Anyone who has been around Laguna Beach for some time certainly remembers that October time back in 1993 when the town became ablaze with a catastrophic fire.

Those memories were certainly brought back to mind this week as the fires across the Pacific on the island of Maui came to light. There, it’s arguably been worse when one thinks about their death count and the damage done to not only homes, but to most of the historic downtown district of Lahaina.

Laguna Beach Mayor Bob Whalen issued this statement yesterday (August 10):

“As a community that has experienced the terror and destruction of a devastating wildfire, our thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Maui. In particular we extend our condolences to the families and friends of those whose lives have been lost. We pray for the safety of all residents, visitors and first responders still at risk and for the fires to be brought under control soon. This is a reminder to all of us who live in high fire risk zones that we must continually look for ways to mitigate fire risk and be prepared to evacuate in the event of a fast-moving fire.”

Laguna Beach is a town that seems to connect to Lahaina in a number of ways. Just a couple of those are that we’re both quaint resort towns located on the ocean front and we both share wonderful art communities.

In fact, two Laguna galleries, Wyland and Vladimir Kush, also have galleries in Lahaina. Or should I say, “had.”

A spokesperson from Wyland told me that their Lahaina gallery is a total loss. The good news is that all of their employees appear to be safe. A similar call to Kush Fine Art received news that it “appears” that the building that housed Kush did not survive the devastation. Yet, the good news again reported is that no loss of employee life was experienced.

As I talked with both galleries it became apparent that Laguna just might be a rallying point to help the good folks in Lahaina.

Coincidentally, I received an email from Laguna resident Charles Ware saying, “Hi Tom. Lahaina is, among many things, an art colony. Now all gone. Can Laguna Artists rally support to help those artists who have lost so much?”

I can speak for all of us here at Stu News…we stand ready to help community leaders, artists, residents and others, in attempting to assist in any and all ways needed.

First, though, there’s still a lot to be done just to handle the people struggling to survive the destruction there. The airports are closed, flights are canceled and tourists are sheltering with little or no way to escape.

Unfortunately, as beloved as Hawaii is, and Maui in particular, it would seem that a number of tourists from Southern California would mostly, probably still be among those stuck.

Perhaps we can all start by saying an extra prayer tonight for everyone’s well-being.

It’s also a reminder that here at home we can never let our guard down in preparing to properly defend our community to wildfires.

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MOM Laguna Beach is the group that appears in control of the Hotel Laguna these days while the legal maneuverings between them and Mo Honarkar make their way through the courts.

As such, I received a message saying that “a town hall meeting is planned for Thursday, Sept. 7, from 4-7 p.m., when the MOM management team will be happy to answer any questions (residents) may have about their vision for their Laguna properties.”

MOM Laguna Beach said its “primary objective is to follow city regulations, rule of law.” Adding, “It is our desire to open the rooms at Hotel Laguna, welcome the city back as soon as possible, as we want to make Laguna proud.”

Residents desiring to be added to MOM’s invite list should email your full name and address to info@thehotellagunabeach.com.

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On Thursday, Aug. 24 at 5:30 p.m., the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce will conduct a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association.

“This year we are hosting our 25th Annual Plein Air Painting Invitational at the Festival of Arts in October,” reminded Vice President Celeste Gilles.

“Laguna Plein Air Painters Association has been operating in Laguna Beach as a nonprofit for almost 30 years,” said Erin Slattery, CEO of the Chamber. “It was only two years ago, in August 2021, that they finally realized their long-term dream of having their own gallery space where we will be holding this celebration.”

Laguna Plein Air Painters Association is located at the north end of Gallery Row, close to the corner of Jasmine and PCH, at 414 N. Coast Highway.

RSVP to the director@lagunabeachchamber.org.

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Speaking of plein air, there’s a Family Plein Air Workshop this Sunday, Aug. 13, at the Laguna Art Museum from 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Families will learn about plein air painting and create their own masterpiece. Starting with a lesson in the museum’s art-making space, one of the museum’s skilled teaching artists will show you the fundamentals of watercolors and guide you through the plein air process.

Then, families will venture outdoors to capture the beautiful Laguna Beach landscape. This workshop is beginner-friendly and open to families of all ages.

Tickets are $7 for museum members and $14 for non-members. All children 12 and under receive free admission, but tickets are required for accompanying adults.

For ticket info, go here.

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Music in the Park continues this Sunday (Aug. 13) with Always, Adele.

Always, Adele is L.A.’s premier tribute to the once-in-a-generation pop icon, featuring a seven-piece band and lead singer that brings the vocal power and down-to-earth quality that makes Adele so unique.

Music in the Park is a free public concert series brought to the community by the City of Laguna Beach in Bluebird Park.

The concert starts at 5 p.m., but no set-up is allowed prior to 3 p.m. Low-back beach chairs are encouraged; alcohol is permitted for guests 21 or older, but must be as part of a full meal; and no solicitation of any kind is not permitted.

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