of my production to be in your face, and kind rhythms that evoke a mix between ‘50s/’60s of just as raw as possible.” soul records and modern sounds from projects What’s the best way to make old-school like Khruangbin and El Michels Affair. He is music? In Cazares’ case, it means filling his set to release a new song, “If I Fall,” on Friday, spare bedroom with guitars, amps and a drum Jan. 26. set from many decades ago. “(‘If I Fall’) has been a work in progress for “The gear inspires me a lot,” Cazares said. the past couple of years,” Cazares said during “I’m a fan of music from the ’60s, the ’50s, a recent phone interview. “I’ve been trying to ’70s, the ’80s, and all my instruments are develop my old sound over time after playing from those eras. Every time I sit on a drum set in so many bands. The song is something from this year, I feel like I’m hearing sounds that’s really personal to me.” from back then. Even with an amp, if I played One of the ways in which Café Canela through an amp from a certain year, I’m like, evokes the old-school sound is through the ‘Damn, this is what music sounded like back production. Cazares uses dated mic-placement then.’ I want to capture all those sounds, so the techniques and even a big mixing board to find gear inspires me in a different way.” the right mood for his songs. Cazares’ intense attachment to oldies music
Emanuel Cazares. Sergio Ortiz
stems from his own listening history. He’s told me multiple times that he’d pick songs from the ’60s over most of the music of today. “That’s what I grew up listening to, a lot of old music, and I’ve always liked it,” he said. “It’s what I think about all day. Some of the new music is cool, but it just doesn’t touch your soul like the older stuff.” Another facet of creating a time-capsule sound is doing research. “It’s been a long process, learning how to record—and especially getting the tones that you want,” Cazares said. “It’s a lot of thought and experimentation. It took me four years to kind of know what I’m doing. Also, part of it is listening to a lot of those old records and trying to figure out how to tune the drums, or what amps they were using, what microphones they were using—even listening to the rooms that they recorded in. All that stuff mattered back then, and that all contributes to the sound. It’s a lot of listening to music and studying sounds.” Café Canela has left the bedroom studio for a few live performances. Cazares said his philosophy changes when it comes to performing these songs onstage. “It’s kind of hard to bring that sound in a live setting,” Cazares said. “It’s more of a production thing, but the songs are what touch people’s hearts.” For the live shows, the old-school sound is expanded with help from other great local musicians. “I’m really open-minded to having other people put their sound into it, or if they want to change something up,” Cazares said. “People inspire me, too. For the band that I put together, I picked everybody because I like how everybody played, and I want a little bit of their sound in the band.” Cazares explained how he contributes in different ways to each of his musical projects. “In Burgundy Blues, for example, Andrew (Russell) produces everything, and I just play his parts, but he’s also the same way—his songs are open to interpretation on my part, like I could change the bassline or whatever,” Cazares said. “For Slipping Into Darkness, I am more of a permanent member. I have a say in the sound if we’re making a song, and I guess I have added more major seventh chords into the music. … The songs have definitely gotten a little bit more jazzy.” For more information, visit www.instagram.com/ cafecanelamusic.
