Corona del Mar Today: Oh, the places you’ll go by reading books
There’s nothing like a rainy day to make you want to stay in your pajamas and read books — exactly how students at Harbor View Elementary School spent Monday.
Students throughout the Newport-Mesa Unified School District celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday, which has become a national day of literary celebration called Read Across America Day.
“It’s comfortable, yes,” said Mason Taylor, 7, a first-grader at Harbor View. “And I liked every book.”
Mason and his classmates listened animatedly while Principal Todd Schmidt read “Oh the Things You Can Think!” and “Green Eggs and Ham,” both by Dr. Seuss, also known as Theodor Geisel.
When Schmidt finished, parent Andrew Patterson took over.
Teacher Sabrina Ericastilla said so many parents volunteered to read to the students Monday that the open time slots filled, and some parents will be reading throughout the week.
“It’s absolutely one of the most fun days of the year,” said Schmidt, who was wearing pajama pants with a Harbor View shirt. “You get to wear your pajamas to school. And parents say they love the opportunity to share their childhood memories with books.”
About 60 parents were scheduled to read throughout all grade levels, he said.
At the Newport Beach Public Library on Monday, Dr. Suess’ 111th birthday was celebrated with the launch of a new reading program, 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, according to a news release.
The program encourages parents to begin reading to their children at an early age and engage them in activities that stimulate language development and a love of reading.
To participate, families need to register at any library branch, where they will receive a book bag, brochure and reading logs. Every book counts toward the 1,000 goal, even books read multiple times, because children love repetition, the release said.
“Listening to books read at story times or by siblings, babysitters and grandparents also count toward the goal,” the release said.
After 50 books, children receive a small prize, and after 1,000 books, they receive a certificate and a free book.
Librarian Heather Hart designed the Newport Beach program after hearing about similar efforts in other library systems, the release said.
“We already offer fantastic story times and programs supporting early literacy, and the 1,000 books program is just an additional tool for parents,” she said in the release.
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El Cholo to open this month
The long-delayed opening of El Cholo restaurant on East Coast Highway in Corona del Mar has been pushed to mid-March, a company spokeswoman said in an email.
The restaurant, at 3520 East Coast Hwy., was originally scheduled to open in September, and that date was changed to February. The restaurant replaces Landmark, which closed in April.
The new El Cholo was scheduled to open shortly after the closure of the outlet at 5465 Alton Parkway in Irvine, which had been open for 15 years.
El Cholo has had a license to sell alcohol since May 2014, according to online records for the California Department of Beverage Control.
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John Muir legacy lecture planned
The Newport Beach Central Library will be the site March 19 of a lecture called “A Century Beyond John Muir,” which will examine the legacy of the famous author and naturalist 100 years after his death.
Concordia University’s Center for Public Policy will host the lecture, which will feature Glen M. MacDonald, John Muir Memorial Chair of Geography and a UCLA distinguished professor who teaches geography, ecology and evolutionary biology. His research focuses on climate change, its causes and effect on the environment and society.
The event costs $25 per person and includes a wine and cheese reception that begins at 6 p.m., followed by the presentation at 7 p.m. Reservations are required by March 17. Visit or call (949) 214-3200 for information. The library is at 1000 Avocado Ave.
In a news release, City Councilman Keith Curry, who is director of the Center for Public Policy, said the program will examine the effect of Muir’s preservation efforts, using data and photos of Muir and of California from the 19th and 20th centuries.
“Muir was influential to the preservation of nature and striking a balance between human activity and conservation, and he helped preserve the Yosemite Valley and founded the Sierra Club, one of the first large-scale environmental preservation organizations in the world,” Curry said in the release.
Corona del Mar Today appears Sundays in the Daily Pilot. Read daily updates at coronadelmartoday.com.