Community loses Toni Leech, an icon who defined the character and allure of Laguna Beach
By DIANNE RUSSELL
Longtime Laguna Beach local Toni Leech sadly passed away on Monday, Aug 12. Toni was an integral part of the rich tapestry of local icons who made Laguna what it is today. Her absence leaves a void in the community that can never be filled.
For 24 years, Toni, along with her husband Michael, owned and ran (her in front, him as the chef) Café Zoolu on Glenneyre Street and delivered culinary delights and a feeling of family to everyone who dined there. Patrons of Café Zoolu remember Leech’s gregarious personality as much as the fantastic food.
“Toni was a colorful local woman, to say the least. On Monday, Laguna Beach got a little paler,” said Michael Byrne, owner of Roux and The Saloon, and friend of Toni and Michael for almost two decades.
Together they were the original proprietors of The Quiet Woman restaurants from Corona Del Mar to Dana Point, culminating in over 45 years together in the restaurant business. It’s not easy to stay in business for that long if people don’t like you.
Byrne says, “I absolutely loved Toni as a person, and I don’t know of anyone like her. She was amazing. She held her ground, but once you broke through, and proved yourself, she was an incredible friend, and there was no one more loyal and funny. She was an classic example of our local color, and she’s irreplaceable.”
Local Cathy Bosko remembers, “Toni was a very special person who loved animals and loved talking with you about them. Zoolu kept a private stash of leftover goodies like swordfish or steak to share with your dog when you walked by. Never happened to me, but if your dog got out and you lived by Zoolu, that’s where it would found! RIP Toni.”
The accolades and humorous stories are varied and plentiful.
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Submitted photo
Michael and Toni Leech
Christopher Kling details his history with Toni: “Although I had dined at Café Zoolu before I met Michael and Toni, I finally got to know her when she was in need of transportation to/from the airport, so that she could visit her mother and best friend, from time to time, both of whom had lived in the Bay Area. On one of her jaunts to the airport (she was going to surprise her mother for her 90th birthday), Toni told me the story of Barbra Streisand showing up to Café Zoolu on Valentine’s Day. Of course all the tables were booked, and it was a well-known fact, throughout town, that Toni detested walk-ins at the restaurant. Well, in walks Babs, on Valentine’s Day, with no reservation. Toni didn’t care who you were, being a walk-in was not going to get you on her good list! And she had no tables available because it was Valentine’s Day, so Toni asks Barbra Streisand to wait outside until she can turn a table. I laughed for days!
“Needless to say, Toni was a quintessential tipper, she was the real deal, she was crazy fun, and I will miss her so much. My sincere condolences go out to Michael, during this time of grief. We’ve sadly lost another Laguna Legend.”
The memories continue.
Bill Ramsey says, “My wife Nancy and I have known Toni (and Michael) for around 20 years. Once you got to know her, she would do anything for you. She let you know where you stood, and that was a good thing. I loved every second I was with her. She’ll be missed.”
Barry Simons, who knew Toni for 35 years, relates the following story: “I met Toni and Michael when they owned the Quiet Woman in CDM. I took my (now) wife there for her first legal drink. Thirty years later, they recreated our wedding dinner, and had it delivered to our house. Toni was the best of the best, always so gracious, and she was sarcastically funny with a great wit.”
Last night Bill and Meredith Carol had a memorial at their home for Toni and cooked swordfish the way they cooked it at Café Zoolu.
The community is saddened by the loss of this truly authentic legend and as Michael Byrne says, without her, “It’s a little less Laguna.”
Laguna loses another legend: Jimmer Coombs, a life on the road and at the Sawdust, while always being cool
By DIANNE RUSSELL
By all accounts, James “Jimmer” Coombs appeared to be someone who lived by his own rules, and at the same time, characterized an authentic part of the Laguna Beach culture. For many years, he was a mainstay at the Sawdust Festival.
Coombs, who began working at the Sawdust in 1994 as part of the security staff, also played music gigs on the grounds. In the 1990s, he performed as a percussionist with a band called Heat, and his consistent presence, both as staff and musician, was undeniably part of Sawdust’s history.
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Photo by Mary Hurlbut
Jimmer Coombs
Coombs, 80, who passed away on July 20, came to Laguna after he got out of the Navy. As a foster kid, he bounced around, and at the age of six was pretty much on his own. He went into the service in 1957 and after visiting Laguna, decided he wanted to live here.
He had been a roadie all his life, spending time with an impressive list of music icons from the 1970s and 1980s. Laguna became home base in a life on the road with some of the biggest stars of the day: Arlo Guthrie, Three Dog Night, Rod Stewart, Dave Mason, Willie Nelson, The Pointer Sisters, A.J. Croce, Chaka Khan, Bonnie Raitt, Peter Criss of KISS, Lee Rocker and others. Coombs toured around the world many times.
His longest stint was with Kris Kristofferson. He spent 17 years on the road with him, and during that time became close with Willie Nelson. Coombs was also an extra in the movie Songwriter.
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Photo by Doug Miller
Coombs playing with Heat at the Sawdust in the 1990s
In a 2016 interview with the LA Times, Coombs said, “I became really good friends with Willie. I got introduced to a lot of people. It was a good life.”
As for family life, in a wonderful turn of events, he recently reunited with his daughter Debbie Koinzan, who lives in Oklahoma.
“I live by my ABCs: Always Be Cool,” he said in the LA Times interview.
And it appears that he always was.
Creature Feature
Upswing in coyote and bobcat sightings prompt “Living with Wildlife” workshop on Wed, Aug 21
By DIANNE RUSSELL
“Whoa, not so fast,” said the Laguna Beach Police Department (LBPD) in response to three reported mountain lion sightings by local residents spanning four days from Wednesday, Aug 7 to Saturday, Aug 10. The city says it has vetted all of these reports, and that it does not believe any of them were mountain lions.
Nevertheless, coyote and possible bobcat sightings are up, and so are attacks on pets. This has prompted the city to host a “Living with Wildlife” community workshop at Alta Laguna Park (Top of the World) on Wednesday, Aug 21 at 5 p.m. – to specifically address these issues.
“We have been experiencing some increases in coyote activity and attacks recently, so it’s time to conduct a community workshop to put some helpful information into the hands of our residents,” LBPD Civilian Services Administrator Jim Beres stated.
Reports of sightings
Just last night, Stu News received the reader submitted audio/video recording below, which the reader believed to be felines screaming, taken on Wednesday, Aug 14 at 3 a.m. in the 2000 block of Laguna Canyon Rd.
The reader said, “The animals were maybe 20 feet away from me. I was 10 feet from the fence and they sounded about 10 feet past the fence. It lasted one and a half to two minutes.”
The recording was forwarded to the City of Laguna Beach and Laguna Canyon Foundation’s biologists for further evaluation. Laguna Canyon Foundation’s Executive Director Hallie Jones released the following statement after her team carefully analyzed the video:
“The largest cats we currently have in our open space are bobcats. It’s definitely more likely to be a bobcat than a mountain lion. While it’s always possible that a mountain lion could make its way across the freeway system, we haven’t had a confirmed sighting of a mountain lion here since about 2000. We do hear reports every once in a while, and in each of those cases, any photographic evidence or other indicators point to other species. I always welcome people reaching out to Laguna Canyon Foundation with reported sightings – we’d love any photos or videos that people have!”
Jim Beres from the City of Laguna Beach issued the following statement:
"We are pretty confident the noise/sound heard in the audio clip is not from a mountain lion. We sent the audio clip to Dick Newell of OC Trackers and he told us that was not a mountain lion, nor a bobcat. And Dick Newell is pretty much the go-to expert in Orange County on mountain lions and bobcats. Our animal services officer has listened to the clip and concurs with Dick Newell that sound is not a mountain lion nor a bobcat...At this point, while we cannot say with certainty what that sound is, we are pretty confident it is not a mountain lion nor a bobcat."
On Wednesday, Aug 7, at 9:04 p.m., at the 32000 block of Virginia Way, it was reported that a young mountain lion was recorded on a resident’s security camera, discovered after they returned home from dinner. According to the report, the feline “was within the fence of the backyard.”
On Friday, Aug 9, at 10:48 p.m., at the 2000 block of Hidden Valley Canyon Rd, a resident reported that a large mountain lion was seen in the area. According to the report, the cat made its way “into the community.” The RP requested a patrol car in the area and contacted Animal Services.
The next day on Saturday, Aug 10, at 9:57 a.m. at the same location, a third mountain lion sighting was reported.
“In the one report on Virginia Way with the video, it was determined to be a cat. In the other two incidents near Hidden Valley, we believe it was a bobcat,” said Beres.
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Photo by John Foley, LCF
Bobcat in Aliso and Wood Canyon photographed by John Foley in late 2018
Identification
“When we respond to investigate, we look for paw prints, scat, and other physical indicators of mountain lion activity. This includes looking for animal carcasses that would have been attacked and eaten by a mountain lion. Despite the many reports of mountain lion sightings, there have been no paw prints, tracks, scat, animal carcasses, or any other physical indicators of mountain lion activity located,” Beres said. “Rather, the physical indicators that have been observed have been those associated with bobcats and coyotes, which are plentiful in number in this area.”
“There simply isn’t any pathway for a mountain lion to get to this area from the wilderness areas east of the Interstate 5 freeway,” Beres said.
Bobcats seen in Aliso and Wood Canyons
John Foley of the Laguna Wilderness Foundation, who leads Discovery Hikes in Aliso and Wood Canyons and has documented bobcats in that area carefully, examined the photo released by the City of Laguna Beach and published in Stu News. “This is definitely not a bobcat. It does appear to be a large domestic cat, or perhaps a feral cat since it appears to be displaying some survival skills being outside in our area where we have many coyotes,” he stated. “Things that jump right out at me in the image are the cat’s muzzle. Typically a cougar would have a muzzle more square in shape. Also, domestic cats have pointed ears vs. a cougar’s ear tips more rounded and set further apart. A cougar would also have a longer tail in proportion to its body. Yep, I think we have a kitty on the run here.”
