Health
Palm Springs City Council To Ratify Local Emergency Declaration
The Palm Springs City Council Thursday is expected to ratify a local emergency declaration issued last weekend aimed at curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The declaration, issued Saturday by City Manager David Ready, paved the way for a series of emergency orders issued in recent days that have forced the closure of bars and night clubs, then gyms and cannabis lounges, culminating into a widespread shelter-in-place order approved by the council at an emergency meeting Tuesday that shuttered all nonessential businesses in Palm Springs effective 7 a.m. Wednesday.
As of Wednesday afternoon, three people had died in Riverside County due to complications stemming from COVID-19 — all in the Coachella Valley — and 16 confirmed cases were reported.
The council on Thursday is also expected to vote on an ordinance that would temporarily bar evictions due to nonpayment of rent.
The original declaration on Saturday cited a need to slow the rate of infections and exposure to the city’s more then 44,000 residents, workers and visitors with special concern for a population that includes 40% aged 60 or older and at least 10% with compromised immune systems.
The next day, another emergency order required all bars, night clubs and breweries within the city limits to close immediately, signaling a drastic departure from other cities in the Coachella Valley — none of which have taken similar steps to curb the spread of COVID-19 as of late Wednesday, although many have declared their own emergencies.
Then on Tuesday during its emergency meeting, the council directed staff to draw up an order shuttering all nonessential businesses within city limits.
“If the whole country were to shut down for two weeks this (the pandemic) could be over,” Mayor Pro Tem Christy Holstege said during the meeting.
The order also called on residents to limit activities to only those essential to their daily lives, demanding residents stay at least six feet away from each other and not gather in groups of more than 10 people.
Denise Goolsby, manager of the city’s Office of Neighborhoods, said the order will remain in effect until April 2 when council members will consider if an extension is necessary.
Thursday’s meeting will be held at City Hall, but will be closed to the public. Residents are invited to attend a remote viewing at the Palm Springs Convention Center where they can deliver public comments via teleconference.
A total of 16 cases of coronavirus had been confirmed in Riverside County residents as of Wednesday afternoon, which includes two people who were aboard the Diamond Princess cruise liner that docked in the San Francisco Bay.
One of those passengers has since returned to the county, while another remains in Northern California for treatment, according to Riverside University Health System spokesman Jose Arballo.
By: NBC Palm Springs
March 19, 2020
Latest Instagram Posts
🚨 Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco is speaking out after California lawmakers decided to destroy ballots from the 2025 special election, ending his investigation into possible ballot miscount. What do you think the decision means for election transparency, accountability, and the ongoing questions surrounding election integrity? Let us know in the comments. #ChadBianco #RiversideCounty #CaliforniaPolitics #electionnews
Should Palm Springs residents elect their mayor directly? The city is asking residents to weigh in on whether to change its current system, where the mayor rotates annually among the five City Council members. Community meetings are scheduled for Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at ALO Palm Canyon and Monday at Palm Springs High School. Residents can also complete an online survey in English or Spanish. Share your input before next Monday at EngagePalmSprings.com. #PalmSprings #PalmSpringsNews #CoachellaValley #LocalGovernment #CityCouncil CommunityInput NBCPalmSprings
Indio is waiving a potential $48,000 curfew fine for Head Trip Festival promoter Goldenvoice after Swedish House Mafia played until 12:12 a.m. Sunday. City officials say the decision comes after weather disruptions forced Saturday’s festival to shut down early, including the cancellation of Calvin Harris’s set. Harris was added to Sunday’s lineup. #HeadTripFestival #SwedishHouseMafia #CalvinHarris #Indio #CoachellaValley Goldenvoice NBCPalmSpri
Theater season is back in the Coachella Valley! 🎭Check out my review of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Palm Canyon Theatre. Full review on nbcpalmsprings.com ➡️ Programs ➡️ Mann on the Aisle! #mannontheaisle #palmsprings #palmcanyontheatre #coachellavalley #nbcpalmsprings
President Donald Trump brought up the idea of renaming the Atlantic Ocean or Pacific Ocean during a rally in Clarksville, Tennessee.
A Level 3 of 4 threat of flooding rainfall has been issued for parts of Southern California to southern Nevada, southwest Utah and northwest Arizona, including San Diego and Las Vegas.
BREAKING NEWS 🚨: Calvin Harris officially rescheduled for Head Trip day 2 #headtripfestival #calvinharris #severeweather #tropicalstorm #indio
Attendees are returning to the Empire Polo Grounds for day 2 of the EDM festival, ‘Head Trip’, after performances were stopped last night due to severe weather. Stay tuned with NBC Palm Springs to see how the weather is affecting festival goers’ plans. #headtripfestival #severeweather #flashfloodalert #760 #nbcpalmsprings
Overnight Flooding Hits Palm Springs Heavy rain brought flooding to Palm Springs overnight, prompting police to shut down Indian Canyon due to flooding. Much of this video shows conditions along the Indian Canyon corridor as water inundated roadways. Drivers are urged to use caution and watch for changing conditions.
BREAKING NEWS: Head Trip Festival in Indio suspended its show Saturday night due to approaching severe weather and lightning. A message displayed on the stage screens announced: “Attention in the festival, this is a lightning alert. The show is suspended due to lightning.” Festivalgoers were told to leave the Empire Polo Club venue and return to their cars and camps. The festival was expected to draw approximately 70,000 attendees overall, though the number asked to leave Saturday night has not been confirmed. It remains unclear when attendees will be allowed back inside or whether scheduled performances, including headliners Calvin Harris and Swedish House Mafia, will proceed as planned. The suspension comes as Tropical Storm Rachel brings rain and potential flooding concerns to Southern California. Stay with NBC Palm Springs for updates. #BreakingNews #HeadTripFestival #Indio #CoachellaValley #TropicalStormRachel WeatherAlert CalvinHarris NBCPalmSprings