LBIndy 10.18.24 by Times Media Group

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Homegrown Heroes

Surfers Honored for Daring Rescue

BY LB INDY STAFF

The California Surf Lifesaving Association recently honored Laguna Beach High surfers Jude Young and Merrick Velmure with the Meritorious Act Award for their Oct. 15, 2023 rescue of a family of three struggling in a rip current around 150 yards offshore at St. Anne’s Beach in Laguna Beach.

“We anticipate bravery and quickthinking from our professional ocean lifeguards, but when civilians step up and perform life-saving actions, it is a particular honor to recognize their heroism and selfless commitment to their community,” said Gus Avila, president of the CSLSA. “These award recipients embody courage despite great personal risk, and their actions are both inspirational and worthy of recognition.”

Recognizing danger and acting

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THIS

immediately, the pair used techniques they learned as members of the Laguna Beach High School Surf Team to bring the family safely to shore.

These acts of heroism, along with several other area heroes, were

recognized in a presentation during the CSLSA’s Fall Board of Directors meeting held on Oct. 10 at the San Clemente Community Center. The event was hosted by the San Clemente Surf Life Saving Association (SCLSA).

QUESTION:

THOMAS P. DAVIS, APC (Tom) is pleased to announce that he has joined Anderson Law Group (Nicole Anderson) as of counsel to the firm. He will continue to handle litigation and transactional matters, including business formation, real estate and business contract review, contract negotiations, and litigation management and avoidance. The firm also serves as outside general corporate counsel on behalf of for-profit and non-profit organizations.

N. Coast Highway, Ste. 10 • Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Laguna Beach residents Jude Young (left) and Merrick Vellmure (right) were recently honored with the CSLA “Meritorious Act” award for their rescue of a family in 2023.

Photo courtesy of Bob Moore

TOWN CRIER

IN AND AROUND LAGUNA BEACH

AAUW to host its annual Literary Luncheon at Dana Point Yacht Club

The American Association of University Women Laguna Beach Branch will hold its annual Literary Luncheon this Sunday, Oct. 20 at the Dana Point Yacht Club. The luncheon is the branch’s primary fundraiser, providing scholarships to deserving girls and women. Speakers at this year’s luncheon will be three California women authors: Belinda Huijuan Tang, “A Map for the Missing;” Mansi Shah, “A Good Indian Girl,” and Rufi Thorpe, “Margo’s Got Money Troubles.” Two scholarship recipients will also speak, discussing the scholarships’ impact on their lives. The event begins at 10:30 a.m. with a silent auction, a no-host bar, book sales, and a meet-and-greet book signing with the authors. To purchase tickets, visit lagunabeach-ca.aauw.net. For more info, email fblagunabeach@gmail.com.

Interested in Publishing Your Novel or Memoir?

On Oct. 29 at 4 p.m., novelist and short story writer Randy Kraft will facilitate a free panel at the Susi Q Center, 380 Third Street, featuring three independently (self) published authors. They’ll discuss the pros and cons of this approach and suggest how writers can decide on the best option to suit their material, budget and objectives.

Panelist and author Deborah Gaal has published two novels under her

Celebrating the Art of the Bike

(Continued from page 1)

BY SHARON STELLO | LB INDY

Laguna Beach is home to mountain biking legends, biking clubs for kids and adults, top-rated trails, plenty of road biking opportunities and established bike shops and brands, so it makes perfect sense to have a celebration dedicated to the sport in this town. After three years of planning, it’s finally coming to fruition this fall when the Laguna Bicycle Festival descends on the Festival of Arts grounds Oct. 2527.

“We have so much history in Laguna,” said Blair “Air Blair” Liggatt, festival founder and director, mentioning greats like Troy Lee and the Crankbrothers brand.

best-of-show awards to be determined by judges; plus, attendees may vote for a fan favorite. And wander through the trade show and expo featuring some of the top manufacturers of bikes for riding on road, gravel and mountain terrain as well as BMX and e-bikes. Then be wowed by live stunt shows featuring professional athletes performing tricks on BMX bikes. Festival guests will also have the opportunity to try out demo bikes, ride the course and join one of many biking clinics—for all ages and riding levels—led by professional coaches and athletes.

own imprint. Synchronicities on the Avenue of the Saints won Writer’s Digest First Place for Self-Published Mainstream/Literary Fiction in 2022.

Rebecca Lyles’ book – From the Errors of Others – is a collection of short, humorous essays. She published the book with a vanity press to guide her and handle the intricacies of the business.

Pamela Knudsen published her illustrated children’s book with a hybrid publisher to share resources and secure marketing support.

Facilitator Randy Kraft, a retired journalist and former communications strategist, has published three novels and one collection of short stories and is at work on another.

• see CRIER page 30

Liggatt hopes to make the festival an annual staple in town. “We have been overwhelmed with response from all over the world,” he said of support for the inaugural event. Liggatt’s vision is to celebrate the biking lifestyle for pros and beginners alike while also supporting local bike shops and raising money for charities including All Kids Bike, Ride 4 Autism, the Grow Cycling Foundation and Laguna Canyon Riders, a local youth mountain biking team for which Liggatt is a coach and board member. Proceeds from a silent auction and raﬄe during the event will benefit these organizations.

Festival attendees will have plenty to peruse over three days. Check out the Evolution of the Bicycle showcase, a museum-style display of bikes from all eras highlighting the innovation and design of bicycles and how they have changed through history. “We want to showcase the art of the bicycle,” Liggatt said. An exhibit of beautiful bikes from vintage to BMX and custom-built designs will also be competing for

Food and craft beer will be available for purchase and the Laguna Beach Fire Department will put on a pancake breakfast. The festival soundtrack will be provided by bands including the Tijuana Dogs, Corday, Lousy Little Gods and local musicians Ethan Staus and Pilot Touhill, all performing live during the event. Other entertainment includes unicycle and acrobat performers, a penny farthing (vintage high-wheeler) bike race on opening day and adult tricycle races on 29-inch custom trikes.

Additionally, the festival will present some of the best bicycle documentaries and short films in the on-site Forum Theater, where attendees can also find guest speakers and Q&A sessions with athletes from the bike industry on leadership, life coaching and bicycle travel adventures.

Live podcast interviews will take place daily with favorite bicycle athletes and stars from the past and present on the podcast stage. And festival attendees will also have the chance to

Novelist and short story writer Randy Kraft will facilitate a free panel at the Susi Q Center, 380 Third Street, featuring three independently (self) published authors on Oct. 29. Photo courtesy of Randy Kraft

Reply to LTE from Roger Owens

Mr. Owens says the right is as responsible for antisemitism as the Left. What proof does he offer? None. No mainstream Republican supports antisemitism, and to his credit, in his last paragraph, he concludes that antisemitism is a problem after basically saying the college presidents who tolerated actual antisemitism were forced to resign by a Republican congressperson. They couldn’t answer a simple question about whether antisemitism is ever acceptable. They could not simply say no. I guess all the college presidents who testified were right-wingers. I think members of the squad who support Hamas were just being even-handed about people who murdered Jewish people on Oct 7, 2023, including babies, women and children. Clearly, he wants to avoid dealing with these key groups who are members of the left. All the elite

D ue to printing logist i cs, ho me delivery of t h e paper for next week wi l l take place on Saturday, Octo ber 26th.

B ul k copies will be ava il ab l e at our more than 100 locations on Friday a s usual.

V I E W THE FULL ISSUE OF THE INDY ONLINE AT LAGUNABEACHIND Y.COM

school presidents were apologists for antisemitism by using the dodge of evaluating the “context” of antisemitic statements and never getting around to condemning those statements. All these people were in positions of power where they could have acted and did not. Now, what seems to bother Mr. Owens is that Congressperson Elise Stefanik, a Trump supporter, got them to admit they could not answer a simple question about whether antisemitism is ever acceptable. Thus, they, at a minimum, tolerated antisemitism. They lost the support and confidence of their donors and alums, who expected them to stand for the rights of their Jewish students to simply attend class without

being singled out for harassment. They lost their moral compass and paid the price.

Emil Monda, Laguna Beach

Sorry To Disagree

School board member James Kelly makes some absurd claims, takes quotes out of context, and mischaracterizes the Sept. 26 LBUSD study session on the high school pool modernization, in my opinion. It seems he does this ostensibly to discredit Sensible Laguna. One would hope that an elected official sitting on the dias of a board that spends 26% of our property taxes would

CITY HALL MEETINGS: Oct. 21 - Heritage Committee at 6 p.m. | Oct. 21 - Environmental Sustainablity Committee at 6 p.m.

HOW TO CONTACT THE CITY COUNCIL:

Sue Kempf Mayor skempf@ lagunabeachcity.net

Alex Rounaghi MayorProTem arounaghi@ lagunabeachcity.net

George Weiss Council member gweiss@ lagunabeachcity.net

Bob Whalen Council member bwhalen@ lagunabeachcity.net

Mark Orgill Council member morgill@ lagunabeachcity.net

Ann Marie McKay CityClerk amckay@ lagunabeachcity.net

• see LETTERS page 14

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An Open Letter To City Council Candidate Bob Whalen

Dear Councilman Whalen:

Please know that your 12 years of service to our city is much appreciated.

Over that time, you served as Mayor five times and Mayor Pro Tem twice. You played a huge role in the shaping of our city. As you run for your fourth term it seems appropriate to review your performance as a fiduciary of the city’s finances.

Since the City doesn’t provide the public objective data, citizens must conduct their own research to determine how officials’ decisions have impacted residents. In summary, here is your report card based on this research.

Resident financial analysts have labeled you a Profligate Spender.

Here’s why:

The city’s budget went from

spending $66.2M (full time staff of 249.375 in FY 2012/13) to $137.4M (full time staff of 336.681 in FY 23/24), while our population has decreased by over 900.

During your 12 years, the Consumer Price Index has increased approximately 36%yet the city's spending has ballooned by over 107%.

Your voting history reflects unilateral support for more staffing, increases in salaries, benefits, and bonuses for staff and management.

Your efforts to underground Laguna Canyon Road raised our fire risk rating to high, causing insurance rates to soar.

Your promotion of tourism and the city’s 170+ liquor licenses have resulted in the highest number of DUIs per capita for the 103 cities our size in the state. Due to overtourism, our

police services costs ($1,105 per capita) are the most expensive in Orange County –yet per capita, Laguna has been rated the third worst city in OC for violent crime.

Residents now subsidize tourism management costs of $30M+ annually, but over your 12 years of supporting tourism, you have done little to solve these problems.

City land acquisitions, such as Ti Amo and St. Catherine’s, have cost taxpayers $30M+, but residents have seen almost no benefits from these acquisitions.

The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior, so it is very likely you will continue to spend taxpayer money without any limits.

I urge voters to keep these facts in mind when considering whether to reelect you.

Paid for by Chris Catsimanes, a private individual

schools & sports

FALL SPORTS UPDATE

CROSS COUNTY

Laguna teams ran in the Clovis Invitational last weekend at the State CIF Championship course at Woodward Park in Fresno. The boys finished 182 out of 237 teams running in the event, with Zachary Menter leading the Laguna contingent, recording a 17:32.4 mark for the 5K run. Laguna Girls won their division and finished 73 out of 207 teams. Hayden Joseph was the top girls performer for Laguna with a 19:30 time for the 5K run. Karina Pitz, Hayleigh Martino, Lisette Zingale and Ella Volpe rounded out the top five for the Breakers. The league finals will be on Nov. 6. For more information, visit lbxc.org for girls team info and lagunabeachcrosscountry.com for boys.

FLAG FOOTBALL (6-11, 4-9)

Laguna recently split a pair of

games in league play, starting with a tough 13-6 loss to University (11-8, 8-5) on Oct. 9 at the Trojan’s field. Lakelynn Welch had 79 yards on seven catches and had an interception on defense for the Breakers. On Oct. 14 at Portola, the Breakers stopped the Bulldogs with a goal-line defense in the final minute to preserve a 1413 win. Kayleigh Thomas had seven catches for 119 yards, two TDs and one interception. Hayden CraneHenning was 14-23-1 for 162 yards, two touchdown passes, and an interception on defense.

The season concluded against Irvine on Oct. 16.

FOOTBALL (7-0, 2-0)

Laguna’s defense completely shut down the Barons, handing Fountain Valley its worst loss of the season 507, in a contest played last Friday night at Guyer Field. Meeting for the first time in 58 years, Laguna held the visitors to a net five yards until their final possession of the game, which

• see SPORTS page 28

Laguna Beach Democratic Club Voter Guide

LAGUNA SPORTS UPDATE | BY FRANK ARONOFF | LB INDY

So. OC Community College District Trustee Area 3.

dom jones

State Assembly District 72

schiff united states senate

JACK HURST IN ACTION AGAINST FOUNTAIN VALLEY With protection provided by Fletcher Liao-Hurst, a sophomore, Hurst threw for 209 yards and three touchdowns against the Barons last Friday night. Hurst’s grandfather, Tom Lingo was co-captain of the 1960 squad coached by LT Dugger. Photo courtesy of Debbie Vellmure.

Home Insurance Costs Skyrocketing?

For those of us who’ve experienced skyrocketing increases in homeowner’s insurance recently, I want to give some history that calls into question Councilmember Bob Whalen’s campaign mailer’s claim that “Bob knows how to work with state and county leaders to get results for Laguna.”

On 3 July 2015, Laguna experienced the “Emerald Fire,” which burned 14 acres north of Emerald Bay. Thankfully with rapid focus, it was brought under control quickly. Bob Whalen was serving his first of five terms as mayor. This fire galvanized Whalen to make fire prevention/mitigation the defining issue of his time on council.

After the fire, Whalen joined efforts with State Senator John Moorlach who sponsored legislation that would

force California utilities to accelerate and intensify their fire mitigation efforts across the State, focusing first and foremost on cities that had a high or very high fire hazard rating. The legislation was known as SB1463. For a long while, SB1463 looked as if it would become law, passing both the Assembly and State Senate. However, at the eleventh hour, then-Governor Jerry Brown vetoed the legislation. It was a big disappointment.

An Indy article entitled: “Governor Rejects Fire-Safety Measure,” (Sept. 26. 2016) states, “SB 1463 gave direction to the California Public Utilities Commission to develop measures to reduce the risk of fires caused by above-ground utilities, to prioritize the areas where they should be deployed and to incorporate the concerns of local government into the process.” The article goes on to explain some of the behind-the-scenes work

• see MORRIS page 22

MICHAEL MORRIS

GUEST OPINION

MICHAEL MORRIS

A CPUC Fire Map 2 of Orange County post-Whalen/LaTendresse’s efforts. Map courtesy of Michael Morris

GUEST OPINION

Putting Residents First

BY BILLY FRIED

While there is a small, voluble faction of people who tell us that the current city council is a bunch of drunken spenders who favor visitors over residents, let me remind you of the many things they are doing for us:

They’re keeping us safer by increasing our own water supply, fixing our aging infrastructure and water treatment runoff, mitigating fire risk with aggressive fuel reduction efforts and emergency preparations, and restricting neighborhood parking in South Laguna to residents.

They’re getting CalTrans to make the promised sidewalk and road widening. They’re establishing a land trust that would enable many of our vital artists to remain here amid ever-increasing housing prices. And also to increase affordable housing stock for seniors

and local workers.

They’re mitigating the impact of over-tourism with more public parking, trash and noise enforcement, and more stewardship to educate the public on keeping our town pristine.

Finally, the city council is determining the best use for the St. Catherine’s campus, a balance between city staffing needs and recreational facilities.

All for residents’ wellbeing. But you’d have to have your head in the sand – adjacent to all that trash – to not realize that any ambitious project aimed at improving our quality of life or keeping us safe is going to cost money. So rather than reflexively saying no to any new spending, why not use discernment and analyze how we can best fund these needed programs?

And there seems to be no better steward for this process than our new City Manager Dave Kiff. Just another feather in our council’s cap for finding and recruiting him to come back to city management after a career in Sonoma

and Newport Beach.

I have lived here during the tenure of three full-time and one interim city manager, and none have displayed the deft, honest, and open communication skills of Mr. Kiff. Take last week’s community workshop on fixing the permitting bottleneck for builders and architects. It’s beyond ridiculous how long and onerous the process is. Contactors are out of work because nothing can get through the gauntlet. This has been a festering issue for years, and our codes are so hopelessly convoluted that the simple handoff of an application to a different planner can mean a whole new interpretation of codes and months of continued delays and attendant costs. Mr. Kiff inherited an astonishingly broken system and is now brazenly transparent in his attempts to fix it.

