* Send AROUND TOWN items to...

* Send AROUND TOWN items to the Daily Pilot, 330 W. Bay St.,

Costa Mesa, CA 92627; by fax to (949) 646-4170; or by calling (949)

574-4298. Include the time, date and location of the event, as well

as a contact phone number. A complete listing is available at

www.dailypilot.com.

TODAY

The Alzheimer’s Assn. of Orange County will host a support group

for caregivers from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Our Lady Queen of Angels in

Newport Beach. Free. The church is at 2046 Mar Vista Drive. For

reservations, call (949) 640-1750.

WEDNESDAY

The Alzheimer’s Assn. of Orange County will host two workshops at

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Newport Beach. The first workshop,

which will run from 11 a.m. to noon, will deal with memory loss and

its signs, stages and symptoms. The second workshop will run from 1

to 2:30 p.m. and will focus on how to develop partnerships with

treating physicians. Free. The church is at 1441 W. Balboa Blvd. For

reservations, call (714) 283-1111.

Speak Up Newport will host a Newport Beach City Council Candidates

Forum at 5:45 p.m. at the Newport Beach Tennis Club. Refreshments

will start at 5:30 p.m. The club is at 2601 Eastbluff Drive. (949)

224-2266.

FRIDAY

The Achievement Rewards for College Scientists will hold its

scholarship awards ceremony at the UC Irvine University Club. The

reception will begin at 6 p.m. followed by dinner at 7 p.m. Eight

awards will be presented and National Medal of Science recipient,

Francisco Ayala, will serve as the keynote speaker. For more

information call Mary Lou Furnas at (949) 644-6789.

OCT. 13

Concert pianist and chamber musician Sarkis Baltaian will present

a piano recital at 3 p.m. at the Newport Beach Central Library.

Baltaian, who made his Carnegie Hall Debut in 1999, has performed

throughout the United States and Europe acquiring acclaim for a style

likened to that of George Gershwin and Oscar Levant. The Newport

Beach Central Library is at 1000 Avocado Ave. For more information

call (949) 717-3801 or visit www.newportbeach-

library.org.

OCT. 16

A bat-themed parent and child educational program will be held

from 10 to 10:45 a.m. at The Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center.

The program will provide hands on activities for two- to four-year

old naturalists. Pre-registration and parent participation is

required. The center is at 2301 University Drive, Newport Beach. $3

per child. (714) 973-6829.

OCT. 17

The Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce will host a 90-minute breakfast

boost from 7 to 8:45 a.m. today at the Costa Mesa Country Club. $12

if prepaid, $17 at the door. The country club is at 1701 Golf Course Drive. For reservations, call (714) 885-9090.

The Newport Garden Club will hold its monthly meeting at 9:30 a.m.

in the Harbor View Club House. The guest speaker will be Rex Yarwood,

horticulturist and manager at Haster Grove in Laguna Beach. The club

house is at 1900 Port Carlow Place, Newport Beach. (949) 720-1552.

OCT. 19

The Harbor Christian Fellowship Church in Costa Mesa will host a

Mammogram-a-thon from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The event, sponsored by

YWCA Encoreplus and The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, will

provide breast cancer screenings to the community. Free. The church

is at 740 W. Wilson St. For more information, call (714) 935-9720 or

(714) 806-2037.

The Costa Mesa Senior Center will host a Monte Carlo night from 7

to 11 p.m. at the center. The evening, which serves as the center’s

annual fund-raising event, will include entertainment provided by the

Bob White Trio (a former lead singer for The Platters), gaming,

blackjack, craps, poker, a silent and live auction, and a gourmet

Chinese dinner. The center is at 695 W. 19th St. Call for

reservations. (949) 645-2356.

Bjorn Again, an Australian band that dresses and sounds like ABBA,

will perform at the Orange Coast College’s Robert B. Moore Theatre at

8 p.m. The band is world famous and has glitter-laden Swedish charm.

For ticket information, call (714) 432-5880.

OCT. 21

An eight-week course providing an in-depth look at substance abuse

among athletes will be held Mondays and Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to

1:10 p.m. at Orange Coast College. The course, which begins today,

will be listed as Health Education 138 in OCC’s schedule. $11 per

unit. The college is at 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa. For

application or registration information, call (714) 432-5072.

OCT. 23

A mediation procedures workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to 12:30

p.m. at Whittier Law School in Costa Mesa. The workshop is sponsored

by the Area Board XI on Developmental Disabilities along with the

Institute of Administration Justice at McGeorge School of Law and

Whittier Law School. Free. The school is at 3333 Harbor Blvd. For

reservations, call (714) 558-4404.

The Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce will hold a business after

hours mixer at the Country Inn by Ayres from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Free

for members, $10 for potential members. The Country Inn is at 325

Bristol St., Costa Mesa. For more information, call (714) 885-9090.

OCT. 26

Christ Lutheran Church and School will hold its ninth annual Fall

Festival from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Members of the Costa Mesa Police

Department will be in attendance to show some of their equipment and

answer questions. The festival will consist of old-fashioned carnival

games, a boutique with unique and holiday gifts, home baked candies,

treats and dishes and live entertainment throughout the day.

Admittance is free and open to the public. The church is at 760

Victoria St., Costa Mesa. (949) 548-6866.

A program on how predators capture their prey and how prey avoid

being captured will be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at The Peter and

Mary Muth Interpretive Center. The program is best suited for ages

six and up. Space is limited. The center is at 2301 University Drive,

Newport Beach. $3 per person. For reservations (714) 973-6829.

