On Jan. 27, Gilchrist's Minuteman Project sued the Laguna Beach Patriots Day Parade Assn., accusing the group of unfairly excluding it from the March 4 parade. Parade sponsors said they did not want a political statement to be made in a parade that is dedicated to "inclusiveness."
In February, Orange County Superior Court Judge Michael Brenner ruled that the Parade Assn. has the legal right to decide who marches in the event.
Parade Assn. Attorney Gene Gratz reached an out-of-court settlement to guarantee that Gilchrist supporters would stay out of Laguna Beach on parade day with an offer to waive attorney's fees to defend the parade group in the suit.
The parade proceeded without incident and the attorney's fees were waived.
In March, immigration reform became the top issue in races for sixth district supervisor and state senate.
May's national "Day Without An Immigrant" boycott failed to close down any hotels or restaurants in Laguna Beach, but the Day Labor Center closed its doors for the day and anti-illegal immigration protesters gathered at the site.
On June 28, it was discovered that the Day Labor Center is located on Caltrans property and had no operating permit from the state. The state agency ordered the 10-year-old center closed immediately, but the center remained operating while city and state officials met to discuss the matter.
In July, Caltrans officials agreed to lease the parcel to the city for 12 months while city officials work out a purchase agreement. Caltrans had determined that the parcel is not needed for state transportation purposes.
"Both Caltrans and the city believe [the lease] is a pragmatic solution, at least in the short term," City Manager Ken Frank said at the time.
