Calls for service up

You go, girl!

Deanna Pressgrove, the city’s spunky environmental conservation manager, will receive a national award for the 48-page waste management guide mailed to all Cathedral City residents.  Its snappy graphics and readable presentation caught the attention of judges in the annual 3CMA awards competition. 

Coincidentally, Deanna will be in Atlanta to receive her award from the communications and marketing organization next week, the same time that the publication will arrive in the mail. The English-Spanish booklet is chock full of helpful information about what types of trash to put in which colored bin, dates of hazardous waste collections and tips about recycling.

Department’s K-9 Lokos dies

Officer Berto Ruiz lost a friend and a partner last week.  Lokos, the Police Department’s  only member of the K-9 unit, was found dead in his kennel from a twisted intestine.  Unfortunately, the ailment sometimes strikes very active dogs.  Lokos, said by many to have been one of the most effective police dogs in the Valley, was Berto’s partner for three and a half years, coming to the end of the four-year service limit for police dogs. Often retired dogs then live with their handlers, which is what Berto had planned.  Now, following the tragedy, Berto has decided to move on to other duties in the department, leaving the K-9 assignment to another officer. It will cost about $15,000 to purchase another police dog and provide officer training.  Any donations would be welcome.    . 

Thanks, Bill, we needed that

Bill Byron of The Desert Sun’s Valley Watch pointed out missing street signs at the Date Palm-Dinah Shore and Date Palm-Vista Chino intersections.  Dale Bolls, public works and facilities manager, has ordered replacements from the supplier, but it will be up to  eight weeks before they can be fabricated and delivered to Cathedral City.  In the meantime, Dale will see if he can take panels out of other signs as temporary substitutes at these key intersections.  City officials are already reviewing signage readability and traffic signal operations throughout the community.

Creekside improvements

City representatives met this week with the new managers of Creekside Apartments.  There had been concerns over maintenance of the property and other issues.  From all reports, there is optimism about the future of the multi-family apartment project on 33rd Avenue west of Shifting Sands.  Officer Dan Anes has been assigned to work with management to prevent law enforcement problems and enhance safety for the residents.

Formation of a Neighborhood Watch program is also being pursued.

Demolition finishing

Demolition of the burned stores at the Albertson’s shopping center is almost complete.  Owners of the center will construct the shell and tenants will be responsible for build out of their individual spaces.  Depending on plans that are submitted, the Fire Department could determine that the work is a remodel, not new construction, and therefore, fire sprinklers would not be required.  The Building Department is going to require a one-hour fire wall separation between the tenant spaces to curb any possible spread of fire in the future. 

As an aside, Bob Hillary, a former mayor and former owner of the shopping center, said the original plans are no where to be found.  The center was built by the tenants, Smith’s Food King, in 1979, under County regulations, before the City was established.  The County did not provide a set of plans to the City when it incorporated in 1981 and Bob was never able to get a set from Smith’s before Mr. Smith, the president, died. Over the years, Bob has tried to secure the plans, but to no avail.   

Funds for sidewalks, bike paths

The Engineering Department is applying for a $560,000 competitive transportation enhancement grant from the Riverside County Transportation Commission for sidewalks and bike lanes.  Sidewalks would be on the east side of Cathedral Canyon and the north side of Terrace and the bike paths would be built on both sides of Cathedral Canyon. 

Solar panel schedule

Installation of the solar panels on the Civic Center Parking Garage will be finished this week. Following completion of the low-voltage electrical connections, the system should be able to be checked out just after Labor Day.   

About the same time, the fire sprinkler system will be installed.  The entire project should be signed off  before mid-September.   

There’ll be more parking

Sunday, September 18, is the date chosen for El Grito! to celebrate Mexican Independence Day. Three organizations, including the Cathedral City Rotary Club, are sponsoring the event in Town Square. Fortunately, the upper floor of the parking structure, where the solar panels are installed, will be available for parking, and fewer spaces will be made available for storage for auto dealers. According to the special use permit application, upwards of 7,000 people are expected. 

What’s in a name?

Now here are two creative business owners.  The bar on Cathedral Canyon known for 

years as Ground Zero is being changed to Club Whatever.  And the owner of the Desert Palms Inn is considering changing the name of his small hotel behind Target to Dorothy’s

Other Kansas.

He’s Baaaack

Manny Gambino, the city’s new code enforcement officer who broke his foot playing softball, is back to work, on light duty. 

Don’t fear vacant big box

New owners of Wal-Mart hope to have all their permits in place by the time they take over the building when it becomes vacant Jan. 1.  

Preliminary design review by the Development Services Committee resulted in only minor changes to plans submitted by the architect. Plans call for elimination of the nursery, tire service area and loading dock in its current location, and the construction of new buildings on the site, including a sit-down restaurant at Date Palm and McCallum. The application will require Planning Commission approval of conditional use permits for two proposed drive-thru fast food restaurants, as well as design of the project. 

Last meeting in August cancelled

The Aug. 24  City Council meeting has been cancelled.  The next regular Council meeting will be Sept. 14 at 6:30 p.m.