Obituary

Clarence B. (Bud) Schaefer

August 8, 1936 – January 7, 2023

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Courtesy of Andrea (Schaefer) Truslow

Clarence B. (Bud) Schaefer

Clarence B. Schaefer (Bud), affectionately called “Big Bud” by his family, and a 60-year resident of Laguna Beach, Calif., died peacefully, surrounded by his family, on January 7, 2023. He was 86.

Bud was born on August 8, 1936, in Buffalo, N.Y., to Elizabeth Angle Schaefer and Clarence Bott Schaefer Sr. He attended The Nichols School and graduated from Northwestern University in 1959, where he earned his B.S. in Business Administration and was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. He continued his education at the American Institute for Foreign Trade (Thunderbird), receiving an additional degree in Foreign Trade.

Bud began his career working in advertising in New York City, but soon changed his path to the pharmaceutical industry. In 1963, he relocated to Orange County with his young bride to start the international division of Allergan. He later worked in consulting for other companies before retiring to manage his investments.

Throughout his life, Bud loved to travel. He managed to visit 103 countries and all seven continents. Always in pursuit of a new “off the beaten path” adventure by foot, horse, canoe or bush plane, Bud was most enchanted with Africa, as he had a passion for wildlife conservation. Bud shunned materialism and preferred the simple pleasures in life: long hikes and beach walks, a good burger with a Coca-Cola, Pacific sunsets and a competitive game of tennis. People often saw him driving his 1982 dark green Volvo on the streets of Laguna. He was known for his sharp wit and was called, “The Voice,” for his encyclopedic statistical knowledge of sports, geography, cinema and stocks.  Bud was a fan of all sports, especially college and professional football, never missing a Northwestern or Buffalo Bills game. He also enjoyed classic films, especially John Wayne westerns. Bud was a dedicated usher at the Laguna Presbyterian Church.

Bud is survived by his daughter, Andrea (Schaefer) Truslow and son-in law Peter Truslow of St. Petersburg, Fla.; son, Stephen John Schaefer and daughter-in-law, Marivic Labrador Schaefer of Laguna Beach; his five grandchildren, Austen Truslow, Hannah Truslow, Miles Truslow, Stephen Schaefer Jr. and Sophia Schaefer and his former wife and best friend, Margaret (Meg) Schaefer.

A private family graveside service for will be held at Pacific View in Newport Beach. In lieu of flowers, his family requests donations be made to the Laguna Presbyterian Church or the World Wildlife Fund.

Letters to the Editor

Beautify your neighborhood

Over the seven decades I’ve loved so many things about Laguna, I’ve always marveled when neighbors step up to beautify the town. 

In the 1980s, our friend and neighbor Kel Bratten wanted to eliminate four ugly (and dangerous) utility poles which ruined the view of the ocean for Kel and 10 others. Working together we got those poles removed! 

Then, we improved the end of Cleo Street, replacing a rusted-out guardrail with a stylish Gregg Abel-designed river rock wall with pilasters and lamps. Twenty neighbors chipped in to get the $70,000 job completed. 

And just recently when Taco Bell closed, we negotiated with the new owner (The Taco Stand) and architect Marshall Ininns to beautify the property with river rock pilasters (to match our neighborhood’s “character”), covered trash enclosures and an artful ceramic mural honoring Michael Hallinan’s plein air paintings, by Laguna’s Mike Tauber. The costs of these improvements were shared by the new owner, by the project’s required “Art in Public Places’’ contribution, and by the Cleo Street Neighborhood Beautification Committee (with monetary donations by Ray and Kathryn Fidel, Jeff Jahraus, Mike and Jacquie Broadfoot, Judy Sturgis, Russell Goldstein, Chip and Helen Johnson, Meghan and Louis Weil, and Barbara and Greg MacGillivray). 

When The Taco Stand opens (soon), we will reveal the mural and the historical plaques (a requirement of the ever-active Orange County Historical groups) paying tribute to the historical aspects of the Taco Bell and to Laguna’s own master artist, Michael Hallinan (Cathy Hallinan will be there). It’s a win-win-win. The owner gets a prettier building, the neighbors improve their home’s streetscape and the city residents honor their past. 

You too could create ways to improve your neighborhood. It’s easier than you think. (And please try to check out The Taco Stand!)

