The organization Save San Clemente Hospital began exploring new ideas to have a freestanding emergency room in the city, with the support of legislators Sen. Patricia Bates and Assemblyman Bill Brough, both of whom represent the districts of San Clemente.

Sen. Pat Bates, an Orange County Republican, has one of the more interesting bills, Senate Bill 659. Bates, who was moved by her visits to Saint John’s and by her work decades ago as a social worker in Los Angeles, seeks to shift some money toward programs that insist on sobriety.

State Sen. Patricia Bates and Assemblyman Bill Brough said at a community forum Dec. 9 in San Clemente that bills they authored on behalf of the city and MemorialCare face stiff opposition. Hearings are set for Jan. 12 and 13 in Sacramento. The bills’ authors are urging the community to be heard.

The city of Dana Point commemorated an important milestone in its long-awaited Town Center Plan revitalization project on Monday with an official ribbon cutting at the recently-completed upcoast Lantern District gateway.

The law — co-authored by state Sen. Pat Bates, whose district includes North San Diego County — says it’s the state legislature’s intent to provide assistance to school districts in the 2015-2016 school year to meet the matching share requirement.