Committee recommends tenant protection ordinance to council, emphasizes urgency

By SARA HALL

The Housing and Human Services Committee this week unanimously agreed to recommend that City Council develop a tenant protection ordinance and forwarded a draft document to use an example for possible language.

The HHSC voted 8-0 Wednesday (May 24) to recommend to council that the ordinance cover the committee members’ key issues: Greater relocation assistance; 60-day noticing requirements (with scope of work and permits attached if the reason for eviction is a major remodel); that permits are actually pulled if the reason is a major remodel; the duration that an owner has to live in a unit if the reason is owner move-in is two to three years; allowing the right of first refusal for a displaced tenant and that the minimum level of rehab work required to be considered a remodel is identified.

The motion for approval also included an emphasis that the city ordinance go beyond the state law, be put into effect soon (ideally over the next several weeks), and that it reflect both the appropriate ways in which landlords should function as well as encourage potential investors to invest in apartments in Laguna Beach.

There was also some confusion about what the direction that council previously gave regarding a potential ordinance.

Council did direct staff to look into the matter, Housing Program Coordinator Jennifer Savage confirmed. They anticipate meeting with Mayor Bob Whalen and that he would return to council with an update at the end of summer or early fall.

That’s not soon enough, several committee members agreed.

“Honestly, that’s disappointing,” said committee member Jacquie Schaefgen. “I think that doesn’t really fit the need of being an emergency ordinance.”

They could ask, as a group, that the council consider this sooner, she suggested.

Committee member Joe Hanauer was also in favor of urging the council to act soon.

“And the reason for that is twofold: One is to save rental units at these price points and the second is not to create some unintended consequences,” he said. “I think we should express that (to council).”

It’s going to be known that a potential ordinance is being floated and the committee’s effort to get ahead of the issue to help prevent people from getting evicted.

“I think that’s a reason, honestly, why a lot of the towns are looking at it as an emergency ordinance, understanding that sense of urgency,” Schaefgen said. “We’re losing housing by the day.”

Chair Laura Sauers also mentioned the concern that once the council starts talking about a potential ordinance it could trigger evictions.

“I think the only thing we can do is create a sense of urgency,” she said. “If this is going to be discussed and become an ordinance, it needs to be done quickly so we don’t see a wave of individuals moving out.”

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Photo by Scott Brashier

A city committee is recommending council develop a draft emergency ordinance aimed at protecting renters in Laguna Beach

They also want to ensure that it doesn’t sound like the city is “attacking” local landlords, Sauers said.

“This isn’t the committee against landlords in town, but we do need to recognize that this is extreme circumstances and that it is part of our charge to preserve middle income and affordable housing in our town,” Sauers said. “By providing some of these protections, our hope is that when people have to move, they can still land in another rental in Laguna Beach instead of leaving town, which is what’s happening at a rapid rate.”

If the ordinance goes too far, investors will just avoid building in Laguna Beach, Hanauer pointed out. It’s already difficult because there’s so much red tape, he added.

“I think it’s really critical that this committee…on the one hand wants to protect existing units, but on the other hand wants to encourage new units. And we don’t want the city to become stigmatized as anti-investor, anti-landlord, etc.,” Hanauer said. “I think it’s important that we express to the council that, whatever we do, we walk that tightrope that on the one hand wanting to make sure the landowners function the way they should, but on the other hand want to make sure that we let people know that this is a place that you should invest in apartments.”

The issue has been a topic of discussion for several months for the committee, who have been working to address it.

After residents spoke at the January 25 meeting during public comment, the issue was placed on the committee’s February 22 agenda for further discussion. At that time, the group agreed to add it to their workplan and discuss it in more detail for potential future action at their April meeting. On April 26, the committee agreed to present their report on a possible draft emergency/urgency eviction and tenant protection ordinance to the council.

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Fair Game

By TOM JOHNSON

Hello from Las Vegas! Today we’re talking shoes!

This week’s column comes while looking down from the 62nd floor of the Crockfords, part of the Resorts World Las Vegas complex on the north end of The Strip. Sometimes, we just all need to get away. This time it was my turn. And while the task of processing stories and columns is still important and required, I just needed a new environment to invigorate my mind. Some readers might say, “You should do it more often.”

But, what a great city! There is so much to do, so many shows, so many lounges to relax in, pools seemingly everywhere I turn, and if you like golf, and I do, then it’s a great place to bring out the sticks.

But while I’m away, it also becomes clear to me that what I temporarily left behind is arguably better than anyplace else this world has to offer…so I’m looking forward to getting home, refreshed and rejuvenated.

Which also reminds me, the next time I need a getaway, maybe it’s just a call to The Ranch, the Surf & Sand or even The Montage. We certainly have a lot to choose from.

• • •

Here’s a question, what do you think of when I mention the name Imelda Marcos, besides her being the First Lady of the Philippines from 1965-1986? Shoes…shoes and more shoes. At one point, her collection was estimated at some 3,000 pairs.

Okay, I’m not that bad, BUT, I do love shoes…particularly my Pumas.

Here’s the story behind it. Some years ago I was wearing a pair of Pumas and one of my nieces commented, saying, “Uncle Tom, your Pumas are cool!” She was young and I figured me looking cool was a good thing, and I guess that’s all it took.

When I semi-retired a few years back, or should I say, attempted to, I decided that I was never going to wear hard shoes again. Now, this is from someone who owns a number of pairs of loafers in all colors and styles, lace-up dress shoes, casual and dressy sandals, cowboy boots, hiking boots, boots for the snow, zories or flip-flops as they’re more commonly called, a dozen or so golf shoes, and this is a big AND – 70+ some pairs of Pumas!

That’s right.

I have them in all colors: blues, reds, blacks, pinks, greens, purples, blacks and browns…many in multiple shades…it’s really gotten crazy. Pumas are all I wear now. If I’m heading to the beach, Pumas. Going off to church, Pumas. Coffee with City leaders, Pumas. A black-tie event, you guessed it…Pumas with my tuxedo.

Fortunately, a number of people now do something similar with these types of casual shoes…so it’s not really that weird. However, most of those “cool cats” are some 30-40 years younger than me and probably a better fit for styling.

But what most people ask me when they find out about the shoes is, “where do you keep them all and how do you keep them organized?”

Glad they asked. Fortunately, today, we can pretty much find anything we need on Amazon. For me, for obvious reasons it was shoe storage I was looking into. On Amazon I found many different offerings, but settled in on one called Kuject Large Shoe Organizer. They’re kind of a stackable cubby hole for shoes.

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Courtesy of Amazon

My shoes, thanks to the Kuject Large Shoe Organizer

Well, I ordered a bunch and when they arrived the multi-day building and organizing process began. This is not just a morning project, mind you. So, first you have to build each box individually; then you stack and clip them together; next I built and designed them to occupy most of a bedroom wall, including around a fairly large window. You don’t know how many times during this process I told myself, “This is really stupid.”

When they were finally in place, the real work began…putting the shoes each away in a place that made some sense of organization so when I need them again later I can find them.

As for the finished product, heck, I call it art…which goes to show you I’m not much of a connoisseur of the finer things in life.

Oh well, it’s my thing…and I enjoy doing it. I also liked to collect baseball cards when I was younger. Who knew I’d switch from a love of Willie Mays to the shoe-queen Imelda.

Wait, is that a knock at the door? Probably just another order of Pumas!

• • •

Okay, you’re going to need breakfast anyway on Monday, May 29…so why not get up and head out to support the Laguna Beach Firefighters’ Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast in Heisler Park.

The fare includes coffee, juice, pancakes and sausage for $8. What a deal.

The money raised goes to the Laguna Beach Firefighters Community Assistance Fund.

Thanks to Mozambique, Skyloft and Jedidiah Coffee for their support.

The Laguna Beach High School Model United Nations (MUN) students need our help. They’re currently hosting an online auction of eight custom-painted 50-gallon rain barrels to raise funds to provide the Maasai Village in Kenya with a permanent water infrastructure system.

The auction is open at www.ebid.net/us/ and will remain open until midnight on June 1.

Monies raised will go towards funding a $31,000 water well project to improve access for clean drinking water. It also ensures against a drought threatening the Maasai’s food supply, health and well-being.

Kudos to the Laguna Beach County Water District (LBCWD) who donated the eight 50-gallon rain barrels to LBHS’ FLOW Club, while the students at El Morro Elementary, Top of the World Elementary, Thurston Middle School, and Laguna Beach High School “unleashed their artistry to decorate these barrels.”

“The district was happy to lend its support and donate rain barrels to this worthwhile cause,” said Christopher Regan, assistant general manager, LBCWD. “It’s exciting to see local students working to improve access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene in a community on the other side of the world where drinking water is a luxury.”

The rain barrels can be previewed at www.lagunamaasai.org/. Individuals can also make direct donations online through Venmo to @Laguna-Maasai.

It’s nice to see our kids who have a thirst for this kind of community involvement.

• • •

Laguna Ocean Foundation is excited to announce the return of KelpFest on Saturday, June 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the cobblestones at Main Beach and at the Laguna Beach Beer Company after-party from 3-6 p.m. KelpFest celebrates Laguna Beach’s unique shoreline, the vital coastal resources and the kelp that supports them. This free festival features music, activities, informational booths, games and art. Highlights this year include live art creation, ukulele performances by the Seaside Serenaders and edible kelp snacks. This event has something for everyone!

So come enjoy a day of fun while learning about and supporting organizations working to preserve our precious coast. 

Laguna Ocean Foundation (LOF) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to preserve and protect the beaches, intertidal zone, watersheds and ocean waters of Laguna Beach by promoting ocean literacy, emphasizing the importance of coastal ecosystems, community involvement, and an interest in nature for all residents and visitors of Laguna Beach.

• • •

On Thursday, June 1 at 5:30 p.m., join the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce as they welcome Andrew Myers Art with a ribbon-cutting celebration.

“We don’t see this space so much as a gallery or a store, but rather an art piece within itself. It’s an experience,” said founder and Artist Andrew Myers. Andrew Myers Art is located at 224 Forest Ave.

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

Reports of six fentanyl-related deaths in the city this past week are FALSE

According to a City of Laguna Beach spokesperson, a recent neighborhood post on Nextdoor inaccurately states that there have been “six fentanyl-related deaths in Laguna Beach this past week,” including a student at Laguna Beach High School. This information is inaccurate and misleading.

The Laguna Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) has confirmed that there have been no fentanyl-related deaths involving a high school student. Sadly, two separate suspected fentanyl-related deaths of older adult men did occur in Laguna Beach this month.

Fentanyl and the dangers associated with this dangerous drug are a nationwide concern and should not be taken lightly. The Laguna Beach Police Department (LBPD) and the LBUSD work closely together to ensure that students receive education about the dangers of fentanyl. The LBPD School Resource Officer has worked with school staff to provide fentanyl education to our students and parents throughout the school year.

The city will continue to work closely with our community partners to keep the Laguna Beach community safe, educated and informed.

Forum focuses on LBUSD aquatic center, facilities; board gives direction on options

By SARA HALL

A nearly four-hour forum this week focused on a contentious aquatic center and other school facilities and featured several conceptual options, community input and board debate.

The Laguna Beach Unified School District Board of Education held a facilities master plan study session and workshop on Tuesday (May 23) at Thurston Middle School. Since the presentation of the initial proposals at the March 23 study session, district staff has received hundreds of comments and general feedback and incorporated it into the proposed project and shared several conceptual options at this week’s forum.

Tuesday’s meeting featured multiple potential concepts for the contentious aquatic center at LB High School, a Q&A session with both the board (verbal back and forth) and the audience (written questions with verbal answers from staff), more than a dozen passionate speakers during public comment, drawn-out debate amongst board members and an overview of possible financing options. During the key board discussion regarding the pool facility, there was quite a bit of disagreement (including on whether or not they could even narrow down the conceptual options without more information), uncertainty over the different options and requests for more participation from the city.

At the start of the meeting, Board President Jan Vickers emphasized that they aren’t deciding on anything and there is still a lot more information to gather.

