Erica Felci, The Desert Sun

Erica Felci

The Desert Sun

Palm Springs, CA, United States

Contact Erica

Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.

Start free trial

Recent:
  • Unknown
Past:
  • The Desert Sun

Past articles by Erica:

Rancho Mirage council candidate Charles Townsend Vinci gets death threat

Rancho Mirage council candidate Charles Townsend Vinci said he received a death threat last week, but he has not asked police to investigate. Vinci told The Desert Sun that the person called his cell phone — a number that is given to a limited number of people – and referenced his longtime partner Gordon Moller, a councilman who died in October 2012. When Vinci told the caller Moller passed away,… → Read More

Export-import bank: Not a stronger brand than 'Made in USA'

Arguing that exporting products globally can help create jobs at home, the head of the Export-Import Bank of the United States on Tuesday urged small and medium businesses to think beyond geographic scope of the Coachella Valley. → Read More

California Assembly names new Assembly speaker

The California Assembly on Monday formally chose Assembly Majority Leader Toni Atkins as its next speaker. The San Diego Democrat succeeds Speaker John Perez, a Los Angeles Democrat. In floor speeches, her colleagues noted that she is the third woman to hold the post. She also is the first openly gay woman to take the position, following Perez, who made history as the first openly gay man to serve… → Read More

Rebecca Spencer to fill in as registrar once again

As Rancho Mirage voters begin casting the first votes in the city's divisive council elections, Riverside County's election division is undergoing a change in leadership. Assistant Registrar of Voters Rebecca Spencer on Friday took over as interim registrar, filling the vacancy created by Registrar Kari Verjil's retirement. → Read More

Pinyon Pines killings: Grand jury witness list released

The grand jury that indicted two men this week in the 2006 triple homicide in Pinyon Pines heard from as many as 23 witnesses, including the suspects, relatives of the victims and criminal investigators. → Read More

Desert Hot Springs considers creating parks department

Despite a regional agency's recommendation that the Desert Recreation District provide services for cash-strapped Desert Hot Springs, city leaders next month will start discussing the feasibility of creating their own community services or parks department. → Read More

Tribal support backing Manuel V. Pérez over John Benoit

Democrats have a reputation for relying on labor unions for their fundraising efforts. But as Assemblyman V. Manuel Pérez builds support for his bid to unseat Riverside County Supervisor John Benoit, the Coachella Democrat seems to be banking on big interest — and big investments — from tribal leaders. → Read More

June ballot gets finalized today

There’s just hours left before candidates have to file the paperwork for the June primary election. And plenty of expected candidates are pushing it down to the wire. The update released Thursday night by the Riverside County registrar showed Republican congressional contender Brian Nestande, Democratic county supervisor candidate V. Manuel Perez, and Republican Assembly hopeful Chad Mayes were… → Read More

Political Insider: Cathedral City race might be one to watch

City Council races in Cathedral City haven't been among the 2014 campaigns that Republicans and Democrats tout when they talk about where they'll invest their time, money and manpower. → Read More

Congressman Ruiz to tour Desert Arc

U.S. Rep. Raul Ruiz on Tuesday morning will tour Desert Arc, a non-profit that helps about 600 developmentally disabled adults from across the Coachella Valley and high desert. → Read More

Scott Miller drops out of 42nd Assembly race

After failing to gain as much momentum on the campaign trail as his fellow Republicans, San Jacinto Councilman Scott Miller has decided to bow out of the race for the 42nd Assembly District. → Read More

Brian Nestande bill targets scourge of metal thefts

State Assemblyman Brian Nestande on Tuesday will unveil a plan to fund law enforcement programs that crack down on metal theft. → Read More

Gov. Jerry Brown stops in Coachella Valley, meets with King Abdullah

Gov. Jerry Brown was in the Coachella Valley this morning to meet with King Abdullah II of Jordan. Brown’s visit was not previously announced. And it came just hours before Brown is supposed to be in Fresno to greet President Obama, who will later head to Rancho Mirage for a meeting with the king. An aide at Brown’s office told The Desert Sun that the governor and Abdullah discussed the drought,… → Read More

Obama holds talks with Jordan's king seeking to reinforce key alliance

President Obama arrived Friday evening at the Sunnylands Estate in Rancho Mirage. His motorcade arrived at the Annenberg retreat at 7:34 p.m., about 30 minutes after Air Force One landed at Palm Springs International Airport. → Read More

Obama and Abdullah visit to Sunnylands mixes business, relaxation

There’s just one day to go before President Obama arrives in the Coachella Valley for his meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan, but very little is known about this visit. Both the king and the president have been in Washington most of the week, but are instead travelling across the country to have dinner Friday at the Sunnylands estate in Rancho Mirage. The travel plans raised questions Wednesday… → Read More

Road closures begin Friday for Obama return to Sunnylands

Palm Springs announced on Thursday more road closures and detours that start Friday for President Barack Obama's visit to the Coachella Valley. → Read More

Middle East peace talks subject of Obama's return to Sunnylands

With a spring deadline for Middle East peace looming and the ongoing civil war in Syria forcing hundreds of thousands to flee, President Obama and King Abdullah II of Jordan on Friday will use the privacy afforded by Sunnylands' famed pink walls to have frank discussions on some of these thorny political topics. → Read More

No fanfare for Obama's upcoming Sunnylands visit

With many expecting President Obama's desert visit to include tight security measures and limited public participation, local Democrats have decided not to attempt any big welcome events. → Read More

Who were the big donors at the Koch conference?

Mother Jones has obtained a confidential memo from the big-donor confab that billionaire Koch brothers held in Indian Wells last month. For this year’s event, the Kochs returned to the Renaissance Esmeralda resort, which closed the public out of its restaurant and other amenities to protect the conference’s privacy. “The more than 40 donors courted by the Kochs include hedge fund and private-equity… → Read More

DATABASE: How much do public retirees in the Coachella Valley make?

Below you can search more than 1,500 retirees and their beneficiaries to see how much they receive each year. The numbers are a gross annual estimate based on monthly snapshots provided by CalPERS. → Read More