Rock slide shuts Agate Street beach access as city evaluates bluff
Photo courtesy of city of Laguna Beach
LBUSD revisits safety after contentious May school board meeting
By Sara Hall – Submitted photo
Jahraus Park rehabilitation moves forward with accessibility, landscape upgrades
By Sara Hall – Photo by Mary Hurlbut
Letters to the Editor
Former school board members and community leaders support Joan, Shaheen and Kimberly
Despite Saturday morning’s heat wave, four former school board members joined teachers and community leaders to say, “It’s time for a school board course correction. Vote for Joan, Shaheen and Kimberly.”
This slate of three very qualified challengers is supported by every member of the city council, which includes former school board member Bob Whalen. Joan, Shaheen and Kimberly also have strong support from teachers and staff.
Gathered Saturday in support of Joan, Shaheen and Kimberly were Linda Barker, Ketta Brown, Tim Carlyle, Harvey Triebwasser, Betsy Jenkins, Carol Nilsen, MJ Abraham, Jacquie Cohn, Rita Conn, Leanne Englander, Stephanie Mister, Thasa Hauntz-Zuziak, Gary Jenkins, Howard Conn, Kathy Abel, Howard Englander, Bob Mister and Gregg Abel, as well as students Sterling and Tindall.
No matter how you vote in the November elections – either by mail or in person – the future of Laguna’s schools is in your hands. Everyone who came together Saturday agrees: It’s time to flip the board.
Denny Freidenrich
Laguna Beach
Laguna Beach Community Calendars
The following are calendar links for regularly scheduled meetings and events in Laguna Beach:
City of Laguna Beach meetings & events calendar
Laguna Beach Public Library – everything at the library calendar
www.ocpl.org/libraries/laguna-beach
Laguna Beach Unified School District news & events calendar
Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce community events calendar
www.lagunabeachchamber.org/events/calendar
If you are an organization that would like your name and calendar of events link added here, please contact Shaena Stabler at shaena@stunewslaguna.com.
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.
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Letters to the Editor
Jahraus Park renovation should honor its history
While I am thrilled that Jahraus Park will be renovated, as a former longtime Laguna resident, I take issue with two omissions in the recent article.
First, I think you owe your readers a little background on the importance of the Jahraus family. Their many accomplishments include helping establish the water district that brought a reliable source of water to Laguna Beach; establishing the Laguna Beach Lumber Company, which provided the materials used to build the town; and, most importantly, negotiating with Mr. Heisler for our beautiful park and then holding Mr. Heisler accountable when he wanted to back out of the deal and develop the property for housing.
Second, the “water fountain” is not just a water fountain. It is a fabulous sculpture by Ruth Peabody, executed in 1933, and I believe it is the oldest piece of public art in our town. I loved it as a child and I still do.
Laguna Beach is Laguna Beach because of all the wonderful people who gave their energy and commitment to our town. They deserve to be honored, and I am so pleased that the secret little Jahraus Park will be celebrated and improved. I look forward to attending the dedication.
Hedy Buzan Williamson
Laguna Woods
Where is a carless visitor supposed to smoke?
Laguna Beach’s smoking ordinance leaves a curious problem for visitors.
Consider an adult who flies into Orange County, takes a rideshare to Laguna Beach and stays at a smoke-free hotel. Smoking is prohibited on the city’s streets, sidewalks, beaches, parks and other public places. The hotel prohibits smoking on its property. Rental car companies generally prohibit smoking in their vehicles.
Where, exactly, can that visitor legally smoke?
This isn’t an argument for smoking on beaches or crowded sidewalks. It’s a request for a practical accommodation: a small, responsibly located designated smoking area, coupled with proper disposal and clear notice of Laguna Beach’s broad restrictions before visitors arrive.
A city can strongly discourage tobacco use while recognizing that adults still legally use tobacco.
Good public policy should account for predictable real-world situations. Laguna Beach should provide visitors without cars with a lawful option rather than effectively providing none.
Jacob Sigo
Washougal, Wash.
Letters to the Editor
No kids in schools? This election is still yours
You do not need a child in Laguna Beach schools to have something at stake in this School Board election.
On November 3, Laguna Beach voters will elect three of the five members of the LBUSD Board of Education. In one election, voters will choose a majority of the body responsible for governing one of this community’s most important public institutions.
Those five people do far more than attend meetings. They hire and evaluate the superintendent, adopt budgets and policies, approve labor agreements, curriculum, contracts and major facilities decisions. They also decide what gets funded, what gets deferred and what direction the district takes when priorities collide.
Voters will also consider Measure A, which would authorize up to $83 million in general-obligation bonds for school facility improvements. If approved, it would replace the existing school bond tax as it expires, at an expected rate of about $8.85 per $100,000 of assessed value. The board serving after this election would help decide how that work is prioritized and implemented over time.
That makes this election relevant far beyond households with children in LBUSD.
Parents will live with decisions affecting their children’s classrooms, teachers, programs and school experience. Employees will work under decisions involving leadership, compensation and district policy. Property owners help fund a public school system and have an interest in how public money, facilities and long-term obligations are managed. Every resident lives in a community shaped, in part, by the strength and stewardship of its public institutions.
You do not need to know every line of the district budget or watch every board meeting, but this election deserves more than recognizing a name and filling in a bubble.
Read past the ballot designation. Look at what candidates believe the job actually is. Look at how they approach governance, public money, superintendent oversight and disagreement. Look at the record they have built before asking for the authority to govern.
Three seats. Four-year terms.
That is a tremendous amount of responsibility being decided in a very small section of the ballot.
Whatever conclusions you reach about the candidates or Measure A, reach them deliberately.
This election belongs to all of Laguna Beach.
Erika Hennon
Aliso Viejo
LBUSD Parent
Letters to the Editor
Trust the parents, vote Joan, Shaheen and Kimberly
In just a few weeks, you will open your mailbox and in it will be an oversize envelope containing the ticket to the success of my son’s future education here in Laguna Beach. This October, voting will begin for the most important Laguna Beach Unified School District School Board election in my lifetime.
I am a parent of an 11-year-old at Thurston Middle School, but also an alumna of LBUSD. Growing up in Laguna, I knew how special this public school district was. We had the most amazing staff, coupled with an army of parents with a shared commitment to creating the most excellent public school system in the nation. And I believe they achieved that. That is exactly why when it came to making the decision of where to send our child to school, it was LBUSD all the way.
And while there are new faces on the campuses, there is still that same level of commitment from faculty, staff and parents who drive the excellence of this district. I just had my first Back to School Night at Thurston and was blown away by the caliber of teachers that my son has
But one thing seems to be keeping the district back and that is what I view as the failings of three of the current school board members, including Dee Perry, who is up for re-election. While the issues at hand are complex and too convoluted to outline in a mere 400 words, my concerns can be summed up as follows.
A school board that does not have the full support of its teachers and staff is failing to do its job. A school board that has lost its true north star of serving the students and their families is failing to do its job.
So, we, as the voters of Laguna Beach, need to do our job to ensure that we vote for board members who prioritize rebuilding the trust of our teachers and reorienting the board’s purpose back to the central focus of serving our students and families.
When I get my ballot, I will be voting for Joan Malczewski, Shaheen Sheik-Sadhal and Kimberly Smith. Joan is an incumbent school board member and has been a champion for our teachers and students. Shaheen and Kimberly are both LBUSD parents, with deep commitments to our children. Trust the Teachers. Trust the Parents. Vote Joan, Shaheen, and Kimberly.
Sara Lowell
LBUSD Parent and LBUSD Alumna (‘99)
A message from Laguna Beach teachers that is too loud to ignore
I have a child at Top of the World, one at Thurston and one at Laguna Beach High School. I have been an LBUSD parent for years, through different grades, teachers and stages of my kids’ lives. I have seen this district from almost every level and gone through some of those levels more than once.
That is why the change over the last few years has been hard to watch.
The teachers and staff I know still care deeply about our kids. They show up and do the extra things that make these schools what they are. But they seem tired in a way I don’t remember. Something is weighing on this district. We need to stop pretending it doesn’t affect the people working in our schools.
Because they have been telling us.
For two years in a row, roughly 90% of teachers who voted in union votes have expressed no confidence in board leadership. And now we have something I find even harder to ignore.
This year, teachers participated in their endorsement process in record numbers. Every single teacher who voted, 100%, endorsed Joan Malczewski, Shaheen Sheik-Sadhal and Kimberly Smith.
Our classified staff also participated in record numbers, and 98% made the same choice: Joan, Shaheen and Kimberly.
I keep coming back to that because people don’t understand how unusual it is.
Anyone who has spent time around a school knows teachers don’t all think alike. They don’t have the same politics, personalities or opinions. They work at different schools, teach different ages and have very different experiences.
Yet, when a record number of them showed up to have a voice in this election, every single one who participated agreed.
That should stop us in our tracks.
I’ve heard some district leaders say teachers and staff shouldn’t have much influence in a school board election because many don’t live within LBUSD boundaries. I don’t understand that argument.
They may not all vote here, but they work here. They spend more waking hours with our kids during the week than many of us do. They know what is happening inside these schools in a way the rest of us cannot. And it isn’t about money.
What I keep hearing is about respect, trust, being allowed to do your job and feeling like your professional judgment matters instead of constantly having someone looking over your shoulder or adding another task.
Think about what these employees have carried over the last two years: health care audits, investigations, grievances, negotiations, leadership changes and constant conflict surrounding the district. Then they go back into a classroom.
Kids still need help reading. Middle schoolers have tough days. High school students worry about college. Parents email. Lessons need planning. Meetings must be attended. Buses need driving. Offices must be run.
All that other stuff takes up space in their heads.
As a parent, I want our teachers and staff to spend as much energy as possible on our kids, not on problems created around them.
And I want to say something directly to our teachers and staff: thank you.
Thank you for continuing to show up for our children through all of this. Thank you for keeping so much of what our kids experience every day feeling normal, even when I imagine things behind the scenes have felt anything but normal.
I know that takes something out of you, and I don’t think parents say often enough that we see it.
I’ve been around LBUSD long enough to know what we are seeing right now isn’t normal.
Two years of overwhelming no-confidence votes are not normal.
Holding a rally at Main Beach for the first time in living memory is not normal.
One hundred percent of participating teachers and 98% of participating staff coming together behind the same three people is certainly not normal.
So, when our teachers and staff go to this much effort to make themselves heard, I am not going to explain it away or tell myself it doesn’t matter. I am listening.
I hope everyone voting in this school board election understands just how loudly they are speaking.
Chelsea Haderer
LBUSD Parent
Aliso Viejo
Lessons learned
While many community members may not be paying close attention to what is happening in our school district, the dysfunction on our school board – and its impact on our community – has become much too important to ignore.
As a five-decade LBUSD parent and grandparent, it is embarrassing to admit that I was careless with my school board votes in 2022 and 2024. I fell for what I now believe was a well-crafted misinformation campaign by a newly formed special interest political group. Serious allegations were made about then-board members and the superintendent, and I allowed that rhetoric to influence my normally reasonable judgment and, ultimately, my votes.
Big mistake. I recognized that after watching the people I supported serve together in their elected roles. I am speaking specifically about Dee Perry, who is seeking another term, and Howard Hills and Sheri Morgan, who were elected in 2024.
Watching their conduct at board meetings and their interactions with staff, teachers, students and parents has been an eye-opener. I have become increasingly concerned by what I see as a lack of respect for differing viewpoints and a disregard for the collaborative educational environment our elected trustees should be working to protect.
This year's election has taught me an important lesson: look beyond campaign rhetoric and examine the record. For me, that means taking a hard look at Dee Perry's record and the decisions made by the current board majority.
Consider the 2026 high school graduation controversy. The board voted 3-2 to move graduation from Guyer Field back to the Irvine Bowl, with Perry, Hills and Morgan voting in favor. While the district reviewed venue options, student feedback, logistics and cost sharing, I did not see the kind of thorough, transparent financial and data-driven analysis I would expect before making a decision affecting hundreds of students and families.
The decision generated significant community opposition and division.
For me, this is not simply about where graduation was held. It is about how decisions were made.
Did they listen to those directly affected? Examine data? Understand the financial and operational consequences? Build consensus before making decisions that affect students, families and our community?
These questions matter to me.
The same concerns extend beyond graduation. The continuing turmoil, contentious meetings and 3-2 votes on major issues, including the separation agreement with Superintendent Jason Glass and his replacement, have reinforced my concerns about the actions of the board majority.