“This is a continuing process,” Vickers said. “We are hoping to continue to work together to move forward and resolve this in the best interest for our students, our staff and our community.”

Answering an audience question about where the district is in the timeline of the overall project, LBUSD Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Jeff Dixon said it’s a fluid process. They want to ensure they capture as much feedback and community engagement as they can, he emphasized, so it’s ongoing with no solid end date yet. They’re trying not to go too slow, but also can’t go too fast either, he said.

The board instructed the team to return during a special study session likely in the final week of June. At that time, staff and the consultant will return with timelines, some initial cost estimates, and benefit comparisons of the various configurations and options the board favored.

The first iteration of the 10-year facilities plan was established and approved in 2015. The larger projects were part of the capital improvement program, but, after a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ruhnau Clarke Architects was hired in 2021 to review the remaining projects on the list. In 2022, the initial feasibility study was presented to the board and had found that the high school administration offices needed to be expanded primarily to deal with the increased need of counseling and support spaces for students. The study also covered the district office and the transitional kindergarten program.

At the March 23 meeting earlier this year, Ruhnau Clarke Architects and staff presented several proposed updates to the district’s 10-year facilities master plan that addresses facilities needs at all school sites. There were also several open house meetings held in April and May at the various school sites.

This week’s workshop featured modified concepts with the feedback incorporated into the proposal.

Based on what they heard about the program needs, there was a desire for a larger, regulation-size pool, Dixon said. The existing pool is in need of repairs and it’s at the end of its useful life, he explained. The pool was constructed in the early 1990s and its age is showing. It needs serious repairs and will continue to be utilized in the coming years, staff pointed out. This is a good time to talk about its potential replacement, staff noted while answering an audience question.

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Rendering by Ruhnau Clarke Architects/Courtesy of LBUSD

A collage of the four conceptual options for the pool and tennis court configuration presented to the board

Roger Clarke, principal and president of Ruhnau Clarke Architects, presented several potential plans for the proposed aquatic center and tennis courts, including options with a 38-meter, 40-meter, or 50-meter pool.

The first option places a 40-meter pool in the existing location, but presents some challenges in terms of the amount of deck area, Clarke said. Bleachers could fit on the long side of the pool, but not on the short side. It also requires some expansion of the mechanical facility and additional locker and shower space because it’s a bigger pool. It would keep the tennis courts in their existing layout. It would also eliminate the pathway from upper Manzanita Drive down through the pool area, as well as demolish an existing building near Manzanita.

Considering how they could fit a 50-meter pool on the property, they looked at re-arranging the facilities. In this option, they suggested building a 50-meter pool on the east side of the property, where the existing tennis courts are, essentially flip-flopping the two uses. The pool would be configured in an east-west direction (it wouldn’t fit facing north-south) with bleachers along the long side. That would require new mechanical rooms, locker rooms and changing facilities. The existing building and the path from Manzanita could stay intact in this configuration.

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Laguna Beach secures “Most Waterwise City” title for eighth time

Laguna Beach residents once again showed the nation how important water conservation is to our city by securing the title “Most Waterwise City” for an eighth time in the annual Wyland Mayor’s Challenge for Conservation. The city has been recognized with the distinction in 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

“Eight feels great!” stated Laguna Beach Mayor Bob Whalen. “From its inception 12 years ago, our residents have embraced the competition and proven that we are leaders when it comes to sustainability and water use efficiency. The challenge reminds us of the importance of being good stewards of our environment and implementing actions that help create a sustainable future.”

Amidst the pressing challenges of climate change, population growth and escalating water pollution, mayors from more than 40 states in the United States rallied their residents to reassess their water consumption habits as part of the 2023 Wyland National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation, April 1-30. With water quality and shortages emerging as critical national concerns, participants from countless cities responded fervently, pledging to undertake hundreds of thousands of actions to conserve more than 1.8 billion gallons of water in the coming year.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Historic Laguna Beach Water District Building

Cities with the highest percentage of resident pledges during the campaign included perennial small city leader Laguna Beach, Calif., as well as North Port, Fla., Gainesville, Fla., Tucson, Ariz., and the two-time winner, Houston, Texas. In total, residents from across the nation made an astonishing 425,000 individual commitments to modify their behaviors, ranging from fixing home leaks to minimizing harmful runoff into local waterways.

Presented by the Wyland Foundation, with support from the U.S. EPA, National League of Cities, The Toro Company and Zenni Remakes, the nationwide campaign acts as a catalyst, providing inspiration, education and motivation for people of all ages to take decisive actions toward cleaner waters, and a healthier environment. In addition to online pledges, the campaign equips residents with tools to engage in tree plantings, storm drain stenciling projects and neighborhood cleanups, effectively reducing pollution that might otherwise contaminate local water channels.

Participating residents from the winning cities will now be automatically entered to win thousands of dollars in prizes focused on water conservation and eco-friendly initiatives, including $3,000 towards their home utility payments, water-saving fixtures and a wide array of other valuable rewards. One school from each winning city will be awarded 100 pairs of Zenni Remakes™ eyeglasses, specially designed to reduce eye damage caused by prolonged exposure to blue light. Each pair is crafted from recycled plastics equivalent to three discarded single-use plastic water bottles.

In addition to reductions in water waste, participants in all 50 states pledged to diminish their usage of single-use plastic water bottles by an impressive 4.1 million, effectively preventing 113,000 pounds of hazardous waste from infiltrating watersheds. By making conscious choices in their daily lives, residents also pledged to reduce landfill waste by a staggering 49 million pounds. The cumulative impact of these commitments promises potential savings of 6.6 billion pounds of carbon dioxide, 123 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and $23 million in consumer cost savings. Residents are encouraged after the Mayor’s Water Challenge to follow through and measure the full impact of their commitments at the foundation’s volunteer-based web application, MyVolunteer Water Project.

Laguna Beach Firefighters host Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast on May 29

Come on down to Heisler Park (at the picnic table area) for some pancakes on Monday, May 29 from 7-11 a.m. The Laguna Beach Firefighters will be flipping pancakes and serving them with maple syrup, sausages, coffee and orange juice. All that for the low price of $8.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Firefighters man the grill at the Pancake Breakfast (in 2019)

Don’t miss the opportunity to meet and greet the firefighters and watch them work behind the grill.

The Memorial Day Ceremony to honor fallen servicemen will take place at 11 a.m. at Monument Point in Heisler Park.

Heisler Park is located at 375 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach.

Heritage Committee hosts Laguna Artists’ Studio Trolley Tour

On Saturday, May 20, local art-lovers and Laguna history buffs were treated to an intimate trolley tour throughout Laguna, as part of the city’s month-long Heritage Month celebration.

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Photo by Hunter Fuentes

All aboard! Participants rode the trolley to tour artists’ homes, studios and historic buildings around the community.

Participants learned about many of Laguna’s founding artists’ homes and studios as well as other historic buildings. Design-builder professional and Heritage committee member Clark Collins, former mayor and landscape architect Ann Christoph and tour guide Bill Hoffman of Hoffy Tours served as very knowledgeable guides. They shared an informative 90 minutes of facts, urban myths and local lore to the delight of the participants. Laguna’s art and architecture form the fabric of the city’s earliest development, and today continue to lure patrons of the arts to explore its fabled landscape and the artwork inspired by it.

Here is a glimpse of a few historic homes/buildings on the tour.

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Courtesy of the Heritage Committee

Malcolm St. Clair’s house at 489 Pearl St. He worked for Warner Bros. as a location director during the silent film era.

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Courtesy of the Heritage Committee

Nell Walker Warner’s house at 429 Shadow Lane. She was an American artist known for her California and Western landscapes.

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Courtesy of the Heritage Committee

Cope house at 412 Glenneyre St. With its unique architectural design, it utilizes an irregular floor plan and a multi-gabled roof.

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Courtesy of the Heritage Committee

Donna Schuster’s home/studio is located at 559 Thalia St.

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Courtesy of the Heritage Committee

Laguna Beach Water District building is located at 306 3rd St. Built in 1927, when the City of Laguna Beach was newly incorporated, it also accommodated city personnel until 1952. The architect was Aubrey St. Clair, son of Malcolm St. Clair.

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Courtesy of the Heritage Committee

Isaac Frazee’s home/studio is located at 495 El Bosque (“forest”). Located close to Downtown in the El Mirador neighborhood, it was the first subdivision in Laguna Beach.

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Courtesy of the Heritage Committee

The second main post office on Broadway and Beach streets was built in 1938. Of Mediterranean revival style in a rectangular footprint, stucco siding and red-tiled gable roof, as traffic Downtown grew its location posed access issues, so it served the city only through the mid-1940s.

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Courtesy of the Heritage Committee

The Digester Building, located near City Hall, now serves as a storage facility for the Laguna Beach Police Department. Constructed in 1935, it served as part of a comprehensive sewer system to protect local beaches from contamination.

For more information about the City of Laguna Beach’s Heritage Committee and to learn more about historic preservation, go here.

Going BANANAS! in Bluebird Canyon

By Nancy Carpenter

This story is a part of our Arts section. Visit www.stunewslaguna.com/arts for more arts stories as well as our arts calendars.

One recent weekday afternoon, I caught up with Abigail Munn, co-founder along with David Hunt of Circus Bella, and took an immediate liking to her. She loves circuses. I love circuses. She loves acrobats defying gravity. I love acrobats defying gravity. She loves events featuring live music. I love events featuring live music. She loves the art of clowning around. I love the art of clowning around – well, not really clowning around. Maybe not clowns at all. But after talking with her, I got a whole new perspective of what clowns and circuses are all about.

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Courtesy of Circus Bella

Founders Abigail Munn and David Hunt realizing their dream

The fact that Munn grew up quite literally in the backstage maze of the San Francisco Opera – her father was lighting director – was all she needed to kick-start her passion. Her talents as dancer, choreographer and aerialist gave her the ingredients to join a circus. But that would be too easy. Instead, why not turn her aspirations into a circus. Hold on: That doesn’t sound quite right.

Enter David Hunt. The two connected, conversed, compared visions and concluded, let’s not wait for the circus to come to town, the town being San Francisco. Let’s make one. Let’s name it, hmmm, Circus Bella! That was back in 2008.

What does a circus look like? More important, what was the look they wanted for Circus Bella? Way back, Ringling Brothers with its big animals and bigger tents, was the definition of circus. Now it’s Cirque du Soleil, a more intimate experience with live music and in-the-round performances. Less about the talents of animals (except for “Cavalia”), and more about very talented people achieving superhuman feats. I can attest to an addiction to Cirque du Soleil.

Munn and Hunt wanted their circus accessible and available (code for free) to everyone, staged in parks or other open spaces that are part of their communities. They wanted an immersive experience minus the brick and mortar of a Big Top. Not that they haven’t done that albeit on a smaller scale that doesn’t compromise the intimacy. Tents, after all, do take the worry out of weather issues. “Kaleidoscope” was first performed in the winter on Treasure Island before they packed their tent pole for Snowmass and Avon, both in Colorado.

Circus Bella is also available for corporate occasions or private venues, customizing the event to fit their client’s vision.

But the open-air concept under the umbrella of Circus in the Parks is where they put most of their efforts. Circus Bella has delivered more than 160 performances attended by more than 80,000 people in 37 locations. In 2017, they were invited to participate in the Smithsonian Folklife Festival’s 50th Anniversary event held in Washington D.C.’s National Mall. That production was called “Bay City Rhapsody.”

But not everyone can go to Washington. Nor does Circus Bella wait for communities to discover them. They are a nonprofit that reaches out, often to those that are underserved. They merge themed concepts with their own talented employees to bring the vision alive. For each production they go through three weeks of half-day rehearsals.

Courtesy of Circus Bella

Two shows on Saturday, June 10 – at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Laguna Beach is not a stranger to Circus Bella. Last year we got to experience “Flip*Flop*Fly.” This year’s show is titled “BANANAS!” because, as Munn put it, “Sometimes it feels like the whole world is going a bit bananas.” We agreed, bananas are a funny fruit. Hard not to smile when you think of a banana. But before we start peeling that bunch…sorry.