Here was a real workshop – where Kiff, Community Development Manager David Contreras, and our city attorneys laid bare their initial concepts

BY BILLY FRIED

for streamlining and simplifying the process. it was an ambitious slate of moving the more mundane home improvements from full Design Review to over-the-counter administrative review.

But the best part of the evening was giving voice to the potent frustration of the many architects who are simply trying to make a living by manifesting the dreams of their clients, and the horror stories of years of delay and exorbitant fee structures.

Last week Kiff published a very detailed column about taking over Laguna Canyon Road from Caltrans to right all the misinformation, something that has been proposed for decades but never realized. If you want to fully understand the possibilities, attendant costs, and who could pay for it, read his well-crafted column. The reasons for doing it are manifold and primarily benefits residents.

• see FRIED page 22

BY RUSS GERBER

Higher Ideals and Better Health

In the final minutes of a lunchtime talk sponsored by the Harvard Medical School, someone in the audience had a question for the two guest speakers, both of whom were there to talk about the placebo effect and its opposite, the nocebo effect. The question to Associate Professor Ted Kaptchuck and Senior Faculty Arthur Barsky went like this: “What effect do you think the wide advertisement of drugs on television and media ... and sometimes they cite in the ads side effects which can include death ... what kind of problem is it for physicians when a patient comes in with prior knowledge of side effects?”

It’s a question that takes on greater significance the more you think about it. On a micro level, it’s about the sideeffects of side-effects, which Dr. Barsky said was a problem for which he didn’t have an answer.

On the macro level, it points to the fuller scope of the mental nature of health, and the extent to which our health outcomes are influenced by our beliefs.

That’s not a new concept. But because of the volume of conventional viewpoints about health, we might unwittingly overlook the potential and responsibility we have for improving our well-being.

A starting point? Aim for higher ideals.

Placebos and noceboes have for years been indicating that the expectation of health outcomes plays a prominent role in those outcomes. If our model for health is haunted by a fear of vulnerability, we can pretty much count on highly vulnerable health. Hopelessness becomes an expectation of poor outcomes.

Reverse that, and the consistent aim for better ideals translates to a change for the better. By their very nature, they go above and beyond commonplace practices and expectations.

As high ideals go, spiritual values set an unmatched standard. As Paul said to the Colossians: “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” Unselfishness, compassion, humility, charitableness, goodness, calm, and honesty may not occupy every moment of our time and thought, but by taking them seriously we’re reminded what to strive for, what to care about, what to embrace, what to expect. Also, we learn what mindset to resist: the downward drift of complacency.

It’s easy to sit back and imagine that things will eventually get better over time. But don’t bank on passing time to lift standards and promote success. The correlation isn’t there. When we embrace higher thought models and they take the lead in us, they’re effective agents for change, and that includes improving healthcare practices and our own health.

Just down the road from the Harvard Medical School, and about a century after it opened, an outspoken

advocate for spiritual values, Mary Baker Eddy, commented to an audience about a cornerstone of her healthcare practice—that healthy living is underpinned by healthy thinking, thinking that is spiritually grounded. She told an audience who gathered to hear a talk about the effect of spirituality on health:

“We are all sculptors, working out our own ideals, and leaving the impress of mind on the body as well as on history and marble, chiseling to higher excellence, or leaving to rot and ruin the mind’s ideals. Recognizing this as we ought, we shall turn often from marble to model, from matter to Mind, to beautify and exalt our lives.”

It might seem an astounding departure from convention to shift our deeply entrenched physical cause-andeffect views of health to something we can’t see through a microscope or on a screen. The old patterns of thinking might feel hard as granite to change.

• see GERBER page 22

RUSS GERBER

GUEST OPINION

Dear Laguna Beach voters,

We are a group of Laguna Beach residents who strongly support long-time local resident JUDIE MANCUSO for Laguna Beach City Council. We are compelled to explain why and ask for your support.

We are a group of Laguna Beach residents Laguna Beach City Council.

We are a group of Laguna Beach residents who strongly support long-time local Laguna Beach City Council. We are compelled to explain why and

A bona fide environmentalist, Judie has worked tirelessly for decades to improve the environment and lives of Laguna residents As a leading member and Vice Chair of the City’s Environmental Sustainability Committee since 2019, she shepherded many important City policies that gained full City Council support. These included banning rodenticide that kills local wildlife and threatens the health of our pets, limiting the use of Round Up on local vegetation, a balloon ban to reduce the wildfire threat and ocean debris. Other issues where Judie has been out front as a volunteer include promoting refillable water bottle drinking stations, reducing plastic on our beaches and prohibiting smoking. No other candidate could get Jane Fonda to help us fight offshore oil drilling.

A bona fide environmentalist, Judie has worked tirelessly for decades to improve the environment and lives of Laguna residents. As a leading member and Vice Chair of the City’s Environmental Sustainability Committee since 2019, she shepherded many important City policies that gained full City Council support. These included banning rodenticide that kills local wildlife and threatens the health of our pets, limiting the use of Round Up on local vegetation, a balloon ban to reduce the wildfire threat and ocean debris. Other issues where Judie has been out front as a volunteer include promoting refillable water bottle drinking stations, reducing plastic on our beaches and prohibiting smoking. No other candidate could get Jane Fonda to help us fight offshore oil drilling.

A bona fide environmentalist, Judie has of Laguna residents As a leading since 2019, she shepherded many important banning rodenticide that kills local on local vegetation, a balloon ban to reduce been out front as a volunteer include promoting beaches and prohibiting smoking. No other

A bona fide environmentalist, Judie has worked tirelessly for decades to of Laguna residents As a leading member and Vice Chair of the City’s Environmental since 2019, she shepherded many important City policies that gained full City banning rodenticide that kills local wildlife and threatens the health of our on local vegetation, a balloon ban to reduce the wildfire threat and ocean been out front as a volunteer include promoting refillable water bottle drinking beaches and prohibiting smoking. No other candidate could get Jane Fonda

At statewide level, the nonprofit Judie founded in 2007, Social Compassion in Legislation, protects people, animals and the planet. Judie has mastered the Byzantine Sacramento bureaucracy, and 25 OF HER BILLS HAVE BECOME LAW. You have Judie to thank for being allowed to dine with your pet on restaurant patios. This demonstrates her skill at negotiations, which allows her to get things done that many have considered impossible. Judie's animal rights work reflects a solid "moral center" shecan stand behind.

At statewide level, the nonprofit Judie animals and the planet. Judie has mastered HAVE BECOME LAW. You have patios. This demonstrates her skill at negotiations, impossible. Judie's animal rights

At statewide level, the nonprofit Judie founded in 2007, Social Compassion animals and the planet. Judie has mastered the Byzantine Sacramento bureaucracy, HAVE BECOME LAW. You have Judie to thank for being allowed to patios. This demonstrates her skill at negotiations, which allows her to get things impossible. Judie's animal rights work reflects a solid "moral center"

Judie will bring these same strengths as an organized, passionate and collaborative team player to finally make progress on Laguna’s perpetual problems with parking, gridlock, water issues, tourist impacts, overdevelopment, restroom facilities, fire risk and environmental protections.

Judie will bring these same strengths as an organized, passionate and collaborative make progress on Laguna’s perpetual problems with parking, gridlock, overdevelopment, restroom facilities, fire risk and environmental

Judie has promoted the City’s Climate Action Plan through the Environmental Sustainability Committee, and testified at the Department of Fish and Game, endorsing our Bluebelt and Marine Protected Areas. Her years of experience in Information Technology, which is unique among the candidates, will be essential to address systems within the city to improve efficiency and responsiveness to residents’ needs.

Judie will bring these same strengths make progress on Laguna’s perpetual overdevelopment, restroom

Judie has promoted the City’s Climate testified at the Department of Fish and experience in Information Technology, systems within the city to

Judie has promoted the City’s Climate Action Plan through the Environmental testified at the Department of Fish and Game, endorsing our Bluebelt and Marine experience in Information Technology, which is unique among the candidates, systems within the city to improve efficiency and responsiveness

Endorsements of Judie’s campaign include: the Sierra Club, Democrats for the Protection of Animals, Moms Demand Action (“Gun Sense” Candidate), Orange County Young Democrats, Women in Leadership, Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund and Jane Fonda Climate PAC

Endorsements of Judie’s campaign include: the Sierra Club, Democrats for Demand Action (“Gun Sense” Candidate), Orange County Young Democrats, Biological Diversity Action Fund and Jane Fonda Climate

Judie is passionate about enhancing positive life experiences in everything she does. She will be a smart, motivated, respectful, independent voice on our City Council, prioritizing the interests of Laguna Beach residents and insisting upon transparency and making sure that the city’s spending is intelligent and responsible. She will never serve as a rubber stamp. Her insights are critical to maintain City Council balance.

Endorsements of Judie’s campaign include Demand Action (“Gun Sense” Candidate), Biological Diversity

DON’T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CAPTURE FOR OUR CITY COUNCIL A LEGISLATIVE STAR WITH A

DON’T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CAPTURE FOR OUR CITY COUNCIL

Judie is passionate about enhancing positive life experiences in everything motivated, respectful, independent voice on our City Council, prioritizing residents and insisting upon transparency and making sure that the city’s spending She will never serve as a rubber stamp. Her insights are critical to maintain

DON’T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CAPTURE FOR A LEGISLATIVE STAR WITH A

Judie is passionate about enhancing motivated, respectful, independent residents and insisting upon transparency She will never serve as a rubber stamp. DON’T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY A LEGISLATIVE STAR WITH A

VOTE FOR JUDIE MANCUSO FOR LAGUNA BEACH CITY COUNCIL.

VOTE FOR JUDIE MANCUSO FOR LAGUNA BEACH

VOTE FOR JUDIE MANCUSO FOR LAGUNA BEACH CITY COUNCIL.

Gary Stewart - Sue Stewart - Charlotte Masarik - Ted Reckas - Diane Babcock - Jahn Levitt -Johanna Felder - Tom Osborne

Joness Jones - Karilyn Ewing - Steve Ernst - MJ Abraham - John Thomas - Mike Sweeney - Merrill Anderson – Marcia Yury

Gary Stewart - Sue Stewart - Charlotte Masarik - Ted Reckas - Diane Babcock - Jahn Levitt -Johanna Felder - Tom Osborne

Gary Stewart - Sue Stewart - Charlotte Masarik - Ted

Gary Stewart - Sue Stewart - Charlotte Masarik - Ted Reckas - Diane Babcock - Jahn Levitt -Johanna

Joness Jones - Karilyn Ewing - Steve Ernst - MJ Abraham - John Thomas - Mike Sweeney - Merrill Anderson – Marcia Yury

Ramin Pejan - Bob Hartman - Cynthia Love - Trish Sweeney - James N Danziger - Jinger Wallace - Kris Spitaler - Alison King

Joness Jones - Karilyn Ewing - Steve Ernst - MJ Abraham - John Thomas - Mike Sweeney - Merrill Anderson – Marcia Yury

Joness Jones - Karilyn Ewing - Steve Ernst - MJ Abraham

Joness Jones - Karilyn Ewing - Steve Ernst - MJ Abraham - John Thomas - Mike Sweeney - Merrill

Ramin Pejan - Bob Hartman - Cynthia Love - Trish Sweeney - James N Danziger - Jinger Wallace - Kris Spitaler - Alison King

LouAnne Boyd - Mike Morris - Robert Reed - Debbie Anker-Morris - Gene Felder - Anya Radzikowska - Armando Baez - Ramona Loucks

Ramin Pejan - Bob Hartman - Cynthia Love - Trish

Ramin Pejan - Bob Hartman - Cynthia Love - Trish Sweeney - James N Danziger - Jinger Wallace

Ramin Pejan - Bob Hartman - Cynthia Love - Trish Sweeney - James N Danziger - Jinger Wallace - Kris Spitaler - Alison King

LouAnne Boyd - Mike Morris - Robert Reed - Debbie Anker-Morris - Gene Felder - Anya Radzikowska - Armando Baez - Ramona Loucks

LouAnne Boyd - Mike Morris Robert Reed - Debbie Anker-Morris - Gene Felder - Anya Radzikowska - Armando Baez - Ramona Loucks

Mike Beanan - Regina Hartley - Ginger Fitzpatrick - Janet Bescoby - Lisa Morrice - Alan Boinus - Rosalie Boinus - Gayle Waite

LouAnne Boyd - Mike Morris - Robert Reed - Debbie

LouAnne Boyd - Mike Morris - Robert Reed - Debbie Anker-Morris - Gene Felder - Anya Radzikowska

LouAnne Boyd - Mike Morris - Robert Reed - Debbie Anker-Morris - Gene Felder - Anya Radzikowska - Armando Baez - Ramona Loucks

Mike Beanan - Regina Hartley - Ginger Fitzpatrick - Janet Bescoby - Lisa Morrice - Alan Boinus - Rosalie Boinus - Gayle Waite

Ginger Osborne - Karen Schwager – Darrylin Girvin – Cheryl Czyz – Anne Caenn – Anne Girtz – Elena Bezzubova

Mike Beanan - Regina Hartley - Ginger Fitzpatrick - Janet Bescoby - Lisa Morrice - Alan Boinus - Rosalie Boinus - Gayle Waite

Ginger Osborne - Karen Schwager – Darrylin Girvin – Cheryl Czyz – Anne Caenn – Anne Girtz – Elena Bezzubova

Paid for by private funds of the signatories.

Mike Beanan - Regina Hartley - Ginger Fitzpatrick

Ginger Osborne - Karen Schwager – Darrylin Girvin

Mike Beanan - Regina Hartley - Ginger Fitzpatrick - Janet Bescoby - Lisa Morrice - Alan BoinusGinger Osborne - Karen Schwager – Darrylin Girvin – Cheryl Czyz – Anne Caenn – Anne Girtz –

Paid for by private funds of the signatories.

Cont. from page 6

have an obligation to report objectively rather than promote his agenda. Rather, Kelly puts on a stellar marketing spin that reads outside of his style, still it’s his signature.

If you’d like a full examination of his letter, see my detailed response at SensibleLaguna.org. But, please, don’t just believe me and certainly don’t believe Jim. View the recording, research scholastic results, examine rankings, read the studies, track the changes in district “needs,” review alternate solutions, and form your own conclusion.

There were about 20 non-district staff or consultants at the meeting, not exactly an outpouring of support or opposition. Even with the small number of attendees, questions had to be submitted online, there was no dialogue, and comments/questions were limited to three minutes without a response, standard board practice. Ten days later, submitted questions have still not been answered. There was not a single mention, not in the presentation

or in response to questions, of the $20 million cost or how it’s being funded. Sensible Laguna repeated its support of increasing the size of and modernizing the pool.

What’s clear to me is that this board simply does not tolerate any difference of opinion, preferring to stifle or ignore resident voices. My three minutes and multiple previous attempts simply ask the board to consider options that could save millions of taxpayer dollars, effectively meet student needs, and work in concert with the city.

“We should not waste taxpayer dollars on petty arguments that consume staff time and divert focus from what truly matters - providing the best possible education for all,” Kelly writes.

Spending $20 million on a pool for high school use is apparently petty and will help provide the best education for all. $10 million was redirected from past General Operating Funds that could have been used to provide educational and special programs. No need to consider options, no need to

LAUREN BOECK LAUREN BOECK

FOR LBUSD SCHOOL BOARD FOR LBUSD SCHOOL BOARD

coordinate with the city. Sorry to offend the board but I respectfully disagree.

Gary Kasik, co-founder of Sensible Laguna

Are Council Decisions Transparent?

A disturbing trend has emerged whereby state legislators authorize bills allowing cities to negotiate with Caltrans to relinquish certain roadways. In return, the city would assume ownership of the roadways, including any resulting liabilities.

It seems clear that the legislators would not have initiated these actions of their own accord. What is not clear is how the city was involved. Specifically, who in the city authorized the initiation of these actions? And were they ever discussed in a public setting or approved by council.

The first bill, sponsored by Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, was introduced in February 2020 and signed by Governor Newsom in September 2020. AB 2172 would allow Caltrans to relinquish a 3.4-mile stretch of Laguna Canyon Road to Laguna Beach.

Then in February 2024, Assemblywoman Diane Dixon introduced a bill that Gov. Newsom signed in September 2024. AB 2817 would allow Caltrans to relinquish a 6.8-mile stretch of Pacific Coast Highway to the City of Laguna Beach.

