6 lagunabeachindy . com FEBRUARY 10 , 2023
Why did the City stop posting the digital signs on the Coast Highway that read “ watch out for peds ” with another flash that has a picture of a person in a crosswalk ?
Even if it ’ s subconscious , it ’ s a good reminder for drivers to stop at the crosswalk and for pedestrians to cross IN the crosswalk .
Northbound and southbound signs were changed from the super useful “ no smoking “ and “ no plastic straws ,” back in September .
But now there is no digital sign , and when it ’ s on intermittently-it just says “ slow down .”
After two pedestrian fatalities last week , maybe put the more specific signage back . Mark Foley , Laguna Beach
I want to send heartfelt congratulations to our City Council for standing firm against mylar balloons . It ’ s about time we had an anti-balloon ordinance . Instead of undergrounding all overhead wires and bringing out City into the 20th century , you made another law aimed at restricting our behavior that you have no hope of enforcing . That way , you appear to be doing something while actually not doing anything at all . City hall at its finest .
I move you establish an ordinance to stop all bad behavior in Laguna . Perhaps even a special jail . Like if you ’ re charging too high prices for sweaters or glasses - right to jail . If you undercook fish - jail . If you make an appointment with a dentist and you don ’ t show up - jail . Laguna Beach would have the best patients because of jail .
By the way , what ’ s the new 10 code for illegally deployed balloons ? Will the police carry a tiny dart gun on their utility belts for balloon bearing scofflaws ? What if someone , seeking a
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loop hole , inflates a latex condom with helium ? Is that a de facto balloon ?
“ Ladies and gentlemen of the jury . A condom is not a balloon . Inflating a condom with helium does not change a condom into a balloon any more than putting helium into your sedan makes your car the Goodyear Blimp . My client is innocent of these charges . Innocent I say . I rest my case .”
“ Patrol 1 , we ’ ve got a birthday party at Main Beach with an approximately 5-year-old girl spotted with 5 , that ’ s five-o , balloons in her left hand . She ’ s wearing a pink feathered tiara , bright green dress , and white sneakers . Suspect moving northwest on the boardwalk with around 10 accomplices . Advise use caution . Wear eye and ear protection . Balloons can pop loudly and fragment . Dispatching police van as a precaution .”
New electronic signs at the city entrance could say , “ Balloons will be popped .” Or , you could add a giant electronic sign at the city entrances saying , “ Leaf blowers - not enforced . Littering - not enforced . Destroying tide pools - not enforced . Drones - not enforced . Smoking - not enforced . Loud vehicles - not enforced . Plastic bags and straws - not enforced . Parking - not enforced . We will pop your balloons , though .”
I like the last one because it will give us all something to read while we wait in traffic caused by the pedestrian sign at LCAD or by a minor fender bender . Michael Rybah , Laguna Beach
On the afternoon of Tuesday Feb . 7 , I was walking my dog on the Valido Trail in South Laguna when I saw five or six workers spraying what appeared to be highly toxic glyphosate ( commonly referred to as Roundup ) all over the hillside . I approached them , and they confirmed they were spraying glypho-
sate and that the Laguna Beach Fire Department had hired them to do so .
I was terrified . Just the day before , my daughter was picking and eating sour grass and beautiful Nasturtium in that same area . Hundreds of children , dogs , and adults use that trail weekly . A lovely creek full of frogs and tadpoles sits below the area , and the hillside is sprinkled with beautiful native willow and sumac trees . The area surrounding the hillside is teeming with protected native vegetation , including sages and lemonade berries . It is a sanctuary for rabbits , birds , coyotes , deer , moles , insects , and other wildlife . The workers were not just spot-treating one plant here or there but indiscriminately spraying the poison all over . I also learned from my neighbors and friends that the City has been spraying the toxic herbicide all over
LAST WEEK ’ S QUESTION
Is a speed bump needed on the 800 block of Bluebird Canyon Dr ?
- Yes , 40 percent ( 10 votes ) - No , 60 percent ( 15 votes )
Total Votes - 25
LETTERS , PAGE 20
THIS WEEK ’ S QUESTION
Is Laguna Beach doing enough to reduce carbon emissions ?
- Yes - No
To vote , visit the poll tab at lagunabeachindy . com . Submit poll questions to clara @ firebrandmediainc . com .
CLARIFICATION
In last weeks edition of the Indy Craig McKessar letter to the editor should have read “ They took that advantage and lobbied hard city council members while the other side did not even know it was up for discussion .”
Staff
EDITORIAL
MANAGING EDITOR Clara Beard clara @ firebrandmediainc . com
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CREATIVE & MARKETING DIRECTOR Tracy Powell
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A publication of
PUBLISHER EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Steve Zepezauer
CREATIVE & MARKETING DIRECTOR Tracy Powell
CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER / PUBLISHER Scott Sanchez
CITY HALL MEETINGS :
Wednesday , Feb . 15 Planning Commission at 6 p . m .
HOW TO CONTACT THE CITY COUNCIL
Bob Whalen Mayor bwhalen @ lagunabeachcity . net
DESIGN REVIEW BOARD
Sue Kempf Mayor skempf @ lagunabeachcity . net
SECOND AND FOURTH THURSDAYS , 5 PM LOUIS WEIL : lweil @ lagunabeachcity . net KRISTINE THALMAN : kthalman @ lagunabeachcity . net DON SHERIDAN : dsheridan @ lagunabeachcity . net JESSICA GANNON : jgannon @ lagunabeachcity . net DEBORAH NEEV : dneev @ lagunabeachcity . net
Mark Orgill Council member morgill @ lagunabeachcity . net
Alex Rounaghi Council member arounaghi @ lagunabeachcity . net
PLANNING COMMISSION 1ST AND 3RD WEDNESDAYS , 6 PM STEVEN KELLENBERG , steve @ kellenbergstudio . com KEN SADLER : 616-0517 , ken . sadler @ cox . net JORG DUBIN : 497-2618 , jdubinart @ cox . net STEVE GOLDMAN : 203-554-2290 , steveg415 @ ymail . com SUSAN McLINTOCK WHITIN : 838-6317 , whitinsusan @ gmail . com
George Weiss Council member gweiss @ lagunabeachcity . net
Ann Marie McKay City Clerk amckay @ lagunabeachcity . net
Laura Parisi City Treasurer lparisi @ lagunabeachcity . net
OTHER ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES :
REP . MICHELLE STEEL , 1113 Longworth House Office Building , Washington , DC 20515 . 202-225-2415
ASSEMBLYWOMAN COTTIE PETRIE-NORRIS , 19712 MacArthur Blvd . Ste . 150 , Irvine , CA 92612 . 949-251-0074
FIFTH DISTRICT SUPERVISOR LISA BARTLETT , 333 W . Santa Ana Blvd ., Santa Ana , CA 92701 714-834- 3550 , Lisa . Bartlett @ ocgov . com
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