We settled into a discussion about various forms of entertainment that embrace a universal across-languages-and-borders appeal. Music is obvious, including opera. Anywhere in the world, weary from travel, you can stumble onto musicians and singers, formal or informal, indoors or out, sit back, connect with others and let yourself be taken to another universe.

Circus is the same, but also different. International roots run deep in a circus. Stilt-walking was first seen in Africa, foot jugglers in China and contortionists in Mongolia. They roamed about with their gifts of entertainment, gathering more talent. The art of circus is often a family affair, the traditions passed down from one generation to the next. But for those new to the trade, a circus can be a lifesaver that requires both discipline and dreams of achieving something different, something bigger than ourselves.

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Photo by John Little/Haphazard Imagination

Jefferson Freire juggling

Juggling is as synonymous with the circus as clowns. Impossible to highlight all the performers, but we agreed, Circus Bella’s own Jefferson Freire stands out. Freire lived with his mother in one of Sao Paulo, Brazil’s tougher suburbs noted for its lack of opportunities underscored by crime, poverty and drugs. Rather than following any of those paths, Freire picked up clubs and started to juggle. Eventually he studied under Anderson Pereira de Silva, now considered one of South America’s best jugglers. Pereira de Silva would be proud of him.

Juggling saved Freire’s life. In the tradition of paying-it-forward, Munn insists his juggling is magical and has saved many other lives. As for his talent, she adds, “Gravity applies to all of us except Jefferson.”

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LBHS students host auction to raise money to benefit Masai Foundation

Laguna Beach High School (LBHS) Model United Nations (MUN) students will host an online auction of eight custom-painted, 50-gallon rain barrels to raise funds to provide the Maasai Village in Kenya with a permanent water infrastructure system. The auction will be open on www.ebid.net/us/beginning on May 26 and will remain open until midnight on June 1.

All of the sales will go into funding the $31,000 water well project to improve access to clean drinking water as a drought threatens the Maasai’s food supply, health and well-being.

The Laguna Maasai Foundation seeks to improve the lives of the people of Oloolaimutia Village in Maasai Mara, Kenya, with both immediate relief and long-term development through the Orange County community with an emphasis on youth education and global awareness.

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Courtesy of LBUSD

Eight custom-painted, 50-gallon rain barrels will be auctioned off to raise funds for a permanent water infrastructure system in the Maasai Village in Kenya

“It’s amazing to see our community unite collaboratively with the LBHS FLOW (Fire, Land, Ocean, Water) club, the Laguna Beach County Water District, SchoolPower and several non-profit organizations,” said Coordinator of the Maasai Foundation Henry Le. “Gladys, our friend from the Maasai, reached out to update us on their worsening situation. The Maasai Village in Kenya suffers from a long-running drought which has starved their livestock and forced the villagers to walk long distances to get clean water. The funds raised will mean a lot to their people.”

The Laguna Beach County Water District (LBCWD) donated eight 50-gallon rain barrels to LBHS’ FLOW Club, while the students at El Morro Elementary, Top of the World Elementary, Thurston Middle School and Laguna Beach High School unleashed their artistry to decorate these barrels. The barrels were placed in the hands of the Laguna Maasai Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Laguna Beach students in 2012, where the students are organizing an online fundraiser to auction the rain barrels.

“The district was happy to lend its support and donate rain barrels to this worthwhile cause,” said Christopher Regan, assistant general manager, LBCWD. “It’s exciting to see local students working to improve access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene in a community on the other side of the world where drinking water is a luxury.”

The rain barrels can be previewed at www.lagunamaasai.org. The auction will begin at midnight. Individuals can also make direct donations online through Venmo to @laguna-maasai. Questions can be directed to Maasai Coordinator Henry Le at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Interest forms can be found at https://forms.gle/LBFeLpaeAj28YuKL6.

You “herd” it here – goats have their work cut out for them this year

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Tended by the city’s primary goat herder, Agotillo Moreno, Laguna’s goat herds have been busily dining and clearing 80 percent of native grasses and 100 percent of non-native vegetation on our hillsides this year. It’s a big job, and there are two active herds chewing their way through the hills, with more help (hopefully) on the way. Once the goats finish their vital work, they will go back to their home at Indacochea Sheep Ranch in Wildomar, Calif.

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Photo by Scott Brashier

Goat herd on Dartmoor Trail

“The city is attempting to acquire a third herd, and we are hoping to have them within the next two weeks,” said Fire Chief Niko King. “We update the community on the goat’s activity in our weekly Community Newsletter, which you can subscribe to by texting 92651 to 888.777.”

On Tuesday, part of the herd was seen on the hill across from the Festival of Arts.

Chief King explained the many values of their presence. “The goats are some of the hardest-working crews and serve several purposes. Not only do they contribute to reducing the fuel load around our city, but they also provide a sense of annual tradition that is always welcoming and brings many smiles to our residents. It is also a sign of the city’s commitment to the safety of our residents.   As evident, due to our unusual rainy season this year, we have an excessive fuel load throughout the city. The goats have their work cut out for them this year.”

The past winter’s storms brought both pros and cons.

“Now that we’ve had the rain we needed, the vegetation throughout our community is growing faster and more densely than we’ve seen in several years,” Chief King said. “While many of our native plants can be more adapted to fire, invasive grasses and invasive mustards dry out and turn into light flashy fuels that have the potential to increase fire danger to our community in the coming months.”

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Boys watch goat herd hard at work recently clearing a Dartmoor Trail hillside

The goats play a critical part in our fire safety; however, the community needs to do its part as well.

According to the Fire Marshal’s message: “A wildfire is the highest threat to our community. Let’s be vigilant and do our part by clearing the brush around our property.”

“Our 2023 fuel modification program (to access, click here) has been well underway for a couple of months now,” said Chief King. “Work will continue to thin vegetation growth in fuel modification zones to make sure our community is as prepared as possible before the hot dry summer months roll in, accompanied by the late fall wind events.”

You can help by keeping an eye out for fire hazards in the community and prepare your own home to be fire safe:

–Clean roofs and gutters of dead leaves, debris and pine needles that could catch embers.

–Replace or repair any loose or missing shingles or roof tiles to prevent ember penetration.

–Reduce embers that could pass through vents in the eaves by installing 1/8-inch metal mesh screening.

–Clean debris from exterior attic vents and install 1/8-inch metal mesh screening to reduce embers.

–Repair or replace damaged or loose window screens and any broken windows.

–Screen or box in areas below patios and decks with wire mesh to prevent debris and combustible materials from accumulating.

–Move any flammable material away from wall exteriors – mulch, flammable plants, leaves and needles, firewood piles – anything that can burn.

–Remove anything stored underneath decks and porches.

The fire department also provides a free wildfire consultation where their experienced staff will come to your home and offer advice about how you can prepare your property and landscape to best withstand a wildfire. Click here or call 949.497.0700 to find out more.

LCAD alumna Sofia Pfanner receives 2023 LCAD Trustee Choice Award

Laguna College of Art + Design (LCAD) announced Sofia Pfanner received the 2023 Trustee Choice Award. LCAD Board of Trustees purchased her painting titled Shadow Self to include in the college’s permanent collection. Pfanner received her LCAD BFA in Illustration in the May 2023 Commencement ceremony under the guidance of Chair of Illustration and Dean of Undergraduate Studies Michael Savas.

“In this painting, I am visualizing my shadow-self,” Pfanner said. “A shadow-self represents the parts of oneself that one finds difficult to accept. For me, this is my struggle with anxiety and panic attacks. As crows often symbolize the shadow-self, I’m using the two crows around me to characterize the anxious side of myself that I have difficulty controlling. One crow soars over my head, acting as the anxiety that always looms over me. The other flies in front of me, chasing away the light and allowing my shadow-self to take over.”

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Photos courtesy of LCAD

Sofia Pfanner with her painting “Shadow Self”

“I also use the facial expression in my self-portrait to capture the difference between me and my shadow-self. The side of my face in the light is neutral and isn’t yet affected by the shadow. The other side is emoting the anxiety and worry of my shadow-self. Ultimately, my goal was for the viewer to be able to isolate each half of my face and see the two different versions of myself. The colors I use in this painting also separate these two versions of myself. The warm, red-toned world shines through on my face, but is quickly diminishing as the green, colder world takes over. While the warm light represents the real world and my real surroundings, I view the dark, cold world as the one my shadow-self resides in and the one I enter during my panic attacks. I then have the branches closing in on my portrait to parallel the trapped and helpless feeling I often get when stuck in the body of my shadow-self.”

“The LCAD Illustration program incorporates a mix of illustration, fine art, and design, using both traditional and digital methods,” said Savas. “Illustrators are by nature crossover artists that work in all areas of applied arts, design, entertainment, retail advertising, editorial, books, etc. Sofia Pfanner is a perfect example of what today’s well-rounded illustrator looks like, and the type of graduates our illustration program is designed to edify and produce.”

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 “Shadow Self” was purchased by the LCAD Board of Trustees for the college’s permanent collection

Savas continued, “Much of the work Sofia chooses to create is graphic design related: packaging, retail, posters, etc., but she has committed herself to not only learn and become proficient in these areas, but in traditional mediums including oil painting as well. Winning first place in a traditional medium competition, such as the LCAD Trustee Choice Award, is a testament to her abilities and commitment to master all mediums. One thing that makes her so successful as an artist and designer is her ability to communicate meaning in her work which transcends all creative methods.”

Pfanner majored in illustration and minored in graphic design at LCAD. She likes to combine her illustration and graphic design backgrounds to create unique graphic illustrations. For her medium of choice, she especially loves working with Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and painting with oils.

When Pfanner isn’t drawing, she loves traveling around the world and exploring new places. But no matter where she goes, nothing beats spending time with her friends, family and her fluffy Australian shepherd.

Trustee Choice Award Honorable Mentions include Hannah Tjia, who recently graduated from LCAD with a BFA in Fine Arts and Sumire Kudo, recent graduate from LCAD’s MFA in Painting program, who received honorable mentions for their pieces Where Water Glows and Toys, respectively.

The award was initiated in 2020 by LCAD trustee and alumnus Suzanne Chonette. Graduating students in the Fine Art BFA, MFA, as well as illustration programs are eligible. The criteria for the Trustee Choice Award is that the artwork should exemplify the best representational foundations of LCAD and the artist should possess the qualities that are critical to a successful career in Fine Arts. Work is selected by LCAD Chairs Hope Railey, Betty Shelton, Peter Zokosky and Michael Savas. LCAD trustees then vote to select three finalists and one winner.

Laguna Food Pantry prioritizes providing nutritious foods in their grocery boxes

The Laguna Food Pantry provides each family with a box of groceries valued at about $150, recreating an otherwise typical shopping experience with a diverse selection of food items. While the specific contents may vary, the boxes consistently include nutrient-dense staples like fresh produce, eggs, meat, milk or milk alternatives and shelf-stable items.

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Courtesy of Laguna Food Pantry

Each box of groceries is valued at around $150 and contains nutrient-dense staples

Recognizing that many individuals experiencing food insecurity lack regular access to nutritious foods, the Pantry prioritizes purchasing them. Therefore, 90 cents of every dollar donated gets allocated toward purchasing these essential nutritional staples, and the remaining groceries are sourced through donations and their food-rescue program involving 16 local grocery stores, further enriching the variety and availability of items for their shoppers.

Laguna Food Pantry is open Monday through Friday from 8-10:30 a.m. with a drive-through distribution system. Anyone in need is welcome to visit once a week to pick up free, fresh, nutritious groceries. If you know of anyone in need, please let them know.

To learn more about the Laguna Food Pantry, how to get involved, or ways to donate, visit www.lagunafoodpantry.org. Your donation is greatly appreciated and critical in continuing their mission of ensuring no one goes hungry in our community.

Laguna Beach County Water District ends drought restrictions

Citing improved water conditions throughout the region and state, the Laguna Beach County Water District(LBCWD) is ending several drought-related restrictions, including limits on outside watering.

At its meeting on Thursday, the district’s board voted to end water restrictions approved last June, which included a 10 percent reduction in water use by all customers and limits on outdoor water use. The decision comes on the heels of a historically wet winter and Governor Gavin Newsom’s March 24 decision to end many of the state’s two-year-old emergency drought rules.

