Attempt to resuscitate an apparent suicidal patient at Mission Hospital is unsuccessful

Attempts to save a patient from an apparent suicide attempt at Mission Hospital Laguna Beach were unsuccessful. The incident occurred shortly after 4 a.m. on Tuesday morning, April 17. 

A Rapid Response/Code team initiated all appropriate resuscitation methods but were unsuccessful in reviving the patient. The patient’s name and details related to the incident are not being released at this time out of respect for the family

“We are deeply saddened by this incident and our deepest sympathies are with the patient’s family, loved ones and the community,” says spokeswoman Deb Franko, public information officer for Mission Hospital in Laguna Beach. Franko continued, “We are providing on-site counselors for the patient’s family, our nurses, caregivers and physicians.”

The hospital has initiated a complete review of the occurrence and are working hand-in-hand with local and national experts and authorities.

Mission Hospital in Laguna Beach (MHLB) provides South Orange County coastal communities with 24-hour emergency and intensive care as well as mental health, behavior health, chemical dependency, medical-surgical/telemetry services, orthopedics, general and GI surgery. 

Mission Hospital of Laguna Beach is located at 31782 S Coast Hwy.

City Treasurer’s added duties – hotel audits – preserve retirement benefits

By BARBARA DIAMOND

The addition of hotel audits to the regular duties of City Treasurer Laura Parisi qualifies the service for retirement benefits. 

A salary of $11,600 will be added henceforth in Parisi’s $86,640 a year salary and her 25-hour a week schedule will be upped by about three hours a month, approved on a 4-1 vote Tuesday, with Councilman Rob Zur Schmiede opposed. 

Parisi has performed the audit separately from her regular duties since 2000 and was paid separately. Prior to 2000, the City had hired an independent certified public accounting firm to make the audit, paying a higher price for the service than requested by Parisi.

The switch included the caveat that the audits were not part of Parisi’s duties, a position reiterated by the council in 2005.

Parisi’s “special compensation” for the audits was reported to the California Public Employees Retirement System, which manages health and pension benefits for city employees. 

In 2015, CalPERS reviewed Parisi’s “special compensation” and notified the city that the audit did not qualify.

Had the council not taken the action to add the audits to Parisi’s regular duties, the City would have been required to eliminate the special compensation status of the payment for the audits. The City would also have been obliged to refund the $3,500 Parisi had contributed to her CalPERS retirement benefits related to the compensation for the audits. 

According to the report by Director of Administrative Services Gavin Curran, the CalPERS directive would have lowered the calculation of Parisi’s retirement by about $11,600.

Former Mayor Paul Freeman, who was on the council when the audits were assigned to Parisi, testified that he never thought the work was not “pensionable.”  

Councilman Steve Dicterow said putting the audits into Parisi’s hands was always intended to qualify for contributions to her retirement contribution to CalPERS.

However, the audits are not automatically part of the job for other treasurers who may not have the same qualifications or experience as Parisi.

Charmed I’m Sure

By BARBARA DIAMOND

Tickets are on sale now for the 46th Laguna Charm House Tour, hosted by Village Laguna on May 20.

Starting in front of the Festival of Arts, the tour will include homes in or near Bluebird Canyon, including the organic farm tucked away in one of Laguna’s idyllic neighborhoods.

The first bus will leave at noon; the last one at 3 p.m. Buses are not handicap-accessible and ticket holders must be at least 12 years old.    

Tickets are $50 in advance, $60 on the day of the tour. 

They may be purchased by check mailed to Village Laguna Charm House Tour, P.O. Box 1309, Laguna Beach, 92652, or online at www.villagelaguna.org, using PayPal. 

Tickets are also available in Laguna at Copy and Print Center, 240 Beach Street; Cottage Furnishings, 802 South Coast Highway; Fawn Memories, 384 Forest Ave; and Laguna Beach Books, 1200 South Coast Highway; and in Dana Point at Ego Salon, #40 Monarch Bay Plaza.

Proceeds from the tour help fund Village Laguna scholarships and grants. Village Laguna also has a PAC that supports candidates for election to city offices that foster the group’s goals.

Village Laguna was founded in 1971 by residents who opposed the obliteration of public views of the city’s coastline. Their efforts resulted in the 36-height limit still in effect today. 

