CITYSCAPE ROUNDUP:Nominees sought for award

The Environmental Committee is inaugurating a new award for environmental activism in Laguna Beach. The award will recognize efforts to preserve, conserve, protect and enhance the environment in and around the city of Laguna Beach. The theme of this year’s award is Environmental Education.

Nominations are being sought for the award. Nominations are open to any Laguna Beach resident, business or organization active in environmental preservation, conservation or educational activities. Nominees may not be affiliated professionally with, or a family member of, a current Environmental Committee member. Nominations may not be submitted by the nominee.

The deadline for nominations is January 31. The Environmental Committee will review nominations and recommend award recipients to the City Council. A maximum of five potential award recipients will be selected. The awards will be presented at the April 17 City Council meeting.

Nomination forms are available on the city Web site, www.lagunabeachcity.net/ government/departments/waterquality or in the City Clerk’s office at City Hall, 505 Forest Ave.

For more information, call (949) 497-0390.

Candlelight vigil today for Henderson

A candlelight vigil for Ellin Henderson, who died Nov. 16 of breast cancer, will be held at 6:30 p.m. today, Friday, at Main Beach. The vigil is organized by Friendship Shelter homeless service center, founded in 1988 by Henderson and her husband, Father Colin Henderson, retired pastor of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church.

The vigil will include a procession from the lifeguard tower at Main Beach through downtown Laguna.

“Ellin was a guiding light to so many people throughout her life,” said Carol Rhoads, Friendship Shelter executive director. “We want to commemorate her devotion and tireless efforts over so many years on behalf of Friendship Shelter.”

Memorial services for Henderson will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 428 Park Ave.

Broadway resurfacing winds down

There will be no additional full-street closures for the duration of the Broadway resurfacing project by Caltrans, City Manager Ken Frank announced Friday.

During the project, Broadway and some adjacent streets were blocked entirely to traffic, causing major tie-ups in downtown Laguna Beach and inland on Laguna Canyon Road.

On Thursday, one lane of Coast Highway was blocked at Broadway, causing a massive traffic jam during morning rush hour. The final paving was completed that day, and next week, the contractor will be doing minor work during the night only.

Final striping will be done January 2 and 3, Frank said.

Riddle Field alcohol ban proposed

The Recreation Committee, on a 6 to 0 vote, is recommending that the city prohibit alcohol consumption at Riddle Field, City Manager Ken Frank announced.

“Unfortunately, during and after softballs games, we are receiving a number of complaints regarding noise and profanity which appears to be engendered in part by alcohol consumption by the players and fans,” Frank wrote in the Dec. 8 Friday Update from his office.

The proposal will be considered by the City Council in January.

Beach landing of 76-foot crewboat postponed

A planned Dec. 11 landing of a 76-foot crewboat at 1000 Steps Beach by South Coast Water District was cancelled due to high surf conditions, spokeswoman Linda Homscheid said.

The landing, a test in preparation for a $2 million renovation project for a coastal sewer tunnel, will be rescheduled prior to the beginning of the project, set to start the week of Jan. 8. The project staging area will be at 1000 Steps Beach.

City makes storm drain markers available for sale

The colorful storm drain markers designed by Joan Corman have become hot commodities, and the city is now offering them for sale. The markers advise passersby that anything deposited into the drain ends up in the ocean.

In the past, artistically designed storm drain markers became so desirable that people were pulling them off the storm drains as collectibles.

To deter the need for replacing the new storm drain markers, the city is now selling the markers, according to City Manager Ken Frank.

The markers can be purchased at the counter in City Hall; $10 for one or three for $25.

Foundation merchandise benefits parkland

Laguna Canyon Foundation is offering a selection of gift items that benefit local parks as well.

Selections range from T-shirts for children and adults to plein air art notecards featuring canyon views by local artists, south coast wilderness trail maps and plant identification guides.

Other gifts include John McKinney’s new book, “Orange County: A Day Hiker’s Guide”; Ronald H. Chilcote’s 96-page, full-color photography book, “Nature’s Laguna Wilderness.” Two posters of photographs from Nature’s Laguna Wilderness are also available.

In addition, there are six giclée prints from original paintings by members of the Laguna Plein Air Painters Assn., signed and numbered in a limited edition of 300.

Finally, gift givers can opt to make a donation of any amount in another person’s honor. All purchases will benefit Laguna Canyon Foundation.

Gifts can be purchased at the Foundation office, 303 Broadway, No. 107, in downtown Laguna (in the Plaza complex) or by phone, (949) 497-8324, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

They are also available by mail or through the Foundation’s website, www.lagunacanyon.org.

Playhouse awarded NEA grant

The Laguna Playhouse has been awarded a $15,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the first time it has ever received funding from the federal agency.

The grant will help support the theater’s upcoming production of Shmuel Hasfari’s “The Master of the House,” winner of the 2003 Best Play Award in Israel.

“We feel especially privileged to have our project selected for support since the NEA has extremely limited funding,” said Playhouse executive director Richard Stein.

This is the first Israeli play produced by the Laguna Playhouse.

For more information, visit www.LagunaPlayhouse.com.