CITY ROUNDUP:

Quiksilver Inc. plans to lay off 115 workers in Huntington Beach, according to information it provided to the California Employment Development Department.

Thirty-eight people will be laid off May 1, and 77 Aug. 1, the filings state. In total, the company has 3,900 employees in the U.S. and Canada, and 9,600 worldwide as of Oct. 31, 2007, according to filings with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission.

Efforts to reach Quiksilver representatives for comment were unsuccessful Wednesday.

Rep. wants U.S. to stay out of China Olympics

Following violent reactions by the Chinese government to an uprising in Tibet, U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher is calling more strongly than ever for the U.S. to boycott the Summer Olympics in Beijing this year.

Rohrabacher has written a House resolution that has 13 co-sponsors, including Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), calling for the U.S. to pull out of the Olympics.

In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Rohrabacher said the Chinese government was guilty of a “brutal and unwarranted crackdown,” part of a history of suppressing dissent.

“I thought it was vital to the heart and soul of this country,” he said. “I think that expressing an opposition to the repression that’s going on in China is so important. Otherwise, we’re sending the message to the rulers of China and the people of China that all America cares about is making money.”

Rohrabacher said he might be open to just boycotting the opening ceremonies, as some have suggested.

“Something needs to be said, or we will undermine the positive forces in China,” he added.

MADD thanks officers with ceremony

Representatives of Mothers Against Drunk Driving honored 11 Huntington Beach police officers at the City Council meeting Monday for exceptional numbers of DUI arrests in 2007. Each one had made more than 25 arrests, and one, Tai Huynh, had broken a state record with 467.

Huynh is one of two motorcycle officers funded by a grant from the state Office of Traffic Safety to patrol for nothing but drunk drivers, said Police Chief Kenneth Small. Last year was the first full year those officers took to the roads, he added.

“We have a serious, serious DUI problem in Huntington Beach,” Small said.

“We made 5,567 arrests last year — 1,718 of those were for DUI. It is a serious public safety problem. For the fact we have people out there like Tai Huynh, we’re pleased. We feel that getting that grant and being able to put this new unit out there has been a big deal for our city.”

Tell city about impacts of Village at Bella Terra

The city is looking for public comments before drafting an environmental impact report for the Village at Bella Terra, a proposed mixed-use development just west of the original Bella Terra mall. The 15.85-acre site would require an increase in allowed density for development. Comments on what kinds of impact should be studied are being accepted through April 15 and can be sent to Senior Planner Jane James, jjames@surfcity-hb.org, (714) 536-5596.

A public meeting to seek comment will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Maddy Room of the Huntington Beach Central Library, 7111 Talbert Ave.

Nominate your favorite youth with character

The Children’s Needs Task Force is looking for nominees for its 2008 American Youth Character Awards, which honor third- through 12th-graders for their strength of character.

Those honored with the awards will be recognized at a ceremony at Bella Terra on May 24.

Nomination forms are available at the community services front desk at City Hall, 2000 Main St., and also at Huntington Beach libraries. The deadline to submit a nomination is May 2.