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Photo by John Foley, LCF
Foley documented bobcat in Aliso and Wood Canyon in January 2018
According to Foley, the idea for a community workshop is a valuable one.
“Absolutely! Any time we are talking about wildlife and our beautiful wilderness parks, it’s a good thing. When I am leading hikes, the ‘fear’ of encountering a mountain lion comes up frequently with our participants. I try and calm their fears (since we don’t have any cougars in our parks) and get them to just enjoy being out here with the flora and fauna. We have encountered a bobcat on our hikes a few times, but they are very shy and will never go out of their way to bother anyone. They are also very elusive. It took me three years to finally get a good picture of one. Sharing information about dealing with coyotes is important, since they can be bold around pets and small children.”
Animal Services Officer to conduct workshop
Animal Services Officer David Pietarila will be conducting the community meeting at Alta Laguna Park (Top of the World) on Wednesday, Aug 21 at 5 p.m. He will be presenting information on coyotes, bobcats, and other wildlife, such as how to avoid negative encounters with coyotes and bobcats, how to keep pets safe from attacks, how to avoid habituation of coyotes, hazing techniques, and other useful information.
Officer Pietarila will also answer any questions residents may have about coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, and other wildlife residents are likely to encounter in or near the city. The community meeting will last approximately an hour depending on how many people attend and how many questions folks have.
Stu News will publish an overview of the workshop in next Friday’s edition.
To view a video from Foley discussing the importance of the wildlife corridor for bobcats and other wildlife, click here.
Alta Laguna Park (Top of the World) is located at 3299 Alta Laguna Blvd.
“The idea of wilderness needs no defense, it only needs defenders.”
...Edward Abbey
Police Files
65-year-old man arrested at Mobil with meth and juveniles
On Tuesday, Aug 13, at 3:01 a.m., LBPD officers conducted an occupied vehicle check at Mobil, at Broadway Street and North Coast Highway. The vehicle was occupied by four individuals.
According to LBPD Spokesperson PIO Sgt Jim Cota, “During the course of the contact, it was discovered that the driver, Robert Mason, had an active restraining order with the protected person being the 15-year-old juvenile female in the front passenger seat.”
Sgt Cota said, “Mason, 65, was arrested for violation of a court order and during a search of his person officers located methamphetamine and he was also charged with possession of a controlled substance.”
The three passengers inside of the vehicle were all juveniles.
“One male juvenile was reported missing and had an outstanding No Bail warrant out of Los Angeles Sheriff’s Office,” Sgt Cota said.
The rest of the juveniles were eventually released to their parent/guardians, according to Sgt Cota.
No bail was set.
Reports of “guns in the Canyon,” although unfounded, lead to other arrests
On Sunday, Aug 11, at 3:22 p.m., LBPD officers responded to the 2900 block of Laguna Canyon Road for what the RP described as a male subject allegedly pulling what appeared to be an air soft rifle out of a trash can.
According to Sgt Cota, “Another RP said it possibly looked like a gun but the subject was not brandishing it. The officer located homeless individual Shane Sutton, who had a piece of wood that appeared carved into the shape of gun.”
No crime was committed.
Sgt Cota said, “However, Shane Michael Sutton, 40, did have an outstanding narcotic related warrant.”
His bail was set at $15,000.
Later on Sunday, at 7:31 p.m., LBPD officers once again responded to the 2700 block of Laguna Canyon Road.
According to Sgt Cota, “This time there were three calls reporting a female homeless individual allegedly holding what looked like a rifle.”
One caller said the item looked like a World War II rifle. Another caller reported that the rifle was fake.
According to Sgt Cota, officers arrived and contacted the woman who told officers that she had found a fake gun and threw it into the bushes.
Sgt Cota said, “Officers recovered a broken airsoft replica of a World War II era MP-40. The airsoft gun was taken and booked for destruction.”
Man arrested for use of a stick in alleged assault with a deadly weapon
On Monday, Aug 12, at 10:25 a.m., an LBPD officer was in the 200 block of S Coast Hwy when, according to Sgt Cota, “he observed homeless individual Christopher Mack assaulting another subject with a stick.”
According to Sgt Cota, “The officer immediately stopped Mack from continuing his activity.”
Christopher Paul Mack, 51, was then taken into custody without further incident.
Sgt Cota said, “He was booked for [alleged] assault with a deadly weapon and disorderly conduct. He was ultimately transported to Orange County Jail.”
Bail was set at $25,000.
Editor’s Note: An arrest contains allegations that a suspect has committed a crime. Every suspect is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
-By Suzie Harrison
Where’s Maggi?
Where was she this time? Let us know if you’ve spied this spot, too.
Send your answers in to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The location will be revealed in Tuesday’s edition, and we’ll let you know who got it right.
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DUI/Drivers License Checkpoint planned for this weekend
Laguna Beach Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License Checkpoint on Saturday, Aug 17 between the hours of 9 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.
DUI Checkpoints like this one are placed in locations based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests. Officers will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment, with officers checking drivers for proper licensing.
LBPD reminds drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” If you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning on the label, you might be impaired enough to get a DUI. Marijuana can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI.
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Courtesy of LBPD
LBPD will conduct a DUI/Drivers License Checkpoint on Saturday
In 2017, 1,120 people were killed in alcohol-involved crashes on California roads.
Laguna Beach Police Department offers these reminders to ensure you have a safe night of fun that doesn’t involve a DUI:
--Always use a designated sober driver – a friend who is not drinking, ride-share, cab, or public transportation – to get home.
--See someone who is clearly impaired try and drive? Take the keys and help them make other arrangements to find a sober way home.
--Report drunk drivers – Call 911.
--Hosting a party? Offer nonalcoholic drinks. Monitor who’s drinking and how they are getting home.
Getting home safely is cheap, but getting a DUI is not! Drivers caught driving impaired and charged with DUI can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to be upwards of $13,500.
Funding for this DUI operation is provided to the Laguna Beach Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
For further information, contact Lieutenant Tim Kleiser at (949) 464-6655 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Harley’s Sunday “Grill” is a Perfect Ode to Summer
Story and photos by Diane Armitage
In yet another ode to the happy, growing-up years of our childhood, Harley’s Chef Greg Daniels has created a Sunday family-style “backyard BBQ” from 5 to 9 p.m.
If you’ve been around long enough to remember Three Seventy Common’s “Fried Chicken Sundays,” you will enjoy Harley’s similar take on family-style lovin’.
When Chef Ryan Adams was in the space (that is now Harley’s), he created his Sunday family-style meals around memories of his grandmother. That spirit still remains intact, it seems, as Chef Greg notes special memories around his grandfather’s backyard barbecues.
Priced at $60 per person inclusive with tax and service, the “Grill and Get Together” menu claims three courses, but it’s really seven very hearty dishes.
Several cocktails (including a “Painkiller Kombucha”) are offered as perfect pairs, but on Chef’s recommendations, my friend and I opted for the chilled Cabernet Franc “Lo-Fi,” which is expressly designed for chillin’.
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Chef Greg Daniels
A Table Loaded with Sunday Supper
Chef Greg says the items may change and shift as the weeks roll by, but this should give you a general idea of what I waded through this past Sunday evening:
I could have stopped at the starter, Chef Greg’s house-baked buttery brioche roll. The food, however, just kept coming.
After a bright watermelon and arugula salad, the Chef arrived at our table with a sheet pan nearly as large as the table. It was fully loaded with two sets of baby back ribs, a jumble of grilled chicken, and sides of baked beans and mac and cheese served up in their own cast iron skillets.
While we came nowhere close to finishing our meal for two, we still managed to work our way through the entirety of dessert – warm summer berry rumble with a dollop of créme fraîche.
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Harley’s Sunday “Grill” is a perfect backyard BBQ without all the bugs
“We thought we would just test this out, but I’ve already got some new ideas for next week,” says Chef Greg. “I think it’s a great way to celebrate the end of summer and the start of our autumn months here in Laguna.”
If barbecue just isn’t your thing, Chef Greg will cook up another entrée item for you. The Sunday theme, though, was certainly the most popular guest at our fellow Harley tables. Chef says he will likely run the Sunday affair through September. Go to www.Harleylagunabeach.com to purchase tickets.
The best-selling author and blogger on The Best of Laguna Beach, Diane Armitage is on an endless quest for the most imaginative adventures in Laguna’s restaurants, events, and lifestyle. Check out chef interviews, retail and restaurant news, and favorite events at www.TheBestofLagunaBeach.com.
Man in the Moon
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Photo by Mary Hurlbut
“The moon rose in a purple sky and all the shadows stilled…”
–Author unknown
LBUSD Board of Education reaches consensus to reconvene live streaming of its meetings
At its August 13 meeting, the LBUSD Board of Education received an update on the audiovisual equipment that would need to be replaced in the boardroom to effectively live stream and record the board’s meetings. The information item included a discussion on requirements for ADA compliance.
At the meeting, the board reached consensus to reconvene live streaming of the school board meetings and provided direction to staff to bring action items for the purchasing of equipment to the August 27 board meeting. Staff is continuing to explore options for Closed Captioning (CC) services and will bring an item to the board for approval at an upcoming school board meeting.
Live streaming of school board meetings with resume when equipment is replaced and all necessary requirements for ADA compliance have been met, the date to be determined. In the interim, meetings will continue to be recorded and posted to the district website at www.lbsud.org within 24 hours.
Also at the meeting, a motion to retain The Aspen Group for training and implementation of its proposed Coherent Governance Project was voted down 4-0-1 with Member James Kelly abstaining.
To listen to/watch the meeting, click here.
“A Night Under the Stars with the Stars” at FOA and Pageant of the Masters set for Aug 24
The Celebrity Benefit at the Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters, the most entertaining and star-studded night of the summer art season, will be held in Laguna Beach on Saturday, Aug 24.
This red carpet one-night affair will offer guests an evening of fine art, entertainment, and a special performance of this summer’s popular Pageant of the Masters, “The Time Machine.”
The event begins at 5 p.m. with a private viewing of the Festival of Arts Fine Art Show and re -carpet arrivals walked by attending celebrities, including the evening’s Pageant host actor John O’Hurley.
