First things first: Milestone moment for big Indio initiative

A special event in Indio Friday morning marked a significant milestone for a city making strides at keeping up with its growth.

Driving the news: A beam-signing ceremony that brought out city officials and residents was held to note progress on constructing a $50 million public safety campus.

• Three new buildings, totaling 430,000 square feet, are being erected right next to the current police station at 46800 Jackson St. The buildings will house a new state-of-the-art dispatch center, fire station headquarters, and police administrative offices.

Why it matters: Indio is one of the fastest-growing cities in the state. Officials who approved funds for the project have high hopes that the facility will not only help increase public safety but also serve as a recruitment tool.

• “We want to attract the most talented and qualified firefighters and officers for this generation,” said Indio City Councilmember Waymond Fermon during the brief ceremony. “Part of that is giving them the right tools for the job.”

In brief: Have your say about proposed Palm Desert park

Palm Desert wants to hear ideas from residents for a new regional sports park.

Driving the news: The city sent out a survey for residents to give their input on the future park that is set to be constructed in the North Palm Desert and University District areas. 

• The city is open to hearing ideas about the location, programming needs, amenities, and future park design.

Details: One of the locations being considered is the patch of land on the corner of Portola and Frank Sinatra.

• In addition to questions about what amenities residents want at the park, the survey also asks about the possibility of non-sports events like food trucks, art markets, and movie nights.

How you can help: Fill out this survey to let the city know what you want from a new park, or attend the community meeting on Saturday (Jan. 14) at 10 a.m. at the Palm Desert iHub, located at 37023 Cook St.

• Landscape architects, designers, traffic planners, and the city’s consultant will attend the meeting to listen to the input and answer any questions.

In Other News

🚒 Two people were injured Monday following an explosion under an electric vault that was triggered by an underground natural gas leak in Coachella.

🏌️‍♀️ A part-time Indian Wells resident is finding success playing the sport she loves — golf — despite being sight impaired.

🍸 Take a look at the recently re-envisioned Desert Island Country Club in Rancho Mirage, including The Penney & Parlour restaurant and lounge, which is now open to non-members.

Events

And finally...

In one valley youth vocational program, preparing for a future career all starts with the organization’s pizza kitchen.

What we know: The pizza kitchen vocational program was born in 2020 with the support of one “generous donor,” said Quinton Egson, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Coachella Valley. The idea behind the initiative is to offer different professional opportunities and guidance to youth that will eventually help them compete in the workforce. 

• The primary focus of the program is to use the industrial kitchen and pizza oven in the John Carroll and Jim O’Brien Clubhouse, the Indio facility that the club has used since the 1960s, as a launchpad for members to acquire employability skills.

• “We’ve had business owners, chefs, pilots and managers speak to our kids about preparing for their future,” he said. “This program can serve as a model for children to understand and prepare for their career aspirations."

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