Did you know that Laguna Woods is home to three of Orange County’s major watersheds? Aliso Creek, Laguna Coastal Streams and Newport Bay all play a vital role in channeling rainwater through local creeks and parks before it flows into the Pacific Ocean.

As water flows through these natural channels, it can carry pollutants such as trash, pet waste and pesticides that can harm wildlife, drinking water and coastal ecosystems. What we do here in the Village creates ripple effects that reach far beyond our community.

Here’s how you can help protect our watersheds:

• Always dispose of pet waste in covered bins, especially before it rains.
• Wash your car at a commercial car wash to prevent runoff into storm drains.
• Use pesticides sparingly and never before a forecasted rain event.
• Keep trash secured in covered containers. Need a replacement? Call CR&R at 949-625-6735.

Visit h2oc.org to explore watershed maps, videos and local conservation tips. By taking small steps, we can make a big difference right here at home.

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This past Wednesday, many residents noticed interruptions to their television service. The issue was traced to equipment managed by outside providers as several networks, including NBC Universal channels MSNBC and CNBC, transition from satellite delivery to IP delivery.

Engineers from Broadband Services and West Coast Internet, working in coordination with their counterparts, replaced the switch involved in this transmission process.

We appreciate residents’ patience as our VMS staff and partners completed these equipment replacements to ensure reliable viewing going forward.

For more Village news, click on the tag “What’s Up in the Village” below.

The City of Laguna Woods has introduced a new nonemergency coyote hotline for reporting sightings. This change ensures that Laguna Beach police dispatch remains available to respond to true emergencies.

New Nonemergency Hotline
Call 949-639-0501 and leave a message, or email coyotes@lagunabeachcity.net. All hotline messages are automatically forwarded to Laguna Beach/Laguna Woods Animal Services.

Quick Reference: Who to Call and When

• Imminent danger or attack: Call 9-1-1 immediately.
• Nonemergency coyote sighting: Call 949-639-0501 (leave a message) or email coyotes@lagunabeachcity.net.

For more Village news, click on the tag “What’s Up in the Village” below. 

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a reminder that our digital choices affect our safety and privacy. As online threats become more sophisticated, staying informed is essential.

From checking email and managing finances to planning vacations, everyday tasks now carry digital risks. Understanding the latest scams and security tips can help you stay protected and confident online.

Begin with “Then & Now,” an online workbook that explains how security has evolved. It covers creating strong passwords, recognizing scams, securing your devices and more.

You can also explore:

• Social Security Scams: How to protect your identity and personal information
• Online Safety Tips: Practical advice to browse, shop and connect with confidence
• Vacation and Travel Security Tips: How to keep your devices and data safe while on the go

For more Village news, click on the tag “What’s Up in the Village” below.

The Third Laguna Hills Mutual and United Laguna Woods Mutual 2025 election ballot counts are complete. 

Third Mutual

Below are the results of the Third Mutual board elections in order of number of votes received. The top four candidates with the most votes will be seated on the Third Mutual board. The newly elected Third Mutual board members are S.K. Park, Steve Parsons, Peggy Moore and Reza Karimi.

• S.K. Park – 1165 total votes
• Steven Parsons – 1103 total votes
• Peggy Moore – 1030 total votes
• Reza Karimi – 899 total votes
• Egon Garthoffner – 809
• John Kelsall – 420
• Heydar Nazeri – 331

New Third board directors will be seated at the annual meeting on Friday, October 3, at 9:30 a.m. at the principal offices of the corporation at the Community Center at 24351 El Toro Road.

United Mutual

Below are the results of the United Mutual board elections in order of number of votes received. The top three candidates with the most votes will be seated on the United Mutual board. The newly elected United Mutual board members are Kathryn Bravata, Richard Hall and Anthony Liberatore.