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Photo by Pat Rogers
(L-R) Event host John O’Hurley, Brian Cranston, and Peter Bergman
Other guest celebrities scheduled to appear are Jonathan Adams (Last Man Standing), Ginger Chan (KTLA 5), Shawn Christian (Days of our Lives), Kate Flannery (The Office), Robert Hays (Airplane!), Gregory Itzin (24), Eva LaRue (All My Children), Jerry Mathers (Leave it to Beaver), Joe Mantegna (Criminal Minds), Lea Thompson (Back to the Future), McKenzie Westmore (Face Off), Arianne Zucker (Days of our Lives), and many, many others.
“August 24th will be an incredible night,” says Sharbie Higuchi, Director of Marketing and PR for the Festival of Arts. “We can’t wait to share the evening with John O’Hurley, Melissa Manchester, and our celebrity supporters…and we look forward to welcoming our most enthusiastic Festival and Pageant fans!”
Guests will enjoy an intimate concert on the Festival green at 6 p.m., performed by Grammy-winning, Oscar-nominated singer/songwriter Melissa Manchester and the Citrus College Blue Note Orchestra. Manchester’s career is remarkable not only for its longevity and accomplishments, but for its versatility.
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Photo by Pat Rogers
Guests will enjoy an intimate concert performed by Grammy-winning Melissa Manchester
Following her stint as a founding member of Bette Midler’s Harlettes, Manchester’s tremendously successful solo career brought her critical and commercial acclaim.
The “Midnight Blue” singer received her first Grammy nomination for Best Pop Female Vocal Performance in 1979 for the Peter Allen/Carole Bayer Sager-penned “Don’t Cry Out Loud,” winning the Grammy in that category four years later for “You Should Hear How She Talks About You.”
Two songs she performed, “Through The Eyes Of Love” and “The Promise,” were nominated for Oscars in the same year. She has recorded over twenty albums across her four-decade career, releasing her most recent album, The Fellas, in 2017.
After the concert show, award-winning actor, best-selling author and TV host John O’Hurley will draw the winning ticket for a 2019 Acura RDX ($38,295 value). This is the conclusion of a summer-long raffle.
Since the Festival season opened on July 5, visitors have been purchasing their raffle tickets in hopes of being the lucky winner. Raffle tickets will continue to be sold right up until 8 p.m. that night: $5 for one ticket, $20 for five tickets (winning ticket holder need not be present to win).
Culminating the evening, guests will enjoy a special performance of the 2019 Pageant of the Masters production of “The Time Machine,” introduced by celebrity host John O’Hurley. He won a Screen Actors Guild Award for his role as “J. Peterman” on Seinfeld.
O’Hurley has also won season one of Dancing with the Stars and named People Magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive.” He has hosted The National Dog Show, Family Feud, and To Tell the Truth and voiced characters on Spongebob Square Pants and Phineas and Ferb.
Tickets are on sale now and range from $50 - $240. The event is sponsored by Southern California Acura Dealers, KOST 103.5 and Yamaha.
To purchase tickets, go online, visit www.pageanttickets.com.
The Festival of Arts is a non-profit organization that produces the Festival of Arts and the Pageant of the Masters.
For general information, call (949) 494-1145 or visit the website at www.lagunafestivalofarts.org.
The event is located at 650 Laguna Canyon Rd.
OC Chairwoman Lisa Bartlett and Supervisor Andrew Do spearhead program to boost local small businesses
Starting September 1, Orange County-based small businesses will be first in line as they compete for hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts issued by the county government.
“We are always striving to make Orange County a great place to live, work, and play,” said Chairwoman Bartlett. “This addition to our procurement process will give our local and small businesses more opportunities to work directly with the County by providing services and products that further enhance the Orange County economy, producing local jobs and adding to our quality of life.”
OC Supervisor Andrew Do and Chairwoman Lisa Bartlett updated the county’s procurement process to engage local small businesses and expand opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses. County supervisors unanimously approved the first-ever “Local Small Business Preference Program” at its August 13 board meeting.
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Photo by Stacia Stabler
Laguna Beach Books and many more local businesses are part of the unique HIP District
“We’re making it easier for small businesses to do business with the county,” said OC Supervisor Andrew Do, a former small business owner. “This policy keeps Orange County tax dollars in Orange County. Our goal is to create an open and accessible process that delivers the best value for taxpayers.”
Orange County joins numerous other governments in adopting a preference policy for procurements – Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Sacramento, and Imperial Counties are some of the many that offer preference programs in their procurement policies. Orange County oversees a $6 billion budget covering public safety, parks, homeless services, mental health programs, child protective services, and many more areas.
“By working with OC small businesses, we’re reinvesting our tax dollars back into our community, creating more job opportunities, and continued economic prosperity for Orange County,” said Supervisor Do.
According to a report from the U.S. Small Business Administration released last year, 3.9 million small business in California created jobs for over 7 million employees. As the third largest populated county in California, and the sixth largest in the country, by 2011, Orange County had 86,473 small businesses registered.
For more information, contact Supervisor Andrew Do’s office at (714) 834-3110, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Blood orange sky
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Photo by Scott Brashier
The sun ignites the trees and they blaze like incandescent candles
Congressman Harley Rouda and wife Kaira visit PMMC
Congressman Harley Rouda and wife Kaira, along with members of the Rouda team, visited with Pacific Marine Mammal Center on Thursday, Aug 15.
After touring the facility and visiting with PMMC patients, staff, and volunteers, Congressman Rouda presented the PMMC team with a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition, which read:
“In recognition of your dedication to Pacific marine life and perseverance in the mission of rescue, rehabilitation, and release.”
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Submitted photo
Harley Rouda along with his wife Kaira and members from his team visit PMMC
“Congressman Rouda is a committed voice for combatting climate change and animal welfare. That was clearly expressed during his visit. His support was genuine as was his enthusiasm for our mission and programs. It was a memorable and uplifting experience to have him here with us,” stated PMMC CEO Peter Chang.
Pacific Marine Mammal Center was the first marine mammal rehabilitation facility in California. PMMC is the only marine mammal rescue facility in Orange County and is responsible for 52 miles of coastline.
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Submitted photo
Harley and Kaira Rouda feed seals at PMMC
PMMC rescues, rehabilitates, and releases marine mammals and inspires ocean stewardship through research, education, and collaboration. PMMC is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, visit www.pacificmmc.org.
PMMC is located at 20612 Laguna Canyon Rd.
Mission Hospital named one of top regional hospitals by U.S. News & World Report
Mission Hospital earned recognition this week from U.S. News & World Report as one of California’s top regional hospitals for outstanding patient care.
In the 2019-20 Best Hospital Rankings, U.S. News & World Report distinguished Mission with the following rankings:
--No. 1 in South Orange County
--No. 3 in Orange County
--No. 8 in the Los Angeles/Orange County region
--No. 13 in the state of California
Mission Hospital was also recognized for high performance in a number of specialties, meaning it performed among the top 10 percent across the U.S. in specific areas.
The hospital is nationally ranked in diabetes and endocrinology, No. 35; pulmonary, No. 50; and high performing in gastroenterology and GI surgery, geriatrics, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, and urology.
And, for the third straight year, Healthgrades honored Mission Hospital with the America’s 250 Best Hospitals Award. This award recognizes the top five percent of hospitals in the nation for consistently delivering clinical quality.
Healthgrades recognized 18 of Mission’s clinical specialties with 5-star ratings and awarded the following clinical quality awards:
--America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Critical Care (2019 and 2018)
--Cranial Neurosurgery Excellence (2019 and 2018)
--Gastrointestinal Care Excellence (2019 and 2018)
--General Surgery Excellence (2019 and 2018)
--Pulmonary Care Excellence (2019, 2018 and 2017)
--Stroke Care Excellence (2019 and 2018)
--Critical Care Excellence (2019 and 2017)
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Submitted photo
One of Mission Hospital’s locations in South Laguna Beach
U.S. News estimates that each year nearly two million people face the prospect of surgery or special care that poses either unusual technical challenges or significantly heightened risk of death or harm because of age, physical condition, or existing conditions. These rankings are offered as a tool to help patients find sources of especially skilled inpatient care.
Hospitals’ performance in 12 specialties are compiled in part from the three most recent years of an annual reputational survey of specialized physicians. Surveyed physicians are asked to name up to five hospitals they consider the best for difficult cases in their specialty.
Hospitals that are not nationally ranked but scored high enough in a specialty to put them in the top 10 percent of those hospitals that were analyzed are recognized as high performing. Hospitals that are nationally ranked in at least one of the 12 data-determined specialties, or that earned at least three ratings of high performing across the 12 specialties and nine procedures and conditions are designated as Best Regional Hospitals within their states, metropolitan areas, or other regions.
Mission Hospital is a state-of-the art, 523-bed acute care regional medical center in Mission Viejo. As one of the busiest designated adult and pediatric Level II Trauma Centers in the state of California, Mission Hospital provides a full range of reputable specialty health care services with highly skilled teams treating a multitude of complex conditions.
Services include a full range of expertise in cardiovascular, neuroscience and spine, orthopedics, cancer care, women’s services, mental health and wellness, head and neck, and a variety of other specialty services.
Mission Hospital in Laguna Beach (MHLB) provides South Orange County coastal communities with 24-hour emergency and intensive care as well as medical-surgical/telemetry services, orthopedics, general and GI surgery. CHOC Children’s at Mission Hospital is a 54-bed facility that is the area’s only dedicated pediatric hospital.
Fully accredited by The Joint Commission and designated as a Magnet hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center for nursing excellence, Mission Hospital is highly recognized for its high quality of care, evidenced through a multitude of healthcare quality benchmarks.
Mission Hospital is part of St. Joseph Health, a not-for-profit provider of integrated health care. Together, Mission Hospital works to improve the quality of life in the communities it serves in the tradition of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange.
For more information, visit www.mission4health.com.
