Residency doesn’t make for better art I...

Residency doesn’t make for better art

I was so excited when I read the description of Linda Brunker’s

“The People’s Council” that I told several people that I hoped it

would win.

I have lived in Laguna for 45 years and do not think living in

Laguna constitutes a reason for selecting John Barber’s piece. Just

because someone lives here does not make him a better artist.

BARBARA JONES

Laguna Beach

Five landslide families adopted

In an effort to help the families affected by the landslide, I

launched an Adopt a Landslide Family program shortly after the

disaster. Working closely with Planning Commissioner Anne Johnson,

and now with a committee of committed residents, we are making

progress.

Fifteen families (10 with red tags and five with yellow tags) are

included in the adoption program, and their profiles are on the

city’s website -- https://www.lagunabeachcity.net. The names are not

given on the website -- only a moniker or descriptor is used. Photos

of the individual families are also not included. We are attempting

to raise $150,000 in cash -- or in-kind free rent -- or in-kind

architectural or building services.

Contributions to the program are being made to and managed by the

city of Laguna Beach. Checks are written to: City of Laguna Beach --

Landslide Relief.

Our initial efforts focus on the adoption of the six families on

the list with children. We are attempting to have all six adopted

concurrently so the specific families can be adopted by companies or

organizations. It appears that we have identified potential adoptions

for five of the families. One family is left in this grouping. It is

a father with a 14-year-old daughter whose home was totaled. The

father works in the construction industry with a firm in South

County.

The residents and businesses of Laguna Beach -- as well as

out-of-town residents and businesses -- have been remarkable in their

generosity and sympathy for our landslide families. I am confident

that we will be able to help the bulk of the “badly hit”

families recover with the “Adopt-a-Landslide Family” program.

If you know of a group that might be interested in adopting the

last family with a child, so that we can wrap up our first priority

group, please contact me at 497-7128.

ELIZABETH

PEARSON-SCHNEIDER

Laguna Beach

(Elizabeth Pearson-Schneider is mayor of the city.)

Veterans enjoyed show, dinner

Big thanks go to the Board of the Festival of Arts and June

Neptune of Tivoli Terrace restaurant for providing a wonderful

evening for more than 100 veterans on July 11. This year the Laguna

Beach American Legion Post invited veterans from Long Beach, Loma

Linda and San Diego Veterans Hospitals and from the Barstow and Chula

Vista Veterans Homes to attend the famous Pageant of the Masters and

dinner at Tivoli Terrace. Our fellow veterans never fail to be amazed

and appreciative of this special Laguna Beach hospitality. Thanks so

much.

RICHARD MOORE

Commander

American Legion

Laguna Beach Post 222

FEMA delay is unconscionable

Laguna Beach Bluebird Canyon slide deserves Federal disaster aid.

Why is there such a delay in the Federal Emergency Management

Agency determining that the Bluebird Canyon landslide was caused by

the heavy rains that prompted the governor and the president to

declare several Southern California counties -- including Orange

County -- disaster areas?

Due to the heavy rainfall this winter, both Gov. Arnold

Schwarzenegger and President Bush have declared portions of Southern

California disaster areas, making local agencies and individuals

eligible for a variety of state and federal assistance.

The city of Laguna Beach has submitted evidence from Geofirm that

confirms the linkage between the events that prompted the disaster

declarations and the Bluebird Canyon slope failure. The depth of the

failure, the relatively gentle gradient of the slope that failed and

the presence of groundwater near the toe of the slope are just some

of the factors that prove the failure was caused by the heavy rains.

Geofirm’s opinion is consistent with the conclusions of geologists

from the United States Geologic Service and the state of California.

California’s elected officials have been supportive of disaster

assistance to victims of hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, etc., around

the country.

California’s elected officials should contact FEMA and encourage

them to, as quickly as possible, review the technical information and

provide disaster assistance to our local government. In addition, our

elected officials should push for grants and low-cost loans to

affected individuals, similar to individuals suffering disasters in

other places in our country.

GENE FELDER

Laguna Beach