Plans for Laguna Canyon Road have since been discussed extensively and include safety and beautification efforts, new bike and pedestrian lanes and utility undergrounding. Little information has been disclosed to date about plans for Pacific Coast Highway.

A rough estimate of liability assumption for Laguna Canyon Road (which admittedly needs refinement) was $11 million. No estimate has yet been given for Pacific Coast Highway. However, it would be reasonable to assume that it will be at least as much, and perhaps more.

Nothing has been finalized to date. However, the city has been less than transparent about its plans or related costs. The Brown Act was enacted in response to public concerns that local governments were avoiding public scrutiny by holding informal, undisclosed meetings, secret

“workshops” or “study sessions.” Its introduction states that the people do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies that serve them or give their public servants the right to decide what is good for them to know and what is not. It concludes the people need to be informed to maintain control over their elected bodies.

The actions described above may not be legal violations of the Brown Act, but they indeed contradict its spirit of ensuring that the people remain informed. As residents, we deserve more. We deserve transparency in council deliberations and actions.

Mary Locatelli, Laguna Beach

Not Impressed by NCC Plans

I attended the community meeting on Oct. 7 and have a few comments about the proposed Neighborhood Congregational Church (NCC) monstrosity.

In my opinion, the developer CEO comes off as arrogant and disconnected. When someone asked about view corridor considerations, he answered, “We’re not stupid. We’ve done our homework.” Looks like your homework did not include manners and humility. I hope his hubris turned more than just me against him and your project. He and his firm stand to make a lot of money. This is not a charity project, and it will have an irreversible negative impact on our already overcrowded city. The developer suggested that the project fits into the neighborhood’s aesthetic with its ‘beach cottage’ feel. I am no architect, but multiple threestory monoliths do not evoke Laguna Beach Cottage architecture, no matter how many fake planters you put in front of the window.

Third, he and a colleague tried to shut down a member of the public’s comment because he “didn’t respect the process.” Many questions submitted on index cards, including mine, were not answered. This was a public forum taking place in a public building about a project impacting our city. They did not respect the process and violated his First Amendment rights.

The NCC said: “It didn’t feel right to have so much space serving the needs of so few people. Faced with the choice • LETTERS

Follow the Money!

Stop Cronyism for the Real Estate Industry!

Stop the Whalen-Kempf Political Machine!

Real Estate, developers and Chamber of Commerce cronies of Whalen and Kempf bankrolling Whalen’s and Jones‘ campaigns (Reporting period until September 21, 2024)

More than $100,000 from real estate developers supporting Whalen, Jones, Kempf, Rounaghi, ($70,000 from Liberate Laguna supporting Peter Blake and Whalen-Kempf-Rounaghi’s policy and political positions)

Liberate Laguna was led by Sally Ann Sheridan, wife of DRB Commissioner Don Sheridan

More than $185,000 from Citizens for Laguna’s Future (real estate developers) supporting WhalenKempf’s policy position in 2022 election

Real Estate developers support

Whalen-Kempf political machine

Bob Whalen

Whalen, Kempf, Blake support Anne Johnson for Planning Commission (Alex Rounaghi’s co-campaign manager)

WhalenKempf support for cronies

Whalen, Kempf and Rounaghi re-appoint Louis Weil (real estate) to the DRB after Weil is soundly rejected by the voters in his failed bid for Council in 2022 ( nishing last behind Blake -spending over $40K)

Seeks 16 years continued power-grabbing for real estate developers

Crony support for Whalen

Of Whalen’s 20 signatures required to run for Council, 12 come from Councilmembers, Kempf, Rounaghi, Orgill, DRB members, Thalman, Gibbs and real estate developer, Joe Hanauer and/or their families

Hallie Jones

Crony support for Jones

Of Jones’ 20 signatures required to run for Council, HALF come from Council members, Whalen, Kempf, Rounaghi, DRB member, Tom Gibbs and Rounaghi’s co-campaign manager, Chris Quilter and / or their families

MOST MEMBERS OF THE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD backed by WHALEN and KEMPF are from the real estate or building development industries: Don Sheridan (Real Estate); Louis Weil (Real Estate); Jessica Gannon (Real Estate); Tom Gibbs (Real Estate attorney)

Whalen-Jones - De Facto running mates

ELECT AN INDEPENDENT CITY COUNCIL

GEORGE WEISS JUDIE MANCUSO

BY TYRONE BORELLI

The 93 Fire

Let me tell you a little known true story about the Laguna Canyon Wildfire that started on October 27, 1993.

My sixth period class was just beginning when my phone rang. “Mr. B,” I answered.

“Hi” replied the school secretary. “There is a big fire in Laguna Beach. What do you want to do?”

“How bad is it?” I said “You can see smoke from here,” she continued, “Look out your door.”

“Do you have a sub available?” I asked.

“Yes, we’ll send one down.” I ran out to my truck and quickly as possible I drove south down the 405 toward Laguna Canyon Road. Once there police cars we’re blocking the off ramp to the Canyon so I drove further south to Crown Valley Parkway. Breathless I raced southwest toward PCH. Where Crown Valley Parkway meets PCH police were erecting barricades. As I looked in my

rear view mirror I saw a barricade go up behind me. I was the last civilian vehicle to get through onto PCH.

Again driving as fast as I could I drove north to Thalia Street, turned right up the hill to Temple Hills Drive continuing my sprint to Zell Drive then left to Chillon Way were my mother and her husband, Harry, were living. I asked Harry what he wanted to do. At first Harry was torn between leaving and staying. I argued strongly for getting the hell out of there because we could see airplanes dropping pink fire retardant flying so low overhead I could hit them with a rock.

We carried out to my truck and Harry’s car as many documents, photos, and valuables we could quickly find. Harry said there was a fire road to the southwest where we could escape. Turning right onto Alta Laguna Blvd we drove to where Alta Laguna Blvd met Top of The World Drive. It was there the gate to the fire road was located. With relief we saw the gate was open and cars were driving down the road. We followed suit but about half way down the fire road we came to

a halt. All the cars in front and behind us were caught in a traffic jam and we didn’t know why.

There we sat. Many of the folks on the fire road got out of their cars and started milling about. Harry and I got out and walked around talking to other escapees. No one knew what was happening. Looking to the east we could see fires burning along the Santa Ana Mountains. Behind us planes continued flying low dropping pink fire retardant. Black smoke filled the sky. The smoke got worse and many of us began to feel really uneasy. The Laguna Canyon Fire was burning toward us. We all believed homes close to the canyon rim were gone and the fire fighters were losing the battle. No one panicked but everyone went quiet. Hours went by. The sun set. It was getting dark. Fires across the valley to our east became brighter and they looked like thy were getting bigger. And there we sat going nowhere, trapped.

Finally the cars ahead of us began moving. It wasn’t long before we drove onto Balboa Avenue. Then Nyes Place.

District OKs $19 Million Pool Project at Laguna Beach High

Planning and environmental impact review process set to begin

BY LB INDY STAFF

The Laguna Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) Board of Education unanimously approved the concept for an estimated $19 million, 45-meter pool modernization project at Laguna Beach High School (LBHS) during its regular meeting on Oct. 10.

The project has undergone significant changes since the original plan was presented to the public in March 2023. The approved concept was shaped by feedback and adapted to fit constraints at the existing site, with environmental and neighborhood impacts considered to support both district and community needs, while addressing concerns related to light, sound and neighborhood views.

After gaining board approval, the California Environmental Quality Act

And finally PCH. Where Nyes Place meets PCH there were police cadets directing traffic. The Ocean side of PCH had become a one way street going north allowing emergency vehicles to go through. The hillside of PCH had also become a one way street going south allowing us to happily escape. Since I live in South Laguna we gathered at my place waiting for any news. Harry and my mother were not so happy because none of us knew if they both had a home to go back to.

The story of what happened to all those hundreds of people trapped on the Sommet Du Monde Fire Road that day was never made public. I did try to get the story out when I was writing for the Independent ten years later. But Stu Saffer, the publisher and editor of the Indy, refused to print the story because, he said, the powers that be in town wanted it swept under the carpet.

After 30 years Tyrone retired from teaching. Before retiring he wrote for the Coastline, The Laguna Beach Independent, Stu News, Patch, and Salem News. Tyrone has lived in Laguna Beach for more that 41 years

School

TYRONE BORELLI

Your Elected Officials are Endorsing BOB WHALEN

State Senator Dave Min

Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris

OC Supervisor Katrina Foley

Mayor Sue Kempf, Mayor ProTem Alex Rounaghi and Councilmember Mark Orgill

Your Neighbors are Supporting BOB WHALEN

Swayne, Cheryl

And here’s why:

Recognized Expert in Public Finance

•40 year legal advisor to cities, counties, school districts and other public agencies

Experienced Public Official

•Laguna Beach City Council - 12 years

•Laguna Beach School Board - 10 years, • Laguna Beach Planning Commission - 4 years

Committed Community Volunteer

• Past President SchoolPower, Boys & Girls Club, Laguna Beach Little League

•Laguna Art Museum Board Member

•Orange County Community Foundation Board of Governors

•Project Youth OCEmeritus Board Member and Past President

Gregg Abel, Kathleen Abel, Thomas Addis, Wendy Aird, Nicole Anderson, Peter Anderson, Faye Baglin, Wayne Baglin, Donna Ballard, Brad Barrett, Liza Barrett, Marlo Bartels, Rick Balzer, Mike Beanan, Bob Beck, Sue Beck, Walter Bell, Kristin Bell, Anne Belyea, Richard Belyea, Jeffrey Benedick, Carolyn Bent, Dr. Tom Bent, Dustin Beutin, Erin Beutin, Jamie Blakely, Barbara Bowler, Kelly Boyd, Michelle Boyd, David Braff, Pamela Broadman, Katharine Brown, Diane Brumbaugh, Mike Brumbaugh, Michael Bryan, Michael Byrne, Tim Carlyle, Lyn Carlyle, Marcia Caruso, Steve Chadima, Dr Janet Chance, Jen Chapman, Jon Chapman, Suzi Chavel, Lisette Chel-Walker, Mark Christy, Leticia Christy, Mary Clifford, Howard Conn, Rita Conn, Sally Coursen, Walt Coursen, Donnie Crevier, Laurie Crevier, Jason deBrettville, Joy Dittberner, Mick Donoff, Sharon Donoff, Ranney Draper, Mark Draper, Jorg Dubin, Jill Edwards, Steve Edwards, Leslie Elliot, Karen Ellis, Leanne Englander, Cody Engle, Deborah Engle, Michael Ervin, Sandy Ervin, Rich Fair, Lynne Fair, Cindy Fletcher, Ben Frydman, Lisa Gallas, Nancy Gibbs, Tom Gibbs, Joan Gladstone, Glenn Gray, Kathryn Burton Gray, Matt Gummow, Jane Hanauer, Joe Hanauer, Dan Haspert, Ashley Hathaway, Lori Hathaway, Tyler Hathaway, George Heed, Jerry Hornbeak, Renee Hornbeak, Paula Hornbuckle, Linda Hughes, Marshall Innins, Elizabeth Innins, Angela Irish, Alix Jirard, Bill Jirard, Michael Johnson, Anne Johnson, Marv Johnson, Kathy Jones, Mike Jones, Jan Kaplan, Ken Kaplan, Ellen Kempler, Roger Kempler, Diana Kersten, Cheryl Kinsman, Michael Kinsman, Cherylin Kirby, Ian Kirby, Cort Kloke, Diane Kloke, Pat Kollenda, Cathy Krinsky, David Krinsky, Tom Lamb, Morgan Lamb, Vicki Lamb, Mary Lawson, Matt Lawson, Barbara MacGillivray, Greg MacGillivray, Katherine Maeberger, Thomas Magill, Lisa Mansour, John Mansour, Dana Marron, Armando Marron, Barbara McMurray, Ken McMurray, Gwen McNallan, Carla Meberg, Jeff Meberg, Gregory Mech, John Meehan, Jeanne Meyers, Angie Miller, Heidi Miller, Penny Milne, Bob Mister, Stephanie Mister, Gary Monroe, Leslie Monroe, Jon Moore, Mia Moore, Brian Muehlbauer, Coby Naess, Janelle Naess, Debbie Naude, Paul Naude, Mike Nelson, Stephanie Nelson, Larry Nokes, Cathy Nokes, Carol Normandin, Barbara Norton, Dora Orgill, Bill O’Hare, Theresa O’Hare, Paula Olson, George Orff, Sharon Orff, Derek Ostensen, Natalia Ostensen, Ken Parker, Elizabeth Pearson, Anne Petronave, Lance Polster, Mark Porterfield, Monica Prado, Cindy Prewitt, Ann Quilter, Chris Quilter, Teddie Ray, Kavita Reddy, Jeff Redeker, Suzanne Redfearn, Beth Renner, Bill Renner, Billy Renner, Tommy Renner, Maggie Renner, Molly Renner, Carrie Reynolds, Mike Reynolds, Emily Rolfing, Glenn Rosen, Ali Rounaghi, Robin Rounaghi, Jeff Rovner, Dave Rubel, Ryan Sabol, Ken Sadler, Annie Sadler, Kirk Saunders, Mary Kate Saunders, Ed Sauls, Lisa Sauls, Wendy Schirripa, Dan Scinto, Francine Scinto, Peggy Sexton, John Sganga, Marcus Skendarian, Morris Skenderian, Stephany Skenderian, Ivan Spiers, Sande St. John, Marrie Stone, Lea Stone, Zeda Stone, Linda Supowitz, David Supowitz, Keith Sw Sykes, Sasha Talebi, Kristine Thalman, Sean Tiner, Diana Tomei, Jeff Tomei, Edie Tonkin, Duane Vajgrt, Lauri Venturelli, Becky Visconti, Chris Weidhaas, Susan Weidhaas, Louis Weil, Kirsten Whalen, SusanWhitin, Kristin Winter, Ralph Winter, Josh Wolff, Peggy Wolff, Deb Young, Robert Zur Schmiede ... and many more

NOVEMBER 5

• LETTERS

Cont. from page 14

of spending down our dwindling endowment...or selling the property, our congregation was advised to close the church and sell...to the highest bidder. But that didn’t feel right to us, either.” (ncc.org). Those were not your only options. You call yourself a church; how about teaching the Bible in an expository manner? People are thirsty for truth, not “spirituality” or so-called religion. If you unapologetically teach the Bible from cover to cover, I can guarantee you will fill all that space and have to go to a second service.

Mike Rybah, Laguna Beach

Let’s not Morph into Our Neighboring Cities

The Neighborhood Congregational Church and developers gave a presentation on Oct. 7 on the proposed new spiritual center and adjoining 4-story low-income housing on St. Ann’s Drive. It was well attended at Top of the World school.

Paster Rod gave a heartfelt introduction and said they decreased the maximum number of residential units by 24% and greatly increased the setbacks for the building project. This introduction to the preliminary plan was informative and showed what they wanted people to see. The village

neighborhood where this high-density proposed project would be and forever altered has not embraced it.

The factors I oppose are the 43-foot height of the new 4-story building, the ratio of residents to on-site parking, and the minimal setbacks from the property lines. All of these negatively impact our neighborhood. If built as currently proposed, it wouldn’t be like a tree in your ocean view or parking on a crowded summer weekend; the impact would be every day forever.

They presented a proposal increasing setbacks by two feet, from 10’ to 12’, allowing a sidewalk to be wider. They said they lowered the building to two and three stories. I was hopeful, but these preliminary plans showed they aren’t counting the ground-level parking structure as a floor. If you don’t count the fourth level of the 43-foothigh apartment building that was shown in the Glenneyre St. elevation picture and running two-thirds of the project’s Cleo Street side, then you could say the project is two and three stories. In this proposal, “the reduction” (the pastor repeated four times) from the originally submitted 72 residential units to the latest proposed 55-51 units. Mostly two and three bedrooms, with a total occupancy of 170 to 200

In Loving Memory of John Miller

February 5, 1960 - September 20, 2024

John Miller passed away on September 20, 2024, after a long battle with CADASIL, a genetic disease he inherited from his father. John displayed immense bravery throughout his fight, and he was lovingly cared for at home by his devoted wife, Linda.

He is survived by his wife, Linda Miller; two children, Jennifer Susag and Steven Rogers; and three grandchildren, Connor, Gabby, and Maggie, and of course, his faithful dog, Emily. John is also survived by his aunt, Jackie Allen; his sister, Jackie Parker; his brother, Jim Miller, two nieces, Karina Parker and Meredith Miller, and two nephews, Charlie Williams and Ryan Miller.

