Cheers Laguna Beach! We're back, helping you stay up to date with what's happening. Let's take on the day together! ☀️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: The Coast Vintage Market and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: I'm a rock group with 4 members; one member was assassinated. What am I? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. Laguna Beach Declares Local Emergency After Hurricane Marie Swells Denuded Beaches, Damaged Homes (patch.com) — Laguna Beach has declared a local emergency after Hurricane Marie's powerful swells stripped sand from local beaches, damaged seawalls, and threatened several oceanfront homes on Ocean Way and Lagunita Drive. City officials are fast-tracking shoreline protection, sand placement, and repairs as closures hit Lagunita, Pearl Street, and Christmas Cove beaches, with a forecasted very strong El Niño raising fears of more erosion this winter.
2. The Laguna Beach Flood Danger Is Real — The Videos Are Fake (patch.com) — Laguna Beach residents are being urged by city leaders to ignore viral videos falsely portraying the town underwater and instead rely on official and trusted news sources. While Hurricane Marie did cause real damage, including yellow-tagged oceanfront homes on Ocean Way and closure of the Aliso Beach parking lot, conditions were far less catastrophic than the misleading clips suggest.
3. Laguna Beach oceanfront restaurants close as locals rage over resort redevelopment: 'Some monstrosity' (timesnewsnetworks.com) — Laguna Beach residents are grappling with the sudden closure of Driftwood Kitchen and The Deck, longtime oceanfront favorites being demolished to make way for a new luxury resort tied to the Pacific Edge Hotel property. Locals worry the high‑end redevelopment, approved after a lengthy city process, will erode the town's laid‑back coastal character and replace beloved gathering spots with something far more upscale.
4. Trial Begins For Woman Accused Of Laguna Beach Hit-And-Run That Killed 60-Year-Old Man (patch.com) — A major trial is underway over a 2022 crash at South Coast Highway and Pearl Street in Laguna Beach, where a 60-year-old pedestrian was killed and his wife injured. Prosecutors say the young driver was speeding and fled, while the defense argues the collision was an accident and challenges claims about marijuana use and speed estimates.
5. Step Inside the Most Iconic Celebrity and Designer Homes House Beautiful Has Ever Featured (housebeautiful.com) — Laguna Beach readers get a nostalgic peek inside Bette Midler's former oceanfront cottage perched on a local cliff, once featured in House Beautiful. The story highlights how the home's Gothic tower, beach access, and Hawaiian‑inspired fabrics and mosaics created a light, playful retreat that blended Laguna's coastal setting with Midler's island roots.
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Laguna Beach PatchAM possible:
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
Ok Laguna Beach! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Mount Rushmore (Thank you J.J. W. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what's happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Laguna Beach Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.