Dennis’ Tidbits
By DENNIS McTIGHE
August 16, 2019
Farewell to summer swells
Well, Stu, yet another year of futility for our Los Angeles Angels as once again their 2019 season can be summed up in six words: One step forward, two steps back. They’re mired in fourth place and five games under .500. I wish Mike Trout had signed with a team that knows how to win. He’s having his best season ever with 38 home runs and will probably end up with 50 but it’s all for naught. Just think what his already amazing stats would be if he played for the Yankees, Dodgers, or Astros, whose entire lineup is loaded with talent and a tremendous supporting cast. One can only wonder.
On this date in 1958, a spectacular thunderstorm went on for hours that night here in Laguna and surrounding areas. Earlier that evening I knew something was up as it was unusually warm, humid, and very still with absolutely no breeze whatsoever. That afternoon, clusters of cauliflower shaped cumulonimbus towers with their accompanying anvil shaped tops appeared to be much closer to the coast than normal. Sure enough at about 1 a.m. the light show began as the house shook from ear piercing thunder about every 45-60 seconds. Then the hour-long cloudburst that dropped almost an inch and a half in that short span. I remember it like it was yesterday. McWeather didn’t get much sleep that night, it was so exciting! Storms like that are few and far between around here so I was ready.
Our eighth tropical system of the season has come and gone with only a whisper. Tropical storm Henriette didn’t last very long and had winds of only 40 mph and, of course, we didn’t get even a ripple, so the Baja swell drought continues.
Meanwhile the Atlantic Basin remains very dormant, but that’s what they like to hear from Texas to Maine and points east. However, that can change in a heartbeat. Our summer is ticking on and the ocean is still in pretty much of a coma. Did somebody build a giant breakwater off our coast? August and September around here are supposed to be the optimum months for significant south swell activity. If it’s going to happen at all, then these two months are prime time, yet so far, the ocean has more resembled Lake Laguna.
As each week passes without a ripple, the report card for summer 2019 drops to a D and that’s five consecutive summers now with poor grades. It’s like our summers had to repeat preschool three times. Presently there are no new tropical systems forecast in the Eastern Pacific Tropics, and Southern Hemisphere swell action is not in the equation either at least for the foreseeable future.
Our last decent summer was in 2014 when we were delivered three major Southern Hemis and a host of Baja swells including named hurricanes Elida, Fausto, Lowell, Rachel, Simon and, of course, the Big Mama Marie. She was a monster Category 5 with winds up to 165 mph with a central pressure down to 909 millibars. Marie was the perfect storm, so to speak, as she entered our swell window early on Sunday, Aug 25, 2014, already a Category 5 and moving to the NW. By Tuesday afternoon, her giant swells began to march ashore at Brooks Street and then 15th Street (Newport Point) with triple overhead bombs that every bit resembled Hawaii’s Banzai Pipeline. Marie’s swell was definitely one of the top five swells of all time. A swell like that only happens around once or twice a decade. We’re due!
Have a great weekend, ALOHA!
From Grom to Grown
Photos by Mary Hurlbut
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Trial by waves, not giving up
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Cress Beach Groms, Brooks and Hendricks
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Big boys scope out the surf
Boys & Girls Club of LB partners with OCCF to host Greatness Amplified giving day on Aug 21
On Wednesday, Aug 21, the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach will partner with the Orange County Community Foundation (OCCF) and 14 fellow Orange County Boys & Girls Clubs to host the second annual Greatness Amplified, a Giving Day for Boys & Girls Clubs in Orange County. Greatness Amplified is a 24-hour online fundraising effort that aims to raise $200,000.
Greatness Amplified is part of a bold initiative by OCCF to boost the capacity of local nonprofits through a series of Collaborative Giving Days. Nonprofits with shared missions are invited to come together to boost collective giving for their causes.
OCCF will power the Greatness Amplified campaign with seed funding to support the marketing assets, campaign resources, and collaborative partnerships.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to work with the Orange County Community Foundation and other Orange County Boys & Girls Clubs to raise funds for our kids,” states Pam Estes, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach.
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Submitted photo
Club Member Axl holding a Greatness Amplified sign
The 15 organizations participating in Greatness Amplified include Boys & Girls Clubs in Anaheim, Brea-Placentia-Yorba Linda, Buena Park, Capistrano Valley, Central Orange Coast, Cypress, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Valley, Laguna Beach, La Habra, South Coast Area, Stanton, Tustin, and Westminster.
OCCF first challenged Orange County residents to “give where their heart lives” during the inaugural iheartoc Giving Day in 2015, raising more than $1.8 million through gifts to 347 participating nonprofits in just 30 hours.
OCCF nearly doubled those results in 2016 during the second annual iheartoc Giving Day, receiving contributions totaling $3.2 million for 418 participating nonprofits.
In 2017, OCCF re-envisioned iheartoc as an expanded opportunity for nonprofits to connect with one another in support of their shared missions. The seven Giving Days held throughout 2018 raised a total of $1.4 million for local organizations.
“Last year, our generous community went above and beyond to make Greatness Amplified a success,” said Shelley Hoss, president, OCCF. “We are proud to continue encouraging collaboration among local organizations as they help Orange County children unlock their full potentials.”
To give online, visit greatness-amplified.funraise.org. Additional collaborative Giving Days will be announced throughout the year. For more information, visit www.oc-cf.org/iheartoc.
For over 65 years, The Boys & Girls Club strives to support the youth of Laguna Beach through out of school recreation that celebrates the whole child.
For more information about The Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach, visit www.bgclagunabeach.org or call (949) 494-2535.
FBI warns of scammers spoofing FBI phone numbers in SoCal to trick victims using threats
The FBI Los Angeles Division is warning the public about a phone scam that spoofs, or fraudulently displays, the FBI’s real telephone number on the victim’s caller ID.
The scammer impersonates a government official and uses intimidation tactics to demand payment of money purportedly owed to the government, according to the scheme.
Scammers have spoofed the phone numbers of FBI offices in California, Montana, Colorado, Texas, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, and Kentucky.
The FBI has seen its main number (310-477-6565) spoofed in this manner, as well as the numbers of the division’s Resident Agencies, most recently, Santa Maria (805-346-2728) and West Covina (626-919-3434).
Residents nationwide have been targeted. Recent cases include a number of victims in California. The intended target may be told there is a federal warrant for their arrest, which would be dismissed by the court in exchange for immediate payment.
The caller often knows the name, background, and personal cell phone number of the intended victim.
Unsuspecting victims may also be told the following:
--That their social security number has been compromised and linked to money laundering.
--That their social security number has been used to open bank accounts and that the government would seize those accounts.
--To protect their money, funds should be transferred to accounts specifically set up by the government which would be protected until the situation is resolved, at which point the money would then be returned.
--Failure to transfer money could lead to loss of funds and possible arrest.
--To meet with a Social Security Administration Agent to verify identity; once complete, a new SSN would be issued so that a new bank account could be opened.
The public is reminded that the FBI does call private citizens to request money or threaten arrest. There are a number of ways individuals with criminal intentions can obtain a victim’s name, phone number, or email address. The FBI reminds the public to limit the amount of personal information provided online, including on social media sites.
To avoid becoming the victim of a scam:
--Always be suspicious of unsolicited phone calls.
--Never give money or personal information to someone with whom you don’t have ties and did not initiate contact.
--Before signing up for a contest or email distribution list, make sure the business has a policy not to share your information or sell it to a third party.
--Scammers count on your lack of knowledge, so take the time to educate yourself about any offer you receive.
--Trust your instincts: if an unknown caller makes you uncomfortable or says things that don’t sound right, hang up.
The FBI strongly encourages anyone contacted by a caller who says they are with the FBI to verify the information with their local FBI Field Office.
Contact information for all 56 FBI field offices can be found at www.fbi.gov.
Moon over Laguna
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Photo by Scott Brashier
A perfect spotlight on Bird Rock
Laguna natives host wellness SURFACE Retreat for women at Desert Escape in September
SURFACE, created by Laguna Beach natives Frances Naude and Tori Toma, is rooted in providing health, healing, clarity, connection, and good times to women of all ages. Together, they are hosting a SURFACE Retreat, a three-day weekend from September 13 - 15, at Desert Escape in Indio, Calif.
This all-inclusive wellness retreat will help participants uncover, connect, and evolve into their best selves.
Naude and Toma say, “Health and healing are getting even more expensive. yoga and wellness retreats seem unattainable for most. However, SURFACE Retreat changes all of that and is geared towards women who have tight schedules but who want the retreat experience at a reasonable cost.”
At the Desert Escape Retreat, each guest will receive four yoga classes, a private Reiki Energy Healing session, a private Tarot Card reading, group meditation and connection circles, a house plant propagation and care workshop, a Chakra Balancing Essential Oils workshop, downtime to enjoy the pool and home, three meals a day, and a lot of fun.
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Submitted photo
Frances Naude and Tori Toma
Naude and Toma say, “Our goal for this weekend is simple: come out better than we came in. SURFACE is committed to helping you recognize and accept parts of yourself that may need to come to light, all while in the company of other supportive and empowering women at an affordable investment (all-inclusive registrations start at $400). We intend to reach complete gratitude and contentment as we unwind with one another, allowing our highest self to come to the foreground.”
They both bring substantial experience to SURFACE.
Naude is a Master Reiki Healer, Tarot Card Reader, Yoga Instructor, and Health Coach. She studied for a year to become a Holistic Health Coach, and then went on to complete her 200-hour yoga teacher training. Now, after hundreds of hours of training, studying, experimenting, playing, receiving, and working with clients through her small business Four Noble Holistic Health, she has finally found her purpose: to guide people on their life’s journeys.
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Submitted photo
Tori Toma
Toma is an event planning guru who is dedicated to bringing people’s visions and passions to life. From working with high-end fashion clients to nonprofit organizations, she has gained a wide variety of experience in the industry and knows how to throw a kick-ass event. Toma is an expert-level plant mom. She first uncovered her green thumb a few years back, and since then, the hobby has turned into a cohesive lifestyle.
How did SURFACE come to be?