John grew up in Laguna Beach, where he attended Top of the World Elementary School, Thurston Middle School, and Laguna Beach High School. Known for his intelligence and athleticism, he excelled in every sport he pursued, from football, baseball, track and field to surfing, breaking numerous school records. He was also a talented dancer and actor; those fortunate enough to see his performances were treated to something truly special.

There is so much more to say—his remarkable writing, his philanthropic efforts, his deep compassion for humanity, and his boundless love for life. John’s legacy lives on in the hearts of all that knew him. Though his battle with CADASIL has come to an end, his spirit, kindness, and strength will continue to inspire all who knew him. He will be deeply missed but never forgotten.

Join us for a Celebration of Life for John at Doheny Beach, space #4, Sunday, October 20th, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. We invite you to come together to honor John and share cherished memories and stories of his life. For full obituary: https://bit.ly/lifeofzig

plus people in the apartments. They designated about 60 residential parking spaces.

The parking lot is already paved. We’re not going back to a paradise. It’s a decent location for low-income housing. Can we develop solutions to integrate the neighborhood’s character, qualities and view corridors? Please don’t allow this preliminary SB4 project to set a precedent for other low-income housing projects in Laguna Beach that grossly alter the neighborhoods in which they will be built.

I feel lucky to have lived in Laguna Beach for 55 years. As a self-employed business owner and festival artisan, our town is a special place. Let’s continue to welcome change—it’s the only constant. But let’s not morph into the cities around us.

Kirk Milette, Laguna Beach

Businesses Want Taxpayer Provided Parking Structures

I support Councilman George Weiss and Judie Mancuso for Laguna Beach City Council as they work for residents’ quality of life. Meanwhile, many business owners support Bob Whalen, who has been on the city council for 12 years and wants to make it 16 years. This makes sense, as Whalen votes will support business and promote tourism.

Many years ago, it was determined that our town of 22,000 people has 6,500,000 visitors a year, and the daytrippers cost the city over $20,000,000 per year in extra costs to service what they foist upon us regarding traffic, crime, parking, littering, and municipal paramedic and lifeguard services.

Whalen voted to change the Downtown Specific Plan to reduce the parking a business needs to provide. The city has a program when a business cannot physically provide the parking, the parking in Lieu Fund, but inexplicably has collected nothing over five years.

Bob Whalen and Sue Kempf became the subcommittee to formulate the Parking Master Plan, which includes 14 parking structures, including where we now have lawn bowling at Heisler Park. The idea is that instead of businesses providing parking for their customers and employees, residents should pay for parking structures.

I would include here the Parking

Fund which is about the only revenue we receive from visiting day-trippers when they do use paid public parking. This fund provides money that the city can use for any purpose and, over the years, has been used to add to the Police and Fire Departments, for Transit and the trolleys, for open space purchases, for the Neighborhood and Environmental Protection Plan for Police Park Rangers and extra trash pick-up, etc. I think the name should be changed to the Resident Mitigation Fund.

However, Mayor Sue Kempf wants to use “Parking Fund money for parking” I assume to assist in financing the proposed parking structures.

Some years ago, “Let Laguna Vote” stopped the proposed parking structure in Laguna Canyon. They clearly demonstrated that a parking structure could never pay for itself, particularly when the structure would be built with existing surface parking.

How far does the pro-business agenda go to promote tourism? This July, Mayor Kempf thought that the downtown looked shabby. Bob Whalen supported the $300,000 expenditure for the Commercial District Beautification & Property Maintenance Ordinance Program. One key aspect is to get the buildings painted to look better, so they decided to subsidize the landlords even though the downtown property value is over $1,000,000,000. Businesses can receive up to $10,000 in reimbursement for painting or maintaining their own buildings.

Residents should support Councilman George Weiss and Judie Mancuso.

Gene Felder, Laguna Beach

School Board Success Doesn’t Include Math

The Indy published a Guest Opinion by Laguna Beach Unified School District board member Jim Kelly entitled “Laguna Beach’s school district’s success.” In it, Mr. Kelly did not mention mathematics as an important subject for our graduating students.

The mandated California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress test includes mathematics and the 2023

SHERI MORGAN

Rebuild Community Partnerships:

• Explore a school Nutrition Program with local businesses: Encourages investing in local businesses, retain tax payers economic investment while providing nourishing, nutritionally balanced, locally sourced meals, creating economic growth, minimizing traffic, congestion and creating expanded learning opportunities.

• Establish a 2-person School Board/City council Joint committee to explore opportunities to maximize community tax dollars where possble.

“As a former student Board

supported many if not all of Sheri’s opinions and truly value the passion she has for the community”

Student Board Member, ‘24 graduate

“ I support

Chase Benson, 2023/24, will help bring fiscal

Merrill Anderson, (North Laguna)

and Sheri Morgan has a plan to make things work better for families in the District. As a mom of four, Sheri knows how to get things done. She founded and

during the day while advocating for our kids at board meetings at night for years. Smart, capable, trustworthy, and hardworking, Sheri Morgan will listen and

street beat

FROM POLICE BLOGS

Thursday, Oct. 10

Bench warrant. Jose Miguel Martinez Patino, 39, of Anaheim was arrested on suspicion of three outstanding bench warrants. His bail was set at $7,500.

Friday, Oct. 11

Disorderly conduct. Clifford John Turner, 63, of Dana Point, was arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct. His bail was set at $500.

Saturday, Oct. 12

Disorderly conduct. Frank Fernandez, 60, of Los Angeles, was arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct. He was held without bail.

DUI, Contempt of court. Erich Laurence Heidrich, 58, of Laguna Beach was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and disobeying a court order. His bail was set at $25,000.

Sunday, Oct. 13

DUI. A 29-year-old Compton man was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving. His bail was set at $2,500.

Elder/dependent adult injury. Stephanie Marie Schweinsberg, 45, was arrested on suspicion of a felony charge of causing injury to an elder or dependent adult. Her bail was set at $50,000.

DUI, contempt of court. Joseluis Salazar, 19, was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving, driving on a suspended license, and contempt of court. His bail was set at $26,000.

Monday, Oct. 14

Forging vehicle registration. Jeffrey Douglas Collins, 40, of Lake Forest was arrested on suspicion of forging or altering vehicle registration. His bail was set at $20,000.

Tuesday, Oct. 15

Disorderly conduct. Glenn Mendiaz, 54, of Laguna Beach was arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct. His bail was set at $500.

Bench warrant. Kristine Renee Paredes, 52, of La Quinta was arrested on suspicion of an outstanding bench warrant and failing to appear on a misdemeanor charge. Her bail was set at $1,000.

Wednesday, Oct. 16

Bench warrant. David Michael King, 60, of Newport Beach was arrested on suspicion of an outstanding bench warrant and failing to appear on a misdemeanor charge. His bail was set at $2,000.

Did you notice how much your fire insurance skyrocketed after Councilman Bob Whalen got Laguna Beach designated a high risk fire zone?

Ever wonder why your fire insurance has doubled or tripled and gotten almost impossible to acquire?

Talk to Bob Whalen. As part of his plan to get utility companies to pay for undergrounding Laguna Canyon Road’s power poles, Whalen fought to get Laguna rated as a high risk fire zone in 2016. His plans backfired, costing Laguna $1.5M in legal fees – and residents have been paying higher premiums ever since. Something to consider when voting.

To learn more, visit: www.savethetaxpayer.us

for by Tyrone Borelli, a private individual

Cont. from page 10

that Whalen and then-Fire Chief Jeff La Tendresse were doing as SB1463 was making its way through Sacramento. Indeed the legislation would have forced the utilities to accelerate and increase fi re mitigation eff orts for “high” or “very high” hazard cities. To ensure that Laguna would be eligible for this “fi rst in line” treatment, Whalen and La Tendresse lobbied the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to up-rate Laguna’s Fire Hazard rating from Tier 1 (low) to Tier 3 (Extreme). In the transcript from the CPUC meeting, Whalen made the following statement: “City of Laguna Beach (i.e. Bob Whalen) objects to FIRE MAP 1 because the map shows the city is in a Low Fire Hazard Area. Th e city declares that contrary to Fire Map 1, the city faces a very high fi re risk...”. Th eir eff orts resulted in CPUC upgrading 92% of Laguna to the Tier 3 “Extreme Fire Hazard” rating. If SB1463 had passed into law, that would have resulted in Laguna’s getting early

Re-Elect

Jan VICKERS

mitigation eff orts from the utilities. But, since it was vetoed, it simply left Laguna with a giant liability for fi re insurance underwriting.

Th e extent to which the various insurance underwriters utilize the CPUC Fire Th reat maps in their underwriting decisions is unclear, but overall, I can’t imagine that having 92% of LB rated as an “extreme fi re hazard” helps homeowners aff ord or keep their home insurance. If you look at the Cal-Fire Fire Maps, Laguna isn’t rated as uniformly hazardous as on the CPUC maps; indeed a good portion of the town is rated as normal risk. No doubt, Whalen’s eff orts were wellintentioned but naive and call into question his campaign claim.

After the failure of SB1463, Whalen threw his eff orts behind establishing Measure LL which contributes a portion of hotelcollected taxes to undergrounding. Th at was followed by what became Proposition P, the 2018 ballot measure that would have increased

P FOR SCHOOL BOARD 2024

COMMITTED TO LAGUNA’S STUDENTS RE-ELECT A STRONG EDUCATIONAL LEADER

TOP PRIORITY: KEEP STUDENTS, TEACHERS, STAFF,PARENTS AND COMMUNITY SAFE.

ENDORSED BY

LAGUNA BEACH UNITIED FACULTY ASSOC., CA SCHOOL EMPLOYEES ASSOC., LAGUNA BEACH DEMOCRATIC CLUB, ORANGE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CLUB, LAGUNA WOODS DEMOCRATIC CLUB AND FORMER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS KETTA BROWN, BETSY JENKINS, TIM CARLYLE, CAROL NORMANDIN, THERESA O’HARE AND PEGGY WOLFF.

Paid by Committee to Re-Elect Jan Vickers School Board 2024

the local sales tax from 7.75% to 8.75% for 25 years, to pay for undergrounding utilities along all of Laguna’s evacuation routes. Prop P was defeated by 53.85% of voters. Th e latest idea in service of “reducing the wildfi re threat” by the Council majority is for Laguna to purchase LCR from the State. Th e cost of purchasing, upgrading, maintaining, and insuring LCR is estimated at up to $140 million with large operational costs. What hasn’t been mentioned is that if we control it, the city would also be responsible for paying for any fi re-fi ghting that occurs in the corridor in the future.

A known unknown.

Michael, a Laguna homeowner, is the treasurer of GeorgeWeiss4CityCouncil2024. He previously served a one-year term on the Orange County Grand Jury and as an appointed trustee to the Orange County Vector Control District.

• FRIED

Cont. from page 11

It allows us to underground the power lines. Which are not only unsightly, they are a severe fire risk and obstacle that can be downed by any number of incidents (a car, an earthquake, and of course a fire), and thus block one of three arteries out of town. One only needs to subscribe to Nixle to know what a hazard they continue to be.

It gives us the shoulder to create a true, dedicated Class 1 protected bike path and possible transit express lane. How wonderful for us locals to be able to safely ride out that bucolic canyon, and connect it with the County’s pledge to continue it from El Toro to Irvine –maybe even to the train station. And to offer visitors a transportation option that wouldn’t tax our grid with more cars.

It allows us to make substantial road improvements to make it safer and flow better. Imagine roundabouts at strategic locations instead of stoplights, so that traffic keeps flowing, and canyon dwellers can more safely enter and exit their structures.

Finally, this would be a dramatic beautification project to eliminate

those unsightly power lines, make the canyon more navigable, and begin to remake it as a neighborhood rather than a congested dumping ground. Like any skilled city manager, Kiff doesn’t advocate either way. He simply lays out the possible benefits and all the potential funding sources beyond our tax dollars. It’s out there, we just need a concerted effort to go get it. And this is where your strong, aligned council can shine. Sure, it’s expensive and will cause disruption while being built, but we have to do it. It’s incumbent upon us as a rich, prosperous city to continue to upgrade our aging infrastructure, mitigate risk, and make it affordable for future generations. Let’s make Laguna better than when we found it. It’s why we elect our public officials, and we have some good ones.

Billy is the Chairman and Executive Director of KXFM radio, and the Chief Paddling Oﬃcer at La Vida Laguna adventure sports company. He can be reach at billy@kxfmradio.org.

• GERBER

Cont. from page 12

But what if those patterns have been holding us back rather than lifting us up? Can we afford to be complacent?

Each of us has felt a tug to change directions in life. Sometimes that happens because the way we’re going isn’t getting us where we want or need to be. Sometimes the tug is hard to explain. It’s an inner sense we feel that there must be a higher, better means of meeting our needs.

I’ve had conversations with many people who feel a similar tug. The conventional views of health care feel less like rock and more like shifting sand. I’ve seen a growing interest in things above, in an unwavering, spiritual foundation from which comes compassion, order, confidence, goodness, wisdom, calm—and better health.

Russ and his wife moved back home to Southern California after working in Boston as the media manager for the Christian Science church. With a background in publishing, most of his time is spent writing, reading, volunteering, and grandparenting.

Concerning City Council

Has the city council gone totally AWOL or MIA?

Since the council’s six-week hiatus in August, the past two meetings have had nothing of substance on the agenda. Who sets the agenda? The mayor. Is the council majority avoiding discussion of major issues until after the election?

On Sept. 24, the first council meeting in six weeks, there were 17 items on the consent calendar and only three on the regular calendar. That is not normal. The consent calendar is supposed to be for items that the city believes should be passed without discussion like payroll or meeting minutes. Were there no other important city matters to discuss? Yes, there were. Major items such as changing the 25-foot coastal bluff setback, or the Aliso Creek estuary project.

In the Feb. 27, 2024, council meeting,

consent item 7 (“Consideration of city council meeting agenda order of business”) point (k) was about the consent calendar itself. “All matters listed under Consent Calendar are considered by the City Manager to be routine and will be enacted by one roll call vote.” This means that the entire slate of consent items is passed unless an item is called out by a member of the public or council member for discussion. Previously, the mayor or a councilmember requested that rules be changed so only city council members could call out a consent item for discussion – thus excluding residents from commenting on the council’s actions.

So many residents spoke out against this that the city council majority was forced to retain the right of residents to call out an item for discussion. And that item itself was on the consent calendar. It’s yet another example of the council majority’s efforts to disenfranchise residents and exert their autocratic control. Refusing to reinstate Zoom

call-ins is another.

In recent years, the city has been putting meatier items on the consent calendar. Including buying the library from the county for $4.7 million and the memorandum of understanding to move forward with a $12 million Presbyterian church parking structure that we’d never own. This diminishes transparency in city government.

Some of the items on the Sept. 24 consent calendar were clearly routine. Some should have been discussed in greater detail, and some were called out so that could happen.

Remarkably, the Sept. 24 meeting’s tentative agenda had listed an item about the city’s $141 million assumption of Laguna Canyon Road. Yet in the posted agenda, it wasn’t listed. Was this political hot potato removed to protect the one candidate in support of it? The agenda had only three items - Independence Day debrief, donation and naming policy, and designating a council representative to the League of Cities. After six weeks of not meeting,

this was all they had to discuss?

The Oct. 8 meeting was even more telling. It had nine items on the consent calendar and one item - yes, just oneon the regular business calendar. The meeting lasted only two hours and three minutes including a lengthy “Years of Service Recognition” ceremony.

So, based on the last two city council agendas, nothing of any real importance needed to be discussed since Aug. 13.

Or is it that the city council majority has no desire to discuss controversial, costly projects until after the election?

That they are so confident that their candidates will win and that pushing their pet projects through will be easier after the election?

Or are they too busy walking door to door for their candidates to deal with city business?

Or are they afraid that the controversial projects they’re trying to foist onto residents will divert votes from their candidates?

• see MONDA page 38

MICHELE MONDA

GUEST OPINION

MICHELE MONDA

GUEST OPINION

Fact or Fiction?

In more than 40 years teaching social science students at the university, I don’t recall a written piece as filled with weak and fact-free arguments as the op-ed “Myths and Mendacity” by Michael Ray in last week’s Indy. Full disclosure: the “intrepid writer” who is the object of some of his criticism was me, based on two op-eds in the Indy in the previous two weeks. He didn’t challenge (yet) the first op-ed, which documented the huge $30 million plus subsidy every year by the city and its residents to daytrippers. But he did target the second, a proposal to alter the Business License Fee system in Laguna to capture significant revenue from day-trippers, something our council has failed to remedy in more than 10 years.