I have watched these developments and reached my own conclusion: it is time to thank Dee Perry for her 12 years of service and move on. I do not believe this district can afford more of the same leadership.
Perry’s running mate, Elizabeth Bates, also represents, in my view, many of the same approaches that concern me. I see their campaign as aligned with the current majority and the governing philosophy that I believe has contributed to our current unrest.
Making decisions that affect students, teachers, staff, parents and taxpayers without meaningful stakeholder input, consensus-building and sufficient supporting information is a lose-lose proposition.
Giving significant authority over a large public budget and major facility commitments to individuals who, in my observation, have not demonstrated a willingness to listen to those affected is asking for more turmoil and dissension.
The lessons I have learned over the last decade of watching LBUSD are simple.
We need intelligent, professional, successful and independent thinkers. We need leaders who listen and understand that governing a school district requires collaboration, transparency and accountability – not division. Most importantly, we owe our children outstanding educational experiences and opportunities.
I made mistakes with my votes before. I own that.
This time, I’m looking carefully at the records, conduct and leadership approaches of the candidates. On November 3, I’ll be supporting Joan, Shaheen and Kimberly because I believe, based on what I have observed and learned, that they understand the depth of the issues facing LBUSD and have the approach I want to see moving our district forward.
After five decades as an LBUSD parent and grandparent, I believe our students, teachers, staff and community deserve nothing less.
MJ Abraham
Laguna Beach
Letters to the Editor
El Niño and Kelvin waves
We have all heard about the growing El Niño, fueled by very warm waters across the tropical Pacific. El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern that develops every few years and can influence our weather through the fall and winter.
This El Niño is expected to be a strong one. That can mean an increased chance of storms, rain and large surf for Southern California, but it is important to remember that no two El Niños produce exactly the same weather pattern. We have experienced strong El Niños in the past that did not result in an exceptionally wet or stormy winter.
There is another feature in the Pacific worth watching: a marine heat wave, or MHW, involving unusually warm ocean temperatures off portions of the California coast.
Separate from that marine heat wave, El Niño can also produce Kelvin waves. These are large pulses of warm water that travel eastward across the tropical Pacific and, after reaching the coast of the Americas, can move northward along the coastline.
Kelvin waves do not create giant breaking waves or tsunami-like waves. What they can do is raise coastal sea levels by several inches for extended periods of time.
That matters here in Laguna Beach, particularly after the recent pounding our coastline received from Hurricane Marie.
Even a relatively modest rise in background sea level can make a difference when it coincides with high tides, especially around full and new moons, along with winter storms and strong surf. Under those conditions, ocean water can be pushed farther inland than it would under normal sea conditions, increasing the potential for coastal flooding and erosion.
Kelvin wave activity associated with El Niño has already reached the California coast, and its effects may become more noticeable through the fall and winter. Elevated sea levels can persist for months, particularly when multiple Kelvin waves occur during a strong El Niño cycle.
None of this means significant flooding or damaging storms are certain. But with our beaches and coastal properties already vulnerable, it is another factor worth watching closely as we head into fall and winter.
Dave Murray
Meteorologist, KXFM
Laguna Beach
Letters to the Editor
Give nature a chance to restore Laguna’s beaches
As a longtime Laguna Beach resident, I have watched with concern as swells from Hurricane Marie dramatically reshaped our beaches and caused significant loss of sand along our coastline. I understand the reaction: When we see our beaches diminished, our first instinct is to replace what was lost.
Laguna’s beaches are dynamic ecosystems. Storms move enormous amounts of sand – sometimes offshore, sometimes along the coast and sometimes onto other beaches. What looks to us like destruction can actually be part of a natural coastal cycle. Over time, waves, currents and weather redistribute sediment and reshape the shoreline.
Importing large quantities of replacement sand may seem harmless, but it isn’t necessarily without environmental impacts. Artificial beach nourishment can bury or smother marine organisms and coastal habitat, alter the nearshore environment, affect wave and current patterns, and introduce sand whose composition and grain size may not be the same as Laguna’s naturally occurring sediment. Moving enormous quantities of material by truck and heavy equipment also brings its own environmental costs.
Laguna Beach is special because it is not a manufactured coastline. Its coves, cliffs, reefs, tide pools and beaches have been shaped over thousands of years by the Pacific Ocean. We should respect that system rather than continually trying to force it to look the way we think it should look.
What if nature is simply moving sand through a larger coastal system that we don’t fully understand? If we continually intervene every time a major storm changes the shoreline, we may be disrupting processes that have sustained these beaches long before Laguna Beach existed as a community.
I am not arguing that we should ignore genuine threats to homes, roads, public safety or critical infrastructure. There are circumstances in which intervention may be necessary.
We should give nature a chance to recover before deciding that we need to rebuild what the ocean has taken away.
Let the ocean do its work.
Laguna’s greatest environmental asset is its natural character. We should be careful not to destroy that character in our effort to preserve it.
William A. Miller
Laguna Beach
Letters to the Editor
Laguna spoke up. City Hall awoke.
With little more than three years until the possible loss of Laguna’s only hospital and 24/7 ER, the city has finally taken concrete steps to address the potential loss of emergency care in Laguna Beach.
They are seeking specialized outside expertise, bringing county and state agencies into the process, digging deeper into seismic, construction and emergency response questions and looking at alternate health care providers.
Good. These are exactly the kinds of actions many of us have been asking for.
But credit belongs to the Laguna residents who showed up, spoke out and refused to accept losing our ER without exhausting every reasonable option.
I was one of them. I have publicly called for independent analysis, the right experts at the table, county and state involvement, cost estimates for alternatives, clear deadlines and accountability.
Now we are beginning to see those things happen.
That is what community involvement is supposed to do.
So yes, belated credit to the city for responding and moving this work forward. And credit to the Lagunans who pushed for greater urgency and helped move this conversation forward.
Now comes the important part.
We, as Lagunans, need to keep watching.
We need to monitor the independent analysis, the alternatives being considered, the deadlines being set and whether meetings actually turn into results.
This isn’t about winning a political argument. It’s about protecting emergency care for our community.
Laguna spoke up. City Hall responded. Now we need to make sure they follow through.
The clock is ticking…
Ashley Cintas
Laguna Beach
Candidate for City Council
District inquiry on TMS protest supports equal rights for all
As a witness to May 14 political demonstrations at Thurston Middle School (TMS), I welcomed as “best practices” the School District assignment of public school operations experts to report on what occurred. Board Bylaw 9124 and Education Code Section 35204 authorize the District to retain legal counsel and, under Section 35204, utilize an administrative adviser. In my view, those provisions support the District’s decision to seek professional review of what occurred.
Reports by outside professionals are advisory. The District will decide what weight to give the report based on the evidence, including recordings by official school site cameras and private videos posted on press websites and social media.
Instead of waiting for the report, some Board members have described the TMS protests as peaceful exercises of free speech. If true, the community needs to know if protesters whose rights were respected also respected the rights of others.
The report also could find that free speech was allowed for protesters, but conditions interfered with non-protesters’ ability to access or participate in the meeting, or placed children participating in the protest in unsafe circumstances. If so, the community should know that as well.
Since the public is being given one account by some School Board members and even some City Council candidates, without drawing final conclusions before seeing the report, here are some of my initial impressions and opinions.
TMS is a public education facility where students, parents and District employees were on campus for regular school activities at 3:15 p.m. on May 14. California’s open-meeting law required the School Board meeting to be open and public, with members of the public permitted to attend, subject to lawful meeting and safety rules.
Balancing the District’s education mission with public meeting legal mandates, the former Superintendent and school site staff, in my opinion, had two clear responsibilities: 1) uphold school conduct standards protecting the social-emotional well-being of students, and 2) respect the First Amendment rights of participants and others while enforcing lawful safety and meeting rules.
As a Board member I was not consulted or informed about the nature or extent of any communications between the Superintendent or school site staff and protest organizers. So it was surprising when I arrived early to prepare for the Board session and pre-meeting protests were beginning to flourish campus-wide, including robust free speech that in my experience and opinion quickly became quite inflammatory, with little apparent intervention at that time.
I recognize that much of the expressive activity by protesters was protected by the First Amendment. In my view, however, the rights of others to access the meeting, along with campus safety and student well-being concerns, were not adequately protected.
Official school site and private videos, in my opinion, appear to show adults encouraging a group of young children, whom I estimated to be roughly 4 to 10 years old, to participate with adults in outdoor chanting and foot stomping that became frenzied and deafening.
Disruptive activity inside the meeting site included children repeating verbal messages and displaying placards that, in my observation, adults appeared to encourage. Some of the language I personally regarded as hateful and inappropriate.
Adults can be seen and heard, in my opinion, encouraging a group of pre-teen boys to gather at the main entrance to the School Board meeting site. Adults also can be heard calling out Board members by name, after which some students shouted insults and accusations at Board members.
In my opinion, videos appear to show student actions escalating to kicking or stomping near metal door frames. I cannot determine from the recordings whether that conduct caused any property damage. Next, students entered the meeting room to address Board members at close range with language I regarded as lewd and hateful, also repeatedly opening closed doors so the exterior noise level further disrupted the pre-meeting work of Board members and staff.
Staff did not intervene in the conduct I observed at that point. But my concern intensified around the time of Dee Perry’s arrival. I had earlier observed individuals I believed were acting as protest monitors communicating remotely, but I cannot know from the recordings what was said or whether those communications related to Perry.
In my opinion, videos show Perry was surrounded by a large and extremely loud crowd.
In my opinion, videos show Perry having difficulty moving through the crowd and that her path toward the meeting entrance was obstructed for a period of time.
After that chaotic incident, accounts by Perry and others are uncertain and differ. Some accounts reported that Perry lost her footing and fell; Perry subsequently said she was not pushed. She was then assisted into the meeting area.
School administrators and police present did not intervene at that point, as I observed it. After additional officers arrived, a corridor was created to facilitate access to the meeting.
What if a person of color or a transgender student was physically obstructed by an angry crowd while attempting to enter a public meeting on the same terms as everyone else?
If someone gained access only after being stopped, jostled and turned back by a hostile crowd, would those School Board and City Council candidates dismiss that as free speech?
Perhaps the District report will help answer those questions.
Howard Hills
LBUSD Board Member (personal views, not on behalf of the board)
Letters to the Editor
Providence says its plan does not include Laguna’s ER. What is City Hall’s plan?
In January, Providence told the Laguna Beach City Council that its plan for the hospital beyond 2030 does not include operating an acute-care hospital, including the emergency department.
The city formed an ad hoc committee, developed a work plan and then formed a Hospital Task Force.
The Task Force did not hold its first meeting until July.
When Laguna’s only emergency room is at stake, I do not consider that urgency.
I attended the Task Force’s second meeting. Providence reiterated its position that its current plan does not include operating an acute-care hospital, including the emergency department.
At some point, we have to take Providence at its word and change our strategy accordingly. The question is no longer whether Providence’s current plan preserves the existing ER. The question is what Laguna is prepared to do to preserve emergency care without relying on Providence to change its mind.
Providence is responsible for its plans for the hospital. City Council is responsible for Laguna’s response.
And I don’t believe our response so far reflects the urgency of potentially losing our only 24/7 ER.
Laguna has been here before with this hospital.
Twenty years ago, South Coast Medical Center was facing seismic upgrade estimates of more than $70 million. Ultimately, a different path emerged.
Mission later acquired the hospital. The seismic retrofit ultimately undertaken cost approximately $15 million and allowed the facility to meet state seismic requirements through 2030.
Why are we discussing alternative uses for the hospital before we have determined how much health care we can save?
Today’s seismic requirements are different. Twenty years ago, the first estimate was not the final answer.
The Task Force has accomplished doctors, healthcare administrators, planners and community members. If we need to understand how an ER operates, what patients need or how the property could be used, there are experienced people at the table.
What role are Orange County’s EMS and healthcare leaders playing in this effort? And how are our state representatives being engaged?
Laguna’s ER received approximately 17,000 visits in 2025. If the ER closes, the need for emergency care does not disappear. Many patients would need to seek emergency care elsewhere in the county, potentially increasing transport times and placing additional demand on other hospitals.
California’s seismic requirements are driving the 2030 deadline. The state and county should be involved in finding workable solutions to keep our health care accessible and affordable.
What I wanted to hear at that second meeting was what happens next.
The Task Force is generating ideas. Who is responsible for testing them? What is Providence being asked to provide? Which alternatives will receive independent engineering and financial analysis? Who is contacting potential operators? What are the deadlines? When does the community see the results?
Where is the next action plan?