Current issues of concern include the California Coastal Commission’s ruling against Laguna’s Short Term Lodging Ordinance that restricts the location of new STLs to commercial zones; the revision of the Historic Preservation Ordinance that is mired in dissent; the proposed Aliso Creek project; and revisions to the Downtown Specific Plan.

For more information about the tour, call (949) 472-7503.

Do Fortnite?

Handling the lure and limits of gaming addiction

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Do Fortnite? Evidently, that’s a common question kids ask each other now. Sounds as if it’s a new language. And with gamers, it is. Fortnite: Battle Royale Shooter, a video game marketed by Epic Games, is a survival strategy shooting game that can involve as many as 100 online team members and is played until there is a “last man standing,” (much like The Hunger Games).

Fortnite popped up on the market last November, and has taken off to the degree that parents are concerned about its effects on their kids. And with good reason. Gaming addiction has become such a problem that the World Health Organization has recognized gaming disorders as a mental health issue, and there are rehabilitation facilities now for gaming addiction.

Gaming addiction experts in town

Fortunately, there are two experts on this subject right here in Laguna. Marriage and Family Therapist and Anger Management Specialist, Ari Novick, PhD, and his wife, Kim, just happen to address both sides of this multi-layered issue; (he) the resulting behaviors of spending too much time at the controls. And (she) how to reduce the stress and anxiety that drives kids to this fantasy game.

Dr. Novick – Ari – who established AJ Novick Group in 2003, has seen an increase in gaming addiction since the introduction of home gaming consoles ten years ago. He has many young patients, from fourth and fifth grade through junior high school, whose parents have brought them in seeking a solution.

After a background in non-profits, Kim (who worked with the Tony Hawk Foundation, which builds skate parks for low income communities) currently focuses on supporting youth, and is working on instituting an anti-bullying program with the LBPD. Already in place is an online program she developed as part of the Irvine School District curriculum, for kids to learn to manage stress and anxiety. 

Just recently, she gave a presentation at the Susi Q Community Center on the effects of Fortnite on young players.

Granted, there are a lot of games out there. Why is this particular game causing such worry? 

“Although it’s an active shooter game, Epic has marketed Fortnite, described as a Call of Duty for kids, as a more cartoonist and lighter version. It’s not a blood bath like Call of Duty, and the animation isn’t as graphic, so it will appeal to younger aged kids,” explains Dr. Novick. 

Even though it’s rated as “Teen,” younger kids are playing it.

Symptoms of excessive gaming

“Unfortunately,” says Dr. Novick, “by the time the parents bring a child in to see me, there’s already a problem.” 

How can parents determine if their child is addicted to gaming? Dr. Novick explains, “The child may exhibit moodiness, withdrawal, anger, or irritation and becomes so obsessed with playing the game that there’s no longer interest in former activities. They’re not getting enough sleep, and could even be setting the alarm early to play before school. School work declines, and the child might lie about getting homework done.” 

Fortnite characters

This subject piqued my interest, as my 12-year-old grandson is an avid gamer, and plays Fortnite, though it’s not his favorite. “What do you like about it?” I ask him.

“The multi-play aspect and that you get to collaborate with other people,” he says.

Virtual versus real world socialization

However attractive the social aspect might sound to parents and children, it isn’t necessarily the right type of socializing. 

 Dr. Novick says, “Parents are being duped by game marketers that gaming teaches social skills, but there are two types of friends, real friends and virtual friends online. There’s also the real danger of making virtual friends who aren’t what they present themselves to be. Parents need to monitor their kids. Gaming isn’t bad, but parents need to set boundaries. If the time limit is 30 minutes to an hour, then the child needs to go outside to do physical and interactive activities. Gaming should be part of a balanced lifestyle, and kids need to know how to live a balanced lifestyle.” 

Even more damaging, Dr. Novick warns, is that, “It’s a violent game, and if kids are playing more than five hours a day, the brain is being trained to scan and view the world in an entirely different way.

“There’s lots of research showing that too much gaming develops new neuropathways and ways to function. This new way of thinking isn’t healthy. These are the same types of active shooting simulations that the military uses to de-sensitize servicemen, eliminate empathy, and create new neuropathways.”

The Tetris Effect – Mind Grooves

Research has given it a specific name. As per www.healthguidance.org, The Tetris Effect occurs when people devote so much time and attention to an activity that it begins to pattern their thoughts, mental images, and dreams. It takes its name from the video game Tetris. The Tetris Effect will occur with any repetitive task that involves particular movements, shapes or colors.