“What a difference a few months make,” stated Christopher Regan, assistant general manager, Laguna Beach County Water District. “Recent storms have made 2023 one of the wettest years on record, with snowpack reaching historic levels. Because of conservation and improved water supplies, we’re heading into the summer months with one of the worst droughts in California’s history behind us.”

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Courtesy of LBCWD

Nereida Morales, LBCWD customer service rep/tech, assists customers in their efforts to use water efficiently

Not all the district’s restrictions have ended, however. Customers must still follow the district’s always-in-effect permanent water use efficiency measures, regardless of whether there is a water supply shortage. District customers are still required to avoid excessive runoff while watering their yards, are prohibited from watering during and within 48 hours of measurable rainfall, from hosing down driveways, patios and sidewalks unless necessary for health and safety reasons and from using a hose to wash vehicles unless it’s fitted with a nozzle that can be shut off.

The district’s rule against watering between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. is still in effect, as well.

With California’s semi-arid climate, dry conditions are not unusual and drought is always on the horizon. The district continues to offer resources and rebates to encourage water-use efficiency, which can be found at its website, www.lbcwd.org. Customers are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the district’s Smart Meter dashboard, which provides them access to their detailed water usage information in near real-time and enables them to set up leak alerts; view graphs of their daily, monthly and average water usage to identify usage trends or high usage events, and set daily, multi-day and vacation alerts to monitor consumption and alert them of abnormal usage.

Eco Weekend at the Sawdust Art Festival offers complimentary classes for three days in June

Sawdust Art Festival is partnering with Bank of America for a three-day weekend of complimentary art classes that will support eco-education and land stewardship within the community.

Eco Weekend at the Sawdust will feature 15 exciting projects on Friday, June 9 through Sunday, June 11 that will include the use of recycled paint, found objects, upcycled fabrics, eco-prints, natural plant dyes and more. Workshops will be taught onsite by exhibiting Sawdust artists in small groups of 10 students per class, and will be entirely free to the public.

Registrations will open on Tuesday, May 23rd at 12 p.m. Due to a limited capacity with a high demand, tickets are required to attend Eco Weekend classes and will be capped at one workshop per person.

This educational opportunity is provided by Bank of America, with additional funding through the Laguna Beach Arts Commission. Thank you to ENCORE Paints for its generous donation of recycled paints.

For more information and to sign-up, click here.

–Friday, June 9

Wildflower Tote Bag with Nancy Villere, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Create a unique tote using fresh flowers and recycled materials in this great introduction to a simple yet age-old flower pressing process.

Photography with Nature with Mary Church, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Join this discovery of looking at nature through a camera lens and explore the key principles of photography. An iPhone or Android smartphone is needed to take this class.

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Photos courtesy of Sawdust Festival

Natural Dyes - June 9

Natural Dyes 101 with Candice Brokenshire, 12-2 p.m.

Discover all the natural colors that are available to us locally and learn some basic skills on how to coax color out of a plant, as well as other various dye techniques.

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Create a denim whale on June 9

Upcycled Denim Plush Whale with Carmen Gundelach, 2-4 p.m.

Upcycle your old denim while you learn the basics of sewing to make a super cute plush whale. Bring your favorite fabric or choose from Carmen’s stash.

Repurposed Paper and Grocery Bag Collage with Charleine Guy, 2-4 p.m.

Turn paper grocery bags, old magazines and newspapers into a beautiful, mixed media collage.

–Saturday, June 10

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Make a sarong into a work of art with Shibori - June 10

Shibori Workshop with Reem Khalil, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Learn the fundamentals of folded, tied and clamped resist dyeing using the ancient technique of Shibori to transform a sarong into a work of art.

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ENCORE recycled paint - June 10

Responsible Abstract Painting with Hedy Buzan, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Paint onto recycled plywood with ENCORE recycled paint. Includes basic color theory instruction and a demo of proper disposal of paint and wastewater.

Mad Hatter Paper Bag Hats with Nansea Williams, 12-2 p.m.

A whimsical journey down the rabbit hole of recycled paper bags. Turn a humble paper grocery bag into a fabulous Mad Hatter Hat with twigs, feathers and leaves.

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Abstract Eco Bag of Love - June 10

Abstract Eco Bag of Love with Nancy Villere, 2-4 p.m.

Allow your creativity to go wild using recycled objects, found natural objects and recycled paint to create a custom tote bag.

Pollinator Plant Drawing with Julie Setterholm, 2-4 p.m.

Experience our native pollinator plant life and discover favorite botanical plants in this class where you’ll explore the grounds and create simple botanical drawings on what is seen.

–Sunday, June 11

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Twig Dolls - June 11

Twig Dolls with Nansea Williams, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Create a sweet folk family of twig dolls using found natural objects from the Sawdust grounds.

Transform trash into treasure - June 11

Household Trash Art with Candice Brokenshire, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Use household trash and natural materials to “feel” into new ways of thinking and working with cyanotype printing that will focus on exploration and composition.

Palm Frond Primitive Masks with David Fleischmann, 12-2 p.m.

Learn to make a decorative or wearable mask from repurposed palm fronds, salvaged from Queen Palms that grow all over Southern California.

Cyanotype Printmaking with Gabe Sullivan, 2-4 p.m.

Forage for found objects and watch as distinctive blue and white images come to life when the light sensitive paper is exposed to the sun, resulting in a unique print.

Natural Oil Painting with Anya Gourley, 2-4 p.m.

Learn the basics of mixing your own oil paints from natural earth pigments and non-toxic oil medium. 

Pizza with a Park Ranger at zpizza on June 7

Come meet the new Park Rangers at zpizza on Wednesday, June 7 from 5-7 p.m., ask questions, say hello and enjoy some pizza. Pizza with a Park Ranger is a community event focused around meeting our new Park Rangers team.

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Courtesy of LBPD

(L-R) Park Ranger Arizmendi and Park Ranger Becerra with K-9 Cooper

There are a total of six Park Rangers now, and they are all a part of the Neighborhood Enhancement Team (N.E.T.).

zpizza is located at 30822 Coast Highway, Laguna Beach.

LBCAC and Neighborhood Congregational Church co-sponsor Juneteenth Jubilee

The Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center (LBCAC) and Neighborhood Congregational Church have partnered to create Juneteenth Jubilee, a celebration of history and cultures that will include an array of events and activities at both venues.

For tickets to all performances/events, click here. Note that the second floor at the LBCAC is not currently ADA-accessible from the street level.

–Monday, June 19, Juneteenth National Holiday

At 1 p.m., the Cultural Arts Center will show Ted Hawkins: Amazing Grace, a film about the resilience of the human spirit embodied by the late musician Ted Hawkins, followed by a fascinating discussion with the film’s director Janice Engel and Hawkins’ manager, Nancy Meyer.

Hawkins was often called the world’s greatest street singer. Abandoned by his parents as a boy, Hawkins came to California in his early twenties, determined to make a career for himself as a musician. When record deals fell through and paying gigs failed to pan out, Hawkins would set up on the boardwalk of L.A.’s Venice Beach, singing to passersby for tips.

In 1994, Hawkins was signed to a major record deal and released an acclaimed album, The Next Hundred Years, which earned rave reviews and paved the way for a successful international concert tour. But just as Hawkins was enjoying newfound success, he died on New Year’s Day 1995. Ted Hawkins: Amazing Grace offers an in-depth look at Hawkins’ remarkable life and career, with footage of Hawkins onstage, including performances with Charlie Musselwhite and Pete Seeger, as well as interviews with family, friends, and fellow musicians Billy Bragg, John Doe, and others. Harry Belafonte narrates.

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Photos courtesy of LBCAC

On Monday, June 19, Chicago bluesman Brother Yusef will perform at the LBCAC along with poet and storyteller Dorothy Randall Gray after a screening and discussion of a film about late musician “Ted Hawkins: Amazing Grace”

At 2:30 p.m., there will be a stirring presentation by Los Angeles poet, storyteller and author Dorothy Randall Gray – Conversation with the Sage: Dorothy Randall Gray Speaks.

Randall Gray is a poet, teacher, storyteller, global activist and author of the bestseller Soul Between The Lines: Freeing Your Creative Spirit Through Writing, as well as Taste of Tamarinda, Muse Magic, Family, Creative Rituals for Daily Living and The Passion Collection. Her work has been published in many notable periodicals and anthologies: The New York Times, Drum Voices, Heart&Soul, SisterFire, HealthQuest and Conditions. She is a former NYU faculty member, National Public Radio commentator, and poet in residence at Hunter College. She was recently selected to represent the City of West Hollywood for National Poetry Month.

For the 2018 PEN writer-in-residence program, Gray held an eight-week storytelling workshop at California State Prison, Los Angeles County. She is the founder of the Heartland Institute for Transformation. In her commitment to global healing, Gray has served as a UNESCO delegate and conducted educational supply campaigns for African schools.

 At 3:30 p.m., there will be a concert by renowned Chicago Blues musician and social activist Brother Yusef, who is a self-taught musician, master solo guitarist and unique vocalist. Honed over 30 years, he calls his multifaceted style “fattback blues” for its rich mix of Delta, Chicago and Texas blues with a hard-driving Louisiana stomp. Fattback blues combines traditional fingerpicking and slide guitar playing with contemporary urban blues, rock and funk. He uses his right-hand thumb to beat out a percussive bassline and shuffle while the index finger plays rhythm and lead lines, creating a full band sound with a solo guitar. His performances are raw, honest and as real as the genre has ever aspired to be.

Admission to any or all of this lineup is $15 for youth 21 and under, $25 general, $50 VIP seating and refreshments.

–Wednesday, June 21

 At 7 p.m., LBCAC will offer a free screening of Summer of Soul, the joyous, inspiring documentary about a 1969 Harlem music festival that featured a superlative lineup of Black musicians. Admission is free, but donations are welcome.

In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary – part music film, part historical record created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion. Over six weeks in the summer of 1969, just 100 miles south of Woodstock, the Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park). The footage was never seen and largely forgotten until now. Summer of Soul shines a light on the importance of history to our spiritual well-being and stands as a testament to the healing power of music during times of unrest, both past and present. The feature includes never-before-seen concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly and the Family Stone, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, The 5th Dimension and others.

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On Saturday, June 24, the four vivacious members of Los Angeles singing group VISION will perform at the Neighborhood Congregational Church

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Get ready for KelpFest 2023

Laguna Ocean Foundation has announced the return of KelpFest on Saturday, June 3 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on the cobblestones at Main Beach and at the Laguna Beach Beer Company after-party from 3-6 p.m.

Hosted by Laguna Ocean Foundation together with dedicated partner organizations, KelpFest celebrates Laguna Beach’s unique shoreline, our vital coastal resources and the kelp that supports them.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Previous KelpFest at the Cobblestones at Main Beach

This free festival features music, activities, informational booths, games and art. Highlights this year include live art creation, ukulele performances by the Seaside Serenaders and edible kelp snacks. This event has something for everyone.

Come enjoy a day of fun at Main Beach while learning about and supporting organizations working to preserve our precious coast.

Laguna Ocean Foundation (LOF) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to preserve and protect the beaches, intertidal zone, watersheds and ocean waters of Laguna Beach by promoting ocean literacy, emphasizing the importance of coastal ecosystems, community involvement, and an interest in nature for all residents and visitors of Laguna Beach.

For more information, to donate, or to get involved, contact their Education and Outreach Coordinator Wendy Berube at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or visit www.lagunaoceanfoundation.org.

Letters to the Editor

District-proposed development not what the city needs

I attended the May 2 LBUSD Open House for the proposed development of new facilities at four campuses. The School District revealed their plans for LBHS in a Facility Master Plan (FMP) calling for new tennis courts, administration buildings, aquatic center, two swimming pools, two parking structures, a performing arts center and Astroturf, for a proposed $88 million. Like most residents attending, I wondered how these campus amenities serve student education – or anyone else during the 10-year construction period when Park Avenue will be a demolition zone.