Here are problems with some of Ray’s claims. Ray starts by labeling it as a “myth” that Laguna has six million visitors each year. That number is from analyses by the city, the county, and the Visit Laguna consultant destination

analysts. In fact, Ray is accidentally correct. The six million needs updating (and is likely higher) and did not include South Laguna’s beaches, which, OC Parks recently reported, adds 2-3 million beachgoers (mostly visitors) each year, so the total is now probably above eight million. What are Ray’s counterfacts? None.

Then Ray makes a facetious argument against the claim that additional parking structures draw tourists. Although not part of my opeds, there is a large empirical research literature in transportation studies that documents “induced demand.” When you build more road capacity or more parking, the demand quickly increases beyond the previous level and outstrips the increased capacity. Presumably, Ray believes his intuition is superior to all these studies.

Next Ray complains that my colleague John Thomas and I “cooked up” the claim that a substantial majority of the gross revenue of Laguna’s bars and restaurants is from non-residents. Sorry Ray, we did not make these data up. This data was also from the study by Destination

Remembering a Local Visionary

BY CLARA BEARD AND JACKIE CONNOR | LB INDY

The Laguna Art Museum was packed–standing room only, with friends and family who shared closeknit and fond memories of G. Ray Kerciu, a prolific and passionate artist and longtime Laguna Beach local who died Aug. 25, just shy of his 91st birthday.

Kerciu’s works were on display throughout the evening on Sept. 28, with one of his arguably most notable, “Never,” featured behind a Spanish guitarist softly playing classic rock.

More than 100 people poured into the room, all sharing anecdotes and stories that reflected Kerciu’s passion for life—and how he forever envisioned its improvement.

Speakers and friends mentioned Kerciu’s “sparkle” that touched and inspired many lives within his communities and classrooms.

“I got here in this position because

of him today, and we all miss him… his sparkling eyes, his spirit,” said Julie Perlin Lee, executive director of Laguna Art Museum. “I’ll always carry a little bit of that spirit with him, and certainly, his spirit will always be here.” Artist and activist G. Ray Kerciu at home with his art in 2023. Photo/ Barbara McMurray

After growing up in Detroit, Kerciu and his lifelong friend, Tom Skerrit joined the Air Force and the Korean War. He attended Michigan State University following his military service and pursued his masters at Cranbrook Academy of Art.

“One of the things that really stuck with him for the rest of his life was loading body packs,” said Mike McGee, friend and biographer. “That really influenced his life, and that gave him an attitude like, ‘I better take advantage of this life the best I can.’

Analysis, which concluded that 68.9% of visitors dined in a restaurant or visited a bar, and the visitors’ share of gross revenue, supported in city budget data, might be more than 80%. What are Ray’s counterfacts? None. Just his indignation at data he does not like and his special logic that since visitors don’t come to Laguna primarily for our bars and restaurants, they don’t drink or eat here.

He then critiques our proposal that the Business License Fee system be altered (after 30 years of no change) to enable bar and restaurant owners to add (a phased-in) 3% “city fee” at the bottom of the bill, just above the sales tax. It would not affect owners’ menu prices or profitability. It is proposed because it is one of the best ways to capture significant revenue from daytrippers to cover some of their costs. Owners would just collect the fee and send it to the city in place of a business license fee. Similar taxes are imposed by cities in 21 states, and California allows add-on fees at the bottom of the bill. Ray insists twice that this is a “nonsense” proposal. He does not worry about the heavy demands on

BY JIM DANZIGER

the city’s services, infrastructure, and budget from the costs of day trippers or that Laguna’s households pay the bulk of that cost. But he is concerned that the owners of bars and restaurants have a thin profit margin. Perhaps some do. But many are thriving and Laguna’s bars and restaurants have a survival rate that far exceeds most of the country. This policy proposal for a “city fee” is not perfect, but at least Lagunans could debate and vote on it as a meaningful tax that focuses on day-trippers, even while Ray keeps shouting “nonsense!” Enough. Ray does continue with even more of his heartfelt but factfree disdain: of George Weiss and those who advocate a hybrid model for the downtown promenade and for some “small group” who do not want a “cool Laguna.” Everyone can have an opinion. But it is a mystery to me why the Independent allows this man to continue to spread such a barrage of “Myths and Mendacity” (his own apt title) week after week.

Danziger is a retired professor of political science at UC Irvine and his research specialized on local government.

JIM DANZIGER

Artist and activist G. Ray Kerciu at home with his art in 2023. Photo/Barbara McMurray

Moderator: “Should the City Council require an oath to put residents’ interests first?

Bob Whalen: “No.”

– Village Laguna Candidates Forum

When Councilman Bob Whalen was asked this question at the Village Laguna Candidates Forum, he was the only candidate to say no. So if residents are not his first priority, who is?

Paid for by Chris Catsimanes, a private individual

And I think that’s what he did, and that was kind of manifested in a couple of ways. One of them was that he just had a joy and passion for life. He loved to have conversations. He loved to have relationships with people.”

Shortly after, Kerciu taught at the University of Mississippi from 1962 to 1963, the same year James Meredith, the university’s first Black student was admitted. Kerciu boldly stood up to racism during that time of civil unrest.

His experiences inspired works of art that used the Confederate flag to make a pointed statement, and “jam it down the throats of racists,” his biography reads.

His “Mississippi” art series triggered his arrest and national attention; where while in jail, Kerciu received encouragement from Malcolm X and John Steinbeck.

Later that year, Kerciu taught at California State University, Fullerton, in 1963, where he helped build its

art department and founded its printmaking area.

Through his insightfulness, combined with his ability to rally his communities, Kerciu helped lead the charge to save the Laguna Beach Art Museum in 1996, when a proposed merger with the Newport Harbor Art Museum threatened its future.

“You guys in this room helped to save the museum, and you helped him to be a better person and a better

The Festival of Arts South has a new showing called “Endless Summer” in the exhibit wing of Active Cultures. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be welcomed into a retail space that allows food and drink. Finally. I’m not sure whether “No Shirt, No Shoes” is welcomed. But pants are a must-have.

The exhibit honors the work of early 20th-century Impressionists. Six local, contemporary artists show current Laguna Beach pictures in a salute to the earlier artists, who had much to

do in establishing Laguna Beach as a celebrated art colony.

“Endless Summer” sounds nostalgic. Vacations that never end. No homework to do. No bosses to answer to. Perfect, n’est-ce pas? No, not perfect. Don’t be fooled, readers. Endless Summer is endless tourists, endless traffic, endless heat and an endless non-convened Congress. Wait, strike non-convened Congress. That’s a good thing. Nonconvened means do no harm. Yes, I do believe Congress should remain endlessly absent.

Let’s not kid ourselves. There are and should be four seasons. First, everybody wants the Four Seasons upscale hotel chain. Even I went there once. Hotel

desk clerk told me, “Crantz, don’t worry about the checkout time. You can’t afford check in time. Your Apple Pay app says your credit is rotten to the core.”

Also, an Endless Summer would preclude our precious clock changing events. There would no longer be Fall back and Spring forward clock changing. Sociologists believe losing these clock turning events would take away the ready made excuses for people to miss appointments or not finish assignments on time. Veterinarians agree that clock changing is necessary to protect dogs for being blamed for eating homework and anything else that goes wrong.

Astrophysicists believe that Mother Nature made four seasons on purpose.

artist,” said Andrea Harris, artist and mentee to Kerciu. “He was a builder, and you guys were the building blocks of his hopes and dreams.”

After many continued to share stories of travels to Mexico, art and home projects, awards and other special memories, the crowd began to filter out to a sunny late afternoon where people still reminisced with smiles over the fondness the Laguna Beach community had for this prolific artist.

She knew that people would want an Endless Summer to goof around in. But endless summers produce endless heat that makes for noxious gases, wreaking havoc on our atmosphere and climate. Endless car and plane travel to the fun destinations like Laguna Beach jeopardize the planet. Just look to Florida for living proof. So, vacation destinations need to be eliminated in favor of wind farms. It’s time that Lagunans tell windbag neighbors to move out for new windbags that will do more good.

Crantz tells the Indy that his neighbors refuse to go and have instead started a petition to get rid of him for being a noxious wind of a bag columnist.

MARK D. CRANTZ

GUEST OPINION: PET PEEVES

BY MARK D. CRANTZ

Top left: “Never,” a 48” x 48” oil painting Kerciu produced in 1962 as a response to Ole Miss students’ refusal to integrate the campus.

Photo/Barbara McMurray; Top right: G Ray Kerciu receives a lifetime achievement award at the 2024 Art Star Awards put on by the Laguna Beach Art Alliance. Clara Beard/LB Indy

• KERCIU Cont. from page 24

2024

LBHS GRADUATE, PARENT, GRANDPARENT, SERVING LOCAL SCHOOLS

“Some say our School Board choice is either more of the same, or change that’s disruptive. The real choice right for kids is positive change that unites instead of divides our community.”

STUDENTS THRIVE when “personal best” is a positive expectation valued by all in safe schools.

PARENTS THRIVE when open communication is safe for all advocating families, kids and schools.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS THRIVE when Board builds on our foundation of excellence to enhance:

• Success in PK-12 learning as essential to overall student well-being

• Student empowerment measured by college and job market readiness

• Outcomes as good/better than districts with comparable support/advantages

STUDENT SUCCESS STARTS SETTING SIGHTS HIGHER

New improved LBHS test scores confirm our students perform when schools perform. 1-in-every-2 math/science failure for LBHS juniors is now 1-in-every-3 juniors.

That’s progress, but PK-12 learning must not culminate in 1/3 LBHS graduates still not math/science proficient. Instead of defending failure let’s invest in success of administrators and teachers.

OUR GRANDSON, BEN, 6, SETS SIGHTS HIGH, PREFERRING THE HIGH SCHOOL REGULATION HEIGHT BASKETBALL COURTS AT HISTORIC LBHS NORTH GYM OVER YOUTH LEAGUE KIDS HEIGHT.

OUR ADS INCLUDE STORIES ABOUT OUR KIDS AND GRANDKIDS TO SET SIGHTS HIGH AND BE ENRICHED IN OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS, AS MY FAMILY HAS FOR FIVE GENERATIONS.

SPORTS

Cont. from page 8

left them trailing 50-0 at that point.

Fountain Valley had been a member of the Sunset League for the past 50 seasons, the top public school league in Orange County. Over that span, it had won or shared nine titles, with the last crown in 2008. The move to the Foxtrot League was expected to put the Barons in position for a postseason bid and a possible league title.

The Breakers took the opening kick-off and marched 62 yards in five plays to earn the first score. Jackson Kollock got the score on a pass to Charlie Hunt in the flat, who raced past the Baron’s defenders for the score. Fountain Valley gained only one net yard on their first possession, then suffered a safety when the snap for the punt sailed through the endzone. The Breakers took the ensuing kickoff and marched only 52 yards in 12 plays after Charlie Hunt’s 30-yard kick-off return. Fountain Valley’s next possession should have been another safety per the film, but the official gift spared them that indignation. Laguna scored on all their possessions in the game.

THIS WEEK: Friday, Oct. 18 at #108 Aliso Niguel at 7 p.m.

The Breakers’ last regular season road game will be against the Wolverines (4-3), who lost their league opener 20-10 to Dana Hills on Oct. 4 and last week 20-12 to Northwood. A victory over the Breakers would put the Wolverines back into the playoff picture – a contest Laguna can not overlook. Aliso is led by Carter Vestermark, a junior who is also a dangerous runner. Jarett Sabol is the primary running back gaining almost 1,000 yards this season.

Homecoming: Friday, Oct. 25 versus #82 Dana Hills at 7 p.m.

The league title is on the line as unbeaten Dana is the opponent for Laguna’s 68th homecoming game, which is also the celebration of the program’s 90th season of football. The Dolphins and Laguna are tied 11-111 in history, with this 24th meeting being the biggest game in the series that began in 1972. It should be quite a battle at Guyer Field.

See the Cal Preps website for ratings, schedules, scores, etc. at calpreps.com. Game video highlights are posted on Max Preps at maxpreps. com/ca.

GIRLS GOLF (2-9, 2-10)

Tom Levinstein stepped in to manage the golf team for Coach Quigley, who has Laguna facing the top two teams in the league. On Oct. 10, Laguna lost to Portola 173-244 in a match played at Ben Brown’s. Zoe Wynn from Portola earned medalist honors with a score of even par 32. Alani Sciacca posted the low score for Laguna, 41. Additional scores for Laguna included Glory Belland 45, Spencer Anderson 47, Sophia Carr 52 Siena Herdmann 56 and Zoe Tran 56.

The season concluded on Oct. 15 against University (6-0, 7-2) at Strawberry Farms Golf Club, par 36. University won the match 186 –247, and Gabby Gu from University High School earned medalist honors with a score of 33, 3 under par. Alani Sciacca posted the low score for Laguna, 45, followed by Spencer Anderson 47, Morgan Hofknecht 48, Glory Belland 51, Sophia Carr 56 and Zoe Tran 56.

BOYS SAND VOLLEYBALL

(8-2, 3-2)

The Breakers were seeded 5th in the 16-team Orange County Playoffs, which began this past Tuesday, and defeated the Patriots. The quarterfinals were on Thursday, Oct. 17, when Laguna traveled to the Newland Street Courts to face Edison.

Tues Oct. 15 at Main Beach: Laguna Beach d. Beckman 4-3

1. Kai Patchell / Dylan Sirianni lost 19-21, 21-13, 13-15

2. Dylan Sweet / Perry Ribarich lost 11-21, 14-21

3. Luke Singer / John Tavey WON 17-21, 21-19, 15-13

4. James Vermilya/ Nico Lerum WON 21-6, 21-10

5. Ben Goodwin /Grey Bulloch lost 17-21, 21-12, 14-16

4 Man – Patchell, Sirianni, Sweet, Ribarich WON 29-27

The 18-team lower-level playoffs are also being held, with Laguna’s JV seeded 5th and the Frosh-Soph 13th.

GIRLS TENNIS (3-7, 2-3)

Laguna lost 15-3 to a solid Woodbridge squad (15-4, 6-0) on Oct. 15 at the Laguna courts. Rebecca MacCallum won two of her three sets against the Warriors. The season will

VOLLEYBALL – JV LEAGUE CHAMPS Back: Elle Jumani, Maia Miller, Bailey Mitchell, Isabella Lopez, Kiana Aminloo, Jeffrey Anderson, Evie Rowe, Nadia Dimler and Lilly Peterson. Front: Natalia Calef, Stella Evans, Iliana Reider, Sophie Schaefer, Davan Levine and Kelsey Dearing. Laguna’s future in girls volleyball is bright with the league titles this year for the JV and Frosh-Soph squads. For FS, it was their second straight crown. Credit the sports program at Thurston and the work of the Laguna Coast Volleyball Club for resurrecting the feeder program for volleyball after a 20-year lapse of a strong local youth presence. This year’s high school squads had a total of 23 freshmen playing this season including four on varsity (Sienna Utge, Brynne Wiggins, Tessa Durand, and Jordyn Flynn). Photo courtesy of the Jumani Family

conclude with Sage Hill on Oct. 17, Rosary on Oct. 22, and St. Margaret’s on Oct. 24.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL (6-25, 3-5) –Third Place – CIF Bound!

The Breakers swept Northwood 2523, 25-21, 25-21 at the Timberwolves gym to earn the third-place slot for the Pacific Coast League and an automatic spot in the 52nd SSCIF playoffs. Breakers have now qualified 48 times and are 111-42 in section playoffs.

Pairings will post Saturday morning, Oct. 19, at cifss.org. The opening match will be Thursday, Oct. 24 most likely away.

In the playoff, the first set was tied at 8-8 before the Breakers took control with three service aces by Sadie Holmes. Hollie Hooper, Layla Kollock and Blake Borgquist had some great kills. In Set 2, the Breakers held off the Timberwolves with a great solo block by Sadie Holmes for the win. She had two aces, two solo blocks and three kills in the set win. Ivy Bianchi was sharp too, with four kills as Opposite. Laguna was tied 13-13 in set 3, but solid blocking by Baylie Bina, Sadie Holmes, Maddie Rootlieb and Ivy Bianchi was the difference. Key serving runs were by Holmes and Hooper in set one, Layla Kollock in set 2 and Sienna Utge in set 3.