Greg MacGillivray

Laguna Beach

City boards, commissions and committees need your participation

“Ask not what your city can do for you. Ask what you can do for your city.”

Paraphrasing JFK’s words, I hereby challenge Laguna Beach residents to ponder: Do you possess skills, knowledge, or talents that could benefit our city?

Since my 2021 appointment by the City Council to the Housing and Human Services Committee, I have been pleasantly surprised at how gratifying it is to work with so many knowledgeable, energetic colleagues. Committee service has challenged my assumptions, deepened my knowledge, and raised my regard for city staff and electeds as they wrangle myriad challenges.

Seats are open on eight of the city’s committees: 

Board of Adjustment/Design Review Board – Three two-year terms – considers requests for variances from the zoning code. Unlike most other volunteer committee positions, DRB members are compensated $392 per month.

Environmental Sustainability Committee – Five two-year terms plus one alternate – researches, reviews and advises the City Council on protecting the environment and improving the community’s future sustainability. 

Heritage Committee – Three two-year terms and one one-year term – serves in an advisory role on historic preservation matters and reviews applications for the city’s Historic Register. 

Parking, Traffic & Circulation Committee – Three two-year terms – acts in an advisory capacity on parking, traffic, circulation, transit, the Parking Management Plan and traffic complaints. 

Recreation Committee – Four two-year terms – provides for the recreation and park needs of the community. (Skate park, anyone?)

Housing and Human Services Committee – Five 15-month terms – assesses and identifies housing opportunities and human needs for all segments of the community and provides input on the city’s Housing Element of the General Plan.

Audit Review & Investment Advisory Committee – Three two-year terms – reviews the results of the annual financial audit, reviews the city’s Investment Policy and more. The list of responsibilities for this one is long. See the city website. 

View Restoration Committee – Three two-year terms and one one-year term – adjudicates claims by property owners to restore views alleged to be impaired by vegetation. 

If any of these piques your interest, I encourage you to learn more online at the city website and talk with current committee members. 

If you have been contemplating becoming more involved, consider this your invitation to contribute to Laguna’s civic life. It’s one thing to hold opinions about how our city should be run; it’s an entirely different and far more constructive one to give of oneself in a sincere effort to improve and help move it forward. Remember, too, that all committee meetings are open to the public. 

See details and applications here.

The deadline to apply is Friday, Jan. 20 at 4:30 p.m. Contact the City Clerk’s office with any questions at 949.497.0705. 

Ask not what your city can do for you. Step on up. 

Barbara McMurray

Laguna Beach

Join a city committee – make a difference 

It is the time of year to apply to join one of the city committees ranging from the Emergency Preparedness to Arts Commission (the easy-to-complete applications must be in by Friday, Jan. 20). 

While all of the city committees do important work, as a member of the Housing and Human Services Committee, I can describe how “citizen members” can make a difference. In the past two years the HHS Committee members, working closely with city staff, helped to shape both the Accessory Dwelling Unit and Senate Bill 9 ordinances to both encourage development of these smaller, less expensive units, all while recognizing Laguna Beach’s unique qualities. The committee presented a very successful “how to” seminar on ADUs.

The committee has discussed and is proposing a workplan that focuses on developing a workable approach to providing lower rent ADU units for the city’s seniors and workforce. Also, it is developing workable approaches to the city, meeting the state mandate for added housing both at market rate and for low income. Exploring the possibility of creating a Housing Trust to help fund new low-income projects is part of the committee’s plan. All of these activities also include meeting human service needs, especially for the senior community.

If you have a background in housing, are of an analytical bent, understand human service needs, or just want to help make Laguna Beach a better place to live, please consider applying for a city committee membership. 

Yes, you will have to do some real work, but you will also help to make a real difference in our community.

Cody Engle, Vice Chair

Housing and Human Services Committee.

Fresh off November election win in 47th, Porter sets sights on Feinstein Senate bid in 2024

Some interesting national news that directly affects Newport and Laguna Beach was made public (Tuesday) when our congresswoman, Katie Porter, threw her hat into the ring to announce her candidature for the Senate seat of octogenarian Diane Feinstein. Although Diane Feinstein has not yet announced her retirement, speculation is mounting that she most likely will.

