Clinical Epidemiologist Eisenhower Health
DR. PATRICIA
CUMMINGS
How do you stay informed about emerging health threats, and contribute to the prevention of epidemics? I’m involved in organizations such as the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, and Infectious Diseases Society of America, and there are a few that are specifically geared toward emerging global public health threats and alerts in (almost) real-time, such as ProMed.
How do you collaborate with other professionals and organizations to address global health challenges? Locally, I have direct contacts and ongoing projects with the California Department of Public Health, Riverside County Public Health, and Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, and with colleagues with whom I went to school at UCLA and USC. Nationally, I am connected with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, and more. Good collaboration equals good science. I always keep this mantra in the back of my mind, and it was ingrained in me from my mentors — Dr. Tony Kuo and Dr. Frank Sorvillo — during my training.
Hometown? The Los Angeles, California area.
Hobbies? Cooking and organizing.
What do you believe is a hidden gem in Palm Springs? The Palm Springs Air Museum, hiking Tahquitz Canyon, and the Palm Springs Air Museum. What is your favorite dish in Palm Springs? Chicken wings from Rooster and the Pig.
NIA RUTH
Founder and CEO
Few & Far
What is your favorite wine region and why? Locally, the Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara County. Internationally, Piedmont, Italy — arguably the best in Italy.
How do you create a personalized and memorable wine experience for your clients? I view wine as inherently personal. Everyone values different things about wine, whether it’s the production style, the region it’s made in, the particular grape, etc. So instead of coming to my clients with preconceived notions, I start by listening to their likes and dislikes.
Hometown? Sarasota, Florida.
Hobbies? Photography. I love taking photos of wine and scenic vineyards, and of my new baby!
What do you believe is a hidden gem in Palm Springs? The Wilderness Loop hike that can only be accessed through the Living Desert Zoo! It’s a five-mile hike with gorgeous views of the valley, and there’s typically almost no one on the trail!
What is your favorite dish in Palm Springs? A slice of Bill’s vegetarian pizza, paired with a glass of Italian wine.
For more about Nia’s business, and to shop online, please visit FewandFarWine.com.
ANGIE CHUA
Owner bobo design studio
What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to launch their own ventures? Don’t chase the shiny things. Fads and trends fade. Find something you deeply care about or believe in, know your community and the value you provide them, and build your business around that.
What do you believe makes your business unique in the world of small businesses? I feel that my uniqueness isn’t in the products I create or make, but more so in my customers, who I lovingly call my “bobo posse.” I enjoy designing and finding products for people searching for ways to get out of the digital abyss and embrace that authentic analog aesthetic that only our bright, fun, and weird stationery can bring.
Hometown? San Jose, California.
Hobbies? Anything artsy, creative, or involving wiener dogs.
What do you believe is a hidden gem in Palm Springs? The Amtrak station, watching sunsets with our wiener dogs, and eating ice cream.
What is your favorite dish in Palm Springs? A wedge salad and frozen side car from Paul Bar/Food.
For more information, please visit BoboDesignStudio.com.
DANIELLA OSORIO
Student College of the Desert Youth Cadet
Palm Springs Fire Department
What inspired you to pursue training in firefighting through the youth cadet program, how has the experience met your expectations so far? I had always been interested in the medical field, and originally planned on being a paramedic, but I joined the youth cadet program to get the chance to ride out on medical calls, and learning about station life and what firefighters go through. It has been an experience that I could never get from any textbook.
How has your understanding of community and the importance of service evolved through your participation in the firefighting cadet program? Being in the program has allowed me to understand the importance of respect, relationships, and maintaining a positive attitude firefighters provide to the community while ensuring public safety and health.
Hometown? Cathedral City, California.
Hobbies? Softball, golfing, video games, building Legos, hanging out with friends, and working with the Palm Springs Fire Department.
What do you believe is a hidden gem in Palm Springs? The Palm Springs Art Museum.
What is your favorite dish in Palm Springs? The potato skins at Billy Reed’s.
TREVOR
Artist and Owner Trevor Wayne
WAYNE
How do you use your art to communicate messages or evoke emotions in your audience? I try to take negative imagery, flip it, and make fun of it.
