Briefly In The News

Hidden Treasure Sale is Saturday

Soroptimist International of Laguna Beach is teaming up with Newport Beach-based Women of the Wells to hold the Hidden Treasure Sale.

All of the proceeds from the sale will go to help build wells in remote areas of India that don’t currently have access to clean water.

The sale will feature donated items like household accessories, sporting equipment, small appliances, new or gently used clothing, toys and antiques.

Cash donations will also be accepted at the sale, which will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the American Legion building, 384 Legion Ave., Laguna Beach.

Women of the Wells builds wells in 11 countries across Africa, Asia and South America, according to a news release from the organization. Each well costs $1,800 to build.

For more information, call Georgiana Willis at (949) 644-2182 or Sandy Vetter at (949) 494-9907.

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Weekly update from the city manager

•Starting Monday, Laguna Beach Fire Department Division Chief Dan Stefano will take over as fire marshal and Division Chief Tom Christopher will assume responsibilities for training and emergency medical services.

•The delivery and installation of the pre-manufactured lift station at Main Beach was scheduled to begin Thursday. Preparation of the site took about 10 days longer than planned. Concrete slabs to support the lift station were set to be poured Tuesday.

•The project to add a new outbound through lane on Laguna Canyon Road at El Toro Road is almost complete. The new lane is already open, and all cleanup work should be finished by the end of the month. The new lane is expected to improve traffic quality through that intersection.

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Land use element is topic of workshop

A land use element workshop will be hosted by the Planning Commission at 6:30 p.m. April 18 in the City Council Chambers.

The workshop will focus on the newly approved Land Use Element and the changes required by the California Coastal Commission.

The content will be informative to residents, property owners, business, architects, Realtors and others, according to a news release from the city of Laguna Beach.

The Land Use Element document and modifications can be found at the Department of Community Development or online at https://www.lagunabeachcity.net.

For more information, call Principal Planner Monica Tuchscher at (949) 497-0745 or mtuchscher@lagunabeachcity.net.

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St. Mary’s hosts Holy Week services

Holy Week begins Sunday at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church.

The public is invited to attend any or all of the following services:

Palm Sunday: 8 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday

Maundy Thursday: 7 p.m. Thursday

Good Friday: noon and 7 p.m. April 6

Easter Sunday: A sunrise Easter Vigil at 5:30 a.m. and the Easter Choral Festival at 10:30 a.m. April 8.

Child care is available during the 10:30 a.m. services on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday.

For more information, call the church office at (949) 494-3542.

The church is at 428 Park Ave.

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Earth Day cleanup, music festival in April

A massive volunteer cleanup effort will be sweeping through Laguna Beach on April 21.

BlueWater-Greenearth is challenging residents to clean every beach and street in Laguna in three hours for the seventh annual Earth Day Challenge.

The cleanup will be from 9 a.m. to noon. Call (949) 573-8624 to sign up.

Volunteers will be assigned a specific area to clean and are encouraged to bring their own reusable bags. Biodegradable trash bags and gloves will be available at “Blue Water stations” around town.

As an added incentive, all volunteers who participate for an hour or more will receive half off the admission price for the seventh annual Earth Day Blue Water Music Festival, which will be held the day after the cleanup, from 3 to 10 p.m. April 22 at Laguna Village, 577 S. Coast Hwy.

The festival lineup includes the Pawnshop Kings, Nick I (of Common Sense), the Salty Suites (with Chelsea Williams), Kevin Miso, and Justin James and the World Anthem Band.

Regular-priced tickets are $20 pre-sale or $30 at the door. For more information or purchase tickets, call Rick Conckey at (949) 573-8624 or email rickconkey@gmail.com.

—Kelly Parker