Around Town: Costa Mesa High to host ‘20s benefit gala

A benefit for Costa Mesa High School’s athletics, arts and science programs will be held Saturday.

The 1920s-themed event will run from 6 to 9p.m. at Envy Lounge, 4647 MacArthur Blvd., Newport Beach.

Tickets are $50. VIP packages also are available.

For more information or to buy tickets, visit cmhsfoundation.org.

L.A. firefighter, a Newport Beach resident, honored with medal

Newport Beach resident Zachariah Robinson, a firefighter with the Los Angeles Fire Department, will be honored Thursday during an awards luncheon, according to a news release.

Robinson is receiving the Medal of Merit. He’s credited with serving on a team in December 2015 that saved the life of a man who threatened to jump off a 30-foot-high bridge.

Illumination Foundation to host fundraiser

A new chair by interior designer Dorothy Willetts is on display at Neiman Marcus in Newport Beach’s Fashion Island shopping center through Friday.

The chair also will be featured during an Oct. 8 fundraiser benefiting the Illumination Foundation, a homeless aid nonprofit. The event, which includes music, a silent auction and food, goes from 5 to 9p.m. at Coldwell Banker, 840 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach.

To buy tickets, visit ifhomeless.org/aod2016.

O.C. executives group to host casino benefit Saturday

The Orange County Young Executives is hosting its Hearts for Children Casino Night fundraiser Saturday.

The event from 7 to 10p.m. at the New Port Theater, 2905 E. Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, will benefit United Cerebral Palsy of Orange County.

Tickets are $150. For more information, visit ocye.org.

Mesa Dance Festival coming to OCC on Sunday

Orange Coast College’s dance department is hosting a full day of hip-hop for its Mesa Dance Festival on Sunday.

Registration starts at 10:30a.m. at the campus’ Petersen gymnasium. The event also includes master classes.

Tickets for all events are $50, or $20 for an individual master class. Large groups may receive discounts.

Tickets may be purchased online at occtickets.com or by calling (714) 432-5880.

Vanguard University run to aid alumna’s cancer fight

Vanguard University’s fifth annual Run for Mercy 5K is Saturday.

The event at the Costa Mesa campus will be held from 9 a.m. to noon. It will benefit Temecula resident and Vanguard alumna Noel Taylor Miller, who is suffering from an aggressive form of cancer, according to a news release. The run is $25, or $10 for students 18 and under.

For more information or to directly donate to Miller’s cause, visit vanguard.edu/5k.　　

Local CERT leaders attend national conference

Local program coordinators for CERT (Community Emergency Response Team), which is celebrating its 30th anniversary, attended a national CERT conference in Universal City this month where they paid tribute to the contributions of community volunteers.

Brenda Emrick of Costa Mesa, Matt Brisbois of Newport Beach, Brevyn Mettler of Huntington Beach and Jordan Villwock of Laguna Beach “were an integral part of the national CERT conference and have all played key roles in the success of CERT,” Costa Mesa city officials said in a news release.

“Brenda, Matt, Brevyn, and Jordan have individually and collectively gone well above and beyond to represent our respective agencies and the communities we serve in an exemplary manner,” Costa Mesa Fire Chief Dan Stefano said in a statement. “We are extremely fortunate to have this talented foursome working together to train and develop our CERT volunteers to assist our first responders in making our communities and the entire region more actively prepared for any emergency or disaster.”

Epilepsy group to host benefit art show

The Epilepsy Foundation will host an art show in Costa Mesa on Oct.8.

The event at the Gray Matter Museum of Art, 485 E. 17th St., will be held from 6 to 9p.m. It will benefit the foundation’s efforts to aid those with epilepsy and seizures.

It also will honor Dr. David Millett of Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Heidi Meireles at hmeireles@efa.org or call (909) 464-8137. Tickets also may be bought online at epilepsyfoundation.donordrive.com/event/HiddenTruths.　

Event raises money for autism and neurodevelopmental disorders

The Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, based in Santa Ana, recently held a gala in Newport Beach to raise awareness for those challenged by autism spectrum and other neurodevelopmental disorders, according to a news release.

The event at the Resort at Pelican Hill raised more than $512,000. It also honored Pacific Symphony President John Forsyte, who was credited for his efforts to bring music to the autism community.

“It was incredible to see the continued support from families and friends of the center at our second annual gala,” Catherine Brock, its executive director, said in a statement. “We were able to further awareness for the number of children and families impacted by autism in Orange County as well as expand our programs and reach with the funds raised.”