What forms of art inspire your work, and how do they influence your creative process? I always love seeing what images are put onto everyday items, and how and what they can inspire by the types of merchandise the images are on.
Hometown? Chicago area, up to Michigan.
Hobbies? Work is my hobby.
What do you believe is a hidden gem in Palm Springs? The homes. You can always drive around and find a beautiful house. It never gets old!
What is your favorite dish in Palm Springs? Butter lettuce at Trio, chicken Milanese at Eight4Nine, steak frites at Mr. Lyons.
For more, please visit the Trevor Wayne store, located at 901 North Palm Canyon Drive, Suite 105 in Palm Springs or visit online at TrevorWayne.com.
Photographer and Owner
Aaron Jay Photography
AARON
JAY YOUNG
Living in Palm Springs is often associated with a unique lifestyle. How has the desert environment and the local culture influenced your photography and creative process since making it your primary residence? When I think of Palm Springs, I immediately think of the unique peaceful energy that exists here. That is something I’ve always felt deeply connected to and it’s something I believe can be felt in my work — a sort of calm presence in my subjects.
Now that “Queen,” your first coffee table book, has been published, could you provide insights into the challenges and joys encountered throughout the creative process? Additionally, when did the vision for the book first crystallize in your mind? I first had the idea to turn this body of work into a book in 2018 as we were capturing what would become the first set of photographs in the book. At the time, it felt like we were creating portraits of the drag community in a way that I hadn’t seen before. Not only capturing the beautiful artistry, but also capturing the humanity of the artists in a dignified way. We photographed these portraits at an event called Dragcon in Los Angeles and New York. The biggest challenge was creating powerful imagery with our mobile set-up in the middle of thousands of people attending the event. My greatest joy has been seeing this body of work in print. There’s something powerful and finite about photographs existing in print that’s never quite fully experienced on a screen or phone.
Can you elaborate on the process through which you established connections within the vibrant world of drag, securing the involvement of several influential queens for your book? About 13 years ago, I was the stills photographer on “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” This was my introduction to the world of drag, as I had recently moved to L.A. from a small town in central Pennsylvania. I had never seen a drag queen in real life. I was completely blown away by the level of creativity and artistry. Years later, when Dragcon came about, the event was being produced by the same production company as “Drag Race,” and they were very helpful in making sure we were able to create our photos at the event.
During the creation of “Queen,” did you uncover any unexpected narratives or personal insights that added nuanced layers to the depth of your project? With this project, I realized that I think I create some of my best work in high-pressure situations where there is only a small window of time to get the shot, and not a lot of time to think or second-guess oneself.
Hometown? Coburn, Pennsylvania.
Hobbies? I love playing piano and guitar, watching a good movie, listening to audiobooks, and playing pickleball.
What do you believe is a hidden gem in Palm Springs? There are so many beautiful outdoor places to go hiking and to be outdoors. I’m still discovering new ones all the time.
What is your favorite dish in Palm Springs? Anything from Farm restaurant.
“Queen” is available on Amazon and at QueenTheBook.com.
President’s Circle
Thank you to the following Chamber members without whom many of our programs would not be possible.
A Message From the City Manager
As we head into 2024, I am reminded of what an incredible nine months I’ve had since I first arrived in Palm Springs as your new city manager, not to mention how much has been accomplished thanks to the dedicated work of our City Council and staff. First and foremost, I am excited to report that residents and visitors impacted by frequent road closures on North Indian Canyon Drive due to weather-related storms and blowing sand will get some relief thanks to the recent award of a monumental $50 million state grant to the Coachella Valley Association of Governments for the Indian Canyon Drive Emergencies and Sandstorms (ACCESS) Project.
Following the destructive impacts of the 2019 St. Valentine’s Day storm, Palm Springs, CVAG, and the other Coachella Valley cities tripled our efforts to get an elevated bridge funded. That hard work has led to this terrific outcome. Read more about the project in the following pages.