Ten years ago, Naude and Toma were freshmen at Laguna Beach High School. They say, “running around with rosy cheeks, kissing the same boys, and going to the same beaches.” One too many of the same love interests resulted in the decision that they were not supposed to be in each other’s lives. After years of disconnect and graduating college, they happened to live in close proximity and found both their priorities had shifted.
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Submitted photo
Frances Naude
SURFACE is a congregation of passions from two women who want to support and connect with their Sisters. Naude and Toma say, “We want to embrace our fellow females with encouragement to feel empowered, heard, and inspired. We want to connect over laughter, commonalities, hardships, success stories, and personal evolution, and feel that SURFACE offers this to [our] Sisters who are seeking what they were seeking: authentic connection, kindness, love, deep understanding, and of course, fun!”
For more information on Naude, visit www.fournobleholistichealth.com or @four.noble.health on Instagram.
For more information on Toma visit @toritoma on Instagram.
Go to www.surfaceretreat.com and @surfaceretreat on Instagram to find out more and reserve a spot.
The VIC goes off this weekend
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Photo by Scott Brashier
The Victoria Skimboards World Championship of Skimboarding 2019, better known as The Vic, takes place this weekend at Aliso Beach, August 17-18
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Photo by Scott Brashier
Hundreds will attend this weekend’s main event, featuring the world’s best skimboarders
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Photo by Scott Brashier
Skimboarding legend Bill Bryan, 2014 VIC
Guest Column
Keys to releasing negative emotional patterns for good (and why yoga isn’t always enough)
Dr. Vidya Reddy
Hello and welcome to the happiness corner, this week all about ridding ourselves of negative states of being.
Like so many people in the world of yoga, natural healing, and meditation, my initial draw to these arts was rooted in a deep-seated desire to become “happy.”
“Surely if I find a guru, all my problems will be solved.”
“If I do yoga every day, I will become emotionally balanced.”
“If I eat right, everything else will fall into place.”
These are all routes I’ve traveled down with varying degrees of success. While the aforementioned activities have been wonderful for my overall health, it often felt like the results were short-lived. I would teach or go to a yoga class, feel great, then find myself wandering back into the same dark places of negativity and self-criticism I struggled with for many years. I was beyond frustrated and didn’t know what to do to create the emotional peace I was so desperately seeking.
The truth is that I was falling back into physical and mental patterns without even realizing it, and one activity alone was not enough to change this.
Then one day, it happened. I finally pieced together the four keys to long-lasting happiness and mastery over our emotional state. Our happiness need not be a prisoner to the circumstances that life is offering and should be ushered back into the realms of our control and responsibility, stat. Nothing is more frustrating than feeling hopeless about our negative emotional patterns, and that’s why I’d like to share these concepts – because we all deserve to shine.
Please note, these tips are not magical pills we can take to solve all our problems. They are tools that serve to guide us on the path to getting and staying awesome, healthy, and happy – that is, if we so choose. The power is in our hands. If you would like more information, techniques and meditation on happiness, please refer to my podcast: https://naturally-happy.com/podcast/
So here they are – the four keys to releasing our negative emotional patterns: Prakruti, Perception, Posture, Progress.
Prakruti
Prakruti is a Sanskrit word used to describe your constitution at birth. Each mind-body type of vata, pitta, and kapha has different requirements to achieve balance, and come with emotional markers to let us know what is in and out of balance.
Vata
Healthy: free flowing, spontaneous, unattached, the creative
Unhealthy: anxious, fearful, unable to make choices, constant waffling
Pitta
Healthy: committed, focused, inquisitive, the team leader
Unhealthy: critical, angry, fanatical, bullheaded
Kapha
Healthy: generous, loving, compassionate, the caregiver
Unhealthy: lethargic, attached, greedy, unyielding
Correct understanding of your constitutional needs is like having the manual to your car – with it, everything is obvious, so you don’t make silly mistakes like pouring coolant into the wrong tank. But trying to figure out even simple things, without the manual can be beyond frustrating, like “where is my fuse box?” or “what does that light on my dashboard mean?!”
To save ourselves some stress and confusion, learn about these concepts and apply them to your diet and lifestyle to help you achieve balance.
The takeaway: Never underestimate the power of diet and lifestyle to seriously mess you up.
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Photo by Johnny Antezana
Dr. Vidya Reddy
Perception
Our experience of the world has little to do with what is actually happening, and everything to do with how we interpret it. What does that mean practically, and how can we use that to our advantage?
The only thing we can control in life is our response – period.
We can’t control the wind or rain or snow or sun, but we can control whether we moan and complain about it or revel in its wild glory. We can’t control if someone cuts us off in rush hour traffic, but we can control whether we start cursing and honking, or simply shrug it off and continue in a peaceful state.
So how can we learn to harness this and use it to feel better? First of all, it is critical to understand why we perceive things the way we do. Everyone has an emotional home, and we manipulate our perception of the world to help us go there.
It might be time to change your address.
What does that mean? It means that every person has an emotional state they return to frequently because it is familiar and fulfills a need. That emotional home directly colors our perception so that we can easily get back to where we feel “comfortable.” The way we perceive things is directly connected to where our mind wants to go to feel safe. It might sound crazy and strange, but by golly, it’s the truth.
Mine used to be fear, and then it became anger. There was a time of my life where I spent the majority of my waking hours in a constant state of anxiety. “What if” was the dominant precursor to all of my thoughts, and my brain became quite good at sending me into extreme states of distress by focusing on all the bad things that could possibly happen. This was further propelled by my incessant intake of unhealthy food and a lack of sleep that led me into a state of being Kapha deranged and mentally and to a certain extent, physically depleted.
What happened next was I started to become angry. Fear is an emotion of uncertainty, and anger is extremely certain, so I used anger to manage my fear. I was tired of being scared and uncertain, and at some point, my brain figured that anger was an effective way to overcome uncertainty. So, I got pissed.
How did I get here? Through my perception.
It was not a good pattern and certainly not one I recommend to anyone. But the truth is this: I unwittingly chose to interpret events in a way that would lead me back to an emotional home that was fulfilling a need that wasn’t being met. We do it all the time and paying attention to the way we interpret events can provide powerful insight into what our emotional needs really are. It is also an opportunity to tease fact from fiction.
Every emotion we generate is our brain’s attempt to meet a need, and we must learn to untangle habits from helpful, reaction from reasoning, and perception from reality.
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Photo by Pieter Baetens
The only thing we can control in life is our response
We have two choices: change our perception or change our response. I am not telling you to ignore your perception, because we need this to help us make good choices. What I am saying is we must learn to discriminate bad patterns from real warning signs.
Is your partner consistently letting you down? You have to figure out if it’s because they are not the one for you, or if it’s because you are putting unreasonable expectations on them. Does them not returning your call mean they don’t care about you? Or does it mean that they are stressed out because their workload is overwhelming? That is for you to determine and decide and understanding how your perception colors your judgment is a powerful tool for making decisions from a place of clarity rather than confusion.
Posture
Can I let you in on a secret? Posture plays a tremendous role in how we feel. This is a major reason why regular exercise is critical to a healthy emotional state, as it gives us the muscle tone to have the upright, open posture of confidence we so greatly desire.
Posture is a powerful tool for putting us into emotional states, negative or positive.
Here’s what I mean: if I asked you to mimic a depressed person, what would you do? Slump your shoulders. Angry person? Wide eyes, tense jaw, open chest, clenched fists. Happy person? Smiling face, relaxed shoulders, receptive posture. Do we smile because we are happy, or are we happy because we smile? While this might feel like a chicken/egg question, research has shown that we can trigger emotional states through actions like smiling or frowning.
If you find yourself struggling with repeated emotional patterning, it’s likely you are struggling with physical patterning as well.
Our posture is intimately connected to our emotional state, and that’s awesome. Why? Because we can use posture to help achieve the emotional state we want. Start paying attention to the posture you choose when going into a negative spiral, and radically change it. Feeling angry? Shake it like a Polaroid picture and let that tension go! Feeling sad? Put the biggest, most ridiculous grin on your face and force yourself to laugh.
Sound and look crazy? Who cares! What’s even crazier is living your life in a state of misery when you could be living in bliss.
Progress
To really feel happy in life, we don’t need perfection – what we really need is progress.
If achieving one goal was enough to feel happy, we’d all still be walking around with huge grins because of that “Spelling Bee Champion” award we got in the third grade. Achieving a goal is never the end destination; it is the progress along the way that provides us with fulfillment and lasting satisfaction.
It’s okay to make mistakes. In fact, if we’re not making mistakes, we’re living life way too cautiously and in a tight-knit bubble. Mistakes are our greatest teachers, so don’t avoid them, seek them out and immerse yourself in their teachings. This is where the juiciest lessons in life live. Slumps and dumps come from feeling stagnant and less so from being wrong. So set some goals, learn something new, and keep going. You got this!
So, please keep doing yoga – it won’t solve all of your problems, but it will help your body and mind relax so you can achieve positive mental states. Which is what we’re all after, isn’t it?
In Peace, Love and Gratitude.
‘Til next time.
Dr. Vidya Reddy, ND, AMS, DAC, CLC
SoLag’s new AHBA: An unexpected, happily welcomed arrival
Story and photos by Diane Armitage
After a rare U-turn last Thursday in South Laguna, something strange caught my eye – actual people moving around in the former Eva’s Caribbean Cafe. There were tables out front and people were sitting at them. What the heck was going on?
I called the City. Yep, they confirmed: A new restaurant by the name of AHBA had just received its business license and was in full operation.
Right there, under my nose.
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The minute you walk in AHBA, you feel charmed
Easy Like Sunday Morning
AHBA is our town’s newest restaurant, thanks to Chef/Owner Nick Bennett.
Growing up, his best friend always called his dad “ahba,” the Hebrew word for “father.” The word stuck with Nick and, when it came time to create a relaxed, easy, warm environment in his new restaurant, he knew it had to be called the same.
AHBA’s culinary roots are primarily Mediterranean with an “angle” toward Isreali casual fare. The team is initially serving breakfast and lunch, with plans to eventually expand to dinner, too.
