BRIEFLY IN THE NEWS

Red Hill Avenue bridge to reopen this week

The new Red Hill Avenue bridge over the San Diego Freeway and Costa

Mesa Freeway connector lanes will open to the community for a sneak peak

at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. Caltrans will officially open the bridge to

traffic Wednesday evening.

The Red Hill Roll Out will feature a brief program with local

officials and representatives of the Orange County Transportation

Authority and the California Department of Transportation. Afterward,

local bicycle club representatives will break through a banner to

celebrate the bike lanes that have been added to the bridge.

The bridge was closed in March as part of the San Diego Freeway/Costa

Mesa Freeway Improvement Project, a partnership between the

transportation authority and Caltrans. The bridge was completed a month

ahead of schedule. It was rebuilt and raised 18 feet to accommodate new

lanes between the two freeways.

The $5.5-million bridge is primarily funded through Measure M, the

sales tax initiative approved by voters in 1990.

Project Cuddle seeks donations for needy children, teens

While you’re out Christmas shopping for that special toy to put in

your child’s stocking, why not pick up something extra for a child or

young teen who might not receive anything from Santa Claus.

A toy drive for Project Cuddle, a Costa Mesa-based nonprofit group

that provides emotional and emergency support to prevent baby abandonment

nationwide, will begin Friday at the Orange County Market Place and

resume through the weekend and every weekend through Dec. 10. Anyone who

brings a new, unwrapped toy or clothing item valued at $5 or more for a

child or young teen will receive free admission to the swap meet, which

is regularly $2.

Friday, which is an added shopping day at the swap meet, all shoppers

will receive free admission, and anyone who brings a new toy will receive

a holiday gift and a free pass to return to the swap meet.

The collected toys and clothing are used for Project Cuddle’s annual

holiday party, where more than 400 children, ranging from newborns to 18

year olds in protective custody, are treated to special gifts,

refreshments, crafts and games.

The swap meet is open Saturdays and Sundays, as well as the Friday

after Thanksgiving from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Orange County

Fairgrounds, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa.

Information: 88-T0-CUDDLE.

Santa’s house at Fashion Island to benefit HomeAid

It features red mahogany doors, hardwood floors, a fireplace and more.

But this house is not for sale.

In fact, of all people, Santa Claus has already moved in.

This new 16-by-16-foot Santa house was installed Friday at Fashion

Island in Newport Beach, thanks to Newport Beach custom home builder Dave

Mulvaney. A longtime supporter of HomeAid Orange County, a nonprofit

organization that builds shelters for the temporarily homeless, Mulvaney

donated his time and materials to design and build the new home for

Santa. In addition, Fashion Island will donate a portion of the proceeds

from all photos with Santa to HomeAid.

The house will remain at Fashion Island and a portion of proceeds from

each year will continue to benefit HomeAid, which has built 32 shelters,

with more than $14 million donated in cash and materials.

Fashion Island is also home to the nation’s tallest Christmas tree, a

115-foot white fir that has 17,000 white lights, bows and ornaments. The

lighted tree debuted Friday night in Bloomingdale’s Courtyard.

Home craft boutique offers homespun treasures

Forget the crowded malls and insane madness of Christmas sales during

Thanksgiving. Instead, find that perfect homemade item for friends,

family and co-workers at the eighth annual Sugar and Spice Home Craft

Boutique, hosted by Kelly Clark Creative Home Resources from 9 a.m. to 4

p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Christmas gifts, decorations, country crafts, jewelry, candles,

decorative pillows and anything else for the kitchen and every room of

the house, created by more than 30 crafters, will be on sale at 20082

Bayview Ave., a home in Newport Beach. Most items are priced at less than

$20.

Information: (949) 752-8229.

Orange Coast College pottery sale to aid student club

Still wondering what to get Uncle Bob and Aunt Cindy for Christmas?

Pottery may be just the thing.

Students enrolled in Orange Coast College’s ceramics classes will host

their 24th annual Christmas Art Pottery sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec.

2-3 in Room 120 in the college’s Art Annex Building, 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa. Visitors are advised to park in Lot E, just off Merrimac Way,

on the southern edge of the campus.

Admission is free, and 15 percent of the proceeds will go toward the

purchase of equipment for the college’s Ceramics Club.

Information: (714) 432-5843.