Earlier, Laguna just couldn’t finish and dropped their last two regular season contests and were forced into a playoff game to determine a playoff berth. They lost at St. Margaret’s on Oct. 10, 21-25, 23-25, 17-25 and this past Tuesday at Northwood 14-25, 25-12, 22-25, 23-25. The Breakers have done a playoff twice previously under Coach Sinan Tanik. In 2021, the Breakers defeated Los Alamitos twice in back-to-back days to finish second in the Sunset Surf League and receive a playoff spot. Last year, missing their #1 outside hitter (Kyra Zaengle), Laguna lost at Marina 2523, 25-23, 30-28 for the Second Place Sunset Wave League slot.

BOYS WATER POLO (14-10,

6-0)

The Breakers completed the league season on Oct. 16 with a 9-4 win over Irvine. Max Sauers had five goals in the match. Sam Skenderian for twice in the final two minutes to lift Laguna past Portola 11-9 on Tuesday, Oct. 15 at the Bulldog’s pool. Skenderian was the Breakers’ hot player with five scores for the contest. Coleman Foley had the hat-trick with three goals. Laguna had no trouble beating University 15-5 on Oct. 10 and Beckman 10-3 in a non-league contest at the Patriot’s pool. Laguna traveled to Santa Clara

GIRLS

• LETTERS

Cont. from page 18

Annual Report to the Community on the district’s website touts “Percentile rank based on grade 11 CAASPP scores. 50% of students met or exceeded the math standard. This ranks in the 92nd percentile of school districts in California.

Does this sound good? Not really. It means that half of our Laguna Beach High School students are not grade proficient in math. The report also notes a $83,000,000 annual budget that provides $33,700 in spending per pupil per year. Are our students getting the benefit of a $33,700 education?

With this math learning crisis, why is the school board focused on redoing the swimming pool into an aquatics center and not focusing on education?

School board candidate Howard Hills says, “Our highest duty is giving hope to young people so each can be prepared, overcome challenges, and find purpose. We meet that duty by teaching young people skills to realize individual potential because attainable proficiency is essential for each student’s overall character and well-being.”

Candidate Sheri Morgan is “campaigning to empower Laguna’s voice for students, families, and community, and return to “private school education in a public school setting,” and to rebuild community trust through communication and transparency.”

They are running to better educate the students. Let’s teach the Laguna Beach students math so they excel in college and their careers. Please join me in voting for change for Howard Hills and Sheri Morgan for the School Board.

Johanna Felder, Laguna Beach

Reply to Gene Felder

On Aug. 17, 2021 Councilman George Weiss was censured by his colleagues after admitting he had talked about a City Council closed session with the famously litigious Mark Fudge and others. By definition, that was a violation of the Brown Act, which dictates what government business can be conducted in closed session and how it can be made public.

Weiss then tried to convince the OC District Attorney that the closed session itself violated the Brown Act. As Gene Felder quotes in his recent

Indy column, Senior Deputy DA Steven Schriver wrote Weiss that “there is substantial evidence that the City Council Members violated the Brown Act with respect to the public notice of the closed session and/or the scope of the matters considered during the meeting.” Like all Weiss supporters, Felder stops there, just before the next part which adds there was also “significant evidence of a potential violation of the Brown Act” by Weiss himself.

The City Attorney and City Manager then wrote the DA to point out that Schriver had expressed his opinion after communicating only with Weiss. They asked for a meeting to further discuss the closed session which they believed was entirely proper. Their meeting yielded a second carefully worded letter on Oct. 14, 2021 from Schriver. Nowhere does the DA say that the closed session violated the Brown Act.

My $1,000 challenge was based on all the documents I could find in the public record. They didn’t include Weiss’s letters to the DA because he’s never released them. My challenge also predated an August 21, 2023 letter to Weiss from Deputy DA Avery Harrison stating that “...there

is insufficient evidence to prove any violations of the Brown Act. As a result, the OCDA will take no further action.” But local voters can and, in my opinion, should. And Gene Felder should stop cherry-picking the public record for political purposes.

Chris Quilter, Laguna Beach

Residents Deserve Better

Laguna Canyon Road (LCR) and Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) aren’t just roads - they’re the lifeblood of our community. So why is the City Council determined to take control of these essential routes without thoroughly involving residents in the decisionmaking process?

Residents have been loud and clear: We don’t want the financial burdens of acquiring Laguna Canyon Road or towering parking structures. Yet, here we are, watching as the City Council plunges into discussions with Caltrans about taking over this vital corridor—seemingly determined to make historic financial, environmental and generational decisions without a vote from the very people who will be impacted. This raises concerns about

• see LETTERS page 32

•

SPORTS Cont. from page 8

for the Memorial Cup hosted by Bellarmine Prep this weekend. Laguna opened play on Friday, Oct. 18, with St. Francis/Mountain View and is in a group with San Clemente and Foothill. Also in the tournament are local teams Los Alamitos, Long Beach Wilson and Orange Lutheran. Next week, the league playoff tournament will take place on October 21-22-23 at Woodbridge to determine the post-season entries from the league. Laguna received a bye for their unblemished regular season league play and will play on Tuesday in the semifinals at 3:30 p.m. Scoring leaders after 23 games: 74 –Dylan Willams, 49 – Max Sauers, 34 – Gavin Goode, 30 – Sam Skenderian, 16 – Lucas Rose, 16 – Dane Seybold, 12 – Zach Hornstein. Have a note on Laguna High School sports? Email Frank at frank@twometer.net. Looking for 2024-25 High School schedules and scores? Check Laguna Beach High School on the Max Preps website or the schedules tab on the athletics website at lbhs.lbusd.org/athletics/ schedules. To get scores on the school site – select the sport and level, click year, and move the “show older events” toggle under the 2024-25 year.

Abandoned Vessel Found at Crescent Bay Beach

BY LB INDY STAFF

A small, capsized boat that is believed to have smuggled approximately 15 people was found by authorities at 6 a.m. this morning at Crescent Bay Beach.

After finding discarded life vests and gasoline canisters in the area, Laguna Beach police said surveillance cameras from nearby homes helped them to determine the incident involved human smuggling.

Laguna Beach Marine Safety, the Orange County Sheriff ’s Department and the US Coast Guard were reported to have searched the ocean for anyone in distress or injured, but no one was located.

After the vessel was towed to shore, US Customs and Border Protection took possession of it. Local authorities have turned over the investigation to the California Border Patrol and the US Coast Guard.

Marine Safety respond to a capsized boat found at Crescent Bay this morning. Photo courtesy of Rich German.

• CRIER

Cont. from page 4

All ages are welcome. Underground parking is available. To attend, visit thesusiq.org and click on classes and registration, or call Christine Brewer at 949-715-8105.

Parents Club Halloween Walk Next Wednesday

The Laguna Beach Parents Club’s 13th Annual Halloween Walk will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 4 to 6 p.m. Families and children are invited to gather at Main Beach in Laguna Beach to kick off the season with kidfriendly spooky fun.

This fun-filled event invites kids and their parents to dress up in their favorite costumes as they parade through the heart of Laguna Beach. Local families are invited to meet at the Main Beach cobblestones and will gather in groups organized by their kids’ birth years. The groups will then Trick or Treat at the shops and restaurants on Forest Avenue. The celebration doesn’t end with the parade. The procession will turn right onto 2nd Street, walk through the Laguna Beach Presbyterian Church courtyard and end at the Church parking lot on 3rd Street with a lively after-party. Families will be able to enjoy a variety

of activities, including barbecue, shaved ice, face painting, games and other kids activities, interactive trucks and police car display, giveaways and free family photos. The event is an opportunity for local families to connect, celebrate, and make memories.

Wildﬁres and You with Laguna Canyon Foundation

On Tuesday, Oct. 22, from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Susi Q, Laguna Canyon Foundation’s Deputy Director and Senior Director of Conservation Alan Kaufmann will share insights about fire behavior designed to keep homes safer. Kaufmann oversees LCF’s habitat restoration, fuel modification, land management and trail programs. He works on wildland fire, trail and weed management crews and researches the use of prescribed fire and mechanical thinning to restore ecosystems. Register online for the events at thesusiq.org. To RSVP by phone, call Christine Brewer at 949-715-8105 or email christineb@thesusiq.org.

Help Sean Recover And Rebuild After Spinal Injury

Longtime Laguna Beach High

School golf coach, Sean Quigley, suffered severe spinal cord injuries when he was hit by a vehicle while out cycling near his home in Laguna Niguel. According to a GoFundMe supporting the local coach and cyclist, Sean has undergone three surgeries since the collision late last month. Doctors say he has a 5% chance of regaining the function of his lower body.

“He currently is the golf coach at Laguna Beach High School for both boys’ and girls’ teams and has been for almost a decade,” the Gofundme reads. “Sean has been a mentor and leader for the young men and women he has coached over the years, with his main goal of building good human beings for the future. Sean is strong and he is fighting his hardest, but he really needs your love, prayers, and if possible, your financial support to give him the best odds.” To view the full fundraiser, visit gofundme.com and search “Sean Quigley.”

Artsgiving Hosted by LOCA LOCA invites everyone to Artsgiving, its annual brunch and membership gathering outdoors on the beautiful Sawdust Festival grounds on

Oct. 20 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Partygoers will feast on mimosas and a bountiful brunch buffet. All will enjoy a lively paint-around performance by LOCA teachers Hedy Buzan, Elizabeth McGhee, and Lisa Rainey, as they paint and pass canvases between themselves. The finished art will be up for bidding, along with other silent auction items.

Art lovers will mingle with LOCA’s officers, board of directors, and teachers, and learn about upcoming classes and events. “Artsgiving is our board members way of giving thanks to our members for their support,” said Rich Fair, LOCA Vice President. LOCA Arts Education is a nonprofit organization and all proceeds will support LOCA programs. Admission is free to new and renewing members, $30 for guests. Advance registration is required. 935 Laguna Canyon Road. Metered parking on the street.

Vote Forward: A Fine Art Print Beneﬁt

Artist Kelly Hartigan Goldstein, an 11-year resident of Laguna Beach,

• see CRIER page 32

Laguna College of Art + Design Board Appoints New Members

BY LB INDY STAFF

Laguna College of Art + Design (LCAD) has added five new members to its Board of Trustees, bringing the total number of board members to 13. Pamela Banks, Greg Washer, Miriam Smith, Mike Danzi and Matt Brown will join the board under the leadership of chair Jared Mathis, vice chair Hiro Kinoshita, secretary Justin Thavirat, and treasurer Kathryn Burton Gray.

“We are delighted to have a new class of board members join our existing board of trustees to help lead LCAD as it continues to innovate, grow, and connect with the creative economy that surrounds us,” said its chairman, Jared Moulton, whose great grandmother helped found LCAD from its inception as the Art Institute of Southern California.

“We welcome this extraordinary group of experts and passionate leaders into the college to continue

its proud tradition of educating artists and designers,” LCAD President Steve Brittan said. “LCAD has been making a significant impact in Laguna Beach and in Orange County as it strategically integrates its design and art programs with surrounding industries in entertainment, game, and action sports.”

Most recently the college launched its Creativity Flow speaker series which invites leading designers in the sports, entertainment, game industries, and nationally recognized artists, to the Rivian Theater to share their experiences with the LCAD community. Next month, LCAD will be host a Quantum Game Jam with leading experts at LCAD and Caltech, which experiments with a completely new dimension to understanding physics and comprehensive problemsolving.

New LCAD board members stand with the current board. Photo courtesy of LCAD

• POOL

Cont. from page 16

(CEQA) process will begin to gather more resident input on the potential effects of the project, including those that could occur during construction. That feedback will be reviewed, and any identified impacts will be addressed through mitigation strategies that will be incorporated into the final construction plans. The CEQA process must be completed before the project can move forward to the bidding phase.

The current high school pool will be replaced with a modern facility designed to meet both competitive and recreational needs. The new pool will feature seventeen 25-yard lap lanes, each eight feet wide, accommodating up to 102 swimmers at once. It will include varying lane depths, with one lane ranging from five to seven feet deep and sixteen lanes at a consistent seven feet. The shallow section will keep its current 750 square foot size, with water depths between three and a half and four and a half feet, providing space for a variety of activities and users.

The facility will also be equipped for competitive water polo with floating goal all-deep water polo courses in 25-yard, 25-meter, and 30-meter configurations, along with fixed or wall-mounted 25-yard practice courses featuring two side-by-side layouts. Accessibility is a key feature of the design, with ADA-compliant walk-out stairs, an ADA-compliant lift, and five sets of grabrails with recessed steps. The pool will also feature underwater lighting, enhancing both functionality and safety.

“The pool modernization project comes at a critical time due to the aging infrastructure of our current pool,” said Jeff Dixon, assistant superintendent of business services. “It also presents an opportunity to enhance the facility in a way that better serves both our students and the community, offering greater flexibility while aligning with the district’s sustainability goals and priorities.”

The district’s budget for 202425 includes funds set aside for maintenance and improvement projects, part of a long-term plan in place since the district’s Ten Year

Facilities Master Plan was developed in 2015. According to the district, this includes a commitment of $10 million from one-time savings and additional funds being added to a special account for facility improvements. By 202627, the account is expected to grow to over $19 million, with more than $22 million by 2027-28. The district’s budget planning covers rising costs and ensures that funds are available for capital improvement projects, without affecting other important educational programs. The district also received a $1 million reimbursement from the state for past improvements at Thurston Middle School, which will go towards funding the pool project.

• BIKE Cont. from page 4

meet and greet current and former pro athletes including Bob Haro, Richie Schley, Hans “No Way” Rey, Eliot Jackson, Brian Lopes, Troy Lee, Eddie Fiola, Mike “Hollywood” Miranda, Bill Allen (Cru Jones in the movie “Rad”) and more to be announced soon.

The family-friendly event will also have plenty to keep the kids entertained with arts and crafts as well as races on an indoor bike track for ages 3-7 (Strider Balance Bikes will be available to use) and an all-ages pump track, which is a circuit with banked turns, rollers and berms allowing a bike rider to move along by pumping their body up and down rather than by pedaling or pushing.

Attendees are also invited to participate in one of many group rides to be led by popular athletes and social media stars. Shuttle services will be available to favorite trail systems in the surrounding areas. And the festival will partner with the 10th annual Laguna Beach Dirt Fondo, a bike riding challenge with both 25- and 50-mile routes on some of the area’s best trails, fire roads and bike paths. Not a race, the event will emphasize having a fun and safe time and learning more about Laguna’s open space. Limited to the first 100 riders who sign up, the ride is a fundraiser for the Laguna Canyon Riders. More details can be found at lagunabikefest.com.

