Laguna Beach Local News
Mary Rogers was named general manager of Montage Laguna Beach on May 21. Photo courtesy of Montage International
Montage Laguna Beach has tapped a 20-year luxury hospitality veteran to be its next general manager, according to a press release Friday.
Mary Rogers joins Montage Laguna Beach from Fontainebleau Miami Beach, where she was the first female general manager since the hotel opened in 1954. Rogers was hired by Fontainebleau as vice president of operations for rooms in 2009 and promoted to general manager in 2018.
“I am delighted to welcome Mary Rogers to Montage Laguna Beach,” said Jason Herthel, president and chief operating officer of Montage International, said in a prepared statement. “Mary’s extensive, ground-breaking background is nothing short of impressive, and we are honored to have her dynamic leadership at the helm of the resort’s executive team.”
Laguna Beach Local News
Alessa’s diners sit during the lunch hour on the Promenade at Forest Avenue on March 17, 2021. Photo by Daniel Langhorne
The Laguna Beach City Council unanimously approved a $376,990 contract on Tuesday for a consultant to design and pursue necessary approvals to make the Promenade a permanent fixture on Forest Avenue.
Although the idea of closing certain downtown streets to traffic has been kicked around at city hall since at least 2007, the economic fallout of a global pandemic prodded city officials into taking a chance on creating a pedestrian mall in the heart of Downtown Laguna. City staffers expect it could take until June 2022 to obtain needed entitlements, which would include a California Coastal Commission hearing.
Laguna Beach Local News
A Laguna Beach Trolley on Cliff Drive. Photo by Jody Tiongco.
Laguna Beach’s trolleys are set to start rolling again as early as June 25, more than a year after the pandemic forced city officials to park their public transit fleet.
At Tuesday’s council meeting, city leaders said restarting the trolleys is necessary to accommodate transportation for the millions of visitors expected to flood the town after a year of quarantine. Passengers will be able to park at free or relatively-low priced lots, hop on the trolleys, and ride to destinations like beaches and the festivals.
Remembering Barbara Diamond, a revered Laguna Beach reporter
Barbara Diamond, a former Coastline Pilot writer, reported on the city of Laguna Beach for several decades.
(File Photo)
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Over several decades, local journalist Barbara Diamond connected the people of Laguna Beach through her writing.
Diamond died in her home on Diamond Street on Feb. 10 at the age of 88.
The recurring themes that have emerged since Diamond’s passing indicate how many lives she touched in the community. “Irreplaceable,” “one-of-a-kind,” and “Laguna Beach icon” are just some of the terms used to characterize what she meant to Laguna Beach.
“She could have gone anywhere that she wanted to, and she wanted to be in Laguna,” said Shaena Stabler, owner, editor and publisher of Stu News Laguna, where Diamond last worked. “She wanted to report on and support the community through her writing, and she really did give the gift of herself 40 years over because she was super tal