The Brief

Access to the famed San Onofre State Beach was renewed for 25 years, just in the nick of time before its prior agreement lapsed on Aug. 31.

The stretch of the coast tucked between Orange County and San Diego brings in an estimated 2.5 million visitors each year.

But to generations of homegrown surfers reared on the legendary waves and throwback beach culture of their beloved San O, the new agreement is nothing short of preserving a way of life.

"We weren't sure if we were going to lose access to that beach forever," said David Matuszak, author of San Onofre: Memories of a Legendary Surfing Beach and a diehard San O surfer. "It's absolutely great news because for a fellow like me who's entering his golden years, I know that I'm going to be surfing there for the rest of my life."

The new lease

The new lease between the Navy and California State Parks for San Onofre State Beach and San Mateo Campground is good for 25 years, at a cost of $90 million.

Despite the price tag, no actual money will change hands, says Kevin Pearsall, a coastal superintendent for California State Parks.

Instead, Pearsall said the amount will be tendered through in kind credits — basically, by offering services to the military in lieu of cash.

'Hours and hours of meetings'

Pearsall said renewal talks started at least a few years before the original half-a-century agreement expired in 2021. An extension was in place until the end of August.

"It was hours and hours of meeting for years, going through every word in the old lease and constructing it towards a more modern lease agreement," said Pearsall, who took part in the talks that included high-level stakeholders from state and federal governments, as well as the military.

"The lease is more complex than it was for the last 50 years," he added, pointing to changes in state and federal laws, as well as other priorities. He noted that certain areas have been returned to the military for training and other purposes under the new lease.

But the two sides were always aligned on the end result.

"The ultimate goal was to have public access for everyone," he said. "It was a big deal to get this little park figured out."

A brief history of San O

To surfers worldwide, San Onofre is one of those quintessential spots that embodies the original spirit and culture of years past.

The first documented instances of surfing at San Onofre took place in the early 1930s, according to Matuszak.

"There was marine culture, farming culture, cowboy culture, and then, of course, before that was the Native Americans. And along come the surfers," Matuszak said.

About a decade later, the federal government acquired the land by eminent domain to build Camp Pendleton as a training facility for the Marines.

"So the surfers got kicked out of most of San Onofre, except for the area that we now call 'Old Man's,'" said Matuszak, referring to one of the area's most famous surf breaks.

Matuszak said some of those surfers were enjoying themselves too freely — "primarily drinking, partying, that sort of thing" — and caught the attention of the Marine Corps.

"The military went to the surfers and said, 'Listen, unless you can regulate your behavior, you're going to lose your privilege of surfing here,'" Matuszak said.

In response, the San Onofre Surfing Club was born in 1952.

"It was a private club. They had a locked gate, started out with about 500 members," said Matuszak, adding that its ranks included everyone from "surf bums" to wealthy tycoons.

"It was called the most exclusive club in the world," he added. "There was a five-year waiting list to get into the club and to have access to surf at San Onofre."

In the early 1970s, the club lost that exclusive access when the area was established as a state beach under President Richard Nixon's “Legacy of Parks" program.

'Stoked'

"We're stoked. I'm stoked. The club is stoked," said Craig Ephraim, a longtime San Clemente resident and a member of the San Onofre Surfing Club, about the new lease, which will maintain public access to surf beach until 2049.

Ephraim said the community had gotten wind of deal earlier in the month, but without details on the terms.

"We're real pleased that it's 25 years," he said.

Cathy Young directs the Wahine Kai Women’s Surf Club, with chapters across and outside California. The club holds a couple annual events at San O.

"We are excited about the future of San Onofre and what this lease means for its preservation and accessibility for generations to come," she said.

The new agreement has lifted a weight off the shoulders of San O diehards, but challenges for the beach remain. Earlier this year, access to Old Man's was blocked after the only dirt road leading to the area was washed out. Over time, the coastline itself has changed, remolded by the effects of high tides, rising sea levels, and monster storms.

"There's a lot of irons in the fire regarding coastal erosion," Pearsall with California State Parks said. "So we're looking at it on a daily basis, and we always will from this point on."

California Attorney General Rob Bonta provided guidance this week to childcare providers on new legal requirements to protect children and their families from immigration enforcement activities.

Under a new law that went into effect this year, childcare providers are not allowed to collect information about a child's or family member’s immigration status, unless necessary under state or federal law. Bonta’s office says there currently is no such requirement, though that could change with federal programs like Head Start.

“Childcare and preschool facilities should be safe and secure spaces so children can grow, learn and simply be children,” Bonta said in a statement.

His office says daycare centers also should not keep information about a formerly enrolled child longer than is required by state law.