I am also grateful to announce that the new early entry facility at the homeless navigation center now under construction in the northern part of the city is expected to be ready to serve unhoused residents by March, with the full center opening this summer. This will be an overnight facility and is not a drop-in center. In addition, the long-awaited restoration of the historic Plaza Theatre in downtown Palm Springs is also expected to get underway this summer. The much-needed restoration of this historic city-owned building has been a long time coming, and is the final component in the Downtown Revitalization Plan.
Another important project of note that I encourage all residents to get familiar with is Engage Palm Springs, a new one-stop-shop online platform developed by our city’s communications team that highlights the many “hot topic” projects, programs, and initiatives your staff is working on at City Hall. Keep reading for more details — and remember, we want your input! Finally, I want to take a moment to give a big shoutout to our hardworking city staff for their incredible work this fall managing a plethora of holiday events along with three magnificent parades: Veterans Day, Greater Palm Springs Pride, and the Festival of Lights. These one-of-a-kind special events not only spur tourism and economic development, but also provide a unique and inclusive quality of life that can only be found right here in Palm Springs.
So, as we ring in 2024, the future is extremely bright — and most importantly, I want to say thank you to the residents of Palm Springs for welcoming me with open arms to this remarkable city, which I am proud to call home.
Happy New Year, Palm Springs!
Scott Stiles City Manager
City Launches Engage Palm Springs
The city of Palm Springs recently launched EngagePalmSprings.com, a one-stop-shop digital engagement platform where the community can now find important cityrelated news and latest information all in one place. This will not replace the main website, palmspringsca.gov, but will provide easier access for residents to communicate, ask
Homeless Navigation Center Update
A much-anticipated new homeless navigation center, operated by Martha’s Village and Kitchen, is set to open this summer, with the early entry portion of the project opening in late February or early March of 2024. The early entry facility will house individuals waiting to be placed in independent modular units when they become available. This is not a drop-in center. The facility will be by referral only.
Once the facility on McCarthy Road fully opens to unhoused residents, it will include 80 prefabricated residential interim units and two rehabilitated buildings on site. The units will include kitchenettes and bathroom facilities. There will be 65 units designated for unhoused residents, and five units designated for families. An additional 10 units will be for transitionalaged youth experiencing homelessness. A children’s play area and green space are also planned.
In addition, unhoused residents will receive the following wraparound services:
Assistance obtaining permanent housing
Assistance obtaining health and dental insurance
questions, provide feedback, and offer ideas to city staff while getting the latest updates on some of the city’s hot topics.
The platform highlights important capital improvement and development projects in progress at any one time, such as engineering, road and bridge projects, street closures, the library renovation, progress with the Homeless
Navigation Center, affordable housing, sustainability efforts, and much more! The goal is to provide the most up-to-date information as possible to better inform the public about the work happening at City Hall.
Visit EngagePalmSprings.com and check it out. We want to ENGAGE with you!
Additional support services such as behavioral health and counseling
Assistance with food stamp benefits, laundry vouchers, and obtaining birth certificates and identification cards
Career services and skills training
Client case management
A family reunification program
Transportation assistance
When it opens, the navigation center is expected to serve as many as 80 unhoused residents at any given time. For more information, please visit EngagePalmSprings. com.
Restoration of Historic Plaza Theatre Moving Forward
In December, the Palm Springs City Council unanimously approved hiring Woodcliff Construction of Los Angeles as the general contractor to oversee the comprehensive renovation of the historic Plaza Theatre. This means that the long-awaited restoration project will begin soon!
This much-needed restoration of this important city-owned asset that has long been vacant in the downtown core will not negatively impact financing for other city initiatives, and the project will generate tax income and economic benefits to the city for years to come.
It is projected that the restoration work will take approximately one year to complete, allowing the Plaza Theatre to open in 2025. When it does, it will be a modern performing arts venue capable of hosting a variety of live events, providing community engagement and pride through diverse and educational programming.
“We are thrilled that the City Council and staff have selected an appropriate
contractor for the restoration of the Plaza Theatre,” says Foundation President J.R. Roberts. “This is a significant milestone for the restoration of the theatre, and means we can now begin the construction phase of this project while we continue to raise funds to support it. We look forward to providing this venue as an exciting part of the city’s revitalized downtown project.”
