After a 2,800-mile voyage from Hawaiʻi to Northern California using traditional non-instrument navigation, solar and wind-powered voyaging canoe Hikianalia and her crew have been sailing down the coast of California and will be making a stop at the Ocean Institute in Dana Point this weekend.
The canoe made its first landfall at Half Moon Bay on Sept. 10, 2018 and held the first of its public engagements along the California coast in San Francisco last month.
During the stop in Dana Point, the crew will host a public presentation and dockside canoe tours to share the history and legacy of Polynesian voyaging and the mission of the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s Alahula Kai o Maleka Hikianalia California Voyage.
On Friday, Nainoa Thompson, president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, will speak at 4 p.m. at the Ocean Institute about the legacy of Eddie Aikau and their fateful last sail together in 1978, the 40-year journey of re-discovering Polynesian voyaging and navigation, and how it has ignited a community of leaders, empowered our youth, and created a movement of global sustainability to preserve our planet Earth for generations to come. The presentation is free.
Tours of Hikianalia will begin at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, and a Q&A with Thompson will follow the presentation at 5:30 p.m.
On Saturday, Oct. 27, the public is invited to take canoe tours and visit outreach stations at the Ocean Institute from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. At 10 a.m., the Institute will show Disney’s “Moana,” and from 6-7:30 p.m., the crew will give a presentation at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 33501 Stonehill Drive.
Canoe tours and outreach stations will continue on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and “Moana” will be shown again at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. at the Ocean Institute.
After the stop in Dana Point, Hikianalia is scheduled to depart for San Diego before sailing back to Hawaiʻi. For more information, visit www.hokulea.com/hikianalia-to-visit-orange-countys-dana-point.
Public Invited to Community Safety Event Saturday
On Saturday, Oct. 27, the city is hosting a Community Safety Event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Fire Station 1 at City Hall. The Fire, Police and Marine Safety Departments will join other city staff members to discuss how to prepare you, your family, and your property for various disasters and better understand the city’s preparations to protect the community. Attendees will also learn about how to sign up for important public safety notifications. This Saturday also marks the 25th anniversary of the 1993 Laguna Beach Fire.
Halloween Fall Fest Returns Sunday
The South Laguna Community Garden Park will host the ninth annual Halloween Fall Festival and Pot Luck this Sunday, Oct. 28, from 2-5 p.m. at Coast Highway and Eagle Rock Way.
The celebration, which is free and open to the public, includes a costume contest, pumpkin carving, games, freebies from Laguna Nursery, and prizes. Star Shields will be creating his signature airbrush face and body art, and the Garden Band—featuring Dr. David Law, Tony Bisson, John Ford, Hod Mehan, Lowden Harrel and Tom Joliet—will provide live music. Bring a dish to share that serves 10 people and a drink for yourself. Organizers will provide plates and utensils for this “zero waste” event.
Visit www.southlaguna.org/gardenfor more information or email [email protected].
Considering Things Seen and Unseen on All Hallows Day
The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Laguna Beach, 429 Cypress Drive, invites the community to a presentation by Elizabeth Murphy titled “Things Seen and Unseen” at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 28. Annual observations, such as All Souls Day, Dia de Los Muertos, Samhain, and others, try to provide an answer to the age-old question: What is (or isn’t) beyond life in this world? As deceased loved ones are celebrated and remembered on these days Murphy, a Master of Divinity student at the Claremont School of Theology, explores this question. She is currently working as the Interfaith Program Assistant at the University of Southern California’s Office of Religious Life, supporting undergraduates building relationships across faith traditions and creating intentional interfaith experiences for the campus community.
Contact Oakley Frost for more information at 949-280-2995.
Messy Church Halloween Offers ‘Dark Shadows’
Messy Church is back. This time it offers “Dark Shadows,” a creative, interactive Halloween event for people of all ages on Sunday, Oct. 28, between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. at Laguna Beach United Methodist Church, 21632 Wesley Drive.
Barbara Crowley, who is leading Messy Church at LBUMC, said, “Messy Church invites the whole family for Halloween fun. It offers a meaningful spiritual experience for families looking for something outside of traditional Sunday morning worship.”
