New ‘Laguna Beach Portal’ App Offers Unique View into Sister City
By LB Indy Staff
Over the last year, local resident Mark Dawson has worked on creating a smartphone app called Laguna Beach Portal, offering a unique look inside Laguna Beach’s sister city of Menton, France, from right here on Laguna’s downtown streets. The augmented reality app that
just launched this week leads users on a walking path that visits 10 portals in roughly 40 minutes. The tour starts on the boardwalk in front of the iconic Main Beach lifeguard tower before turning toward The Promenade on Forest, up to Laguna Presbyterian Church, over to City Hall and then back toward the sand along
Local resident and app developer Mark Dawson recently launched “Laguna Beach Portal,” offering an interactive walking tour of Laguna Beach’s sister city of Menton, France, through a smartphone. Clara Beard/LB Indy
Ocean Avenue, “visiting” each portal along the way to experience 360-degree views of the French city and its annual Fête du Citron lemon festival.
“The South of France is amazing—not at all what I expected,” said Dawson, who traveled to Menton with his wife, Mary, last year to gather footage for the project.
“…I’ve always wanted to create applications with experiences that inspire younger people to do more and realize that everyone can make a contribution and push things forward.”
Dawson already has plans to create another app: a walking tour through Heisler Park with a focus on the public art pieces found there, including interviews and insight from the artists who created them.
The app is up and running on the iPhone app store and can be found by searching “Laguna Beach Portal.”
Webber, Hatchel Named Orange County Administrators of the Year
By LB Indy Staff
On March 5, the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Region 17, which covers all school districts in Orange County, announced its 2024 Administrators of the Year, including two Laguna Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) administrators. Victoria Webber, executive assistant to the superintendent and
Council Delays Promenade Project Planning Committee
until April
By Jackie Connor, Special to the Independent
Laguna Beach City Council unanimously approved the decision to delay the final resolution for the $2.7 million Forest Ave Promenade project until April due to a need for clarification around the project’s scope and public process.
In a recent council meeting on Feb. 26, Mayor Sue Kempf and Councilmember Mark Orgill shared the council will revisit the previously approved plan and hinted at a potential counterproposal to the city council’s recommendations.
“I think it’s not clear,” said Kempf. “And so, what I think we want to do is come back with…a counterproposal from the city council’s recommended action and some more embellishment around the public process.”
The project aims to transform the historic Forest Ave into a permanent pedestrian plaza with workshops for a previously proposed design competition that was open to those within and outside of the Laguna Beach community, but as Orgill stated, “…the community came forward and did remind us that we have a lot of talent in this town…so that’s a lot of what drove this
PROJECT, PAGE 16
From left to right: Director of Social and
Michael Keller, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Michael Conlon, Laguna Beach High School Principal Jason Allemann, El Morro Elementary Principal Julie Hatchel, Superintendent Jason Viloria, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent and Board Victoria Webber and LBHS Assistant Principal Dale Miller. Photo courtesy of LBUSD
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Admin of the Year
PAGE 1
board, was named the Classified Leader of the Year, and El Morro Elementary School Principal Julie Hatchel, was named the Elementary Principal of the Year.
ACSA is the largest umbrella organization for school leaders in the country. Region 17 focuses on serving educational leaders in the pursuit of equity and excellence to meet the diverse needs of Orange County students. One of ACSA’s priorities is to make sure school leaders are recognized for their excellence and dedication to public education and administrators of the year are selected for their outstanding performance and achievement in their respective categories.
“Victoria is a leader within LBUSD. While her official title is Executive Assistant to the Superintendent, that barely scratches the surface of her contributions to our team of five school board members,” LBUSD Board of Education President Jan Vickers said. “From agenda preparation and minute-taking to planning and scheduling meetings around multiple calendars, the tasks she manages are both critical and time-consuming. Beyond these responsibilities, Victoria adeptly supports the superintendent and his leadership team
with thoroughness and efficiency. Her expertise in Robert’s Rules, the Brown Act, and meeting protocols is invaluable, providing us with the guidance and direction we need. I have complete trust in her. And, as a bonus, she’s genuinely a wonderful person.”
Candidates for the award are nominated by their peers and selected for outstanding performance and achievement in their respective categories.
“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to be recognized by ACSA and my fellow colleagues,” Webber said. “The ACSA Awards
LBUSD Superintendent Jason Viloria, Ed.D., hugs El Morro Elementary School Principal Julie Hatchel, Ed.D. after surprising Dr. Hatchel with the award in front of her front office staff and parent members of the PTA
program shines a light on the dedication of school leaders, and I am honored to be a part of that.”
With over 25 years of service in public education, Webber bridges communication amongst the governance team and ensures organizational efficiency to facilitate effective school district governance.
“We are incredibly proud to see two of our LBUSD administrators honored by ACSA Region 17. Victoria and Julie represent the best of what LBUSD stands for. Their dedication to our students and staff and commitment to innovative leadership has rightfully earned
them the recognition of Classified Leader of the Year and Elementary Principal of the Year, respectively,” LBUSD Superintendent Jason Viloria said. “These awards are a testament not only to their exceptional contributions but also to the culture of excellence that defines LBUSD.”
Hatchel brings more than 30 years of experience in public education to LBUSD. Her background includes teaching at elementary, middle, and high school levels and serving in site and district administration roles for over 20 years. She has a particular passion for serving as a principal.
“I have appreciated the opportunity to collaborate with ACSA in advocating for our students across the state. It has been a blessing to work with so many amazing people throughout my administrative career who are part of this recognition,” Hatchel said. “I am extremely grateful for my LBUSD and El Morro team, who have brought so much support and joy to the work that we are privileged to do for our kids.”
ACSA Region 17 will recognize all award recipients at the Administrator of the Year Celebration of Excellence Dinner at the Irvine Marriott on May 13.
Nothing beats a warm and cozy bowl of pasta on a cold day. Look no further than our restaurants. We offer a fine dining experience with a touch of Italian flair. Our menu features a variety of dishes, from seafood and meats to salads and desserts. You can also enjoy our selection of wines and cocktails. Come in and dine with us today!
A focus on the brain and information processing at the Susi Q this month
Kristen Maahs-Kohlberg, Associate Director of the Community Outreach team at Alzheimer’s Orange County, is adamant that the food we put into our corporeal selves makes a major difference to our mental health.
“Nutrition plays a huge role in how we feel mentally, how clear our thinking is, and how sharp our focus,” she said.
And there’s a lot more to learn at Maahs-Kohlberg’s upcoming free presentation, Brain Food: Nutrition for a Healthier Mind, which will take place at the Susi Q on Wednesday, March 20, from 2 to 3 p.m.
With the advent of AI, not to mention the morass of social media these days, the brain needs to be in good shape to process information – and recognize disinformation.
That’s the focus of a special presentation, Fight “Truth” Decay: Combatting Misinformation, which will be held on Monday, March 18, from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Susi Q.
Presented by Trudy Josephson, League of Women Voters, Orange Coast, the free session will offer suggestions about ways to find accurate
Town Crier
IN AND AROUND LAGUNA BEACH
and ethical information, no easy task in a biased and misleading news landscape. Visit www.thesusiq.org to learn about all the classes and clubs that are available to you, and to sign up for Brain Food and Fight “Truth” Decay. To RSVP by phone, call 949-715-8105, or email christineb@ thesusiq.org.
Laguna Canyon Conservancy to present Karin Vardaman
Laguna Canyon Conservancy’s next program will be held via Zoom
Over the last two years, the City Council approved more homeowner-friendly runles for the creation of Accessory Dwelling Units in our city. If you weren’t eligible before, you might be now. Contact us to find out how the new rules may work for you.
