Category: Opinion

Checking In: A Question of Sustainability

Checking In: A Question of Sustainability

| May 16, 2013 | 0 Comments

The news this week that the C02levels surpassed 400 parts per million (ppm) at the recording station on Mauna Loa, Hawaii, sent a ripple of distress through the scientific climate community. The monitoring later recanted, and said the measurement was really only 399.89 – while admitting that .11 ppm makes little difference. The last time there [...]

Continue Reading

Pet Peeves: Big Hair

Pet Peeves: Big Hair

| May 15, 2013 | 0 Comments

By Mark D. Crantz   Laguna Beach.  Another perfect day in Paradise, but oh no, there’s big hair.  According to friends (yes I have two and I pay them dearly to maintain that status), “Steel Magnolias” is a terrific show now playing at the Laguna Beach Playhouse.  I’m afraid I’ll have to take their word [...]

Continue Reading

Minding Our Business: The Power of One

Minding Our Business: The Power of One

| May 15, 2013 | 0 Comments

Some of us, okay, many of us, frequently bemoan the absence of the little things we think are missing around town. We comment on Facebook, tweet, write letters to the editor, or columns, or carry on at city council meetings. Others look around and decide to fill the gap. One of those people is Lisa [...]

Continue Reading

Shore Scene: Siting a Silvery Legend

Shore Scene: Siting a Silvery Legend

| May 15, 2013 | 0 Comments

By Mia Davidson and Jan Sattler   Midnight grunion runs are part of California lore. Having a geographic range from the coastal waters of northern Baja California to most recently San Francisco, the California grunion (Leuresthes tenuis) are found most commonly off the coast of Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties. The name is [...]

Continue Reading

Concerns Over Weaknesses in View Proposal

Concerns Over Weaknesses in View Proposal

| May 15, 2013 | 0 Comments

Editor, The steering committee of Citizens for View Preservation and Restoration has issued the attached position statement on the just released draft view ordinance. We strongly support Mayor Boyd’s initiative to create a view ordinance “with teeth in it”. However, we are concerned that the latest draft includes sections that will weaken the view ordinance. [...]

Continue Reading

Bad Behavior by Park Opponents

Bad Behavior by Park Opponents

| May 15, 2013 | 3 Comments

Editor, On Thursday, May 10 a ‘neighborhood’ meeting was held at Moulton Meadows Park. The meeting was called because Mayor Kelly Boyd, and Councilmen Steve Dicterow have been working tirelessly for months to finally get a skate park built here in Laguna Beach for our youth. They were able to get the renowned Tony Hawk [...]

Continue Reading

A Plea for Tree Preservation

A Plea for Tree Preservation

| May 15, 2013 | 0 Comments

Editor, Judging by the letters to the editor, public feedback to the city council and other community commentary, the decision to kill a dozen mature, healthy and beautiful trees may have been a mistake. If the ficus trees were buckling the sidewalks, the eucalyptus probably are too. Those could all come down also. Then change [...]

Continue Reading

Safety Ideas Wanted for Canyon Road

Safety Ideas Wanted for Canyon Road

| May 15, 2013 | 1 Comment

Editor, How many of us have parked on the north side of Laguna Canyon Road and crossed over to attend the Sawdust Festival despite signs warning us not to do so? So why do we make this perilous decision, especially at night? Because the nearest pedestrian walkway is waaaay too far!! Surely we can think [...]

Continue Reading

Bike to Anywhere Week

Bike to Anywhere Week

| May 15, 2013 | 0 Comments

Editor, May is National Bike Month, a perfect time for our community to recognize and celebrate all the benefits of bicycling. Bicycling keeps us healthy, carries us efficiently from point A to point B, saves us from high gas prices, and makes our air cleaner and our roads less congested. Bicycling is good for our [...]

Continue Reading

Praise for Columnist

Praise for Columnist

| May 15, 2013 | 0 Comments

Editor, I loved Susan Velasquez’ column today (“A Season for Change,” Arts, May 10 edition). Had my name, the band concert, the Laguna Tunes, the Healthy Girls Festival and all the news of each expressed so well. I think her writing is exquisite and I look forward to reading what she says and the way [...]

Continue Reading

Routine Visitor Spouts Off About Trees

Routine Visitor Spouts Off About Trees

| May 15, 2013 | 0 Comments

Editor, Well if there are no trees in downtown Laguna Beach, then it will definitely be hot this summer with no shade (unless the store fronts have canopies over the store front windows) and no breeze since the canyon acts as a block to the breeze. I visit Laguna Beach every two weeks on a Sunday and even [...]

Continue Reading

Taking Stock

Taking Stock

| May 10, 2013 | 0 Comments

For the last three years, the favorite phrase of many Wall Street traders has been “Sell in May and go away.” Like most sayings that seem to offer clear direction in a few words, actual results may differ. Traders who have been waiting for a 5-10% “correction” to jump back in the market are still [...]

Continue Reading

Patchwork: Mea Culpa

Patchwork: Mea Culpa

| May 9, 2013 | 0 Comments

by Chris Quilter     To the young man on a skateboard outside my house: I wish to publicly apologize for being a crosspatch. I should not have called you a rude name and shouted at you to put on your helmet. Amazingly, you complied. But that’s not the point. I violated a sacred principle [...]

Continue Reading

Wisdom Workout: A Season for Change

Wisdom Workout: A Season for Change

My daughter, Sara, and my newest granddaughter, Aroha, are reunited with “Papa” in Bangkok and this new little family is on their way back to Pakistan where they do humanitarian work. The luxury that I’ve had for the last six weeks of spending time on Skype with them will be negatively impacted by the 12-hour [...]

Continue Reading

Minding Our Business: Building on Small Successes

Minding Our Business: Building on Small Successes

| May 9, 2013 | 1 Comment

Santina Davies is in the business of rehabilitation. Her own physical rehabilitation has been her full-time occupation for six years. Following a successful climb on Mt. Kilimanjaro, Davies slipped off Table Mountain in Capetown, South Africa, which she hiked only to take in the view. She fell 125 feet and had to be airlifted to [...]

Continue Reading