10/20 YOUNG DUBLINERS

10/18 GARY PUCKETT & THE UNION GAP 10/19 BRETT DENNEN - G olden S ate of M ind t our 10/20 THE YOUNG DUBLINERS 10/24 WAYWARD SONS 10/25 MIRAGE ( f leetwood M ac t ribute ) 10/26 STRYPER 40th Anniversary Tour 10/27 FREDDY JONES BAND 10/30 THE MUSICAL BOX 10/31 OINGO BOINGO FORMER MEMBERS 11/1 OINGO BOINGO FORMER MEMBERS 11/2 VENICE 11/3 THE WINEHOUSE EXPERIENCE 11/7 MATTHEW SWEET ( a cou S tic

10/24 WAYWARD SONS

10/25 MIRAGE

rio ) 11/8 COMMON SENSE 11/9 TYRONE WELLS 11/13 JOHN HIATT 11/14 THE SWEET 11/15 RONSTADT REVIVAL 11/16 JOSHUA RADIN & RON POPE 11/21 JEREMY PIVEN 11/22 SPACE ODDITY ( d avid b owie t ribute ) 11/23 RUFUS WAINWRIGHT 11/24 CTRL + Z ft M arc b onilla , t ho M a S l an G , r ic f ierabracci

11/26 LEONID & FRIENDS

11/27 LEONID & FRIENDS (

11/29 THE PLATTERS 11/30 LEE ROCKER of the Stray Cats 12/4 LIVINGSTON TAYLOR and LOUDON WAINWRIGHT III

12/6 WHICH ONE’S PINK? (P ink f loyd t ribute ) 12/7 WHICH ONE’S PINK? (P ink f loyd t ribute ) 12/8 SANDRA BERNHARD

12/11 DAVID BENOIT (XMAS TRIBUTE) 12/12 KY-MANI MARLEY

12/13 ABBA Holly Jolly Christmas 12/14 THE HIGHWAYMAN SHOW 12/15 THE GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA 12/18 SAMANTHA FISH ( S hake e M ’ on down tour ) J on S pencer , c edric B urn S ide 12/19 A VERY WHITNEY CHRISTMAS 12/20 A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS 12/21 AMBROSIA (HOLIDAY SHOW) 12/22 GARY HO-HO-HOEY 12/27 BEATLES VS STONES 12/28 DRAMARAMA 12/29 L.A. GUNS 12/31 THE ENGLISH BEAT 1/10 TOMMY CASTRO & THE PAINKILLERS 1/1 1 AC/DC vs OZZY 1/12 BURTON CUMMINGS

10/30 THE MUSICAL BOX 10/31 OINGO BOINGO FORMER MEMBERS COMING SOON

1/17 DADA 1/18 DSB (J ourney t ribute ) 1/23 PAT TRAVERS 1/24 GENE LOVES JEZEBEL & BOW WOW WOW 1/26 WHAT’S NEW PUSSY CAT? ( t o M J one S t ribute )

1/30 CANNED HEAT

1/31 DESPERADO ( e a G le S )

2/1 DESPERADO ( e a G le S )

2/2 RICKIE LEE JONES

2/7 DAVID COOK

2/8 LED ZEPAGAIN

2/16 INCENDIO

2/23 ALWAYS ADELE

2/26 HUMMEL HARP BLOWOUT

2/27 VANESSA COLLIER

3/6 ALTAN

3/8 MARC COHN

3/9 MARC COHN

3/13 SONS OF CREAM

3/29

• CRIER

Cont. from page 30

will reproduce her collage Bananas For Scale for the first time to benefit voter education and activation causes. In an official collaboration with non-partisan Votefwd.org, 50% of the purchase price will be donated to its mission “to empower grassroots volunteers to encourage their fellow citizens to vote.”

Bananas For Scale is a composition of Goldstein’s favorite still-life fruit combined with the events of Jan. 6, using only paper sourced from a single Wall Street Journal retrieved in the early morning hours on Jan. 7, 2021. Processing the chaos of Jan. 6, Goldstein uses words of the relentless news cycle with a tongue-in-cheek approach to the divided reality of America. Limited edition prints can be purchased online only through Nov. 5. Visit @hartigangold on Instagram or kellyhartigangoldstein.com for more information.

Important Voting Dates

• October 21, 2024: Last day to register to vote for the general election.

• October 26, 2024: Vote Center at the Laguna Beach Community and Susi Q Center (380 3rd Street) opens from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• November 2, 2024: Vote Center at Lang Park (21540 Wesley Drive) opens.

• November 5, 2024: Election Day

An official ballot drop box in Laguna Beach is at the Laguna Beach Library at 363 Glenneyre St. Ballots and can also be placed in the mail (no postage necessary).

For any questions regarding the November 5, 2024 General Election and/or voter registration, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at (949) 497-0705.

Join Us for the City’s Facilities Master Plan Workshop Next Tuesday, October 22

On Tuesday, October 22, the City will hold a public workshop to present an update on the Facilities Master Plan from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers. The regular City Council meeting will start at 5 p.m. The Facilities Master Plan is

designed to address long-term needs for public infrastructure, including public safety facilities, community and art facilities, parking lots and more throughout Laguna Beach

From the City: Fire Inspection Billing FAQ

Q: Why am I getting a bill and when did billing start?

A: You are billed for annual Fire Life/Safety Inspections required by California law to ensure community safety. These inspections cover multi-family dwellings, commercial properties, and common areas, but not individual units. Billing began after the Laguna Beach City Council adopted a fee schedule update on April 12, 2022, aimed at achieving 100% cost recovery for inspection services.

Q: How do I read my bill?

A: The bill includes charges for specific inspections like statemandated inspections for hotels and schools, multi-dwelling and business inspections, and operational permits. Late penalties are also applied if payments are overdue.

Q: How can I pay the bill?

A: Payments can be made by mail (City of Laguna Beach c/o Fire Recovery USA, LLC P.O. Box 548 Roseville, CA 95678-0548), online through the Fire Recovery USA portal, or in person at City Hall (505 Forest Avenue).

Q: How do I know if an inspector is legitimate?

A: Inspectors wear official Fire Department uniforms and badges. You can verify their identity by calling the Fire Department at 949-497-0700. Inspectors check for fire hazards in public areas like hallways, stairwells, and garages. They also ensure fire alarms and sprinkler systems are properly maintained.

Q: Who can I contact if I have questions?

A: Questions about the bill or payment should be directed to the Laguna Beach Fire Department’s

Fire Prevention Bureau at firemarshal@ lagunabeachcity.net or (949) 4970352. If you are having difficulty with the Fire Recovery USA portal, please contact inspections@firerecoveryusa. com or by phone at (888) 650-5320.

• LETTERS

Cont. from page 29

whether residents’ voices are truly being heard.

The council’s recent shaky track record on property acquisitions doesn’t inspire confidence. Remember Ti Amo’s and St. Catherine’s? Currently, one property sits vacant, one is underutilized, and neither is being used as advertised. Ti Amo’s (purchased without an appraisal and with a loan from the city’s vehicle fund) is now listed for sale. Trusting council to accurately access the value and necessity of taking over LCR and PCH is a hard sell - especially when we are staring down a $141 million price tag for the relinquishment and at least $11 million per year in maintenance costs for Laguna Canyon Road alone. Staggering, right? The Council has packaged the relinquishment of LCR with promises of under-grounding utilities to improve fire safety. Who wouldn’t be in favor of undergrounding? It’s an easy sell—it has aesthetic appeal; the roads look better. But does it address and mitigate the real fire and safety concerns on LCR?

The “Protect and Connect” sessions were supposed to provide design and safety information, but many attendees left disappointed and frustrated by the lack of substance. The LCR “survey” results show that only 30% of respondents expressed support for the project, with the primary concern being the lack of financial information. Why the secrecy? Why the spin?

Residents deserve honesty and transparency. These major and massive projects will impact us and future generations - we have the right to weigh in on the vision and the immediate and long-term costs.

It’s time for the City Council to

present a clear vision and let the residents decide through a vote on these significant long-term projects. Our community deserves better.

Robin Hall, Laguna Beach

School Board Endorsements

The present Laguna Beach School Board has too much money and not enough sense. Only one board member, Dee Perry, considers spending your money in a fiscally responsible manner and she is not up for reelection this cycle. I urge you to change the course of the present board and elect Howard Hills and Sheri Morgan to join Dee Perry. They will hear the community’s voice and prioritize spending on students instead of grandiose buildings and pools.

Merton Hill, Laguna Beach

More School Board Endorsements

I’m responding to a recent letter from six past school board members endorsing and slating together for incumbent Jan Vickers and recent Texas transplant and candidate Lauren Boeck.

As a 40-year resident, I have been involved in community volunteering and PTA in various ways, including leadership as president at El Morro and Thurston PTA. I am endorsing Sheri Morgan and Howard Hills, both longtime residents.

As PTA president Sheri Morgan initiated Breaker Team, which was a “boots on the ground” program to empower the student voice to explore equity and diversity issues on campus that the students identified. Top issues were harassment and bullying of LGBTQ+, hate and antisemitic hate comments.

Through Sheri’s efforts and in collaboration with the site administration leadership and the AntiDefamation League, a Peer Leadership program was launched to help provide students tools to navigate conversations when inappropriate, hateful language is used.

Sheri has been an advocate for empowering the community voice and equitable representation for the schools for as long as I’ve known her.

•

Laguna Beach Garden Club Celebrate 2nd Annual “Good of Our Hive”

BY LB INDY STAFF

On Friday Oct. 11 the Garden Club celebrated its 2nd annual “Good of Our Hive” with speaker Tobin Hammer, Assistant Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UC Irvine. Hammer spoke about bees, disease and gut health.

This bee tradition began when artist Matt Willey visited the Laguna Beach Garden Club in September of 2022 and lit the fire among the members to make bees the centerpiece of their efforts. Willey has founded a global art project generating radical curiosity, connection, and change, one pollinator at a time. Willey’s philosophy and art encourage us to see ourselves as a collective, as part of the hive, and thus work in concert for the good of all rather than making efforts only for oneself. This led the club to commission the beautiful bee mural that was painted at the Laguna Beach County Water District wall at 306 3rd St. Laguna Beach.

The mural has sparked joy throughout the community and has been the buzz of the town ever since. Even the beloved Lagunatics play that parodies

all that is fun and quirky about Laguna Beach, did a number dedicated to the bees and the mural to the delight of the entire audience. The goal of the club is to not only bring attention to the plight of pollinators and what each of us can do to help, but to remind our community that when we act as a collective, we will have a much kinder and gentler place to live without the contentiousness that has sadly become normalized recently.

The garden club, following the United Nation’s initiative for World Bee Day, invited the local Beekeepers of Southern California to sell their honey at the meeting. This helps promote more beekeepers and farmers to increase beekeeping efforts such as beehive rescues and protecting wild bee colonies when possible. The Daughters of The American Revolution representative Sharon Donoff, was present at this meeting to present an award to the Laguna Beach Garden Club for the incredible amount of community service that they perform and for bringing the mural and its message to Laguna Beach.

The club invites community members

to visit the garden club at its general meetings held on the second Friday of each month from September through May at Tankersley Hall at Laguna Presbyterian Church from 09:30 a.m. to noon with the social hour and refreshments from 9:30 to 10 and the speaker begins at 10:30 a.m.. The next meeting will be on Friday November 8th. Non-members are invited to attend their first meeting for free.

• ROOFING REPLACEMENTS/REPAIRS

• BALCONY DECK STRUCTURAL RECONSTRUCTION

• ROOFING WATERPROOFING

• EXTENSIVE DRY ROT/TERMITE REPAIRS

• SHEET METAL FOR HARSH COASTAL ENVIRONMENTS

• IN DEPTH SPECIFICATION/STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

• INTERIOR DAMAGE REPAIRS

• BALCONY RAIL SYSTEM DESIGNS/GLASS/CABLE

• PROFESSIONAL PAINTING SERVICES

• DOOR & WINDOW REPLACEMENT

• STUCCO/PLASTER RECONSTRUCTION

• RAIN GUTTERS/CHIMNEY CAPS

• SKYLIGHTS/ATTIC VENTING SYSTEMS

Laguna Beach Garden Club members celebrate the second annual “Good of Our Hive” event on Oct. 11. Photo courtesy of the club

The Canyon Crush

Laguna Canyon Winery marks a milestone of producing award-winning vino in town.

BY SHARON STELLO

J.J. Huber’s passion for wine runs deep: From helping to pick the grapes in Napa and Sonoma counties to perfecting the blends, he’s been involved every step of the way at Laguna Canyon Winery, which started in 2003 and opened for tastings a year later.

This fall, the winery celebrates the 20th anniversary of its tasting room opening to the public. “It’s hard to believe how fast it went by,” Huber says of reaching the milestone. The Orange County Wine Society will help toast the occasion at a Nov. 1 party complete with wine tastings and cheese and charcuterie boards. And there are plenty of other ways to get involved, from dropping by for tastings to signing up as a member or attending monthly wine pairing dinners or a wine blending class.

Step into the newly remodeled tasting room and visitors will find selfserve wine-dispensing machines—a pandemic pivot that has proven popular among those seeking to taste at their own pace—and rock ’n’ roll presented on a 10-foot screen rather than live jazz.

Billed as OC’s first urban winery, everything is done on-site in Laguna Canyon, from the grape crushing to the fermenting and bottling. Every inch of space is used. Even barrels under the tasting tables often hold wine. Huber sees the wine-making process as a creative endeavor, making Laguna Beach, with its history as an art colony, the ideal location for his craft. “This is our expression of art, so it’s been really nice to be part of that,” he says. The creative aspect of winemaking becomes evident, Huber explains, as people might buy the same grapes, but their wines each end up tasting different in the end. There are so many things that can be tweaked during the process to create your own style. His small-batch wines are unfiltered and made with high-quality grapes from low-yield vineyards. “We do it by hand, so you get a much better extraction and some amazing color as well coming from the skins,” Huber says, noting that larger companies often produce

wines with a lighter or medium-bodied color. “… And ours are inky, chewy, jammy. So that’s part of the benefit of handcrafting something in small lots.”

Laguna Canyon Winery—which consistently wins awards at the OC Fair’s Commercial Wine Competition including lots of gold and double gold prizes—offers 20 different varieties, from reds like pinot noir, syrah, petite sirah and a Super Tuscan to whites like chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio. He started with a focus on blends, but now also offers pure varietals. Huber says there isn’t one that’s the most popular. “Members will come in and buy a case … and there’s 12 different bottles in the case,” he says.

In addition to the Laguna Canyon brand, he also produces wine under the Purple Paws label, which is a tribute to his late poodle, Tierra (aka Terr Bear or Bear), and donates the proceeds to nonprofits helping homeless pets.

“So the story goes, I was here pressing pinot noir about 15 years ago and I brought her to the winery. We were in the back here pressing and there

was wine all over the floor,” Huber recalls. “Her little paws got soaking wet with pinot noir and she came to the front and she was traipsing around in the tasting room and marking all these little … paw prints all over the tasting room floor and I said, ‘That’s it, Purple Paws Pinot.’ And so I’ve been donating a portion of the sales for homeless pets in Orange County for the last 15 years.”

Deep Roots

Huber comes from a ranching family in Canada, where he first caught the wine-making bug. He knew the ag life wasn’t for him, so Huber moved to Vancouver where he met Gianni Seminari, who would become his mentor. Huber crushed grapes for two years with this Italian wine master from the University of Milan, honing his skills. Eventually, Huber embarked on his own journey with much success. Huber and his brother established their first winery in the Vancouver area in 1993 and then the family opened a

second winery in 1996. But Huber felt pulled toward the renowned vineyards of Northern California, so he continued his wine science education under the tutelage of UC Davis professor Clark Smith. Over the years, Huber’s style has evolved, combining Old World and New World wine-making methods to create complex blends. After visiting a friend in San Diego and meeting a young woman there, he decided to stay in Southern California. She eventually introduced him to his future wife, who was from Orange County and chose the Laguna Canyon site for his third winery.

Huber and his brother grew the winery exponentially. At one point, they had an extra 4,000 square feet of space in the adjacent building and had 150 barrels going at one time. They distributed their wine in 15 U.S. states and exported to China for many years. Laguna Canyon Winery’s bottles could be found in Costco, Ralphs and Albertsons stores across Southern

Laguna Canyon Winery is celebrating the 20th anniversary of opening its tasting room.

California and in some restaurants. Then, in 2019, Huber bought his brother’s share of the business, becoming the sole owner, and decided to downsize right before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. When wholesaling, the winery was producing 5,000 bottles a year and, since downsizing, only creates about 1,000 per year now.

“Downsizing was the best thing I’ve ever done,” Huber says. “So now it’s really winemaking for passion more so than winemaking for profit. I’ve got my 500 members nationwide and retail guests, we’re open six days a week as a public tasting room and I’m happier than I’ve ever been—no headaches and no pressure and no stress. I just love what I do and I’m able to meet nice people along the way.”

The tasting room exudes a comfortable, homey feel that’s at once modern and rustic with huge wroughtiron chandeliers, farmhouse-style pendants and wine barrels holding up the tabletops. Behind the counter, a large, dark wood cabinet—built by Huber’s father—displays the various wine bottles and medals from the fair. Ceramic flooring was replaced with polished concrete and the walls went from a dark clay color to a brighter off-white. And Huber’s office was converted to a private event room, which is great for bachelorette parties, birthdays and other special occasions. “It really turned out nice and I think now it’s timeless,” Huber says of the remodeled space.

From Vine to Wine

When it comes to making the wine, Huber travels to Northern California

in a rented van to get his load of grapes at harvest time. For pinot noir, that’s usually in early September.

“And I’m picking grapes in the vineyard so I still have that connection to the land,” he says. “I’ve still got that agricultural spirit, really enhanced, that I love so much. It’s great to be able to be an urban winery and not a vineyard-[based] winery. I contract with vineyards throughout Napa County, Sonoma County, Lake County, even Paso Robles [and] Monterey. And, in doing that, I’m able to integrate different soil compositions and different terroirs into my wine portfolio so that they all are unique and different in their own ways.”