Given the additional soft costs (legal, EIR, approvals), project estimates for all four campuses will be $150 million while a developer confided in me (that) $250 million is more like it. The FMP Project Timeline shows the feasibility study began in September 2021 with site walks in October 2022; from the complaints I heard it seems like the site walks didn’t include school neighbors.

Our City Parking Management Subcommittee proposed 18 parking lots and 11 new parking structures throughout Laguna because they expect to operate them for city revenue like ATMs. Has the District bought in to the action?

Parking structures were feasible in 1950 Los Angeles, but not in 2023 Laguna Beach. From the FMP, analyzing (Shoup UCLA) the parking structures Lot-A and Lot-B over the structure lifespan, I estimate a present value of $21 million that translates to $160,000 per space for Lot-A and $171,000 per space for Lot-B. That’s the affordable part. The cost per parking space added is much higher; for a comparison see Laguna Streets. It should be evident now there are better alternatives for that expense.

The LBUSD parking structure is misplaced because these structures are not consistent with guidelines written by Laguna residents. The Vision 2030 Plan states our first priority was affordable housing for residents, not condos for cars. Parking structures lead to car intensification when Laguna Beach already has enough cars. Our General Plan says, “remote parking” not “parking structures.” Our Climate Protection Action Plan speaks to reducing the carbon footprint of Laguna Beach; a goal is seeking a new balance among the four modes of transportation: walking, biking, transit and private vehicles. Parking structures do not appear in any of these guidelines.

Over the last seven years enrollment has declined 30% at Thurston and 17% at LBHS. Students are taught to pass driving written tests, but not how to drive safely. In an academic climate of declining grades and missing vocational training facilities, the District project costs for administrative ornaments are unnecessary.

The Facilities Master Plan serves suburban planning for Phoenix, Ariz. not Laguna Beach; we residents seek planning from Aptos, Calif., not Phoenix, Ariz. Our village community needs a comprehensive vision for the future plan of Laguna Beach and binding city commitments to achieve it. Our School District and city should integrate common infrastructure and city services to meet community guidelines and academic needs, but this project plan needs a do-over.

Les Miklosy

Laguna Beach

School Notes

News and notes from our colleges and universities

Kelly Keller of Laguna Beach was named to the Spring 2023 Dean’s List in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas.

Keller joins more than 2,000 additional Fulbright College students on the Spring 2023 Dean’s List. To qualify for the Dean’s List, students must achieve at least a 3.75 grade-point average for the semester while completing at least 12 credit hours.

Keller is one of more than 8,000 students who study and research in Fulbright College, which has degrees across the fine arts, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences. Learn more about the U of A’s Fulbright College at https://fulbright.uark.edu.

The Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is the largest and most academically diverse unit on campus with three schools, 16 departments and numerous academic programs and research centers. The college provides the majority of the core curriculum for all University of Arkansas students.

Have your son or daughter register at their respective school to have information forwarded to Stu News Newport at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

LAM adds more events to June calendar

Many exciting exhibitions are on view at Laguna Art Museum (LAM) and the museum has added more public programs, including innovative workshops and musical performances.

Facing the Giant – Three Decades of Dissent: Shepard Fairey features a selection of key works that highlight how Fairey has developed an intentionally accessible visual style that speaks broadly by pulling from visual history to address critical issues.

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Photos courtesy of LAM

Fairey created a viral art sticker campaign

It all began with a sticker. From 1989 onward, Fairey’s non-conformist attitude was established with the creation of his viral art sticker campaign Andre the Giant Has a Posse. The following 30 years saw Fairey develop a constant presence in the urban landscape, forging a global following and establishing himself as a leading artist who has influenced youth culture, fashion, identity, aesthetics and even politics. His bold, iconic images always convey a clear message, often depicting the struggle of oppression as a human experience and celebrating those who fight for change.

Storytime Saturday on May 27

–Saturday, May 27, 11 a.m.

Storytime Saturday

Bring your little ones to Laguna Art Museum for an interactive Storytime and art-making experience unlike any other. Read-alouds will be supplemented with mindfulness exercises, art-making projects, or in-gallery activities that promote meaningful connections with caregivers and others.

 This Month’s Session: In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, kids will engage in a read aloud and art-making activity featuring I Am Golden, written by Eva Chen and illustrated by Sophie Diao.

 Museum members: $7, Non-members: $14. All children receive free admission. Tickets are required for accompanying adults only. For tickets, click here.

Needle-felting with Amanda Kazemi on May 28

–Sunday, May 28, 11 a.m.

LCAD Workshop: Amanda Kazemi

Join recent MFA graduate from LCAD, Amanda Kazemi as she leads a workshop on needle-felting. During the workshop, you’ll learn the basics of needle-felting while creating your very own seal. Supplies included with purchase of ticket. Workshop is intended for guests aged 8 and older. All children must be accompanied by at least one paying adult. Limited space available. Advance tickets recommended. Youth 12 and under: Free, Museum members: $20,

Non-members: $35. For tickets, click here.

Wine and Herb Tasting on June 3

–Saturday, June 3, 6 p.m.

Wine and Herb Tasting

Celebrate the closing of Unseen Ties: The Visual Collection of Sherman Library & Gardens by joining the Laguna Art Museum with Chef Jessica Roy of 608 Dahlia, Sommelier Ali Coyle of Fable & Spirit and Culinary Garden Designer Ashley Irene of Heirloom Potager, for a one-of-a-kind wine & herb pairing event to delight and inspire the senses.

The four-course small-bite menu will include the best of the season produce and feature an heirloom herb to complement each selected wine. Guests will have an opportunity to smell and taste the star herbs, sample with the wine, and reflect on how the food and wine pairing brings out new flavor profiles.

You will not want to miss this special one-night culinary adventure to celebrate great art which couldn’t happen anywhere else.

Advance tickets are recommended. Limited space. LAM members: $60,

Sherman Library members: $60, Non-members: $75. For tickets, click here.

Ferdinand Deppe, San Gabriel Mission, c. 1832, Gift of Nancy Dustin Wall Moure, LAM Permanent Collection

–Sunday, June 4, 10 a.m.

Jean Stern Presents: Missions of California

In this lecture, art historian Jean Stern will discuss and illustrate the beginning of the California missions. The lecture consists of about 80 slides and lasts approximately 45 minutes with time for questions and answers afterwards.

John Moran Auctioneers & Appraisers are the exclusive auctioneer/ appraiser business for the 2023 John Stern Presents Lectures.

Advance tickets are recommended. Museum members: $7, Non-members: $14.

For tickets, click here.

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April Kim and Friends on June 8

–Thursday, June 8, 7 p.m.

Live! at the Museum: April Kim and Friends

Join this string quartet consisting of violins and a cello as they perform in the museum. Please arrive early to enjoy the museum’s exhibitions and social time.

April Kim is a Korean-American violinist and entrepreneur who seeks to utilize her bicultural background, musical passion and business leadership to share the art of music, cultivate partnerships and broaden her positive influence in the community.

Woojin Park began her musical journey at The Special Music School under Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory in Russia, where she developed a strong foundation in classical music.

Hanna Kim, cellist, completed her M.M. in Cello Performance and B.M. in Cello Performance from California State University, Fullerton.

Sungjin Park, viola, is a violist, educator and innovative musician. Growing up in South Korea, Dr. Park took part in several competitions, placing first in the Yonsei University Concerto Competition.

Live! at the Museum is presented in partnership with Laguna Beach Live!

Laguna Live! concerts are partially funded by the lodging establishments and City of Laguna Beach. Advance tickets are recommended.

Laguna Art Museum members & Laguna Beach Live! Members: Free, 

Non-members: $14 per person. For tickets, click here.

“Quest for Perfection,” 1990, Russell Crotty, LAM Collection, Gift of Stuart Spence and Judith Vida-Spence

–Sunday, June 11, 2 p.m.

Artist Spotlight: Russell Crotty

Join Artist Russell Crotty and LAM Curatorial Fellow Rochelle Steiner for a special conversation on Crotty’s work that’s on view in Southern California Contemporary Art: Gifts from the Stuart Spence and Judith Vida-Spence Collection. Crotty will also discuss his engagement with subjects including astronomy, landscape, mapping and coastal studies. In this public event, Crotty and Steiner will explore ways his work interweaves the natural and manmade worlds.

 Limited space available. Advance tickets are recommended. Museum members: $20, Non-members: $35. For tickets, click here.

Interactive Storytime and art-making experience on June 17

–Saturday, June 17, 11 a.m.

Drag Storytime Saturday

Bring your little ones to Laguna Art Museum for an interactive storytime and art-making experience unlike any other. Read-alouds will be supplemented with mindfulness exercises, art-making projects, or in-gallery activities that promote meaningful connections with caregivers and others.

Drag Story Hour is just what it sounds like! Storytellers, using the art of drag, read family-friendly books to kids to capture the imagination of childhood and gives kids glamorous, positive and unabashedly queer role models. In spaces like this, kids are able to see people who defy rigid gender restrictions and imagine a world where everyone can be their authentic selves.

This Month’s Session

In honor of Pride Month, Pickle (our drag queen storyteller) will read It’s Okay To Be Different by Todd Parr and The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish by Lil Miss Hot Mess with a project afterwards to express yourself.

All children receive free admission. Tickets are required for accompanying adults only. Museum members: $7, Non-members: $14. For tickets, click here.

John Kleitsch, The Artist, 1907, LAM Permanent Collection Museum purchase with funds provided in part from Janet Barker Spurgeon and John Roger Barker

–Sunday, June 25, 2 p.m.

Exhibition Walk-Through: Kleitsch

Join Curatorial Fellow Jean Stern for a walk-through of the Laguna Art Museum’s newest exhibition Joseph Kleitsch: Abroad and at Home in Old Laguna. Gain insight to the curatorial process and learn about the works on view.

Advance tickets are recommended. Museum members: $7, Non-members: $14

For tickets, click here.

For more information about Laguna Art Museum exhibitions and programming, visit www.lagunaartmuseum.org.

Laguna Art Museum is located at 307 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach.

Laguna Live! Music for May

–Live! Music Matters

Tuesdays, May 30 at 11:30 a.m.

Laguna Beach Library, 363 Glenneyre St.

Laguna Live!’s free interactive children’s program for ages up to 6 years old with caregiver involvement. Local musician Zach Churchill leads the sessions while attendees sing, dance and play child-friendly percussion instruments.

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Courtesy of LagunaLive!

Zach Churchill leads interactive children’s program at Laguna Library

Summer are busting out all over for LPAPA’s June events

The best way to welcome summer is to spend time outdoors soaking up the beautiful landscapes. Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LPAPA) has come up with some wonderful ways to do just that.

–Through Friday, May 26

LPAPA is Proud to Present “The Best of Plein Air” at the Muck

A celebration of plein air paintings created by LPAPA Artists

Muckenthaler Cultural Center

1201 W. Malvern Avenue, Fullerton, Calif.

–Through Monday, May 29

7th Annual “Waterworks” Juried Watercolor Show

LPAPA’s 7th Annual “Waterworks” Juried Watercolor Show opened online on May 1 at 10 a.m. with a virtual gallery Art Catalog and silent Preview Auction showcasing original transparent watercolor works created en plein air and in studio by the juried Finalists and top scoring Semi-Finalists. The show has opened at the LPAPA Gallery and continues through Monday, May 29th. Please enjoy seeing the artwork online and plan to visit the LPAPA Gallery. For the online link, click here. 

The LPAPA Gallery is located on Gallery Row in Laguna Beach at 414 N. Coast Highway (between Jasmine and Myrtle streets). Gallery hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday through Monday, and by appointment, with extended hours to 9 p.m. the first Thursday of each month. For more information, call 949.376.3635, or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Winners were announced on May 4:

Best Plein Air Watercolor Award: Reading Waves by Geoff Allen

First Place: The Ben by Harsh Agrawal

Second Place: Bountiful Blossoms by Marilyn Wear

Third Place: Sunrise in Desert by Jason Li

Honorable Mention: Ebb Tide, Crystal Cove by Becky Ryan

Facebook Fans People’s Choice Award: The Ben by Harsh Agrawal

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Photo by Jeff Rovner

Kathleen Dunphy

–Tuesday, June 6 through Thursday June 8, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Kathleen Dunphy: 3-Day Plein Air Painting Workshop

LPAPA is pleased to present a three-day “Signature Artist in Residence” Laguna Plein Air Painting Workshop with Kathleen Dunphy.

