Baglin plans another council run

Councilman Wayne Baglin said Monday night that he will be a candidate

for a second, consecutive term on City Council.

“Absolutely,” he responded when asked about his plans at the

Laguna Canyon Conservancy meeting where he was the guest speaker.

If successful, it will be Baglin’s first back-to-back win.

Baglin said he first ran for office in 1972 and lost. He said he

lost one more time before he was elected in 1978. A career move to

Saudi Arabia forced him to leave office before completing his term.

After returning to Laguna, Baglin made a successful bid for a

council seat in 1994.

“Toni [Iseman] beat me in 1998 and I went into involuntary

retirement,” Baglin said.

He was reelected in 2000. He came in second to Mayor Cheryl

Kinsman in a field of nine candidates, getting 3,742 votes out of the

total of 13,148 cast in the election, 74.7% of the registered voters

in the city.

Baglin reported spending $25,114 on his campaign. He opposed a

proposal this year to increase individual donation limits to $750 per

election cycle.

He describes himself as an independent with a fierce desire to

preserve Laguna. He encourages participation in the City’s Council’s

policy-making decisions.

“I love to see people show up at the City Council meeting,” Baglin

said. “We may not agree, but the spirit is there.

“I enjoy Laguna. Everyone here is exciting.”

Laguna, he said, is a beautiful place to live, but it is the

people who keep him involved.

However, at least one resident continues to be perceived as a

thorn in his side.

“The biggest problem in Laguna Beach is the City Manager,” Baglin

said.

Other problems on his priority list include parking and pollution.

-- Barbara Diamond

Garden club welcomes guest speaker

The Laguna Beach Garden Club will welcome guest speaker Janelle

Wiley to their March 12 meeting.

A color specialist at Sherman Gardens in Corona del Mar, Wiley

will discuss “Companion Plants with Textures,” and will demonstrate

how to combine colors and textures for garden beds. The club’s book,

“Secret Gardens of Laguna Beach,” will also be available for

purchase.

The meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Neighborhood

Congregational Church at 340 St. Ann’s Drive. Visitors are welcome.

Information: (949) 497-9051.

Meeting to focus on street projects

City officials invite all interested parties to attend an

informational meeting at 2 p.m. Monday in the City Council’s chambers

to hear an update on the construction projects underway in the

Downtown area.

Construction activity to repair sidewalks, reconstruct curb and

gutter, resurface the streets and install new street lighting began

on March 1. All work is planned to be completed by mid May.

City Hall is located at 505 Forest Ave. Information: (949)

497-0711.

Business club to discuss ‘Brain Power’

The Laguna Beach Business Club will host a discussion with Myles

Connolly on his upcoming film, “Brain Power.”

The club will meet at 7:30 a.m. March 18, at Hotel Laguna.

Connolly, owner of 360-Media, is a resident of Laguna Beach and

was awarded the largest grant ever to a giant screen production by

the National Science Foundation.

“Brain Power,” will showcase the extraordinary processes of the

human brain as it follows Tyler Hamilton, a professional cyclist, as

he trains and participates in the Tour de France.

The hotel is at 425 S. Coast Highway. A breakfast will be served.

Reservations will be required and the cost will be $2. Information:

(949) 497-3331, ext. 203 or Myles Connolly at (714) 381-7498.

Art show is set for March 20 and 21

The Woman’s Club of Laguna Beach will hold its third-annual Women

Artist’s Art Auction Show and sale on March 20 and 21.

A variety of one-of-a-kind art will be available for sale. Both

days will feature a silent auction. Partial proceeds of this auction

will go to Laguna Outreach Community Arts, an organization devoted to

the teaching of art to underprivileged children.

The event will be from 3 to 6 p.m. both days at the Woman’s Club,

286 St. Ann’s Drive. Admission is free.

‘Da Vinci Code’ to be discussed

Open Gatherings, a local movement that draws together people to

explore topics of spirituality, relationships and personal ethics,

will discuss “The Da Vinci Code.”

The discussion will begin at 7:30 p.m. March 19 at the Unitarian

Universalist Fellowship, 429 Cypress Drive.

Meetings are held at private homes throughout south Orange County.

Information: (949) 370-7040 or https://www. opengatherings.com.