City of Cathedral City
68700 Avenida Lalo Guerrero
Cathedral City, CA 92234
(760) 770-0340

What a year it was !!!

At year’s end, just look at the accomplishments during the past 12 months in Cathedral City  many implementing goals of the City Council’s 2005 Strategic Plan developed last January:

‘Chief job’: deliver successful conference

Police Chief Stan Henry is joining other Coachella Valley chiefs to host the 28^th Annual California Police Chiefs Conference Jan. 29-Feb. 3 at the Wyndham Hotel in Palm Springs. 

Henry, with help from Captains Kevin Conner and John Holcomb, is in charge of the program, registration and a golf tournament at a private course in Rancho Mirage. 

Police Chiefs Gary Jeandron of Palm Springs, Brad Ramos of Indio and Walter McKinney of Desert Hot Springs are assuming other duties. 

More than 650, including about 300 chiefs, law enforcement and criminal justice officials, spouses, speakers and vendors, are expected to attend the event.  Theme is “Solving Tomorrow’s Issues Today.” 

Cheech but no Chong 

Actor Cheech Marin is proposing an art exhibit, featuring Hispanic painters for the vacant space at the Desert IMAX building March 9-April 2. The proposal, including a reception with Marin, goes to the Public Arts Commission Monday, Jan. 9.  If approved, it would be placed on the Jan. 25 Council agenda for consideration. The traveling exhibit, which has been to major cities throughout the nation, features the works of rising and established Hispanic artists, including Frank Romero, who previously exhibited at a show staged in the same building.

Here, let us help with that …

Can’t drag that old refrigerator out to the curb yourself? Don’t despair.  Just call

770-0369 by 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, and on the following Monday, Jan. 16, city employees will be by to help remove large unwanted items from your home.  They will be placed by the curb, and then later that week, a Waste Management of the Desert truck will come by to remove them. 

Just a reminder – large bulky items can always be placed at curbside for pick up by the trash hauler on the regular collection day.  This program is different because it offers homeowners’ help in getting the items to the curb.

The house-to-curb-help program is part of the city employees’ “Helping Hands for the Community” project on Jan. 16, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. While many people take the national holiday off, Cathedral City employees have historically donated community service time in honor of the slain civil rights leader. In addition to the bulky item assistance program, an incandescent light bulb replacement program, doggie day, Shelter from the Storm clothing drive, a children’s make-art-out-of-recycled material event and a F.I.N.D. clothing drive will be staged in front of City Hall from 8 a.m. to 12 noon.

Red light cameras being installed

Starting Monday, Jan. 9, red light cameras will be installed in an effort to reduce traffic violations at intersections. The installation should be complete by Feb. 1 and then an educational campaign and 30-day warning period for violators will go into effect. Starting March 1,  motorists shown by the digital cameras to be running red lights, speeding and committing other violations will receive tickets.

Open to all seniors

Also on Monday, Jan. 9, another “identity protection” shredding event will take place, this time at Caliente Sands Mobile Home Park. From 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Seniors from throughout the community can take their unwanted credit card information, confidential documents, medical records and other materials and have them shredded by a special truck. It will be parked at the entrance to Caliente Sands on Date Palm. First come, first served. 

To help save our planet

The City’s environmental conservation office has mailed community calendars printed on recycled paper and promoting recycling to all Cathedral City residents. They feature recycling projects by people and groups, topics and dates of significance to families and other information encouraging the reuse of resources. Printing and mailing costs are paid for by the State through a campaign that advocates recycling. 

Joint meeting on traffic solutions

The City Council and Traffic Commission will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, to discuss long-term solutions to ease the flow of traffic along East Palm Canyon Drive. The City’s traffic engineer and Traffic Commission are recommending an eventual alternate route along Officer David Vasquez and the Whitewater Channel. The meeting, open to the public, will be held in the Study Session Room on the first floor of City Hall. Incidentally, traffic along the main thoroughfare has been backed up the past few weeks because of lane closures required to bury utilities for the Sheraton Resort Hotel project.

No concert Jan. 6