There are many ways in which the public may continue to play a significant role in the Plaza Theatre restoration, including becoming a founder, securing a naming opportunity for seats or other areas of the building, and/or making a general donation. The Palm Springs Plaza Theatre Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization, and contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
For more information, or to make a donation, contact Foundation President J.R. Roberts at 415-297-9309 or visit SaveThePlazaTheatrePS.org.
Meet the City’s New Business District Administrator Dean Grubl
Dean Grubl is the new business district administrator for the city of Palm Springs. As the city’s liaison to the business community, he’s responsible for overseeing and coordinating business communication and service programs. Before his appointment to the position in late October, Dean was an executive director for the South San Francisco Conference Center, where he worked for the past 22 years.
Dean also serves as the liaison to the city’s Business Retention/Economic Development Subcommittee, working with councilmembers, business owners, and tourism and hospitality stakeholders to develop new commercial business districts, business incentives, and special events for Palm Springs.
Dean serves on the Mountain Gate Neighborhood Organization board of directors and is an active member of Organized Neighborhoods of Palm Springs (ONE-PS).
Dean and his wife moved to Palm Springs from the Bay Area and are loving the sunshine. He’s also a diehard 49ers fan, loves to travel, and is getting ready to participate in the Tour de Palm Springs.
Residents and businesses can reach Dean via email at dean.grubl@palmspringsca.gov.
CVAG Awarded $50 Million to Solve Frequent Road Closures Impacting North Indian Canyon Drive
Residents and visitors impacted by frequent North Indian Canyon Drive road closures due to storms and blowing sand-related issues now have great news to smile about! The California Transportation Commission recently announced it will award $50 million to the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) Indian Canyon Drive Emergencies and Sandstorms (ACCESS) Project.
The ACCESS project aims to solve the frequent road closures that have plagued the city of Palm Springs for decades. Indian Canyon was one of only two projects statewide that received the CTC’s highest priority ranking.
“This much-needed funding for an elevated bridge at North Indian Canyon has long been desperately needed and is a gamechanger for Palm Springs and the entire Coachella Valley,” says City Manager Scott Stiles, who noted that for decades Palm Springs
residents and visitors have been incredibly frustrated by the frequent closures that impact North Indian Canyon.
“Following the destructive impacts of the 2019 Valentine’s Day storm, Coachella Valley cities and CVAG tripled our efforts to get a bridge funded, and that hard work has led to this terrific outcome,” Stiles continues. “A big thank you to the California Transportation Commission, CVAG, and all of the Coachella Valley cities for partnering with Palm Springs to help move this important project forward.”
The Indian Canyon grant application stemmed from the solutions that were first identified in the Flood and Blowsand Risk Assessment and Improvement Plan for the Western Coachella Valley. The flooding and blowsand study
analyzed projects across the cities of Desert Hot Springs, Palm Springs, and Cathedral City. Indian Canyon was quickly prioritized because it serves as a critical arterial for both Palm Springs and Desert Hot Springs, and is the direct route to Desert Regional Medical Center, the Coachella Valley’s only Level I trauma center.
The Indian Canyon project includes improvements that protect at-risk transportation infrastructure, increase the community’s climate resiliency, enhance mobility, preserve the environment, and improve public health and safety for residents and visitors.
Additional project details can be found at EngagePalmSprings.com. The project’s design and engineering are underway.