The new law also requires facilities to inform the attorney general’s office and the state’s licensing agency if they get any requests for information from law enforcement related to immigration enforcement.

Facilities also must ask families to regularly update a child’s emergency contact information to make sure someone can be reached in case a parent is detained by federal immigration officials.

The Santa Ana winds are here to welcome us into the weekend, bringing warmer temperatures.

The winds will reach Point Mugu to the Santa Clarita Valley, down to Orange County and parts of the Inland Empire valleys and foothills east of the 5 Freeway.

Peak gusts are expected to reach 35 to 55 mph. The western San Gabriel Mountains, Highway 14 corridor, Santa Susana Mountains and the western Santa Monica Mountains are under a high wind warning until 6 p.m., when gusts could reach 65 mph.

As for temperatures, highs for L.A. County beaches will reach the upper 70s and up to the low 80s for inland areas.

Parts of Orange County and Coachella Valley will see temperatures in the mid- to upper 80s, with the warmest areas expected to reach 88 degrees.

Getting together with friends at a bar or pub tends to get a lot harder when children and needy pets enter the mix. One solution — Breweries! Beer gardens! Brewpubs!

Because parents (of kids and pets) want to go out, too — and not necessarily to a fast food restaurant with an indoor playground and no beer.

Thankfully, the Orange County suburbs where I live have gotten on board with my family- and pet-friendly craft brewery dreams. The key ingredients for me are spacious patios, a water bowl for the pooch, and food — either made onsite or, at the least, easy and quick to order and get delivered from somewhere else. Board and pub games are an added bonus.

Plus, of course, great beer from small, independent, local breweries. On the beer front, I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of beer I encountered on my self-arranged tour of breweries in the Costa Mesa-Huntington Beach area.

Gone are the dark, dank days of nothing but IPA (IYKYK); now, you can find everything from pickle-tinged blondes, to mild sours, to rich and creamy stouts. If you’re not a big beer fan, every place I visited also had their own craft-made hard seltzers on the menu, as well as some non-alcoholic beverages.

Here are some of my favorites:

Riip (Huntington Beach)

Riip in Huntington Beach has two spots with full kitchens specializing in pizza and a wide variety of IPAs and other beer styles.

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Jill Replogle

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LAist

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Riip has been a family favorite since the company opened its first tasting room in Sunset Beach in 2015, with board games and tables the kids could write on. They have since expanded a lot, with a pizzeria next door and another location near Fountain Valley, which also serves excellent pizza, and has a small arcade to keep the kiddos busy.

One thing they do especially well: For serious IPA drinkers, Riip is your place. They usually have at least half a dozen different IPAs on tap, along with a decent variety of other beers, lighter and darker.

This place is great for … dinner after the kids’ [insert sport] game. Also for date night.

At Flashpoint Brewing Company in Huntington Beach, you can check out the brewing vats and other machinery up close while enjoying the results.

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Jill Replogle

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LAist

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Flashpoint Brewing Co. (Huntington Beach)

I only recently discovered Flashpoint, which opened in 2020 on an industrial street near Huntington Beach Central Park. I actually love this aspect of craft brewery taprooms: they’re often located outside of trendy food and retail areas because they need to be able to actually brew beer there as well as serve it.

Flashpoint has a big patio lit with fairy lights. The tall doors of their brewing area, and an adjacent room with the taps and more tables are rolled up during opening hours, giving it a spacious, indoor-outdoor feel.

One thing they do especially well: All the beers I tried were highly drinkable. In other words, not crazy hoppy or overly heavy on flavors. The nectarine sour was especially good, refreshing with just the right amount of tartness.

This place is great for … An early evening toast, watching the clouds turn pink.

Green Cheek Beer Co. in Costa Mesa serves great beer and food, including shareable, snackable items like pad thai cauliflower.

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Jill Replogle

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LAist

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Green Cheek Beer Co. (Costa Mesa)

Green Cheek Beer Co. now has three locations in Orange County and one in Oceanside. Their Costa Mesa spot is conveniently located not far from the city’s Bark Park. So, naturally, after my pooch has fun, I deserve a cold one.

Green Cheek has a huge covered patio filled with long picnic tables. My dog, Ace, was very happy to find a bowl of water set out for their canine visitors, and lots of pets from the humans.

One thing they do especially well: Green Cheek makes great beer. But what I love most about their Costa Mesa spot is that you can soak up the alcohol with food, including smash burgers, tots, and pad thai cauliflower, from their good and reliably fast kitchen.

This place is great for … reading a book, or making a new friend! Their long picnic tables make it easy to opt in or out of the surrounding social scene.

