Water Management in Borrego Springs: The Role of the Watermaster

By: Sally Walsh At the center of our Borrego community are deep bonds to art. This has been a high performing arts season generating a strong sense of community pride and social connection through art. A successful art season boosts local businesses, benefits dining and hospitality, encourages philanthropy also supports tourism. Collectively our Borrego galleries have presented an excellent, engaging season of well attended shows. Highlighted by the 20th Anniversary Borrego Springs Plein Air Invitational. An astonishing show not only for the enormous attendance it generated and successful sales, but the breath taking quality of the artwork. Congratulations to the BAI team maintaining a high level of public engagement through the season.

Dedicated to Expanding Local Journalism and Digital Community Media FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BORREGO SPRINGS, Calif. — Ram Media Foundation, a federally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on strengthening community through media, has acquired the historic Borrego Sun , reinforcing its commitment to local journalism, public media access, and community storytelling in Borrego Springs and surrounding desert communities. Founded in 1949, the Borrego Sun has served as a local source of news for more than 75 years. Acquired in 1954 by Copley Press, the newspaper became part of San Diego’s broader media landscape while maintaining its strong local identity. Patrick Meehan purchased the Borrego Sun from Copley Press in 2016 and operated the newspaper until its acquisition by Ram Media Foundation. The newspaper’s legacy is also reflected in the Borrego Sun archives spanning from 1949 to the present, which were acquired by the San Diego History Center in February 2025 to help preserve the historical record of Borrego Springs and surrounding desert communities. “Local media plays a critical role in keeping communities connected and informed,” said Gabriel Wisdom of American Money Management, LLC. “We are honored to continue the legacy of Borrego Sun while expanding its reach through modern digital platforms that serve residents, visitors, and the greater desert region.” Wisdom, a general aviation pilot, and his wife Diana built an octagon-shaped vacation home adjacent to Borrego Valley Airport. Known locally as the “Borrego Pilot House,” the distinctive residence resembles a four-bladed propeller from the air and has become a recognizable visual landmark for pilots and aviation enthusiasts flying through or to the Borrego Valley. “Years ago, I read an article in the Borrego Sun explaining that Borrego Springs needed someone willing to build a non-commercial FM radio station licensed specifically to serve the community,” Wisdom said. “That idea eventually inspired the creation of KRAM 90.5 FM. It took nearly three years, numerous FCC engineering studies, environmental reviews, and considerable persistence, but today Ram Media Foundation owns and operates K-RAM 90.5, bringing KPBS Public Media to San Diego County’s isolated desert community.” “Preserving the historic Borrego Sun , expanding local journalism through modern digital platforms, and creating media and journalism apprenticeships for Borrego youth naturally aligns with the Ram Media Foundation’s initiatives of strengthening community through media, education, and public access to information,” Wisdom added. Digital media publisher Andrea McKenna, a full-time Borrego Springs resident, serves as Executive Director of Ram Media Foundation. Her online service, GoToBorregoSprings.com, has joined the Foundation’s media network as a companion community platform focused on events, culture, tourism, social media, and community information. Together, the platforms are expanding online access to local news, features, events, social media, and community information 24 hours a day. About Ram Media Foundation Ram Media Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to strengthening community through journalism, storytelling, public media access, education, social media, and creative communication. The Borrego Sun, GoToBorregoSprings.com and KRAM 90.5 FM are located at 730 Christmas Circle, Borrego Springs. Media Contact Andrea McKenna Executive Director 619-892-0393 Ram Media Foundation Andrea@rammediafoundation.org RamMedi a Foundation.org BorregoSun.com 

The desert nation built on joy and imagination.

New sign by artist John Richen is planned for installation before Borrego Days weekend 

La Casa del Zorro has named Borrego Springs local Tony Cecena as its new General Manager. A familiar face in the local hospitality industry, Tony brings more than two decades of hands-on experience and a deep understanding of the community he’s always called home. Cecena began his hospitality journey as a high school student working in guest services at La Casa del Zorro. Now, after 22 years at Borrego Springs Resort—rising through the ranks and managing multiple departments—he’s come full circle, returning to where it all started. In his own words, here’s what Tony shared about his background, vision, and commitment to Borrego Springs:

May 17, 2026 (Mount Laguna) — Star parties are back at Mount Laguna with the return of the Summer Visitors Program at the Mount Laguna Observatory. The public programs will be held on Saturday nights from 8 to 11 p.m., May 23 through August 15, with a special bonus mid-week viewing scheduled for Wednesday, August 12. Operated by the San Diego State University Department of Astronomy in partnership with the United States Forest Service, the outreach initiative has been connecting the public with the cosmos in various forms since the observatory’s dedication in 1968. According to Dr. Robert Quimby, MLO Director and Professor in the SDSU Department of Astronomy, each event will feature a public lecture at the Harrington Visitors Center. If weather permits, the lecture will be followed by direct stargazing through the observatory’s 0.5-meter (21-inch) Reginald Buller telescope. While MLO boasts larger instruments for deep-space science, the Buller telescope is specifically dedicated to instructional use and public outreach. Nestled in the Cleveland National Forest roughly 45 miles east of downtown San Diego, MLO sits at an elevation of 6,100 feet. The site is highly regarded by astronomers for its pristine dark skies, exceptional atmospheric conditions, and vital distance from city light pollution. Beyond its public outreach, MLO is a premier research and training facility. The mountain hosts an impressive array of cutting-edge technology, including the 1.25-meter Phillips Claud Telescope, which is used alongside the observatory’s 1.0-meter and 0.6-meter Clifford Smith telescopes to collect critical data on the age of and distance to star clusters. MLO also houses one of only two EvryScopes in the world. This specialized multi-camera array monitors the entire accessible sky simultaneously, making it an exceptional tool for detecting stellar activity and eclipsing binaries (co-orbiting star systems). Because the observatory is a functioning research station located in a rugged forest environment, organizers emphasize that safety and preparation are paramount for attendees. Visitors are advised to bring a small flashlight and park at the lower visitors parking lot located on Morris Ranch Road, follow the short trail from the parking lot to Observatory Road, and from there, look for the white dashes painted on the ground and follow them for a quarter-mile uphill to the Harrington Visitors Center. Note that visitors must remain on the designated road at all times. Morris Ranch Road is located off Sunrise Highway (S1) between mile markers 21.5 and 22, directly across from the Wooded Hill Campground sign. All stargazing events are weather-permitting. For daily operational updates, weather delays, or cancellations, visitors should call the observatory hotline at (619) 594-1415 before making the drive up the mountain.

A Fun Find in the Old Borrego Sun Boxes

Stuart Resor’s story showcases a harmonious blend of preserving history and embracing innovation, inspiring Borrego Springs and beyond.