PS Chamber New Members
NextEra Energy Resources
19020 N. Indian Avenue Bldg. 11 Ste. A Palm Springs, CA, 92258 www.nexteraenergy.com
Juan and Only Experience
535 N. Paseo De Anza Palm Springs, CA, 92262 (310)995-1572 www.juanandonlyexperience.com
Spacecraft
7660 Beverly Blvd. #407 Los Angeles, CA, 90036 (323)377-8414 www.www.spacecraftgroup.com
Flip Creative 2625 Ramon Road Palm Springs, CA, 92264 (917) 903-5989 www.flipcreativeinc.com
Xtreme Clean
5001 Ramon Road, Building 3 Palm Springs, CA, 92264 (760)898-8505 www.xcpowerwash.com
Carmela Ice Cream
750 N. Palm Canyon Drive
Palm Springs, CA, 92262 (760)297-6053 www.carmelaicecream.com
Assured Heating and Air Conditioning Services LLC
39725 Garand Lane, Ste. B Palm Desert, CA, 92211 (442)334-7026 www.assuredairpros.com
Ben & Jerry’s Palm Springs
110 S Palm Canyon Drive, #B Palm Springs, CA, 92262 (760)485-8141 www.benandjerrys.com
Modern Cactus Apartments
311 S Sunrise Way Palm Springs, CA, 92262 (760)778-2506 www.moderncactusapartments.com
Consious Beauty Collective
234 N Palm Canyon Drive
Palm Springs, CA, 92262 (917)209-0799 www.lovemasami.com
Esser Services, Inc
77971 Wildcast Drive, Ste. E Palm Desert, CA, 92211 (760)656-6103 www.esserac.com
Arnold Galvan Realtor
Palm Springs, CA, 92262 (760)902-7187 www.homesmart.comreal-estate-agent/ california/palmsprings/61510-arnoldgalvan/Welcome
Instaglow Skn
1276 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Ste. 208, Palm Springs, CA, 92262 (760)399-6733 www.instaglowskn.com
Guardian Tax Solutions
777 E Tahquitz Canyon Way, Ste. 200, Palm Springs, CA, 92262 (626)639-6695
Serenity Hospice LLC
777 East Tahquitz Canyon Way Palm Springs, CA, 92262 (760)325-8718 www.serenityhospiceps.com
Jimmy B’s
155 S Palm Canyon Drive, Ste. A6 Palm Springs, CA, 92262 (442)268-9114 www.jimmybspalmsprings.com
Grounded Bodyworks
1701 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA, 92262 (760)848-8587 www.groundedbodyworks.com
Coachella Valley Behavioral Health
81555 JFK Court Indio, CA, 92201 (760)600-8069 www.coachellavalleybehavioral.com
Zen Home PS
3173 Avenida Sevilla Palm Springs, CA, 92264 (949)395-2715 www.zenhomeps.com
AMG Structural Engineers
2736 Dancing Sands Drive Palm Springs, CA, 92262 (323)447-8122 www.amgstructuralengineers.com
Boss Dog Art
465 N. Palm Canyon
Palm Springs, CA, 92262 (971)343-5979
www.bossdogart.com
Palm Springs Charcuterie 181 Vega Street
Palm Springs, CA, 92264 (323)351-5461
www.palmspringscharcuterie.com
Joe Funkey Commercial Realtor Palm Springs, CA, 92262 (760)835-3271
Escena Golf Club 1100 Clubhouse View Drive Palm Springs, CA, 92262 (760)778-2737 www.escenagolf.com
Elite Nursing Concierge Care 31170 Reserve Drive Thousand Palms, CA, 92276 (760)636-3032 www.www.eliteconcierge.org
Ohana Cannabis
395 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA, 92262 (916)757-4892 www.ohanacannabis.com
Carousel Bakery and Cafe
Palm Springs
440 S El Cielo Road, Ste. 14 Palm Springs, CA, 92262 (760)699-5006
www.carouselbakeryandcafe.com
iTrip Palm Springs 5800 Los Coyotes Drive Palm Springs, CA, 92264 (760)695-6446
www.palmsprings.itrip.co
Time + Space Limited 725 N. Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA, 92262 (917)972-2249 www.timespacelimited.com
Manhattan in the Desert 2665 E. Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA, 92264 (760)322-3354 www.manhattans.delivery
Bighorn Glass Company 68703 Perez Road, A15 Cathedral City, CA 92234, (760)408-3790 www.facebook. comBighornGlassCompany
Skidmore Comtemporary Art
798 N. Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA, 92262 (310)922-5070
www.skidmorecontemporaryart.com
Magic Cart Ride
424 Onyx Drive
Palm Springs, CA, 92264 (442)234-5725 www.magiccartride.com
