John McMullen Show

A new study from the University of California-Irvine published in a science journal on Climate Change says that as the temperatures go up in the Coachella Valley, the number of days visitors and snowbirds spend in the desert could decrease by 150 percent. That could hit the region's economy particularly hard over the next several decades. Are there any solutions? Journalist Melissa Daniels joins John from the Desert Sun where she and her colleagues are reporting on this hot topic.

CalFire Captain Bennett Milloy discusses the latest details on the El Dorado Fire that was started over the Labor Day weekend by a family celebrating with a Gender Reveal Party in which a pyrotechnic device is ignited to reveal the gender of an expected new born. While it wasn't their intent to create a fire that would rapidly spread to more than 7,000 acres and require more than 600 firefighters, Capt. Milloy shares with John what investigators know for certain and says the blaze is only 16% contained. While it is more than fifty miles away, the smoke on top of high heat temperatures has created a substantial health threat to people in the Coachella Valley as it has formed a cocoon of unbreathable air over the entire desert cities region.

LGBTQ Pride is a major annual event in Palm Springs. In recent years, it has brought more than 150,000 people together in this international travel destination. But, the 2020 events being organized by Greater Palm Springs Pride are going to have to stay socially distanced and definitely take on some virtual attendance components. Ron De Harte is the President and CEO of the organization responsible for many LGBTQ events year-round in the desert and he talks with John about this years plans and the ways you can take part and continue to support the organization.

Jason Stuart has been entertaining audiences it seems forever. The Palm Springs resident expresses his gratitude to be a busy man still working on stage, on screen and several months ago he released his book, Shut Up, I'm Talking, available from Amazon.com. Has the comedian lost his sense of humor during this period of being shut-in and without any whoopie? Nope! John catches up with him on this edition of the John McMullen Show and there is plenty of laughter to go around!

Visit Jason Stuart's Website to check out his latest projects!

Laura James is Vice President of Innovation at the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership, where she and the rest of the lean, mean fighting machine that helps drive economic development in the region are working day and night to help business owners weather the storm that COVID-19 delivered with next to no warning. How are businesses in the Southern California Desert Cities adapting to conditions? What services and benefits are out there to help enterprises stay afloat until the marketplace recovers? How has this changed how business will operate forever forward? For people laid off or otherwise out of work who have ideas of their own to get into business, what advice is there to help them succeed? These and other questions are answered by Laura on this episode.

Kate Zenna is a Coachella Valley dynamo who is often running to Hollywood and working on TV and Film projects. She works on a variety of awe-inspiring ventures, and she is a zealous advocate for four-legged furry creatures who have vast amounts of love to share when they are placed with new homes and humans in her quest to save every dog she can. How has pet rescue gone in the age of the Coronavirus? Are more dogs and cats getting adopted from shelters than new ones making their way into them? What about once the pandemic threat is over - will people be inclined to abandon their rescued pets? Kate shares her perspective and her guidance for helping to put man's best friend in the right living situations on this edition of the John McMullen Show.

Erin Teran is working on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19. She is one of the heroes serving the community as a first responder at a local hospital. A lifelong resident of Indio, CA, Erin has been involved in her community in a number of ways throughout her life and has decided to challenge 1st District Councilman Glenn Miller, who has made a career of local and state politics, in the upcoming November 3rd election. Erin says it's time for a change that reflects the perspective and values of her district, which the incumbent has represented for the past dozen years.

Bruce Fessier spent four decades at the Desert Sun newspaper and became the Coachella Valley's Dean of Culture. He covered, met and cavorted with the most notable residents and visitors to the Greater Palm Springs region and has a treasure trove of stories that have kept people entertained and in awe over the years. He talks about Darryl Macdonald, who recently passed, and his huge role in developing the Palm Springs International Film Festival into the success it is today. Bruce and John also talk a little about Frank Sinatra and the closing of one of his favorite desert drinking and dining haunts. And, find out what Bruce has been up to since leaving the newspaper about 15 months ago.