Laguna ADU, founded by former Laguna Beach Mayor Elizabeth Pearson, is a one-stop resource to help seniors and other Laguna homeowners create Accessory Dwelling Units to rent, to use for a caretaker, and other purposes.
www.lagunaadu.com lagunaadu@gmail.com 949.929.1383
on Monday, March 11 at 7 p.m. with Karin Vardaman as our guest speaker. She has been Laguna Canyon Foundation Executive Director since Dec. 11, 2023. She will bring attendees up to date on environmental projects including animal corridors, the Sawdust Festival pollinator garden, and other issues of concern. The public is invited, but attendance is capped at 100. The Zoom link for the Monday meeting is https://us06web. zoom.us/j/87210882742. Vardaman has spent a lifetime
exploring the open spaces around Laguna Beach. Inspired by her love for this treasured space, Vardaman is very excited to serve as Executive Director of Laguna Canyon Foundation. Vardaman’s professional background includes acting as the Director for Animal Care and Operations at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, Senior Director at the Ocean Institute, and Founder and Executive Director at Working Circle, a nationally recognized nonprofit dedicated to wild wolf conservation. One of Vardaman’s professional accomplishments includes being listed as one of Forbes 50 over 50 women making an impact in 2021. In her spare time, Vardaman’s enjoys ocean distance swims and competing in equestrian sports with her horse Mikey.
Please check out the LCC website at www.LagunaCanyonConservancy. org.
Aviary Gallery at the Hortense Miller Garden Plant Wisdom is an ongoing series of drawings and paintings that celebrates plant life as beings,
California Design General Contractors
The Susi Q tech team will host a special March presentation to focus on iPhone settings. Photo/Jo Ekbald
Letters
LETTERS CAN BE MAILED TO: EDITOR@LBINDY.COM
Response to Fried Column
Last week, Billy Fried—tourism’s best friend—suggested opening the Festival of the Arts venue for increased use in his Indy column on March 1
What’s wrong with Billy’s picture? Hm. There is no mention of what loud uses might be allowed, no mention of glutting the town with many more day-trippers, no mention of, say 1,300 parking spaces needed to handle a 2,600-seat auditorium while we’re already struggling with 6.5 million annual day-trippers.
Let me guess – the tourism-driven Mayor Sue Kempf and Pro Tem Alex Rounaghi’s solution would be for taxpayers to pay for more parking structures.
Indeed, there goes the tag team of Kempf and Rounaghi again devising new ways to gin up more tourism without asking residents what they want. How’d that work for the $250,000 wasted on the scuttled promenade plans Kempf oversaw? Anybody ever get asked about buying the library and possibly turning it into a parking lot (another Kempf concealed effort)? Any takers for turning the promenade into an open carry alcoholic beverage zone as Mayor Kempf proposed in the OC Register? And where was all that promised querying of residents to determine their best use of St. Catherine’s?
While Billy scoffs at the noise level for surrounding neighbors, ponder loud music blasting through the canyon, through town and up to all surrounding neighborhoods on both sides of the canyon. On a loud night, music supposedly inside the Mozambique restaurant can be heard about a mile away.
Granted, it’s a shame to have such a terrific community venue and not be able to use it more often. Select uses might work (beware of usage creep).
But like most projects proposed by local pro-business politicians and pro-overtourism advocates, everything gets sugar-coated and glossed over, with all the disqualifying, expensive and inconvenient details intentionally ignored to sell a potential bill of goods to the unwary or blindsided public. All pursued with a fait-accompli-we’ll-push-this-throughbefore-anyone-can-react-don’t-ask-anddon’t-tell-the-residents abandon. (Need I mention the library again?)
So here’s the pitch: I dare the City Council to conduct a legitimate survey to determine public sentiment about opening the Festival of Arts up to increased use, a survey employing a fully independent research firm whose directions and questions have been openly vetted by the public –not just City Hall and cherry-picked pro-tourism, pro-business staffers or the obviously biased Chamber. I dare Kempf and Rounaghi to honestly ask the public and listen for a change.
Jerome Pudwill, Laguna Beach
LETTERS, PAGE 16
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Who You Work With Matters Heidi Cleveland
“Words cannot describe how fortunate we felt having Heidi represent us with the sale of our Laguna Beach house: this was a vacation home with our main house out of state. Heidi was so instrumental in ensuring the house had all the permits filed with the City of Laguna, was present each time the house was shown and made herself available if any inspection or work needed to be done. Heidi made sure the house was listed prominently in the local newspaper, really worked hard showcasing the house, and in turn, found a buyer who we felt comfortable would take good care of our Laguna Beach cottage. Cannot say enough positive things about Heidi to truly describe what a wonderful, trustworthy, kind person we found her to be. She is a true gem, an attribute to her profession.” - REINALDO R.
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By Frank Aronoff | LB Indy
SPRING
SPORTS UPDATE
BASEBALL (6-3)
Laguna won a pair of games, avoiding the weather issues. They defeated Cerritos 3-2 in their final Newport Elks game on Friday, March 1, at the Don’s field. Cerritos has beaten Newport and Marina this season. On Tuesday in Fullerton, Laguna beat Sunny Hills 3-12 in a non-league game. The game statistics were not available.
BOYS GOLF (3-1)
Laguna defeated El Toro a second time on Feb. 28 at Ben Brown’s with a 201-225 score. Chase Tyson from Laguna was the match medalist with a score of 39. Additional scores for Laguna include Ranen Seeck (40), Evan Kretschmer (40), Kiyan Arshadi (41), Josh Bellisime (41) and Russell Franconi-Krychman (42).
On Feb. 29 the squad lost to Aliso Niguel 208-187 but returned on March 4 to take Costa Mesa 200-258 at the Costa Mesa Country Club –Mesa Linda course. Kiyan Arshadi for Laguna earned match medalist honors, shooting a two-over 37.
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The other scores for Laguna include Josh Bellisime 39, Hudson Mills 40, Ranen Seeck 42, Evan Kretschmer 42, and Chase Tyson 43.
GIRLS LACROSSE (5-0)
The Breakers picked up two more non-league wins.
Coach Paul Storke’s recap on the Feb. 27 win at Long Beach Wilson: The Breakers jumped out to a 7-1 lead shortly into the second quarter behind Caillin Mulvaney’s draw wins, Tess Smialowicz’s ground balls, and Ruby Samson and Summer Dimaggio’s scoring. The Bruins made multiple defensive adjustments to keep the score at 7-1 until late in the third quarter. The Breakers were able to counter Wilson’s defensive moves and close the game out, prevailing 11-1 against a 2023 Division III playoff team.
Ruby Samson had seven goals, Summer DiMaggio three, and Tess Smialowicz one.
Out in Menefee on March 5, Laguna prevailed 11-3 in a spirited and feisty match against Heritage High School. Ruby Samson, playing through an injury, led the squad with four goals. Piper Halpern had two goals, and Kate Storke, Sum -
mer DiMaggio, Alice Mitsuka, Po Andringa, and Zoe Tranbarger, all with one goal apiece, rounded out the scoring.
GIRLS BEACH VOLLEYBALL
(2-3, 0-1)
The Breakers narrowly lost their opening Surf League match with Newport Harbor on Tuesday, March 5, at Main Beach. The next league match was March 7 at Los Alamitos, and Laguna will host Edison on March 12.
Match #5 March 5 vs Newport Harbor at Main Beach – LOST 2-3
#1 Sienna Lee/Kaia Gamber – lost 11-21, 10-21
#2 Arielle Tavey/Hannah Miller –lost 14-21, 11-21
#3 Layla Kollock/Savannah Farris – won 21-18, 19-21, 15-13
#4 Elle Jumani/Zoey Bond – won 18-21, 21-19, 17-15
#5 Maddie Rootlieb/Sienna Brown – lost 12-21, 21-14, 10-15
Last week at Big Corona, the Breakers easily defeated Corona del Mar 4-1 and swept their JV 5-0.
