5 Things to Know: Monday, November 30

By
Casey Dolan
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Welcome to 5 Things to Know – a daily rundown of things you might want to be aware of if you live in, visit, or just like being aware about what’s going on in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley. As always, thank you for your continued support of Cactus Hugs.

And we’re back…for a while, anyway.  Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving weekend and played it smart, you know, as the pandemic is still happening and getting far worse by the day.   

1) The Coronavirus

Riverside County reported a whopping 2,126 new cases and 5 new reported deaths since Friday. There have been 1,442 reported deaths from coronavirus this year in Riverside County. The county reported 573 COVID-19 patients in county hospitals on Saturday and 585 on Sunday.  That’s a new record.  The previous high was 550 coronavirus patients back in July.

Here is the latest on what’s going on in the desert:

More:

 

Hope is on the way.  It’s not here yet.  Please, be safe. Wear a mask.  Be smart about things.

2) Modernism Week is pushing things back a bit

Modernism Week has announced that they have pushed back the 2021 running of the popular event from February to April. Organizers are planning in-person activities including socially distanced tours for the Spring event and will also offer an online-only event in February.

You can get more info and tickets (starting in January) here.

3) The Desert Sun is cutting back even more staff

It’s not the best of times for the Desert Sun, which recently started printing in Arizona and currently has its building on the real estate market.  This weekend it was announced that the opinion page editor, Al Franco, who has been with the Desert Sun since 1992(!) is taking a buyout from the nationwide newspaper company.  Some are calling for donations to keep the opinion pages active for the private company who paid out millions in golden parachutes to executives over they years.

The whole situation is pretty fucked up as our community deserves a good local newspaper and the Desert Sun has been and is currently home to some very good reporters.  Unfortunately, the higher-ups at Gannett chose to use the Desert Sun and other local newspapers as a piggy bank to pay millions to executives for decades and, now that the well has dried up, they have no shame in asking for the community to pay up out of our own pockets to read letters to the editor from snowbirds proclaiming how important they are. 

Sorry, but I’ll pass.

4) Some jerks have been vandalizing a local elementary school

On its Facebook page, Gerald Ford Elementary posted photos showing vandalism on campus from what a school representative said was three break-ins over the last two weeks.

The school is now working with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department and the District to investigate.

https://www.facebook.com/fordfalcons/posts/2691982087717434

5)Candy Cane Lane is happening this year

The pandemic is not stopping Candy Cane Lane from lighting up for the Holiday Season. The popular Cathedral City attraction is changing things up a bit this year, with residents of the community asking those visiting to stay in their car as much as possible and follow protocols. “Many of us do want to keep the spirit as best we can,” a 20-year resident of Candy Cane Lane told KESQ.

You can learn more about Candy Cane Lane here.

Stay safe.  Stay smart.  Practice Social Distancing.  Wear a mask.  

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