Briefly In the News

City manager to speak at Monday meeting

Laguna Beach City Manager Ken Frank will be the keynote speaker at a dinner meeting of the Laguna Canyon Conservancy at 6 p.m. Monday at Tivoli Terrace, 650 Laguna Canyon Road.

Frank will give an update on city finances and the major capital projects that are in the works.

Tickets are $15 for non-members. To reserve a seat, call (949) 494- 6465.

Waste Management will recycle Christmas trees

Waste Management customers with curbside service can recycle their Christmas trees by placing the trees at the curb or in their greenwaste carts on their scheduled pick-up day.

Trees taller than 6 feet must be cut in half.

Trees will be picked up for recycling during the two weeks following Christmas.

All decorations, including ornaments, tinsel, lights and the tree stand must be removed.

Non-flocked trees will be turned into mulch and reused as landfill cover.

For more information, visit www.wmorangecounty.com.

Marine Mammal center has Christmas angel

The Pacific Marine Mammal Center received an unexpected holiday gift: a $5,700 cash donation Christmas Eve from an anonymous donor.

“On Christmas Eve a lady came to the front door,” said volunteer JoAnn Smith. “I wished her a merry Christmas and invited her in. She told me she wanted to give us a donation. She pulled out a lot of cash and handed me some money.

“I was so taken back by her generosity that tears started flowing down my face, and I gave her a big hug and told her she was our Christmas angel. She then proceeded to give me additional money, and of course I cried more and hugged her again.”

The woman said she wanted to be anonymous.

The funds will help the marine mammal patients at the facility, at 20612 Laguna Canyon Road.

For more information, visit www.pacificmmc.org.

Geranium expert to speak at Garden Club

The Laguna Beach Garden Club will present geranium and pelargonium expert Candace Nakanishi at its 9:30 a.m. Jan. 8 meeting.

Nakanishi is president of the Orange County Geranium Society, teaches nursery production, landscaping and floral design classes, and demonstrates and exhibits at the Orange County Fair and various shows for the Orange County Floral Guild.

The meeting is at the Neighborhood Congregational Church, 340 St. Ann’s Drive.

For more information, visit www.lagunabeachgardenclub.org.