News
Newly Appointed Indio Mayor Looks For Change
Indio native, Oscar Ortiz is now the mayor of his hometown.
Ortiz was appointed to serve another four-year term on the Indio City Council.
He grew up right here in the Coachella Valley, he’s an Indio High School alum… who went on to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Stanford University.
Ortiz says his work in pharmaceuticals is what initially sparked his interest in politics.
“I worked in pharmaceuticals. I worked in cannabis for a long time, and actually came to the city to talk about cannabis and see how we could bring new laws.” Ortiz says.
He returned to the valley looking for change.
“We had a lot of patients here that couldn’t get service. So we realized that we needed to speak up more, just bring new ideas to the city. And that’s why I started getting more involved politically.” Ortiz adds on why he initially got involved in politics.
Growing up in Indio, Ortiz’s family immigrated from Mexicali when he was just 3 years old… making the community his family, and now putting Indio’s residents first to make change.
“There’s a lot of people that helped me out here, that are helping us study these issues in our community, family, friends, teachers, you know, everybody’s kind of jumped in to help. So we’re all just kind of trying to figure out some of the toughest issues here for our city.”
As his second term serving on Indio’s City council, and first time as mayor, this new position means continuing Indio’s infrastructural work and growth.
“I think right now… is making sure that we complete these projects in the best way possible. We’ve also seen a lot more growth in the past four years. So we’re working on making sure that we have the right infrastructure, we’re making sure that we have, you know, housing for all of our workforce, and looking out for displacement as well and trying to help with those issues now.” Ortiz states.
But Mayor Ortiz is most excited to help bring life back into Indio’s downtown area, all to help Indio residents get best use out of their city.
“I’m just happy to be a representative here, happy to be a part of our community. This community has provided a lot of opportunities for me and my family. so it’s great to be able to give back and to be engaged with our community here.”
Ortiz says he’s just enjoying his position as mayor and councilmember, he says he’s got the next four years to focus on helping the city.
By: Tiani Jadulang
December 10, 2022
Latest Instagram Posts
Drop your thoughts in the comments 👇 #therogginreport #coachellavalley #localnews #explore #nbcpalmsprings
⚡️ TOP STORY: A man is recovering after he was struck by lightning. Firefighters battled a brush fire along Snow Creek Road, while another lightning strike in Chino Canyon sent a man to the hospital. If you hear thunder, stay indoors for at least 30 minutes after the last rumble. #PalmSprings #Lightning #FireSafety
🚨 Chasing that year-round “summer glow”? A social media tanning trend involving the unapproved peptide melanotan-2 is raising serious safety concerns. Dermatologists say safer sunless tanning options are available. ☀️ #YourHealthToday #SkinHealth #Melanotan2 #TanningSafety
Palm Springs firefighters responded Thursday to a report of a person struck by lightning in the Chino Canyon area. The person was transported to a hospital for medical treatment. Firefighters also responded to a palm tree fire in Chino Canyon that officials say was caused by an apparent lightning strike. NBC Palm Springs News Director David Reese is in the neighborhood tonight knocking on doors and trying to learn more about what happened. Did you see the lightning strike? Did you hear or see anything unusual? Do you know who was struck or have information that could help us understand what happened? We’d like to hear from you. Send us a DM here or contact NBC Palm Springs if you witnessed the incident or have information to share. #PalmSprings #ChinoCanyon #Lightning #PalmSpringsNews #NBCPalmSprings CoachellaValley BreakingNews
Fred Roggin’s response? Show us the receipts! #therogginreport #coachellavalley #localnews #explore #nbcpalmsprings
A $557k budget shortfall … so why do they need $11.3 million in new taxes? Are you voting Yes or No on Measure P? #therogginreport #measurep #localnews #coachellavalley #nbcpalmsprings
School board trustee wears “FAFO” shirt to court deposition. Drop your thoughts in the comments 👇🏽 #therogginreport #coachellavalley #localnews #explore #nbcpalmsprings
Estevan Figueroa of King’s Club Barbershop is giving back across the Coachella Valley — one haircut at a time. He and his team recently gave dozens of free haircuts to kids at the Boys and Girls Club in Cathedral City. Figueroa also provides clothing, essentials and encouragement to people in need. Inspired by lessons from his father, he’s now started a nonprofit to help even more people in the community. “Look good, feel good.” @barbercipactli Read the full story at NBCPalmSprings.com.
9 months. 5 deposition notices. 1 no-show. What is this official hiding under oath? Let us know what you think in the comments 👇 #therogginreport #jesusgonzalez #localnews #coachellavalley #nbcpalmsprings
Social Time with Thalia & Jerry