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Thursday, March 19 | ☀️ 102°/78°
Happy Thursday! Congratulations and best wishes are in order for Indio Library’s outgoing branch manager, Joseph Hamersly. The City Council last night presented Hamersly with a certificate of appreciation for his work connecting the community through knowledge and literacy. Mayor Elaine Holmes said his work ushering the library into its new era at a new location was “no small feat.” Hamersly, who has been a part of the Indio Library for about two years is moving on to his next venture, but his impact on the library and its programming will be felt for years to come.
🎶 Setting the mood: "Heat Wave" by Glass Animals
Leading Off
The $45 million police headquarters building is the final piece of the sprawling public safety campus that includes a new fire station, dispatch center, and two-story public safety services building.
Indio City Council approves contracts for new police headquarters building
The Indio City Council on Wednesday approved $3.1 million in contracts to begin site demolition and utility work for a new Police Headquarters Building, moving the city's sweeping public safety campus project closer to completion.
Driving the news: The council greenlit agreements with DMC Enterprises for $1,664,000 in site demo and earthwork, and Valley Pipeline Services for $1,475,000 in site utilities work at the northeast corner of Jackson Street and Dr. Carreon Boulevard.
Assistant City Manager Jonathan Nicks said the contracts will allow the city to "mobilize for construction" this spring, with additional contracts expected before the council in June for a second construction phase projected to cost $5 to $6 million.
Why it matters: The $45 million headquarters building is the final piece of Indio's new public safety campus, which already includes a completed fire station, a communications dispatch center, and a two-story public safety services building.
The new facility will replace a headquarters built around 1979 and will serve as the primary facility for officers, command staff, support personnel, locker rooms, a gym and training area, interview rooms, and public spaces.
What's next: A groundbreaking ceremony is expected this summer, with a ribbon cutting anticipated in the winter of 2027-28. The existing headquarters building will be demolished after the new facility opens.
Quote of note: Councilmember Benjamin Guitron, a retired Indio police officer who spent 40 years with the department, backed the project.
"It's not just a toy, it's real front line service to our community," Guitron said. "So I take great pride in that."
Briefly
Valley Sanitary District serves about 91,000 people in Indio, Coachella, and unincorporated areas of Riverside County.
💧 Valley Sanitary District proposes five-year rate hike
Valley Sanitary District is seeking its first rate increase in years, proposing a five-year plan that would raise average residential bills 12% in each of the first two fiscal years to fund system upgrades and expand wastewater recycling.
Under the proposal, the average single-family residential bill—currently $753.49 per year—would rise $7.51 per month in fiscal year 2027 and $8.41 per month in fiscal year 2028. Increases would then drop to roughly $3.12, $3.21 and $3.44 per month over the following three years.
Details: District General Manager Jason Dafforn cited aging infrastructure—some 80 to 90 years old—along with rising utility, fuel and insurance costs as key drivers. A public hearing is set for May 12 before the district's board.
🏠 Indio home prices dip as homes sell faster
Indio homes are selling nearly a week faster than last year, while prices have dipped and buyers are landing larger discounts, according to the latest Greater Palm Springs Realtors Desert Housing Report.
The median price of an average-sized detached home fell 2% to $630,000 compared to last year, while attached home prices dropped more than 10% to $251,000. Indio recorded 66 sales during the three-month period ending in February, down 10 homes from 2025. Homes are averaging 47 days on market, compared to 52 last year.
Details: Buyers are purchasing on average at 2.4% below list price, a bigger discount than in 2025. Indio had 409 homes listed at the end of February, down from 434 a year ago.
📅 Featured events
Noche Rockero
Today | 7:30 p.m. | Rosemary HiFi
Rosemary HiFi hosts Noche Rockero, a vinyl set by Magikmyku drawing from the catalogs of Spanish-language rock artists.
State of the Assembly District Legislative Recap
Friday | 7:45 a.m. | Macario Grill and Restaurant
The Hispanic American Chamber of Commerce hosts a legislative forum with local and state elected officials and policymakers providing updates on issues impacting businesses and economic development across the Coachella Valley. ($25–$175)
Community Emergency Response Team 3-day training
Friday through Sunday | Indio Emergency Operations Center
This free three-day Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training covering fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations.
Low-Cost Dog and Cat Clinics
Friday and Saturday | ABC Recovery
The Coachella Animal Network offers a low-cost spay and neuter clinic, vaccinations, pet licenses, microchips and more. ($8-$30)
Book Club: "Notes on an Execution"
Friday | 3 p.m. | Indio Library
Come discuss Danya Kukafka's novel "Notes on an Execution," a story set on death row exploring a serial killer and the women he affected.
Here Now Fund Cancer Charity Pickleball Tournament
Saturday and Sunday | 7 a.m. | Trilogy at the Polo Club
The Here Now Fund hosts a two-day charity pickleball tournament with all proceeds benefiting cancer charity partners Pelotonia and Desert Cancer Foundation. Men's and Women's Doubles on Saturday; Mixed Doubles on Sunday. ($75 registration)
5k and 10k Run
Saturday | 6:30 a.m. | Saguaro Coffee
Saguaro Coffee in downtown Indio hosts a 5k and 10k run to the CV Link and back, followed by coffee, community, and café de olla lattes.
Sips & Succulents
Saturday | 4 p.m. | Indio Brewing
Book Babes of the Desert, Good Home and Plants, and Indio Brewing host a sip, paint, and plant event where attendees grab a beer and decorate their own terracotta planter. Tickets required. ($35)
Needle Drops: When Movies Learn to Listen
Sunday | 7 p.m. | Rosemary HiFI
Rosemary Hi-Fi launches a monthly film and listening series exploring how pop music shaped the language of cinema, hosted by Zack Solomon and Phil Segal.
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📣 And Finally …
The clubhouse was originally set to open a year ago, but issues related to power hookups and IID have delayed the project.
Golfers at The Lights at Indio Golf Course have been waiting a year for a new clubhouse—and they'll have to keep waiting. City officials confirmed Tuesday that ongoing issues with utility connections and entrance construction will push the opening back at least another month.
Driving the news: Staff told the Indio Community Services Commission that completing the front entrance alone will take at least another four to six weeks, and officials still aren't certain whether full power from Imperial Irrigation District (IID) is secured.
"The restaurant's not ready to go. The pro shop's not ready. The front entrance is not ready. So we would not be opening until that's all ready to go," a city staff member said.
Background: The clubhouse was originally set to open a year ago. By October, officials were eyeing a January opening—a target that also came and went. The project absorbed an $830,000 change order last fall after underground electrical conduits were found to be misaligned with original plans, forcing expensive rerouting and trenching along Avenue 42 and Jackson Street.
What's next: Commissioners asked the city to send direct email notifications once a firm ribbon-cutting date is set, noting that residents often miss social media updates about the facility's status.
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