The minute you walk in this place, you feel charmed. AHBA is built for community and friends, whether you’re grabbing a coffee at the bar that looks into the open kitchen or sitting at the long community table. The few patio tables are a mish-mosh of style and colors; it feels like an impromptu party in a friend’s backyard.
The menu is written by hand on scraps of parchment paper. It reminds me of a long-ago visit to Silver Lake’s famed Mh Zh, an Israeli café that still has people queued in waiting lines that snake down the block. To this day, they still write their menus on random slices of butcher paper.
L.A. meets SoLag
Born and raised in L.A., Nick says he grew up in the restaurant industry. He’s a self-taught chef, having started cooking in his mom’s kitchen as a kid.
He hadn’t necessarily planned on ducking under the “Orange Curtain” to take up shop in South Laguna, but he fell in love with the building. And, when you fall in love with anything, everything changes.
At this point, Nick surprises me once again by mentioning that he developed his menu with his Chef de Cuisine, Jayro Martinez.
“Jayro is here?” I ask, completely bowled over.
Sure enough, here comes Jayro with a big grin and a hug for me.
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Chef Owner Nick Bennett with Chef de Cuisine Jayro Martinez
I first met Jayro Martinez when he was the Executive Chef of the uber-popular Social restaurant in Costa Mesa. At the time, Chef Jayro and his Social culinary team were participating in my favorite nonprofit event of the year – Illumination Foundation’s OC Chef’s Table at Disneyland. The event gathers more than 40 celebrity and ballyhooed chefs for a phenomenal night of foodie feasting. When Chef Jayro asked to be a part of the event, it was a very happy moment for all of us – he’s one extreme talent.
Prior to Social, Jayro (pronounced “Hi-row”) cut his culinary chops in the catering world before opening the afore-mentioned restaurant phenom, Mh Zh, with a friend.
Now, it all makes sense – the menus, the cool, relaxed feel, and the wonderful tastes that begin to emerge from the kitchen.
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ABHA’s spicy Harissa Toast
Taste Explosion
First, it’s Harissa Toast. Harissa is a spicy red pepper paste that normally includes ancho and chipotle chiles to amp up the heat. In AHBA’s version, the paste is slathered on the toast with crisp bacon, caramelized onions, and two eggs ladled above. It’s sprinkled with cilantro and mint leaves, a lovely, fresh-bite balancing act to the hearty fare.
Then, Chef Jayro trots out with Japanese Sweet Potatoes, initially soaked in a secret world of spices before being baked and ladled onto a swirl of sweet onion purée. The plate is sprinkled lightly in coffee dust.
A third dish arrives – Cauliflower Hash with cauliflower, peppers, leeks, and house-made hot sauce gently folded together. Two eggs crown the creation.
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ABHA’s ode to a heartier egg dish
My favorite is the Shakshuka. It’s another large dish that lays down a tomato-based sauce absolutely plucky with coriander, cumin, fennel, and cardamom. The sauce is swirled with labneh (strained Greek yogurt) and then topped with crispy prosciutto and eggs.
“We wanted to create a menu that felt more intimate, like we were making this food in our own homes for friends,” says Chef Jayro.
Adds Chef Nick, “This place is a gathering place for friends and family, and we want everyone to feel like they’re part of our family. We want people to feel welcomed into our home.”
AHBA is at 31732 Coast Highway.
The best-selling author and blogger on The Best of Laguna Beach, Diane Armitage is on an endless quest for the most imaginative adventures in Laguna’s restaurants, events and lifestyle. Check out chef interviews, retail and restaurant news, and favorite events at www.TheBestofLagunaBeach.com.
14-year-old Laguna Beach youth Francis Jacobs signs professional contract with OC Soccer Club
Orange County Soccer Club announced this week the signing of 14-year-old soccer standout Francis Jacobs, who becomes the youngest male to sign a professional contract in United States soccer history. The Laguna Beach native joins amidst interest from multiple European clubs and is eligible to make his historic first appearance as early as Saturday, Aug 17 against Las Vegas Lights FC.
Jacobs becomes the youngest professional soccer player in U.S. history after inking his deal at 14 years, 4 months, and 29 days.
The next youngest player was Freddy Adu who was 14 years, 5 months, and 16 days old when he signed with Major League Soccer and D.C. United in November 2003.
Close to home
Jacobs joins OCSC following a successful stint with the Irvine Strikers, where his performances earned him national team call-ups with both the United States U-14 National Team and, most recently, as a participant in the 2018 U.S. Junior National Team camp. Jacobs had training stints with Bundesliga clubs Cologne and Bayer Leverkusen in Germany, but the option of staying close to home made joining OCSC the right step for the player and his family.
“He’s had opportunities to play abroad,” Jacobs’ father Jeff told ESPN. “But I didn’t think that would have worked out for him because he’s 14 and taking him out of his nest was not the right move at this point. What OCSC has offered couldn’t be any better.
“We live very close by. Francis’ life will stay intact in terms of friends and normalcy. And OCSC has an amazing training environment, an amazing team, and the staff has assured my wife and I that they’re going to look after him and do what’s best for him.”
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Courtesy of Orange County Soccer Club
Francis Jacobs, center, became the youngest soccer player in U.S. history to sign a professional contract when he inked a deal with OCSC
“Francis is a special Orange County talent and has shown a maturity on the field way beyond his years,” said OCSC President of Soccer Operations & General Manager Oliver Wyss. “He is the perfect model of player to develop in our pathway to professional program that we have established here in Orange County. The entire organization is committed to providing him with guidance, training, and support as he begins the first step in what we believe will be a long professional soccer career. Our training environment will allow him to learn every day from our experienced technical staff and play alongside top pro players, some of which have played on the highest international level in Mexico and Europe. Francis has a bright future ahead and we are proud to have him and his family as part of Orange County SC.”
“I am very excited for Francis, who is a young and gifted local talent, to join our team,” said Head Coach Braeden Cloutier. “I’ve been really impressed with his poise and ability on the ball that he’s shown us these past few months. This is a great opportunity for Francis, and also an exciting challenge for the entire Orange County SC technical staff to do everything possible to help him reach his fullest potential.”
Jacobs will now look to follow in the footsteps of Orange County SC teammate Aaron Cervantes, who signed his first professional contract at 15 years old prior to the 2018 USL Championship season. This year, Cervantes has become a regular in goal for OCSC recording eight appearances and two shutouts while splitting time with the United States U-17 National Team.
“It is really exciting to be playing for Orange County SC,” said Francis Jacobs. “I would like to thank Mr. Keston, Oliver, and Braeden for giving me this special opportunity. I want to make everybody who has helped me get here proud and I am looking forward to the future.”
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Courtesy Orange County Soccer Club
Jacobs has been training with Orange County SC all summer
Having trained with Orange County SC and clearing eligibility requirements for USL Championship play, Jacobs is eligible to take the field as early as Saturday, Aug 17 against Las Vegas Lights FC.
Although Jacobs will be eligible for selection for next weekend’s game against the Las Vegas Lights in the USL, which plays at one level below MLS, OCSC manager Braeden Cloutier told ESPN FC it was unlikely that Jacobs would play.
Cloutier told ESPN, “I just want to make sure we’re doing this at the right pace and the right time,” he said about playing Jacobs. If Jacobs does see the field, he will become the youngest American to play in a professional league match.
“I’m pretty excited just because I’ve worked really hard throughout the years to get to this point, and the guys are really cool on the team,” Jacobs told ESPN via telephone. “So it’s pretty exciting to join a team you really like, and I’m looking forward to the future.”
OCSC GM Oliver Wyss told ESPN that Jacobs has been training with the club’s first team since May, and during that time the 5-foot-11 midfielder showed he could compete playing against men who, in some cases, are more than twice his age.
Beyond his age
“As a 14-year-old he’s already more mature than most of the teenagers that we come across who play for us,” Wyss said. “I think that has a dramatic impact because his coachability, his smarts, his intelligence, are very, very high for a young man. That also played into the equation.
“If you just looked at age, it’s a big step to make. But the reality is he’s trained with us all summer long. We have the chance to evaluate him continuously, and we feel he is ready for the next step. We will give him the time and it’s not something where we rush into it. It’s ultimately up to Francis to prove that he’s ready to make a game appearance for our first team.”
The next step will be for Jacobs to prove his worth in practice ahead of this weekend’s match.
“It will be really exciting,” Jacobs said about possibly making his debut. “But it comes down to how you play in the practices. It’s the coach’s decision of which lineup he wants to put out there.”
Jacobs will attend a local private school in the afternoons in order to continue his education.
Orange County Soccer Club is Orange County’s only professional soccer team and is part of the United Soccer League (USL), the fastest growing Division II professional soccer league in the world. The USL is comprised of 34 teams across the United States. The team plays its home games at the Orange County Great Par’s Championship Soccer Stadium, located in Irvine.
For more information about Orange County Soccer Club, and to experience professional soccer in the OC, visit www.orangecountysoccer.com.
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City Council/Design Review Board met jointly to discuss issues
By BARBRA DIAMOND
The City Council and the Design Review Board met jointly on August 6 to air issues related to the board and the review process.
Four items were submitted by the board for discussion: legal representation at the meetings; council feedback; Phase II streamlining, to help brainstorm and assess potential issues; and public communication. The board is opposed to transferring some of its oversight to the Planning Commission, as is proposed in the “streamlining” process.
“I think little was accomplished to address issues raised by the board,” said Verna Rollinger, former city clerk, council member and one of the dozen members of the pubic that attended the 4 p.m. meeting.
Item one
Board member Deborah Neev said some issues before the board would benefit from the presence of a city attorney, who could advise on legal issues there and then, without having to continue the hearing.
“We have to rely on staff to tell us when something contentious is coming up,” said board Chair Meg Monahan, former city deputy clerk. “Sometimes both sides have attorneys and it would be nice [for the board] to have backup.”
Board member Louis Weil said delays also can result when documents are submitted to the board 20 minutes before the meeting.
City Manager John Pietig supported the notion of an attorney at the meetings a couple of times a year, but a full-time attorney would cost the city $4,000 for 45 hours a month.
