OUR LAGUNA: Revisiting the last half of 2008

More was promised. Here it is, culled from the pages of the Coastline Pilot.

July 4: Heisler Park was reopened with a ribbon cutting and public picnic. Hot dog!

The annual fireworks display celebrated the birth of the nation, but it also heralded the opening of the 2008 Festival Season.

July 11: Councilwoman Toni Iseman suggested adding another level to the Glenneyre Street Parking Structure.

The council voted unanimously to re-up Police Officer Jason Farris’s duty as outreach to the homeless for at least another year.

July 18: The city unveiled artist-painted parking meters to collect donations for the homeless.

UC Irvine decided it couldn’t handle the expected throng for the appeal hearing on the proposed toll road through San Onofre State Park — a project opposed by the city.

July 25: Mayor Jane Egly thanked Fred Karger and Bob Gentry for the heads-up on the opportunity to be among the first cities to oppose Proposition 8, which would stipulate in the state constitution that only marriages between a man and a woman were valid. Gentry served on the City Council from 1982 to 1994, the first openly gay elected official in Orange County.

Aug. 1: The Environmental Protection Agency gave five stars to five Laguna beaches for cleanliness — despite the April spill.

Aug. 8: City Manager Ken Frank advised the council to kibosh a kayak rental on Treasure Island Beach.

Councilwoman Elizabeth Pearson suggested considering a housing component to compensate for a reduction in parking spaces.

Aug. 15: Verna Rollinger made the council election a horse race, rather than a walkover, running against incumbents Egly and Cheryl Kinsman for the two open seats. City Clerk Martha Anderson, City Treasurer Laura Parisi and school board candidates Bill Landsiedel and Jan Vickers ran unopposed. The Pageant of the Masters celebrated its 75th anniversary with a parade through town, led by Director Diane Challis Davy and Festival of Arts President Wayne Baglin.

Aug. 22: Peter Blake Gallery’s relocation to Ocean Avenue was approved, glossing over the resident-serving requirement in the Downtown Specific Plan — which many city officials believe is a dying swan.

Aug. 29: School district officials were baffled by indications of a growing student population, which had not been anticipated.

The Friends of the Laguna Beach Library funded an Awards Barbecue at which firefighters presented medals to youngsters who read or were read to for a minimum of 20 hours between June 23 and Aug. 15.

Sept. 5: Summer officially ended in Laguna with the Exchange Club’s traditional pancake breakfast.

Funniest headline of the year? “Women who kicked a man with high heels are accused of using deadly weapon.” Actually the shoes were on the other feet — theirs, not his.

Sept. 12: The bell tower of the Laguna Presbyterian Church was removed as part of an $11.3-million restoration and seismic-compliance project.

Sept. 19: Adventist Health confirmed the search for qualified bidders for South Coast Medical Center, claiming the hospital was too costly to run — probably not a selling point.

The council agreed to loan the Laguna Beach Relief and Resource Center the $100,000 down payment for a permanent site, pending approval of a conditional use permit for the operation, which included emergency shelter and assistance to the homeless in accessing services.

Sept. 26: A flawed application for the permit to operate the proposed Relief and Resource Center held up approval.

Friendship Shelter, which the city helped to fund, celebrated 20 years of assisting homeless adults to rebuild their lives.

Oct. 3: Low-flying commercial aircraft had residents buzzing once again. Disturbed residents should call John Wayne Airports noise abatement number, (949) 252-5185 and the FAA Noise Hotline, (310) 725-3638.

Oct. 10: The federal Drug Enforcement Agency raided the Laguna Beach Holistic Center, a medical marijuana dispensary. Federal law prohibits the possession or consumption of marijuana, which California law allows by prescription.

The Relief and Resource Center withdrew its bid to buy a building in Laguna Canyon, after approval of a permit to operate became problematic, opposed by residential neighbors in the light industrial zone. City officials were concerned by lack of professional on-site supervision for occupants of residential units and emergency overnights.

Oct. 17: Laguna Beach High School Student Body President Graham Harris was appointed to serve on the city’s Environmental Committee. Chip McDermott and Scott Sebastian also were appointed.

Oct. 24: The council tabled a proposal for modifications to a ban on living on public land, responding to pleas from homeless people and their advocates. The council said the proposals needed more study and appointed Task Force members Boyd and Iseman to serve on an oversight committee.

Water district General Manager Renae Hinchey said the 16.8% increase by water suppliers was the biggest hike she had seen in 17 years in the industry, and would require a hike in user rates.

Susan Bryant, Betsy Jenkins, Mary Ferguson and Jan Sattler were honored for their leadership by the Laguna Beach Foundation of the American Assn. of University Women.

Oct. 31: The Bluebird Canyon Pump Station spill fouled up the city’s record of improving the complex sewer system as well as the beaches it polluted.

Folks had a doggone good time at a Friends of the Dog Park fundraiser for the Bark Park.

Nov. 7: Rollinger’s victorious second run for a council seat presaged a shift in political power — the first time since 1994 that a Village Laguna-endorsed majority sat on the dais.

Nov. 14: Lots of folks were unhappy about the victory of Proposition 8, and they marched in protest all over.

“Lagunatics” audiences enjoyed the show almost as much as the cast and crew did.

It just never gets old, thanks to the genius of founder Bree Burgess Rosen and cohort Chris Quilter.

Nov. 21: Adventist Health began negotiations to sell the medical center to St. Joseph Health System, owner of Mission Hospital.

The assumption of South Coast Medical Center Foundation funds outraged foundation board member Susan D. Morrison, who called for an investigation of Adventist, which denied any wrong-doing in the take-over of the funds.

Nov. 28: The 2008 Winter Fantasy at the Sawdust Festival was a jolly place to browse and buy, way better than being malled.

Dec. 5: Boyd was appointed to serve as Laguna’s mayor in 2009. Pearson was chosen as Mayor Pro Tem. Rollinger, Egly, Anderson and Parisi sworn in.

Former Mayor Paul Freeman assailed Adventist assumption of foundation funds.

Dec. 12: The council approved an early retirement for Proposition A, a local sales tax increase to fund the restoration of Bluebird Canyon, which had done its job.

Dec. 19: The council voted to renew its lease of the Veteran’s Memorial Building for $2,200 a month. Sub-leases are expected to fund the payments.

Alter servers Lexi Del Toro, Kyle Smith and Mary Lou Kerins participated in the placing of consecrated stones for the foundation of the bell tower at St. Catherine of Siena Parish School.

Dec. 28: The ACLU filed a law suit against Laguna Beach to halt enforcement of an ordinance that prohibits sleeping on public property except beaches between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

City Attorney Philip Kohn said citations have rarely been written since February 2008 and those were rescinded.

Only in Laguna.

OUR LAGUNA is a regular feature of the Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot. Contributions are welcomed. Write to Barbara Diamond, P.O. Box 248, Laguna Beach, 92652; hand-deliver to Suite 22 in the Lumberyard, 384 Forest Ave.; call (949) 494-4321; fax (949) 494-8979 or e-mail coastlinepilot@latimes.com.