Katie Porter who became our congresswoman as a result of the redistributing of the 47th district in 2020, which includes Huntington Beach, Seal Beach, Laguna Beach, as well as Newport Beach, is not known for her timidity. In fact, she has built a national reputation for standing up to Wall Street, pharmaceutical companies, oil and gas giants and corporate lobbyists. She is one of just 10 members of Congress who doesn’t take a cent of corporate PAC or federal lobbyist money.

At the beginning of the pandemic, Porter successfully got the Trump Administration in March 2020 to commit to free COVID testing for every American. Perhaps she is best known for standing up for American families by badgering the head of companies and banks for their corporate greed that she vividly demonstrated on her professorial whiteboards, holding the banks’ feet to the fire and winning thousands of victories against the banks, forcing them to pay California families billions.

Before running for Congress, Porter was a law professor at UC Irvine where she specialized in consumer protection law. She was also appointed as California’s Independent Monitor of Big Banks following the foreclosure crisis.

While there was criticism of her announcement to run for Feinstein’s Senate seat before she had even announced her retirement, it was noted in a national newspaper that Porter intends to run whether she does or doesn’t. Others thought it insensitive of her to announce her candidature while California was getting battered by the biggest winter storm in recent history. But national and local tragedies do not often stop political events or calculations, as we so painfully observed during the pandemic, and in typical aggressive form, Katie Porter does not shy away from her important political decision. Instead, she says that the storm “illustrates the dire risks facing the nation from climate change” and the need for federal action.

Besides, she has other concerns that will affect the election in 2024, and that is the reality that several stellar candidates will be making up her opposition, among them most notably Representative Adam B. Schiff. Her participation in the senatorial election means that Newport Beach, Laguna Beach and other coastal cities will have an open congressional seat for the 47th District and the drama over the speculation of who will be running for that seat will soon be upon us. (I can almost anticipate those brain cogs turning.)

Lynn Lorenz

Newport Beach

Letters to the Editor

Planning Commission steps forward with opinion on Hotel Laguna’s future designs

Good news! The Planning Commission insists on a comprehensive plan for the Hotel Laguna and more sensitivity to Historic Design.

On January 4, the Planning Commission held the first public hearing on an application for work on the Hotel Laguna – after nearly five years of Honarkar’s Laguna Beach Company control of the hotel and following numerous requests from the city and public for a comprehensive plan for its restoration. This application was for the partial treatment of the exterior – paint colors (gray and buff) and dark bronze anodized aluminum replacement windows.

Speakers Cathy Jurca, of the Laguna Beach Historic Preservation Coalition, and Ann Christoph and Anne Caenn, of Village Laguna, urged the commissioners to require a comprehensive review of all proposed work on the hotel, objecting to the city’s piecemeal approach which is in violation of the California Environmental Quality Act. They urged the commission specifically to reject the wholly inappropriate window treatment and to require design and materials that better match the original detailing of the building.

We are delighted to report that the Planning Commissioners politely but firmly refused to approve the application. They insisted that an overall plan showing all the elements of the proposed work is required before any decisions about the exterior can be made. They rejected the proposed contemporary-looking windows as inappropriate. They further established that the early views of the hotel as originally constructed (1930s) were to be used as the models and pointed out a number of details from early photographs that should be considered for restoration. The project was continued until March 1.

We revere the Hotel Laguna as a community landmark, but it is also of national significance, and is listed on the California Register of Historical Resources and has been determined eligible for the National Register for its role in the history of Laguna’s development as a vacation destination and as the work of master architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood, who is best known for his national park lodges, including the Ahwahnee Hotel at Yosemite. 

Designed in the Mission Revival style, the hotel has undergone changes and additions, many of which have detracted from the original design. These include replacement of the original wood-hung windows with aluminum versions, removal of arched windows and obscuring or removal of characteristic sculptural detailing.

After Mo Honarkar’s Laguna Beach Company negotiated a 99-year lease for the hotel, construction has been performed without permits, without a comprehensive plan and without public discussion of the proposed alterations, despite the obvious historical significance of this property. Stop work orders have been issued, the Coastal Commission has intervened and the Orange County District Attorney found that the City Council violated the Brown Act open meeting law.

We are grateful that now the future of the hotel is being reviewed in a public forum, and that the commission is carefully considering the important preservation issues at stake in this building. We hope that the city follows their direction toward a more sensitive and appreciative approach to historic preservation and that this process will broaden our community’s understanding and support of authentic historic preservation.

