Inside scoop

--Compiled by the Daily Pilot staff

Women Helping Women, a nonprofit Costa Mesa group that helps rescue

domestic violence victims, will now play the same role on the silver

screen.

The charity is the subject of a new documentary by two San Francisco

directors, Jeff Orgill and Jennifer Kanter -- who just happens to be the

daughter of Roberta Kanter-Stein, the president of the Women Helping

Women board.

The crew is filming the action at the nonprofit all this week, Kanter

said. The documentary will focus on volunteers helping women improve

their computer skills, create smashing resumes and -- here’s the really

juicy part -- “shop” in the nonprofit’s free Clothes Closet.

Women referred to the charity get to pick out up to 10 pieces of

clothing -- five business outfits -- that they get for free. Once they

get a job, the fashion-savvy women get an additional five pieces of

clothing.

“We’re trying to catch many aspects, but what we’re really trying to

show is how looking good on the outside relates to feeling good on the

inside,” Kanter said.

“It’s what I call the power of shopping, although of course these

clothes are free. But it feels good to get new clothes -- or at least

they are new to the clients -- especially if it’s been years since you’ve

been able to do that. It’s just fabulous.”

Kanter said she has bright hopes for the film’s future. We can’t

predict how it might do in any film festival, but it’s already been

guaranteed a spot at the nonprofit’s fund-raising breakfast in March.

KIDS’ STUFF? NO WAY

It’s no secret that J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” books have put a

spell on millions of children around the world.

But now the British author even has fans at Newport Beach City Hall.

Despite initial doubts (as in, “that’s children’s stuff,”) Deputy City

Manager Dave Kiff has been sucked into the ever-growing stream of

dedicated Harry Potter followers.

After reading the first book the old-fashioned way, Kiff said he

listened to the sequel on tape during an eight-hour trip to visit his

folks in Northern California.

And since the audio version runs much longer than 16 hours, Kiff said

he’s now squeezing in a couple of minutes of listening time each day on

his way to work.

If Kiff reads them, we’ve got to read them too. Even though he said a

journalist character in the book doesn’t come across as the most

benevolent person in the world. (Now, that’s not nice).

Anyhow, if the last copies haven’t been snatched up by frantic parents

trying to secure Christmas presents, they’re ours. So don’t even try.

DUCKING THE BULLET

The things Daily Pilot reporters are willing to endure to bring you

the scoop on Newport-Mesa Unified School District Board of Education

meetings.

Hitting the Costa Mesa Freeway to cover her beat, education reporter

Danette Goulet encountered a rather unfriendly driver while she was on

her way to cover a recent meeting.

A guy pulled up next to her, drew a gun and fired a shot. Luckily, the

bullet missed big time (was it maybe a leftover toy gun from Halloween?)

and Goulet made it to the meeting on time.

We hope you’ll join us in keeping our fingers crossed that she’s not

going to get scared like that again.