For instance, you might find yourself looking at stacks in a supermarket and wondering precisely where you need to fire an “angry bird” to knock them down. 

What’s going on is that the brain is ‘practicing’ the skills that it thinks it is likely to need during the day. As you are consistently repeating the same tasks, your brain assumes that you are likely to need those skills again. You will form new neural networks by repeatedly using the same skills, and these will then fire and strengthen during the day and night to allow for improved performance.

And kids are especially susceptible. Dr. Novick points out, “At the ages kids are playing, the frontal lobe is not fully developed, and gaming affects brain development.”

On an upbeat note, Kim says, “USC is in the process of creating a game to develop positive neuropathways.”

Prevention, teach kids how to cope with stress

To come up with preventative measures, the Novicks believe parents need to understand why children are gaming so much, and what the payoff is for them. 

“Gaming affects the pleasure center, and the player gets a pleasant response if he does it right,” says Dr. Novick. “Gaming is fantasy at a lower level, a defense mechanism for coping with life and stress.”

Kim says, “Life for kids now is very difficult and stressful, and gaming is an easy way to escape. It flies under the radar, it’s not like drugs and alcohol.”

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Kim and Ari Novick

It’s on the issue of prevention that Kim applies her expertise. 

It appears logical that if kids are given ways in which to relieve the stress, the pull toward gaming would naturally decrease. To this end, she uses yoga and meditative breathing to help kids reduce anxiety.

“These concepts come from Diana Christinson’s Love Big Project about living our precious lives with meaning, adventure and above all love. The idea of teaching kids to ‘locate themselves’ is about raising mindful human beings. If we each have a compass, metaphorically, it’s about finding our true self, our north star so to speak. Kids must identify their passions and determine for themselves how they want to ‘show up’ in life and move in a direction that reflects what they stand for.” 

Tools to navigate a complex world

“Giving kids these lessons early in life helps them have direction, allowing them to choose what they stand for, rather than rules against what they cannot do. This is extremely empowering. This enables our youth to develop into mindful people and gives them tools to navigate the complex world they are growing up in. Our goal as parents should very much be to help our children be good decision makers, problem solvers and above all, see themselves and part of solutions to create a better, kinder, compassionate world.”  

Limiting gaming

The Novicks have three children of their own. “Do you let them game?” I ask. 

“We’ve given them the choice, and let them know that the hours are theirs to spend as they choose. Only one of our children plays, but not Fortnite,” says Kim. “Parents need to understand the game, and not say ‘stop playing because I said so’ which seems like a punishment, and kids need to understand why parents are limiting playing.” 

Husband Ari adds, “This game is in 20 minute rounds, so if it’s limited to an hour, three rounds, parents should be sensitive to the time left in a round, and not pull the child off the game right before it’s over, as this would let the team down and this could cause the child further anger.” But he also cautions parents not to let the child pull the wool over their eyes and start another round in the meantime. 

With boundaries, gaming not a bad thing

The Novicks emphasize that gaming shouldn’t be demonized, but that it’s vital for parents to set boundaries and give children alternative activities away from their screens and out into the real world. 

Ari says, “Although gaming does have a social aspect, it’s not reality, it’s virtual, and the downside of spending too much time in this virtual reality is that kids are not developing social skills needed in the real world. In the virtual world, there’s no eye contact, and no body language, so they’re not developing the required skills necessary to real interaction. These virtual skills aren’t translating to the real world.”

Without a doubt, it’s certain today’s kids need all the “real” skills they can muster to meet the challenges of our increasingly complicated and anxiety-ridden world.

For more information on AJ Novick Group, go to www.Ajnovickgroup.com. 

For more information on The Love Big Project, go to www.Lovebiginspires.com.

LBHS senior Isabel Riches will play for British water polo team in 2018 EU Nation’s Cup

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Isabel Riches

LBHS Senior Isabel Riches has been selected to the Great Britain/England Water Polo Junior National Team, with whom she spent spring break training in the Netherlands. 

Isabel next represents the England team when she plays in the 2018 EU Nations Cup, May 24-27, in the Czech Republic. Isabel will also continue as a D1 Varsity water polo player next fall at Brown University.

LBHS Drumline beats the competition in music category, places third in Scholastic B division

LBHS Drumline definitely saved the best for last in the semi-final competition at King High School in Riverside recently. They came in third place in their Scholastic B division and gained first place in that music category.  