Bootlegger's Brewery outside the LAB Anti-Mall in Costa Mesa has a quiet patio for day drinking, and a lively trivia night scene.

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Jill Replogle

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LAist

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Bootlegger’s Brewery (Costa Mesa)

Within walking distance of Green Cheek is Bootlegger’s Brewery. Bootlegger’s started in Fullerton, and now also has tasting rooms in Costa Mesa and Redlands.

Their Costa Mesa spot is on the outskirts of the LAB Anti-Mall, a collection of small businesses and restaurants, at least one of which will deliver food to your table. A section of the parking lot has been turned into a nice outdoor patio with sun shades for daytime and heat lamps for chillier evening hours.

One thing they do especially well: Their Kosher Crusher pickle blonde ale. They debuted it last fall and it is seriously good — light, refreshing, and just a little bit zesty.

This place is great for … “working” on a Friday afternoon (I was not the only one there typing one-handed on my laptop with a beer in the other), and then inviting friends to join you for happy hour.

There's an ambiance for everyone at Salty Bear Brewing Co. in Costa Mesa.

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Jill Replogle

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LAist

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Salty Bear Brewing Company

Salty Bear is part of The Camp, an uber-cool retail and restaurant complex also within walking distance of Green Cheek and Bootlegger’s (you can do a tasting tour!).

Salty Bear is worth a visit for the aesthetics alone. It has a great bar with midcentury tiling and dimpled red leather. The sprawling, leafy outdoor patio provides plenty of room for the kids to wander.

One thing they do especially well: Their Coastline Strawberry Blonde made me nostalgic for the fruity beers that got me hooked on craft beer in my 20s — but so much better.

This place is great for … Kickin’ it on the patio with friends, either listening to live music, or letting your kids practice performing on the teepee-themed outdoor stage.

Other options in OC south of the 405:

Steady Kitchen and Taps, 18055 Magnolia St, Fountain Valley

Synth Beer Company, 2960 Randolph Av, Costa Mesa

Brewing Reserve of California, 2930 College Ave D, Costa Mesa

Some government funding streams for L.A. County’s public health system are drying up, and officials are turning to private philanthropy to fill the gap.

A new privately funded foundation launched Thursday to strengthen public health services after $50 million in federal, state and local funding cuts to the county’s Department of Public Health since early last year.

“It is really a hard day for our community when we have to ask for private donations to fund a public good, but unfortunately, we've lost too much money to not take this important step,” said Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer.

In February, the county’s Public Health Department closed seven clinics, with six remaining open. About half of the patients seen in those clinics are uninsured, according to county officials. The department also cut hundreds of staff positions.

Ferrer is on the board of the new foundation, The Fund for Advancing Public Health LA, which held its first meeting Thursday.

She said the fund will help the county maintain its basic public health infrastructure, including disease prevention, health promotion, environmental health, and emergency response efforts.

Other board members include several health insurance executives, as well as actors Sean Penn and Danny Trejo. Board member Saree Kayne of the R&S Kayne Foundation pledged $150,000 to the fund Thursday. Kayne said she hopes the donation encourages others to give.

The foundation aims to raise $2 million this year.

More cuts expected

L.A. County Supervisor Holly Mitchell said it’s crucial to have an alternative funding stream to protect services for the county's most vulnerable residents.

“We are saving public health,” Mitchell said. “This fund represents a new approach, one that brings together government philanthropy in the private sector to invest in community-based solutions, protect vulnerable populations, and strengthen our public health infrastructure.”

Officials say more public health cuts are coming, through the federal budget law known as the "Big Beautiful Bill," which slashes funding for Medi-Cal.

The county Department of Public Health anticipates losing up to $300 million in revenue over the next three years because of the federal budget bill and other potential funding freezes. Federal funding accounts for almost 50% of the public health budget, according to county officials.

Mitchell also led an effort to put a half-percent county sales tax increase to fund public health on the June ballot.

If approved by voters, that proposal, known as Measure ER, is expected to raise about $1 billion a year for county safety net health services, including about $100 million for the public health department.

Board members

The Fund for Advancing Public Health LA announced its founding board of directors, which includes:

• Dr. Barbara Ferrer, LA County Department of Public Health director
• Debbie I. Chang, Blue Shield of California Foundation CEO
• Sean Penn, actor and co-founder of Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE)
• Martha Santana-Chin, LA Care Health Plan CEO
• Saree Kayne, R&S Kayne Foundation CEO
• Danny Trejo, actor and restaurateur
• Jarrett Barrios, an executive at the American Red Cross
• Dr. Deborah Prothrow-Stith, Charles R. Drew University College of Medicine Dean
• Kristin McCowan, an executive at the Los Angeles Dodgers