Match #4 Feb. 29 at Corona del Mar won 4-1
#1 Sienna Lee, Kaia Gamber –won 2-0
#2 Arielle Tavey/Hannah Miller –lost 1-2
#3 Layla Kollock/Savannah Farris – won 2-0
#4 Elle Jumani/Zoey Bond – won 2-1
#5 Maddie Rootlieb/Sienna Brown – won 2--0
SWIMMING
Laguna’s latest dual meet was on Wednesday, March 6 with Mission Viejo. The squad will host Los Alamitos on March 12.
BOYS TENNIS (0-4)
The Breakers lost another 12-6 match, this time to Dana Hills on Tuesday, March 5, at Laguna. The doubles team of Chris Herkins/ Lucas Silverman swept their sets 6-2,6-4,6-0. Luke Jolley in the # 1 singles slot was 1-2 with 5-7, 6-7, 6-3 set scores.
TRACK & FIELD: Trophy Meet is Friday, March 15 (Field Events) and Saturday, March 16 (Track)
The meet has been part of the Laguna schedule from 1937-83 and
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GUEST OPINION:
The Big Lie
By MiCHAel rAy
In the 2020 presidential election, Joe Biden won 80 million popular votes to Trump’s 74 million. In the Electoral College, Biden won 306 votes to Trump’s 232. In short, Biden won the presidency and Trump lost.
However, Trump continually has lied otherwise, and so often, that approximately 30% of all Americans and 70% of Republicans believe it. Pretty astounding numbers, and it shows that if one repeats a Big Lie
often enough, many people will believe you.
In Laguna Beach, The Big Lie is about big real estate developers trying to take over the city and destroy it, repeated endlessly by the same usual suspects. Typical comments include:
“For years, the writing has been on the wall about the plans of big money developers and commercial landlords to re-shape the character of our town by proposing construction projects on a scale never previously entertained or envisioned.” ~ Randy Lewis, Guest Column, Laguna Beach Indy, Aug. 1, 2022
“It is the developer’s overzealous drive for higher rents and profits that have closed dozens of businesses here…” by David Raber, Guest Contributor, Laguna Beach Indy, Nov. 4, 2022
“Big developer money has…… Browbeat and intimidated residents from offering their opinions in city council meetings…” by Merrill Anderson, Guest Contributor, Laguna Indy, Feb. 11, 2022
I would repeat more quotes, but you get the message.
But in my opinion, the worst liar is Councilmember George Weiss.
During his 2020 run for the council, Weiss hired a huge truck displaying images of high-rise Huntington
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Beach, campaigning on the theme that his opponents would turn Laguna Beach into the same high-rise hell. It is a copycat of Laguna’s Big Lie, but it was effective enough for him to win.
Here is the thing. There are zero big developers doing anything in Laguna Beach. Why would they? There is nothing worth developing, or for that matter, owning. Why own a retail store in Laguna when half of the market is in the ocean and the other half is in the hills.
Fashion Island, Spectrum, South Coast Plaza and even Crystal Cove Promenade are easy drives and offer better higher-end and entertainment choices (leaving Laguna with service businesses, those that appeal to tourists, or those, like Jane Hanauer’s bookstore, that are locally exquisite unto themselves).
Potential new tenants have many options next to Laguna: Newport, Costa Mesa, Irvine, or Dana Point. In all those cities, you can open almost anything you want with overthe-counter approvals (except uses requiring more parking, which always is a problem), and bang, 90 days later, you’re in business. In Laguna, good luck. That 90 days could be years, if ever.
Rents in those places are just as high as Laguna’s, if not higher. To
state that Laguna landlords are greedier than landlords anywhere else is a display of ignorance; landlords always seek maximum profits, just like all other businesses.
The idea that big developers “browbeat or intimidate” opponents is a Big Lie. In Planning Commission and City Council meetings, I usually see scores of folks from Village Laguna or Laguna Resident First, appearing in multiple-person, coordinated sequences and pressuring Commissioners and City Council members. To me, that feels like “intimidation.”
But enough of this column. Here is what I propose. Dear Councilman Weiss, let’s debate the issue on either of the two radio stations in Laguna. Really, George, let’s do it. If you don’t want to debate me, try now-retired developer Cindy Shopoff or any other experienced real estate professional. Or George, are you chicken? Personally, I doubt you’ll ever debate me. Or anyone else.
Michael co-founded Orange County School of the Arts, The Discovery Cube, Sage Hill School, Art Spaces Irvine and several other area nonprofit organizations. He is a business partner with Sanderson-J. Ray Development and has lived in Laguna Beach since the early 1980s.
GUEST OPINION: RANDOM GUY NOTICING STUFF
A Brush Stroke in a 21-Year Project
By GAry STeWArT
Matthew Willey, who just created a mural at the Water District on 3rd Street, adding to our town’s public art collection, recalls that at age 5, he asked his mother to draw him a horse. (Remember The Little Prince?
“Please…Draw me a sheep.”) When she did, he thought, “I want to do that.” He practically got misty-eyed speaking about his admiration for the Old Masters. “Deep down, my heart is with the painters.”
After years of doing mural work for businesses and private homes, he began a long journey from first encountering an ailing bee in his New York City apartment. It grew into an international project to paint
murals that will eventually include 50,000 bees, the number in a typical, healthy beehive. I encourage you to search “The Good of the Hive” and check this out. I spent about an hour with Matt, discussing a wide range of issues.
He acknowledges the “youthful adventure quality” of this work, but he terribly misses being able to have a dog. He meets this challenge with a shift in perception, recognizing that in performing service, the idea of sacrifice is altered since it is integral to the work and is, therefore, fulfillment. He speaks of the experience of Siddhartha, who explored the ways to live the best life (wealth, travel, adventure, and asceticism – Matt’s version of which was to paint 35,000 leaves in one room, achieving a meditative state by surrendering to it). Upon becoming the Buddha, the Enlightened One, Siddhartha found the most fulfilling life was that of the ferryman, transporting people across a river. Matt described informing a visitor of a mural in progress about pollinators and said that maybe they could plant some native flowers, such as “that little movement, back and forth across the river.”
The bees that constitute a beehive
are dedicated to cooperative service “for the good of the hive.” The level of thoroughness of cooperation and effectiveness of communication create what is effectively a single organism.
Matt acknowledges that the lessons he had to learn to reach a place where he could support 24 years of being sober also had this element of both service and the false promise of individualism, that you can always heal yourself. “I had to listen to someone else…you cannot and will not survive alone.” This community approach resonates with his understanding of the bees. Matt’s art training always emphasized the individual. When Matt experienced the bees, he came to appreciate how interconnectedness and interdependence define nature. “What I do right here has a ripple effect in Thailand,” and not just metaphorically.
A natural storyteller, Matt describes how every project has a “twist.” The rooftop mural of bees in Nebraska led to conversations with crop-dusters and neighboring farmers, and his discovery that 90% of seeds are owned/ patented struck him as nature having been taken hostage. (He is launching a Patreon blog, primarily for such story-telling.)
There are countless ways that the behaviors of bees provide a perspective for considering human behaviors. Bees exhibit “altruistic self-removal from the hive.” A bee that falls ill will voluntarily leave the hive to protect against harming others. Contrast this with the recent measles outbreak in Florida, which did not lead to a large-
PAGE 14
SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 2024 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
This is a drive-thru event with a limited amount of pre -bagged STA certified compost.
Proof of Laguna Beach residency is required.
Bags are limited to 4 bags per household and are approximately 25 pounds each.
Supplies are limited and will be available on a first come, first serve basis for Laguna Beach residents only. For questions, please contact the Recycling and Solid Waste Division at (949) 464-6677. Visit the City’s website at www.lagunabeachcity.net/recycling for more information. This program is not for commercial use. Event
Artist Matthew Willey takes a break from painting his bee mural, located at the Water District on 3rd Street. Photo/Ashley Ryan
STEWART,
examining plant consciousness and communication systems. This work is a combination of observational drawing, studies of micrographs of roots and mycorrhizal fungi, abstract landscapes, and real and imagined plant and fungal forms. Inspired and guided by indigenous knowledge that affirms plant consciousness, as well as the writings of Suzanne Simard on Mother Trees, these works explore connections among different species of plants, trees, and fungi, and look at plant intelligence through the complementary lenses of scientific inquiry and imagination, revealing an expanded dimension of plant life.
