Maribel's Chair Partners with Senior Center to Offer Free Haircuts for Local Seniors

By: Brice Weaver www.briceweaverphotography As I write this, I’m traveling home from Arles, France, after spending the past week participating in the Photo Folio Portfolio Reviews during Les Rencontres d’Arles, one of the world’s largest and most respected photography festivals.  For one week each summer, the historic city in southern France becomes a gathering place for photographers, curators, publishers, editors, gallery directors, and artists from around the world. Photography spills out of galleries and into churches, museums, former industrial buildings, courtyards, and public spaces. It feels less like a festival and more like a city-wide conversation. I traveled to Arles to present Evidence, a long-term photographic project exploring memory, environmental change, and the traces people leave behind in the landscape. The work brings together photographs made at California’s Salton Sea, in Patagonia, and throughout Southern California. Getting there was the culmination of months of preparation. Photographs were selected, removed, rearranged, printed, and reconsidered. Like many photographers, I spend most of my time working alone. Arles is the opposite of that experience. Suddenly, you’re surrounded by people from dozens of countries, all there because photography matters to them. The portfolio reviews took place over five days. Each meeting lasted just twenty minutes, but those twenty minutes moved quickly. Some conversations focused on environmental themes. Others centered on publishing, exhibitions, sequencing, or the future of the project. Some people responded strongly to Evidence as a complete body of work, while others became interested in one particular chapter and wanted to spend most of our time discussing it. What became clear very quickly was that there was no single way to read the project. Different people saw different things in the same photographs. At times the conversations confirmed ideas I already had. At other times they took the work in directions I hadn’t considered. By the end of the week, I had pages of notes and plenty to think about on the flight home. One thing I appreciated was that the discussions rarely stayed focused on photography alone. Conversations often expanded into larger subjects: environmental change, memory, history, the passage of time, and the complicated relationship between people and the places they inhabit. Between reviews, I spent as much time as possible exploring the festival. Arles is forever associated with Vincent van Gogh, who moved there in 1888 and produced some of the most important work of his career. More than a century later, artists are still making the journey. Walking through the city, it wasn’t difficult to understand why. The light is extraordinary, and creativity seems woven into everyday life. The exhibitions themselves were remarkable. One might be housed inside a centuries-old church, while another occupied a former warehouse or industrial building. In a single afternoon, it was possible to move from contemporary photography addressing climate change or migration to Roman artifacts that had survived for nearly two thousand years. At one museum, a cat slept quietly among the visitors and ancient stonework, completely unfazed by the steady stream of people passing through. The city was filled with photographers carrying portfolios through narrow streets between review sessions and exhibitions. Conversations started in galleries and continued in cafés. Everywhere I went, people were exchanging ideas, discussing projects, debating books, and sharing experiences. Coming from Borrego Springs, I couldn’t help noticing how often the subjects being discussed in France felt familiar. Landscape. Water. Environmental change. Human impact. Memory. The locations were different, but many of the questions were the same. That felt especially relevant given the origins of Evidence. Much of the project grew from places close to home, particularly the Salton Sea and the changing landscapes of Southern California. Seeing those photographs spark conversations with people from different countries and backgrounds was one of the most rewarding parts of the experience. As the week came to an end, photographers were still moving through the city with portfolios tucked under their arms, heading toward another exhibition, another review, or another conversation. A few hours later, I was on a train leaving Arles, carrying home a notebook full of ideas, new professional connections, and a renewed appreciation for the role photography can play in connecting people and places that might otherwise never meet. For a photographer from a small desert community, it was a week I won’t soon forget.

The inaugural issue highlights the stories, people and experiences that make Rams Hill and Borrego Springs a truly unique destination. 

Providing temporary cooling units while residents repair their air conditioning systems or explore HVAC financing options.

Through the Borrego Sun Youth Internship Program, Mia Garcia is learning how to tell community stories while building confidence, communication skills, and real-world media experience.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE $10,000 awarded to seven Borrego Springs students pursuing health and wellness careers. Functionally Fit for Life has awarded $10,000 in scholarships to seven Borrego Springs students pursuing careers dedicated to improving the health and well-being of others. Through a partnership with the Borrego Valley Endowment Fund (BVEF) , which served as fiscal sponsor and administrator of the scholarship program, 100 percent of donated funds were distributed directly to scholarship recipients. BVEF waived all administrative fees, ensuring every dollar raised supported local students. Originally established to support students pursuing degrees and careers in kinesiology, exercise science, and nutrition, the scholarship program expanded this year to recognize the strong interest among Borrego students pursuing careers in healthcare. As a result, two scholarship categories were created. Category 1: Kinesiology, Exercise Science, and Nutrition Scholarships ($2,000 each) This year's recipients are: Peter Rodriguez , who recently completed his sophomore year at Palomar College and is pursuing a degree in kinesiology with plans to attend physical therapy school. Angel Vilchis , who earned an associate degree in University Studies in Health and Fitness from Palomar College and plans to transfer to California State University San Marcos to complete a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and pursue a career in physical therapy. Christopher Alcaraz Arias , a recent Borrego Springs High School graduate who plans to attend Palomar College and pursue a degree in kinesiology with the goal of becoming an athletic trainer. Category 2: Healthcare Career Scholarships ($1,000 each) This year's recipients are: Abigail Gonzalez , who completed her freshman year at Chico State University and is completing prerequisite coursework for admission to the university's nursing program. Anavey Gonzalez , a recent Borrego Springs High School graduate who plans to attend California State University Fullerton and pursue a career as an MRI technician. Lylamae Gutierrez , who recently graduated from Borrego Springs High School and is enrolled at Mt. San Jacinto College pursuing a nursing degree. Evelyn Cordova , who recently graduated from Borrego Springs High School and is enrolled at Mt. San Jacinto College studying diagnostic medical sonography. “All seven recipients have chosen a career in which they will have significant positive impacts on people’s lives—physically, mentally and emotionally—and I am thrilled we were able to support them in the pursuit of their dreams,” said Mike Puzzo, founder of Functionally Fit for Life. “What makes philanthropy so meaningful is that it allows a community to invest directly in the dreams, ambitions, and futures of its people,” said Anna ABatzoglou, Executive Director of the Borrego Valley Endowment Fund. “Scholarships like these send a powerful message to students: we see your hard work, we're proud of what you've accomplished, and we're rooting for your success. We're grateful to Functionally Fit for Life for making this opportunity possible and honored to help support these students as they pursue their education and career goals." About Functionally Fit for Life Functionally Fit for Life is dedicated to promoting health, fitness, and wellness while supporting educational opportunities for students pursuing careers in kinesiology, exercise science, nutrition, healthcare, and related fields. About the Borrego Valley Endowment Fund The Borrego Valley Endowment Fund is a community foundation dedicated to improving the quality of life in Borrego Springs through philanthropy, healthcare access, community investment, and strategic partnerships that strengthen the future of the community Learn More Community members interested in learning more about future philanthropic opportunities that support Borrego Springs, are encouraged to contact the Borrego Valley Endowment Fund at info@bvefund.org or at (760)-315-8330.