CITYSCAPE ROUNDUP: Home sales decline in Laguna

The downturn in the housing market is hitting Laguna Beach.

In August, the city saw a significant decline in the number of Real Property Reports, which are required when houses are being sold, according to City Manager Ken Frank.

The reports serve as a bellwether for the state of housing sales in the community, Frank wrote in his Sept. 21 Weekly Update memo to the City Council and staff.

“This August, we issued only 25 Real Property Reports, compared to 33 in 2006 and 41 in August of ’05,” Frank wrote. “That is a 40% reduction in two years.”

Overall, for the first six months of 2007, the reports are down about 22% over two years ago, but the number of real property reports has been decreasing substantially in the last couple of months, Frank stated.

Parisi reappointed to tax, revenue committee

City Treasurer Laura Parisi has been reappointed by the California Municipal Treasurers Assn. to the League of California Cities Revenue and Taxation Committee.

The committee makes recommendations to the league on finance administration, tax reform, revenue needs and sources at the federal, state and local levels.

“This appointment has been extremely valuable to Laguna Beach and me because it provides background, insight and a voice in upcoming legislation,” Parisi said.

“I think I have grown professionally and learned a great deal through networking with the talented committee members and league staff.”

Parisi was appointed city treasurer in 1999 to complete the term of retiring treasurer Susan Morse in 1999 and ran for office in 2000 and 2004 unopposed. She is up for re-election in 2008.

— Barbara Diamond

HAM radio operator exam to be given Sunday

Anyone who wants to become an amateur radio operator may take the FCC Amateur Radio Operator Licensing Examinations from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

The Laguna Beach Emergency Communications Team will conduct the examinations at the Laguna Relief and Resource Center, located behind Kubisak Antiques, 3305 Laguna Canyon Road.

The exam will not have Morse code; just multiple choice questions.

Practice examinations are available on the Internet at QRZ.com.

In addition, study materials can be purchased on the Internet from ARRL.org or at the Ham Radio Outlet in Anaheim.

For those unable to attend this session, the group will arrange for an examination at a later date. To contact the group, call John Kountz at (949) 494-8783 or KE6GFF@lagunabeachraces.org

Leeds to address conservancy Monday

The Laguna Canyon Conservancy will host Kimberly Leeds, education director for the Laguna Canyon Foundation, as keynote speaker at its dinner meeting at 6 p.m. Monday at Tivoli Terrace, 650 Laguna Canyon Road on the Festival of Arts grounds.

Leeds will discuss a new event, “First Weekends at the Nix,” to be offered at the Nix Nature Center.

A Laguna Beach High School graduate, Leeds graduated from UC Irvine, and has a credential in Interpretation from the Naturalist Assn.

She has developed a hands-on program to introduce the outdoors and natural habitat to youngsters.

Tickets for the dinner are $10 for Conservancy members, $15 for non-members. To make a reservation, call Ed at (949) 494-6465, leaving name, phone number and number of reservations.

Hospital seeks sponsors for fundraiser

South Coast Medical Center in Laguna Beach will host its 25th annual dinner gala fund-raiser Nov. 17 at the Ritz Carlton in Dana Point, with the theme, “Celebrating the Heritage of Southwest Orange County.”

The event will feature a Beach Boy-type band and appearances from legendary surfers, including Mickey Munoz.

Early sponsors of the event include the Surfing Heritage Museum, surfwear companies and surf retail stores.

Auction items include trips to surfing locales and signed surfboards.

The hospital is seeking sponsors for the event, which will raise funds to purchase equipment for the hospital. Specifically, trip donations, artwork featuring beach or surfing scenes, surf lessons, exercise equipment, golf outings and jewelry items are desired.

Donors will be given free tickets to the event.

To become a sponsor of the event or to donate an item, call Elizabeth Schneider, executive director of the foundation, at (949) 499-7229.