Around Town: O.C. supervisors approve elimination of library late fines
Starting Nov. 23, Orange County Public Libraries will no longer be charging late fines for overdue materials, following a decision this week by the county Board of Supervisors. The move comes as the library system celebrates 100 years of service.
“Public libraries play an essential role in providing safe, accessible, and free educational resources for every member in our community,” stated Chairman Andrew Do, First District Supervisor, in a news release. “Eliminating late fines will incentivize residents to take advantage of county library resources once again and not be hesitant to take a book home during their next visit.”
In 2019, the American Library Assn. passed a resolution asserting that library fines create an economic barrier to access library materials and services and urge libraries to actively move toward eliminating fines.
Beginning Tuesday all overdue fines will be waived for all library cardholders. Those with outstanding items are invited back to the library to return overdue or lost items and will be given a fresh start, officials say.
The library will still collect fines for lost or damaged items.
For more information on OC Public Libraries and the elimination of late fines, visit ocpl.org/nolatefines.
HBPD partners with Robyn’s Nest for holiday food drive
The Huntington Beach Police Department is partnering with local nonprofit Robyn’s Nest on a holiday food drive through Nov. 30.
Donations are requested to be dropped off at the police department at 2000 Main St. There is a box in the lobby.
Items that will be accepted include peanut butter and/or jelly, canned vegetables, fruit or chicken and boxes of instant potatoes, cereal and macaroni and cheese. Other items include one-pound bags of rice or beans, packs of gravy, pasta and pasta sauce and $25 gift cards to grocery stores.
Donators are asked to avoid perishable items or glass jars.
Surf City Winter Wonderland opens Nov. 26
The Surf City Winter Wonderland, an ice-skating rink at Pier Plaza, opens Nov. 26 and will continue through Jan. 2.
General admission tickets are $15, and skate rentals are $5. Group packages are available.
For more information, email surfcityww@gmail.com.
Orangewood Foundation raises more than $300,000 for foster youth
The Orangewood Foundation had its 24th annual Ambassador Luncheon recently at the Renaissance Hotel in Newport Beach.
The event honored the foundation’s ambassadors and also raised more than $305,000 for youth in the Orange County community who are currently in foster care. It included a special message from Oprah Winfrey.
Sandi and Doug Jackson were awarded the General William Lyon Crystal Vision Philanthropy Award. The William G. Steiner Heart of Service Award was given to longtime volunteer Judy Nicholls. Keynote speaker Dr. Bruce Perry, an authority on child trauma and a senior fellow at the Child Trauma Academy in Houston, received Orangewood’s first Youth Champion Award.
Volunteers sought for Gobble Gobble Give on Thanksgiving
Gobble Gobble Give 2021 in Orange County will take place from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday at Moongoat Coffee, 1985 Placentia Ave., Costa Mesa, where volunteers will gather to donate food and clothing to be distributed to those living on the streets.
Those who would like to lend a hand can help in a variety of ways: donating food or clothing items, helping to assemble Thanksgiving plates and hygiene kits, delivering food and supplies from Gobble Gobble Give to charities or encampments or making monetary donations to gobblegobblegive.org.
Since its inception 24 years ago, the organization has delivered a total of 800,000 meals along with clothing and toiletries to the homeless across the country on Thanksgiving morning.
Newport Dunes set to light up the bay, opens Christmas tree lot
The 31st annual Lighting of the Bay is coming back this Thanksgiving weekend. At the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort and Marina on Nov. 26, Newport Bay will be lit up at dusk to usher in the holiday season. Interested readers can visit to see the lights through Jan. 1. Viewing is free, though parking at the resort will be $2 an hour. Public fire pits will be first come first served and the resort will be selling s’mores kits at its on-site market.
The Christmas tree lot will also be opening up Sunday at the Newport Dunes and will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. through Dec. 21 or while supplies last.
Guests will be able to pick from trees brought down from Salem, Ore. Wreaths, garlands and ornaments will also be available for purchase. Entry is free. For more information, visit newportdunes.com/christmas-tree-lot.
Costa Mesa police to host Coyote Town Hall Monday night
Wildlife experts will share coyote safety tips, emerging coyote trends, the importance of reporting coyote sightings and hazing techniques Monday night at a Coyote Town Hall hosted by the Costa Mesa Police Department.
The town hall will be held in the Community Room at Costa Mesa City Hall, 77 Fair Drive. Hours for the event are 6 to 8 p.m.
The city has implemented a coyote management plan and makes information to the public available on its website.