They also won third place overall, out of 46 schools, in the music category. 

Winter Percussion drumline is a competitive drumming ensemble that incorporates drill movements similar to marching band and uses both marching and concert percussion instruments to perform in a gymnasium. In essence, it is a percussion-only marching unit, with a blend of theatrical elements. 

Led by Rudi Moore and Emmanuel Mora, under the direction of Jeremy Chung, this is a very talented group of kids.  

Chung notes, “The students have the option to join Drumline as an extracurricular activity. We don’t turn students away as long as they are committed and can be at all the extra rehearsals. All Drumline students are also involved with other music classes at LBHS – wind ensemble, string ensemble, jazz band, etc. 

“The Drumline is part of the instrumental music program and competes in the American Drumline Association circuit. The competitive Drumline was formed eight years ago when I became the music director at LBHS,” he explains.

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The triumphant Drumline team

Participating students rave about their experiences with Drumline, which may not have as high a profile as many student activities, but provides great enjoyment and valuable musical education for participants.

“The past four years, Drumline has meant more to me than just learning rudiments and being perfectly in sync with a complex musical pulse,” says Michael Davidson, Battery Section Leader. “It’s made me a better human being. Put in a setting with people who live, breathe, and love the same thing you do creates a bond that’s truly unbreakable. Every loss and victory each contained so many valuable lessons that will stay with me throughout the rest of my musical career and life.”

Student Kendra Nugent had never played an instrument, much less read sheet music before she joined Drumline. 

“Drumline has been a wonderful experience for me. The entire group was very supportive to each other had such a positive attitude,” Kendra says. “Because of this program, I can now understand most music terms and read the basics of sheet music. I am so glad to have been a part of this program and can’t wait to see what comes next.’

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The nature of Drumline makes it tricky to capture all the kids in action

Sydney Davison (yes, Davison, different spelling and no relation to Michael!), who is the Pit Team Leader, has this to say: “Drumline for me has been a wonderful experience. I have learned an exotic instrument, and I have made many friends. Every part of it has been memorable, and it is fun to be part of a team.”

Parents are also very impressed with the benefits of Drumline in improving their kids’ ability and enhancing their existing talent.

“Drumline has been a big part of my son’s life for the past four years. It has helped him improve his skills tremendously,” Judy Davidson, Michael’s mother, says. “It’s such a joy seeing him play the snare drum with passion and precision. Jeremy Chung and Rudi Moore have been a positive influence in helping Michael achieve his dream of going to Berklee College of Music.”

Drumline incorporates so many elements

Chris Davison, Sydney’s dad, notes, “Before my two kids joined the group, I had never heard of Drumline. Now I love to go to all their competitions and performances. It is fun to watch because there are so many elements: Music, costumes, choreography, stage props, and sometimes a little theater. 

“For my kids, it was an opportunity to learn mallet instruments like marimba and bells that they normally wouldn’t be playing in regular band. Drumline has also helped them develop their skills as a team player and working with others as a tight-knit, synchronized group.”

Unfortunately the team can’t participate in the Drumline Finals competition; most of the students are also in the LBHS wind ensemble and they will be performing in a music festival in SFO the same weekend.

Congratulations to the group for a high-profile season!  

--Lynette Brasfield

Laguna Beach Boys Baseball dominates Saddleback in 27-0 no-hitter: team remains undefeated in league play

LBHS Boys Baseball continued their undefeated league play on Tuesday, April 17. Visiting Saddleback, four LBHS pitchers combined for a no-hit, with a score of 27-0. The Breakers are now 13-8 on the season, 8-0 in league play.  

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Photo by Sheri Morgan

Grady Morgan stealing third; he led with a Grand Slam earlier in the first

Grady Morgan led the offense with a Grand Slam homerun in the first. Michael Kerner, Christian Holm, Dylan Schreyer, Jared Angus and Morgan all had multiple hits on the day, and 12 different hitters contributed to the 17-hit attack.

Jack Loechner, Joe Sweet, Cutter Clawson and Remy Mackel teamed up on the mound to no-hit Saddleback.

Dennis’ Tidbits

By DENNIS McTIGHE

April 20, 2018

Guns, pintails and giant waves: more surfing history, and a place called Jaws

Laguna rainfall since last July 1 is still locked at 4.10 inches as of April 19 compared to a normal to date of 13.22 inches. If the season were to end today it would be the second driest on record. The third driest was in 1960-61 with 4.30 and the fourth driest was in 2001-02 with 4.42.

