Longtime La Quinta City Manager Dies While Hiking Bump And Grind Trail

RANCHO MIRAGE (CBS) —  Longtime La Quinta City Manager Thomas P. Genovese died Sunday while hiking on the Bump and Grind Trail in Rancho Mirage, a city spokeswoman said.

Cal Fire reported earlier today that one its helicopters was called at 7:45 a.m. to help an unconscious and unresponsive hiker who was 1 1/2 miles up the trail. A fire department spokeswoman said the hiker was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

"It's tragic," said La Quinta Mayor Don Adolph. "He's the captain of the ship."

Genovese was city manager when Adolph was first elected to the City Council about 19 years ago, he said.

Adolph said that Genovese was hiking with the city's finance director and other friends when he suffered an apparent heart attack.

"The City Council will be scheduling an emergency meeting to appoint an interim city manager and RDA executive director under the advice of the city attorney," said Andrea Carter, the public relations representative for the city.

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