Around Town: Early College High celebrates 10 years
About 60 Newport-Mesa Unified School District staff members, teachers, students, parents and other guests attended Early College High School’s 10th-anniversary celebration last month at the Costa Mesa campus.
Early College offers a college preparatory program designed to help students fulfill University of California admission requirements.
District board President Karen Yelsey acknowledged the school’s achievements, such as a Gold Ribbon Award, while Supt. Fred Navarro recognized Early College’s first principal, Kathy Slauson, who was in attendance.
Coastline Community College President Lori Adrian presented Early College’s current principal, David Martinez, with a plaque of appreciation.
Police chief to discuss crime during Wake Up Newport breakfast
Newport Beach Police Chief Jon Lewis will discuss new initiatives in the Police Department, crime trends and the implications of legalized recreational marijuana use in California during a Wake Up Newport breakfast Thursday.
Wake Up Newport, presented by the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce, begins at 7:15 a.m. at the Newport Beach Public Library, 1000 Avocado Ave.
Corona del Mar to host sailing convention for women
The Long Beach-based Southern California Yachting Assn. will present the 28th annual Women’s Sailing Convention on Feb. 4 at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club in Corona del Mar.
The daylong convention, sponsored by the Virginia-based Boat Owners Assn. of the United States, will offer a series of women-only workshops about sailing for beginners and experts.
“The convention gives women an opportunity to meet other women sailors, discuss options for more racing, cruising and day sailing, find out about existing women’s sailing organizations in their area as well as instructional programs available,” convention director Gail Hine said in a statement.
The $215 convention fee includes workshops, breakfast, lunch, dinner and souvenirs. Attendance is limited to about 225 people.
For reservation forms, email gail@scya.org or call (951) 677-8121. Bookings can be completed through womenssailingconvention.com.
Environmental Nature Center gets $50,000 for improvements
Newport Beach residents Frank and Joanne Randall donated $50,000 to the Environmental Nature Center last month to help restore the Newport facility’s stream, pond and two teaching stations for environmental learning.
The donation also is intended to help develop a new butterfly habitat observation deck and a desert tortoise enclosure.
“It was time to make some major repairs to our stream and pond, which have been flowing at the center since 1972,” the facility’s executive director, Bo Glover, said in a statement. “Our restored stream and pond will no longer leak. ...
“The desert tortoise enclosure will give us the opportunity to add another teaching animal to our repertoire, and the restored teaching stations will be significantly more conducive to learning in nature.”
New UCI administrative and business official to start next month
UC Irvine’s new vice chancellor for administrative and business services, Ron Cortez, will begin work Feb. 13.
He will replace Wendell Brase, who served in that post for 25 years.
Cortez currently is vice president of administration and finance and chief financial officer at San Francisco State University.
He previously was associate vice chancellor for administrative services at UC Santa Barbara, where he oversaw departments including information technology, accounting and human resources.
UCI’s administrative and business services work on building and infrastructure efficiency and accounting, human resources, risk management and transportation services.
Pacific Symphony gets second $1.2-million grant
For the second time, the James Irvine Foundation has awarded the Pacific Symphony a $1.2-million grant to help strengthen its commitment to Orange County’s Chinese American communities through arts engagement.
Three years ago, the symphony — which performs at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa — was one of three organizations statewide to receive the maximum award from the foundation.
The new grant, as with the first, is payable over 36 months. Both grants are part of the foundation’s New California Arts Fund.