“I would prefer to use attorneys to disarm the DRB so residents wouldn’t need lawyers,” said Councilman Peter Blake.
Councilwoman Toni Iseman reiterated her concern that what is wrong with the process is the time and money it takes to get a project on the DRB’s agenda, not the board.
Mayor Bob Whalen said the consensus supported an attorney at the meetings on an as-needed basis.
Item two
Council feedback on the board and its review process was second on the agenda.
“I don’t think people should think the streamlining process as an indictment of the board,” said Councilwoman Sue Kempf. “When we are talking about process, we are not talking about the board.”
Neev expressed disappointment that the building department was not at the table for the discussion of the process. Some delays can be attributed to projects not sticking to approved plans, caught by building inspectors and brought back to the board, she said.
“Are you saying that approved plans get changed out in the field?” asked Whalen.
“Builders don’t always stick to approved plans,” said Community Development Department Director Greg Pfost, whose duties include overseeing the building department.
If the department gets a call complaining that a window is where it shouldn’t be or a structure is too high, his department can put a stop work order on the job.
Board member Kris Thalman said people just want to know what the rule is.
“Streamlining may show us how to be clearer and clean up inconsistencies.”
Mayor Pro Tem Steve Dicterow said design review is a discretionary process, which allows some leeway.
Neev stated the city needs to resolve differences with the California Coastal Commission
That is in the works, according to Pfost. And the city is getting favorable reactions to a community survey that is reviewed weekly by his department, he said.
Item three
Monahan suggested establishing a Phase II Streamlining Subcommittee to help brainstorm and assess potential issues.
“I recommend we have one member of DRB and one member of the Planning Commission to discuss issues before [an ordinance] goes on an agenda,” said Monahan. “We are the ones in the trenches and involved with a lot of these issues. It would be helpful for us to be involved before an ordinance is approved.”
Dicterow said he wanted the board’s input. Blake said it would be like putting an arsonist in charge of putting out a fire.
Public communication
Heisler Building owner Sam Goldstein said the city as a whole does not want to get rid of the board, but some plans could be approved over the counter and appealed if necessary to the council or the board.
“DRB is not re-DRB,” said former board member Bob Chapman. “The process should be a way to approve designs.
“Lot coverage should be a criterion, not the square footage of the structure.”
John Thomas stated there are a lot of changes after a DRB decision has been made.
“I hope that will be addressed in streamlining,” said Thomas.
The meeting was adjourned at 5 p.m.
Heartfelt Cardiac Projects offers cardiac screenings at LBHS on Monday at Breaker Day
Local nonprofit Heartfelt Cardiac Projects will offer cardiac screenings on Monday, Aug 19, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., at Laguna Beach High School (625 Park Ave) in the North Gym. Held during the annual back-to-school Breaker Day, the screening is open to the public – adults and kids ages five and up. The screening event is sponsored by the LBHS Athletic Boosters. To register, go to www.heartfeltcardiacprojects.org.
School begins on August 26, and this screening is held in conjunction with Breaker Day when students check in, receive textbooks, get school picture forms, Chromebook loaner contracts (ninth graders and new students in the district), and complete other procedures.
Heartfelt, a nonprofit organization, was founded by Laguna Beach resident Holly Morrell, whose family has a long history of the heart disease known as Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). Morrell’s involvement with cardiac screening is dedicated to the memory of her six family members, including her father, who lost their lives to this condition.
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Submitted photo
Laguna resident Holly Morrell, founder of Heartfelt Cardiac Projects
Heartfelt is dedicated to saving lives through early detection, education, and increased public awareness about Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). SCA is a life-threatening emergency that occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating. It strikes people of all ages who may seem to be healthy, even children and teens, especially young athletes. In the last 20 years, Heartfelt has saved hundreds of lives and performed more than 50,000 screenings at schools and community centers throughout Southern California.
Morrell says, “Heartfelt is appreciative for being invited to provide cardiac screenings at the high school, during Breaker Day, for a few years now. It is a wonderful opportunity to serve the community and makes getting a heart screening convenient for Laguna Beach families. This Heartfelt effort is particularly meaningful as Laguna Beach High School has already experienced nothing short of a miracle, with student athlete Sam Tyrrell surviving full cardiac arrest while in his Spanish class. 95 percent of cardiac arrests, outside of the hospital, are fatal.”
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Submitted photo
You’re never too young to have a screening – boy at previous event
LBHS teacher Jose Luis Gonzalez quickly performed CPR, and athletic trainer Tim Crilly was able to use an automated external defibrillator, a device that helps the heart start beating regularly after cardiac arrest. In a matter of minutes, an ambulance arrived.
To further Heartfelt’s dedication to saving lives, Morrell competed in an Amazon Prime reality TV series, The Social Movement, about social entrepreneurs whose mission is to improve society. As a result, she was invited to attend a meeting at the UN in NYC.
And, of course, Morrell will be at the screening on August 19. She says, “I wouldn’t miss it as Laguna is my hometown and where Heartfelt is based.”
To register for the screening or for more information on Heartfelt, go to www.heartfeltcardiacprojects.org.
Discovery Cube Innovators host free Science of Golf event on Aug 22
Discovery Cube Orange County is hosting its first Laguna Beach community event on Thursday, Aug 22 at the Ranch Laguna Beach from 4 to 7 p.m. All are invited to join in for celebration and learning.
Laguna Beach citizens have a long history supporting the Cube. The Innovators, led by Chair Janet Ray, is celebrating its 10th year. The group’s lifetime founding members from Laguna Beach include Shelly and Steve Hupp.
Other community leaders in the collective include Donnie Crevier, Ellen and Michael Fine, Jane and Joe Hanauer, and Barbara and Greg MacGillivray.
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Submitted photo
Discovery Cube CEO Joe Adams with Greg MacGillivray
Innovators enjoy quarterly “Science of” events as well as exclusive opportunities at the museum. The group is comprised of lifelong learners who value how the nonprofit creates a growth mindset and a love of learning. In line with the Cube’s mission to Inspire, Educate and Impact the community, each Innovator gathering leaves guests feeling enlightened.
According to Laguna Beach donor Michael Ray, “I have found that kids like the Cube as much as they like Disneyland. It is simply an amazing place and experience for children and their families.”
Discovery Cube’s mission is to inspire and educate young minds through engaging science-based programs and exhibits to create a meaningful impact on the communities it serves.
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Submitted photo
Discovery Cube CEO Joe Adams with Innovator Leadership Chair Janet M. Ray and NASA astronaut Yvonne D. Cagel
The museum values the importance of providing access to STEM education for all pre-K to 12th grade students, regardless of ability to pay, through exhibits and program services. Program offerings are aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) to foster science-based discovery through four core initiatives:
1. STEM Proficiency – Increasing students’ and teachers’ proficiency in science, technology, engineering, and math, in order to prepare students to successfully enter the workforce with 21st century skills.
2. Environmental Stewardship – Encouraging positive behaviors that result in eco-friendly living and in making educated decisions that will result in the extension of our natural resources.
3. Healthy Living – Educating families about healthy living and the interconnectivity of body systems, mental health, and nutrition to increase their physical and psychological wellness.
4. Early Learning – Providing parents and guardians with knowledge and training to teach children how to read, understand numbers and complex language, and achieve STEM proficiency in school readiness skills.
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Submitted photo
Dr. Elizabeth Van E of UCI and Rick Ferre from Eon Reality
To learn more about Discovery Cube, visit www.discoverycube.org or contact Laguna Beach resident and Director of Development Michelle Highberg at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for any questions about the event or Innovators.
Congressman Rouda to attend LB Congressional Communities meeting on Aug 24
Congressman Harley Rouda will be the featured guest at the Laguna Beach Congressional Communities meeting at the Neighborhood Congregational Church on Saturday, Aug 24 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
The focus of the meeting will be tariffs. Following an in-depth presentation on the subject – particularly how Congress has given the executive branch increased authority over tariffs – Mr. Rouda will join the meeting to give an update on his work in Congress. He will finish with a Q&A with the audience.
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Submitted photo
Congressman Harley Rouda will be the featured guest at upcoming Congressional Communities meeting
Congressional Communities was formed in 2018 to create communities similar in size to the very first districts, find out what issue areas are most important to the community, and make in-depth presentations on those subjects with a focus on Congress’ role on the issue.
Along the way, the group works to develop an ongoing relationship with local Congress members and their local staff, including having them attend meetings to give updates on what Congress is doing. Meetings are monthly and the group is non-partisan. Its focus is on Congress and Laguna Beach is its charter member.
This will be the group’s first meeting with Congressman Rouda. The Congressional Communities’ goal is to work to build long-term, respectful dialogue with members of Congress and their staff, with the belief that these smaller units of organization will lead to a more responsive and successful Congress.
To help create a culture conducive to these goals, attendees to the meeting are encouraged to abide by the group’s guidelines: be respectful to each other, welcome opposing viewpoints, let others finish speaking, be brief, avoid profanity, focus your comments on Congress, and don’t identify by party.
Importantly, this is not a Town Hall meeting, it is a private event. Turnout is expected to be strong.
This is a free event, although registration and check-in are required.
To RSVP, email your name, city, and zip to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
To learn more, visit www.congressionalcommunities.org.
Neighborhood Congregational Church is located at 340 St. Ann’s Dr.
JUDA! Judaic Arts After-School Program begins on Sept 10
JUDA! Judaic Arts After-School Program kicks off on Tuesday, Sept 10 at Chabad of Laguna Beach. The program will inspire Judaism through the arts with Laguna Beach artists, chefs, musicians, woodworkers, fitness specialists, and nature enthusiasts.
At JUDA after-school program, Chabad strives to keep the curriculum diverse by exploring the full beauty of Jewish traditions, history, values, and culture. At JUDA, students will discover and celebrate holidays together, with local artists bringing the learning to life.
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Courtesy of chabadoflaguna.com
Chabad’s JUDA after-school program starts on Tuesday, Sept 10
JUDA outdoors makes the whole world the classroom, and through Chabad’s outings will instill Jewish values of kindness, empathy, respect, and joy of living. JUDA kids will take part in the highly acclaimed Aleph Champion program, a highly motivational system time tested and proven to be the fastest and most effective method of teaching Hebrew reading.