The 10th annual Top Dog Fashion Show will be held at 11 a.m. at

the Newport Dunes Resort. The categories will include of best formal

wear, best casual wear, best lingerie/pajamas, best swimwear and best

master/pet look-alike. Proceeds raised from the event will benefit

the Orange County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

and Companion Pet Retreat. Participants should check in at 9:30 a.m.

Registration is $8 prior to Oct. 25 and $12 on the day of the event,

parking is $8 per car. The resort is at 1131 Back Bay Drive, Newport

Beach. (949) 729-DUNE or visit www.newportdunes.com.

NOV. 3

A program exploring the games Native American children of the Back

Bay might have played will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon at The

Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center. The program is best suited

for children ages five and up. Space is limited. The center is at

2301 University Drive, Newport Beach. $3 per person. To register call

(714) 973-6829.

ONGOING

The MOMS Club of Newport Coast holds monthly meetings for the

stay-at-home mother of and conducts various activities, which include

Park & Pool Days, MOMS Night Out, field trips, walking groups and

playgroups. The general meetings are held in the clubhouse at the

Newport Ridge Apartments. Membership is $30 per year. The apartments

are at 1 White Cap Lane. For more information, call (949) 715-3129 or

e-mail npc.momsclub@cox.net.

The Costa Mesa Chapter of Ali Lassen’s Leads Club holds a weekly

meeting for business professionals to improve their networking skills

and learn how to obtain new contacts. The meetings are held Tuesdays

from 7:15 to 8:30 a.m. at Mimi’s Cafe in Costa Mesa. The cafe is at

1835 Newport Blvd. (800) 767-7337.

Interfaith couples with one Jewish partner are invited to

participate in a discussion group at the Jewish Family Service of

Orange County office. The group is geared toward dealing with issues

between interfaith couples, such as raising children, observing

holidays, symbols in the home and relationships with extended

families. The cost is $45 per couple for three sessions.

Preregistration is required. Call to schedule date and time. The

office is at 250 E. Baker St., Suite G, Costa Mesa. (714) 445-4950.

Women 50 and older may be part of a discussion group coordinated

by Jewish Family Services to address issues such as anxiety,

depression, relationships, loneliness and family that meets from 10

to 11:30 a.m. Mondays at the agency offices, 250 E. Baker St., Suite

G, Costa Mesa. Preregistration required. (714) 445-4950.

Friends of the Newport Beach Public Library Used Book Store are

asking for patrons to donate books to replenish the dwindling stock.

Books may be left at any of the three branch libraries at Balboa,

Mariners, or Corona del Mar, or in the book closet next to the

Friends Book Store at 1000 Avocado Ave., Newport Beach. All hardcover

and paperback donations, with the exception of magazines and law

books, will be accepted and are tax deductible. (949) 759-9667.

The Braille Institute offers free computer classes to people with

fading vision who have difficulty seeing the computer screen. The

Oasis Center at 800 Marguerite Ave., Corona del Mar, offers six

sessions. Call to sign up for classes. (714) 821-5000.

A spiritual care class meets at 7:15 p.m. Wednesdays at 3400

Irvine Ave., Suite 114, Newport Beach. Call to reserve a seat. (949)

263-1462.

The Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce hosts networkers luncheon

meetings Wednesdays from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Costa Mesa

Country Club. The cost is $13. The club is at 1701 Golf Course Drive,

Costa Mesa. (714) 885-9090.

A brain tumor support group meets the first and third Thursdays

each month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Hoag Cancer Center at Hoag

Hospital, 1 Hoag Drive, Newport Beach. Free. Registration not

required. The group is designed to help patients and their families

understand and cope with the illness. (949) 574-6232.

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church hosts a mental illness support

group from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Sundays in Dierenfield Hall C at 600 St.

Andrews Road, Newport Beach. (949) 574-2236.

The Jewish Family Service of Orange County sponsors a discussion

group focusing on concerns and responsibilities of adult children and

their parents from 6 to 7 p.m. two Tuesdays a month at the Jewish

Family Service office at 250 E. Baker St., Suite G, Costa Mesa. $10

per person, per session. Preregistration required. (714) 445-4950.

The Jewish Family Service of Orange County has a weekly parenting

support group to help parents learn strategies for successful

parenting and helping them deal with the feelings and behavior of

their children. The group meets from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Mondays at

Jewish Family Service, 250 E. Baker St., Suite G, Costa Mesa. The

group will cover topics about managing anger, anxiety and peer

pressure children experience. Preregistration required. (714)

445-4950.

The Costa Mesa Senior Center has ballroom dancing with live music

from the Costa Mesa Music Makers from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. every Tuesday night at 695 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa. $4. (949) 548-3884.

Jewish Family Service of Orange County sponsors an ongoing healing

support group for the chronically ill. The purpose is to provide

participants with emotional and spiritual support to manage illness

and its consequences. The group meets at 7 p.m. Thursdays at Jewish

Family Service, 250 E. Baker St., Costa Mesa. Attendance is free, but

registration is required. (714) 445-4950.

Scrabble Club No. 350 meets from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursdays at Borders

Books, Music & Cafe at South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bear St. in Costa

Mesa. $3. New players are welcome. (949) 206-9822.

The Coin and Stamp Club meets from 1 to 3 p.m. Mondays at the

Oasis Senior Center. New members interested in trading, buying and

selling stamps and coins are being sought to join these informal

meetings. There are no fees required. (949) 644-3244.