Meetings should produce assignments, deadlines and deliverables. Otherwise, we risk discussing options while the clock continues to run.
If elected to City Council, I will push all stakeholders to determine how much local hospital and emergency care can be preserved – and then fight for the resources to preserve it.
This hospital has faced an uncertain future before.
The circumstances are different today, but the lesson is not.
Providence has made its current plan for the ER clear. That means Laguna’s strategy has to change.
I am less interested in hearing another statement about wanting to save the ER. I want to see the plan for how we’re going to try.
Another meeting is not a solution. Another committee is not a strategy. And waiting until our choices disappear is not leadership.
Laguna deserves urgency, accountability and a plan with measurable results.
Ashley Cintas
Laguna Beach
Campaign for school board already is underway
Labor Day weekend traditionally marks the kickoff of the campaign season for November elections. But with kids already back in classrooms, candidates for school board are now campaigning.
It doesn’t matter if you have children in K-12 classrooms or not. What counts is having a majority of board members who are focused on providing a quality education for all students – not creating policies based on personal grievances or unresolved differences.
With that thought in mind, I urge voters to pay close attention to who is publicly supporting each school board candidate – and perhaps just as importantly, who is not.
Sometimes, the most meaningful “vote” a candidate receives is the heartfelt support from friends and family. I’m guessing this will be especially true in Laguna this fall.
Denny Freidenrich
Laguna Beach
Letters to the Editor
Time for change in LBUSD
For many years, LBUSD was known as an exceptional school district and one of the best places to work. Employees felt valued, and the Board approached compensation, benefits and working conditions with trust and respect. I am saddened by how much that relationship has changed under the current board majority.
I retired from LBUSD in June 2022. This year, my health insurance premium is increasing by 36%, an additional $536 per month, or nearly $6,400 annually.
During recent negotiations, LBUSD employees faced an extraordinarily difficult choice. As LABUFA President Scott Wittkop explained in his July 23 board report, members had to choose between ratifying the agreement or proceeding to an impasse “with the very real possibility of significantly higher health insurance costs.” Employees reluctantly accepted a 1% salary increase, with another 2% directed toward health insurance, while also facing increased deductibles and copayments.
Collective bargaining should not leave dedicated educators feeling they must accept a difficult agreement because the alternative could be substantially worse. And that brings me to former Board President Dee Perry.
Dee is a former teacher and three-term board member. She knows what this district once felt like for its employees because she was one of them. Yet throughout this period, Dee has repeatedly aligned herself with the board majority and members Morgan and Hills, supporting decisions and a direction that I believe have contributed to this dramatic deterioration in trust between the district and its staff. In doing so, I believe she has betrayed the profession she came from, the community she was elected to serve and the institutional values she should have understood better than most. After three terms on the board, in my view, she cannot separate herself from the consequences of the leadership she has repeatedly supported.
At some point, longevity in public office stops being an asset if it means becoming disconnected from the people and institutional values you were elected to serve.
I spent my career at LBUSD and have tremendous affection for it. Today’s teachers and staff deserve the respect and partnership that once made this district such a special place to work. Taking care of the people who take care of our students is fundamental to excellent public schools.
After watching what has happened over the past 20 months, I believe it is time for a change.
Dawn Hunnicutt
Eagle, Idaho
Letters to the Editor
Laguna Beach’s “Summer of Discontent”: We need action now
Laguna Beach is a world-class community. Our beaches, neighborhoods, businesses, restaurants and natural beauty attract residents and visitors from around the world. But this summer, too many people are experiencing a different side of Laguna Beach – one marked by overflowing garbage, streets that need more attention, pedestrian crossings that can feel dangerous and growing concerns about public and beach safety.
This should not be accepted as the price of living in or visiting a busy beach town.
Clean streets should be the minimum
Walking through parts of Laguna Beach this summer, it is difficult not to notice garbage and areas that need more attention. Cleanliness should be one of the city’s most basic responsibilities.
Our residents pay taxes, our businesses work hard and our visitors spend money in our community. We should expect clean streets, sidewalks, public areas and commercial districts.
The city needs to evaluate whether summer garbage collection, street cleaning and maintenance are keeping up with the increased number of people coming into Laguna Beach.
Our crosswalks need to be safer
Pedestrian safety has become one of my biggest concerns.
During the summer, our streets are filled with pedestrians, families, children, cyclists and vehicles. Some crosswalks can feel extremely dangerous, particularly on busy roads where drivers may not see pedestrians until the last moment.
We need more than paint on the pavement.
The city should identify the most dangerous crossings and consider additional crosswalks, brighter lighting, flashing pedestrian signals, improved signage, pedestrian refuge areas where appropriate and longer crossing times.
We should also increase enforcement in areas where drivers routinely fail to yield to pedestrians.
Nobody should have to take their life in their hands simply to cross the street.
More police presence during peak summer periods
Laguna Beach needs adequate police staffing during the times when the number of people in the city and traffic increase dramatically.
A visible police presence can help deter dangerous driving, improve pedestrian safety, manage congestion and respond to problems before they become emergencies.
This is not about over-policing our community. It is about making sure we have enough personnel to keep residents and visitors safe when demand is at its highest.
More lifeguard resources
Our beaches are one of Laguna Beach’s greatest treasures – and they can also become extremely dangerous when crowded.
We should examine whether additional lifeguards and marine safety resources are needed during the busiest summer periods and at the beaches experiencing the greatest crowds.
A lifeguard can mean the difference between a close call and a tragedy.
We should not wait for more major incidents before determining whether more resources are needed.
We need a summer safety plan
These problems are not impossible to solve. What is missing is a stronger sense of urgency.
I am asking our city leaders to develop a comprehensive “Summer Safety and Cleanliness Plan” that addresses:
–More frequent garbage collection and street cleaning during peak periods
–A review of the city’s most dangerous pedestrian crossings
–Additional or improved crosswalks where warranted
–Better lighting, signs and pedestrian warning systems
–Increased traffic and pedestrian-safety enforcement
–Adequate police staffing during peak summer hours
–Additional lifeguard and marine safety resources when conditions require them
–Regular public reporting on progress and problem areas
Laguna Beach should not have to choose between being a successful tourist destination and being a safe, clean place to live.
This is about loving Laguna Beach
Calling this the “Summer of Discontent” is not an attack on Laguna Beach. It is a wake-up call.
We love this community. That is precisely why we should demand better.
We should not normalize overflowing garbage. We should not normalize dangerous crosswalks. We should not accept inadequate safety resources during the busiest time of the year.
Laguna Beach has the beauty, character and resources to do better.
Now we need our elected officials and city leadership to turn that potential into action.
Listen to the residents. Walk the streets. Look at the crosswalks. Talk to the businesses. Talk to the lifeguards and police officers. See the problems firsthand – and then fix them.
The goal should be simple:
A cleaner Laguna Beach. Safer streets. Safer beaches. Better pedestrian protection. And a community where residents and visitors can enjoy everything Laguna has to offer without unnecessary danger or frustration.
The “Summer of Discontent” should be a turning point – not a permanent description of summer in Laguna Beach.
JoAnne Artman
JoAnne Artman Gallery
Laguna Beach
No Square Theatre is offering season tickets for the first time in their 29-year history. You can be among the first to join in this inaugural subscription season with tickets to five shows – at a special discount. Also new this year, No Square is implementing audience talkbacks, called StageTalks, after the first Saturday, the second Friday and the third Friday of the run of each show. These free, post-show sessions will allow audiences to ask questions of the directors and actors to get a unique look behind the scenes of the show.
Click on photo for a larger image
Courtesy of No Square Theatre
No Square offers subscription season with tickets to five shows at a special discount
Kicking off the season in September is the ever-popular Lagunatics, and this year’s subtitle is May the Farce Be With You. This annual “roast of life on the coast” skewers anything and everything from the past year with unique song and dance numbers.
In November, No Square Theatre presents Christopher Durang’s hilarious and off kilter play Baby with the Bathwater. It’s the story of parents who have no idea what to do with their new baby – they don’t even know if it’s a boy or a girl. After they finally settle on the name “Daisy,” the confusion begins.
In February 2027, No Square presents Quilters, a joyous and moving celebration of American pioneer women that combines music, movement and vivid scenes to pay tribute to these often-forgotten figures in our history. Based on The Quilters: Women and Domestic Art by Patricia Cooper and Norma Bradley Allen, these true, illuminating stories are contained in various “blocks” to weave them into one glorious quilt.
May 2027 brings Merrily We Roll Along, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Most recently a Broadway hit revival, Merrily turns the traditional showbiz musical on its head with a compelling fable of friendship, compromise and the high price of success. With the clever device of moving backwards in time, this compelling and emotional story highlights the importance of staying true to one’s ideals.
Finally, in July 2027 the Burger Palace Boys and the Pink Ladies invade the No Square stage in Grease. But this is probably not the Grease you think you know. This is the 1971 Broadway production that tells the story of a gritty, working-class neighborhood in Chicago in the 1950s. There are songs you will recognize like “Greased Lightening,” but there are also songs you may not know like “All Choked Up.” It’s a delightful way to spend those summer nights.
No Square Theatre’s Access Excellence Youth Theatre and Education program has multiple performance opportunities for young people including a production of Elf, Jr. in December (audition workshop in November!), and a teen concert called Oddballs & Outcasts in April 2027. The theater’s popular summer camp returns in 2027 and will feature classes and a final performance of Aladdin, Kids.
No Square Theatre, proudly serving as Laguna’s only community theater since 1997, is in Historic Legion Hall, 384 Legion St., Laguna Beach, just a few blocks away from Laguna Beach High School. The high school has ample free parking. Seating is extremely limited, and the theater has enjoyed a long run of sold-out events, so tickets must be purchased in advance. Drinks and refreshments are available for purchase.
For additional information on events, auditions, classes and to purchase tickets, visit www.nosquare.org.
By SARA HALL
City Council this week voted to release completed environmental studies for the Downtown Specific Plan update while shifting its focus to housing opportunities in the arts district and legislative solutions tailored to Laguna Beach.
Councilmembers voted unanimously Tuesday (July 21) to direct staff to release all completed Environmental Impact Report technical studies for public review, to focus the Downtown Specific Plan (DSP) phase II update on additional residential uses in the arts district and adaptive reuse of existing buildings, and to explore legislative strategies addressing Laguna Beach’s unique challenges, including wildfire risk and coastal regulations.
Councilmember Sue Kempf said the city should look for opportunities to create housing within existing buildings, including converting second-story spaces downtown.
“So we’re not necessarily building anything, we’re just allowing housing where we didn’t previously allow it,” Kempf said.
“It’s not an easy problem to solve in Laguna, but I think it can be solved with some really smart planning.”
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Photo by Mary Hurlbut
City Council this week reviewed the status of the Downtown Specific Plan phase II update
According to staff, the DSP update was initiated to implement the city’s certified sixth-cycle Housing Element and has progressed to a screen-check-ready draft Environmental Impact Report.
However, recent changes in state law prompted staff to recommend pausing the environmental review. Senate Bill 131 created a statutory exemption for qualifying amendments that implement commitments contained in state-approved housing elements. Because the DSP update qualifies for the exemption, staff said completing the EIR is no longer legally required.
Several residents urged the council to either complete the EIR or at least release the work completed so far.
Although continuing the environmental review may no longer be required, resident Cathy Jurca said the completed studies should still be made public.
“Even if it’s not legally required to have done the EIR, you’ve got the work and I think it benefits everybody to know what those impacts might be,” Jurca said.
Resident Ann Christoph agreed, saying the information could prove valuable as the city evaluates future housing sites.
Some speakers also questioned reports that the EIR considered scenarios involving as many as 600 housing units.
Councilmember Alex Rounaghi explained that environmental reviews are required to analyze a range of alternatives, which is why the higher number appeared in the study. It was not a proposal to build that many units downtown.
Mayor Pro Tem Hallie Jones agreed, saying she was “not interested in seeing anything close to 600 units” in the downtown area because it is neither feasible nor desirable.
Rounaghi also cautioned that the city must maintain a state-compliant Housing Element to avoid triggering the state’s “builder’s remedy,” which can allow qualifying housing projects to bypass local zoning and certain development standards.
“We also, I think, should be figuring out where do we put the housing in the places where it makes the most sense,” Rounaghi said.
Councilmembers also supported efforts to seek legislative changes recognizing Laguna Beach’s unique circumstances, particularly its high wildfire risk and coastal constraints.
Mayor Mark Orgill said discussions with state leaders are underway.
