Erin Michelle Toole, a 2000 Newport Harbor...

Erin Michelle Toole, a 2000 Newport Harbor High School graduate,

recently graduated from USC with a bachelor’s degree in health

promotion and disease prevention, with an emphasis in pre-medicine

and bioethics. Toole graduated magna cum laude and was accepted into

UC Irvine’s medical program.

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Rosio Salcedo, a Santa Ana resident, has been named administrative

assistant at the Peterson Group, a sales and marketing solutions

provider in Newport Beach.

In her new position, Salcedo will be responsible for supporting

the activities of the company’s executive management and creative

teams as well as for handling administrative responsibilities.

Prior to joining the Peterson Group, Salcedo spent five years as a

secretary at Surtida Law Office Inc. in Santa Ana.

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Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has announced the appointment of Costa

Mesa’s David Padilla to the Orange County Fair board. Padilla will

replace Jim Barich, whose term expired Aug. 15.

The board is composed of nine volunteer members whose role is to

set and approve policies for the exposition center.

Padilla is the president of the Internet consulting firm Net Media

Strategies and works in partnership with the Los Angeles-based firm

Netvolution, both of which specialize in consulting on Internet

marketing strategies.

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Megan Riley, 12, of Costa Mesa won a year’s supply of ice cream

and a trip to New York City as part of the national search for “The

Kid with the Sharpest Taste Buds.”

For the contest, sponsored by Arm & Hammer, kids had to submit an

essay of 100 words or less describing the taste of their favorite

foods and explaining why they have the nation’s sharpest taste buds.

Entries were judged based on originality, clarity and creativity.

Riley and four other finalists will participate in a “taste-bud

triathlon” at Dylan’s Candy Bar in New York on Sept. 15, where they

will be challenged to identify specific flavors of foods, showcase

their knowledge of taste buds, and perform a routine about why they

have the sharpest taste buds.

The winner of the contest will be awarded a $1-million insurance

policy for his or her taste buds, $1,000 in cash, a new refrigerator

and freezer and an office for a year at the Arm & Hammer Good Taste

Labs in Princeton, N.J.

* NEIGHBORS spotlights achievements in the community. Please

direct noteworthy information to Lindsay Sandham by fax at (714)

966-4679, or send e-mail to o7lindsay.sandham@latimes.comf7.