Expert to speak about Bolsa Chica wetlands

A biological expert is scheduled to lecture about the “invasion” of Sphaeroma quoyanum, an isopod species, at the Bolsa Chica wetlands Oct.6.

The event from 4:30 to 6p.m. takes place at the wetlands’ interpretive center, 3842 Warner Ave., Huntington Beach. The suggested donation is $5.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Ashley Alonzo at (714) 846-1114 or email ashley@bolsachica.org.

Assistant superintendent appointed at Newport-Mesa school district

Luis Camarena was recently selected to be the assistant superintendent of human resources for the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, the district announced.

He comes to Newport-Mesa after being an assistant superintendent for the Anaheim Elementary School District.　

Camarena is a graduate of Whittier College and Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Also, Anu Menon was chosen to be the new principal for Wilson Elementary School in Costa Mesa. She has also worked as the director of academic English leaders and student support for the Riverside Unified School District and as a principal for the Val Verde Unified School District in Perris.

Vanguard University event benefits Global Center for Women and Justice

Vanguard University’s Global Center for Women and Justice hosted its annual Priceless Luncheon to End Human Trafficking on Sept.17.

The event at the Island Hotel in Newport Beach had more than 350 attendees and raised more than $234,000 to support the center’s efforts to combat human trafficking and end modern-day slavery, according to a news release.

Benefit at Hyatt raises more than $1.4 million

Global Genes, an Aliso Viejo-based advocacy group for rare diseases, hosted an event Sept.22-24 at the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa in Huntington Beach.

More than 800 attended the 5th annual Rare Tribute to Champions of Hope and Patient Advocacy Summit, which raised more than $1.4million for education, awareness, and grant programs for patients, patient advocates and their families, according to a news release.

Volunteers recover debris from O.C. parks and beaches

More than 7,200 volunteers collected nearly 57,000 pounds of debris from Orange County parks, beaches and creeks as part of the Coastal Cleanup Day on Sept.24. The event was organized by Costa Mesa-based Orange County Coastkeeper and Paramount-based Trails4All.

Found items included an inflatable workout ball, chicken feet, an iPad and car fender. The amount collected was a record, surpassing last year’s amount by more than 15,000 pounds, according to Coastkeeper. The day also included the Trash Free OC Jamboree after-party at Huntington State Beach.

“Seeing these bizarre items scattered across the sand puts Orange County’s pollution problem into perspective,” Coastkeeper Coastal Cleanup Director Julia Williams said in a statement. “A key component to addressing the issue is inspiring our citizens to take action. Coastal Cleanup Day educates people about how their actions impact the local environment and how they can make a positive difference.”　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Huntington Beach joins national clean-energy alliance

The city of Huntington Beach has joined a group of governments, nonprofits and others to speed up the progress of local clean energy initiatives.

Huntington Beach is the only Orange County city that has joined the Better Communities Alliance, launched by the U.S. Department of Energy. The alliance will help Huntington Beach achieve its clean-energy goals, as well as deliver clean-energy resources and technical assistance, city officials said in a news release.

“The city has been a pioneer in advancing energy efficiency technologies in Orange County since 2008, and joining the Better Communities Alliance just makes sense for Surf City,” Mayor Jim Katapodis said in a statement. “We look forward to working with the other communities and partners to share best practices and continue to lead the way in Southern California.”

Katapodis noted Huntington Beach’s energy partnerships with UC Irvine and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, as well its efforts to covert more than 11,00 streetlights to energy-saving, light-emitting diode technology.

Newport firefighters to host open house

The Newport Beach Fire Department and its firefighters association will host an open house Oct.9 from 11a.m. to 2p.m. at Fire Station No. 7, 20401 SW Acacia St. The event also includes lunch.

“The Newport Beach Fire Department’s annual open house is a way to remind the community about protecting their homes and loved ones from a fire in the home,” Fire Chief Scott Poster said in a statement. “Taking the proper steps to install, maintain and replace smoke alarms is vitally important to ensure everyone’s safety.”

For more information, contact Debbie Alcaraz at (949) 644-3355 or email dalcaraz@nbfd.net.

Bank of America gives grants to local nonprofits

Bank of America recently gave several area nonprofits grant funding.

Newport Beach’s Environmental Nature Center received $10,000 to help support its nature play area.

The Segerstrom Center for the Arts and South Coast Repertory, both based in Costa Mesa, received $50,000 and $35,000, respectively, for their artistic, educational and outreach programs, according to the bank. 　

—From staff reports

—From staff reports