Laguna Beach Drivers Win Whale-Plate Challenge

Laguna Beach has won a "friendly competition" against Dana Point and Santa Monica to see whose residents would buy the most , according to the city's visitors bureau.

The mayors of the three cities had aimed to outdo one another in promoting the plates, which came out in August and which Laguna artist Bill Atkins had a hand in designing. Laguna residents bought 43 of the plates during the first few weeks they were available, said the visitors bureau. Though only a couple of plates separated the competitors, Laguna officials savored the victory.

 “I’m excited that Laguna Beach won. It was great fun to participate in this friendly challenge," said Mayor Toni Iseman.

Laguna promotes the license plate sales through decals that were created for the local transit system buses and will do so through the end of the year, said Iseman, "so the numbers should continue to grow, and the best is yet to come.”

As part of the specialty-plate launch by the California Coastal Commission and Department of Motor Vehicles, the commission kicked off its Stewards of the Coast summer campaign, which the Laguna Beach Visitors and Conference Bureau has been eager to be a part of, said a spokesperson for the bureau.

Programs funded through the license plate programs include Crystal Cove Alliance wheelchair access, the Ocean Institute Learning Center, Orange County Coastkeeper for the Kids’ Ocean Day program and Tides Center for restoration at Upper Newport Bay.