Welcome to 5 Things to Know – a daily rundown of things you might want to be aware of if you live in, visit, or just like being aware about what’s going on in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley. As always, thank you for your continued support of Cactus Hugs.

1) The Coronavirus

Riverside County reported 433 new cases and 4 new reported deaths since Thursday. There have been 1,400 reported deaths from coronavirus this year in Riverside County.

Here is the latest on what’s going on in the desert:

…as the new-case rate continues to accelerate, the number of reported recoveries is flat at best.

I’m not sure why, but I can’t help wondering if the contact tracers might be having trouble keeping up with the onslaught… (2/4) pic.twitter.com/EVs5OqIqv5

— Kevin Duncliffe (@kevinduncliffe) November 20, 2020

…and we saw another double-digit death toll this week. More cases, alas, mean more deaths. (4/4) pic.twitter.com/YYQOhs09AK

— Kevin Duncliffe (@kevinduncliffe) November 20, 2020

More:

• California reported 13,005 new coronavirus cases on Friday, shattering the previous record for the highest number cases in a single day in the state.
• The state of California has imposed a “limited stay-at-home order” which includes a 10 pm – 5 am curfew for counties in the purple tier.  This includes Riverside County.  The Desert Sun has a roundup of how local cities are handling the curfew as well as the county, where the sheriff has decided he won’t enforce the curfew and can apparantly choose which things he wants to enforce and which he does not…which is odd, since the department did enforce the curfew imposed during the protests just a few months back.

• Nationally, things are going from really bad to worse:

It’s so sad. And it’s getting worse. I know many have coronavirus fatigue but this is no time to let up. The Johns Hopkins University reports 187,833 U.S. Covid-19 cases yesterday and 2,015 Americans died from the virus yesterday. Please be safe. Wear a mask and social distance.

— Wolf Blitzer (@wolfblitzer) November 20, 2020

Donald Trump Jr. adds to dozens of people associated with US president who have been infected by the coronavirus, including Trump himself.

Some aides have been more ill than they’ve let on, with rapid weight loss.

Scoop by @tylerpager @MarioDParker, me.https://t.co/TFnruDKneH

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) November 20, 2020

Here's what an ER doc told me about Thanksgiving when I asked yesterday: pic.twitter.com/nlNgbD7jFf

— Charlie Warzel (@cwarzel) November 20, 2020

Be safe.  Wear a mask. 

2) There’s an actual event happening in the Coachella Valley this weekend

The pandemic has forced the cancellation of just about every event in California since mid-March, but there is one taking place this weekend in the desert as the McCormick car sale is taking place Friday – Sunday.  The event is being held on the empty land next to the convention center in Palm Springs.  Organizers say masks are required and the Desert Sun details the other safety measures in place.

3) Well, this is nice

Over 500 seniors in Indio will be given pumpkin and apple pies on Monday as part of the Indio Senior Center’s first Thanksgiving Pie Giveaway. Staff members from the Indio Teen Center will help hand out 520 of the sweet treats to adults 55 and over, in a drive-through giveaway at the Senior Center from 8 – 10 am.

The Senior Center’s annual Thanksgiving feast is an opportunity for those who are not able to spend it with family members, celebrate the holiday with their Senior Center families.  Unfortunately because of COVID restrictions, the traditional Senior Center feast won’t be held this year.

Donations from community members, as well as Vallarta Market, helped fund the giveaway. 

4) Have yourself some delicious In-N-Out Burger stuffing

It’s the last time Cactus Hugs is posting updates before Thanksgiving, so i just wanted to be sure to pass along my favorite side dish recipe – which I think you’ll like because it’s crazy easy and delicious, plus, it’s made mostly of In-N-Out burgers, which you already know are tasty.

You can grab the recipe here and, should you decide to try it, remember to grab your burgers by Wednesday, as In-N-Out is closed on Turkey Day

5) Gift Guide: Day 5

What the??  It’s already time to start shopping for the holidays!…even though it was 90 freakin’ degrees today in the Coachella Valley!  2020 is quite a year.   Over the next couple of weeks, Cactus Hugs will feature a few items you might want to pick up for yourself or as a gift for a loved one.  Some items will include affiliate links, which would mean that Cactus Hugs gets a small commission if you happen to buy something, but the price is still the same.

Booze.

I was just going to leave it at the one word above, but I will add this: Seriously, so long as the gift recipient at least occasionally partakes in a drink or two, you can’t go wrong with a bottle of something they enjoy.  But, and this is important, don’t guess.  Try to give them what they enjoy – whether that’s the hard stuff, wine, beer, absinthe, or whatever else people are drinking these days.  And, if not, even if you guess wrong, well at the very least they have something they can quietly regift to someone else because surely someone will want to enjoy what’s in that bottle at some point, amirite?

Stay safe.  Stay smart.  Practice Social Distancing.  Wear a mask.  

Have a great Thanksgiving!

💚🌵