Pavement

Andrew Edwards The sound of jackhammers and smell of fresh asphalt filled Downtown streets often in recent weeks, and now the work is finally winding down. Today is scheduled to be the last day of significant work on the Downtown Rehabilitation Project, Public Works Director Steve May said. There is still some touch-up work that needs to be done with the asphalt in the parking spaces near City Hall, but he said he does not expect those efforts to delay traffic.

The public is invited on Sunday to an event at Unique Tan called Bronze for a Cause, a fundraiser for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Man of the Year nominee Ben Medina. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) hosts annual nominations and awards for Man and Woman of the Year in their different chapters. Medina is one of 13 nominees in the area. Unique Tan Owner Sherry Lee Meredith heard about Medina's nomination on Facebook and wanted to help him raise funds for his campaign.

The Laguna Beach Visitors and Conference Bureau's information center will temporarily be tucked back into Forest Lane, as long as it conforms to city regulations. The City Council on Tuesday approved the temporary relocation of the center while visitors bureau officials try to find a permanent spot. The center previously was located on the ground floor of Coast Sotheby's International office at 361 Forest Ave., which it vacated last month. Council approval is subject to Planning Commission approval of a coastal development permit, a temporary use permit for up to three years, and the design of the project.

Folks in town will find Glenneyre Street more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly in the future, but it won't be a "complete street. " A state mandate defines a complete street as one that meets the needs of motorists, cyclists, users of public transit, the disabled and pedestrians of all ages, which would mean reducing traffic lanes on Glenneyre to make space for bicycle lanes — a proposal unpopular with the general public and rejected Tuesday by...

Mike Sciacca The last time the Laguna Beach High cross country team won a league championship was in 1989, when Dave Brobeck was a junior on that squad. That same team, which had Earl Towner as an assistant coach, went on to win the 1989 Division III state championship. Fast forward to 2002. Brobeck is still with the program, now as head coach of the boys' team. Towner also is back, returning from a four-year absence from coaching to lead the girls' program.

Laguna Beach resident Michael Lewis traveled to Japan to visit the Okayama International Circuit for Rounds 13 and 14 of the Formula BMW Pacific series with the Eurointernational team and proved that he was fast right from the first practice session. But, unfortunately, the results did not show his potential. Lewis arrived in Japan late Oct. 28, after a 14-hour trip from Los Angeles, and he went right to work Oct. 29 learning the track to prepare for Oct. 30?s practice and qualifying sessions.

Late each November we remind ourselves we’re thankful for home and loved ones, but at our house this year it’ll carry extra weight. After the holidays our family portrait is spreading out in a couple different directions. Katie’s coming home from Dickinson College in Pennsylvania for the Thanksgiving weekend, and again for Christmas. Then in January she’s going to Amman, Jordan, on her overseas semester. Katie majors in Middle Eastern studies and is learning Arabic.

Michael Lewis, the 2009 Formula BMW Americas Rookie Cup winner, will join the U.S. Formula Project Formula BMW Europe team and will compete in all of the 2010 Formula BMW Europe events. The announcement was made by U.S. Formula Project Team Manager Alessandro Ferrari. Lewis, a Laguna Beach resident, will be the only American competing in the Formula BMW Europe series in 2010. Although he is joining a new team to this series, Ferrari brings an extensive motorsports background, being the former race director of the historic WSK (World Series Karting)

SHERWOOD KIRALY Katie is 15 now, and taking a driver's ed course which Mr. Roche teaches on Wednesday nights. Lately she's been learning stuff like who backs up if you meet another car on a one-lane hill (the driver coming downhill backs up, in case you've been doing it wrong), but at the last session she's going to see "Blood on the Pavement" or "Streets of Gore" or "Road Kill" or whatever they're calling the movie they use now to scare the bejabbers out of the students before they hit the road.

The following is from the Laguna Beach City Council meeting of Aug. 1.   PUBLIC COMMENT   North Laguna residents Audrey Prosser, Debra Quam and Michael Levine complained about problems of odor and equipment noise since a new owner took over Husky Boy and extended the hours of operation. Councilwoman Toni Iseman said she smelled cooking odors while driving by Husky Boy and asked for a report from staff at the next council meeting.   COUNCIL/STAFF CHAT   Councilwoman Elizabeth Pearson-Schneider said that Proposition 90 was a hot topic at the recent League of California Cities conference, which she and Iseman attended on behalf of the city.