Briefly In the News: Assistance League seeks donations

The Assistance League of Laguna Beach is seeking donations for its semi-annual garage sale and thrift shop June 4 and 5. Items needed include women’s clothes, men’s clothes, baby items, books, household items, jewelry, shoes, small decorative items, bedding, accessories and toys.

The group cannot accept computers, furniture or beds. Donors will receive a tax-deduction receipt.

Donations can be delivered to the Turnabout Thrift Shop, 526 Glenneyre St., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Donated items benefit various charities in Laguna Beach.

For more information, call Norma McKibban or Lynne Vihlene at (949) 494-5977.

Iran grants visas to hikers’ mothers

The families of three American hikers detained in Iran have been told that Iran has issued visas for their mothers.

Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal were detained July 31 during a hiking trip in northern Iraq.

Sen. Barbara Boxer and other U.S. officials pleaded recently for a Mother’s Day dispensation to allow the trio to see their mothers. The hikers have been held for more than nine months in the Islamic republic on accusations of illegal entry into the country. They had originally been accused of spying, but those accusations have been dropped.

“The visas have been issued. They can pick them up and travel to Iran to meet their children,” ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told reporters, according to a news account from Tehran.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said late Monday that the mothers of the three young Americans, jailed since July for “illegal entry” into Iran, would be granted visas. The trio are being held in Tehran’s Evin prison.

Relatives said two of the hikers had fallen into poor health and all were considering a hunger strike.

The families of the three hikers expressed hope Monday that they would soon be able to travel to Iran in order to see their children.

Shourd is related to the Laguna Beach Sandys family, and her cousin, Patrick Sandys, is serving as a spokesman for efforts to free them.

Commissions have openings

Residents are invited to apply for three open seats on the Arts and Planning commissions.

Arts commissioners serve a two-year term and act in an advisory capacity to the City Council in all matters pertaining to the artistic aspects of the city.

One of the major projects of the seven-member Commission is the Art in Public Places Program.

The Planning Commission advises the council on items related to the development and modification of land uses. Planning Commissioners serve a two-year term and are compensated with $230 per month.

A substantial time commitment averaging four to six hours a week is necessary to be a planning commissioner.

Meetings may be four or more hours long. Experience in land use planning, architecture, engineering and/or real estate would be an asset.

Laguna Beach residents may submit an application, available in the city clerk’s office or at www.lagunabeachcity.net by 5 p.m. May 25.

Applicants will be interviewed by the council at 6 p.m. June 1 in the Council Chambers, 505 Forest Ave.