Frustrated with trying to catch the ever-changing light condition while painting outdoors? Always wanted to learn about plein air painting but have been afraid to try it? Need some inspiration to kick-start your work? This class is for you!

Join Dunphy, award-winning oil painter and LPAPA Signature Artist, for an intensive workshop of painting landscapes on location. Dunphy will walk you through her process for creating dynamic, light-filled paintings.

All levels are welcome from beginner to professional. This workshop starts with a comprehensive lecture on the fundamentals of good painting and tips for plein air work. The workshop includes lectures, hand-outs, demonstrations, lots of one-on-one instruction, and painting on location at various sites in and around Laguna Beach. Dunphy demonstrates her painting technique and students get the opportunity to paint several studies in this high-energy, three-day class. Students must provide their own art supplies, meals and transportation to and from painting sites. Maximum of 15 students, minimum of 10.

Tuition: $750 for LPAPA Members, $795 for Non-members

Locations: Day 1 meets at the LPAPA Gallery, 414 N. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. Call 949.376.3635. Other painting locations to be provided in advance, as well as a recommended supply list.

This workshop is currently full, but click here to add your name to the waitlist so they can contact you when a spot opens up.

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Courtesy of LPAPA

Paint Party Paint Along on June 7 and 21

–Wednesday June 7, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

“Home Sweet Home” Live with Debra Huse

The “Home Sweet Home” Paint Party Paint Along with Debra Huse will be lively brushstroke-by-brushstroke instruction filled with insightful tips.

Grab your paint and easel and join LPAPA Signature Artist Debra Huse for her Paint Like A Pro four-part Series 15 weekly live online Paint Alongs. Huse will provide the reference photos and guide you from start to finish as you paint along together, brushstroke by brushstroke, to complete a great little painting in less than two hours.

Paint Parties are fun for everyone, from beginner to more advanced painters. See, paint and learn with other artists from across the world. After the live Paint Party, the Paint Along video will be available in your online library for a lifetime of enjoyment. Sign up through LPAPA and Huse will donate a portion of her fee to support nonprofit LPAPA and its education programs.

Who doesn’t love a great farm with trees? Get clean color and thick, juicy paint. Design, light, shadow and color secrets revealed.

Tuition: $59 for an individual course. Go here to sign up.

–Wednesday June 21, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

“On the Lake” Live with Debra Huse

The “On the Lake” Paint Party Paint Along with Debra Huse will be lively brushstroke-by-brushstroke instruction filled with insightful tips.

Grab your paint and easel and join LPAPA Signature Artist Debra Huse for her Paint Like A Pro four-part Series 15 weekly live online Paint Alongs. Huse will provide the reference photos and guide you from start to finish as you paint along together, brushstroke by brushstroke, to complete a great little painting in less than two hours.

Paint Parties are fun for everyone, from beginner to more advanced painters. See, paint and learn with other artists from across the world. After the live Paint Party, the Paint Along video will be available in your online library for a lifetime of enjoyment. Sign up through LPAPA and Huse will donate a portion of her fee to support nonprofit LPAPA and its education programs.

Capture the sunset glow in the sky and on the lake, accentuated by beautiful dark trees. Enjoy and learn while you paint this sparkler of a painting that everyone will love.

Tuition: $59 for an individual course. Go here to sign up.

For more information about LPAPA, go to www.lpapa.org.

LOCA presents Drawing Nature - Family Style on June 1 and June 8

LOCA is offering free art classes for the whole family (all ages) on Drawing Nature - Family Style on June 1 and June 8 from 4-5 p.m. at the Laguna Beach Library, 363 Glenneyre St.

Drop-ins are invited and no registration is required.

Led by instructor Elizabeth McGhee, each workshop will have a different focus.

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Draw insects, such as dragonflies, found in the Fairy Garden

–Thursday, June 1, 4-5 p.m.

“Sea,” where participants draw a tidepool habitat.

–Thursday, June 8, 4-5 p.m.

“Mountains and Trails,” where participants draw a hiking trail.

LOCA Arts Education is a nonprofit coalition of arts educators, professional artists and advocates interested in arts education for people of all ages. They have been serving the community for more than 25 years.

Their organization currently provides workshops to Laguna Beach Unified School District, Glennwood House, Laguna Beach Public Library, Laguna Beach Boys & Girls Club Canyon and Bluebird Park branches, Waymakers Youth Shelter and the Laguna Beach Community & Susi Q Senior Center. Workshops are also available to the public.

For more information, go to www.locaarts.org/events.

Sawdust Art Festival’s spring calendar is full in May and June

Sawdust Art Festival is offering a variety of art classes for spring – a program that operates in the festival off-season. From Van Gogh to fused jewelry and castles, they offer myriad experiences from which to choose to get creative, so sign up now.

These are a few of the workshops coming up soon. For a complete listing of classes, click here.

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Photos courtesy of Sawdust Festival

Two dates for the Art of Batik Painting 

–Friday, June 2, 5-7 p.m. (After Dark! Includes complimentary wine.)

Learn the Art of Batik Painting!

Create a beautiful wearable work of art with artist Nancy Villere. Using a variety of different dyes and resists, Villere will talk you through the process step-by-step on how to apply the resist to the silk to create a striking design. You will then work with different colored dyes to fill in your pattern, creating a stunning silk scarf painting that you can either frame or wear as a piece of art.

Cost: $95, includes all materials.

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Beaded Baubles on May 26

–Friday, May 26, 2-4 p.m.

Beaded Baubles with Nansea Williams

Watercolor painting made simple! Make these colorful, stretchy beaded bracelets with artist Nansea Williams. Choose from a huge selection of colorful bobbles and beads which you can mix and match to create whimsical, sparkly additions to your jewelry collection. This is a creative and imaginative class where you will be able to make two to three bracelets and is super fun for both adults and children.

Cost: $65, includes all materials.

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Collage and wine! on May 26 

–Friday, May 26, 5-7 p.m.

After Dark: Couture Collage with Nansea Williams

An evening session of collage and wine.

Piece together fabulous frocks, heavenly heels, perfect purses and awesome accessories using a variety of mixed media including patterned paper, fabric, sequins, feathers, skeleton leaves, glitter and glue. Working on a canvas panel, you will also incorporate different stamping and painting techniques to produce a whimsical background, suitable for any supermodel.

Cost: $75 per student. Includes all materials and wine.

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Going Marbles with Paint Pour - May 26

–Friday, May 26, 5-7 p.m. (includes wine!)

Going Marbles with Paint Pour! with Joshua Hill

An alternative paint pour experience. Join local artist Joshua Hill in this expressive class where you will learn how to create intricate, one-of-a-kind designs with fluid paint. Hill will show you how to create striking patterns and color combinations with unconventional tools. This is a super fun class where you can really let your inner artist go.

Cost: $95. This class is suitable for all age groups, but children ages 7-10 yrs. must be accompanied by an adult. This class is not suitable for children under 7 years of age.

Glassblowing classes to choose from

–Saturday, May 27, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. or 2-4 p.m.

–Sunday, May 28, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. or 2-4 p.m.

Glassblowing

Encounter the magic of glassblowing with one of their master Sawdust glassblowers! In this truly unique experience, you will be taken through the glassblowing process step-by-step in their famous glass demo booth. You will receive individual, one-on-one instruction to create a beautiful piece of artwork.

Cost: $300 per student for a private two-hour lesson. All materials are provided. Students are required to wear a long-sleeved, button-up shirt and closed-toe shoes.

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Sew a Whale on May 27

–Sunday, May 27, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Sew a Cute Whale with Carmen Gundelach

Learn the basics of sewing and pattern making in this class that is ideal for ages 9 and over (adults are welcome, too!). Carmen Gundelach will show you how to trace the pattern onto fabric, cutting it out and hand sewing it together. This is a class that you can do with your kids or just have fun and do it yourself. You can either bring your favorite fabric or choose from supplies that Gundelach will have.

Cost: $69 per student which includes all materials. This class is suitable for all age groups, but children under 9 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.

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Pottery Wheel Experience

–Saturday, May 27, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Pottery Wheel Experience with Robert Jones

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit at a potter’s wheel and actually throw a pot? Robert Jones will take you through the process step-by-step, allowing you to gain confidence so that, with his help, you will make your own pottery pieces on the wheel. Each student will make approximately three to four pieces that he will then fire and glaze in his own studio so that you will end up with a beautifully glazed mug or bowl which you can truly call your own.

Please note: The firing and glazing time will take approximately three to four weeks before your art is ready to collect. If you wish your items to be mailed, there will be an additional cost to cover postage and packing. Absolutely no experience is necessary to take this class, however closed-toe shoes and casual, comfortable clothing are recommended. All materials are included in the cost.

Cost: $100 per student (there may be an additional charge if you wish to have your items mailed).

Whimsical Watercolor Wonders on May 27

–Saturday, May 27, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Whimsical Watercolor Wonders with Kate Cleaves

Discover the various aspects of visual texture, pattern and mark making through a variety of hands-on explorations and process art. Dive into a world of whimsy, let those creative juices flow, learn how to have fun using everyday objects. Cleave’s magical approach will lead you step-by-step to a final project of a paper cutout collage using your own handmade art papers. A truly fun yet educational class with lots of hints and tips about how to make your own mark on your work. This class is great for both absolute beginners, and those with some experience who want to learn more about textures and pattern making. All materials for this project are included in the price.

Cost: $75.

After Dark: Van Gogh Cypress Tree and Star on May 27 and June 9

–Saturday, May 27, 4-6 p.m.

–Friday, June 9, 5-7 p.m.

After Dark: Van Gogh Cypress Tree and Star with Lisa Rainey

Learn the techniques of Master Impressionist Vincent Van Gogh while sipping on a glass of wine! Brush work, color, light and movement are the key elements of what you will be focusing on in this class. Leave with knowledge and appreciation for this famous artist who pioneered new territory and techniques. Gain a sense of freedom of expression, as you play with shapes and color.

High quality art materials will be provided including acrylic paints, a variety of brushes, 11”x14” canvas, palette knife and printed colored reference image. And of course, wine.

Cost: $95 per student. Includes all materials and wine.

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Coral Bowl or Wall Art, May 28

–Sunday, May 28, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Coral Bowl or Wall Art with Barbara Lolli

Learn how to turn an abstract idea into a beautiful glass bowl (or decorative wall art) with fused glass artist Barbara Lolli. Choose from a rainbow of vibrant colors and different types of sheet glass and frit (small pieces of glass), then learn to cut and assemble your pieces. The firing of your pieces will be done off-site and will be available for pick-up, or can be mailed to you by USPS Priority Mail (at a small extra cost).

Cost: $125 per student. This two-hour class includes all materials and firing costs.

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Magic Castle Workshop on May 31

–Wednesday, May 31, 4-6 p.m.

Magic Castle Workshop

In this magical workshop with Nansea Williams, students will create a one-of-a-kind fairy princess or prince, and an enchanting castle playhouse. Each castle is a blank canvas, ready to be decorated and painted in the class. It measures 12x12 and has an easy to carry handle so your little artist can take their playhouse and handmade doll on the go. Paints, decorative papers, glitter and more will be provided so that every castle is unique. Students can create a realistic exterior by painting “brickwork,” or they can make it a fantasy castle in bright pinks or blues, with sprinkles of fairy dust. And that’s just the outside. The castle hinges open to expose two floors of rooms that will need papering, painting and decorations. The more imaginative you are – the better. And of course, no castle is complete without a Prince or Princess (one Prince or Princess per child). Williams will then show you how to make a little royal doll to live there.

This workshop offers a huge amount of fun and creativity that can be shared with your child(ren) or grandkids. Only one castle per family.