“Sacramento has laid out one-size-fits-all regulations that make it difficult for communities like Laguna to comply with as far as meeting their housing goals,” Orgill said.
Councilmember Bob Whalen supported pursuing legislative changes but cautioned against expecting major reforms.
“While I support that effort, I don’t want us to be overly optimistic that they’re going to create an exemption for wildfire safety in the next housing element,” Whalen said. “I think it’s worth trying. I think it’s just going to be very difficult to move the needle.”
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Sara Hall covers City Hall and is a regular contributor to Stu News Laguna.
Laguna Playhouse is getting ready to crank up the memories when Voices of Rock storms the stage for five unforgettable performances, July 30 through August 2. The concert promises to deliver the anthems that defined the golden age of classic rock complete with all the soaring vocals and electrifying harmonies you remember.
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Courtesy of Laguna Playhouse
Harken back to the golden age of classic rock July 30 through August 2 at Laguna Playhouse
More than a tribute concert, Voices of Rock is a high-energy celebration of the songs that filled stadiums and poured out of every car radio in the 1970s and ‘80s. Backed by a world-class band, an extraordinary cast of powerhouse vocalists recreates the unmistakable sound and excitement of rock’s most legendary artists with stunning authenticity and infectious energy.
Audiences will experience one unforgettable hit after another, including Queen’s epic “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Kansas’ “Carry On Wayward Son,” Journey’s “Separate Ways,” and Foreigner’s “Double Vision,” along with beloved classics from Styx, Starship, Toto, Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, Boston and more.
Every show is packed with virtuosic musicianship, and larger-than-life performances from band members like guitarist Peter Tentindo, who has shared the studio and the stage with some of the top original and tribute artists of the era. Tentindo previously rocked out with former members of Survivor and Black Sabbath and has opened for Alice Cooper and Queensryche.
Whether you remember hearing these classics on vinyl, cassette or FM radio – or you’re discovering them for the first time – Voices of Rock delivers a concert experience that bridges generations. From fist-pumping rock anthems to breathtaking vocal showcases, you’ll know the words to all these songs and relive some of the greatest moments in rock history. The result is an exhilarating evening that captures both the power and the heart of classic rock.
Voices of Rock plays Laguna Playhouse (606 Laguna Canyon Rd., Laguna Beach) for five performances only, Thursday, July 30 through Sunday, Aug. 2. Performances are Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m. For information and tickets visit the Laguna Playhouse at http://lagunaplayhouse.com/.
Reet Rooprai and young local creator Snow Pan will be hosting an upcoming community event, the Metanoia Art Exhibition, a youth-led, free entry pop-up art show in Laguna Beach on July 31 and August 1 from 1-8 p.m.
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Submitted photo
Artwork by Snow Pan that will be on display at the Metanoia Art Exhibition July 31 and August 1
The event features original local artwork and an exclusive line of merchandise. Admission is completely free to the public, and 100% of the proceeds from their merch sales will be donated directly to Arts Orange County to support future artists.
This exhibition is entirely student led, serving as a platform for young artists to showcase their works to the public. The theme is Metanoia – a profound transformation of the heart and mind. Not only will this exhibition take the audience on a journey that transcends time and space, spanning from biblical figures to major historical moments, but it will also invite a deeper personal reflection.
Hosted at a beautiful beachside venue at 1205 N. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, the event is open to anyone hoping to enjoy the art, network or simply have a relaxing way to end their weekend.
Merchandise proceeds will go to charity.
For details, go to https://metanoiaarts.carrd.co/.
Stu News Laguna is delighted to be working with the Laguna Beach Animal Shelter to help get the word out in search of loving homes for pets that deserve a warm, nurturing environment and a place to call “home.”
Meet Chico, an adult (3-8 years) female Chihuahua and Spaniel mix. She weighs in at under 25 lbs. and is housebroken. She’s a couch potato who loves kisses, and is loyal and quiet. Currently, her backstory hasn’t been added, so for more information contact Laguna Beach Animal Shelter at 949.497.3552.
Courtesy of Laguna Beach Animal Shelter
Stop by the shelter and check out Chico, as she might be a wonderful addition to your household
The Laguna Beach Animal Shelter adoption procedures are designed to make sure that both the potential family and the animal adopted are in the very best situation possible. Due to their approach to adoption, their return rate is 5% as compared to the national return rate of 50%.
The Laguna Beach Animal Shelter is located at 20612 Laguna Canyon Road. Call 949.497.3552 or go to the website for information on adoption procedures at www.puplagunabeach.org/our-pets.php.
By SARA HALL
City Council this week unanimously approved a new vendor for Laguna Beach’s mobile parking payment system, paving the way for technology upgrades that will improve customer experience and better integrate with future parking management tools.
Councilmembers voted 5-0 Tuesday (July 21) to award a five-year contract to IPS Group Inc. to provide the city’s new mobile parking payment system, with the option of five one-year extensions upon mutual agreement. They also approved a 50-cent transaction fee for all mobile parking payments and amended IPS’ parking meter device and repair contract in an amount not to exceed $1 million over the five-year term.
The council previously considered the item July 7 but postponed action to allow additional negotiations.
Councilmember Alex Rounaghi called parking one of the city’s best tools for ensuring visitors help cover the cost of public services. He also recommended staff return with a broader framework for integrating future parking technologies, a direction that was included in the approved motion.
Click on photo for a larger image
Photo by Mary Hurlbut
City Council this week approved a contract for an updated mobile parking payment system with a new vendor
Rounaghi also encouraged the city to continue replacing traditional parking meters with pay stations.
Acting Director of Transit and Community Services Alexis Braun said Laguna Beach has about 1,700 parking meters. Each year, the city replaces approximately 50 to 100 of them by installing about 10 pay stations while developing a longer-term capital improvement plan for broader replacement.
Braun emphasized that Tuesday’s action focused only on the mobile payment system.
As part of the agreement, IPS will buy back up to 1,000 parking meters for $100 each when the city begins its larger replacement project.
Following the July 7 meeting, staff updated the report with additional information about the procurement process, City Manager Dave Kiff said. The revised agreement also requires quarterly meetings with IPS to review emerging technology and system performance.
The current mobile parking payment system was implemented in 2019, according to the staff report. Since then, parking technology has advanced significantly, prompting the city to seek a new system designed to improve customer experience, increase revenue, reduce vendor costs and better integrate with citation software used by the Laguna Beach Police Department.
The upgraded system will include multilingual support, text-to-pay capability, improved integration with police license plate readers, parking zone confirmation, enhanced payment security and updated city-branded signage and marketing materials.
Parking consultant Julie Dixon, president and founder of Dixon Resources Unlimited, said the Laguna Beach Police Department is currently evaluating license plate reader providers. The IPS contract requires compatibility with whichever provider the department ultimately selects.
Dixon said the city’s long-term goal is a parking program that relies primarily on license plate-based technology.
“Ultimately, as the program evolves, everything in the city will, ideally, be virtual or license plate-based,” Dixon said.
She said the system is designed to accommodate new features as technology evolves. While officials have not determined whether digital signs will be installed, the technology will be capable of supporting that feature.
The city will no longer rely on parking space sensors, Dixon said. Instead, occupancy data will come from parking payments combined with license plate reader technology as the system evolves.
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Sara Hall covers City Hall and is a regular contributor to Stu News Laguna.
Letters to the Editor
Residents turn out to support Laguna’s hillside protections at appellate court
Is the city of Laguna Beach trying to discourage resident involvement?
Nearly two dozen residents attended Tuesday’s appellate court hearing to demonstrate their support for protecting Laguna’s hillsides from development. The environmental group LBCEP (Laguna Beach Coalition for Environmental Protection) sued the city of Laguna Beach over what it believes were violations of the General Plan, which contains policies limiting development on steep hillsides, and prevailed in Superior Court. The city, however, decided to use taxpayer dollars to appeal the ruling – a decision many residents oppose.
After waiting almost two hours to be heard, the court granted a continuance. We will now return to court on August 17.
The LBCEP lawsuit was filed after the city approved development on a very steep lot, which LBCEP argues violates our own General Plan. Legal costs continue to be funded by private citizens while the city’s legal staff and outside counsel are paid with taxpayer dollars to appeal the ruling.
For more information on this case and its importance to Laguna Beach residents, please visit the Coalition’s website at www.lbcep.com.
Joy Berry
Laguna Beach
Stewarding more than a budget
Laguna Beach has spent generations protecting the things that make this community special.
We preserve our coastline. We protect our open space. We invest in our arts. We care deeply about our neighborhoods, our history and the character that makes Laguna Beach unlike anywhere else.
That didn’t happen by accident.
It happened because generations before us believed stewardship meant thinking beyond today’s challenges and making decisions that would benefit the community for decades to come.
Over the past several weeks, our city has had an important conversation about its financial future. The projected structural budget deficit has forced difficult discussions about spending, efficiencies and potential new sources of revenue.
Those conversations matter.
But they also made me wonder whether another conversation deserves a permanent place alongside them.
How do we intentionally steward the economy that funds everything else we value?
I’m not talking about economic development in the traditional sense. Laguna Beach already invests considerable time and energy in supporting local businesses, tourism, planning and economic development.
I’m talking about something I think of as economic stewardship.
To me, economic stewardship means asking not only how today’s policies affect next year’s budget, but how they shape the long-term health of the economy that funds future budgets.
The recent discussion surrounding the proposed 3% business license tax on restaurants and bars is a good example.
Whether someone supported it or opposed it isn’t really my point.
The conversation made me think about something bigger.
Every fiscal decision influences behavior.
Some encourage investment. Others discourage it. Some make entrepreneurship easier. Others make it more difficult. Good fiscal policy shouldn’t only ask how much revenue a proposal might generate. It should also consider how that proposal affects the long-term economic activity that produces future revenue.
I think the same way about commercial occupancy.
This isn’t about whether Laguna Beach has “too much” vacancy or whether our numbers are better or worse than another city.
It’s about recognizing opportunity.
Every occupied storefront represents local jobs, private investment, economic activity and another reason for someone to spend time in Laguna Beach. Every long-term vacancy represents opportunity that hasn’t yet been realized.
The same is true for tourism.
Whenever conversations turn to strengthening the economy, it’s understandable that some people hear that as a call for more tourism.
I don’t see it that way.
To me, economic stewardship isn’t about making Laguna Beach busier.
It’s about creating more value from the people who are already here.
Helping visitors stay another hour. Visit another gallery. Have dinner before heading home. Shop at another local business. Supporting businesses that complement one another rather than simply competing for the same customer.
That’s not growth for growth’s sake.
That’s strengthening the economy we already have.
None of this suggests that fiscal stewardship becomes less important.
Quite the opposite.
Responsible spending, operational discipline and thoughtful budgeting will always be essential.
I simply believe every major fiscal decision should also ask another question: How will this decision shape Laguna Beach’s economy ten years from now?
That question doesn’t point to one predetermined policy. Sometimes it may reinforce the direction the city is already taking. Other times it may point somewhere different.
It begins by asking whether we can grow the tax base before we grow the tax burden. Before asking residents, businesses, or visitors to contribute more, we should also ask whether we’ve fully realized the economic potential of the community we already have.
It might mean reducing barriers for businesses that invest in Laguna Beach, addressing long-term commercial vacancies, encouraging a healthy mix of local businesses, helping visitors stay longer rather than simply attracting more visitors, or strengthening the city’s economic base before asking residents and businesses to contribute more.
Ash Cintas
Laguna Beach business owner, resident, and Visit Laguna Board Member
Click on photo for a larger image
Photo by David Powers
Post-Tropical Elida to trigger high surf this week off the coast of Southern California
Laguna Beach firefighters contained a motorhome fire after flames spread to nearby vegetation along Laguna Canyon Road on Sunday afternoon (July 19), according to the Laguna Beach Fire Department.
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Courtesy of Laguna Beach Fire Department
Smoke rises from a motorhome fire on Laguna Canyon Road
Laguna Beach Engine 1 was the first unit to arrive and deployed hose lines after crews found the motorhome fully engulfed in flames. Engine 2 arrived shortly afterward and helped stop the vegetation fire’s forward progress. Laguna Canyon Road was closed both ways for approximately one hour while crews worked to fight the fire, according to the department.
The fire was contained before it could spread farther, and additional responding units were canceled. Crews remained at the scene to conduct mop-up operations and ensure the area was safe.
The Laguna Beach Police Department and Orange County Fire Authority also responded to the incident. No information about injuries or the cause of the fire was immediately provided.