The Venue REPORT JANUARY 2024 By matt king
Jimmie Herrod
Happy 2024! Here’s to a great year filled with amazing entertainment. Check out what January in the desert has to offer. Acrisure Arena features some true icons this month. At 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 16, witness legendary rockers the Eagles for what could be the last time, as they embark on their “Long Goodbye” tour. The show features opener Steely Dan, and tickets available as of this writing start at $199.50. Experience a night of music by renowned Mexican singer, songwriter and actress Paquita la del Barrio at 7 p.m., Friday, Jan. 26. Special guests include Julio Preciado, El Coyote, Ezequiel Peña, Josi Cuen and Cheque Junior. Tickets start at $75. Acrisure Arena, 75702 Varner Road, Palm Desert; 888-695-8778; www. acrisurearena.com. The McCallum Theatre features performers ranging from comedians to musicians to … mountain climbers? At 3 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 7, comedian Rita Rudner, who has the record for longest-running solo comedy show in Las Vegas, makes a return to Palm Desert. Tickets start at $60. Jimmie Herrod, a frequent collaborator with Pink Martini and a former America’s Got Talent star, will perform an evening of song at 7 p.m., Monday, Jan. 15. Tickets start at $30. Neil Berg’s Fifty Years of Rock and Roll returns to the McCallum for Part 3, as the epic musical-history lesson tackles even more songs and artists from the rock genre. Performances take place at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 17; and 3 and 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 18. Tickets start at $40. At 7 p.m., Monday, Jan. 22, witness the beginning of the McCallum’s new Adventure Series as explorer Peter Hillary shares a presentation named “Climb Your Own Everest.” Tickets start at $25. At 3 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 28, enjoy a body-bending and graceful performance by The Peking Acrobats. Tickets start at $25, and Rancho Mirage residents get a discount. McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred continued on NEXT PAGE CVIndependent.com
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The Venue REPORT continued from page 35 Waring Drive, Palm Desert; 760-340-2787; www. mccallumtheatre.com. Fantasy Springs has entertainment for fans of varied genres. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 13, both The Temptations and The Four Tops return to town with the hits from the ’60s that tug on your heart strings. Tickets start at $49. At 8 p.m., Friday, Jan. 19, you’re in for a night of oldies and blue-eyed soul with The Righteous Brothers. Tickets start at $39. Australian comedian and actor Jim Jefferies is sure to bring the laughs to Indio at 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 27. Tickets start at $59. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio; 760-342-5000; www. fantasyspringsresort.com. Spotlight 29 Casino is mixing up music and comedy. At 8 p.m., Friday, Jan. 12, funk and soul stars The Commodores will turn Coachella into the “Brick House.” Tickets start at $35. Dark-humor funnyman Anthony Jeselnik will perform at 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 20. Tickets start at $35. 1970s rockers Little River Band return to the valley yet again at 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 27. Tickets start at $20. You must be 21 or older to attend Spotlight 29 shows. Spotlight 29 Casino, 46200 Harrison Place, Coachella; 760-775-5566; www. spotlight29.com. Morongo Casino features more entertainment that’s just a short drive up the 10. At 7:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 19, country artist Brett Young moseys out to Cabazon. Resale tickets were going for $409 as of this writing. From White Chicks and Scary Movie, Marlon Wayans is set to perform an evening of comedy at 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 20. Tickets start at $49. At 5 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 21, Taiwanese musicians Wan Fang and Cindy Fong team up for an evening of culture and song. Tickets start at $68. At 9 p.m., Friday, Jan. 26, Spanish singer Roberto Tapia will thrill the audience with his Latin jams. Tickets start at $39. Morongo Casino Resort Spa, 49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon; 800-252-4499; www. morongocasinoresort.com.
