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Thursday, June 25 | ☀️ 106°/74°
Happy Thursday! The Fourth of July is almost here, and while the city of Indio is hosting a nice and quiet drone show, let’s not pretend we won’t be hearing legal (and illegal!) fireworks all night. They’re fun for us, but they can be terrifying for our pets…which is why Riverside County Animal Shelters are offering free microchips and engraved ID tags for all county residents now through July 4, walk-ins welcome and no appointment needed at the Thousand Palms Coachella Valley Animal Campus. Check out the hours and holiday safety tips on their website and give your furry family members the best gift this Fourth: a way home if the festivities send them running!
🎶 Setting the mood: "Things We Said Today" by The Beatles
Leading Off
Protestors outside a Coachella community meeting demanding a ban on data centers.
Indio Planning Commission recommends ban on data centers
The Indio Planning Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to recommend a permanent ban on data centers, citing concerns about water consumption, electrical grid strain, and worsening air quality in the desert city.
Driving the news: The 5-0 vote sends the recommendation to the City Council, which is expected to take up the issue at its July 15 regular meeting — before a 45-day moratorium on data center development expires July 18.
The City Council adopted the moratorium on June 3, giving staff time to research the issue before any applications could be accepted or approved under current regulations.
Why it matters: Indio currently has no pending applications for a data center, but staff research found that hyperscale campuses — operated by major cloud computing and AI providers — can span 100 to 300 acres, consume between 300 million and 1.5 billion gallons of water per year, and require 500 megawatts to more than one gigawatt of electrical power.
What they're saying: Eight residents addressed the commission, with all but one urging a permanent ban and calling on Indio to set a regional standard against the facilities.
"Help the city of Indio take the lead and set an example for other desert cities that data centers do not belong here," said Allison, an Indio resident.
What's next: Community Development Director Brian Halvorson said the moratorium will likely need to be extended to allow the council time to act on whatever direction it provides, and that staff will return with a broader presentation on development thresholds tied to land use, water demand, and energy consumption.
Briefly
🚰 Indio Sustainability Commission questions outreach efforts ahead of mandatory state turf-watering bans
Indio Sustainability Commission members questioned Monday whether the city is doing enough to notify large water users about California's phased ban on using drinking water to irrigate nonfunctional turf, with the first deadline taking effect Jan. 1, 2027.
California Assembly Bill 1572 defines nonfunctional turf as any turf not in a designated recreational area — including turf in street rights-of-way and parking lots. Commercial properties must comply by Jan. 1, 2028, and HOAs by Jan. 1, 2029.
Details: The Indio Water Authority offers turf replacement rebates starting at $2 per square foot, with more than $320,000 still available in rebate funds. The city also recently received an $800,000 grant for direct-install turf conversions in disadvantaged communities.
💰 Indio seeks $27.5 million state grant for community climate projects
The Indio Sustainability Commission voted Monday to recommend the city council pursue a $27.5 million state climate grant that could fund urban greening, active transportation, transit improvements and community health programs for residents.
The money is part of California's Transformative Climate Communities program, which will make three awards of $27.5 million each. Indio applied in a previous round but was not selected. A pre-proposal is due June 30, with a formal application due Sept. 30.
Details: Vice Chair Celina Jimenez, who helped manage a similar grant for the city of Coachella, will assist in writing the application. City staff said Indio is better positioned this time, with stronger nonprofit and community partnerships expected to strengthen the bid.
📅 Featured events
The Dune Room Presents Live Comedy
Today | 8 p.m. | Dune Room
Comedy Supreme and The Dune Room present an evening of stand-up featuring Jason Stuart, with Rafael Molina and Allison Dyen, hosted by Donna Maine. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. ($10 advance)
Synth Circle
Friday | 2:30 p.m. | The Place
Artlands hosts a monthly synthesizer jam session; attendees may bring their own equipment or use instruments provided at the venue. Setup begins at 2:30 p.m. with jamming starting at 3 p.m.
Indio's Food Truck Fridays
Friday | 5 p.m. | Downtown Indio (Towne St. & Bliss Ave.)
Indio's weekly Friday tradition returns with a rotating vendor lineup, live Tejano music beginning at 7 p.m., and family-friendly activities. Runs until 10 p.m.; pet-friendly.
Chefs On Fire 2
Friday | 5 p.m. | The White Lizard, Riverside County Fairgrounds
A five-course collaborative dining experience featuring a lineup of local chefs paired with wine, with guests welcomed by champagne and hors d'oeuvres. The evening also includes live music and an auction for future private wine dinner experiences. ($100)
Open Mic and Karaoke
Friday | 6 p.m. | The Oasis on Miles
A weekly open mic and karaoke night open to performers and audience members alike. ($10 suggested donation)
5K Run
Friday | 7 p.m. | Mz.Freeze
UPALV launches its Summer Series of collaborative sunset runs with local Indio businesses. Each event pairs a community run with stops at local food and drink spots throughout the summer.
Salsa Night
Friday | 7 p.m. | Dune Room
The Dune Room and Salseros Lost in the Desert co-host an evening of salsa dancing.
Picnic & Read
Saturday | 10:30 a.m. | Location TBD
Families are invited to pack a blanket and join the library on the lawn for read-alouds, stories, and a relaxing morning of community fun. Bring your favorite snacks.
Homeownership Community Event
Saturday | 12 p.m. | Indio Library
NHORA Coachella Valley hosts a free event for first-time and repeat homebuyers with on-site consultations on down payment assistance, credit repair, home insurance, and inspections. Food, raffles, and prizes included.
Really, Really Free Market
Saturday | 2 p.m. | Coachella Library
CVC Action Group hosts a free community market where attendees can bring items to share and take what they need, including food, clothing, toiletries, and household goods.
Instrument Repair Class and Show
Saturday | 4 p.m. | Music House Indio
World Famous Repairland hosts a free guitar repair demonstration and Q&A; attendees are encouraged to bring their instruments. The evening continues with an all-ages concert featuring Space in Sound, The Royal Chicano Underground, and Jayce Levi. ($5 for the concert)
Open Turntables
Sunday | 4 p.m. | Rosemary HiFi
Rosemary HiFi invites DJs to bring an hour's worth of deep cuts for one-hour spin sets during an open turntables session.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
📣 And Finally …
Constructed in 1992, the Adobe Brick Demonstration Exhibit is a hands-on learning experience for the thousands of students who have toured the museum over the years. (Photo: Coachella Valley History Museum)
Before air conditioning, our desert forebears had to get creative, and the Coachella Valley History Museum in Indio has a hands-on exhibit that has been helping school children and tourists learn about temperature regulation B.A.C (before air conditioning).
The exhibit: The Adobe Brick Demonstration Exhibit illustrates a construction method using only four ingredients: clay soil, straw, sand and water, that are then mixed into athick mud, pressed into wooden molds and dried in the sun, with no electricity or modern tools required.
Once cured, the bricks were stacked and bonded with adobe mortar, creating walls built to last for generations.
The builder: The exhibit was constructed in 1992 under the guidance of 80-year-old Roy Salazar, a longtime Indio resident who lived from 1911 to 2016.
What they're saying: Museum docent Alma Gomez, who leads school tours, says the exhibit matters because "people living in the desert before electricity and air conditioning had to be creative problem-solvers."
Help needed: Time and desert exposure have worn the exhibit down over three decades. The museum recently launched a fundraising campaign for restoration work.
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