Local ocean temps have plunged back down to 56 degrees due to the recent strong westerly winds which stirred up the colder water from the depths.

As surfboard lengths were shrinking by the late 1960’s, big wave boards called guns were coming into the picture, boards that were much more suited for tackling these monster waves that hit Hawaii in the late fall and winter, replacing the cumbersome big boards that were better suited for California waves under ten feet. These new guns were much more streamlined with widths of 18-20 inches, much less than the standard 22 and 23 inches and pintails became the rule rather than the exception with lengths dropping to nine to ten feet.

More reports of 20 foot waves were on the increase. In 1965, Laniakea on Oahu’s North Shore was ridden by Peter Cole. Down in Peru, a spot called Pico Alto was tackled by Peruvian Phillipe Pomar, an experienced big wave rider both in his home country and Hawaii. North Shore locals were beginning to notice a huge wave that was breaking a mile out to sea outside Laniakea. 

On the bigger swells the sets would approach 40 foot or bigger but no one would attempt the place. They gave it the name Avalanches. The spot wouldn’t be ridden until the early 1990’s when towing into these towering walls of water were just too big to paddle into. On waves over say 30 foot there was simply too much water and the giant swells were moving too fast to get the momentum enough to catch so waves over 30 foot went pretty much unridden.

New giant wave discoveries appeared at places like giant Hanalei Bay on Kauai’s North Shore. Way outside the Bay was a place called King’s Reef that didn’t even begin to feather until it was at least 40 foot but it, too, was too big to paddle into. In the early 70’s, Peahi on Maui’s North shore was witnessed by locals to approach 60 foot or bigger but went unridden until the late 90’s when Jet Skis were able to move up to 30 mph, fast enough to launch a surfer into the monsters with the aid of a tow rope. Today the place is known as Jaws. 

More on this next time, ALOHA!

Sunday sunset at Rockledge

Photo by Mary Hurlbut

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Pride Night Mixer with the Chamber takes place on May 2 from 6 - 8 p.m. at Main Street Bar and Cabaret

Join the Chamber on Wednesday, May 2 at Main Street Bar & Cabaret for its Pride Night Mixer to celebrate its Diamond Anniversary and network with business and community leaders from Laguna Beach and surrounding cities.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Main Street Bar and Cabaret

The event will be great preparation for June, which is LGBTQ Pride Month in Laguna Beach. The Chamber is encouraging local businesses to display rainbow flags, offer special promotions, and demonstrate an overall business-friendly environment to all the visitors and residents coming out to celebrate PRIDE in Laguna Beach.

A visiting tourist who has a great customer or purchase experience during one visit will be a customer for life.

The mixer will be held at Main Street Bar and Cabaret at 1460 S Coast Hwy.

Chamber members pay $10; prospective members, $15. Tickets include cocktails, appetizers, party favors and a chance to win big prizes.

For more information, visit

www.lagunabeachchamber.org/events/details/pride-night-mixer-with-the-chamber-58288.

Learn about the 100-year history of Laguna Art Museum at film screening, Sunday, April 22 at 5 p.m.

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Photo courtesy Historical Society

The humble beginnings of the Laguna Art Museum

Laguna Art Museum invites residents to a screening of the fascinating Laguna Art Museum at 100 by filmmaker Dale Schierholt. 

The film chronicles the museum’s history from its founding as the Laguna Beach Art Association in 1918, through its transformation to Laguna Art Museum in the mid- 1980s, and continuing to today with its mission as the museum of California art.

Advance tickets are recommended. Please call (949) 494.8971 x203.

A first time for everything: discovering the joys of a day at the beach

Photos by Scott Brashier

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Scott captured these awesome images of Linna Ziorio and her granddaughter Keira. They’re visiting Laguna from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada – and this is the first time that Keira has ever seen and felt the ocean

Ten Boys Who Care repeat $500 Gift to Godinez Athletics because “Every Kid Should Get to Play”

For the second year in a row, Ten Boys Who Care extended their giving to a Santa Ana high school athletic department. Godinez Athletic Director, Greg Combs, was thrilled to receive the Ten Boys gift again this year. 

