New superintendent is leading the charge of the school year, while board faces a records request from the District Attorney’s office
There seem to be two paths our school district is currently heading down. First, we’re still in the throes of a new school year where excitement, new clubs and organizations, sports teams, etc. add to the excitement on local campuses.
We also have a new superintendent who I’m excited to meet, who appears to be doing all the right things, and someone who’s been impressive so far.
At the same time, the district’s board is still dealing with some old baggage. It’s the same old same old, dating back to the time leading up to and immediately following former Superintendent Dr. Jason Glass’ departure and the subsequent hiring of Superintendent Dr. Don Austin.
Here’s what’s up. Avery T. Harrison, a Senior Deputy District Attorney assigned to the Orange County District Attorney’s Special Prosecutions Unit, has submitted a detailed Public Records Act request to Laguna Beach Unified School District concerning the departure of Dr. Glass and the arrival of Superintendent Dr. Austin.
Harrison’s request is unusually specific. It seeks communications between LBUSD administrators, HR, board members, board attorneys and Glass concerning his mutual separation agreement and proposed separation date from March 1-June 1. It separately seeks communications concerning Austin’s availability, potential start dates, salary and benefits negotiations, proposed contracts and any authorization, approval or discussion of him as a candidate.
It also seeks records of any interviews or conversations with Austin between March 1 and May 14, as well as communications and drafts surrounding the district’s May 14 press release announcing Austin’s hiring.
Finally, the OCDA wants copies of previous Public Records Act requests and responses concerning either Glass’ separation or Austin’s hiring since March 1.
The requested dates and categories focus closely on the chronology and decision-making process surrounding when Dr. Glass’ departure was contemplated and/or negotiated, as well as when the discussions with Austin began. Who authorized those discussions? When were terms negotiated? And how much had been decided before the May 14 public announcement?
The records could also shed additional light on potential Brown Act/open-meeting/closed-session concerns previously raised in multiple citizen complaints.
Although nothing about the existence or status of any investigation can be determined from this request, the fact that the requester works in the OCDA’s Special Prosecutions Unit makes the request noteworthy given the office making it.
Is someone in trouble? There’s no way to tell from the records request alone.
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Nepal needs our help…and R Star Foundation is answering the call!
Sometimes a tragedy happens halfway around the world and, understandably, it can feel a long way away.
This one shouldn’t.
Devastating flash floods swept through Nepal this week after a massive glacial collapse high in the Himalayas sent ice, rock, mud and water rushing into communities below. Homes have been destroyed, villages overwhelmed and families suddenly left without some of life’s most basic necessities.
And this is where a longtime Laguna Beach connection comes in.
For more than 23 years, R Star Foundation has worked in Nepal, helping women, children and families in remote villages build better lives through education, microfinance, clean water projects, livestock programs and other efforts.
Founder Rosalind Russell and her R Star team don’t simply know Nepal from photographs or news reports. They know the people. They know the villages. They’ve spent years building relationships there.
So, when disaster strikes, it’s personal.
Right now, R Star says the needs are immediate: food, clean water, mosquito nets, tents and other basic supplies for families who have lost virtually everything.
We’ve seen R Star answer this kind of call before.
Following Nepal’s devastating earthquakes in 2015, the organization and their supporters rallied to help communities recover and rebuild. Now, more than a decade later, Nepal needs that compassion again.
This is one of those moments when even a contribution that may seem small from here can mean something very big over there. And perhaps that’s the real beauty of organizations such as R Star. They give us a direct connection from our little corner of the world to people who desperately need a hand in theirs.
To learn more or contribute, visit https://rstarfoundation.org.
Nepal needs help. R Star is there.
Hopefully, Laguna Beach will be, too.
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Tonight (Friday, Aug. 28), the Laguna Beach Police Department will conduct a driving under the influence (DUI) checkpoint from 6 p.m.-2 a.m. at an undisclosed location.
DUI checkpoint locations are determined based on data showing incidents of impaired driving-related crashes. The primary purpose of DUI checkpoints is to promote public safety by taking suspected impaired drivers off the road.
Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk, any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improve traffic safety.
The Laguna Beach Police Department reminds the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol. Some prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving. While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.
Drivers charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Highway Patrol’s Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program.
• • •
Meanwhile, across town on the campaign trail, a field of nine candidates has qualified for the November 2026 City Council ballot, vying for one of the three seats up for election.
Three incumbents highlight that list, and like it or not, have performed well over the recent term.
First is Alex Rounaghi, who four years ago dipped his toe in the political arena for the first time and has not disappointed. He and I became close working for a year on a community podcast. Alex loves this community and has worked hard to bring positive change related to wildfire preparedness, long-term water reliability, streamlining community development processes and more. Alex seems to be “that guy,” with seemingly bigger political career opportunities waiting in his future.
Mark Orgill, our mayor, has also announced his desire to re-up for another term. Mark, like Alex, is finishing his first term and calls his service to the community one of his “greatest honors.”
Mark is a collaborative worker who seeks the opinion of others before making crucial decisions, which makes his service that much more meaningful and effective. He cites his accomplishments during his term as fire preparedness, working to keep Laguna safe, supporting artists and cultural institutions and better management of our visitors.
One of the big surprise names running has to be Laura Parisi, who has been on the ballot before, many times for that matter, serving as the city’s elected treasurer since 1999.
You’d have to assume that making decisions directly affecting residents has to be more of a calling to her than just counting their money.
Sue Kempf is a two-time mayor during two terms on council and someone whose leadership has become something the community depends on. She’s accomplished a lot, including the Neighborhood & Environmental Protection Plan designed to mitigate visitor impacts, enhance services for residents and add environmental protections; she also implemented the Wildfire Mitigation and Fire Safety Plan, the 2023 Parking Management Plan and has partnered with local businesses to help create economic recovery programs.
Karen Martin has a strong background combining urban planning, land entitlement consulting, public notice services, development and property management.
I asked her why the run now and she responded, “I’m running because I’ve spent more than 30 years helping communities solve difficult planning and development problems, and I believe that experience can be useful here. I want City Hall to make better-informed decisions, spend more carefully and put residents first.”
Joy Berry is a longtime Laguna Beach resident, land use professional and local hospitality business owner; she serves as vice president of Village Laguna and has been an active voice in local land-use, hillside and canyon protection and city financial stewardship.
Edward Bayuk, who has called Laguna home for 30+ years, has been a leader in business and has served on a number of statewide boards, including those involving the motor vehicle world, housing finance and the Nevada-California High Speed Rail. He’s running to give back, keep Laguna safe, beautiful, fiscally strong and prepared for the future.
Nick Aronoff has a recognizable name around the Stu News offices, as dad Frank is the connection to our local sports world. Nick told me he’s running because he “became concerned about the changes affecting residents’ quality of life. I believe we need to be proactive vs. reactive, listen to residents, rebuild trust, bring common sense back to City Hall and protect what makes Laguna special.”
Ashley Cintas is running because she believes “Laguna needs leadership that looks beyond the next meeting, the next budget cycle, or the next election.
“As I became more involved in city issues…I saw a larger pattern: many of our biggest challenges come back to how we make decisions.
“Laguna is facing real choices about wildfire preparedness, emergency medical access, aging infrastructure, tourism, neighborhood quality of life, the local economy and our long-term financial health. These issues deserve more than short-term reactions.”