• Kathryn Bravata – 1171 total votes
• Richard Hall –1062 total votes
• Anthony Liberatore – 998 total votes
• Alan Dickinson – 927 total votes

New United board directors will be seated at the annual meeting on Tuesday, October 14, at 9:30 a.m. at the principal offices of the corporation at the Community Center at 24351 El Toro Road.

For more Village news, click on the tag “What’s Up in the Village” below.

Planned and unplanned power outages can happen at any time. That is why VMS strongly recommends that all Village residents—especially those who depend on electricity to power medical equipment—register and visit the Southern California Edison (SCE) outages page to receive alerts and updates. 

How Outages Affect the Village

Please note that power outages may cause unexpected closures of pools, clubhouses and amenities.

Signing Up for Outage Alerts

• Residents can log in to their SCE account here and enroll to receive outage alerts via email. Those new to the SCE website can visit sce.com/outage-center/outage-alerts to enroll.
• To view current outage updates, visit the SCE Outage Center map and enter your address or zip code. Check the status of a scheduled maintenance outage here.
• Learn how to prepare for a power outage here.
• Per SCE’s mandate, residents should address all questions and concerns regarding the company’s work directly to the utility company. Visit sce.com or call SCE Customer Service at 800-655-4555.

Medical Baseline Allowance Program

Through its Medical Baseline Allowance program, SCE automatically contacts participants in the event of a Stage 3 Emergency rotating outage and provides those enrolled with an additional 16.5 kWh of electricity per day.

Click here to apply for the Medical Baseline Allowance program.

To discover more Village news, click on the tag “What’s Up in the Village” below.

If you’re new to the Village or simply want to revisit key resident topics, attending a new resident orientation at the Laguna Woods Village Community Center Board Room can be a great way to get informed. The last new resident orientation of this year for United Mutual is Wednesday, October 1, at 10 a.m. in the Community Center board room.

Please RSVP here.

Information shared during the Third and United new resident orientations is different. Please RSVP for the correct event.

What Mutual Do I Live In?

Members of United Mutual own co-ops. Manor numbers are 1-960, 2001-2108, 2121-2125, 2130, 2137-2165, 2183-2191 or 2209-2220.

Members of Third Mutual own condos. Manor numbers are 961-969, 2109-2120, 2126-2129, 2131-2136, 2166-2182, 2192-2208 or 2221-5598.

For more Village news, click on the tag “What’s Up in the Village” below.

Thatch is a layer of living and dead grass shoots, stems and roots that accumulates between the green blades of grass and the soil surface. When it remains ½ inch or less, thatch is beneficial, acting as a natural mulch, insulating turf from temperature changes and providing a protective cushion.

However, when thatch builds up too much it can cause problems. Excessive thickness can increase pest and disease activity, block fertilizers and insecticides from working properly and restrict the flow of oxygen and moisture to the soil and grass roots.

To maintain healthy turf, dethatching will begin this fall. The process starts with mowing the turf to a height of 2 inches and marking irrigation heads to prevent damage. A verticutter, a machine equipped with vertically mounted blades, will then cut through the thatch in two directions to ensure thorough removal.

Although the work may temporarily disrupt the appearance of the turf, each section will be cleaned before moving on. After dethatching, the turf will be fertilized, reseeded and irrigated to promote regrowth. The grass may look rough during the process, but it will recover and thrive with renewed vigor in the spring. We appreciate residents’ patience as crews complete this important process. Temporary unsightliness now will mean healthier, greener lawns by spring.

Work is expected to begin Wednesday, October 1, between Gate 5 and Gate 6 in Third Mutual. The project is anticipated to take about three months to complete, with work carried out through fall and early winter in advance of the spring growth season. Expect to see blue flags pop up throughout the areas to be dethatched, indicating the location of irrigation heads. You may also see green flags in the turf, indicating areas treated for grubs as part of the process.

Please remove all personal items such as solar lights, statuary, holiday decorations etc. from the turf areas to avoid potential damage.

Schedules will be posted on TeamUp.

Thank you for your understanding as we carry out this necessary work to keep Village grounds healthy and vibrant.

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