Franks & Sons 1717 E Vista Chino A-730 Palm Springs, CA, 92262 (480)617-7231 www.franksandsons.com
His & Hers Premier Toolbox 1717 E. Vista Chino, A-730 Palm Springs, CA, 92262 (562)230-2303
Scan to view the full directory of Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce members
Community Information
Palm Springs City Hall
3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way (760) 323-8299
palmspringsca.gov
Palm Springs Police Department
200 S. Civic Way
Direct Line (760) 323-8116
Public Information (760) 323-8106
pspd.com
Palm Springs Fire Department 300 N. El Cielo Road (760) 323-8181
Office of the City Manager (760) 322-8362
Office of the Assistant City Manager (760) 323-8202
Office of the City Council (760) 322-8385
Office of the City Attorney (760) 323-8205
Office of the City Clerk (760) 323-8204
Request public records via email at cityclerk@palmspringsca.gov
Office of Communications/Public Information (760) 323-8250
Office of Neighborhood Involvement (760) 323-8255 palmspringsneighborhoods.com
Office of Special Program Compliance/Vacation Rentals & Cannabis (760) 322- 8383
Information Technology and Palm Springs Community Television (760) 322-8397
Finance Department
Direct Line (760) 323-8229
Business Licenses (760) 323-8289
Community and Economic Development (760) 323-8259
Office of Sustainability (760) 323-8214
Planning Services (760) 323-8245
Public Works & Engineering (760) 323-8253
Building & Safety (760) 323-8242
Maintenance & Facilities (760) 323-8167
Code Enforcement (760) 323-8177
Parks and Recreation
401 S. Pavilion Way (760) 323-8272
Demuth Community Center 3601 E. Mesquite Ave. (760) 320-6430
James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center 480 Tramview Road (760) 323-8271
Palm Springs Public Library 300 S. Sunrise Way (760) 322-7323 palmspringslibrary.org
Welwood Murray Memorial Public Library & Visitors Center 100 S. Palm Canyon Drive (760) 323-8296
Palm Springs International Airport
3400 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way (760) 318-3800 palmspringsairport.com
Palm Springs Animal Control (760) 323-8151 (760) 327-1441 Active animal assistance
Palm Springs Animal Shelter 4575 E. Mesquite Avenue (760) 416-5718 psanimalshelter.org
Palm Springs Convention & Bureau of Tourism 277 N. Avenida Caballeros (760) 325-6611 VisitPalmSprings.Com
Organized Neighborhoods of Palm Springs, One-PS one-ps.org palmspringsneighborhoods@one-ps.org
USEFUL CONTACTS FOR OTHER COMMUNITY SERVICES AND ORGANIZATIONS
Desert Water Agency 1200 Gene Autry Trail South (760) 323-4971 DWA.org
LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert
1301 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Ste. 301 (760) 416-7790 thecenterps.org
Mizell Center 480 S. Sunrise Way (760) 323-5689 mizell.org
Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce 190 W. Amado Road (760) 325-1577 pschamber.org
Palm Springs Disposal Services 4690 E. Mesquite Avenue (760) 327-1351 palmspringsdisposal.com
Palm Springs Unified School District
150 District Center Drive (760) 883-2700 psusd.us
Volunteer Palm Springs PO Box 5803 Palm Springs, CA 92263 760.902.2297 volunteerpalmsprings.org
CITY HOTLINES
Code Enforcement (760) 778-8434
Graffiti (760) 778-8469
Vacation Rental Compliance (760) 322-8383
ELECTED OFFICIALS
Congressman Ken Calvert, 42nd District
73710 Fred Waring Drive Ste. 129 Palm Desert, CA 92260 (760) 620-0041
State Assemblymember
Greg Wallis, 7th District 41-608 Indian Trail Road, Ste. D-1 Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 (760) 346-6342
Riverside County Supervisor V. Manuel Perez, 4th District Coachella Valley District Office 73710 Fred Waring Drive, Ste. 222 Palm Desert, CA 92260 (760) 863-8211
