BROUGHT TO YOU BY
We are grateful for our advertising partners. Become one today
Thursday, March 5 | ☀️ 76°/55°
Happy Thursday! Riverside County declared this month Arts and Culture Month and to celebrate, they’re offering an “Exploration Passport”, a guide to museums, galleries, parks, gardens, and public art throughout the county. Each destination will stamp your passport, and some are offering free admission throughout the month. The guide highlights Indio’s Coachella Valley History Museum alongside the Cabazon Dinosaurs, Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture, and Mount San Jacinto State Park among its points of interest. Find a new piece of art or cultural touchstone right in your backyard or take a road trip to the mountains and discover something new. Pick up your passport at the Indio Library or learn more online.
🎶 Setting the mood: "Tennis Court" by Lorde
Leading Off
Short-term rental owners called the new rules reasonable, but wanted clarity and assurance from the city about enforcement.
Indio weighs stricter short-term rental rules, higher fines ahead of festival season
With Coachella and Stagecoach weeks away, Indio city leaders are considering a significant overhaul of how the city regulates short-term vacation rentals—including fines that could reach $5,000.
Driving the news: The Indio City Council on Wednesday considered updates to its short-term rental rules that would increase fines for violations, tighten enforcement of noise complaints, and rework the permitting process. Mayor Elaine Holmes framed the changes as balancing the interests of residents and rental owners while giving code enforcement more authority.
"We need something that has teeth," Holmes said.
The details: Noise ordinance violations for rentals hosting large events could increase to $1,000 for a first offense and up to $5,000. Standard fines starting at $100 would remain, but would double during nighttime hours, starting at $200 and reaching $1,000 for a third violation. Noise violations would also count as strikes against a rental's permit, with enough strikes resulting in revocation.
Yes, but: Councilmember Glenn Miller pushed back on the higher fines, calling them "overly excessive" and warning they could damage Indio's appeal as a destination for smaller events like youth sports tournaments.
"You're going to kill the goose that laid the golden egg," Miller said.
On the other hand: Councilmember Benjamin Guitron was in favor of the higher fees, and he said he doubted the new rules would push away short-term vacation rentals, the majority of which are run well and without complaint.
Why it matters: The city’s estimated 1,200 permitted hort-term rentals account for about 75% of the city's Transient Occupancy Tax revenue, compared to 25% from hotels. The city projects $16.5 million in TOT revenue by the end of the fiscal year.
What's next: The council did not take a final vote Wednesday. City staff will return with a more detailed draft ordinance at a later date.
Briefly
Staff said the district’s budget has taken into account declining enrollment, giving it a longer runway than other valley districts who have had to make budget cuts.
🏫 Desert Sands Unified School District confronts financial strategy amid student enrollment decline
The Desert Sands Unified School District Board of Education met Tuesday to review a financial report showing a 35% general fund ending balance, a buffer that sets the district apart from others facing emergency cuts.
Neighboring Coachella Valley Unified School District voted last month to cut more than $25 million from its budget over the next three years to maintain financial solvency. Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Jordan Aquino noted that DSUSD has lost nearly 4,000 students over 10 years while increasing staffing by about 400 people, largely funded by $181 million in COVID-19 and other grants.
Bottom line: Aquino told board members the district's ending balance has provided a runway for long-term planning as it navigates expiring pandemic-era funding and enrollment decline. "We've created this nice runway for us to effectively plan over multiple years," he said.
🏥 Coachella Valley health report reveals rising food insecurity, gaps in access to healthcare
A new survey by Health Assessment and Research for Communities finds the Coachella Valley facing its highest level of food insecurity in over a decade, with one in four adults cutting meals or going without food due to financial constraints—nearly tripling rates seen just three years ago.
The 2025 Community Health Survey also found that while 89.3% of working-age adults have health coverage, access remains a barrier: nearly 44% of residents cited long appointment wait times as a major obstacle, a consequence of a regional doctor shortage. More than 26% of adults have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, yet more than half received no treatment in the past year.
Bottom line: Chronic conditions are widespread, with roughly one in three adults diagnosed with high blood pressure or high cholesterol, and 69.3% of adults falling into overweight or obese categories.
A MESSAGE FROM THE LIVING DESERT
The Living Desert has been transformed into a larger-than-life world of wings and wonder. Wander among towering pollinators, step inside an immersive maze experience, and see these remarkable species on a scale you’ve never experienced before.
📅 Featured events
Senator Steve Padilla Community Town Hall
Today | 5:30 p.m. | Desert Recreation District Gymnastics and Performance Arts Center
Share your thoughts on issues, learn about Sen. Padilla’s work in the state house in Sacramento, and discuss priorities for the future.
Bring Your Own Vinyl Night
Today | 6 p.m. | Rosemary HiFi
No limits on genres, come on by with your favorite record and Rosemary HiFi will spin a few tracks.
Mercado Indio
Saturday | 1 p.m. | Towne Street and Bliss Avenue
This weekly outdoor market features rotating local vendors offering food, handmade goods, jewelry, and vintage clothing.
“The Graduate”
Saturday - Sunday | Desert Theatreworks
It’s the final weekend to see the play! The 1967 film “The Graduate” comes to life on stage, following Mrs. Robinson and 21-year-old Ben’s secret affair. ($47)
Indio Pickleball Open
Saturday | 9 a.m. | Miles Park
It’s the first Indio Pickleball Open, a charity tournament supporting the Indio Senior Center. This mixed doubles tournament will be played round-robin style with a finals match and is open to players of all skill levels. ($35 per player)
Indio Resource Fair
Saturday | 10 a.m. | Riverside County Department Of Child Support Services
The county invites families and community members to a free, family-friendly event designed to connect residents with essential services, resources, and fun activities, all in one place.
John Mulaney
Saturday | 8 p.m. | Fantasy Springs Resort Casino
John Mulaney is a four-time Emmy Award, Critics Choice award and WGA award-winning writer, comedian and actor. ($100)
Road Run
Sunday | 7 a.m. | 6th Street Coffee, Coachella
Join the Coachella Moves run club for a road run and some coffee.
📣 And Finally …
Students explore building and coding robots and even piloted drones during the Tech and Tiaras event last weekend. (Photo: DSUSD)
Desert Sands Unified School District's Women in Tech program hosted the Tech and Tiaras event for 4th- through 8th-grade students on Saturday that was equal parts innovation and inspiration.
Driving the news: From 8 a.m. to noon, participants designed their own tech adventure and explored offerings including eSports, 3D printing, Ozobots, Canva, Legos, Botball, a drone obstacle course, Nature Eye, and Breakout EDU.
The strategy: By introducing these concepts early, the district aims to bridge the national STEM gap — where women currently hold about 35% of tech jobs—by building confidence before students even hit high school.
Part of the district’s curriculum even supports GEMS, or Girls Excelling in Mathematics with Success.
Why it matters: The event was designed to introduce girls to technology and help them see themselves as innovators, designers, coders, and leaders.
In Case You Missed It
EXPLORE & SUBSCRIBE
We deliver free news to communities throughout the Coachella Valley and a roundup on Saturdays. Click below to subscribe to our other newsletters!
👏 Want your message to reach our network of 23,000 subscribers? Explore our advertising options.
🙋♀️ Want to know what The Post is all about? Read this.