HOW WE SEE IT

GIVING THANKS

Newport-Mesa residents celebrated Thanksgiving in their own individual

ways, whether it was appreciating the warmth of a home, the ability to

survive life’s hurdles or the kindness of strangers.

Costa Mesa’s Someone Cares Soup Kitchen and Shalimar Learning Center felt

the latter this week, when about 25 members of the Chamber or Commerce

delivered more than 5,000 pounds of food to provide Thanksgiving dinners

to needy families.

While we know the folks who benefited from the donated food were

grateful, good deeds like that deserve a second round of thanks.

WINDY WEATHER

The one thing that never fails to make the news in Southern California is

unusual weather. This week, it was the wind that seemed to blow everyone

into a frenzy. Newport-Mesa had a few capsized boats and more than a few

happy kite-fliers, but the community got through the blustery weather

virtually unscathed compared to the wind-ravaged Los Angeles area.

Guess that’s another thing to be thankful for.

JINGLE ALL THE WAY?

South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island officials claimed again this week to

be fearless of their holds on the holiday shopping market despite the

added competition by the Shops at Mission Viejo.

The South County mall recently unveiled its upscale new look, which

includes many of the same stores -- including big-time anchor Nordstrom

-- found in our local centers.

While we hope the mall officials are right, we also hope -- for the sake

of our cities’ sales tax coffers -- that they are not ignoring the

possibility of this Christmas shopping season being less green than it

has been in past years.