Around Town: O.C. supervisor to attend Newport forum about John Wayne Airport issues

Orange County Supervisor Michelle Steel is scheduled to join the next John Wayne Airport issues forum in Newport Beach on Friday. The session will cover the basics of the JWA Access and Noise Office, including how its staff follows noise regulations.

The county owns and operates the airport.

The forum will run from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the City Council chamber at 100 Civic Center Drive.

Forums tentatively planned for February and March are expected to discuss some of the airport’s regulatory documents, such as the Access Plan, which restricts noise levels along with operational capacity and hours.

Vanguard University hosts Pray for Freedom event Friday

Vanguard University’s Global Center for Women and Justice will present its fourth annual Pray for Freedom event from noon to 1 p.m. Friday to mark National Human Trafficking Month.

The public is invited to join in prayer for victims of labor and sex trafficking.

The vigil will be at Newport Mesa Church on the Vanguard campus at 2599 Newport Blvd. in Costa Mesa.

For more information, visit vanguard.edu/gcwj.

Guitar show coming to O.C. fairgrounds this weekend

The SoCal World Guitar Show is coming to the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa on Saturday and Sunday.

The show features a swap meet where collectors can buy, sell and trade guitars, amps, effects and parts.

Hours are noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $20 and parking is $8. Children younger than 11 are admitted free.

For more information, visit amigoguitarshows.com/socal-summer.

Ocean View School District students in basketball finals

About 80 Ocean View School District middle school students earned a spot in the Surf City Optimist Club’s Tri-Star Basketball Finals.

The final game is from 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday at Spring View Middle School, 16662 Trudy Lane, Huntington Beach.

High school teams to compete in 50th O.C. Academic Decathlon

Students from 42 local high schools will participate on two consecutive Saturdays, starting this weekend, in the 50th annual Orange County Academic Decathlon.

Teams will compete for top honors and an invitation to represent Orange County in the California Academic Decathlon in March.

Events will include speeches, personal interviews, essays, and multiple-choice tests in art, economics, literature, math, music, science and social science.

The final day of the competition will feature the Super Quiz Relay, a public contest resembling a quiz show, at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 3 at Westminster High School, 14325 Goldenwest St.

Costa Mesa church will host climate change discussion for Evolution Sunday

Fairview Community Church in Costa Mesa will host a discussion of climate change with scientist and UC Irvine PhD candidate Melinda Nicewonger as the church holds its annual Evolution Sunday event.

Evolution Sunday, held near the Feb. 12 birthday of evolution theorist Charles Darwin, is intended to demonstrate that science and religious beliefs don’t have to be in conflict. The church often invites scientists to talk about their work, according to the Rev. Sarah Halverson-Cano, Fairview’s pastor.

Fairview Community Church is at 2525 Fairview Road. For more information, call (714) 545-4610 or visit ocfairviewchurch.org.

ACLU deputy legal director to speak at UC Irvine

Jeffery Robinson, deputy legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union, will speak Monday at UC Irvine about racial bias in America.

The free event will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the Pacific Ballroom at the UCI Student Center. Parking is $10.

Huntington Beach library to hold authors event and awards ceremony

Huntington Beach Friends of the Children’s Library will present an authors festival and awards ceremony next week for winners of a writing and illustration contest.

The event will be held from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Central Library, 7111 Talbert Ave. The awards ceremony begins at 3:30.

Boy, 8, honored as official Vanguard baseball team member

Vanguard University’s youngest baseball player threw the first pitch Jan. 15 to start the 2018 season for the Lions.

The private university in Costa Mesa collaborated with national nonprofit Team IMPACT to hold a special draft day in November for Anaheim resident Dario Teran, 8, who was diagnosed with leukemia in 2016. The celebration welcomed Dario as an official Lions team member.

Dario will join the team at practices, games, team meetings, dinners and more over the next two years.

Orange Coast College dance team wins two first-place trophies

Orange Coast College’s dance team took two first-place trophies Jan. 14 at the Universal Dance Assn. Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship in Florida.

The 14-member team defended its title in the open pom division and earned the top spot in the jazz division.

Vanguard University is awarded $300,000 grant for new outdoor lab

The Pasadena-based Fletcher Jones Foundation awarded Vanguard University in Costa Mesa a $300,000 grant to help with the construction of an outdoor learning laboratory.

The new facility, which is expected to be completed by fall, will offer students research opportunities about various ecosystems and environmental problems.

OCC to offer eclipse viewing event Jan. 31

Orange Coast College’s astronomy department will offer telescopes to help the public see the total lunar eclipse Jan. 31.

The viewing will be from 3:30 to 6 a.m. in the Adams Avenue parking lot at the Costa Mesa campus. Parking is free.

Costa Mesa completes first ‘sharrows’

Costa Mesa’s Public Services Department recently finished putting “sharrows” along East 19th Street between Fullerton and Irvine avenues in the city’s Eastside neighborhood.

The markings, a first for Costa Mesa, are a reminder that cyclists and motorists can both use the roadway.

Injured pelican found in Newport makes recovery

An American white pelican that was rescued by Newport Beach animal control in November is being released back into the wild, according to a city news release.

International Bird Rescue helped the pelican return to health.

Environmental Nature Center to open preschool

The Environmental Nature Center in Newport Beach will celebrate groundbreaking for its Nature Preschool on Feb. 15.

The school will be on 1.3 acres at 745 Dover Drive. It will teach science, technology, engineering, arts and math concepts to young children in a natural setting.

“The ENC’s Nature Preschool will have play areas but no playgrounds,” the school’s director, Sue Bierlich, said in a statement. “Students will spend the majority of the day outdoors, where they will have ample time for unfacilitated nature experiences.”

Festival of Arts taking scholarship applications

The Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach is accepting scholarship applications from high school seniors who live in Laguna or attend Laguna Beach High School.

The scholarships are awarded in film, performing arts, visual arts and writing. Students may apply in any or all of the categories but can be awarded only one.

Scholarships begin at $1,000 and can be renewed each summer for a total of four one-year scholarships.

Applications are available at foapom.com/scholarships. The application deadline is March 9. Auditions and interviews will be scheduled in March.

For more information, call Michelle Reindl at (949) 464-4201.