FOUNTAIN VALLEY

Councilwoman Laurann Cook seems to have an affinity for spotting discarded shopping carts--even when she’s not in the city. Mayor John Collins said he and Cook were in San Gabriel when she spotted a stray cart, a sight that many consider an eyesore. She demanded that Collins stop the car and call the local police so they could return the cart to the supermarket. Cook is just as diligent in her own hometown, Collins said. Because of her cart-finding skill, Councilman Larry Crandall presented Cook with a small gift at a recent City Council meeting: a miniature shopping cart.