Cost: $125, which includes one adult and child. Materials for an additional child is $25. If you would like to add additional children, call Art Education directly on 949.497.0515, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to arrange a payment separately.

This three-hour workshop includes an intricate wooden castle to take home – please note, only one castle per family, materials to make a little prince or princess for your castle, and everything you need to decorate it with.

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Art of Batik Painting on June 2

–Friday, June 2, 5-7 p.m. (After Dark! Includes complimentary wine.)

Learn the Art of Batik Painting!

Create a beautiful wearable work of art with artist Nancy Villere. Using a variety of different dyes and resists, Villere will talk you through the process step-by-step on how to apply the resist to the silk to create a striking design. You will then work with different colored dyes to fill in your pattern, creating a stunning silk scarf painting that you can either frame or wear as a piece of art.

Cost: $95, includes all materials.

I Spy Your Eye Photography on June 16

–Friday, June 16, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

I Spy Your Eye Photography with Mary Church

Join artist Mary Church in this three-part class covering the key principles of photography. In the first part of the class, Church will talk you through the key elements including perspective, composition, color, design and imagery. Then, under her guidance, you will explore the grounds of the Sawdust Festival to create three different printed images (one 8.5”x11” and two 4”x6”) that you will take home. The final element of this class will be a display of your images and discoveries that you made during your time with us.

To participate in this class, you will need to have either a digital camera, an iPhone/iPad, or Android/smart phones (all digital devices welcome!). This class is suitable for ages 10-110.

Cost: $95 per person. To register, click here.

To visit the Sawdust website for more information, an update on classes and to register, go to https://sawdustartfestival.org/classes.

Sawdust Art Festival is located at 935 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach.

The Plant Man: tomato time

By Steve Kawaratani

“It’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a tomato.”

–Lewis Grizzard

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Photos courtesy of Steve Kawaratani

Steve Kawaratani

During the midst of May gray, I muse about sunny days and growing tomatoes. With the right soil, anticipated sunlight, water and care, enjoying a bountiful harvest of tomatoes is a fun and easy pursuit. I also say that growing your own food is a pleasant distraction from the weather!

Before purchasing tomato starters for your garden, select a tomato variety that is suitable for our coastal clime in Laguna. Look for varieties that are resistant to diseases and pests, and that can tolerate the lack of true heat. Early, heirloom and cherry tomatoes are generally an excellent choice for our local gardens.

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Cherry tomatoes are easy to grow in Laguna

Only buy healthy tomato seedlings from a reputable garden center or nursery. Select plants that have strong stems, healthy leaves and are disease and pest free.

Tomatoes grow best in well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter. Amend the soil with planter’s mix and starter fertilizer before planting to provide the plants with the soil structure and nutrients they need to thrive. Tomatoes grow well in containers, but select at least a 14” diameter pot and use a quality potting soil.

Tomatoes need at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight each day to produce fruit. Choose a location in your garden that receives full sun and is protected from wind and overhead sprinkler water.

Our pandemic-era vegetable garden

Homegrown tomatoes are more nutritious and flavorful than store-bought produce, as they are picked at the peak of ripeness and do not lose their vitality during commercial storage and transportation. Do you save money growing your own food? It is debatable, but I know for sure that gardening helps me reduce stress and improves my outlook on life. See you next time.

Steve Kawaratani has been a local guy for seven decades and likes to garden and drive the Baja Peninsula. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 949.494.5141.

All in bloom

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Photo by Scott Brashier

After all the late winter and early spring rains, flowers are in full bloom

LOCA’s springtime events

LOCA continues an interesting mix of events for springtime with a hands-on community tile mosaic to help create.

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Take part in creating wall-sized mosaic artwork

–Wednesday, May 31 at 3:30-6:30 p.m.

Decorate a Tile for LOCA’s Community Mosaic

LOCA Arts Education invites the public to take part in creating a wall-sized community mosaic artwork. Adults and families, ages 10 and up, will decorate tiles at open studio workshops.

The mosaic, designed by tile artist Mike Tauber, will feature sea lions over an ocean-blue background. The scene will be made up of about 120 individual tiles, decorated by citizens in the workshops, with a choice of ocean-themed subjects, such as tidepool creatures, bubbles, octopus and fish. Rather than realistic, it will read like a fantasy quilt. The easy, beginner-friendly process involves drawing a design or pattern on tile, tracing with a wax pencil and painting in the tile with glazes specified by Tauber.

After firing, the tiles will be mounted on panels. The finished art will be available for viewing at Laguna Beach Community and Susi Q Senior Center in late summer, as part of the “Cultural Creativity” exhibit presented by Gallery Q at the Susi Q.

Workshops are open-studio style, allowing participants to come and go as desired, during open hours. Final seating is 6 p.m. and participants should allow for a 30-minute work time, ages 10 and up. Cost is free, registration is required. email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to register.

The workshops are funded to LOCA by a Cultural Arts Grant from the City of Laguna Beach, and a donation from Tim Kippen and Ileana Frometa Grillo.

Honor fallen servicemen at Heisler Park on Memorial Day, May 29

On Monday, May 29, Laguna Beach American Legion Post 222 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5868 will conduct a Memorial Day ceremony in remembrance of their comrades who died protecting our country in all the wars and conflicts. The ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. at Monument Point in Heisler Park. Keynote speaker will be Vietnam veteran Colonel Robert Seitz, U.S. Army (RET).

Memorial Day is set aside by Presidential Proclamation as a day to honor all the brave men and women who have given their lives in service to our country.

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Courtesy of LB American Legion Post 222

Organization places floral offering at the Heisler Park Memorial Monument during the Memorial Day ceremony in 2019

Your organization is invited to join these veterans’ groups in showing your appreciation for those who have given all so that we may continue to enjoy our American way of life.

Many organizations place floral offerings at the Heisler Park Memorial Monument during the ceremony. If you send or bring floral arrangements, be sure your organization’s name is attached and have your flowers delivered by 9:30 a.m. No glass containers are allowed.

If you plan to present a floral offering during the program, call Auxiliary member Sandi Werthe at 949.494.6016, or email her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Free concert at Main Beach honors our military on Memorial Day, May 29

The Laguna Community JaZz and Concert Bands salute our troops on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, with a free concert at the cobblestones on Main Beach.

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Photo by Peyton Webster

Lisa Morrice will perform with the Laguna Community Concert Band on Monday, May 29

The 17-piece Laguna JaZz band kicks things off with an eclectic mix of Big Band, Latin, rock and pop starting at 11 a.m. with jazz vocalist Ginger Hatfield. At 12:30 p.m., the Laguna Community Concert Band plays flag-waving favorites including “Stars and Stripes Forever,” a medley from the musical, Chicago, featuring vocalists Gary Greene and Lisa Morrice, while special guest artist Eliana Merritt, from Laguna Beach High School, will perform a dance to “Singin’ in the Rain.”

Like all of the band’s performances, this concert is free. The Laguna Community Concert Band rehearses at the Laguna Beach High School band room on Tuesday nights at 6 p.m. For the latest news about the concert and jazz bands and a calendar of concerts, or if you would like to play with the band, go to the website at www.lagunaconcertband.com.

Laguna Beach Chamber Singers present Spring Concert on June 3

After two years of remote music making, Laguna Beach Chamber Singers (LBCS) makes its long-awaited return to live performance on Saturday, June 3 with an honest reflection on the time that has passed through “Where We Go: A Meditation on Life’s Journey.” This reflective program thoughtfully portrays life’s journey from early music to contemporary through the lens of composers such as Laurdison, Hilliard, Stroope, Paulus and Trumbore.

Join them at 4 p.m. for a free at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church at 428 Park Ave., Laguna Beach. To RSVP and support their work, click here. The concert will be conducted by LBCS Interim Artistic Director Ashton Bocca-Hackwith, a Bachelor of Music student at Cal State Fullerton.

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Courtesy of LB Chamber Singers

Laguna Beach Chamber Singers at a previous performance

Based in Laguna Beach, LBCS is comprised of non-professional, community singers primarily from Orange County. With the goals of sharing highly eclectic programs which integrate both old and new, and creating art that engages those involved in innovative ways, LBCS provides its singers and audience members an opportunity to encounter an array of thought-provoking and musically adventurous repertoire.

Today’s LBCS is an intimate group which regards itself as artistically disciplined and energetic, with a positive rehearsal atmosphere, combined with genuine camaraderie. The journey of rehearsing is as important and fulfilling to them as the destination of performing. They are grateful for your support and hope these musical offerings express how important both you and the world are to them.

LBCS is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization and donations are gratefully accepted in support of their work. LBCS would like to thank and acknowledge the support of the lodging establishments and City of Laguna Beach. Visit them at www.lbchambersingers.org.

For more information, contact Marshall Ayers at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or 818.317.7584.

Tickets are selling out fast for Susi Q’s “Evening with an Author” featuring Janelle Brown

Tickets are selling out fast for an “An Evening with an Author,” featuring talented and entertaining best-selling author, Janelle Brown, whose latest book, I’ll Be You, provides book clubs with meaty issues to discuss – as well as suspenseful enjoyment.

The event takes place at the Susi Q on Tuesday June 6 from 5-7 p.m., with doors opening at 4:30 p.m. for attendees to mingle while sipping wine and enjoying light hors d’oeuvres prior to the program.

Brown’s latest book, I’ll Be You, is included in the $35 cost of the program.

Esteemed arts columnist, published short-story writer and podcaster Marrie Stone will be in conversation with Brown, whose novels are perfect summer reads. Set in Hollywood, I’ll Be You is a page-turner that touches on cults, twinship and celebrity culture.

The event is the second of a series of “Evenings with an Author” planned for the Susi Q. Novelist Lisa See will be featured on September 13.

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Submitted photo

Janelle Brown, best-selling author

Register online for “An Evening with an Author” at www.thesusiq.org and click on Classes. To RSVP by phone, call 949.715.8105, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

“We like to think of the Susi Q as the place where the generations meet,” said Nadia Babayi, executive director, “and this event is a good example of programming that attracts every age group. We’re thrilled at the response.”

The Susi Q is operated by Laguna Beach Seniors, established in part to enable older adults to “age in place.”

“In Laguna Beach, ‘aging in place’ means you’re supported in your lifestyle and your own home as the years tick by, instead of feeling the need to move to a senior community,” said Babayi. “In that same vein, we encourage all age groups to attend our programs so that older adults don’t feel isolated from the community at large.”

The Susi Q offers a wide range of educational and fun programs, classes and clubs for older adults – though all ages are welcome. The Susi Q’s Care Management Department provides free consultation, education and practical resources for vulnerable seniors, enabling them to stay safe, informed and independent. For more information on the Susi Q, the portal to access the best of Laguna’s community resources, visit www.thesusiq.org.

The Susi Q Center is located at 380 Third St., Laguna Beach.

E-waste drive at LBUSD lot on June 3

Clean out your home or office and bring unwanted electronics to the Laguna Beach Unified School District lot on Saturday, June 3 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Local community nonprofit, Laguna Beach FC, partnered with international tech giants Procurri LLC and Ingram Micro to offer an electronic waste drive biannually in Laguna Beach.

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Photos by Chris Boyd

LBFC G2004 SOCAL Elite State Cup Champions

Broken or obsolete electronics can be dropped off at 550 Blumont St. between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Electronics are processed securely by Procurri LLC and Ingram Micro for recycling and resale. All proceeds from the drive will be donated to LBFC to fund need-based scholarships and program costs. Donation receipts and security details will be provided on-site.

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LBFC players and staff join Procurri and Ingram Micro for electronic waste collection

Founded in 2020, LBFC’s 2022/23 season has been its most successful yet. Laguna Beach FC has 12 club soccer teams, aged 7-18, who train in Laguna Beach and compete regionally. The LBFC G2009, B2009 and G2004 teams finished the fall season as SOCAL league division champions. Two LBFC teams – LBFC G2004, coached by Max Woodruff and LBFC B2010, coached by Andy Thomas – had undefeated postseasons to become State Cup Champions for SOCAL. LBFC G2004 has been invited to compete for the National US Club title this July.