When the Ten Boys discovered last year that some kids face barriers in playing high school sports, they voted to donate to a high school athletic department in Santa Ana. “When we heard some kids can’t play sports because they can’t afford basic things, we decided to donate $500 to Godinez High School Athletics,” explained Sam Reynolds. 

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(L to R) Johnny Nguyen, Sam Reynolds, Mason Lebby, and Andrew Mendoza

Sam Reynolds and Mason Lebby presented the $500 check to Godinez High School during their away varsity tennis match this week at Godinez. Greg Combs, AD, made a point of coming to meet the boys personally at the match. He told them a story about the funds they provided in 2017.  

“Last year we had a wonderful young man receive an Athletes of Character Award.  The Ten Boys Who Care gift helped this wonderful young man get the tools he needed to play. This student-athlete was recognized for his team-first attitudes and dedication to fair play. We thought it fit perfectly with the Ten Boys Who Care mission.”  

However, this is just one of the ways these boys are helping athletes – not only in Santa Ana, but here at home, too.

Ten Boys Who Care, who started fundraising in seventh grade, will award their fifth year of scholarships at LBHS this June. They began raising money by painting curbs, washing cars, playing music at events and holding their mega yard sale for LBHS graduates to receive a scholarship recognizing good sportsmanship. They will continue the tradition from now until they graduate in 2019.

The Ten Boys Who Care include Zack Bonnin, Sam Kluver, Enzo Sadler, Mason Lebby, Sam Reynolds, Kent Cebreros, Noah Linder, Blake Pivaroff, Ayrton Garcia, and Gustav Morck.

Three LBUSD teams go to Global Finals in Destination Imagination®: Creativity gets the prize

Three teams from Laguna Beach Unified School District that competed in the Destination Imagination® (DI) Affiliate (state/country) Tournament have advanced to the Global Finals taking place May 23 - 26 in Knoxville, Tennessee.

DI is a project-based educational program in which student teams solve open-ended challenges and present their solutions at tournaments. Global Finals is the culminating event of the DI Tournament with more than 1,400 of the top-scoring teams from 45 U.S. states and 14 countries participating. The scheduled festivities include the DI Tournament, interactive exhibits, pin trading, skills workshops, and more. 

“This accomplishment is demonstrative of the tenacity and passion that our students are capable of with the support of the community that surrounds them,” said LBUSD Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jason Viloria. “Together with staff, parents, and volunteers, our students have been hard at work to prepare for this competition, and I am confident that they will continue to make us proud,” he concluded. 

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LBHS’s Brilliant Boom Bam Bananas are headed to the Global Finals

Laguna Beach High School’s Brilliant Boom Bam Bananas competed in the Scientific Challenge, which asked teams to create an amusement park attractions using scientific concepts. The team created a four-foot fidget spinner that team member Joseph Hovanesian rode during the performance, all in an underwater setting. Team members also included Evan Henry, Jared Moy and Miles Riehle. The team placed third at the affiliate tournament, qualifying for global finals. 

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Thurston’s Thunder McKings 

Thurston Middle School will be represented by two teams at the global finals: the Thunder McKings and Catnip. The Thurston McKings placed third in the Technical Challenge qualifying for global finals. 

Their challenge was to design and build a device to navigate a maze. Team members Michael Berg, Theo Cofffey, Will Coffey, Odin Fores and George Saba’s performance showcased a radio-controlled maze-traveling racecar complete with grandstand, fans, and sportscasters.

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Thurston’s Catnip team celebrates achievement

Catnip placed third in the Improvisational Challenge, also qualifying for finals. The team was asked to perform an improvisational skit about two explorers on a quest to find a missing cultural treasure. Team members May Chapman and Quinn Butler played explorers Queen Teuta and Howard Carter on a quest to find and returned Machu Picchu to its rightful owners, played by Ophelia Chapman and Ani Hovanesian.

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The Destination Infiltration team in action

Team Destination Infiltration, who also represented Thurston Middle School at the State Tournament, received first place in their instant challenge score and may qualify for the Global competition. In the scientific category, team members James Dechary, Chris Herkins, Dylan Newburry and Tyler Palino, performed a creative story featuring a shrunken scientist being mistaken for a jellybean, eaten, and finding himself inside a body-themed theme park.

The annual Global Finals competition is the world’s largest celebration of student creativity with more than 17,000 people in attendance each year. For more information see www.LagunaBeachDI.com.