According to Travel + Leisure, The Ranch at Laguna Beach ranks as the #2 short golf course in the U.S. and Mexico
Travel + Leisure has recognized the golf course at The Ranch at Laguna Beach as one of the “Best in the U.S.” In fact, The Ranch course was listed as number two of 10, just behind The Links at Terranea in Rancho Palos Verdes.
Here’s what was said about it, “The course is a scenic, GEO Certified® nine-hole layout carved into breathtaking canyons, offering stunning views, elevation changes and an ultra-private setting. Thoughtful tee placement ensures a fast, fun game for all skill levels, complemented by GPS-equipped Club Cars, a Pro Shop featuring a new custom Willbo collection and scenic patio dining. Play is made even more sustainable through the resort’s ‘Bottles to Bunkers’ program, which recycles glass bottles into sand for the course.”
Here are the 10 courses Travel + Leisure highlighted in a story titled, Short Golf Courses Are Having a Moment – Here are 10 of the Best in the U.S. and Mexico.
1 – The Links at Terranea
2 – The Ranch at Laguna Beach
3 – The Baths of Blackwolf Run, Kohler, Wis.
4 – Top of the Rock, Big Cedar Lodge, Ridgedale, Mo.
5 – The Hay at Pebble Beach, Pebble Beach, Calif.
6 – The Oasis Short Course at Diamante, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
7 – The Sandbox Golf Course, Sand Valley Golf Resort, Nekoosa, Wis.
8 – Brandon Preserve at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Bandon, Ore.
9 – The Short Course, Mountain Shadow, Scottsdale-Paradise Valley, Ariz.
10 – The Booby Trap, Nauka, Riviera Nayarit, Mexico
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With his traditional “Hi Folks,” you can tell that City Manager Dave Kiff is back to present his City Council Update in advance of tonight’s meeting.
Hi Folks –
Here’s a summary of what’s on the City Council agenda for today (Tuesday, July 21, 2026). In this agenda summary, I cover what I think are the more noteworthy items that will appear on the council agendas. If you want to see the entire agenda, click here.
My agenda summary doesn’t include all of the items up for consideration – just ones that I think should have additional community awareness.
Our meetings generally start at 5 p.m. on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month (except for July and August) at Laguna Beach City Hall, 505 Forest Ave.
A couple of Community Notes:
–We have an additional special council meeting a week from this one (July 28 – starting at 3 p.m.), which will involve three DRB appeals. That agenda and those staff reports are available, too. Council has started doing “appeals days” about once a quarter, so as to not land the appeals late in the evening on regular council nights. We do so with the consent of the appellants and applicants. Remember, too, that you can watch them on Zoom now.
–We did a couple of Promenade updates on social media over the past few days – try to find those and hopefully it addresses some questions we’ve gotten about the remaining pacing of the job. In a nutshell, a few items are delayed because of delivery issues, and the remaining brickwork is a long slog given how sensitive the work is, and how some of it needs to be done at night. Oh, and I now have a visceral dislike of spilled ice cream.
–We had a great first meeting of the Hospital Task Force this week. These meetings are open to the public, with the next one being Thursday, Aug. 20 at the Susi Q/Community Center (starting at 4:30 p.m.). Please consider joining us next time.
We have a study session this week – starting at 3 p.m. This time, it’s a Joint Meeting of the City Council and the Heritage Committee. The major part of the discussion will be the report of a consultant, ASM Affiliates, who was tasked with making a series of recommendations about historic property issues. They looked at how we use the Mills Act (which allows for property tax reductions provided that the savings are invested in preserving the historic nature of the home), as well as how the city government approaches historic properties.
The regular session starts at 5 p.m.
I’ll highlight these items:
–We respond formally to two Orange County Grand Jury reports that concluded the GJ’s 2025-26 calendar. It’s typical that the Grand Jury will offer its thoughts on key civic or policy matters, and then ask every city with some related interest in the matter to comment back as to whether we agree or disagree with the findings and recommendations. This term, the GJ looked at State Housing Laws and Wildfire Preparation (among other things) – and asked us to respond with our comments. The reports as well as our responses are included in the agenda item. Boring but important: Much of the Downtown will get new paving and sidewalk repair starting after summer. This is not (repeat, not) the Ocean Avenue – Beach Street improvement plan that has engendered a lot of discussion. This one is basic maintenance.
Lifeguard Towers. I’ve seen some discussion via email and online about the city’s long-term plan to replace many of the portable red towers with caisson-based poly lifeguard towers that are more permanent and more protected from the elements. Eventually, the plan is to have 39 of these – but not all at once. It should happen over multiple fiscal years. The Planning Commission this week had “concept review” of how these might be placed and where – concept review is very early in the process, where we ask the commission and community for their input. The item on the council agenda for Tuesday is only to hire the engineering firm to start work on the specific placements, which involves geology, wave and tidal impacts and community use needs (like the Vic Beach volleyball court). There is a big reason to do this: skin cancer. Included in that is the consequence to the city for multiple skin cancer claims where better infrastructure was available. Our Marine Safety team is critically important to all of us – to me, providing them with the right protective equipment is essential.
–Congrats to the Police Department for securing about $475,000 in competitive grant funding associated with the state’s cannabis taxation fund. No, we don’t allow the sale of commercial cannabis in town, but we are eligible to apply for grants like this, which go towards DUI checkpoints, education, prevention and training.
–Dig in with me on this next one, please. It’s a discussion item about the Downtown Specific Plan, Phase II. This involves a Programmatic EIR that envisions the environmental impact of 2nd or 3rd story residential in the Downtown Specific Plan area, which includes Downtown plus well into the Canyon to the Boys & Girls Club. Many in the community looked at the amount of units being studied in the EIR and envisioned a dramatic change to the Downtown – I get that, but that was no one’s intent (to be a place with channelized stucco along the lines of parts of Dana Point). Our “6th Cycle” Housing Element requires us to site a significant amount of units, including in the Downtown – and it required us to start studying that to keep a compliant housing element. Here’s what’s happened since the EIR got started – among other things, state law changed. It allows some housing without CEQA (which is the law that causes EIRs to be needed). Staff is recommending that instead of finishing the EIR, we roll the larger discussion of housing in the Downtown into a discussion about siting for our next Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) across the community, as a part of updating our Housing Element for its 7th Cycle (which begins very soon!). This allows the community to talk about this more, for the council to provide some additional guiderails and to consider other housing sites that may not have been identified in the 6th Cycle Housing Element (kudos to anyone who followed me this far – really).
–We have a follow–up presentation about a proposed contract with a new Mobile Parking App vendor, IPS. This is important in part because parking technology is changing so fast, and vendors like IPS are on the cutting edge of how cities effectively manage their parking assets. Part of the updated contract includes a more regular strategizing with IPS and the city to improve parking management based on thorough data and analysis.
The Design Review Efficiency ordinances are back for final review and adoption. I’ve written about these a bit before, and won’t go into it again unless you yell at me.
–There is a public hearing that allows us to tell the county of Orange to bill us all for our sewer fees. Which have not gone up – but fair warning, that’s probably coming when a new Master Plan is complete and a benchmarking study is in and presented to the council (coming in a handful of weeks).
There is public hearing involving a lot line merger to accomplish the planned Pacific Edge renovation, but the recommended action asks for the hearing to be tabled. A few issues need to be resolved before we’re ready to consider that lot merger (all five parcels are within the Pacific Edge footprint).
As always, thanks for reading – stay hydrated through our muggy end-of-July, too. Remember the July 28 appeals meeting if that’s something you follow – 399 Pearl, 950 Baja and 332 Locust.
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After an email from Joy Dittberner last week, I stand corrected. In Stu News I incorrectly identified the stance for the Citizens For Laguna’s Future PAC. In the filing for their Statement of Organization, Joy informed me that they are in OPPOSITION to the ordinance proposing to establish term limits for City Councilmembers.
There, Joy, we got it right!
Tomorrow evening (Wednesday, July 22 from 5-9 p.m.), Truly Pizza invites guests to an exclusive evening celebrating art, craftsmanship and community with acclaimed contemporary artist Michael Kalish, creator of the restaurant’s signature Fire Heart sculpture. Truly Pizza is located at 320 N. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach.
Known for transforming everyday objects into striking large-scale works of art, Kalish’s sculptures are featured in galleries, public spaces and private collections around the world. During the event, guests will have the opportunity to meet the artist, hear the story behind the Fire Heart sculpture, and learn how the installation came to symbolize the passion, creativity and hospitality at the heart of Truly Pizza.
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Courtesy of Truly Pizza
Michael Kalish with his “Fire Heart” sculpture at Truly Pizza in Laguna Beach
Kalish is a multidisciplinary artist working in a variety of mediums including painting, assemblage, sculpture and monumental installations. Of note is the mixed media work reAlize, completed in 2011, winner of the AlA Sculpture of the Year award. Kalish has exhibited in numerous group and solo museum exhibitions throughout the world, including the Guggenheim Museum, Verket Museum and the Riverside Museum of Art.
To mark the occasion, Truly Pizza will debut a one-night-only collaboration menu featuring an exclusive cocktail and specialty pizza available only during the event.
Special Event Menu:
California Dream Cocktail
Gin, tonic, Campari and grapefruit
Event-Exclusive Pizza
White sauce, whole and fresh milk mozzarella, thinly sliced lemon, shaved red onion, roasted pistachios, cherry peppers and breadcrumbs.
Truly Pizza, a culinary haven nestled in the heart of Dana Point, is renowned for their mouthwatering pizzas and commitment to creating unforgettable dining experiences. With a passion for quality ingredients and innovative flavors, Truly Pizza has become a local favorite for those seeking a truly exceptional pizza experience. Founded by Las Vegas Hospitality Veteran Donna Baldwin and World Champion of Pizza John Arena with Pizzaiolo Partners and World Champions of Pizza Chris Decker and Michael Vakneen, Truly Pizza is the only restaurant of its kind in Southern California.
This dream team has introduced an award-winning three-day-fermented pizza dough that is a culinary masterpiece. It’s groundbreaking innovation, known as “micro blistering,” creates tiny bubbles in the crust, ensuring each bite delivers an explosion of crunch and flavor – a hallmark that sets Truly Pizza apart from the rest.
Truly Pizza’s menu showcases American Artisan 12-inch crispy and airy hearth-baked pizzas and square pizzas that are light as a feather. The pizzas are complemented by salads, sandwiches on fresh baked focaccia bread, charcuterie, premium soft-serve desserts, and regional craft beers and sophisticated wines curated from small-batch wineries at approachable price points.
For more information on Truly Pizza, visit www.trulypizza.com.
Reservations are encouraged and can be made here.
The Laguna Beach Sister Cities Association (LBSCA) recognized the winners of the 2026 Young Artists & Authors Showcase (YAAS) during a Laguna Beach City Council meeting.
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Courtesy of LBSCA
Winners of the 2026 YAAS celebrated their awards during a City Council meeting: (L-R) Ellis Minck, Shane DiMaggio, Zoe Daniel, Mayor Mark Orgill, Skylar DiMaggio and Niko Lefevre
The annual Young Artists & Authors Showcase encourages students to express themselves through art and poetry while promoting cultural understanding and global citizenship. This year’s theme, “Voices of Today, Visions of Tomorrow,” invited students to explore how young people can help shape a brighter future through creativity, innovation and compassion.
The 2026 YAAS competition was presented locally by LBSCA in partnership with the Laguna Beach County Water District. Student submissions were evaluated on originality, artistic merit and their interpretation of the international theme.
The 2026 YAAS winners
Art Division
1st Place ($500): Sea and Mind – Shane DiMaggio
2nd Place ($250): Voices Beneath the Surface – Yuke Shan
3rd Place ($100): Speaking Out – Ellis Minck
Poetry Division
1st Place ($500): Ode to a Hoodie – Zoe Daniel
2nd Place ($250): Creations of the Past – Niko Lefevre
3rd Place ($100): To Walk in Different Shoes – Skylar DiMaggio
During the City Council meeting, the student winners were recognized for their outstanding achievements and contributions to the arts. All winning students were present to receive recognition from the City Council, with the exception of Yuke Shan, who was unable to attend. Family members, city officials and community supporters joined in celebrating the creativity and talent demonstrated by Laguna Beach’s young artists and writers.
LBSCA Founding President Karyn Philippsen was present to recognize the students and present their awards. “We are continually inspired by the thoughtful perspectives and artistic excellence of our local students,” said Philippsen.
