Unmasked Podcast With Marcella

LAGUNA BEACH’S SCHOOL BOARD RACE IS HEATING UP and the FUEL slate believes it’s time to flip all three seats. What do they think about Measure A , the school protest , and the future of Laguna Beach schools ? Watch the latest UNMASKED interview for a direct conversation with the FUEL candidates about why they believe the board needs new leadership and a fresh direction. Hear directly from the cand...

Last Thursday, Mayor Mark Orgill appeared on his regularly scheduled Voice of Ed segment. During the discussion, he was asked about Laguna Beach’s controversial Efficiency Ordinance. He said he helped work on the ordinance. But when asked why certain provisions never returned to the Planning Commission, he said he wasn’t aware and needed to look into it. If you helped work on the ordinance, should...

$100,000 TO SUPPORT THREE CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES? FOLLOW THE MONEY, LAGUNA BEACH! City Council candidate Ashley Cintas joins UNMASKED to discuss the $100,000 contribution from Regency Properties, L.P. and Affiliated Entities, associated with Laguna Beach’s Surf & Sand Resort. According to an official FPPC filing dated October 1, 2026, Regency Properties contributed $100,000 to the Laguna Beac...

Last Thursday, Mayor Mark Orgill participated in his regular radio interview on The Voice of Laguna , with Ed as the host. On Friday, Chris and I joined Ed on The Voice of Laguna to examine the ordinance, the Mayor’s statements, and the discrepancies we identified. Here’s what every Laguna Beach resident needs to understand 👀 The Efficiency Ordinance was intended to streamline the design review p...

The protest. Graduation. Dr. Jason Glass’s departure and incoming superintendent Don Austin. Measure A, the $83M LBUSD school bond on your ballot. LBUSD school board candidates Elizabeth Bates and Dee Perry sit down for an open, honest conversation about all of it, including how this campaign is really going. Every candidate deserves to be heard. Take the time to get to know each one and their pla...

Laguna Beach has THREE City Council seats up this November and voters have a real opportunity to examine who should represent them next. Nick Aronoff is a fourth-generation Laguna local, but in our conversation, what stood out was his willingness to openly question what is happening at City Hall. Including spending, accountability, transparency and the decisions that continue to expose taxpayers t...

Laguna Beach is having an important conversation about the future of our City Council and the voices calling for change deserve to be heard. Edward Bayuk sits down with me for an unfiltered conversation about City Hall, leadership, accountability, transparency, and why he decided to run. This election is about more than campaign signs and talking points. It’s about knowing the candidates, knowing...

LAGUNA BEACH PROPERTY OWNERS ACT NOW. If you own property in the Residential/Hillside Protection zone “approximately 200 Properties will be affected”, you need to understand what was added to the new “Efficiency Ordinance.” If you want to build, the ordinance requires you to offer the City a permanent open-space easement over every portion of your property you are not developing. WHAT DOES THAT AC...

Karen Martin understands Laguna Beach’s General Plan in a way that goes far beyond the surface. She understands how its different elements work vertically and horizontally and how decisions in one area can affect so many others. But what stood out to me just as much as her knowledge was Karen herself. She is genuinely one of the nicest people I’ve met in Laguna thoughtful, kind, and incredibly gen...

Ashley Cintas is stepping into the hot seat. She’s smart, direct, and not afraid to ask questions or challenge the way things have always been done. No rehearsed talking points. No political games. Just a real conversation about Laguna Beach, what isn’t working, what needs to change, and what Ashley believes she can bring to City Council. You’ve heard the campaign promises. Now hear directly from...

DROPPING SOON: ALEX ROUNAGHI IS UNMASKED The ER. The budget. The memo. The hard questions. Alex sits down and addresses the pressing issues facing Laguna Beach, including the fight to protect our Emergency Room and all the questions surrounding the City’s budget. We get into the budget memo he presented, what the numbers actually mean, and what residents deserve to know. No scripted talking points...

SUCCESSFUL REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER. RESIDENT. SHE’S BEEN THROUGH THE PROCESS. Kaitlin Willhoit joins UNMASKED to talk about what it’s really like to develop property in Laguna Beach — and why the City needs to start listening to the people actually going through the process. Responsible development matters. It improves our homes, strengthens property values, creates revenue and helps fund the city w...

Former Laguna Beach Building Official Dennis Bogle joins UNMASKED for a candid conversation about what happens behind the walls of City Hall. Dennis shares his firsthand perspective on the inner workings of the City, the inefficiencies he witnessed, the challenges of trying to serve the public within an increasingly complicated system, and what ultimately led to his departure. After hearing his st...

In this conversation, Marcella and Alex discusses the importance of community engagement in public policy. She highlights the need for training and development for city officials, the benefits of having in-house legal counsel, and the significance of public safety measures. The discussion also covers the dynamics of the mayor's role, concerns about city staffing and payroll, and the necessity...

The conversation delves into the inefficiencies and subjective nature of the building process in Laguna Beach, highlighting the need for objective standards and property rights. The discussion covers the proposed efficiency ordinance aimed at streamlining development, the complexities surrounding term limits, and the role of council members in local governance. The speakers express concerns about...

In this conversation, former mayor Alex Alex Rounaghi discusses various pressing issues facing Laguna Beach, including the land trust initiative aimed at supporting artist housing, the risks associated with real estate development, code enforcement challenges, and the efficiency ordinance designed to streamline city processes. The dialogue also touches on the disparities in how wealth affects deve...

In this conversation, Marcella interviews former Laguna Beach City Council member George Weiss about the controversial acquisition of Canyon properties for affordable housing. They discuss the financial implications, the lack of transparency in city council decisions, and the challenges of providing affordable housing in Laguna Beach. George emphasizes the need for better leadership, community eng...

In this conversation, the Voice of Laguna hosts Chris and Marcella Dornin, who discuss their ongoing legal battle with the city of Laguna Beach regarding property development and the design review process. They express concerns about the recent city council meeting discussing changes to municipal codes that they believe restrict property rights and empower city officials. Marcella talks about our...

Chris and Marcella break down the Laguna Beach City Council meeting agenda and what it could mean for local residents. In this episode of UNMASKED, we expose the so-called View Equity rule, a subjective and discretionary policy Laguna Beach uses to block projects, pit neighbors against each other, and deny lawful development while taxpayers pay the price. Chris and Marcella explain why view equity...

In this exclusive interview, Chris and Marcella sit down with Ed from The Voice of Laguna to open up about their lawsuit against the City of Laguna Beach involving the Temple Hills properties. They share how they got here, what has unfolded behind the scenes, and which public officials play a role in the story. This must hear episode dives into the timeline, the challenges, and the broader issues...