BRIEFLY IN THE NEWS

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Orange County Chapter will

present its 18th annual MS 150 Bay-to-Bay Bike Tour from the Back Bay in

Newport Beach to Mission Bay in San Diego on Oct. 6 and 7.

The two day event includes an overnight stop and luau in Carlsbad.

Organizers expect more than 1,000 riders to participate and all proceeds

will benefit programs, services and research for patients and families

battling multiple sclerosis in Orange County and San Diego.

All levels of cyclists are welcome on both the 100 and 150-mile routes, and the tour is endorsed by the Bicycling Touring Group of

America. Participants may bike individually or as a team and need to

collect at least $250 to ride. Riders will be given meals, support, rest

stops every 15 miles, a T-shirt, a pin and a finish-line medal.

Information: (949) 752-1680.

A Dunes adventure in scouting

The Newport Dunes Resort will present a Day of Adventure for children

interested in joining the Boy Scouts of America at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

Males between the ages of 6 and 18 are invited to the open enrollment day

where they will explore the great outdoors.

They will join about 100 Boy Scouts in paddle-boating, sailing,

kayaking, swimming and other water activities. Newport Dunes will host a

hot dog roast by the beach.

The resort is located at 1131 Back Bay Drive, Newport Beach.

Information: (949) 729-3863.

Get ready for the Eclectic Orange

The Eclectic Orange Festival 2001 will open Sept. 28 and 29 with

productions of Jean-Philippe Rameau’s comic opera “Platee,” staged by

Mark Morris.

Presented by the Philharmonic Society and Opera Pacific, the Southern

California premiere performances will feature French tenor Jean-Paul

Fouchecourt and Nicholas McGegan, who will conduct the Philharmonia

Baroque Orchestra.

The performance will begin at 8 p.m. at the Orange County Performing

Arts Center’s Segerstrom Hall, at 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. A

lecture/interview with McGegan by Kate van Orden, a UC Berkeley assistant

professor of music, will precede each show at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $34 to $89. Information: (949) 553-2422.