Future Messy Church experiences are already planned. “Searches and Synergy” will be held Sunday, Nov. 18, between 11:15 a.m. and 2 p.m. Pie and cider will be served. On Sunday, Dec. 2, between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., “Prepare Your Heart for Christmas” will be offered. Both events will be held at LBUMC. For additional information, contact the church, 949-499-3088, or visit lbumc.org.
3rd Street Lane Closure Next Week
On Tuesday, Oct. 30, the Laguna Beach County Water District (LBCWD) will have the downhill lane of 3rd Street hill closed between Mermaid Street and Park Avenue from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for a water meter installation needed for the city landscaping of the planter boxes. Advanced warning and traffic control measures will be in place along with a flagman stationed at Park Avenue as additional precaution. For questions, contact the LBCWD at 949-494-1041.
Soroptimists Accepting Applicants for Live Your Dream Awards
President of Soroptimists International of Laguna Beach, Michaela Jeppson, and Live Your Dream chair, Michelle Polluck, are accepting applications for the Live Your Dream Awards which will be presented in March 2019. The awards assist women who provide the primary source of financial support for their families by granting them funds to be used to improve their education, skills and employment prospects. This year SILB has $10,000 to distribute, Polluck said.
Eligible applicants must be enrolled in or have been accepted to a vocational/skills training program or an undergraduate degree program and must demonstrate financial need. Applications are available on line thru the EOPS/CARE directory at: Cerritos Community College, Coastline Community College, Cypress College, Fullerton College, Golden West College, Irvine Valley College, Orange Coast College, Saddleback College, Santa Ana College, or Santiago Canyon College. Applications are due online by 6 p.m. on Nov. 15, Jeppson said.
For information on the Live Your Dream Awards or to join in supporting women and girls with Soroptimists International of Laguna Beach, visit: SILagunaBeach.org or contact Michaela Jeppson at [email protected].
Laguna Beach Seniors Receives $10K Donation
U.S. Bank recently donated $10,000 to Laguna Beach Seniors to support their mission to provide informative and educational programming for financial fraud prevention to senior citizens. “We are honored to continue our support for Laguna Beach Seniors and the work they do to keep seniors educated and familiar with the most recent and common financial scams out there,” said U.S. Bank, Laguna Beach branch manager, Richard Frank.
Financial fraud is the fastest growing form of elder abuse. Financial exploitation is the illegal or improper use of an elderly adults’ funds or property. Elder financial abuse is tough to combat, in part, because it so often goes undetected, a statement from the Susi Q Center said.
“US Bank really embodies what it takes to be a partner, far beyond the check. We are really grateful for their continued support over the years,” said Nadia Babayi, LBS executive director.
Laguna Beach Seniors at The Susi Q operates independently as nonprofit in collaboration with the City of Laguna Beach. Mental health support, care management, recreational and educational classes, activities and events are available and designed to promote independence, wellness and community for adults 55 and older.
LCAD Announcesits Game Design MFA Ranked Third Most Affordable in the County
Laguna College of Art and Design’s Master of Fine Arts was recently ranked third most affordable online graduate program in a report by Grad School Hub. The report is designed for students and parents to identify art schools and colleges that provide the highest return on investment. The list included 30 U.S. colleges of art and design.
Grad School Hub cited the college’s low residency format and its industry partners, including Microsoft and USC’s GamePipe Laboratory, as advantages to graduates. LCAD Game Design MFA online curriculum is centered on the processes of both the creation and the development of games. Graduates of the program have gone on to work for industry giants such as Blizzard Entertainment, Unami and Crystal Dynamics.
“Games are responsible for providing much more than mere entertainment; they also are meaningful products of a thriving global economy that illuminate truths about our world, our societies, and ourselves,” said Sandy Appleoff-Lyons, chair of LCAD Game Art MFA.
Ninety-two percent of 2014 LCAD graduates are working full time, with seventy-three percent employed in their chosen fields, a statement from the school said.
