Mural satisfies art ordinance

A 6 1/2-by-7-foot stained-glass mosaic was approved by the City

Council at its May 3 meeting. The mosaic will be installed on the

facade of a new restaurant that is replacing Tortilla Flats at 1740

S. Coast Highway.

Mia Tavonetti is the muralist. Her piece, recommended for approval

by the arts commission, will depict a Portuguese ship and include

historic map design elements. It will be occupy a niche on the

exterior of the building that fronts the highway.

The building is being remodeled and has been approved for a

restaurant called Mozambique, owned by Tony Shill. A city ordinance

obligates the owner of a commercial development valued at more than

$225,000 to install art or pay an in-lieu fee of 1% of the valuation

to fulfill the city’s Art in Public Places requirement.

The estimated cost of the Tavonetti installation is $21,000.

Police awards banquet set for Thursday

Ted Falencki, a veteran Laguna Beach police officer, will be

honored Thursday at the annual Police Awards banquet at Tivoli Too!

The Exchange Club of Laguna Beach sponsors the banquet, which

honors police officers and civilian employees for acts of bravery,

lifesaving and meritorious service.

Falencki will be honored as officer of the year for the second

time -- the first in 1989. He also received a commendation from the

California District of American Legion at the Law and Order dinner

April 9 in Newport Beach. Mike Wallock will be honored as the

civilian employee of the year.

The public is invited to attend. Tickets are $35. Donations are

appreciated. For more information or for reservations, call (949)

499-9429.

Chorale performance benefits AIDS groups

The Laguna Beach Chorale and Orchestra will perform at 4 p.m.

Sunday at St. Mary’s Episcopal church, 428 Park Ave., to raise funds

to benefit two AIDS organizations.

The event will feature soprano Dawna Montgomery, bass Brad

Charlton and members of the chorale performing the Faure Requiem, and

pianist Michael Denison along with chorale director and organist

Daniel Resch performing Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 2.

The suggested minimum donation for the concert is $15. Donations

are tax deductible and will benefit HIV/AIDS services of the Los

Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.

Denison and Resch are both riding in the AIDS Life Cycle to raise

funds for persons living with AIDS. For more information, or to make

a donation, visit https://Aidslifecycle.org/308.

Relay for Life to hold send-off event

Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature

activity, and it will take place in September in Laguna.

The 5th annual Laguna Beach kick-off party is going to be held at

6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Seven Degrees, 891 Laguna Canyon Road. The

event features food donated by more than a dozen local restaurants,

drinks and music, and participants will learn how to get involved in

the fight against cancer.

Last year, Laguna Beach Relay for Life raised over $255,000, with

a total of 38 teams of people walking around a track for 24 hours at

El Morro Elementary School.

This year, the relay will start at 7 p.m. Friday, September 16,

and end at 7 p.m. Saturday, September 17 at El Morro School.

For more information, contact chairperson Penny Svenson (949)

632-2252 or e-mail [email protected]. Please RSVP for the kick-off party

being held on May 18th at 6:30 p.m. at Seven Degrees to

Breanna.moo@cancer.

No Square kicks off summer with Island Party

No Square Theater and the Laguna Beach resource center are holding

its summer kickoff Island Party 6 p.m., Saturday, June 4th at the

Laguna Beach Woman’s Club, 286 Saint Ann’s Drive.

Dinner will be served as well as pupu platters, mai tais and fine

wines. An auction, silent auction and raffle will supplement

entertainment by No Square Theater.

Celebrants will get a sneak peek at the Lagunatics wacky sendup of

local personages and politics for 2005. There will also be a prize

for best Luau Look. Cost is $35. Tickets are on sale now and may be

purchased online at TicketLeap.com, or at the door of the Woman’s

Club on the day of the event for $45 each.

The event is a fundraiser for the Laguna Beach resource center.

Table sponsorships and event sponsorships are available at all

levels. For further information or to add to the festivities, contact

Ann Wood at (949) 4947849, or Sande St. John at (949) 499-9429.

Christoph honored as Woman of Year

Ann Christoph, former planning commissioner, council member and

mayor of Laguna Beach, is the Laguna Beach Woman’s Club’s 2005 Woman

of the Year. She will be honored at the annual WOY luncheon, to be

held at 11:30 a.m. Friday, June 3 at the clubhouse, 286 St. Ann’s

Drive. The public is invited.

Tickets are $25, payable in advance, or at the door if seats are

available. For reservations, call (949) 497-1200.