In addition to loading up his bins of grapes at harvest time, Huber goes to the vineyards two or three times a year to maintain his relationships with the growers. When choosing vineyards for his supply of grapes, he has four criteria: hand picked, low yield, sloped fields and no machines. “If it doesn’t meet those four criterias, I’m not really interested,” he says.

For the best picking conditions, he gets to the vineyard in the middle of the night. “We pick at usually 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning,” he says. “And it’s great because the Budget rent-avans are air-conditioned, so by the time I get [back to Laguna], … they’re still …cold. It’s an eight- or nine-hour drive, sometimes 12 hours, from Lake County.”

Upon returning to the winery, it takes two or three hours to crush a ton of grapes. “So I’ll do an email blast and

GOT BLOOD?

In the spirit of Halloween, Laguna Beach Aesthetics is oﬀering 10% OFF our Vampire Facial for the month of October!

The Vampire Facial, also known as a PRP (platelet rich plasma) Facial, became widely popular as celebrities are undergoing the treatment and swearing by it.

The platelet serum contains multiple growth factors and peptides that when coupled with Microneedling aids new collagen formation and rejuvenates the skin.

CALL, TEXT OR EMAIL LAGUNA BEACH AESTHETICS TODAY TO BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT AND UNLEASH YOUR INNER VAMPIRE.

Dr. O’Connell performs all procedures and consultations herself.

DR. ADRIENNE O’CONNELL 610 N Coast Hwy, Suite 208 Laguna Beach, CA 92651 info@lagunabeachaesthetics.com www.lagunabeachaesthetics.com 949.415.4310

The winery sources handpicked grapes from vineyards in Napa, Sonoma and Lake counties, Monterey and Paso Robles.

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some of my members and retail guests will come out and kind of watch us crush and maybe throw a fork or two in there and help crush a little bit and kind of get the experience, which is fun.”

After crushing the grapes, yeast is added and fermentation starts, he explains. The yeast eat the sugar, producing alcohol and carbon dioxide, the latter of which rises to the top, bringing the skins with it and forming what’s known as a cap. Huber and his team punch that cap down several times a day to extract more color and tannins, and flavor compounds and enzymes from the skins as opposed to large wineries with massive tanks that pump the wine over that cap.

Once the crushed grapes ferment for 12 days or so and the juice has been pressed off the skins, then the mixture continues to ferment in the space behind the tasting room. The red wines also go through a second fermentation called malolactic fermentation. “That’s where I’ll inoculate the wines with bacteria. It will eat the malic acid [and] it will convert it to lactic acid, so it gets rid of all those harsh tannins,” Huber explains. “And then it will sit there. So pretty much from the time we receive the grapes until the time they get in the oak barrels, it’s about two months. And then pinot noir and sangiovese will come around pretty quickly in the oak barrels, usually a year, whereas cabernet sauvignon, syrah, petite sirah, they’ll take upwards of two years.”

Huber has been bringing on more people to help oversee his winemaking program, including a UC Davis enologist and now the former head winemaker from Joseph Phelps Vineyards in Napa Valley.

“I’m 62 years old this fall,” Huber says. “I’m kind of getting up there, so I’m just stepping back a little bit and letting my team do a little more and me do a little less.”

When it comes time for bottling, that process has been done in the tasting room for the last 20 years. “We send the glass to a company in Paso Robles and a 1,200-degree oven heat inks on the labels [instead of using a paper label],” Huber says. “… [It has] just a really nice, clean, elegant look to it.”

Interestingly, in addition to his Italian technique and mentor, all of Huber’s equipment is Italian, from Tuscany: the filling machine, corker, spinner, crusher and press. Even his automatic dispensing machines (for

tastings) are from Tuscany. “I’m the first winery in Southern California to get them,” Huber says.

Visitors get a card loaded with a preset amount of money, then insert the card in a machine to dispense their taste of that type of wine. Staff are still on hand to answer any questions.

“Right now it’s all through the machines, but we’re talking about introducing a secondary tasting program where we would still pour at the bar,” Huber says. “That would be a little bit different price point and more educational and more one on one. We’re talking about it right now. That would be something we’re looking at maybe a Friday, Saturday, Sunday or just Saturday and Sunday. We’re not sure, but we’re looking at it right now.”

For a more immersive introduction to the winery, which has become quite popular, guests can sign up for a twohour premium wine and barrel tasting experience on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. “That’s one on one with me as the owner, winemaker and sommelier,” Huber says. Guests receive a glass of Champagne, then Huber gives a talk about the winery and presents a video about his wine-making process, followed by premium wine tastings from the machines paired with a cheese and charcuterie board. And, finally, the event ends with tastings straight from the barrel. “It’s just really educational, really engaging and really a lot of fun,” Huber says.

Whether you like reds, whites, blends or single-varietal vino, Laguna Canyon Winery has something for every taste. And if, for some reason you don’t find that perfect sip to please your palate, there’s a wine blending class to try your own hand at mastering the art of winemaking.

Huber (center) with team members John Rider (left), head winemaker, and Jeff McEachron (right), who conducts the Super Tuscan wine blending class with Huber

Grapes, fresh from Northern California, get destemmed, crushed, fermented and pressed in the winery’s Laguna Canyon space.

Top left: Laguna Canyon Winery stands out in its field with many awards. Top right: Automatic dispensing machines make tasting at your own pace easy for guests. Bottom: Wine-blending classes are offered.

Laguna Beach Uniﬁed Ranks First Among Orange County Districts for Statewide

English, Language Arts, Math and

Science Scores

FOCUSED STRATEGIES LEAD TO A 17-POINT RISE IN HIGH SCHOOL MATH SCORES

BY LB INDY STAFF

The California Department of Education (CDE) released its statewide assessment results Oct. 10, with Laguna Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) ranking No. 1 among unified districts in Orange County for English language arts, math, and science scores. In LBUSD, 79 percent of students scored proficient or above in English language arts (ELA), 70 percent met or exceeded standards in mathematics and 65 percent of students demonstrated proficiency in science standards. The CAASPP, administered each year to students in grades 3-8 and once in grade 11, measures how well students have mastered grade-level skills and knowledge. To measure progress and support student growth throughout the year, LBUSD teachers also use ongoing diagnostic and formative assessments to identify strengths and growth areas for every student. These assessments work alongside the end-of-year state test,

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Sheri isn’t about ego. Her focus is ensuring that everyone’s voice has a chance to be heard, considered, respected and that everyone’s rights are protected, whether she agrees or not. Please vote Sheri Morgan and Howard Hills for change.

Celine Macmillan, PTA President El Morro 2017-2018, Thurston Middle School 2018-2020

Weiss is a Winner

I was out canvassing for George Weiss for City Council this weekend and was surprised at how many Laguna Beach residents know that George was the only — the only — City Council member who sends out a summary of every Council meeting and keeps residents informed about what the Council is doing, In fact, George is the only member of council who always responds to my questions or concerns, connecting me with the right city department or explaining what was being done.

allowing teachers to provide targeted instruction and support within the school day to ensure students stay on track to reach their individual goals and meet grade-level standards.

As a result of these focused efforts, Laguna Beach High School saw a 17 percentage point increase in grade 11 math proficiency, rising from 50 percent last year to 67 percent this year, a testament to the collaborative efforts of teachers, instructional support staff, counselors, and school leaders, who contributed to the success of targeted academic interventions and personalized learning plans.

“We shared with our community last year that improving high school math proficiency was a priority for us, and in keeping with our commitment to continuous improvement, we don’t shy away from unpacking the data with our community,” said LBUSD Superintendent Jason Viloria. “We’re excited to report back on the progress we’ve made, thanks to the dedicated

work of our administrators, teachers, and support staff who have been fully committed to this effort. The personalized learning opportunities we provide our students are unmatched in Orange County, and this increase in proficiency is a direct result of the hard work and focus on meeting each student’s individual needs. These scores are just one of many data points we review each year to support student success.”

Districtwide scores in both ELA and mathematics surpassed the Orange County average by approximately 22 percent and exceeded the California state-wide average by approximately 32 percent in ELA and 35 percent in mathematics.

While these results showcase the district’s strong academic performance, LBUSD is committed to addressing a decline in math scores for students in grades 6-8. The district is already implementing targeted strategies to support growth and improvement by using data to meaningfully inform

instruction, academic interventions, and support. In middle school, diagnostic assessments are being used to design tutorial class periods that provide direct instruction in specific areas and standards where students need the most support, while also offering enrichment opportunities for students ready for additional challenges. With these targeted efforts in place, LBUSD anticipates continued progress and improved outcomes in the coming year.

Because CAASPP tests are given statewide, they provide an opportunity to measure the skills of all students against the same academic standards in the same way. The results provide insights schools can use to inform teaching and measure learning outcomes, and are posted annually on the CAASPP results website. LBUSD parents may access a written report of their child’s scores through Aeries and can compare progress from one year to the next.

Alex Rounaghi has responded twice. The rest? Not a peep. Here are some key themes and accomplishments of George’s time representing us on City Council. He helps to protect the environment by sponsoring the City Climate Action Plan, electrifying the city fleet, and banning balloons and Roundup. Weiss helps to preserve Laguna’s magic by advocating for the library’s location and renovating the Rivian Theater. He safeguards our financial health by enacting outside appraisals for purchases of city property of over $500,000 and ensuring greater transparency of city expenditures. Lastly, he promotes connection by recapping council meetings for residents and advocating for a highly qualified city manager.

The old guard, led by the man behind the screen, have done their utmost to marginalize George because he works for us, not the Chamber or the Board of Realtors, those who think they know what is best for Laguna and we don’t.

Since last year, two incompetent city officials and a councilmember have been rooted out at great expense to us as taxpayers.

Remember, our residential property taxes (not business taxes) pay for most of the city’s budget. This means that renters are funding the city too. Now is the time to tip the council majority back to a better balance. It’s time for real vision and leadership. Elect George Wiess and Judi Mancuso. They fight for us!

Kiku Terasaki, Laguna Beach

Support Restoring the Aliso Creek Estuary at City Council Meeting

Laguna Beach stands at a pivotal moment. Next Tuesday, the City Council will decide whether to support the next steps in restoring the Aliso Creek estuary, a project that goes far beyond cleaning up a polluted wetland. It’s about protecting biodiversity, from the smallest organisms to the health of humans, and ensuring a sustainable

future for all of us.

Estuaries like Aliso Creek are critical hubs of biodiversity. They provide habitats for countless species, from microorganisms and plants to fish, birds, and mammals. These interconnected ecosystems are delicate, and when they are degraded, the ripple effect harms the entire food chain. Every species plays a role in maintaining balance, and losing even the smallest organisms can have catastrophic impacts, not just for wildlife but for humans as well. Healthy estuaries are vital to ensuring clean water, which sustains both marine life and the communities that rely on them.

As a coastal community, Laguna Beach has a responsibility to be a leader in restoring and protecting these vital ecosystems. The Aliso Creek estuary restoration is just one step in a larger movement to restore biodiversity—

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essential for our own survival. The toxins and pollutants that currently run through the estuary don’t just harm fish and birds. They affect the quality of the water we swim in and the health of the ecosystem that supports our local environment and economy.

Restoring biodiversity isn’t just an environmental issue—it’s a human issue. Healthy ecosystems protect against climate change, improve air and water quality, and ensure the survival of all species, including us.

I urge the citizens of Laguna Beach to stand up for this cause. Show up at next Tuesday’s City Council meeting, and if you can’t attend, send a letter urging the council to prioritize the next steps in restoring the estuary. Together, we can protect the biodiversity that sustains us all.

Mike Marriner Sr., Laguna Beach

Transparent Election Tactics or Tampering

The rising discourse over school board politics has become disturbing. The keyboard mafia, Board and Administration advocates, even active board members, have begun to engage in spreading rumors and highly subjective opinions over long-standing citizens, community and District parents, in an effort to gaslight and debunk factual data regarding recent and past District decisions. While Board Members can support candidates personally, even behind the scenes, it should be factual. Flexing Board positions to influence voting, making false, unsolicited statements on behalf of others, or putting twisted truths printed in public or private outlets, displays the hypocrisy of several of the current Board members and supporters.

Board accusations of community dissent started as “grievances”, now elevated into character assassination attempts not based in truth and being distributed in the shadows. Regardless I too, have a student still in the district, with strong, friendships throughout the schools and community. Typically, along with elevated PR, this pattern of defensive behavior is for the defenseless. “We defend that of which we are most guilty” is a phrase often heard. This onslaught of hired PR guns and false social media monikers is “representing” District leadership and

Board members encouraging voting for status quo while the language suggests opponents aren’t fit for leadership? Interesting.

Which candidates and their supporters are openly embracing a diversity of opinions and coming together to build a coalition demanding transparency and changing status quo?

Which candidates are leaning into data-based decisions and the human element to underscore issues that need consideration for improvement? Or spending history, and how 87% of this community’s property taxes are being used? Which candidates are bringing forward the need for better communication, true transparency and the community voice that’s been marginalized for so long? What would a 38m or 40m pool look like, function like, cost? Given the District never presented options, just their vision, as a “starting point” it wasn’t considered, which isn’t transparent, collaborative or embracing the community vision.

Perhaps the most concerning part is the keyboard mafia weaponizing dissent. Dissent can be good and should be seen as a cornerstone of democratic societies, allowing citizens to voice, opinions and participate in governance. Dissent should not be considered disrespectful, pushed aside, and weaponized to deter community participation in governance. Rather, dissenting viewpoints can be seen as a healthy approach to welcoming diverse perspectives supporting our ability to seek the best solutions. Failure to embrace it creates frustration in the Board room and our community Ensuring those voices are fully heard, is a welcome change I would vote for and status quo doesn’t support that.

Sheri Morgan, LBUSD school board candidate

Shocked and Dismayed

I was shocked and dismayed to learn that the Laguna Beach Unified School District has approved the construction of a new 45-meter pool at a staggering cost of $19 million. As a former high school and collegiate swimmer and water polo player, I have a deep appreciation for aquatic sports and their value in student development. However, this decision raises serious concerns about both the practicality and financial responsibility of the district. First, the choice to build a 45-meter pool is perplexing. This non-standard length does not conform to any

recognized dimensions for competitive swimming or water polo, making it unusable for official competitions. If the pool cannot meet competition standards, what justifies such a significant investment?

Furthermore, I find it alarming that the district would allocate $19 million to a project that will benefit a small subset of students involved in aquatic sports. Meanwhile, our district faces numerous pressing educational needs that would impact a far greater number of students. I was recently made aware of a situation where a special needs student was told to try another district for the services that they required because there wasn’t budget available at Laguna Beach High School. Investing in areas such as academic enrichment, mental health services, or innovative learning environments would have a much more profound and lasting effect on our broader student body.

While I value athletic programs, I believe the district has lost sight of its priorities. The decision to pour millions into an ill-conceived pool project at the expense of more pressing educational needs is a disservice to our students and our community.

Don Meek, Laguna Beach

More on NCC

Regarding the Congregational Church and Related Companies project. I love architecture. It’s interesting how different they have created spaces, side by side.

So not cookie cutter community. So much eclectic Laguna Beach.

Where you get to pick what you like versus needing to move to a whole different place just to be able to enjoy the aesthetic that you like. This is the reason many were attracted to Laguna in the first place. Village doesn’t rule here. Modern doesn’t rule here. Good for this city that resists the mundane and the boring. Great place to live. Too bad some people can’t get how the difference is the sauce. Please build this in its beautiful contradiction. Creating housing for people who, some say “shouldn’t be able to live here.” Invigorating a spiritual community with a new worship space. I applaud both the developer and the church for their courage and their vision.

Cindy Shopoﬀ, Laguna Beach

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Whatever the reason, it is irresponsible of the city council majority to ignore important issues that residents care about until after the November election. Residents deserve better. We deserve responsible transparent governance –not political gamesmanship. November 5, vote for candidates who are resident-serving and don’t manipulate the system as I believe the current city council majority routinely does.

Michèle is a 21-year Laguna resident and actively follows Laguna politics. She is the treasurer of Laguna Beach Sister Cities and is involved with the local arts scene. She can be reached at Michelemonda3@gmail. com.

Dr. Veeder South, founder of Advanced Awareness,has developed two private happiness workshops: one for an individual; and one for a loving couple. You will learn how to utilize positive energy in your life that leads to lasting happiness. TO LEARN MORE: Email vsouth3@yahoo.com Call/text 949-235-6157 or visit www.Advanced Awareness.com. You will be happy you did.