OCC is tops in transfers to Cal...

OCC is tops in transfers to Cal State schools

Orange Coast College sends more students to the California State

University system than any other community college in the state,

according to statistics released this week.

In 2004-05, the college transferred 1,452 students to the CSU

system, topping the other 108 community colleges in the state.

Rounding out the top five were Fullerton College, Pasadena City

College, De Anza College and Mt. San Antonio College.

Jim Carnett, media relations director for OCC, said his campus has

often been high on the list of transfers, but had not topped it in

several years. He was not surprised by the ranking this year.

“We just did a focus group on campus, and students tell us

consistently that they come to OCC because of its reputation,” he

said. “Our motto is ‘We’ll help you get there,’ and that’s what OCC

will do.”

Boy Scouts to wash cars for hurricane relief

Boy Scout Troop 711 of Costa Mesa is planning to hold a series of

car washes to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Members of the troop are scheduled to be at Burger King, 3150

Harbor Blvd., in Costa Mesa on Oct. 15 and 16; Nov. 12 and 13; Dec.

10 and 11; January 2 and 22; February 4 and 5; March 4 and 5.

On Saturdays, they will be there from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and from

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays.

For more information, contact Kelly Stelle at (714) 323-7641.

Report shows office vacancy at all-time low

Voit Commercial Brokerage released a report Tuesday indicating

that the company observed record low office vacancy rates and record

high office lease rates across Orange County.

For the third quarter of 2005, office vacancy rates in the county

were at 7.34%, a number that was 30% lower than the same time period

last year. According to Voit, the new rate is the lowest since the

firm started analyzing the market.

The average asking lease rate in the county was $2.26 per square

foot, according to the report.

That number tied with the record set in the first quarter of 2001.

The report stated that the low vacancy rate accounted for upward

pressure in lease rates and office construction.

The amount of office space under construction in the county during

the third quarter of 2005 was reported as being about 1.75 million

square feet, more than 380% more construction than the same period of

2004.

In Costa Mesa, the vacancy rate for the quarter was 8.16%, and the

average asking lease rate was $2.44 per square foot.

In Newport Beach, vacancies were at 10.88% and average asking

lease rates were at $2.89 per square foot.