Agua Caliente in Rancho Mirage has a wide array of fun! At 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 13, the Long Island Medium herself, Theresa Caputo, returns to interact with audience members and share stories about her career as a medium. Tickets start at $75. Pop-rocker group Daughtry brings almost two decades of songs to The Show at Saturday, Jan. 20. Tickets start at $45. Filmmaker Kevin Smith heads out to Rancho Mirage to talk movies, comics and comedy at 8 p.m., Friday, Jan. 26. Tickets start at $25. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 27, witness the legendary “Voice of Romance,” Johnny Mathis, who is still out and singing at 88 years old! Tickets start at $95. Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage, 32250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage; 888-999-1995; www.aguacalientecasinos.com. Agua Caliente in Palm Springs its brings residencies into 2024. Desert Blues Revival Wednesdays feature the desert country blues of Molly Kruse (Jan. 3), four-time Best of Coachella Valley winner The Gand Band playing Latin tunes (Jan. 10), the vocal soul of the Brigitte Purdy Blues Band (Jan. 17), the rockabilly swing of Rumble King (Jan. 24) and the modern blues rock of Bill Grisolia Band (Jan. 31). Shows are at 7 p.m., and tickets start at $15 to $19, available at eventspalmsprings.com. Jazzville Thursdays bring the trombone stylings of Matt Hall’s Bebop Explosion Sextet (Jan. 4), the accomplished Mark Winkler and Quartet (Jan. 11), a tribute to the ladies of Latin jazz by Sacha Boutros and the Irving Flores Quartet (Jan. 18) and a night of “midcentury jazz and swing, sassy cocktail humor and the art of burlesque” from Bobbi DeCarlo and the Mark San Filippo Band (Jan. 25). Shows take place at 7 p.m., and tickets start at $15, available at jazzvillepalmsprings. com. Caliente Comedy Fridays showcase Kenny Weber and Zach Holmes (Jan. 5), Marc Yaffee (Jan. 12), Dylan Sullivan (Jan. 19) and Justin Rivera (Jan. 26). Shows are at 8 p.m., and tickets start at $7.99 to $19.99,
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available at www.eventspalmsprings.com. Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs, 401 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs; 888-999-1995; www.sparesortcasino.com. Pappy and Harriet’s continues to bring top-notch music to the high desert. At 9 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 11, femme anthem-maker and dirty-pop songwriter Sedona is set to perform with opener Your Angel. Tickets start at $18, or four for $15 each. Fast-food rock band and Black Sabbath parody act Mac Sabbath returns to the desert at 8 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 17. Tickets start at $30, or four for $20 each. At 9:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 20, singer, writer and rapper Dessa will visit the Pioneertown Palace with opener King Pari. Tickets start at $20, or four for $17.50 each. Punk, rock and blues collide in the desert at 9 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 21, when The Delta Bombers, The Goddamn Gallows and Volk perform. Tickets start at $29.50, or four for $25 each. At 9:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 27, enjoy a serving of electrofolk by Moontricks. Tickets are $20. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown; 760-228-2222; www.pappyandharriets.com.
Oscar’s in Palm Springs is hosting two January events apart from the regularly scheduled programming, and only one still has tickets available: At 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 18, cabaret artist Jack Donahue will perform. Tickets start at $35. Oscar’s Palm Springs, 125 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs; 760-3251188; oscarspalmsprings.com/events. The Purple Room is welcoming back a lot of popular performers. At 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, Jan. 5 and 6, witness an evening of soulful and inspiring music from Broadway singer Christine Andreas. Tickets start at $55. At 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, Jan. 12 and 13, Amanda McBroom will host an evening of stories and songs. Tickets start at $45. At 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, Jan. 19 and 20, Jonathan Karrant is performing an evening of tunes from the songbook of the iconic Tony Bennett. Tickets start at $40. At 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, Jan. 26 and 27, Cheryl Bentyne of The Manhattan Transfer will be performing songs from film and Broadway composer Cole Porter. Tickets start at $45. Michael Holmes’ Purple Room, 1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-322-4422; www.purpleroompalmsprings.com.
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MUSIC
the
LUCKY 13
Get to better know two outstanding musicians from the local hardcore scene by matt king What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live? Blink-182. What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure? Avril Lavigne. What’s your favorite music venue? That I’ve played: Chain Reaction (in Anaheim). To see a show: the Glass House (in Pomona).