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Join Laguna Playhouse for special screenings of the movie A Raisin In The Sun on May 9

Laguna Playhouse is presenting special movie screenings of A Raisin In The Sun on Wednesday, May 9. The original movie will be presented at 4 p.m. and the TV remake at 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome to come for one screening, or stay for both for a fee of $5. Parking is free.

A Raisin in the Sun portrays a few weeks in the life of the Youngers, an African-American family living on the South Side of Chicago in the 1950s. Inspired by the poem “Harlem” by Langston Hughes, the story tells of a black family’s experiences in the Washington Park Subdivision of Chicago’s Woodlawn neighborhood as they attempt to “better” themselves with an insurance payout following the death of the father. The New York Drama Critics’ Circle named it the best play of 1959.

The original 1961 film starred Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Claudia McNeil, Diana Sands, Roy Glenn and Louis Gosset, Jr. The 2008 television film was based on the award winning Broadway revival starring Sean Combs, Audra McDonald, Phylicia Rashad, Sanaa Lathan and John Stamos.

For more information or to reserve a spot, call the Box Office at (949) 497-2787 ext.1.

Experience Shakespeare in Art and Music, hosted by Laguna Art Museum, on April 26 at 6 p.m.

On Thursday, April 26, Laguna Art Museum will present Shakespeare in Art and Music at 6 p.m. in celebration of the Bard’s birthday. The evening will include songs and paintings inspired by his plays, with UCI’s Robin Buck and Julia Lupton, UCLA’s Victoria Kirsch, and LAM’s Malcolm Warner. This event is included with museum admission.

Robin Buck has performed with NY City Opera, LA Opera, Theater Basel, Opernhaus Zürich, National Theater Mannheim, and Long Beach Opera, and has been a featured soloist with the LA Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, and LA Master Chorale, among others. 

Mr. Buck is Professor in the Claire Trevor School of the Arts at UC Irvine, and has also taught at the Franz Schubert Institut (Austria), Lotte Lehmann Akademie (Germany), L’Academie de Musique de Sion (Switzerland), Jazzschule Basel (Switzerland), Chapman University, and CSU Long Beach.

Victoria Kirsch is the music director of OperaArts, a vocal and opera coach at UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music, and a faculty member of the Angels Vocal Art summer program. She has been a teaching artist for LA Opera’s Community Programs Department, and served on the faculties of USC’s Thornton School of Music and SongFest. She was associated with the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara for many years, playing in the studio of renowned baritone and master teacher Martial Singher and serving as a member of the vocal faculty.

Malcolm Warner is a British art historian and executive director of Laguna Art Museum. He received his PhD from the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London, and is recognized as a leading authority on the Pre-Raphaelite painters of Victorian Britain. The many exhibitions that he has curated include The Victorians: British Painting in the Reign of Queen Victoria, 1837-1901 at the National Gallery of Art in Washington and Millais: Portraits at the National Portrait Gallery in London.

Julia Reinhard Lupton is Professor of English and co-director of the UC Irvine Shakespeare Center. She is the author or co-author of four books on Shakespeare and many articles. Her books include Thinking with Shakespeare: Essays on Politics and Life and Citizen-Saints: Shakespeare and Political Theology. Her latest book, Shakespeare Dwelling: Designs for the Theater of Life, was just published in April 2018. A former Guggenheim Fellow, she is a Trustee of the Shakespeare Association of America.

For more information on this upcoming event or to reserve seats, call (949) 494.8971 x203 or visit www.lagunaartmuseum.org.

Pelicans

Photos by Scott Brashier

A silver bird above a silver sea

A pelaton of pelicans?

Pelicans and palms – so Laguna

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Scott’s Pictures of the Day: Celebrating the beauty that surrounds us, which sometimes we lose sight of, getting caught up in everyday life

Harmony Art Exhibit features current and historical collections of LGBT artists at Gallery Q on May 7

Explore themes of peace, harmony and unity through the art on display at “Harmony Art Exhibit,” which opens on Monday, May 7 and runs through Friday, June 29, presented by Gallery Q at the Susi Q Center. In conjunction with Laguna Beach’s Pride Month, this exhibition will also feature current works and a historical collection of work from LGBTQ artists in the Laguna Beach community.

Art will be accepted from 10 a.m. – noon and 5 – 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 3.