The YAAS program’s impact extends well beyond the annual competition. As a 2023 YAAS award recipient for music, Sam Sweeney is a shining example of where this recognition can lead. Having recently completed his freshman year at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Sweeney and his family extend their heartfelt thanks to LBSCA and the Laguna Beach community for encouraging young artists like him.
As winners of the Laguna Beach competition, these students are now eligible to submit their work to the international Young Artists & Authors Showcase competition, where entries from Sister Cities programs around the world are considered for recognition.
To learn more about the Laguna Beach Sister Cities Association and their programs, visit click here. Donations help support youth programs like the Young Artists & Authors Showcase, cultural exchanges and other community initiatives.
El Niño is flexing his muscles
On Sunday afternoon (July 19), the water temp in San Clemente was a very inviting 76 and 72 elsewhere in Orange County. Plus, there was a nice Southern Hemisphere pulse with some overhead sets at Lowers and the sun was out with air temps in the mid- to upper-70s. Summer is a month old already and the weather is cooperating. The Eastern Pacific Tropics are getting active again and the water down there is getting warm, so it looks like Senor El Niño is flexing his muscles. Stay tuned on that one.
On this date in 1960, a surprise thunderstorm hit Laguna in the afternoon. It dropped a half inch of rain in just 15 minutes with lots of lightning and thunder as hot and gusty winds blew counterclockwise from the northeast around the strong thunder cell. Temps that afternoon hit 96 degrees for a spell as offshore winds reached 35 mph from the NE – almost like a Santana wind but with high humidity. Dew points soared into the upper 70s for a brief period that afternoon – which is almost unheard of.
The human body’s reaction to heat: To keep on the cool side of their upper thermal limits, our bodies dissipate heat by varying the rate and depth of blood circulation, by losing water through the skin and sweat glands – if the heat is extreme the body’s last cooling method is panting. Under normal conditions, these reflex activities are kept in balance and controlled by the brain’s hypothalamus – a comparatively simple sensor of rising and failing environmental temperatures – a sophisticated manager of temperatures inside.
A brief reminder: The Annual Brooks Street Surf Classic began in 1954, the same year as the Makaha Beach Classic started. Those two events were the first of their kind – definitely an old tradition. Let’s hope we get a good Baja swell for Brooks Street this time around, as the Atlantic is still quiet with only pockets of thunderstorms, but no organization is seen anytime soon. That’s El Niño at work. The 1992 El Niño saw the Atlantic season start really late – during the third week of August. It was Andrew, a small but very strong storm that briefly reached Cat. 5 status while flattening the town of homestead just south of Miami.
Last year’s Brooks Street Surf Classic took place September 27-28…so stay tuned.
Keep that ALOHA spirit!
Crystal Cove Conservancy (CCC) welcomed 28 youth from the Santa Ana Police Athletic & Activity League (PAL) to Crystal Cove State Park July 14-16 for Camp Cove, a three-day outdoor education experience designed to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards through hands-on learning, exploration and discovery.
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Photos courtesy of CCC
Students and CCC staff preparing for coastal activities
Made possible through a partnership between Crystal Cove Conservancy, California State Parks, the Santa Ana Police Athletic & Activity League (PAL), the Orange County Department of Education’s Inside the Outdoors program and the Sacred Places Institute for Indigenous Peoples (SPI), Camp Cove provided children ages 8-11 with immersive experiences that connected them to California’s coast, wildlife and cultural heritage. The program also included seven junior staff members, many of whom are former Camp Cove participants.
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Ranger talking about the wildlife found in California’s coast
For many participants, Camp Cove offered their first opportunity to experience the beach, opening the door to new discoveries and a deeper connection with the natural world. Throughout the week, campers participated in coastal activities and guided bluff walks, a presentation and tournament led by the Sacred Places Institute for Indigenous Peoples, amazing animals sessions presented by the Orange County Department of Education’s Inside the Outdoors program, hat art activities, a California State Parks bird artifacts display, a bird bingo hike through Moro Canyon, water safety instruction led by California State Park Lifeguards and beach time.
“Being able to see kids interact with nature and take them out to Crystal Cove, I think it’s a very nice break from their screens, and it’s a good way to have them engage in something that they wouldn’t normally engage in,” said Joey Figueroa, a volunteer with the Santa Ana Police Athletic & Activity League (PAL).
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Students experiencing an animal encounter
Crystal Cove Conservancy funded the camp’s educational activities and meals, helping remove barriers to participation while supporting collaborative programming delivered with their partners.
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Animal displays were available to camp attendees
Camp Cove reflects Crystal Cove Conservancy’s commitment to using Crystal Cove State Park as an outdoor classroom where young people can build confidence, foster curiosity and develop a lifelong appreciation for California’s natural and cultural resources. Through partnerships like Camp Cove, the Conservancy continues to expand access to outdoor education while inspiring future generations to care for and protect California’s treasured public lands.
For more information, go to https://crystalcove.org/.
On Thursday, July 30 at 7 p.m., Chabad Laguna Beach hosts Michoel Muchnik, who is among the foremost Jewish artists of present day revolutionized Chassidic art, generating a tremendous impact on Jewish life today.
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Courtesy of Chabad LB
Artist Michoel Muchnik will offer insights into his themes
Muchnik’s imaginative and joyful depiction of traditional and mystical Jewish themes brough him critical acclaim and international prominence as a most beloved Jewish artist. This will be an immersive experience combining somatic art practices with guided meditation, light breath methods and Kabbalah wisdom. Participants will leave with practical tools to cultivate greater calm, clarity and creativity in everyday life.
There will be an art exhibition of Muchnik’s works.
Prior RSVP is required, so click here.
Chabad of Laguna Beach is located at 30804 Pacific Coast Highway, Laguna Beach.
The Michael James Roberts Foundation (MJRF) will host MichaelPalooza 2026 on Saturday, Aug. 22 at 6 p.m. at the Port Theater, 2905 E. Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. The annual benefit celebrates the life and legacy of Michael James Roberts – a Laguna Beach teen who passed away in 2023 from Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) just five days after his high school graduation – with an evening of live music, games, food, drinks, dancing and a silent auction, all raising funds for epilepsy awareness, education and neuroscience research.
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Photos courtesy of MJRF
Photos of Michael James Roberts shown at a previous MichaelPalooza fundraiser
Known to friends as “the Mayor” for the way he made everyone feel welcome, Roberts was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 9 and met every challenge with compassion, generosity and a big smile. He died on May 28, 2023, at age 18, with his whole future ahead of him. The foundation created in his honor channels that same generosity back into the community – championing epilepsy awareness, funding innovative neuroscience research, and supporting local causes and education. Last year’s MichaelPalooza drew more than 150 supporters and raised more than $65,000.
“MichaelPalooza is exactly the kind of party Michael would have thrown – everyone included, everyone having fun,” said Rick Roberts, Michael’s father and CEO of the foundation. “Every ticket, every donation and every auction item moves us closer to a world where no family loses a child to epilepsy. Come celebrate with us. Mike rules!”
Three Ways to Be Part of MichaelPalooza:
Attend the event. Tickets include entry, entertainment, food, select drinks and access to all activities. Purchase tickets here.
Donate to the foundation. Can’t make it on August 22? Tax-deductible gifts of any size directly fund epilepsy education, SUDEP awareness and neuroscience research. Give here.
Donate an auction item. Local businesses and individuals can contribute products, services, experiences or gift certificates to the silent auction – a great way to support the cause while introducing your business to hundreds of Newport Beach and Laguna Beach neighbors. To donate an item, contact info@themjrf.org, or call 949. 422.0507. Auction bidding is open online here.
Laguna Art Museum (LAM) is delighted to invite you to one of the most anticipated fundraising events of the year. LAM has been selected as a benefiting nonprofit for the 12th Annual Shopping Extravaganza at Outlets at San Clemente on Saturday, Oct.10 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
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Courtesy of LAM
Twenty-five dollars of every $40 ticket purchased in support of Laguna Art Museum goes directly to funding their inspiring exhibitions, educational programs and community events
This exciting annual event offers a VIP Day of exclusive shopping, delicious dining, live entertainment, exciting prizes and the opportunity to support the Museum you love. Twenty-five dollars of every $40 ticket purchased in support of Laguna Art Museum goes directly to funding inspiring exhibitions, educational programs and community events that connect people of all ages with the rich legacy of California art.
The $40 VIP Ticket Includes: Exclusive one-day-only discounts and special offers from participating retailers, a private catered lunch by Ruby’s Diner, live entertainment throughout the day, complimentary wine tasting for guests 21 and over, opportunities to win hundreds of retailer gift cards and other exciting prizes.
Whether you’re shopping for yourself, getting a head start on holiday gifts or simply enjoying a fun day with friends, the Shopping Extravaganza offers something for everyone.
The best part? Every ticket purchased on behalf of Laguna Art Museum helps increase the funds it receives. LAM hopes you’ll invite your family, friends, neighbors and coworkers to join you.
Purchase your tickets:
Visit the Outlets at San Clemente Shopping Extravaganza ticket page here.
Select Laguna Art Museum as the nonprofit you wish to support during checkout, so LAM receives credit for your purchase.
Support for the LAM arts community helps make art accessible, inspiring and meaningful for thousands of visitors each year.
By SARA HALL
The Planning Commission last week reviewed a long-range proposal to install up to 39 permanent enclosed lifeguard towers along the Laguna Beach coastline, replacing the city’s remaining seasonal and temporary stations with standardized structures designed for year-round marine safety operations.
Commissioners received the concept presentation on July 15, including an evaluation of the first five proposed tower locations. The review was informational only; final engineering, environmental review, Coastal Commission permitting and design approvals will occur in later phases.
The proposed program would install enclosed lifeguard towers on permanent caisson foundations to improve durability and operational readiness while providing safer, year-round working conditions for lifeguards. Permanent enclosed towers have already been installed at several city beaches, and officials said expanding the program would standardize lifeguard infrastructure throughout Laguna Beach.
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Photo by Mary Hurlbut
A lifeguard stands watch from a permanent enclosed tower at Main Beach. The city is considering replacing many of its remaining seasonal and temporary lifeguard stations with permanent enclosed towers as part of a long-range marine safety improvement program.
The presentation outlined the overall program framework. Foundation design, tower placement and construction methods will be refined as each site advances through the design and permitting process.
Last July, the City Council approved a contract with ENGEO to complete geological, geotechnical and wave run-up studies for the project. The firm’s analysis evaluated bluff stability, sand movement, wave run-up, coastal hazards, construction access and other conditions affecting the long-term suitability of each location.
The first five priority sites are Aliso Beach, Picnic Beach, Shaw’s Cove, Table Rock South and Victoria Beach. According to city staff, those locations were selected to evaluate visibility, construction access and coastal constraints before applying lessons learned to future tower locations.
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Courtesy of city of Laguna Beach
A city map shows the proposed locations of up to 39 permanent enclosed lifeguard towers along the Laguna Beach coastline
Public comment reflected differing opinions over whether the city should install a standardized system of permanent towers or continue using a combination of permanent and seasonal facilities.
Resident Nick Aronoff said he supports providing lifeguards with safe working conditions but questioned whether the proposal is appropriately scaled and whether enough information has been presented about costs.
“This is not about protecting lifeguards,” Aronoff said. “I’m 100% in favor of the city providing them with safe and functional working conditions.”
He noted that no cost estimates or maintenance figures were discussed and questioned whether every beach requires the same style of tower.
“Why are we trying to permanently engineer a standardized solution into a coastline that is constantly changing?” he asked, citing seasonal erosion, storm impacts and shifting sand conditions.
Former Laguna Beach lifeguard Dale Ghere, who said he moved to Laguna Beach in 1960 to work as a lifeguard, supported the proposal, noting that many longtime lifeguards have experienced health issues related to prolonged sun exposure.
“The tower is essential to protect the lifeguard,” Ghere said. “An umbrella doesn’t do it.”
He added that permanent towers remain fully equipped and ready for immediate use, while transporting temporary towers can be difficult and hazardous.
Several commissioners also voiced support for the proposal.
Planning Commission Chair Steven Kellenberg said permanent towers would be better equipped to withstand severe winter storms and emphasized that Marine Safety staff are best qualified to determine where lifeguard stations should be located.
“You feel that this is the number of locations you need to do your job,” Kellenberg said. “So I’m completely supportive of that.”
Commissioner Jorg Dubin said lifeguard safety should remain the city’s highest priority, adding that older wooden structures require extensive maintenance and are no longer practical for modern marine safety operations.