To reserve a place to enjoy this exhibit as well as tour the MidCentury Modern Miller house and garden go to www.lagunabeachcity. net, Hortense Miller Garden, or call 949-464-6645. Tours are available most Thursdays and Saturdays.
Hortense Miller Garden Community Open House
The Hortense Miller Garden is hosting an open house on Saturday, April 6, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. when no reservations are necessary. Bring the whole family. There will be light refreshments, a free art workshop for kids, entertainment, garden tours, a bee presentation and a plant sale.
Free parking and a shuttle to the event is available at The Church Of Christ Science, 635 High Drive, Laguna Beach. No reservations required.
For more information, go to www. HortenseMillerGarden.org.
Susi Q offers free tech support on Thursdays: Special March presentation to focus on IPhone settings
Susi Q offers free tech support for all ages at the Center, 380 Third Street, every Thursday between 12 and 2. No appointment is necessary. All ages are welcome.
Lorraine Hornby is part of the team that volunteers its time at the Susi Q to help locals who find themselves flummoxed by the complexities of our computerized existence.
“There’s no reason to be embarrassed about what you don’t know about your phone and other devices,” Hornby stressed. “We’re carrying around powerful computers, and it can be overwhelming at times to attempt to comprehend their capabilities.”
The volunteer team answers a wide range of questions.
“Recently, I helped someone navigate the DMV website to renew her driver’s license. We can help people find a file they’ve lost or organize their information on their laptops,” Hornby said.
Her best advice is simple: the most important thing is to slow down, take time to read error or odd messages,
and not “just keep tapping.”
Hornby will give a special presentation titled “Tech Talk: Understanding Important iPhone Settings” on Thursday, March 28, from 1 to 2 p.m.
For more information, visit www. thesusiq.org. To RSVP by phone, call 949-715-8105, or email christineb@ thesusiq.org. Class size limited to 25 students.
Catmosphere Laguna Foundation and Gelson’s Dana Point Adoption Event
On Saturday, March 16, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Catmosphere Laguna cats and kittens will be featured for adoption at Gelson’s Dana Point store, 24 Monarch Plaza.
Future adoption event dates continue monthly throughout 2024 Laguna Beach Animal Shelter and Catmosphere Laguna Adoption Event Dates 2024: Saturdays, April 20, June 15, Aug. 17 and Oct. 26 (Halloween event) and year-end holiday events.
Gelson’s Dana Point and Catmosphere Laguna Adoption Event Dates in 2024: Saturdays, May 18, July 20, Sept. 21, and Nov. 16, and year end holiday events.
Catmosphere Laguna Foundation introduced Orange County’s first Cat Café & Lounge. Catmosphere Laguna Rescue is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit feline rescue that serves Laguna Beach and the surrounding communities every day of the week dedicated to finding forever homes for homeless, relinquished, abandoned and special-needs cats and kittens. Laguna Beach has long been known and loved for its artistic community and embrace of nature in all its forms.
Catmosphere Laguna Foundation enhances and strengthens that reputation in its mission to prevent cruelty to animals by rescuing, fostering, and assisting in public adoptions and awareness of the plight of homeless felines. Volunteer opportunities are available.
Contact Catmosphere Laguna Foundation at 949/619-MEOW (6369) or teamfeline@catmospherelaguna.com.
Laguna Beach Business Club 2024 Speaker Series
The Laguna Beach Business Club has announced its March 21 meeting speaker and private investigator Daniel Mulrenin. The LBBC holds monthly breakfast meetings starting at 7:30 a.m. and hosts speakers that discuss topics valuable to achieving success in your personal and professional lives.
Mulrenin will recount the details of his crucial involvement in the Rayford/Glass case investigation, spearheaded by the nonprofit organization Innocence OC. This led to the release and exoneration of two innocent men from 17 years of
Street Beat
EXCERPTS FROM POLICE LOGS
Thursday, Feb. 29
DUI. David Arnold Wright, 75, of Aliso Viejo, was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and blowing on or over 0.08 percent blood alcohol level. He was held on $5,000 bail.
Friday, March 1
Bench warrant. Jacob Moss, 37, was arrested on suspicion of an outstanding bench warrant. He was held without bail.
Saturday, March 2
DUI. Taylor Anne Robbins, 24, of Laguna Hills, was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and blowing on or over 0.08 percent blood alcohol level. She was held on $5,000 bail.
DUI. Jose Emilio Sanroman, 28, of Irvine, was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and blowing on or over 0.08 percent blood alcohol level. He was held on $5,000 bail.
DUI. A 25-year-old Buena Park man was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving. He was held on $2,500 bail. Bench warrants. Steven Donald Barley, 49, of Laguna Beach, was arrested on suspicion of eight outstanding bench warrants. He was held without bail.
Shoplifting. Cindy Armendariz, 28, of West Covina was arrested on suspicion of shoplifting. She was held on $500 bail.
Hit and run, DUI. Maura Bernidine McKillen, 66, of Laguna, was arrested on suspicion of a hit and run causing damage to property and drunk driving. She was held on $2,500 bail.
imprisonment.
After being honorably discharged from the United States Marines as a sergeant, Mulrenin became a police officer for the Los Angeles Police Department, retiring as a lieutenant after 28 years. In addition to various roles with LAPD, Mulrenin served as a detective working burglary, crimes against persons, street, and major narcotics cases, and detective commanding officer and officer-in-charge of LAPD’s Abused Child Unit. Mulrenin’s expertise extended beyond LAPD as he served on a task force with the FBI, LASO and Orange County Sheriff ’s Department. He later became the officer-in-charge of LAPD’s Bomb K9 Unit, overseeing administration, training, and deployment of 25 Bomb K9 Teams as well as managing the explosive bunker at LAX. Transitioning into the private sector, Mulrenin has been a private investigator for 15 years and is a
DUI. A 47-year-old Brea man was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving. He was held on $2,500 bail.
Sunday, March 3
Bench warrant. Alex Alfonso Salaverria, 48, of Laguna Beach was arrested on suspicion of an outstanding bench warrant. He was held without bail.
Monday, March 4
Obstruction of a police officer, possession of a controlled substance. Joshua Tyrone Webster, 47, of Costa Mesa, was arrested on suspicion of obstructing a police officer and possession of a controlled substance. He was held without bail.
Assault of a peace officer, obstruction of an executive officer. Justin Morton, 32, was arrested on suspicion of assault of a peace officer and felony obstruction of an executive officer. He was held on $20,000 bail.
Tuesday, March 5
Trespassing. Matias Epelboim, 39, of Mission Viejo was arrested on suspicion of trespassing on property. He was held on $500 bail.
Wednesday, March 6
Hit and run. Mandel Joseph Cipolla, 35, of Laguna Beach was arrested on suspicion of a driving on a suspended license and a hit and run causing property damage. He was held on $1,000 bail.
member of the Los Angeles Superior Court of Private Investigators. He has handled numerous cases involving robbery, multiple murders, and other criminal and civil matters.
Mulrenin and his wife have been Laguna Beach residents for 27 years.
Club meetings begin with a buffet breakfast and brief networking roundtable. Meetings are hosted at Nirvana Kitchen + Pantry, 303 Broadway St., # 101, Laguna Beach, CA 92651. Non-members are welcome! The non-member guest fee is $30 payable by Venmo or cash/check payable to the Laguna Beach Business Club the day of the meeting. Space is limited. Guests, be sure to receive RSVP confirmation. For more information about the LBBC or to register to attend the meeting please either visit our website at lagunabeachbusinessclub.com, or write at: Info@ LagunaBeachBusinessClub.com.
