Around Town: Huntington holiday festivities set for Sunday
Downtown Huntington Beach will ring in the holiday season from 2 to 7 p.m. Sunday with “Miracle on Main Street,” featuring an annual tree lighting, entertainment, craft vendors, free refreshments and free photos with Santa Claus.
Performers will include TubaChristmas, Forever Young, Huntington Beach High School Cheer, Sunshine Generation, Surf City Singers and the All-American Boys Chorus.
Santa is scheduled to arrive at 6 p.m. for the tree lighting.
The event, in the 200 block of Main Street, is presented by the Huntington Beach Downtown Business Improvement District.
For the full schedule, visit hbdowntown.com.
Also on Sunday, The Strand shopping center at 155 Fifth St. will offer holiday activities from 2 to 5 p.m., including children’s crafts, games such as Ring Around the Reindeer, Elf Toss and Snowman Throw, face painting, balloon art and magic shows at 2:30, 3:30 and 4:30 p.m.
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Newport Beach installs tablets to help deaf and others access city services
The city of Newport Beach recently installed free electronic devices at public locations in an effort to help non-English speakers and the deaf or hard of hearing with city services.
The tablets have software that virtually connects users to interpreters who know sign language and non-English spoken languages.
The tablets are at the Newport Coast Community Center, Oasis Senior Center, Marina Park, Central Library, Mariners Branch Library and City Hall.
The software maker, Language People, said in a statement that Newport Beach is the first government to provide American Sign Language to the deaf.
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5.6 tons of food and supplies donated to veterans
A union-sponsored event on Veterans Day at the Orange County Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa collected 5.6 tons of food and other supplies for military veterans.
The drive coincided with the dedication of Heroes Hall, Orange County’s first museum dedicated to honoring veterans.
Some donations came in advance of Veterans Day, such as Ironworkers Local 416 in Norwalk collecting more than 2 tons of food and goods, according to a news release.
Members of the Orange County Employees Assn. collected goods from throughout the county.
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Tournament of Roses Royal Court visits etiquette expert in Newport
Etiquette expert Julie Ann Ulcickas hosted a luncheon at the Bluewater Grill in Newport Beach for the seven members of the 2017 Tournament of Roses Royal Court last month.
As part of its first public appearance south of Pasadena, the court took a cruise around Newport Harbor.
Ulcickas, wife of Bluewater Grill founder Jimmy Ulcickas, has instructed members of the Royal Court on etiquette for several years.
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Newport’s Peter Ueberroth to be honored at L.A. Sports Awards
Newport Beach resident Peter Ueberroth, architect of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 12th annual L.A. Sports Awards on Feb. 27 at the Beverly Hilton hotel.
The former president of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee also was commissioner of Major League Baseball from 1985 to 1989 and chairman of the U.S. Olympic Committee from 2004 to 2008.
“As we look forward to the current LA2024 Olympic bid, it’s a perfect time to celebrate Peter Ueberroth’s career,” L.A. Sports Council President David Simon said in a statement.
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Newport Beach author receives award for children’s book
Newport Beach resident and yoga therapist Jill Apperson Manly received a Moonbeam Award on Saturday in Traverse City, Mich., for her illustrated children’s book “Nothando’s Journey.”
After teaching children in Swaziland, South Africa, Manly began crafting the story about a young girl who triumphs over her fears during her journey to a cultural festival.
Recipients of Moonbeam Awards for children’s books are selected by a panel of book reviewers, librarians, teachers and students.
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Huntington Beach Girl Scout honored
A Huntington Beach Girl Scout was honored for donating hundreds of boxes of cookies to children and families in need.
Grace Cross, 11, was recognized at Olive Crest’s Power of One Luncheon at the Westin South Coast Plaza hotel on Nov. 2.
Olive Crest, a national organization based in Santa Ana, provides care to abused, neglected and at-risk children and their families.
“Grace is an outstanding Girl Scout who has been a past Celebrate Leadership girl representative and is an annual top cookie seller,” said Girl Scouts of Orange County spokeswoman Elizabeth Fairchild.
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Former Girl Scouts honored at Newport event
Seven local leaders and Girl Scouts alumnae were recognized this month at the Girl Scouts of Orange County’s seventh annual Celebrate Leadership event at the Island Hotel in Newport Beach.
Honorees were Ellen Bancroft, managing partner of Morgan Lewis & Bockius’ Orange County location; Karen Caplan Wiggins, president and chief executive of Frieda’s Specialty Produce; Jackie Calpan Wiggins, vice president of Frieda’s Specialty Produce; Lucy Dunn, president and chief executive of the Orange County Business Council; Mary Tennyson, chief executive of StashAll LLC; philanthropist Socorro Vasquez; and Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks, president and chief executive of Earth Friendly Products.
The event raised $225,000 for Girl Scouts of Orange County.
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Newport gala raises money for Boys Town
A charity gala in Newport Beach on Nov. 5 raised more than $180,000 for Boys Town California, a nonprofit that serves at-risk children and families.
The event at The Resort at Pelican Hill included live and silent auctions, a five-course dinner, live entertainment and dancing, according to a news release.
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Cosmetology school donates to Project Independence
Paul Mitchell The School in Costa Mesa recently donated $1,000 to Project Independence, a Costa Mesa-based nonprofit that helps people with developmental disabilities.
“We are so excited to be partnering with Project Independence in support of people with developmental disabilities,” Lucy Acevedo, the cosmetology school’s admissions and social networking leader, said in a statement. “Paul Mitchell has a long history of supporting the communities where we live, work and play.”