🌱 Patch AM: How will San Clemente’s new mayor tackle beaches, parking and growth?

Hello again San Clemente! We’re bringing you the latest town highlights. Don’t miss out, keep going! ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• How will San Clemente’s new mayor tackle beaches, parking and growth?
• See why San Clemente’s coast drew cameras and controversy in 2025
• Which San Clemente locals just ranked among OC’s top influencers?

Today's riddle: I quit my job as a banker. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Friday: Cloudy with a shower in spots, with a high of 69 and low of 59 degrees.
• Saturday: An afternoon shower or two, temps: high: 64, low: 58.
• Sunday: Cloudy with showers around, with a high of 64 and low of 57 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• New San Clemente Mayor Rick Loeffler Focuses on Civility, Accessibility, City Priorities (picketfencemedia.com) — San Clemente’s new mayor, Rick Loeffler, is stressing civility, accessibility, and practical problem-solving while keeping the city’s small-town character. He outlines priorities like beach sand replenishment, parking solutions, hotel projects, and the beach trail reopening, while signaling caution on surveillance cameras and a strong focus on resident input and transparent meetings.
   

• Voice of OC Photos that Defined 2025 (voiceofoc.org) — San Clemente appears twice in this year-end photo collection, highlighting Olympic hopeful surfers at Trestles Beach and a tense City Council debate over proposed Border Patrol cameras along the local coastline. Most of the piece surveys 2025’s biggest visual moments across Orange County, from immigration protests and ICE raids to animal adoptions and community celebrations.
   

• Tri-Cities Luminaries Among Orange County's Top 125 Influencers (picketfencemedia.com) — Several San Clemente standouts just made the OC Register’s list of Orange County’s 125 most influential people, including surfboard shaper Matt Biolos, teacher Erin Bro, and USA Surfing CEO Becky Fleischauer. The feature also highlights Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano leaders shaping surf culture, education, dining, and development across South Orange County.
   

📸 Around San Clemente

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in San Clemente

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

Thursday January 8

• Four-Chamber Mixer at Agape 1928
  Agape 1928 , 1531 N. El Camino Real , San Clemente
  5:30 pm

📣 San Clemente Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Friday January 2

• City Hall Closed - Year End Closure
  City of Aliso Viejo - Aliso Viejo CA 92656
  7:30 am
• Bling it On! Art Camp (4-9Y)
  Kidcreate Studio - Dana Point , 34255 Pacific Coast Hwy #113 , Dana Point
  9:00 am

Saturday January 3

• Zero Trash Initiative
  Cinepolis Theater , 30632 Santa Margarita Parkway , Rancho Santa Margarita
  9:45 am

Tuesday January 6

• Strength & Conditioning - Laguna Niguel, CA 2026
  Sea Country Community Center , 24602 Aliso Creek Rd , Laguna Niguel
  12:15 pm
• Regular City Council Meeting
  City Hall Council Chambers , 30111 Crown Valley Parkway , Laguna Niguel
  7:00 pm

Wednesday January 7

• RSM Cares Food Pantry Drive-thru
  Shepherd of the Hills Methodist Church parking lot , 30605 Avenida de las Flores , Rancho Santa Margarita
  2:00 pm

Thursday January 8

• Four-Chamber Mixer
  Agape 1928 , 1531 N El Camino Real , San Clemente
  5:30 pm

Friday January 9

• Ice Skate Night
  Aliso Viejo Ice Palace , 9 Journey , Aliso Viejo

Monday February 23

• EIP - IN-PERSON COURSE: Embolization Innovation Program - Terumo Neuro in Aliso Viejo, CA on February 23-24, 2026
  Terumo Neuro , 35 Enterprise , Aliso Viejo
  6:30 pm

Tuesday March 10

• La Paz Pre-Festival Concert Orchestra and Jazz II
  La Paz Intermediate School , 25151 Pradera Dr , Mission Viejo
  6:30 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making San Clemente PatchAM possible:

• Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
  Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!
• D-Tek Live Bee Removal — (760) 224-3040
  DTEK Live Bee Removal: Humane, eco-friendly bee extraction.
• Business Design Innovations — (949) 795-4721
  Local Website Design and Marketing Services

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• My Friends ..
  May the New Year bring you PEACE and all the magic you can handle . (Nextdoor S El Camino)
• Update: FOUND DOG RAN OFF - Coachella
  Earlier yesterday we found a very friendly female dog on the side of the road near Monza Ln in Coachella. She appeared healthy, and super sweet. We… (Nextdoor Las Palmas)

• Kroger posted a job opening for Grocery Clerk in San Clemente. Apply here.
• Manna Development Group, LLC posted a job opening for Catering Lead in San Clemente. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near San Clemente here.

🗞 Nearby News

San Juan Capistrano

• Irvine council changes mind, keeps lease for Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center (ocregister.com)

Dana Point

• Cookie Cup Chaos: Disney Guests Debate the Value of a $250 Louis XIII Cookie Shot (parade.com)

Laguna Niguel

Ok San Clemente! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I just lost interest.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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