It’s time for Patriots Day

One of Laguna’s biggest events of the year is almost here.

The 37th annual Laguna Beach Patriots Day Parade is scheduled for

Saturday starting at 11 a.m. More than 92 participants are expect for

this year’s parade, titled “Freedom’s Promise.”

Sandi Werthe, parade vice president, said that the parade would go

on rain or shine. So if it rains, those who are signed up to be in

the parade can make their own call.

Everyone is hoping for sunny skies, of course.

Werthe said she is mostly worried about participants coming from

far away such as Barstow. Pageant of the Masters participants have

told Werthe that they would be in it no matter what.

“There will be street closures all around us,” Werthe said. “So it

would be important to call the Police Department about closures and

parking.”

The Police Department’s number is 497-0701.

The best bet is to come early, Werthe suggested.

“Come early. The roads close by 10 a.m. Legion Street closes

early,” Worthe said. “I tell people to come by 8:30 a.m. and have

breakfast in Laguna.”

The parade route starts at Laguna Beach High School, at 625 Park

Ave., and travels down Park Avenue to Glenneyre Street and onto

Forest in front of City Hall, where there is a viewing stand.

The theme, “Freedom’s Promise,” was selected to remind residents

why early Americans came to this country, Patriots Day Parade

president Charles J. Quilter II said. Honored in this year’s parade

will be some of Laguna’s outstanding residents, including retired

Fire Capt. Eugene “Diz” D’Isabella as grand marshal; Les and Marilyn

Thomas as Citizens of the Year; former Army Air Force Capt. Don Black

as Patriot of the Year; and Liz Nelson and Nathan Greene as Junior

Citizens of the Year.

This year’s parade announcers will be George J. Woods and Sonny

Budd.

“We just want everyone to come and feel patriotic,” Worthe said.

-- Suzie Harrison

Memorial service set for car crash victim

A memorial service for Jennifer Bammer, who died earlier this

month in a car crash near Mammoth Lakes, will be held at noon March

8.

The 22-year-old Bammer was one of three passengers in a Ford

Explorer, which overturned on the way to the Mammoth ski slopes. The

two other passengers survived, and the driver, 19-year-old Audrey

Brecht of Seal Beach, is being charged with murder, driving under the

influence causing injury and driving with a 0.08 blood-alcohol level

causing injury.

Bammer was a near-lifelong Laguna Beach resident and graduate of

Laguna Beach High School.

“She was pretty much a vegetarian and a fitness person,” said her

mother, Nancy Bammer.

She will be remembered as a “free spirit,” said her father, James

Bammer.

She is also survived by a brother, Lawrence; a sister, Stefanie;

and grandparents Arlene V. Bammer of Fairfield and Al and Lorraine

Raffaelli of Concord.

The memorial service will be at Calvary Laguna, at 45 Tesla in

Irvine.

Bammer’s family is asking that donations be sent to the Laguna

Beach High School Scholarship Foundation, Attn: Kris Krash, 625 Park

Ave., Laguna Beach, CA 92651. In the check’s memo field, write

Jennifer Bammer Memorial Fund.

Conservancy meeting rescheduled

The Laguna Canyon Conservancy has changed the date of its next

meeting to March 10.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at the usual location, Tivoli

Terrace, on the Festival grounds. Dinner will begin at 6:45 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for members, $15 for nonmembers.

Tickets may be paid at the door. Reservations are required. Call

Ed or Kit Drollinger at 494-6465.