Rossmoor Woman’s Club plans Dec. 5 holiday bazaar
For the first time in its modern history, the Rossmoor Woman’s Club is planning a holiday bazaar fundraiser set for Sunday, Dec. 5 in the parking lot behind Farmers and Merchants Bank in Rossmoor Center, 12535 Seal Beach Blvd., Seal Beach. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The bazaar replaces the group’s annual Holiday Home Tour, which, after more than 30 years, had to be canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.
The bazaar will include a craft and plant booth, raffle baskets and vendors offering gift and seasonal items for sale. A silent auction features five professionally decorated, 3-foot-tall artificial Christmas trees donated by Green Street Interiors, Aegean Design Studio, Tarlton Designs, Jennifer Lathrop of Pampered Chef and floral designer Darrell Poper.
Santa will be on hand for free selfies, courtesy of Team Chamberlain Real Estate.
Net proceeds from the event will be earmarked to fund college scholarships for Los Alamitos High School students and to support local charities including We Care, the Youth Center, Bikers Against Child Abuse, Precious Life Shelter, St. Isidore Community Center, Fix Long Beach and others.
Newport Beach-based foundation joins effort to create California Water Safety Coalition
The Ben Carlson Memorial and Scholarship Foundation based in Newport Beach is partnering with the Zac Foundation, a nonprofit that focuses on improving water safety by funding education and programming, to establish the California Water Safety Coalition.
It’s being put in place to establish a centralized authority on the development, implementation and evaluation of water safety policy, education and programs across the state. The foundations held a collaborative workshop earlier this week to outline the coalition’s mission and vision.
The coalition aims to prepare participants for the implementation of the National Water Safety Action Plan, which will be announced in 2022.
Pacific Marine Mammal Center reports record donations from gala
Pacific Marine Mammal Center’s 50th annual gala raised an estimated $638,000, Peter Chang, executive director of the center, announced this week.
The event took place at the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach on Nov. 7, and it had about 375 attendees.
“The impact of your giving will inspire the next generation of ocean explorers and conservationists, strengthen our research and expand our reach throughout the communities we proudly serve,” Chang wrote to the organization’s supporters.
“There were so many wonderful moments throughout the evening, but the highlight was honoring and recognizing two of our co-founders, Jim Stauffer and John Cunningham, and their families. Their vision and passion started us on this journey of ocean and marine mammal conservation and research a half a century ago, and the world is very much a better place because of them. We feel very fortunate to carry on their legacy.”
Art and Nature Gala raises over $350,000
The Art and Nature Gala, held at the Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona del Mar on Nov. 6, raised more than $350,000, the Laguna Art Museum announced this week.
Rebeca Mendez, the artist behind the featured exhibit Any-Instant-Whatever, spoke at the event, which is a celebration of Art and Nature, which is now in its ninth year at the museum.
“We are so grateful for our guests and sponsors who made this year’s Art and Nature Gala a memorable evening celebrating art, nature, and our honorees,” Julie Perlin Lee, executive director of the Laguna Art Museum, said in a news release. “This was an opportunity to reaffirm Laguna Art Museum’s commitment to our community and our dedication to the environment through art.
“We are grateful to those that helped us reach our fundraising goal. With this generosity, we aim to reach 10 times the amount of school-aged children and to quadruple the amount of individuals we serve annually by connecting them to the arts.”
“Any-Instant-Whatever” will remain at the museum through April 25. Other exhibits included as part of Art and Nature this year are “A Fanciful World: Jessie Arms Botke” and “Sky Space Time Change.”
Laguna Playhouse artistic director to leave at end of year
Laguna Playhouse announced Thursday that Ann E. Wareham will be stepping down from her role as the artistic director of the playhouse at the end of the year.
“It has been a tremendous honor to be able to guide the Laguna Playhouse over this past decade and to serve the extraordinary arts community of Laguna Beach,” Wareham said in a statement. “It is such a vibrant and truly special place, and I will be forever grateful for this opportunity.”
Winter Fantasy at Sawdust Festival
The 31st annual Winter Fantasy will feature 150 artists at the Sawdust Festival in Laguna Beach from Nov. 20 to Dec. 19.
The grounds will be open to shop at on weekends during the above period, as well as on Black Friday.
Visitors will have the chance to meet Santa, listen to music performed on three stages, and enjoy art classes and demonstrations.
Winter Fantasy will be open on the weekends between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for seniors and $5 for children between the ages of 6 through 12.
Blood drive in Laguna Beach Monday
The American Red Cross will be holding a blood drive event at the Community and Susi Q Center in the Art and Community Room, 380 3rd St., on Monday from noon to 6 p.m.
Those wishing to donate blood can make an appointment at RedCrossBlood.org.
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