NAME Alec Wright GROUP Oceans Apart MORE INFO If you have yet to see a show by Oceans Apart, you’re missing out on some entertaining hardcore and metalcore excitement. Drop-tuned guitar-chugging and vocal growls and howls create a sound that is as vicious as it is melodic. The band released a five-track EP in late September that showcases the powerful group of heavy-metal musicians, and the band has a handful of upcoming local shows—with the intention of spreading the mosh pits around town. Oceans Apart will perform at The Hood Bar and Pizza on Saturday, Jan. 6, and is headlining a show on Saturday, Jan. 13, at Flat Black Art Supplies in Palm Desert. Admission to each show is $10, and the Flat Black show is all-ages. For more information, visit www.instagram.com/ oceansaparthardcore. Alec Wright is Oceans Apart’s guitarist. What was the first concert you attended? The lineup was Fall Out Boy, Hawthorne Heights and From First to Last. What was the first album you owned? Good Charlotte, The Young and the Hopeless. What bands are you listening to right now? Blink-182, Neck Deep, Counterparts, and The Acacia Strain. What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get? Taylor Swift and pop country. CVIndependent.com
What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head? “Is there a way that I can find peace, while still numbing my pain?” Senses Fail, “Family Tradition.” What band or artist changed your life? Green Day and Blink-182. When I was young and just learning how to play guitar, their music made me realize playing guitar didn’t just have to be about shredding or playing insane solos, but that you could write great songs regardless of how technical it was. You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking? William Francis of Aiden: How can we make my band the most profitable on our own? What song would you like played at your funeral? “Comin’ Home,” City and Colour. Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time? Blink-182’s untitled album. What song should everyone listen to right now? “Blink Wave,” Blink-182. NAME Leopoldo J. Treviño GROUP Bronca MORE INFO A subset of our music scene has been growing in size and popularity—the Coachella Valley hardcore scene. One of the bands responsible for this surge is Bronca, a hard-hitting, powerful punk-rock band that combines political themes and Mexican pride—and Bronca’s live show is not to be
missed. For more on Bronca, visit www. instagram.com/broncacvhc. Leopoldo J. Treviño is Bronca’s guitarist/backup vocalist. What was the first concert you attended? Funnily enough, it was the band I named this band after, the Mexican norteño banda Bronco. It was the early ’90s, and I was around 4 years old. Music was very important to my mom, and I was fortunate enough to share that passion with her since day one. What was the first album you owned? The first CD I took ownership of, I stole from one of my older brothers, and it was Warren G, Regulate … G Funk Era. The first CD I actually purchased myself was System of a Down’s selftitled album in the early 2000s. The first 12” LP I purchased was Allegiance, Overlooked, that I got when I saw them live at Chain Reaction in the summer of 2006. I also picked up Have Heart’s The Things We Carry LP that same night, because they opened for Allegiance. Have Heart is still one of my biggest influences to this day … actually, all four of these artists are. What bands are you listening to right now? Current active bands: Locals Face Facts; Movements; Citizen; Kublai Khan TX; Harm’s Way; Koyo; Hot Mulligan; Mindforce; Incendiary; Terror; The Black Dahlia Murder; Underoath; Berthold City; Inclination; Knocked Loose; and No Pressure. No longer active but always on rotation: Bronco; System of a Down; Get the Most; Have Heart; Allegiance; local legends ITNC; Trapped Under Ice; Mindset; Go It Alone; Miles Away; Down to Nothing; Minor Threat; The Beautiful Ones; In My Eyes; Carry On; Ceremony; and Blacklisted. Artists you might not expect on this list: Bad Bunny; Peso Pluma; Grupo Frontera; Los Enanitos Verdes; Maná; Silk Sonic; Harry Styles; City and Colour; Circa Survive; Vince Staples; Kendrick Lamar; Denzel Curry; J. Cole; Oddisee; and Baby Keem. What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get? I typically am down for anything, even country/bluegrass, but, man, I just don’t get the blending of hip hop culture with fascist messages like closing borders or seeing immigrants as nonhuman, and sheer stupidity like championing another U.S. civil war. What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live? I’ve been very fortunate to see every band I love live and have even have shared the stage with some of them. If I had to pick one of the few bands I was not able to see live, I would say Minor Threat, but, like, the early ’80s version. I don’t know if current-day Ian (MacKaye) would be able to pull it off. What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure? Listening to artists like Peso Pluma, Bad Bunny
