TGIF everyone! Nine charity teams from across the Coachella Valley have been rehearsing for months to bring you the CV Lip Sync Battle this Saturday at the Palm Springs Cultural Center starting at 6 p.m., with all proceeds benefiting The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert. If this year’s event is anything like past years, you’ll definitely want to consider going (find tickets here). If you still need convincing, just watch this episode of PromoHomo.TV.
🎶 Setting the mood: “A Mind With A Heart Of Its Own” by Tom Petty
LEADING OFF
Harold Matzner, philanthropist and film festival chairman, dies at 88
Harold Matzner, the businessman and philanthropist who shaped the Coachella Valley’s cultural landscape for more than three decades, died Thursday afternoon in Palm Springs. He was 88.
Driving the news: Matzner served as chairman of the Palm Springs International Film Festival and Film Awards for over 20 years before stepping down in April 2023. His family confirmed he died after a brief illness, according to an obituary sent by the film festival’s PR team to local media.
By the numbers: Since 2000, Matzner contributed a reported $70 million to $80 million to local nonprofits, supporting organizations ranging from the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center to the Desert AIDS Project.
- His charitable reach extended to the AIDS Assistance Program, Desert Symphony, American Cancer Society, The Living Desert, College of the Desert and FIND Food Bank, among many others.
Beyond philanthropy: Matzner owned Spencer’s, a popular Palm Springs restaurant, and played a crucial role in creating the city’s Measure J — a 1% sales tax increase that funded a $200 million downtown revitalization program.
- The city recognized his contributions in 2006 with a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars, placed near the statue of his friend Sonny Bono.
What they’re saying: “The City of Palm Springs owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to Harold Matzner,” Mayor Ron deHarte said Thursday evening. “Not only did Harold literally come in and revitalize the failing Palm Springs Film Festival and transform it into one of the most successful in the country — he also turned it into a powerful economic driver which continues to bring Hollywood to Palm Springs and millions of dollars to our local economy.”
- “Harold Matzner was unequivocally one of our city’s greatest champions, philanthropists and humanitarians — and I can think of no one else who has done more to support Palm Springs and the entire Coachella Valley,” deHarte added.
Read our complete story | Read Bruce Fessier’s in-depth profile in The Desert Sun
BRIEFLY
🚧 Airport parking reduced during EV charger construction
- Palm Springs International Airport is installing 80 Level 2 electric vehicle chargers in Parking Lot B. Construction has started and is expected to continue through the end of 2025, with chargers coming online in early 2026.
- The $400,000 project is funded entirely through airport revenue without taxpayer costs. Construction will temporarily reduce main parking supply by about 10%, but alternative parking remains available in Lots A, C, and D, plus an overflow lot on Kirk Douglas Way with more than 800 spaces accessible by shuttle.
- Bottom line: The project supports statewide clean-transportation goals and the airport’s sustainability initiatives. When complete, it’s expected to be one of the largest airport charging arrays in Southern California behind only Los Angeles and San Diego.
🚨 High school lockdown lifted after threat deemed not credible
- Palm Springs High School lifted a lockdown Thursday afternoon following a full campus search in response to an anonymous phone threat involving a firearm and explosive device that came in shortly before 11 a.m.
- Police conducted a campus search using explosive detection canines while parents were alerted about the lockdown but not permitted to enter the campus during the safety protocol. The lockdown was lifted at about 1:45 p.m., allowing parents to sign out their students.
- Bottom line: The Palm Springs Police Department is investigating the anonymous call, noting that recent weeks have seen a trend of similar false reports of attacks or violence at schools. Superintendent Dr. Marcus Funchess said the threat was not credible and thanked families for their patience.
YOUR WEEKEND
TODAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
AND FINALLY …
Sometimes the best way to thank someone is while they’re still around to enjoy it, which is exactly what community members Brian Ramos and David Hyams had in mind when they nominated Jane Garrison, founder of the Oswit Land Trust, for a star on the Palm Springs Walk of the Stars — and their effort just got the green light from the Chamber of Commerce.
The backstory: Ramos and Hyams approached Garrison earlier this year at a community event, asking if they could submit her name for consideration. Her response was enthusiastic, and now the real fun begins with fundraising for the star installation and ceremony.
- The nomination they submitted highlighted Garrison’s volunteer work protecting more than 10,000 acres of open space, including the grassroots campaign that saved Oswit Canyon from development after she collected over 4,000 petition signatures.
Beyond the headlines: While Garrison’s environmental work gets most of the attention—from her disaster animal rescue efforts after Hurricane Katrina to her decade as an elephant specialist working across three continents — she and her husband Mark have also quietly restored two historic Palm Springs homes to Class 1 designation.
The plan: Supporters are launching a GoFundMe campaign to cover costs, with hopes of scheduling a spring 2025 ceremony somewhere along Palm Canyon where Garrison can choose her star’s location.
Why it matters: In a city where Walk of the Stars honors often come posthumously, Ramos said last week week that this represents a chance for the community to celebrate someone whose conservation work has shaped the desert landscape they all love — while she’s still here leading the charge.