There will be a reception on Friday, May 11 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Harmony Art Exhibit at Gallery Q, opening on May 7

Larry Ricci of Club Q is working with Gallery Q and Susi Q to have the LGBTQ Artists recognized within this great exhibit of Unity. It will feature art works from “Then & Now,” created by our LGBTQ artisans. 

 The LGBTQ artists’ works will be displayed in the Multi-Purpose Room of Susi Q, which Larry Ricci, founder of Club Q, says, “Is an honor and an opportunity that will come around maybe once for many years to come. Show Your Art - Show Your Pride.”

For more information and applications or further questions, visit www.thesusiq.org (under Gallery Q) or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dr. Bill Hoffman will discuss “Trends in Urban Design: Best City Practices” at LBBC meeting

Dr. Bill Hoffman will discuss Trends in Urban Design, Best City Practices on Thursday, April 26 at the Laguna Beach Beautification Council meeting between 6 and 7 p.m. The event takes place in Room 225, Montage Laguna Beach, and is free and open to all.

The presentation will highlight examples of what cities are doing to make themselves more beautiful, distinctive, walkable and sustainable. The slides will focus on special downtowns, historic districts, plazas, and street furniture, with photos from the US, Mexico and Europe.  

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Submitted photo

Bill Hoffman

Dr. Hoffman will highlight the best examples of urban design being used to make cities vibrant, and livable, while fostering community for residents and visitors. 

Bill Hoffman followed a dual career path as a high school teacher, university lecturer and urban planner. He earned his Master’s Degree from UCLA in 1982 and helped designate LA’s second Historic Preservation Overlay Zone (LA now has 29 historic districts).  

In 1993, he earned his PhD in Social Ecology from UCI specializing in public space and plaza design. In 2012, Hoffman formed a tour company – Hoffy Tours LLC – 

showing guests the best in cities in Southern California.  

Bill’s cardinal belief is that cities are getting better over time and he loves finding the hidden gems in our built environment.

Montage Laguna Beach is located at 30801 Coast Hwy. Valet parking is free for guests. 

For more information, RSVP to George Weiss at (949) 295-0832 or email him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAM announces Centennial Year exhibition Art Colony: LB Art Association, 1918-1935, on June 24

On Sunday, June 24, Laguna Art Museum (LAM) will open the exhibition Art Colony: The Laguna Beach Art Association, 1918-1935. The opening of the exhibition will be the premiere event in a year-long celebration marking the museum’s 100-year history and legacy. 

In the summer of 1918, a group of artists led by Anna Hills and Edgar Payne opened their first exhibition in a temporary pavilion and formed the Laguna Beach Art Association (LBAA). Ten years later, they led a successful effort to build a custom-designed and permanent gallery, which opened in 1929 and survives within the present museum building. The founding of the LBAA is the beginning of the story of Laguna Art Museum, and the story of Laguna Beach, the art colony. 

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Submitted photo

Joseph Kleitsch, The Drug Store, c. 1925, oil on canvas

Art associations were a phenomenon of the late nineteenth-century, but no two were alike. The Laguna Beach Art Association was a pioneering organization whose inception helped determine the fortunes of the Laguna Beach art colony and its artists. It grew from a relatively small organization to one that included hundreds of members in and beyond LB. It was devoted to promoting art in So Calif, and it also traveled exhibitions to cities outside of Calif and championed arts education in schools. 

The LBAA charted its own course, and its development and struggles reflected artistic and economic issues that confronted other art colonies in the early twentieth century. Its members included Laguna Beach luminaries—those artists who exhibited nationally and internationally—as well as many whose reputations never extended far beyond the city. Art Colony: The Laguna Beach Art Association, 1918-1935 will be the first large-scale, critical study to focus exclusively on the art association’s growth and development, honoring the early artists who influenced the fabric of the developing community and surveying its evolution through the 1930s. 

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Laguna Art Museum

Art Colony: The Laguna Beach Art Association, 1918-1935 will include approximately 100 paintings, including many works by major artists that were seen in the original exhibitions of the Laguna Beach Art Association. The exhibition will be on view through January 13, 2019.

Hours: Sun, Mon, Tues, Fri, Sat: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Thurs: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., closed Wed., closed Fourth of July, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

Admission: general admission, $7, students, seniors (60+), and active military $5, children under 12, free, museum members, free.

Laguna Art Museum is located at 307 Cliff Dr, on the corner of PCH and Cliff Dr., 

(949) 494-8971.

For more information, go to www.lagunaartmuseum.org.