What You Missed in January

To a degree, you haven’t witnessed our city until you’ve seen all its nature’s beauty.

Bruce Brown. Endless Summer.
While stationed in Hawaii, he’d spent much of his time surfing and shooting home movies of friends riding waves. With his service complete and being back in Orange County, he cut a crude, 90-minute “surf movie” together.

Highlights and Headlines: January 2018

New offshore oil drilling proposed off California coast by Trump administration. The Trump administration on Thursday proposed allowing new offshore oil drilling in most of America’s coastal areas, including northern, southern and central California areas like Big Sur. By PAUL ROGERS | progers@bayareanewsgroup.com

South Coast Region

Huntington Beach. ExxonMobil Alleges It Is Victim of Vast California Climate Change ‘Conspiracy’. Surfers ride waves in front of an oil rig off Huntington Beach on July 31, 2015. (Credit: Mark Ralston / AFP / Getty Images)

 

Laguna Beach. Uncertainty Clouds Hotel Laguna. The last guests of the historic Hotel Laguna turned in their room keys and its longtime operator turned over the property last week to the landlord, but much else about the iconic downtown property remains uncertain.  Photo by Mitch Ridder.

Newport Beach.  Newport’s iconic Crab Cooker to close and rebuild because of 3-year-old foundation damage. “The Crab Cooker, which has been at 2200 Newport Blvd. in Newport Beach since 1951, will be closed for about a year starting in 2018 while it is rebuilt on the same site. (File Photo)”

Bruce Brown. Endless Summer.

South Orange County.  In Remembrance: Bruce Brown, Maker of ‘The Endless Summer,’ Passes Away at 80.  “In 1958, Bruce Brown landed in Dana Point after a stint in the Navy. While stationed in Hawaii, he’d spent much of his time surfing and shooting home movies of friends riding waves. With his service complete and being back in Orange County, he cut a crude, 90-minute “surf movie” together. Resident surfboard baron Dale Velzy let Brown show the movie in his shop in San Clemente for 25 cents a head.” By Jake Howard

San Diego. 10 San Diego Trails to Get You Outside in 2018. To a degree, you haven’t witnessed our city until you’ve seen all its nature’s beauty. From the highest point in county to the La Jolla Tide Pools and peeks at the Pacific from above your handlebars, there’s no shortage of ways to get outside in the New Year. Go on, now—take a hike! San Diego Magazine

 

 

Long Beach.  Long Beach Airport to start daily service to Hawaii in June.  The historic terminal at Long Beach Airport. Hawaiian Airlines will begin operating nonstop daily flights between Long Beach and Honolulu. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

South Bay. Redondo Beach. Seaside Lagoon. “This isn’t your typical swimming pool. Seaside Lagoon is a saltwater lagoon steps away from the Pacific Ocean. Visitors can swim under lifeguard supervision, and there’s also water slides, a playground, beach volleyball and picnic areas.” Photograph: Courtesy Seaside Lagoon

Ventura County. California Fire Map Update: Thomas Fire Is Second Largest in State History. As the blaze grows, it is on track to surpass the record-holding 2003 Cedar Fire, which killed 15 people and destroyed 273,246 acres in southern San Diego. The Thomas Fire earned the second-largest wildfire designation on Tuesday by surpassing the 2012 Rush Fire, which burned 271,911 acres. This California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

Central Coast Region

Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara’s Biltmore turns 90 with photo show and custom-made wines. “Santa Barbara’s Biltmore marks 90 years this year. Longtime photographer Hal Boucher shot a photo of Rosalind Russell, left, Jack Lemmon and his wife, Felicia, at the resort in 1963. (Hal Boucher)”

Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo CA. The 10 Happiest Cities in the U.S., According to New Research. “Perhaps unsurprisingly, almost 30 percent of the places are in California. There’s really something to be said for near-constant sunshine. Seasonal Affect Disorder (SAD) is real, and has a dramatic impact on happiness levels for an entire season of the year. And when you’re sad almost every day, it’s hard to rate your life well, or feel natural joy.” Inc Magazine

Peninsula Region

Half Moon Bay. Weather changes push back Mavericks surf contest. Throughout the past week, there was excitement over a west-northwest swell that would bring the largest Mavericks surf of the season. That is now a matter of conjecture, and the once-promising weather forecasts have changed. SF Gate · By Bruce Jenkins

San Francisco Region

San Francisco. Turning blue to ring in the new with frigid Jan. 1 Ocean Beach plunge.  Three hundred people showed up at the foot of Taraval Street for the annual Plunge at Ocean Beach on Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. Photo: Steve Rubenstein/ The Chronicle

North Bay Region

Marin County. Historic fire truck finds new home with Marin History Museum. “This 1935 fire engine is being donated to the Marin History Museum, which is temporarily donating the truck to the Marin County Fire Department, after being transported from Sonoma, Calif. on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018. (Alan Dep/Marin Independent Journal)”

North Coast Region

Sonoma County. Devastated by wildfire, a California city weighs rebuilding amid a housing crunch. “Jeff Okrepkie stands by the lot where his house stood in the Coffey Park area of Santa Rosa, Calif. After losing his home in the wildfires last fall, Okrepkie has organized a neighborhood group to help those like him who want to rebuild. (Preston Gannaway/For The Washington Post)”

Mendocino County. Luxury Mendocino Hotel | Heritage House Resort | CA.  The Heritage House Resort is a destination you simply must experience for yourself. While our property has undergone a dramatic change over the past five years, transforming from a romantic seaside inn to a contemporary and luxurious boutique hotel, our commitment to the perfect guest experience remains.

Humboldt County. Trinidad. Majestic. Part of the auto wreck scene in The Majestic was shot at College Cove Beach on 19 March 2001. Wikipedia.