John McMullen Show

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is the Coachella Valley's most popular permanent attraction. Following measures to reduce public health threats posed by the coronavirus pandemic, the Tram has re-opened and visitors will be able to see 80-plus weeks of facilities enhancements when they visit, although dining services and access to the museum and theatre at the mountain station have not re-opened yet. Greg Purdy, the marketing director joins John McMullen with safety and ticketing protocols and news of the many improvements that have been made.

As the COVID-19 pandemic enters its second year, more families and individuals in the Coachella Valley are impacted by financial challenges and mental health matters. JFS of the Desert helps people regardless of religious beliefs with keeping a roof over their head and mental health services through tele-help in this crisis. Executive Director Kraig Johnson joins John McMullen to discuss the range of help that Jewish Family Service of the Desert offers people in need at all times.

Website: www.JFSDesert.org

Ancestry, 23 & Me, and other services that offer to match you up with your relatives near and far, and give you insights to your heritage have become very popular over the past several years.

Sometimes, they come with some big surprises.

John McMullen talks about revelations he never expected from his results on this edition of the John McMullen Show.

From high school classmates to marketing professionals to collaborators on talk radio and podcasts. John McMullen introduces you to Tim Bennett and John Nash. They were the powerful team that made Subaru the trend-setter in niche advertising with the LGBTQ+ community. But, it started with a frog dissection. Today, they host the weekly program, The Focus Group, which got its start on SiriusXM Satellite Radio.

Website: www.FocusGroupRadio.com

Mayor Elaine Holmes joins John McMullen for a discussion about some of her most meaningful accomplishments during her twelve years on the Indio City Council and how she and her colleagues are addressing important needs for assistance by Indio business owners and residents alike in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Learn about programs the City of Indio is establishing to provide financial relief to struggling mom & pop businesses that have been in business since before March of 2020, including home-based Daycare operators. The mayor also discusses ways that the city is helping people in crisis at home because of rent and utilities.

For more information, visit the City of Indio's website: www.indio.org

John McMullen has a discussion with the President, CEO and Medical Director of the Coachella Valley and Inland Empire's blood bank. Dr. Rick Axelrod talks about the urgent need for blood donations in the region as Lifestream Blood Bank faces a crisis from reduced supply due to the Coronavirus cancelling many blood drive events.

Help save lives! Listen in and hear how you can be a hero even if you are unable to contribute your blood for health reasons.

For more information, visit: www.lstream.org

Eduardo Garcia, CA 56th District Assemblymember, talks with John about a Berkshire Hathaway venture to extract Lithium from the Salton Sea and about efforts underway to restore the sea and repair marine habitat, as well as the prospects for recreation to return to the Eastern Coachella Valley body of water. They also discuss the importance of and efforts underway to shore up education and technology infrastructure that would make the region extremely attractive to businesses that drive economic stability with a full four-year STEM-oriented university campus and gigabit bandwidth Valley-wide. Plus, the inequity issues that exist with getting vulnerable food workers and other labor groups priority for COVID protection with access to vaccinations, particularly amongst agriculture workers in the Eastern Coachella Valley.

United Cerebral Palsy of the Inland Empire will participate again in 2021 in the Tour de Palm Springs to raise money that pays for special bikes to serve their clients who live with a variety of disabilities, as well as other programs. Team Freedom 2021 hopes to raise $100,000 and will have 100+ people riding and walking to support their mission. CEO and President Greg Wetmore joins John McMullen to discuss the significant work the do for people with a wide variety of life-changing programs for youth and adults so they can experience life without limits. Learn about their participation in the ride/walk event and please help them raise their funding goal!

Website: www.ucpie.org

California Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia represents the Golden State's 56th District encompassing the Coachella Valley portion of Riverside County and Imperial County. He discusses issues that have plagued the state in the age of the Coronavirus, including $11 billion in unemployment fraud benefits paid and the difficulty of getting people to adhere to social distancing and stay-at-home orders to bring down local infection and fatality rates. He also talks about the impact of a new federal Administration with a much different approach to immigration, refugees, and border protection and its impact on California's agricultural rich Coachella and Imperial valleys.

If you are having problems with processing unemployment insurance claims or proving your identity for benefits, contact the Assemblymember's office. You will find contact information at his website:

https://a56.asmdc.org/

Jewish Family Service of the Desert has teamed up with DAP Health to serve Holocaust Survivors living in the Coachella Valley with COVID-19 vaccinations. Community Outreach Director for JFS Desert Julie Hirsh joins John McMullen to talk about this collaboration and about the mission and some other services provided by JFS.