Commissioner Ken Sadler, who said discussions about permanent lifeguard towers date back more than 15 years, also favored a uniform design, saying consistency would help beachgoers quickly locate lifeguard stations during emergencies. He added that tower locations should ultimately be based on both marine safety needs and geotechnical recommendations identifying the safest sites.
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Sara Hall covers City Hall and is a regular contributor to Stu News Laguna.
Letters to the Editor
Never again allow public money for schools to be spent like private money
In my opinion, I don’t think the local press is doing our schools any favors with its recent coverage of the $80 million school construction bond vote.
The Board does not have the power to approve a bond. What the Board did was approve moving forward with a ballot proposition to give voters a choice to approve or disapprove a new bond, based on a neutral public information program advising the community of the pros and cons.
Taxes will go down if the new bond is not approved, so we will continue to pay close to $90 million annually in local, state and federal taxes for our small, excellent, but shrinking school district. Thus, the argument that the bond does not raise taxes because it is an extension of the old bond is, in my view, the kind of shell game and sleight-of-hand gimmick the experts advised against.
Bond advisers agreed that over-selling the bond with misleading slogans can cause voters to lose confidence and trust in the bond supporters – many of whom are consultants, builders, architects and other contractors who stand to gain from an even greater infusion of tax dollars.
As a lifelong advocate for our schools, I campaigned for the 1969 bond as LBHS student representative on our School Board. As a parent of children and grandchildren in our schools from K-12 at the same time, I campaigned for the current bond in 2001.
So, I am inclined to support the proposed bond. But I am waiting to study a final project list to ensure that political agendas are not embedded in the fine print, and that terms are included to prevent the kind of no-bid and sole-source contracting that has, in my view, undermined the integrity of LBUSD contracting over the last two decades.
This is an American small-town democratic exercise to ensure our tradition of public education for all is supported fully by the community. 40% of the voters are not property owners but renters, so this is about public education values, not property values or privilege.
As we have seen, corruption of public-school governance can result when public schools start spending public school funds as though they were private money.
Howard Hills
Laguna Beach
Elected member of LBUSD (all views expressed are personal, not on behalf of the Board)
“Sawdust”
Life is Motion
In Oklahoma, Bonnie and Josie,
Dressed in calico, danced around a stump.
They cried, “Ohoyaho, Ohoo”…
Celebrating the marriage of flesh and air.
–Wallace Stevens, 1919
In many ways, over sixty years,
the Sawdust Festival is
an annual marriage ceremony
of oil and canvas,
of clay and hands,
of breath and air.
The grounds provide a wedding reception
for the wedding party
who in their heart of hearts
know the bride and groom intimately
and celebrate their sacred union
in admiration, in touch, in song.
Erick Phillips Garske, 2026
Anaheim Hills
Baseball
Naess and Bonn Selected in Major League Baseball Amateur Draft
Breaker alumni were selected in the recent MLB draft with Nick Bonn, a 2022 graduate of Laguna and a first-team All-Big West Conference as a closing pitcher for the league champion Cal Poly Mustangs, going in the 10th round to St. Louis. At Laguna, he was the Sunset Wave League “Pitcher of the Year” in 2022.
Griff Naess, also a pitcher for Cal Poly and a 2023 Laguna grad, went in the 15th round to Detroit, becoming the 10th Laguna Beach High School player to be drafted.
The highest drafted player ever was Damon Berryhill (’82), a catcher, in the 1984 draft – a first round choice and the #4 overall pick. Berryhill’s Laguna team went 2-18 his senior year but his talent was recognized even at the high school level. Damon played in 683 games in 11 seasons in the National League.
Amateur Baseball Draft (since 1965) – Laguna Beach High School Selections
1971 Greg Kessler (‘71) 21st round (#492) to Oakland
1984 Damon Berryhill (‘82) 1st Round (#4) to Chicago (Orange Coast College)
1988 Danny Lane (‘88) 45th round (#1156) to San Francisco
1992 Danny Lane (‘88) 24th round (#659) to Montreal (UC Santa Barbara)
2015 Chris Paul (‘11) 6th round (#170) to Minnesota (California)
2015 Keaton Jones (‘11) 15th Round (#460) to Detroit (TCU)
2017 Preston Grand Pre (‘14) 24th round (#730) to Los Angeles Dodgers (California)
2019 Cutter Clawson (‘19) 33rd round (#993) to Washington
2026 Nick Bonn (‘22) 10th Round (#294) to St. Louis (Cal Poly)
2026 Griff Naess (’23) 15th Round (#457) to Chicago Cubs (Cal Poly)
Football Update – Breakers Back From Carolina Big Weekend Event
This year’s team trip took us through North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. Starting off in Raleigh/Durham, the Breakers scrimmaged a Top 10 in North Carolina, and visited the campuses of University of North Carolina, NC State and Duke University.
Next was South Carolina where Laguna hopped on a boat to visit the historical Fort Sumter and explored the beautiful city of Charleston.
Our squad finished up their trip in Georgia, navigating the famous streets of Savannah, getting a beach day at Tybee Island and finished off with a boat cruise on the Savannah River.
This Saturday (July 18), Laguna is participating in the South County Classic passing league at Mission Viejo High School, along with 18 other top SoCal schools. The Breakers are in a pool that includes Corona del Mar, Mater Dei and Santa Margarita.
Boys Basketball
The Breakers are playing in the George Yardley Tournament that opened yesterday (Thursday, July 16) at Newport Harbor High School. The Breakers opened against Aliso Niguel to start and will play either Newport Harbor or Mater Dei in the second round. The tournament concludes on Sunday, July 19.
New Athletic Director
Chris Esperanza is now on campus as the Breakers’ 21st AD over 93 years of athletics at Laguna. Red Guyer held the job the longest, going 31 seasons for the school.
Summer Sports Camps
Check the schedule at https://lbhs.lbusd.org/athletics/summer-programs. The website details dates, time, cost and contacts.
Participation in summer camps is optional for Laguna student-athletes. All participants must have current HS athletic clearance prior to the start of their respective camp. Athletic clearance is valid for one calendar year and applies to any sport the student-athlete participates in during the 2026-27 school year. To begin the clearance process, visit: https://lbhs.lbusd.org/athletics/athletic-clearance. Registration for summer camps will be available through the Sports Engine website.
Fall 2026 Sports Dates
The summer is short for Laguna High School sports with the 93rd sports season starting soon:
Girls Volleyball
Official tryout – Friday, July 31, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Queens Court Tournament: August 1-2
Home Opener: Tuesday, Aug. 11 vs. Beckman
Flag Football
Opens season at El Mo Tournament on August 8
Girls Tennis
Thursday, Aug. 20 vs. J Serra
Football
Friday, Aug. 21 vs. Yorba Linda
Cross Country
Friday, Aug. 28 at the PR City Invitational in Norco
• • •
Have a note on LBHS sports? Email me at frank@twometer.net.
If you would like an updated PDF file of the Football, Baseball and Girls Water Polo record books – drop me an email request – all are currently being revised for 2026-27 season.
2026-27 High School Schedules? Check Laguna Beach High School on the MaxPreps website or the schedules tab on the Athletics website at https://lbhs.lbusd.org/athletics/schedules. To get scores on the school site – select the sport and level, click year and move to the “Show older events” toggle under the selected season. Scores are also posted on X @LagunaSports.
OCDE sends Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team to LBUSD to conduct independent review
The Orange County Department of Education has tapped the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) to conduct an independent review of Laguna Beach Unified School District’s financial records.
OCDE said the review was prompted by requests from members of the Laguna Beach community and will focus on employee health benefit contributions, related contracting decisions and the use of district resources.
While OCDE emphasized the review is not, by itself, a finding of fraud or other illegal fiscal practices, it should provide an independent assessment of issues that have generated considerable public discussion in recent months.
The district said it will cooperate fully with the review.
• • •
The Festival of Arts is offering guests the opportunity to experience the rich traditions of cultures from around the world during their inaugural Cultural Arts Day this Sunday, July 19. This new Festival program celebrates global cultures through art, music, dance and hands-on activities, offering visitors of all ages to enjoy an afternoon of immersive cultural experiences.
It takes place from 3-6 p.m. at the FOA, where guests will enjoy a vibrant line-up of live performances throughout the Festival grounds.
Some of those experiences will include a Chinese Lion and Dragon dancers or the traditional Hawaiian Hula with the accompaniment of a ukelele.
There will be a themed scavenger hunt which will encourage guests to explore and discover global artistic traditions throughout the Festival.
And, in collaboration with the Bowers Museum, Cultural Arts Day will also offer interactive art experiences including paper lei making, Asian brushstroke painting, African-inspired art activities and hands-on workshops in the Festival Art Center.
Then, from 5:30-7 p.m., we can’t forget about the special performance by ADAAWE (A Dance and African American World Expressions). ADAAWE’s acclaimed production, Global Soul, blends music, storytelling and movement inspired by cultures around the world in a powerful celebration of connection, community and cultural expression.
Admission to Cultural Arts Day is included with Festival of Arts Fine Art Show admission. Otherwise, tickets are $15 on Sunday, July 19, with free admission for children ages 5 and under, active-duty military and veterans, and Laguna Beach residents.
If you’d like guaranteed seating for ADAAWE, you may purchase a ticket in the reserved section (“Nightclub” VIP seating) for $40. This ticket includes admission to the Festival of Arts Fine Art Show and the concert. Reservations must be made prior to 3:30 p.m. the day of the performance. Limited free seating is also available for each concert.
The Festival of Arts Fine Art Show runs all summer long until September 3, with a number of special days, concerts and events. To stay up to date on all things Pageant of the Masters and Festival of Arts, follow the Festival on social media at @FestivalPageant and visit www.foapom.com.
• • •
Hopefully you noticed Stu News Arts on your electronic device of choice this past Wednesday (July 15). It debuted to much fanfare and lots of great response. If not, make certain you go to www.stunewsarts.com to check it out.
Congrats to Victoria Kennedy of Kennedy Contemporary who was our initial cover star of the debut issue. The story details the new vision of her gallery that just opened on Balboa Island in Newport Beach.
This new location “champions contemporary art and gives people a place to enjoy it.” It’s located at 323 Marine Ave. “The gallery represents 21 artists working across a wide range of mediums, from abstract painting and wood sculpture to contemporary glass installations,” as detailed by our own Clara Beard in Victoria’s story.
The gallery’s newest exhibition, Boundless Palette: Three Voices, is on view through August 15 and features the work of three Sausalito-based artists: Leslie Allen, Terri Froelich and Sharon Paster.
Worthy of note, an opening reception will be held this evening (Friday, July 17) from 5-8 p.m. at the BI gallery.
For members of the arts community, I remind or inform you that there are a number of partnerships available to you, too, to get fully engaged, just as Victoria Kennedy did, with future editions of Stu News Arts. To find out more, chat with Shaena Stabler of our team at shaena.stabler@gmail.com.
• • •
Tomorrow (Saturday, July 18) from 10-11 a.m., the city of Laguna Beach and CR&R are hosting their first virtual composting workshop to help residents transform food and yard waste into rich, organic fertilizer through traditional composting techniques. This free event is perfect for both beginners and compost experts.
Space is limited. To RSVP, email lagunabeach-recycles@crrmail.com. A Zoom meeting link will be provided upon RSVP.
• • •
News and Notes: Frank Aronoff reminds us in this week’s Breakers Sports Roundup that Chris Esperanza is “now on campus” as LBHS’s new Athletic Director. Congrats to Chris.
Separately, in a recent perusal of campaign disclosure statements on the city’s website under City Clerk Ann Marie McKay, are a couple of items of interest:
The first was a Termination Statement, dated June 8, listing George Weiss and an account with a balance of $2,184.21. In checking with Ann Marie, the account was for a campaign committee from his 2024 campaign. The money in the account was given to, the Nimblegov PAC, which is behind the term limit proposition.
Second, Citizens for Laguna’s Future/Joy Dittberner, in opposition to “an ordinance to establish term limits for City Councilmembers” reported an ending balance of $10,588.81.
Laguna Beach Community Land Trust (LBCLT) announced the successful closing on the acquisition of the M & R Horvath Artist Property, consisting of two parcels located at 3251 and 3275 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach. The acquisition preserves 50 artist live/work studio units, ensuring they remain an enduring part of Laguna Beach’s rich artistic heritage.
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Photos courtesy of LBCLT
This acquisition preserves 50 artist live/work studios
The $9.5 million acquisition was made possible through private financing arranged by Patrick Quilter, coupled with an extraordinary $3 million philanthropic contribution from the Quilter family – Charlie, Ann and Chris Quilter. Their transformational gift significantly reduced the financing needed for the purchase and represents one of the most significant private investments ever made toward preserving Laguna Beach’s creative community.
