Briefly In the News

Pancake breakfast, concert Monday

The Laguna Beach Exchange Club and Laguna Beach Firefighters are holding their annual Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast, from 7 to 10:30 a.m. Monday at Heisler Park.

Food is provided by Las Brisas and the White House, and the Orange Inn will supply coffee. Firefighters will flip the flapjacks. The cost of the breakfast is $5.

The breakfast is followed at 11 a.m. by Memorial Day observances at Monument Point.

Following the observances, the Laguna Community Concert Band will perform patriotic favorites, Latin beats, New Orleans jazz and John Williams’ works from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. on the cobblestones at Main Beach.

Reynolds named Woman of Year

Carol Reynolds has been selected as the Woman of the Year for 2010 by the Woman’s Club of Laguna Beach.

A 20-year-plus Laguna Beach resident known for her contributions to children’s education programs, music performing and the arts, Reynolds taught music for more than 30 years and is the founder of the Laguna Community Concert Band. She also launched the “Fete de la Musique,” a citywide celebration of music now in its third year and scheduled for June 19.

A luncheon is planned from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. June 18 to honor Reynolds. Tickets can be obtained by sending a check to the Woman’s Club, 286 St. Anns Drive, Laguna Beach, CA 92651 by June 12. Tickets are $30 for members and $35 for nonmembers. For more information, call (949) 497-1200 or e-mail officelbwc@gmail.com.

Marine Mammal Center gets grant

Pacific Marine Mammal Center will receive a $20,000 grant from Southern California Edison that will allow the center to purchase a high-tech, 18-camera surveillance system for its animal care operations.

The system will allow for a camera to be positioned in each pen, including cameras for critical care units, and also two underwater cameras in outdoor pens.

This will allow the center to monitor animals via the Internet. Authorized users may log in and check on animals 24 hours a day. In addition, the cameras will record several hours of footage and allow caregivers to study animals more closely when humans are not around. That research can then be shared with other rehabilitation centers across the country.

“This equipment will take our animal care operations to a whole new level,” said Michele Hunter, director of operations at PMMC.

Southern California Edison has been supporting Pacific Marine Mammal Center for several years, but the $20,000 grant is the largest contribution the corporation has made to the nonprofit. The center is located at 20612 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. For more information, visit www.pacificmmc.org.