GUEST OPINION:
Gelson’s, Shmelson’s
By Billy Fried
Unless your head is buried in the sand – or in a good book - you probably know by now that Gelson’s South Laguna is closing. Which surprised absolutely no one because it was always empty. Probably because there was a bigger, better, more established Gelsons a mile away that offered a lot more, including a live deli and carving station, and lots more prepared foods. Why management believed they needed another so close will be studied in business schools as a classic case of numbnuttedness.
The announcement unleashed a wave of prognostication on what could and what should take its place, ranging from the aspirational, overthe-top Erewhon, to a new low of Stater Brothers, which would send our home values plummeting. With an interesting proposal somewhere in between to demolish the whole thing and replace it with affordable housing.
For those scoring at home, the closing will leave us with 3 grocery stores; Pavilions in North Laguna, Whole Foods downtown, and Ralphs in South Central. Meh. Pavilions is OK – they have a decent selection of organic veggies, but nothing special. Whole Foods is just too small and they’re almost all private label now (that annoying 365 label) probably because Amazon owns them. And Ralphs is just foul, with all kinds of sketchy people milling about and virtually nothing fresh in the meat and seafood sections. If you want to feel you’ve been instantly transported to Huntington Beach, go into Ralphs.
Where’s the good stuff? The healthy, organic, locally sourced produce?
The top-drawer seafood, meats and cheese. The butcher, the baker, and the wine maker. Why not a hybrid grocery store with individual stalls that combine the meat of the Butchery, the seafood of Santa Monica Seafood, the Middle Eastern delights of Wholesome Choice, the Italian emporium of Eataly, the liquor selection of High Times, the cold pressed delights of Moon Juice, and the health food of Mothers. Anyone?
Something like this was just done in Costa Mesa, a massive Mexican food hall called Mercado Gonzalez,
with over two dozen vendors. And it was done by a grocer chain called Northgate Market. Can the Gelson’s landlord muster up the same enthusiasm and recruit the vendors?
Don’t we deserve the decadence of exotic foods imported from around the world? I mean sure, we import these goods using fossil fuels and paying the least amount for labor. But hey, that’s globalism, so we might
as well lean in. I want olive oils from Umbria and 30-year-old aged balsamic from Modena that I lick off my hand or drizzle on strawberries rather than waste on a salad. I want caviar from the Caspian Sea (if there’s any left), merguez lamb sausage from North Africa, Boerewors farmers sausage from South Africa, stone crabs from South Florida, crawfish from Louisiana, blue crabs from
the Chesapeake Bay, and good ole Spiny lobsters from our local waters (how exotic). How about pasta made from ancestral non-GMO wheat in Sicily, canaroli rice from Lombardy, a hundred variations of goat cheese from France, and squid and octopus from Spain. I want my juice with bee pollen, shilajit resin, lion’s mane,
FRIED, PAGE 17
GUEST OPINION: VILLAGE MATTERS
Decision Gone Wrong
By ANN CHriSTOPH
Three arborists sat behind the table in front of the city council last Thursday attempting to tell the story of the condition of the lemon-scented gum tree at the roundabout at Catalina and El Camino del Mar--city arborist Matthew Barker, consulting arborist Evin Lambert of Monarch Environmental, and consulting arborist Peter Harnisch. Two condemned the tree, and the third, Harnisch, recommended pruning of the canopy. He
said that with that reduction of only 15% of the tree’s height, the test calculations showed that the tree would be safe with 90 miles per hour of winds. (The highest wind speed recorded in Laguna Beach is 67 miles per hour.)
Instead of taking this recommendation, council voted 4-1 (George Weiss dissenting) to remove this beautiful tree, part of the landmark circle of trees in the El Mirador neighborhood.
The council had voted to take the tree down back in October 2023 after the city arborist Matthew Barker had pointed to root damage that may have occurred in connection with a sidewalk replacement project in 2021. Barker had observed sparser than normal foliage in June 2023 after a neighbor told him he was worried about the tree falling on his property. Members of the public decried what they pointed out was a decision based on speculation of what damage might have occurred. There were tests of the condition of the roots and the strength of the tree that could be performed.
In response, in November, the council agreed to commission a Phase III report, including ground penetrating radar and a static pull test.
and tighten loose, saggy skin.
There is no pain and no downtime. PLEASE CALL OR DM US TO SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT!
Staff asked Peter Harnisch to perform those tests. But violating typical protocol, staff hired a third arborist, Evin Lambert, to prepare an evaluation of Harnisch’s work. We never saw a report with Harnisch’s own opinions on the results of his tests. Why did they hire a third arborist? Why did they determine that Harnisch could not prepare his own report on his own work? Why shouldn’t the city benefit from his professional conclusions? The staff report says they asked Lambert to do the evaluation because she “had not previously given an opinion on the tree.” (Even she said the risk was “moderate” and gave 12 months to remove the tree. Does that sound like an imminent danger?) So they discounted Harnish, the testing arborist because he previously wrote that they should do the two tests in question before deciding on the tree. The council did not direct that they hire a third arborist or effectively silence the arborist who did the tests. No, it appears that staff was manipulating the situation so that the conclusion matched their original recommendation.
After the staff report came out for the Feb. 13 council meeting, members of the public asked what happened to a report from Harnisch. Councilmember George Weiss followed up and insisted that Harnisch be present at the council meeting, and the city manager agreed. That meeting was canceled due to Zoombombing, and instead, there was a surprise replacement meeting on Thursday, Feb. 29. This minimized public participation. Harnisch was there sitting at the table but was not allowed to speak as part of the staff report. He was only there to answer questions, they said.
Councilmembers asked Barker and Lambert about Harnisch’s suggestion that a 15% reduction in the canopy could produce a verifiable safe tree. Their response was that they don’t like to prune a tree already showing stress in the canopy. So it’s better to cut it down altogether than to prune it to reduce its resistance to wind while its roots and canopy recover?
A decision gone wrong, based on manipulated reporting to council.
struggle to keep our town beautiful and make it even more so. Preserving and caring for trees and landscapes should be a joyful community effort with the enthusiastic support of city staff.
Ann is a landscape architect and was Laguna Beach’s mayor from 1993 to 1994. She is also a long-time board member of Village Laguna, Inc.
PAGE 11
scale voluntary removal of unvaccinated children from the affected schools “for the good of the hive.” On the contrary, the Surgeon General of Florida encouraged the unvaccinated children it was okay to attend school.
Matt dispels the myth that swarming bees are dangerous. Bees are “at their most docile” when swarming. “Their bellies are full because they’ve got stores because they’re on their way to a new home.” However, they will quickly react defensively if the queen, flying in the center of the swarm, is threatened. Literally, all for one and one for all.
He expressed deep concern for today’s youth. They are facing myriad challenging variables, which can trigger sadness, emptiness, and a lack of purpose. Simultaneously, they have the awareness to support a capacity to understand. He hopes to foster that awareness to show that having fun and creating community is not incompatible with a serious purpose.
In Laguna Beach, “Everyone has been awesome about everything we needed to get this going,” especially the Garden Club. He does somewhat sheepishly admit that the drawing he created to get authorization, which was required well before the work beginning, turned out in the event to be more confrontational, right at eye level, at close range, and he is well aware that many people find bees threatening. But he “started to lean into that” and did not dial it back but softened it using other aspects. He said, “I’m at an inflection point.” He then mused, “This is a brush stroke in a 21-year project, and I am evolving as it’s happening.”
Dr. O’Connell performs all procedures and consultations herself. BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY! FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH, YOU CAN
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Councilmembers continue to insist they support trees, yet it’s hard to believe we are a Tree City, USA. Cases like these demonstrate that constant public intervention is necessary to protect the trees of Laguna Beach. Just Thursday, the city’s Arbor Day celebration expresses appreciation for trees, but our urban forest is still threatened. City replacement of removed trees can take years. New trees are neglected and difficult to establish. Proposals for removing trees continue to surface (as at the Promenade). It should not be such a
Dr. Stewart, a native of St. Petersburg, Florida, stopped in Nashville and St. Louis for education before arriving in Southern California in 1977. A happily married internal medicine physician with three accomplished children, he is equally enthusiastic about the arts (piano player, art collector, bachelor’s in English, widely read), the sciences (physician, climate activist with Citizens’ Climate Lobby) and fun.