and Grupo Frontera. I’m an ASB teacher here in Indio, my hometown, and I DJ all of my school’s dances. To tell you the sheer pride and emotion I feel when I play those artists, and I see all the kids just completely lose their minds—it’s something I never thought I’d see. What’s your favorite music venue? Acrisure Arena, not just out of convenience or local pride, but I’ve been to concerts … at venues like the T-Mobile Arena, Staples Center, Madison Square Garden, BMO Stadium, etc., and Acrisure Arena was really designed with concerts in mind—not just an afterthought for a sports arena. The sound treatment and just sound quality doesn’t even compare. It’s insanely good. What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head? “Foundations crumble; structures rust; but I’d rather be ashes than a pile of dust,” Mindset, “One Step Beyond.” I actually have these lyrics tattooed on my arm. What band or artist changed your life? Probably System of a Down. I’ve always enjoyed music my entire life, largely due to my mom’s passion for it, but it wasn’t until I heard System of a Down that I wanted to play the guitar like my mom. I mean, I literally got a guitar, and tuned it to CGCFAD, and learned every SOAD song. You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking? I’m asking Chalino Sánchez: “What did the note say, foo?!” IYKYK. What song would you like played at your funeral? “As Much as I Ever Could,” City and Colour. Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time? Histories, Go It Alone. What song should everyone listen to right now? The song that started it all for me and the idea for starting this band: “Que No Quede Huella” by Bronco.
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JANUARY 2024
OPINION COMICS & JONESIN’ CROSSWORD
“Bundling Up”—plenty of layers. By Matt Jones
31. Do some coding? 36. Rita who judged on The X Factor 37. How a winning Across streak might be 1. Yogurt-based Indian described drink 42. Floor decor 6. ___ noche (tonight, in 43. Driving levy Spanish) 44. Letter-based British 10. Onetime Kremlin secondary school figure exam, once 14. Had takeout, 47. Prearrange perhaps 51. High-grade, ultra15. Like a dime soft European fabric 16. Kitchen gadget and 56. “Messenger” cookware company material 17. Piece of paper with 57. Had been nothing on it 58. Abel’s big brother 19. Seriously lack 59. Mid-century music 20. Position in an system ordered list 60. Parliament member 21. Desperate 62. “You’re welcome to Housewives actress visit” Hatcher 64. Alumnus, for short 22. Initials on a 65. Once again Cardinal’s cap 66. Of service 23. “... and so on” 67. Biblical boats 24. Obey Daylight 68. Coin flip Saving Time, maybe 69. “___ be great!” 28. Name not to say out loud right now (lest it Down turns on devices) 1. Tar pits location 30. Pearl bearer 2. Repetitively named
Aztec spear-throwing streamer tool 39. Belinda Carlisle hit 3. Medium setting? where she “can’t 4. Bathroom fixture speak” 5. Tats 40. Conde ___ Traveler 6. It’s a bit of a knockout 41. Timber tool 7. Rob Zombie’s spouse, 45. Rarer Pokémon fashion designer ___ collectibles from the Moon Zombie Sword & Shield Series 8. Advertising gimmick 46. Interjections outside 9. Six-legged creature a Tim Hortons, 10. Place to the right of maybe? the decimal point 48. Pub contest fodder 11. He-Man’s nemesis 49. Not noticed 12. Cy Young Award 50. Like sorted socks winner, probably 52. Budgetary prefix 13. Tackle component 53. Gold fabrics 18. Engine additive and 54. Opinions NASCAR sponsor 55. U2 producer Brian 22. Put into words 59. Frozen planet in The 24. Hourglass filler Empire Strikes Back 25. “Yeah, yeah, I know” 60. Golfing org. 26. Prefix for space 61. Miss the mark 27. Sketch 62. Nyan ___ (meme 29. Baby boomer’s kid with a repetitive 32. Paste shortcut, on earworm) PCs 63. Cashew, e.g. 33. Los Del ___ (“Macarena” duo) © 2023 Matt Jones 34. 1950s singer Sumac 35. ___ Xing (street sign) Find the answers in 37. Trampled, with “on” the “About” section at 38. The Handmaid’s Tale CVIndependent.com!
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