Chamber gives out Taste of Newport...

Chamber gives out Taste of Newport grants

The Boy Scout Sea Base and the Newport Beach Film Festival are

just two of the nonprofit organizations that this week received a

portion of $15,000 in grants from the Newport Beach Chamber of

Commerce.

At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, chamber President Richard

Luehrs gave checks to recipient’s of this year’s Taste of Newport

Grants. The money comes from a portion of the proceeds of the annual

Taste of Newport Festival. More than 70,000 people attended this

year’s Taste of Newport Festival in September. Its grant program has

contributed $107,000 to charities since it began in 1998.

Also receiving $2,500 donations from the program this year are:

Human Options Inc., Leadership Tomorrow, the Newport Mesa Schools

Foundation and Youth Employment Services.

Adams student wins art contest held by JWA

Serena Kao, a third-grader from Adams Elementary School, is one of

54 winners in an art contest for Orange County students sponsored by

John Wayne Airport. She is the only student from Newport-Mesa to win

an award. Serena stood third in her category.

About 2,000 students participated in this year’s contest. A jury

comprising a professional artist and an airport administrator

selected the artwork that will be on display through Jan. 5 in the

airport’s Arrival Gallery at the lower level of the Thomas F. Riley

terminal.

Winners and their families have been invited to a reception on

Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the airport.

Cleanup in Costa Mesa planned for April

The city of Costa Mesa will collaborate with the Volunteer Center

of Orange County to kick off the 20th biannual Neighbors for

Neighbors community cleanup event on April 26.

This spring event will focus on low-income, single-family homes

and on Canyon Park on the Westside.

The Neighbors for Neighbors program was created nine years ago to

help low-income residents beautify their homes and neighborhoods.

Homeowners interested in free exterior painting and debris removal

are invited to participate in the event.

For more information, call (714) 754-4892.