GUEST OPINION: DETAILS MATTER
It Takes Two Pools to Tango
By STeVe MCiNTOSH
Back in 2018, the city, along with an amenable school district, created a plan to resolve expanded city recreation pool use and modern aquatic high school needs. What does that mean?
It meant the city created a 33-meter long, all-deep competition pool, with a shallow, lap and kiddie pool, in a design for Lang Park.
The idea was that the high school would continue to practice in the current 25-meter pool at the school but play water polo and have swim meets at the new, state-of-the-art pool at Lang. All the city programs would move to the new pool and could start at earlier times, allowing the rec kids to be home early and opening the pool up for much-requested after-work lap swims. This would also allow the expansion of city programs.
That plan was abandoned because of pushback from residents after spending $150,000 on study and design.
Today, six years later, the school has the exact same programs, with only 79 kids participating in aquatics, spread out over the entire school year into three seasons.
They are still playing water polo in a pool that is not regarded as a place to play at a higher level.
Sensible Laguna understands that the high school needs a larger pool to play their home games in and to be more competitive. It is way past due.
At the same time, the city recreation programs have grown and still occupy the same pool.They are mostly made up of students from Laguna Beach Water Polo and Beeler Aquatics. Because the High School Water Polo or Swim Teams are in the pool until 6 p.m., these young rec kids practice in the pool until 9 p.m. This is unacceptable and was one of the main criteria that the District used to “justify” the massive pool.
Ironically, the district themselves, along with other studies, show that
the $16 million, 50-meter Olympicsized pool that the school district has approved will not resolve this issue, and the city rec kids will still be in the pool at 9 p.m. This is not a pool size issue; it is a scheduling issue.
A 50-meter pool is over half of a football field long and eliminates the kiddie pool altogether, alienating a tradition of parents taking their kids of multiple ages to play and splash in both the kiddie and the big pool.
So, the answer? Two pools, as was decided back in 2018, would resolve all the issues. Only this time, the city builds its own 25-meter pool at one of several viable locations for a city pool, including the new recreation facility. This would allow scheduling programs at any time and would service the entire community, including seniors and kiddies, with a modern kid area. This also saves the city $500,000 or more a year in additional lifeguard staffing costs, needed if joining the school district in the 50-meter pool with no upside.
In turn, the school district builds a state-of-the-art 35-meter all-deep competition pool complete with diving that handles all CIF requirements for high school 25-meter floating goal water polo games.
(Just like dozens of districts and schools are building) Remodel and enlarge the bath house instead of demolishing it.
All are saving the taxpayers an estimated 8 million or more over building a giant 50-meter Olympic pool while lowering district maintenance costs by over 40 percent.
When the district changed its criteria to demand three concurrent water polo practices (To skew the narrative to a 50-meter pool), it totally contradicted the High School Water Polo coach who said at a school board workshop on Sept 2023, “If the city builds their own pool, I would not have to get players out of the pool at 6 p.m. I wouldn’t have to have all my players in the pool at the same time, and I could have varsity go from 4 to 7 p.m. and have JV go from 1:30 to 4 p.m.”
This could all be easily done in a 35-meter pool. Sounds like the solution if you truly want to improve the teams.
Don’t just take our word for it that two pools are needed. History shows it, and School Board President Jan Vickers stated it at the joint City Council/School Board meeting last June 6, twice!
She stated that one large pool will not take care of the problems, and that there will still be kids in the pool at 9 p.m. and that the city needs to step up and build another pool to service their programs.
The city recently distributed a
or discarded
The City of Laguna Beach is dedicated to protecting the environment and the public from the harmful effects balloons have when improperly released
GUEST OPINION: WISDOM WORKOUT
By SUSAN MCNeAl VelASQUeZ
Dustin Hoffman is one of my alltime favorite actors. His career started back in 1961 and has continued to the present. He was born in 1937 and has starred in many critically acclaimed and commercially successful films throughout his brilliant career. His credits include the political thriller All the President’s Men as the journalist Carl Bernstein investigating the Watergate scandal to Kramer vs. Kramer, which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor back in 1979. Many of his iconic roles spanned the spectrum from dramatic to comedic.
In his magical role as Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, he stands in front of Natalie Portman and looks kindly and lovingly into her eyes. He has an impish smile on his
face and he says: “You, my dear, are a special occasion. Rise to it!”
What if you decided to rise to the anticipation of creating an opening in your heart, so that you can receive the fullness and richness housed in each never-to-be-repeated moment?
What would happen if you accepted the challenge of being a special occasion? Would you become more intentional about what you say yes to and what you decide to eliminate from your overall plans for yourself?
Special occasions usually come packaged with favored rituals that reflect consistent values, adopted to preserve the sense of specialness surrounding the occasion. For example, you might choose how you stand, how you speak, and how you dress, so that each expression reflects the fact that whatever you are participating in is a special event.
Perhaps your emotional tone and vibration would lighten and brighten to reflect a sense of enthusiasm, appreciation, and expectant curiosity. You might cultivate a leaning toward anticipating enriching experiences, since special occasions, by design, often deliver special outcomes.
What if your approach to your life was fueled by the mantra: Rise to it!
What current situations are calling you to stand up, or take a stand? Are
there old, worn-out, hard-luck stories that keep you stuck in a self-image that is too small to host the special occasion that you are longing to become?
What mental and emotional habits would need to be discarded so that your intellect’s passion and your heart’s intelligence can blossom into a wardrobe of primary colors?
Are you presently too beige? Are you lacking the spark that ignites the flame of inventive, creative, responsive and intentional living?
We each have a litany of holiday rituals that we hold on to as a way that we can house the presence of the sacred. By embracing the idea that you are a special occasion, you can sanctify your ordinary, daily actions with meaning.
Begin by creating personal rituals that reflect your highest and best Self. These intentional and highly personal rituals will act as seed crystals of new patterns, that will miraculously transform your life, one step at a time.
“You, my dear, are a special occasion. Rise to it.”
Susan has been writing and producing personal leadership seminars for over three decades. She is the author of Beyond Intellect: Journey into the Wisdom of Your Intuitive Mind. Connect with her at beyondintellect.
com
City Council should agree to place term limits on the agenda
Only a self-indulgent career politician expects to serve more than two terms in office. Resident voters seek the opportunity of term limits as a ballot measure. It appears to be a “conflict of interest” to expect seated politicians to limit themselves to two terms to enable new candidates the opportunity to serve.
Privileged incumbents generally have a distinct entrenched political campaign finance advantage from all the favors they grant during their term in office to known wealthy donors and PAC organizations.
When I ran for City Council, term limits were an important issue of my campaign platform. If an elected official cannot complete their campaign promises within two terms, it is time to allow a fresh new candidate the opportunity to serve their city. Enabling a newly-elected City Council member the privilege and opportunity to serve their community brings fresh ideas, new perspectives, and change.
Lorene Laguna, Laguna Beach
Have your voice heard on community pool project
A community pool is on the agenda of the March 12 City Council meeting. While much discussion has been ongoing about the need to update the current 25-meter high school pool, the school district has done its best to circumvent the city from influencing this project.
In December of last year, the school board approved a plan for a $16 million, 50-meter pool at the site of the existing pool without city input. They expect the city to continue to fund 90% of the pool operating costs—with your tax dollars—costs that will dramatically increase with doubling the size of the pool.
While an upgrade of 35 to 38 meters may make sense, 50 meters in this space is overkill. Proximity to neighbors is closer than any other OC school pool. Noise will clearly be an issue. Parking is limited. Taxpayers need to have a say in what investment and operating budget is appropriate.
