Village News

Our collective frustration at not being able to return to all the activities we enjoyed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic is full to bursting. Our new reality over the past six months has been quite stressful, and unfortunately, it is not over. 

Because Orange County has met the state’s metrics for reopening for at least two weeks, on Tuesday, September 8, Orange County graduated from the Tier 1 (purple) phase of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s reopening plan and is now in Tier 2 (red). This means that the county may reopen movie theaters and restaurants for indoor dining at 25% capacity and churches for indoor worship at 25% capacity; shopping centers may expand from 25% capacity to half-capacity; movie theaters can reopen at 10%. For a full list of what is open in Orange County and at what capacity, click here. For more information on Orange County’s reopening plan and its phases, click here. 

The state guidelines still require all California citizens to adhere to social distancing practices and wear a face covering to help slow the spread. This is especially important in a high-risk community like Laguna Woods Village.

Here in the Village, your boards have followed the state and county’s reopening plan as required by law.

Reopening Village clubhouses and reintroducing recreation activities are being considered carefully by your boards of directors and executive staff. When openings do occur, they will be announced in the news at www.lagunawoodsvillage.com, on Village Television (TV6), shared on Facebook and sent via email to every resident who has opted in to our every-Friday “What’s Up in the Village” eblast. If you have not subscribed to “What’s Up in the Village,” please email becky.jackson@vmsinc.org.

All feedback is heard by your elected representatives in your housing mutual. VMS is tracking all phone calls, emails and letters every day, and we are ensuring those messages are routed to the proper board. 

So far, the prevailing pandemic-survival theory is “slow and steady wins the race.” The Village’s case count remaining at less than 50 throughout the pandemic is evidence that theory is working in keeping our community safe while case counts decrease. 

In the meantime, please enjoy the pools, pickleball, paddle tennis, tennis and golf; exercise classes on Village Television; online recreational activities at www.lagunawoodsvillage.com; and the Village’s vast property. More activities will become available as Recreation staff returns from furlough. 

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