The program will be held on Tuesdays from 4:30 - 6 p.m., September to June, for ages 3-13.
For more information, visit www.chabadoflaguna.com or call (949) 499-0770 and ask for Perel.
Chabad of Laguna Beach is located at 30804 South Pacific Coast Hwy.
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship welcomes Matthew P. Taylor on Sunday
The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Laguna Beach is pleased to welcome Mathew P. Taylor back to its pulpit on Sunday, Aug 18 at 10:30 a.m. The title of Mr. Taylor’s presentation is “Love is Our Liberation.”
We often find ourselves caught in a problem trying to decide which movement deserves our investment, in money or time. As a faith that seeks to help others find liberation, Unitarian Universalists (UUs) continuously question, what does liberation look like? Do UUs have the resources to help create that liberation?
The community is invited to join the members and friends of the UUFLB as Mathew Taylor explains how love could be the answer to finding liberation for us all.
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Submitted photo
Matthew P. Taylor will join the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship on Aug 18
Mathew P. Taylor is a California native with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. He is a community organizer, author, and a pagan high priest. Taylor is a founding member of the Inland Empire Chapter (#3) of the Coven Sub Rosa.
He is currently a student at Starr King School for the Ministry and will be seeking ordination in Parish Ministry. He is a former Board of Trustees President at the Universalist Unitarian Church of Riverside. He believes that his brand of Mystical Ministry is meant to help give voice to the voiceless and to help find a home for the spiritually homeless.
For more information, contact Pamela Flodman at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (949) 654-2526.
Nestor Investigates
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Photo by Leonard Porto III
Who let the cat out of the bag?
City Manager’s Updates
CERT Registration Now Open – The Laguna Beach Police Department in collaboration with the Laguna Beach Fire Department is excited to announce registration for the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) course.
A Community Emergency Response Team is an organized and trained group of volunteers ready to assist in case of a disaster. The CERT program consists of 25 hours of classroom and hands-on training, concluding with an exercise drill to apply the skills and knowledge obtained during the classroom sessions.
Training will begin on Tuesday, Sept 3. Classes will then meet weekly from 6 to 9 p.m., including two Saturday morning meetings. The final exercise/drill takes place on Saturday, Oct 5. Mandatory attendance is required at all classes.
Training includes the following topics: Disaster Preparedness Fire Safety Disaster Medical Operations Light Search and Rescue CERT Organization Disaster Psychology CERT and Terrorism Traffic Control and Scene Management Training will begin on Tuesday, September 3. Classes will then meet weekly from 6 to 9 p.m., including two Saturday morning meetings.
To be considered for this training, you must be a resident of Laguna Beach or work within the city limits, be at least 18 years old, and have no felony convictions.
Applications must be submitted through the online recreation class sign-up at http://bit.ly/2tmh9vi. All individuals will receive a confirmation email if accepted into the program.
Wildlife Information – It was reported on Tuesday that there were three mountain lion sightings recently reported to the police department over four days. All three of those mountain lion sightings were unfounded.
According to wildlife experts, Laguna Beach Animal Services staff, and OC Parks staff, there hasn’t been an actual mountain lion observed in the wilderness areas near Laguna Beach in over 20 years. Most of the mountain lion sightings are actually bobcats, or in some cases coyotes.
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Photo by Ryan Moran
A former coyote sighting in North Laguna
To assist in providing residents with information about coyotes and bobcats, Laguna Beach Animal Services will be conducting a Living with Wildlife Community Workshop at Alta Laguna Park (Top of the World) on Wednesday, Aug 21 at 5 p.m.
Does Your Mobile Contractor Have a Business License to Work in Laguna Beach? – Mobile contractors like gardeners, landscapers, carpet cleaners, mobile car detailers, and swimming pool or pond services all need to hold a Laguna Beach Business License to operate within the City.
A business license ensures contractors are aware of the City’s regulations and guidelines to avoid the illegal discharge of fertilizers, pesticides, lawn, dirt, sediment, organic materials, and cleaning chemicals to the streets and gutters that drain to the ocean. Educating contractors prior to beginning work helps protect the storm drain system and protects from potential violations and enforcement actions by the City.
Residents and businesses are responsible for the actions of their contractors and have a responsibility to ensure that their contractors are aware of local regulations. More information on the City Business Licensing process can be found here.
Police Department Participates in Pink Patch Project – The Laguna Beach Police Department is excited to announce its participation in the Pink Patch Project. In an effort to show support and bring awareness to breast cancer, the Laguna Beach Police Department had designed its very first pink patch which will be worn by officers in the month of October.
As part of the program, these patches are available for purchase. All proceeds from the sales will be donated to a local charity for breast cancer research and awareness.
To purchase a pink patch, visit www.lbpdpinkpatch.com. Patches are also available for purchase at the front counter of the Laguna Beach Police Department.
SCE Pole Replacement – On Thursday, Aug 22, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Southern California Edison (SCE) will be replacing a utility pole located at 1545 Bluebird Canyon Drive.
A portion of Bluebird Canyon Drive, east of Morningside Drive, will be closed during the work. Detour signs will be posted alerting residents of the temporary road closure.
For questions or concerns, contact SCE’s Customer Service number at (800) 655-4555.
Police Beat Primer
Compiled by Suzie Harrison
Police Beat derives from information in the daily police and arrest logs published on the City of Laguna Beach’s website and required under CA Government Code Section 6254 (f). Additional information is obtained through communication with the Laguna Beach Police Department’s Public Information Officer.
Information in the logs is deemed reliable and Stu News Laguna is not responsible for any mistakes made available as public record by the Laguna Beach Police Department.
Any person arrested is innocent until found guilty in a court of law.
Incident Reports
Tuesday, Aug 13
S Coast Hwy | 200 Block | Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance
9:34 p.m. A 30-year-old man was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance. Bail was set at $2,500.
Broadway St | 300 Block | Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance and Violation of Probation
8:11 p.m. Brian Anthony Mason, 42, was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance (bail was set at $500) and violating probation (no bail was set).
Ocean Ave | 200 Block | Disorderly Conduct – Alcohol
6:55 p.m. A 34-year-old woman was arrested for disorderly conduct related to alcohol. Bail was set at $500.
Glenneyre St | 1100 Block | LBMC Violation
2:03 p.m. LBPD received a report regarding “a subject skateboarding off the roof.”
S Coast Hwy | 100 Block | Warrant
11:18 a.m. Daniel William Delrosario, 27, was arrested on a warrant for being under the influence of a controlled substance. Bail was set at $25,000.
Temple Hills Drive | 2000 Block | Animal Calls
8:06 a.m. LBPD received a report regarding a “rattlesnake on the driveway.” According to police records, the RP said her neighbor caught the rattlesnake and put it in a bucket.
Laguna Canyon Road | 2200 Block | DUI, Driving with a Blood Alcohol Content 0.08% or Higher, Possession of a Narcotic Controlled Substance
1:14 a.m. Daniel Andre Ignacio, 30, was arrested on suspicion of DUI (bail was set at $2,500), driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.08% or higher (bail was set at $2,500), and possession of a narcotic controlled substance (bail was set at $500).
Forest Ave | 400 Block | Possession of a Narcotic Controlled Substance
12:14 a.m. Jose Zacarias Diaz Albarado, 31, was arrested for possession of a narcotic controlled substance. Bail was set at $500.
Jasmine St | 200 Block | Possession of a Narcotic Controlled Substance, DUI
12:06 a.m. Erik Anibal Urcino, 25, was arrested for possession of a narcotic controlled substance (bail was set at $500) and on suspicion of DUI (bail was set at $500).
Monday, Aug 12
S Coast Hwy & Forest Ave | Warrant
9:49 p.m. Bradley John Schwartz, 62, was arrested on an undisclosed warrant. Bail was set at $5,000.
Ocean Way | 1900 Block | Assist Other Department
6:34 p.m. LBPD received a report in reference to residents continuing to a put trampoline in the water. According to LBPD, “the residents were advised to not put a trampoline in the water. They complied. Marine Safety also responded.”
S Coast Hwy | 200 Block | Warrant
2:16 p.m. Terry Dwayne Sanders, 41, was arrested on a warrant for two LBMC code violations. Bail was set at $10,000.
S Coast Hwy | 200 Block | Assault with a Deadly Weapon – Not Firearm
10:26 a.m. Christopher Paul Mack, 51, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon – not a firearm. Bail was set at $25,000.
S Coast Hwy | 200 Block | Disorderly Conduct – Alcohol
10:26 a.m. A 31-year-old man was arrested for disorderly conduct related to alcohol. Bail was set at $500.
Sunday, Aug 11
Canyon Acres Drive & Dead End | Citizen Complaint
10:50 p.m. LBPD received a complaint “about the design of the Laguna Beach streets.”
Laguna Canyon Road | 2900 Block | Warrant
3:22 p.m. Shane Michael Sutton, 40, was arrested on a warrant for possession of controlled substance paraphernalia. Bail was set at $15,000.
S Coast Hwy | 30800 Block | Battery
3:19 p.m. Richard Allen Dimaggio, 60, was arrested for battery. Bail was set at $10,000.
Wilson St & St Ann’s Drive | Violating Parole, Driving While on Suspension for DUI
2:08 p.m. Tamera Sue Woodward, 52, was arrested for violating parole (no bail was set) and driving while on suspension for DUI (bail was set at $500).
S Coast Hwy | 200 Block | Warrant
7:39 a.m. James Louis Durand, 60, was arrested on a warrant for a LBMC violation. Bail was set at $2,500.
Forest Ave | 300 Block | Warrant
2:21 a.m. Robert Oxier, 37, was arrested on a warrant for trespassing. Bail was set at $7,500.
S Coast Hwy | 100 Block | DUI, Driving with a Blood Alcohol Content 0.08% or Higher
1:24 a.m. A 28-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of DUI (bail was set at $2,500) and driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.08% or higher (bail was set at $2,500).
