Briefly In The News

Weekly update from the city manager

•Capt./Paramedic Joe Maxon has been named 2011 Firefighter of the Year, and Brent Buccola was chosen as Reserve Firefighter of the Year. They will be honored at the Firefighters and Law Enforcement Annual Appreciation Awards Dinner at 5 p.m. Jan. 28. The event is sponsored by the Mission Viejo/Saddleback Valley Elks Lodge.

•James Klinger Sr., the city’s tree trimming contractor for the last 15 years, died Dec. 29. A memorial service was held Jan. 15. Klinger, of Modern Tree Service, was an outstanding worker who was willing to respond day or night to emergency tree situations, according to Vic Hillstead, deputy director of Public Works.

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Grant money goes to Woman’s Club

A grant given to the Woman’s Club of Laguna Beach will be used for improvements on its historic clubhouse, according to a news release from the club.

The money was granted by the Laguna Beach Community Foundation.

The clubhouse has been the spot of many cultural and philanthropic events over the club’s 90-year history.

The Woman’s Club is at 286 St. Ann’s Drive.

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Garden’s open house is March 24

The annual Hortense Miller Garden Open House is slated for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 24.

This free event features tours of the house and 2.5 acre garden and will also include musical entertainment, art exhibits and a plant sale, according to a news release from the garden.

Guests will be provided with free shuttle service from the parking lot of the First Church of Christ, Scientist at 635 High Drive.

Attendees should bring a camera and wear walking shoes. Donations will be accepted.

For more information, visit https://www.hortensemillergarden.org. To RSVP, email [email protected].

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Rabbi to teach business ethics course

The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI) will hold a six-week course on business ethics, starting at 11 a.m. Jan. 29.

The course, “Money Matters: Jewish Business Ethics,” will be taught by Rabbi Eli Goorevitch at the Chabad Jewish Center, 30804 S. Coast Hwy.

“The recent failures in the financial industry have drastically changed the way we think about business,” Goorevitch said in a statement. “At JLI, we deeply believe that business should be a force for good, and that’s why we’re presenting students with timeless Talmudic insights into real-world ethical dilemmas.”

Subject matter for the classes will include bankruptcy and freeloading, living wages, insider trading, CEO compensation and collective bargaining, according to a news release.

The program appeals to everyone, regardless of prior experience in Jewish learning. JLI courses are open to the public.

For more information, call Chabad at (949) 499-0770 or visit https://www.myjli.com.

—Kelly Parker