June 2026 Newsletter
Welcome to our June newsletter! Investigation leads to changes at local non-profit, Palm Springs Life wins awards, alternative media convention coming to the valley and CVJF gets a new board member. Here’s what happened this month. Let us know if you have any feedback by emailing [email protected].
Guide Dogs of the Desert announces leadership changes in the wake of news investigation funded by CVJF
Photo Credit: CV Independent
Last month, we told you about CVJF’s first investigative reporting grant, a $5,000 award that went to The Palm Springs Post and the Coachella Valley Independent. Together, the two news organizations looked into safety, leadership, and financial concerns at the non-profit Guide Dogs of the Desert.
The results of their six-month investigation were published in late April. Earlier this month, Guide Dogs of the Desert announced a number of leadership changes. The outgoing board chairman, Richard Clapp, did not attribute the changes to the joint investigation, saying instead they are a response to the need to update the organization’s leadership structure.
Coachella Valley Independent to host alternative media convention in July
The Coachella Valley Independent has scored a coup for the Valley. It is the host publication of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia’s annual convention on July 9 and 10 at the Thompson Palm Springs Hotel.
Formally known as AAN, the organization supports “local, independent media that is authentic, accountable and affirming for the communities they serve,” according to its website.
CVJF is showing its support by sponsoring its awards event and providing reduced registration rates for local journalists to attend. More details on the convention are available here: 2026 AAN Conference - Palm Springs, Calif.
For Valley journalists or organizations that would like to attend, CVJF has provided AAN with a stiped to cover admission costs up to $2,500. Individuals interested in receiving the free registration should contact the Independent’s editor and publisher, Jimmy Boegle, at [email protected].
Palm Springs Life wins magazine association’s top award
Palm Springs Life has received one of the highest honors in regional publishing – a General Excellence Award from the City & Regional Magazine Association. The award was presented at the association’s annual conference in New Orleans on June 1.
“This recognition is especially meaningful because regional magazines play such an important role in documenting the character of a place,” said Emily Chavous Foster, editor-in-chief of Palm Springs Life. “Palm Springs Life has always sought to celebrate not only the beauty and glamour of the desert, but also the people, culture, architecture, and stories that give this community its identity. We’re incredibly honored to see that work recognized on a national stage.”
In selecting Palm Springs Life, judges praised the magazine’s distinctive editorial voice and its celebration of desert living. “Palm Springs Life brings life to the desert with an appreciation for the architecture, setting and Old Hollywood glamour,” they wrote.
CVJF proudly honors Larry Bohannan with a retirement reception
CVJF was delighted to host a retirement reception for Larry Bohannan at The Desert Sun’s new offices on El Paseo in Palm Desert on May 17. The legendary golf writer called it a career after chronicling the sport in the Valley and elsewhere for nearly four decades.
Dozens of colleagues gathered to bid Bohannan well into retirement. Former Desert Sun reporter Denise Goolsby, who now works for the City of Palm Springs, read a proclamation declaring May 17 as Larry Bohannan Day. Photographer Andy Abeyta presented Bohannan with a sign taken from the American Express golf tournament, which renamed its media center in Bohannan’s honor.
In his farewell column, Bohannan thanked the readers who supported his career. “Trust me, friends, it has been a blast,” he wrote.
Welcome Laurilie Jackson to CVJF Board
Laurilie Jackson, a longtime journalism educator and broadcast news veteran, is the newest member of the CVJF Board of Directors.
A 2025 inductee into the Coachella Valley Media Hall of Fame, Laurilie is a well-regarded media professional and educator. She is an associate professor at College of the Desert, where she leads the Media Department, a guest lecturer at California State University, San Bernardino, and a fill-in anchor and reporter at KESQ News Channel 3.
Laurilie holds degrees in sociology and communication, as well as a master's degree in broadcast journalism. Her early career included internships at KNBC Los Angeles, CNN Hollywood, Larry King Live, and Entertainment Tonight. Before arriving in Palm Springs, she worked as a production assistant at Universal Studios Florida, a weekend reporter for WAVY News in Virginia, and a national newscast anchor for the Family Network.
Stars align for Bruce Fessier tribute on Palm Springs Walk of Stars
In March, it was veteran KESQ anchor Karen Devine who was honored with a star on the Palm Springs Walk of the Stars. Now, it appears to be Bruce Fessier’s turn. Fans of the longtime arts and entertainment reporter, formerly of The Desert Sun, are collecting donations to honor Bruce with a star in January 2027.
“A star on the Palm Springs Walk of the Stars would be a fitting tribute to a man who has spent his career celebrating the people, events, and stories that make our community special,” Mary Bono, the former U.S. Congress member who represented Palm Springs, wrote in one fundraising letter.
Both Bruce and Karen were members of the inaugural Coachella Valley Media Hall of Fame class in 2024.
ProPublica to establish investigative ‘hub’ in California
ProPublica, the national nonprofit news organization known for its investigative journalism, is establishing its sixth regional hub – this time in California. They are currently hiring an editor and four reporters to work on “revelatory, important stories and projects that tell the story of California.”
Charles Ornstein, ProPublica’s managing editor/local news, wrote on Linked In: “What happens in the state often affects the country as a whole. And it’s a hub for many of the issues we care about: tech, climate change, immigration, homelessness and more.”
Rebuild Local News to hire a California coordinator to advance legislative goals
Rebuild Local News, a coalition of civic-minded organizations advocating for public policies aimed at replenishing the ranks of local journalists, is hiring a coordinator to advance its interests in California. Specifically, Rebuild Local News is focused on passing AB 2222, the Community NEWS Act, which would establish a refundable tax credit for the retention and hiring of local reporters. The coordinator also would be responsible for developing and advancing legislative proposals for Rebuild Local News over multiple years.
Save the Date for the Media Hall of Fame!
You’ll want to save the date for the next Coachella Valley Media Hall of Fame. The luncheon ceremony will take place on Monday, Jan. 25, 2027, at the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa. We’re excited about it! Details to come.
Randy Lovely, Board President Coachella Valley Journalism Foundation