With this acquisition, the Laguna Beach Community Land Trust has preserved 75 artist studio units in just over six months, bringing the organization’s total real estate investments to approximately $18 million.
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The two parcels are located at 3251 and 3275 Laguna Canyon Road
“This is truly a landmark moment – not only for the Community Land Trust, but for the future of Laguna Beach,” said Kristine Thalman, president of the Laguna Beach Community Land Trust. “Artists have always been the heart and soul of this community. Thanks to the remarkable generosity and vision of the Quilter family, these studios will remain places where artists can live, create and contribute to the cultural identity that has defined Laguna Beach for more than a century.”
For decades, the Laguna Canyon artist studios have served as home and workspace for generations of local artists. As redevelopment pressures and rising property values have threatened these unique properties, the Community Land Trust was created to acquire and permanently preserve important housing and studio spaces that might otherwise be lost.
“This acquisition demonstrates what can happen when private philanthropy and community vision come together,” Thalman added. “The Quilter family’s generosity has created a lasting legacy that will benefit artists, residents and the entire Laguna Beach community for generations to come.”
The acquisition represents another major milestone in the Trust’s mission to preserve housing that supports Laguna Beach’s artists, workforce and community character. The extraordinary efforts by the Land Trust board members, especially Vice President Jeff Randolph, Treasurer Kathryn Burton Gray and Director Ed Sauls provided the expertise, guidance and experience important to putting an acquisition of this nature together to ensure its success. “Thanks to the expertise of these board members, we have been able to achieve record-setting goals with respect to real estate transactions and true preservation,” added Thalman.
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A view of the courtyard on the property
By maintaining ownership through the Community Land Trust model, these studios will be protected as long-term community assets rather than being vulnerable to redevelopment or conversion to other uses.
Since its formation just months ago, the Laguna Beach Community Land Trust has rapidly become one of the region’s most successful community preservation organizations, demonstrating how public-private partnerships and charitable giving can create lasting community benefit.
The Laguna Beach Community Land Trust extends its deepest gratitude to Patrick Quilter and to Charlie, Ann and Chris Quilter for their extraordinary leadership, generosity and commitment to preserving the artistic heritage that has made Laguna Beach internationally recognized as an artists’ community.
This year marks the 79th year of the Junior Art Program. Over the decades, thousands of young artists have exhibited their work at Festival of the Arts (FOA) and some have returned years later as professional artists. Anthony Salvo and Cheyne Walls are among those alumni who now exhibit their work in the Festival of Arts Fine Art Show.
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Photos courtesy of FOA
Welcome to the 79th year of the Junior Art Awards
This year’s exhibition features nearly 350 works of art by students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, submitted by schools across Orange County. The diversity of media was incredible – from drawing and painting to photography, mixed media, and even animation and film.
Out of thousands of submissions, a jury carefully selected the works narrowing it down to the top 350.
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Winners are joined by judges, sponsors, artists and members/staff of FOA
2026 Junior Art Jury Awards
TK/PK
1st place, Hudson Delgadillo, Heart Shape Balloon
2nd place, Aghiad Daker, Flowers for My Dad
3rd place, Camden Tien, White Bear
Kindergarten
1st place, Leah Gluckman, Rainbow Cat and Bird
2nd place, Nadeline Navarro, Bubbles the Robot
3rd place, Jaiden Puhawan, Rosy Cheeks
First Grade
1st place, Helena Walden, Dino Doug
2nd place, Monroe (Rosie) Hallowed
3rd place, Walker Nguyen, I Am an Artist
Second Grade
1st place, Holden Stevens, Desert Fiesta
2nd place, Lily Krasinski, Space Robot
3rd place, Jaslyn Huynh, Crazy Hair Day
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(L-R) Christine Georgantas (at podium), Nancy Darnell, Sofia Rivera (first place winner, third grade) Mark Porterfield, Kirsten Whalen, Morgan Matthews (in back in red) and Sharbie Higuchi (in magenta)
Third Grade
1st place, Sofia Rivera, Cats Under Swirling Skies
2nd place, Ethan Yu, Animals in a Forest
3rd place, Eddie Xiang, Soaring
Fourth Grade
1st place, Veronika Shakhovkina, Bubble Girl
2nd place, Christian Giron, Green Monster Character Design
3rd place, Chloe Peykoff, Dia de los Muertos
Fifth Grade
1st place, Grace Liang, Order and Chaos
2nd place, Alanis Orozco, Cat and Fish Bowl
3rd place, Silvia Goodman, Table for Two
Sixth Grade
1st place, Jaden Hoang, Sweater Weather
2nd place, Arianne Hwinn, Lightbrush!!
3rd place, Shayan Dejbakhsh, Mola
Seventh Grade
1st place, Olivia Lam, Lunar Dragon
2nd place, Jonathan Navarro, Self Portrait
3rd place, Iana Filinskaia, 3000 Lanterns
Eighth Grade
1st place, Isla Omohundro, Woman of the Water
2nd place, Mariajose Cano Guerrero, Elsa
2nd place, Lauren Tran, The Water Market
3rd place, Kayla Jung, Toucan
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(L-R) Christine Georgantas (at podium), Nancy Darnell, Anle Botes (first place, ninth grade), Mark Porterfield and Kirsten Whalen
Ninth Grade
1st place, Anle Botes, Generations
2nd place, Isabella Varrone, Golden Hour
3rd place, Victoria Tu, Somber
Tenth Grade
1st place, Aran Mark Pillei, AMP Helvetica
2nd place, Arina Bondar, Floating
3rd place, Nathan Penaloza, The Trey
Click open story button to continue reading…
Eleventh Grade
1st place, Kimberly Guardado, Far Away
2nd place, Caroline Kwon, A Visit to My Ancestors
2nd place, Ariel Kang, Puzzled
3rd place, Nghi Nguyen, Cultural Beauty of a Nation
3rd place, Natalie Reginato, Tiger
Twelfth Grade
1st place, Mary Nguyen, Pearfecto
2nd place, Leo Wittkop, You Make Me Sick
3rd place, Magdelana Cox, Railway Mandoria
3rd place, Lisa Zhu, Silent Benediction
3D K-8
1st place, Karmen Hilario, Moon Jar
1st place, Darren Wang, Molten Guardian
2nd place, Brooke Snyder, Ella the Elephant
2nd place, Quinn Bui, White Lace Lamb
3rd place, Bella Bulsombut, Painted Spirit
3D 9-12
1st place, Doris (Thanh) Doan, Dreamy Cat
1st place, Trina Tran, Axed Tree for Tea
2nd place, Sofia Carr, Sophisticated Rabbit
3rd place, Sedona West, Coming to Life
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(L-R) Scott Fitzpatrick (arts coordinator for the Orange County Department of Education) with one of the first-place winners of Film/Animation (9th-12th grade), Bria Oglesby. The film was entitled “Spirits of the Forest,” a group project that included Grace Loggins, Sophia Tanka, Aria Gabourty and Abigail Crader.
Video/Animation
1st place, Grace Loggins, Bria Oglesby, Sophia Tanka, Aria Gabourty, Abigail Crader, Spirits of the Forest
2nd place, Henry Vuong, Himiko’s Dream
3rd place, Omar Sarr, The Box
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Mark Porterfield, one of the sponsors of the Junior Art Awards
FOA extends their heartfelt thank-you to jurors, all of whom are Festival exhibiting artists, and to the dedicated teachers who support and guide these students every step of the way. Also, a special thanks to Morgan Matthews and the Art Center staff – Andrew, Nick, Varsha, Samantha, Adam, Paula, Quinn, Ellye, Naomi, Sonny, and Lilly – for all their hard work organizing and installing the Junior Art Exhibition.
Friendship Shelter announced they have been awarded a $1.1 million grant from the Samueli Foundation’s Build OC Fund, a transformative investment that will help accelerate the development of 11 units of permanent supportive affordable housing in South Orange County.
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Photo by Craig Bennett
(L-R) Wendy Aird (Friendship Shelter board chair); Nishtha Mohendra (CEO) and Teddie Ray (board vice president)
The funding will support the conversion of a former motel in San Clemente into thoughtfully designed apartments for chronically homeless individuals with disabilities, transition-age youth ages 18-25 and seniors – some of Orange County’s most vulnerable residents.
“We are deeply honored to be selected as a Build OC Fund recipient,” said Nishtha Mohendra, Friendship Shelter CEO. “This investment represents far more than a construction grant – it is an investment in dignity, stability and long-term opportunity for people who have faced significant barriers to housing. Thanks to the Samueli Foundation, we can move this project forward and create permanent homes for individuals who need them most.”
The project aligns closely with the Samueli Foundation’s vision of advancing well-being and opportunity for all by expanding the supply of permanent affordable housing and improving outcomes for vulnerable populations. Residents will have access to private living spaces within a community-centered environment designed to promote connection, accountability and stability. Onsite and community-based support services will help residents improve health outcomes, maintain housing and rebuild independence.
Friendship Shelter currently serves nearly 200 tenants through their housing programs and is uniquely positioned to deliver immediate, lasting community impact thanks to the Samueli Foundation Build OC Fund grant, which leverages generous support received from CalOptima Health and The Quilter Family.
“With housing affordability challenges continuing across Orange County, projects like this demonstrate what can be accomplished when philanthropy, healthcare partners, government agencies and community organizations work together,” said Wendy Aird, Friendship Shelter board chair. “The Build OC Fund investment allows us to deliver permanent housing solutions that not only address homelessness today but strengthen our community for years to come.”
Upon completion, the development will expand southern Orange County’s capacity to provide permanent, life-changing housing solutions and help advance Friendship Shelter’s mission to end homelessness, one person at a time.
A temporary bicycle pump track is now open at the Community and Recreation Center through July 25. Bring your bike, helmet and elbow and knee pads to give it a try.
The pump track will be open on weekdays from 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. A limited number of bikes and safety gear will be available for use.
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Photos by Mary Hurlbut
The track may be used by bicyclists and other wheeled non-motorized equipment, and features 150 feet of rollers and banked turns
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First timers should keep it simple, practice in one area to get a feel for the track
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Try walking the track with your bike, practice entering and exiting the track, then go for the whole circuit
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Going for it
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Expect spills as you get used to the track
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Another rider joins in the fun
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Giving the track a go
Pump Track Rules
Use the pump track at your own risk. By using the pump track, you understand and agree that there are certain risks of injury associated with riding a bicycle or other wheeled non-motorized recreational equipment. Such risks include but are not limited to: personal injury, death, disability, communicable diseases, illnesses, viruses, or property damage or loss. You agree to accept those risks and not take any action against the city of Laguna Beach if you are injured (CA Health & Safety Code sec. 115800).
–Helmets, elbow pads and knee pads must be worn at all times while using the pump track (CA Vehicle Code Sec. 21212).
–Travel in the same direction as other riders.
–Use of motorized vehicles/devices on the track is not permitted.
–Use of the pump track is not permitted when surfaces are wet, icy, or slippery. Do not use the pump track if any hazardous conditions are present. Report hazardous conditions or damage to the city of Laguna Beach. Movable obstacles or outside materials (e.g. ramps/jumps) are not permitted.
–No formal contests, instruction, or organized activities are permitted without prior permission from the city of Laguna Beach.
–Be respectful of others and share the space.
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Artwork by Don Krotee
This piece overlooks Laguna’s east of south, over Main Beach, from Las Brisa’s patio. The hotel has had a lengthy exterior retrofit and shows its distinctive Mediterranean Revival style. The city of Laguna Beach’s website has a profile of the property’s complex evolution. The Laguna Plein Air Painting Association is celebrating their First Thursdays Art Walk in October, partly featuring an open competition for artists to “paint the hotel.” As California’s beach season has been often overcast, the painting features the obscured foggy horizon to feature the Grand Dame of Main Beach, with soft diagonal cloud openings. The morning is cool and quiet for the few. But the area will soon bustle with the breakfast crowd. The piece is submitted in the competition, as a fully transparent watercolor.
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Don Krotee is a Corona del Mar resident and has long had a local political, environmental and housing interest. He is an architect, sailor and SPON board member, Newport Beach’s oldest environmental non-profit, since 2001. Krotee has long provided original paintings and drawings to Stu News from iconic Newport Beach and Laguna Beach and around the world.
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From Stu News Arts: Celebrating the people, places and performances that make Southern California’s arts community extraordinary. More at www.stunewsarts.com.