Acceptable Devices: Desktop and laptop computers and peripherals (cables and cords), tablets, smartphones, telephones, LCD monitors, printers, scanners, projectors, hard drives, stereo equipment, shredders and radios.

Unacceptable Devices: TVs, refrigerators, stoves, ovens, microwaves, air conditioners, vacuums, toasters and other household appliances, devices with swollen or leaking batteries.

For business electronics pick-up, contact Lucie Martlin at 949.306.0055, or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Quiet days lead to closed towers

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

But not to worry…sunnier days ahead

Chabad Jewish Center welcomes the community to a special Shavuot Holiday service

The Chabad Jewish Center welcomes the community to a special Shavuot Holiday service, reading of the Ten Commandments and dairy buffet on Friday, May 26 at 11 a.m. A special after-school children’s ice cream party and holiday program will be held at 4:30 p.m. RSVP to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

A Yizkor Memorial Service will take place on Saturday, May 27 at approximately 11:30 a.m.

Shavuot is a two-day holiday that commemorates the date when Gd gave the Torah to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai more than 3,000 years ago. Preceded by 49 days of counting in eager anticipation, Shavuot is celebrated through desisting from work, candlelit dinners, late night Torah study, dairy foods and listening to the reading of the Ten Commandments in the synagogue.

Chabad is located at 30804 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, across from the Montage Resort. For more on the holiday and a complete schedule of Shavuot services, visit the Shavuot megasite at www.chabadoflaguna.com.

Laguna’s abalone is the subject at upcoming Susi Q lecture, 12th Annual Laguna Bluebelt Photo Contest and Laguna KelpFest 2023 

Hey, Laguna, how are your Abs? Laguna’s Abalone will be the central theme for several upcoming events coordinated by the Laguna Bluebelt Coalition. Acclaimed marine biologist and author Ann Vileisis will discuss her recent research and book at the Susi Q, Laguna Beach Community Center at 4 p.m. on May 30.

Vileisis is an environmental historian and independent scholar. Her first book, Discovering the Unknown Landscape: A History of America’s Wetlands, won two national history awards from the American Historical Association and the American Society for Environmental History. Her second book, Kitchen Literacy: How we Lost Knowledge of Where Food Comes from and Why We Need to Get It Back, was recognized by Real Simple Magazine as one of “50 books that will change your life.”

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Photos courtesy of Laguna Bluebelt Coalition

Environmental historian Ann Vileisis

And her new work, Abalone: The Remarkable History and Uncertain Future of California’s Iconic Shellfish has been called by Dr. Callum Roberts “a truly marvelous, unexpected joy of a book.”

Joining the lecture, Laguna’s “Kelplady” Nancy Caruso will share her 10 years of abalone research and surveys.

Abalone and sea life will also be prominent stars in the 12th Annual Laguna Bluebelt Photo Contest and upcoming Laguna KelpFest 2023.

Laguna’s Abs are keystone species capable of prodigious populations in cool, clear water and abundant kelp forests – with scraps of kelp drifting along the seafloor providing their diet. During excavation of the Montage Resort, abalone middens spoke of the early Acjachemen, who harvested abalone for food just as we used to do – until they were all, mostly, gone. Laguna’s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) now offer hope for abalone, kelp forest and sea life recovery. Register for this free event at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

For more information on the event, click here.

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Abalone is the central theme of several Laguna Bluebelt Coalition events. Pictured is an abalone shell, found near Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, Moss Beach

Thursday, May 4 is the launch of the 12th Annual Laguna Bluebelt Photo Contest for submissions of images captured over the past year. The submission deadline is July 7. There will be an artist reception at a later date at the Laguna College of Art & Design Gallery. The Bluebelt Photo Contest highlights and celebrates Laguna Beach’s citywide network of marine protected areas connected together as a bluebelt for sea life restoration. It serves as a nursery, supporting regional fisheries from Dana Point and Newport Beach. Photo Contest rules for submission can be found by clicking here. 

On Saturday, June 3 at Main Beach, the 13th Annual Laguna KelpFest, sponsored by the Laguna Ocean Foundation, will celebrate and educate visitors about the important contributions Laguna’s kelp forests play in providing a home for sea life and mitigating the effects of climate change by sequestering carbon and shading the sea floor to cool rising sea temperatures – a necessary step in addressing sea level rise. Learn about participating in KelpFest 2023 by clicking here. 

Laguna Beach’s steep rocky coastline’s central location along Southern California’s Gulf of Santa Catalina is the ideal location for sea life recovery and protection. The many benefits of marine life protection can be found at http://lagunabluebelt.org/.

Catmosphere Laguna Foundation event at Gelson’s Laguna Beach set for Saturday, May 27

On Saturday, May 27, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Catmosphere Laguna cats and kittens will be featured for adoption at Gelson’s Laguna Beach location, 30922 Pacific Coast Highway. Their adoption events are fun for the whole family with snacks and giveaways for all – and volunteer opportunities are available.

Catmosphere Laguna Foundation introduced Orange County’s first Cat Café & Lounge. Catmosphere Laguna Rescue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit feline rescue which serves Laguna Beach and the surrounding communities every day of the week dedicated to finding forever homes for homeless, relinquished, abandoned and special-needs cats and kittens.

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Courtesy of Catmosphere Laguna Foundation

Catmosphere Laguna Foundation adoption event on May 27

Laguna Beach has long been known and loved for its artistic community and embrace of nature in all its forms. Catmosphere Laguna Foundation enhances and strengthens that reputation in its mission to prevent cruelty to animals by rescuing, fostering and assisting in public adoptions, and awareness of the plight of homeless felines.

For details, contact Catmosphere Laguna Foundation at 949.619.MEOW (6369), or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Future adoption event dates continue monthly throughout 2023.

Laguna Beach Animal Shelter and Catmosphere Laguna adoption remaining event dates for 2023: June 17, August 19, October 21 and year-end holiday events. 

Gelson’s Laguna Beach and Catmosphere Laguna adoption event dates for 2023: May 27, August 26, October 28 and year-end holiday events.

Laguna Live! presents Bluegrass and BBQ at LCAD on June 11

Join Laguna Live! for a delightful afternoon of outstanding Bluegrass music and delicious BBQ, on Sunday, June 11, 4-7 p.m. (BBQ 4-6 p.m., concert 5-7 p.m.)

A Laguna Live! favorite, Bluegrass and BBQ, returns to the picturesque grounds at Laguna College of Art + Design, 2222 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach.

Award-winning, San Diego-based band MohaviSoul will be performing. Barbecue is provided by Richard Jones Pit BBQ. Beverages by Bianchi Winery, offering a selection of their award-winning Paso Robles wines, plus Costa Mesa’s master beer maker, Salty Bear Brewing Co., will be onsite with their most popular brews.

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Courtesy of mohavisoul.com

MohaviSoul performs at LCAD on Sunday, June 11

MohaviSoul is an award-winning, San Diego-based, California-style Contemporary Bluegrass-Americana band playing original music that combines West Virginia roots with 5th-generation California heritage. MohaviSoul wraps storytelling in music with a blend of original music and great covers. The band has released five CDs: Every Second (1/2013), Blue Diesel (12/2013), Hometown Blues (8/2017), Live at the 42nd Annual Huck Finn Jubilee (12/2019) and their new (1/2021) CD of 13 new original songs called Stories and Memories, with three singles “Make It Up,” “Fourteen Days” and “Breakin’ Down,” also released in 2021.

MohaviSoul gained national attention at the Bluegrass Ramble in September 2021 in Raleigh, N.C. as an invited Showcase Artist at the IBMA World of Bluegrass, and is the first band since Nickel Creek invited to represent SoCal at IBMA’s World of Bluegrass. The Bluegrass Standard said of Hometown Blues CD, “The band is able to blend all types of bluegrass, that include traditional, ‘newgrass’ and original material. It’s bluegrass from the soul that harkens back to the origins of bluegrass music blended explicitly in a contemporary sound. Their outstanding playing on all tracks tell they love what they do. On My Way best exemplifies each player’s solo instrumentation and ability to blend their unique sound.” San Diego Music Awards Academy (SDMA) nominated Hometown Blues Best Album of the Year (2018) and Stories and Memories (2022) and SDMA nominated for Best Country/Americana Band (2020 and 2022).

Tickets: Concert only: $25 in advance, $30 at the door; Concert & BBQ: $52 in advance, $57 at the door; VIP: $110 (includes concert, BBQ and reserved table seating). Tickets are nonrefundable. Sorry, no outside food or beverages.

Buffet Menu from Richard Jones Pit BBQ, “Authentic Texas BBQ”: Entrees – Smoked Chicken Breast, Smoked Pulled Pork, or (Veggie Option) Smoked Veggie Kabobs; Sides – Roasted Red Potatoes, Mac and Cheese, or Penne Pasta Salad and Freshly Baked Rolls and Butter.

For tickets, click here.

For more information on Laguna Live!, go to www.lagunabeachlive.org.

Artists Fund adds “Blessing of the Artists”

–Thursday, June 1, 6-7 p.m.

“Art-To-Go Reception at City Hall” Free.

Kick-off First Thursdays Art Walk with 45 Festival exhibitors at City Hall. 

Laguna Beach City Hall, 505 Forest Ave., Laguna Beach. (Exhibition through June 27.)

–Sunday, June 4, 4 p.m.

“Blessing of the Artists”

Prayer and Thanksgiving Ceremony

All Faiths Welcome

St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church

1042 Temple Terrace, Laguna Beach

Sponsored by: St. Catherine of Siena Council of Catholic Women and Laguna Beach Interfaith Council

For more information, contact Angela Ordway at 949.510.6930, or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Cultural Arts features concerts in the park and Circus Bella

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Courtesy of City of Laguna Beach

Alma Nova Duo - May 26

–Friday, May 26, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Sunset Serenades – Alma Nova Duo

Come enjoy free live music performances each Friday evening in May at the Heisler Park Amphitheater.

Courtesy of City of Laguna Beach

World Music Series - Twanguero, June 12

–Fridays, June 2, 9 and 16, 6:30 p.m.-sunset

World Music Series at Heisler Park Amphitheater

June 2, Dylan’s Steel Band

June 9, Firebird Ensemble

June 12, Twanguero

Join the Arts Commission for this free live music series featuring authentic cultural music from around the world.

This program is funded by the lodging establishments and City of Laguna Beach.

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Courtesy of City of LB

Circus Bella: a modern twist on a one-ring circus…overflowing with Heart and Soul

–Saturday, June 10, showtimes at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Circus Bella at Bluebird Park, 14th Annual Summer Season 2023

BANANAS! with Live Music by Rob Reich & The Circus Bella All-Star Band.

All shows are free and for children of all ages.

Circus Bella is excited to announce their jubilant return to the park with its 14th annual all new, open air, outdoor show: BANANAS! - A Bombastic, Ballyhoo, and Celebration of Silliness. Circus Bella offers a modern twist on a one-ring circus…overflowing with heart and soul. This series of free performances will delight and amaze children of all ages in a treasured family event. The 60-minute shows feature the effervescent Circus Bella Company and a stellar array and diverse talented troupe of acrobats, aerialists, jugglers and clowns from the Bay Area and beyond performing to the live music of Rob Reich and the six-piece Circus Bella All-Star Band. BANANAS! is directed by Abigail Munn (Circus Bella co-founder and director).

More information is available at https://www.circusbella.org/.

These programs are presented by the City of Laguna Beach Arts Commission and funded by the lodging establishments and City of Laguna Beach.

For more information about the Cultural Arts Programs, click here.

Enough of May gray days

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Photo by Scott Brashier

Hoping for an end to May gray days, as the holiday weekend is upon us

Police Beat Primer

Compiled by Suzie Harrison

Police Beat derives from information in the daily police and arrest logs published on the City of Laguna Beach’s website and required under CA Government Code Section 6254 (f). Additional information is obtained through communication with the Laguna Beach Police Department’s Public Information Officer.

Information in the logs is deemed reliable and Stu News Laguna is not responsible for any mistakes made available as public record by the Laguna Beach Police Department.

Any person arrested is innocent until found guilty in a court of law.