lagunabeachindy . com NOVEMBER 18 , 2022 19
Bernholtz
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extended invites to their homes understood our declines when we explained we were starting a new family tradition with our therapy dog Skippy .
Our first visit to the event exceeded our expectations . The sold-out gathering had entire generations of families seated at long tables along with their pets . Freshly picked blooms added fragrance and color to our table , while volunteers from RUFF brought multiple traditional courses directly to our table . Pets were treated to biscuits and bowls of water . Live entertainers provided songs and a magic show . Raffle prizes raised funds for those owners who couldn ’ t afford the bills for their beloved pets . The party ended with the restaurant ’ s famous pumpkin pie made with real whipped cream . We subsequently attended this event for 15 years .
Now that my beloved husband and dog have passed away , it ’ s now my turn to be the single guest invited to a potluck dinner .
Hmm , wonder if I can bring my favorite culinary specialty , the turkey ?
Arlene E . Bernholtz is a local non-fiction writer , poet and contributor to anthologies .
Letters
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9 . Single college female at LCAD 10 . Single female with a cat who needs help with our vet Laguna Beach Veterinary Medical Center ( who gives Secret Santa the rescue discount ).
We have two money counters / inkind donation counters this year , as we have a lot of people and one cat on our list .
As always , for full transparency community ’ watchdog ” Sheri Morgan will count the money with me and all donations given . Amy Graboske will be the second money counter .
Pictures , receipts and total amount given to each family will be provided to all donors for full transparency .
The live spreadsheet is up and is updated daily for all the donations and in kind donations for full transparency . I will email it to all donors .
A big thank you to everyone who has already donated and to this year ’ s business sponsors : Dr . Jeffery Briney D . D . S ., gorjana , The T-Shirt Company at Laguna Beach , Laguna Beach Veterinary Medical Center , Laguna Surf & Sport , Sunless Love Spray Tanning , Clipa , The Stand Natural Foods
Link to donate : https :// secretsanta-2022 . cheddarup . com / Celine Macmillan , Laguna Beach
Measure Q is defeated . Just over
60 percent of Laguna Beach residents put their trust in elected city council representatives to serve their best interests . Fortunately , for those nearly 40 percent of residents who wanted to have a say in major development , we appear to have elected the right council members to enforce their assurance that a No on Q will better serve residents in accelerating the interests of small business owners over those of large developers . These new council members have assured us that was their goal and that it ’ s only with their leadership that small businesses will prevail over large developments and be able to exist and prosper here . I imagine that given the continuing rise of rents , Council may have to partner with those small businesses or temporarily subsidize them in order to allow the smaller cafes , delis , repair shops and other service stores to maintain a space alongside the multiverse of restaurants and hotels more representative of a town geared to tourists . I would like to see us get back our lost laundromat , which will be especially invaluable to the lower-income housing residents Laguna Beach is committing to . And hopefully residents ’ input on all large projects , including installing parking meters and expanded sidewalks ( i . e . contracted highway ) on South Coast Highway , will not only still be solicited but also take prominence in Council ’ s ultimate decisions .
Sheran James , Laguna Beach in the rearview mirror , but micro-analyzing results is on every news and public opinion outlet nationally to the local level . Locally , it ’ s time to spotlight our schools that did not see a school board race . Three seats , three candidates , no election .
Personally , I ran in 2020 to expose the truth . The 2022 political spotlights needed to stay off local education until post-election , when we can focus on questioning the real issues . The vitrol and bullying in the City Council race is alive and well amongst our schools , with 2020 donors being bullied and harassed , parents pulling their kids from the district in large numbers and those seen as challengers to transparency , targets of fabricated truths used to create false narratives .
Laguna Beach community voters and Stakeholders should be concerned with declining student test scores , declining enrollment losing 256 students between July 2020 to January 2021 , another drop in enrollment at the high school and how this bad news aligns with the tenure of the current board and administration leadership and rise in administration salaries .
Spring 2022 test scores released last month by the California Department of Education ( CDE ) measuring Student Performance and Progress ( CAASPP ) show LBUSD students meeting or exceeding standards in Math decreased by 10.46 percent and
The 2022 election results aren ’ t even LETTERS , PAGE 22
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