Other options – including a second community pool – deserve thorough and transparent study – before the school district green lights this outof-scale project.
Some other big-picture concerns include the “need” for this larger facility when LBUSD enrollment is
8
again since 2010. Weather permitting, nearly 60 schools will send athletes to Guyer Field and Hulst Oval for this annual event. The featured race is the Eric Hulst 3200 Meter Run. Website: www.trophyinvitational.com
BOYS VOLLEYBALL (3-3)
Missing their top hitter, Kai Patchel, Laguna dropped a 25-21, 25-22, 25-14 match to Northwood last Friday, March 1 at Dugger Gym. Ryan Halloran (Opposite) and Middle Hitter Laird Garcia led the team with eight kills each. Halloran also led in blocking and digs.
This past week Laguna was at JSerra on Wednesday and faced Huntington Beach on March 7 at home. Breakers don’t return to Dugger Gym until March 22 when they host Fountain Valley (12-0) in a Sunset Wave League match.
Have a note/question on Laguna sports/correction/update? E-mail Frank at fa1949@cox.net. Looking for the 2023-24 High School schedules and scores? Check Laguna Beach High School on the Max Preps website.
projected to continue declining for the foreseeable future. The “need” for such a large facility when our high school is a small fraction of the size of any other school in OC with a pool of this scale. LBUSD is pushing this project through while being able to bypass design review and community concerns.
We currently have an out-of-control school board with plans to spend over $100 million of your tax dollars on this oversized pool, new high school administration building, new school district building and many other “upgrades” for the shrinking school population. All to be accomplished with bonds funded by you.
We all want state-of-the-art educational facilities for our students, but this must be accomplished with fiscal responsibility, consideration for neighbors, and harmony with the needs of the greater community.
I would urge all to attend the March 12 council meeting and let your voices be heard.
Richard Plavetich, Laguna Beach
Presidential vs. city politics
Now that the United States Supreme Court has unanimously decided that states cannot single-
handedly remove Donald Trump from state ballots in a federal election, there is a sigh of relief that at least one form of our government still abides by the US Constitution instead of the swampy corruption in the halls of Congress and current Presidency. I’d say we, the voters, deserve not to be disenfranchised from voting for candidates simply because an opposing political party chooses to politically persecute their political opposition. This is Kafkaesque-like, and the stuff you see in dictatorial and communist countries, not the US of A.
How would Laguna’s voters feel if a candidate for city council was unilaterally removed from the ballot without any legal authority?
Make no mistake about it: national politics eventually impacts local politics. I don’t know how voters coast to coast will react to Donald Trump’s candidacy this fall, but I am confident I know how Laguna voters would react if one of our own was removed from the ballot for crimes not committed, and certainly without due process.
Jennifer Zeiter, Laguna Beach
Fried
PAGE 13
cat’s claw, Japanese knotweed, and of course horny goat weed. I want my spices from India, chiles from Mexico, and Marmite from the UK.
Is it too much to ask? Am I an elitist? Probably, but are we better off with cheap, processed food from yet another bloated chain? Since most of the groceries deal in bulk, most of their meat is from caged, overcrowded, hormone injected animal factories. Which is more expensive in the long run with all the medical bills we will rack up.
I know we’re supposed to be more low-key and modest about our obscene wealth than those flashy Philistines in Newport, but can’t the quality of our food match the beauty of our homes? Or be the culinary equivalent of our fabulous views?
This is our golden moment to create the world’s greatest gourmet emporium, right here in little Laguna Beach. You’ve heard of Peck in Milan, Harrods in London, Fauchon in Paris? How about a Lagunaporium of Heavenly Delights. I’m down for it. And I’ll scratch and save and pay the ridiculous premium prices, and then Instagram it to the world.
As Carl Sigman and Herb Magidson wrote in 1949, “Enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think, enjoy yourself, while you’re still in the pink. The years go by, as quickly as a wink, enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think.”
Billy is the CEO of La Vida Laguna, an outdoor adventure company. He can be reached at billy@lavidalaguna. com.
McIntosh
PAGE 15
biased “Survey” asking about what citizens want with a pool. However, the choices at the end add some unproven data about the length of time to build but leave out pertinent information, as you see above.
It’s time for the city to step up, stop kicking the can down the road, finally resolve all the pool issues by building its own, and save millions of dollars for the Laguna Beach taxpayers. Come to the 5 p.m. March 12 City Council meeting to discuss this. Wake up and speak up before another costly mistake is made and more of our money is sent down the drain of an Olympic Lake.
Steve McIntosh is a 43-year resident and co-founder of Sensible Laguna, A Sensible Voice for all of Laguna. Find out more at sensiblelaguna.org.
1
decision and I’m really happy about that.”
Orgill went on to say after professional input is received, the council will schedule general community outreaches.
The temporary promenade emerged as a result of the 2020 pandemic and has since been maintained as a semi-permanent fixture located on the lower end of Forest Ave. The debate on whether to make this a permanent community fixture has raised questions about public participation in planning the project itself.
Additionally, Kempf pointed out that the promenade ad hoc committee, which includes herself and Orgill, will work with staff as well as consultants to better identify the project scope as well as public involvement.
“We are taking a step back…we’re responding to some of the comments that we heard,” said Orgill. “Last part of what we are doing is …defining a project description. We are doing a constraints assessment…so we have this information to bring to the conversation so everybody’s not guessing.”
However, the public’s concern was palpable during the recent council meeting with comments suggesting unfair selection of committee members. Residents also emphasized a lack of cohesiveness regarding the strategy of the Forest Ave Promenade, as well as a need for complete transparency in the decision-making process. The project has so far created waves in the beach town community with previous concerns raised about the small ad hoc committee in addition to the project’s transparency.
“We need complete transparency,” resident Jerome Pudwill said. “And also, we need to have unbiased participants, not cherry-picked individuals, but those who are experienced and who are residents who have a voice of the public.”
Les Miklosy, Laguna Beach resident, has posted letters to the community questioning the project as well as reached out to the project manager, but received no response.
In a previous meeting, the majority of public comment showed strong opposition to the promenade’s permanence with concerns over the community’s lack of clarity around the project scope in addition to its cost and feasibility. In addition, residents expressed a lack of interest in retail operations with more emphasis placed on the dining experience and alcohol consumption, though one resident shared his business has flourished compared to his Dana Point and San Clemente locations.
As the community awaits the April city council meeting, the promenade’s fate hangs in the balance of a permanent cityscape fixture. Council members will present a project and recommendations on the public process in addition to bringing people onto the committee.
