Top 10 News Stories of 2009:

The loss of some favorite programs and staff members had local participants griping when they were told to truck on over to the Mission Viejo campus.

A group of South Laguna residents filed a $15-million law suit to compensate them for the noisy generators that power the heating and cooling systems, the use of the campus for a city bus stop.

South Laguna residents who have attended meetings conducted by hospital personnel have come away frustrated by the lack of information they wanted. They also were offended by the hospital’s selection of an Advisory Committee behind closed doors — in fact, the names of the committee were withheld until a public demand was made. Even then, only the names of committee members who agreed to make them public were announced.

— Barbara Diamond

6 Water shortage: paying more for lessWater shortage: paying more for less

Laguna Beach County Water District customers began paying more to turn on their taps under a new rate structure that began midyear to combat water shortages.

The increase was prompted by a substantial hike in the cost of water for the district, the decrease in Laguna’s allotment and hefty fees for exceeding the allotment.

“We are challenged by a 19.7% [cost] increase by our supplier, Metropolitan Water,” district General Manager Renae Hinchey said. “It is especially bad for us because 100% of our water is imported from the Colorado River and Northern California.”

Metropolitan added to the district’s woes by cutting the annual allotment by 13.3%.

Officials of the district and the South Coast Water District, which supplies water to customers south of Nyes Place, are assiduously seeking alternative sources — desalinization for one.

Both districts have adopted ordinances designed to increase efficient use of water.

However, customers of South Coast Water District are doing a better job of conserving water than their Laguna Beach neighbors to the north.

South Coast customer participation in conservation efforts had been so successful that a three-day-a-week automated sprinkler system schedule was extended through Jan. 30. Sprinkler use in the district is usually limited to one day a week from November to March during a water shortage alert.

— Barbara Diamond

7 Post office possible closure opposedPost office possible closure opposed