Anne Caenn, President

Village Laguna

Letters to the Editor

Charting a future for Laguna

Charts matter if we want to understand and protect Laguna’s sea life and advance a healthier ocean. 

It takes little effort to surf the internet for the Gulf of Santa Catalina, the Southern California Eddy Current and Ocean Upwelling to see first-hand how Laguna’s sea water is mobilized to flow upcoast delivering the area’s secondary sewage plume from the Aliso Creek Ocean Outfall to Marine Protected Areas and local coves and beaches. Each day, as much as 10 million gallons of secondary sewage, bioaccumulating to more than 1/2 billion gallons annually, is discharged just 1.5 miles offshore of Aliso Beach and just south of the Montage Resort.

Maps are used to understand the land, while charts provide valuable information for navigating the ocean. Nautical charts for the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), National Ocean & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Navy and even fishing groups like Bloodydecks identify Laguna’s coastal waters as the Gulf of Santa Catalina – “discovered” by Juan Cabrillo’s expedition in 1542.

A recent informal survey found 72% of local readers agreed yet most official documents continue to label Laguna’s ocean incorrectly as the “Pacific Ocean.”

Why does this matter? Who cares?

If we genuinely love the ocean, we need to study and understand the ocean.

Does the ocean help climate change?

The ocean generates 50% of the oxygen we need, absorbs 25% of all carbon dioxide emissions and captures 90% of the excess heat generated by these emissions. It is not just “the lungs of the planet,” but also its largest “carbon sink” – a vital buffer against the impacts of climate change.

Open ocean waters function differently than gulf waters, acting as semi-embayments to retain and re-circulate sea water. As the California Current passes by Point Conception above Santa Barbara, sea water flows between a chain of islands known as the Channel Islands stretching south to Mexico’s Coronado Islands. When sea water enters the Gulf of Santa Catalina, powerful currents and countercurrents create gyres to capture and recirculate this trapped ocean water. Consequently, whatever is discharged into the underwater valley created by the Channel Islands between Laguna Beach and Catalina Islandtends to remain and not “go away” as some suggest.

Most wastewater engineers, however, are still trained by the maxim that “the solution to pollution is dilution.” Unfortunately, this illusion of dilution in gulf waters only perpetuates ocean pollution as wastewater contaminates bioaccumulate in marine life until Harmful Algae Blooms trigger deadly Domoic Acid Poisoning events sickening marine mammals and creating massive fish die-offs.

We can do better when enough of us care. For instance, wastewater in surrounding cities is mostly directed to beneficial reuse for irrigation, wildfire protection and similar non-potable demands. 

Laguna Beach, by contrast, still pays to discharge 1.87 million gallons to the ocean every day according to billing records by the South Orange County Wastewater Authority (SOCWA). We remain the only community without recycled water for wildfire protection as we continue irrigating city parks like Main Beach with precious dwindling supplies of drinking water. 

Without a competent staff, City Marine Biologist, Laguna Beach will continue to operate with only a surface understanding of coastal waters. Does city decision-making rely on accurate charts, data and basic marine science in managing the health of coastal habitats or are we doomed to continue to embrace an unfortunate fantasy that we are a Pacific Ocean town where everything we discharge just magically “goes away?” 

We will do better when enough of us care enough to demand an end to careless ocean discharges.

Mike Beanan 

Laguna Beach

Letters to the Editor

We all need to do a better job saving our ocean

I was paddleboarding today (Wednesday) off of Fisherman’s Cove when I noticed a large, bright orange object on the beach being pushed around by the waves. There were several people walking and lounging on the beach. Surely, I thought, one of these people would see it and dispose of it in a trash bin. 

After watching no less than five people walk directly past the object without a care in the world, I decided to take action. I landed my paddleboard at Fisherman’s Cove and retrieved the object which turned out to be a construction cone lying on its side. The cone had very nearly been washed out to sea by a large set that had come in just before I picked it up.

I recently read about a deceased whale that had over 60 pounds of plastic in its stomach. It would be nice if people could be more respectful of the ocean and do their part by picking up trash on the beach. 

The seals, sea lions, dolphins and whales would appreciate it.

Eric Praske

Laguna Beach