) 3/21 X 3/22 X 3/23 THE HIGHWAYMAN SHOW ( c ash , n elson , J ennings , K ris T offerson T
3/24 NELSON 3/28 HERMAN’S HERMITS
3/29 HERMAN’S HERMITS
3/30 WAYNE NEWTON
3/31 LYNCH MOB – The Final Ride
4/4 THE KINGSTON TRIO
4/5 ULI JON ROTH - Interstellar Sky Guitar Tour
4/6 RONSTADT REVIVAL
4/7 CINDERELLA’S TOM KEIFER
4/8 GILBERT O’SULLIVAN
4/10 JOAN OSBORNE ACOUSTIC TRIO
4/11 JIMMIE VAUGHAN
4/12 ROGER CLYNE
& THE PEACEMAKERS
4/13 TINSLEY ELLIS
4/14 THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS
4/18 SPONGE
4/19 RICHIE FURAY
4/20 GEOFF TATE
4/21 VONDA SHEPARD / JACK TEMPCHIN
4/25 ISRAEL VIBRATION & Roots Radics
4/26 FIVE FOR FIGHTING wi T h s T ring Q uar T e T
4/27 KIDS OF CHARLEMAGNE
4/28 BOB ANDERSON ( f ran K s inaT ra T ribu T e )
5/4 STEVE TYRELL
5/5 OINGO BOINGO FORMER MEMBERS
5/7 BLUES TRAVELER
5/8 JUDY COLLINS
5/9 CALIFORNIA GUITAR TRIO
5/11 PAT BOONE
5/15 MR BIG
5/17 JOHN CRUZ
5/18 VENICE
5/19 THE LETTERMEN
5/22 THE WAILERS
5/24 DSB (J ourney T ribu T e )
5/26 BLACKHAWK
5/31 YACHTY BY NATURE
6/1 STEELHEART
6/6 HOWIE DAY
6/7 ROBERT JON & The Wreck
6/9 GARY HOEY
6/14 AMBROSIA
6/15 CHEST FEVER (T he b and T ribu T e )
6/16 ELVIN BISHOP - Big Fun Trio
6/21 DESPERADO 6/22 DESPERADO 6/29 SKELETON CREW ( g raT eful d ead T ribu T e )
7/6 SHINE ON 7/13 FAST TIMES - T he
GUEST OPINION: PET PEEVES
The Other Hand
By MArK d. CrANTZ
I write these columns. Send them in via Main Beach carrier pigeons. Indy places them. Then resounding silence. Every week I write some jokes that crack me up. Then every week I worry, what if I’m the only one laughing? Clinically, I think that’s not a good thing. How is telling and laughing at your own jokes any different than the homeless guy talking aloud to himself? I’ll tell you. Not much. Only pushing the Ralph’s shopping cart full of stuff, makes the difference. So far,
I’ve managed to leave my stuff at home and return the carts to Ralph’s. But this is little comfort, as I glance around for the little men in white coats. Whew, the coast is clear. So far.
Writers are a weird lot. They’re artists. Our canvas is the blank page. We sit alone staring at the blinking bar waiting for inspiration. Then we spew the alphabet. Make words out of them. String sentences together. Delete. Restring the words and sentences. Delete again. Stare at the blank page. Curse the blinking bar. That damn blinking bar taunting me… good idea…I’ll get a beer from the bar. A little lubricant, the nectar from the gods, just might due the trick. Not. Nada. Nothing comes, but the burps. I take a deep breath and say to myself I can do this. On the one hand, I’ve done plenty of columns. Many good ones, even a few that have won awards. But on the other hand, this could be the time the tank runs dry. The anxiety creeps in. The other hand muses that I’ll be retelling the same tired jokes, or stealing the jokes from others. The other hand never tires to be super negative. It’s quite maddening. The other hand taunts me to click the AI button and write no more. The other hand whispers no one will know. Just claim the jokes as your
own and only worry about running out of the nectar of the gods.
This other hand dominates the inner conversation, while the one hand quietly goes about the work of writing. I should just chop off the other hand. It’s weak and wreaking havoc. The other hand can’t write, golf, or produce even a decent pickleball backhand. Oops. I think I see the little men in the white coats coming. I say to myself, “So sorry other hand, I agree tragedy sells better. You’re right, if it bleeds it leads.” The men in white coats disappear into the marine layer fog.
I’ve convinced the other hand that he has cracked some finger joints and needs to be casted for a healthy recovery. Unbeknownst to him, the cast is sound proof and I can get about the business of positive writing. Plus the sound proofing works both ways. I can still consider chopping off the little bastard for good. If it worked for van Gogh, it could work for me. Just a different body part. I would never cut off my ear because I wear glasses. How the hell would I hold them up. And I don’t want to go the monocle route. The monocle makes me look like the Monopoly guy, who’s going to get pinched for holding counterfeit money sooner or later. So I don’t need the hassle of mistaken identity.
Yes, chopping off the other hand is a consideration. And yes, the soundproofing works. I don’t see any little men in white coats.
I need a little bit of positive thinking. I look to the Indy articles for inspiration. I smile at the Pet of the Week. His name is George. Wait. There are two pets of the week. The other is named Gracie. George and Gracie. Ahhh, cute, named after the comedy team Burns and Allen. There were few better in dishing up punchlines. Let’s see how many clicks or eyeballs the dog comic duo garnered on the Indy website. George and Gracie received 260 clicks. Sounds like belly laughs to me. Let’s see how Pet Peeves measured up against the canines. Pet Peeves got 143 clicks. I howl at the moon in helplessness. The one hand isn’t surprised. It’s an old wise hand that knows better. Any actor/artist knows not to work with kids or animals. You always get upstaged. It’s no big deal. I still got more clicks than Indy’s Street Beat, where it bleeds it leads. I’ll be sure to let the other hand know. I’ve decided to keep it, just so I can rub it in. Crantz tells the Indy that he will continue laughing at his own jokes and hope you do too. Can I take your shopping cart back?
Community Clinic Honors Majors Donors and Volunteer Physicians
By LB Indy Staff
Seventeen years ago, the Laguna Beach Community Clinic held its first “Benefactors’ Brunch” at the home of supporter Susan Neely. Neely would go on to serve on the clinic’s board of directors, and the brunch would become a tradition each February to celebrate the generosity of its donors and volunteer providers.
Doctor Jorge Rubal, the clinic’s CEO and CMO, welcomed 40 guests to the Ranch, saying, “This remains my favorite event of the year; it’s a joy to gather our family of supporters together.”
Each year, the clinic spotlights a donor.
This year, the honors went to the Mildred and Marian Kiger Foundation, which has supported the clinic’s patient programs for the past 17 years with grant awards totaling $350,000.
“We are thankful to Mr. John Link, the president of our board of directors, who has been instrumental in the clinic’s introduction to this amazing foundation.
Laguna Beach Community Clinic has been honored to receive the Mildred and Marian Kiger Foundation for nearly a decade. With their amazing support,
we can continue our 50-year mission to provide healthcare to all, regardless of a patient’s ability to pay”, said Roya Cole, past president, board of directors.
Link, who received a crystal award on behalf of the foundation, was quick to acknowledge others, stating, “It’s an honor to serve alongside my fellow Trustees, Elvira Evanoff and Sarah Kirkland at the Mildred and Marian Kiger Foundation, and also my fellow board members of the Laguna Beach Community Clinic. Both are dedicated to serving our community”.
TRAFFIC CONTROL AIDE
LAGUNA BEACH, CA 92651
Part-Time - $22.60 - $25.25 Hourly Go to GovernmentJobs.com to apply and for more information.
The City of Laguna Beach is excited to announce that we are accepting applications for the position of Traffic Control Aide. This position is supervised by sworn and civilian supervisors within the Police Department. Under general supervision, this role involves efficiently directing motor vehicles and pedestri-
ans in designated areas, while providing general traffic control information and directions to the public. SCHEDULE: Incumbents must be available to work a varied shift schedule, with primary shifts occurring on weekends, holidays, and evenings. The position is also subject to being on-call for traffic-related incidents, accidents, natural disasters, and other emergency needs.
APPLICATION/SELECTION PROCESS:
Applications will be accepted on a continuous basis with a first review date of March 4, 2024. Applications will be screened carefully and selected candidates will be invited to undergo a department inter-
view. The appointed hiring authority will further review the job-related qualifications of those deemed eligible for hire before making selection decisions.
SOUTH OF NICK’S LAGUNA BEACH - HIRING
Greeters, Hosts: $17-20hr + tips
Servers: $16hr + tips
Open interviews for employment opportunities to friendly, well-groomed, professional, outgoing, and highly motivated individuals who are looking to challenge themselves and advance in our fast-paced, team-oriented restaurant.
Apply in person Monday through Friday
between 12 noon and 4 pm at the following location: 540 S Coast Hwy, aguna Beach CA 92651. To expedite the application process, a link to our employment application is provided below; an online application should be completed before the interview. nicksrestaurants. com/careers/
DAY-SHIFT SECURITY OFFICERS
LAGUNA BEACH
Day-shift security officers needed for a commercial plaza. Hours 10:30m to 6:30pm. Interviews are being scheduled NOW. Please apply online: WWW. GUARDPOWER.COM.
John Link, President Board of Directors, Laguna Beach Community Clinic & Trustee,
