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Thursday, July 2 | ☀️ 100°/74°
Happy Thursday! Gearing up for this holiday weekend, if you see any of those huge illegal fireworks in the sky, Riverside County rolled out an online system for reporting the explosives. They want to be sure people don’t call 911 simply to report fireworks, so use that online form or call 800-950-2444. Indio Police also put out their own message, but if someone has already purchased illegal fireworks, we’re guessing they probably won’t put them aside in favor of … glow sticks and LED light toys like Indio PD suggests. And one last thing: Burrtec announced there are no service interruptions this Independence Day weekend, so your bins will be picked up on their regular service day as usual. (Which reminds me … my trash day is tomorrow!)
🎶 Setting the mood: "Saturday in the Park" by Chicago
Leading Off
The highly anticipated project is decades in the making. (Rendering: City of Indio)
Indio Monroe Street freeway interchange clears milestone as officials set cost-sharing rules for cities
Coachella Valley cities now have a formula for splitting the local cost of the $181 million Interstate 10/Monroe Street interchange project. Indio will pay by far the biggest share.
Driving the news: The Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) executive committee voted unanimously Monday to approve a proportionate share study dividing the project's local funding among valley cities based on projected vehicle trips through the interchange.
The vote sets the formula but doesn't lock in dollar amounts. Binding agreements will follow later this year once the county awards a construction contract.
By the numbers: Indio is responsible for nearly 65% of the local funding total, or about $14.5 million, that’s more than six times the next-largest contributor. The local share is calculated at 25% of the project cost after outside funding, estimated at roughly $22 million.
CVAG has committed $68 million to the project and secured almost $90 million in outside funding.
What they're saying: Representatives from Indian Wells and Rancho Mirage both questioned their portion of the cost-share, but in the end voted to approve the share study.
What's next: County officials expect to advertise for construction bids by the end of summer and begin construction in January 2027, with the interchange opening in 2029. CVAG will then return to member cities to draft individual agreements dividing the local funding share.
Briefly
The CVAG executive committee authorized up to $140,000 for five additional drones to patrol the 40-mile bike path.
🚔 Indio police to get more drones for CV Link patrols
The Coachella Valley Association of Governments executive committee voted Monday to authorize up to $140,000 for as many as five additional drones for police departments patrolling the 40-mile CV Link pathway, including Indio.
Indio is expected to receive two to three of the drones and began flights this past weekend, with the rest going to Palm Springs and Cathedral City. Staff said allocations were based on flight range, flight time and coverage area. Indio Councilmember Glenn Miller raised privacy concerns, while Transportation Director Jonathan Hoy said drone cameras don't face down into backyards during flight. The item passed with one dissenting vote, from Coachella Mayor Frank Figueroa.
Zoom out: The move comes as valley cities expand surveillance tools. The cove communities are pursuing their own drone program, Palm Desert is weighing a Drone as First Responder program and expanded its license plate camera network to 157 cameras, and Palm Springs reported using drones on about 319 incidents last year with no complaints or policy violations.
A MESSAGE FROM
DAP HEALTH
Revivals Thrift Stores — consistently voted the Coachella Valley’s best — bring nearly $2 million to DAP Health annually. Donating or shopping there is awesome. But have you ever thought of volunteering? If so, enjoy this story of two very different volunteers who found they have much in common
📅 Featured events
Michael Jackson night
Today | 8 p.m. | Rosemary HiFi
Rosemary HiFi hosts a listening event dedicated to three Michael Jackson albums — "Off the Wall," "Thriller" and "Bad." Attendees are welcome to dress up.
Indio's Food Truck Fridays
Friday | 5 p.m. | Downtown Indio (Towne St. & Bliss Ave.)
Food Truck Fridays is Indio's weekly tradition, running every Friday from 5 to 10 p.m. with a rotating lineup of vendors, family-friendly activities and live music.
Open Mic and Karaoke
Friday | 6 p.m. | The Oasis on Miles
The Oasis on Miles hosts a weekly open mic and karaoke night every Friday, open to performers and audience members alike. ($10 suggested donation)
5k Run
Friday | 7 p.m. | Downtown Indio (Towne St. & Bliss Ave.)
The UPALV Summer Series brings a lineup of sunset runs throughout the summer in partnership with local businesses. Runners are invited to bring a friend and take part in one or several events over the season.
Desert Dubs
Friday | 9 p.m. | Dune Room
Dune Room and Desert After Dark present Desert Dubs, a dubstep and bass music showcase featuring Coachella Valley acts DTOMP, HLLR, Pico and Frankthadank. 18 and older. ($10)
3rd Annual Indio Independence Day Bash
Saturday | 6 p.m. | Empire Polo Grounds
The City of Indio hosts its third annual Independence Day celebration, featuring live performances, a food and beer garden and a kids' zone. A patriotic drone show follows at 9:30 p.m.
Less is More
Saturday | 9 p.m. | Dune Room
The Dune Room hosts Less Is More, featuring performer Ozzy along with Nando, Cuernos and Asi. ($12)
Noches De Fuego
Sunday | 7:30 p.m. | Fantasy Springs Resort Casino
Noches De Fuego is a weekly celebration of Latin music at LIT, running from 7:30 p.m. to midnight and featuring bands performing Tejano, Merengue, Cumbia, Norteño and Salsa alongside a DJ. Admission is free.
📣 And Finally …
Officials highlighted the traffic monitoring updates ahead of Headtrip, a new Goldenvoice festival coming to Indio in October.
We’re all Indio locals and we’ve all survived our fair share of festival seasons. Honestly, I can’t tell if traffic improved one year over the next (but I still think 2024 had one of the lightest traffic years in recent memory and just … didn’t sell well), but apparently this year traffic was somewhat improved!
Driving the news: Coachella Valley Association of Governments officials said Monday that synchronized traffic signals and real-time cellphone data have reshaped how the valley manages festival traffic, replacing years of manual signal control and radio dispatch.
Here’s how: Indio Police Chief Brian Tully said the city now tracks festival-goers' movements using cellphone data and citywide camera systems, coordinating 14 law enforcement agencies during major events.
By the numbers: CV Sync program manager Kristopher Gunterson said the regional signal-synchronization effort, which covered 139 intersections in a phase completed in 2024, cut travel time on Date Palm Drive in Palm Springs from about 12 minutes to seven minutes, a 35% reduction.
What's next: CV Sync has installed two workstations at Indio's public safety campus and dispatch center and plans to train city staff ahead of Headtrip, a new Goldenvoice festival scheduled for Oct. 10-11 at the Empire Polo Club.
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