Around Town: 33 students receive scholarships at Save Our Youth awards night

Almost three dozen students received a combined $150,000 in scholarships during the annual Senior Scholar Awards Night put on by Save Our Youth, a Costa Mesa-based nonprofit.

Among the 33 scholarships given during Monday’s ceremony at the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity at Costa Mesa’s South Coast Collection was the $40,000 Isidore and Penny Myers Scholarship, which went to Newport Harbor High School senior Kevin Castañeda.

Estancia High School seniors Alex Leon and Adrian Lopez both received the $5,000 Jean Forbath Scholarship, named for one of SOY’s founders.

SOY provides resources, support, mentorship and tutoring to local teenagers — particularly in Costa Mesa’s Westside area, where many are children of recent immigrants or come from lower-income households.

Most of Monday’s honorees will be the first in their families to attend college, according to a news release.

Baker Street Bash returns to Costa Mesa

St. John the Baptist Catholic Church’s annual Baker Street Bash returns to Costa Mesa this weekend for three days of entertainment, rides, food, auctions and games.

The festival kicks off from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday at the church, 1015 Baker St., and continues from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit sjbfestival.com.

Sobriety checkpoint Friday night in Costa Mesa

Costa Mesa police and the California Highway Patrol will conduct a DUI and driver’s license checkpoint from 8 p.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday in a part of the city known for high frequency of DUI-related arrests or crashes.

Officers will be looking for signs of alcohol and drug impairment as well as checking motorists for proper licensing, according to a news release.

Funding for the checkpoint was provided to Costa Mesa police by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

World Peace & Justice Weekend in Laguna Beach

World Peace & Justice Weekend will bring music, dance and panel discussions to Laguna Beach on Saturday and Sunday.

The event, run by Neighborhood Congregational Church, will start at 10 a.m. both days. The program is part of the church’s celebration of its 75th year in Laguna Beach.

Panels will discuss parenting, ecology, peaceful resistance and healthy aging, among other topics.

Saturday passes are $20 for adults, $10 for children ages 6-17 and free for children 5 and younger.

A Sunday concert at 2 p.m. is $20 for adults 21 and older, $10 for ages 12-20 and free for children 5 and younger.

The church is at 340 St. Ann’s Drive. For more information, visit bit.ly/2JA4D2O.

Community garage sale Saturday at OC Fair & Event Center

A Spring Cleaning Community Garage Sale will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Orange County Market Place at the OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa.

The free event is a partnership of the marketplace and Goodwill of Orange County.

For more information, visit ocmarketplace.com/events/spring-cleaning-community-garage-sale.

Ocean Safety Day set for Sunday in Huntington Beach

The Huntington Beach Fire Department Marine Safety Division will hold an open house and Ocean Safety Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Pier Plaza at Main Street and Pacific Coast Highway.

A rescue demonstration is scheduled for 1 p.m. on the south side of the pier, where lifeguards will showcase various techniques.

6 local beaches make ‘honor roll’ of cleanest in California

Six local beaches made the “honor roll” for exceptional water quality in the 2017-18 Beach Report Card released Thursday by Santa Monica-based environmental group Heal the Bay.

The honor roll — part of the group’s annual assessment of pollution at beaches throughout California — includes those that are monitored weekly year-round and have received “A+” grades from the group during all seasons and weather conditions.

Among the 37 beaches on this year’s honor roll are at 15th and 16th streets, the Balboa Pier and Corona del Mar State Beach in Newport Beach, Crystal Cove State Park, and Victoria and North Aliso County beaches in Laguna Beach.

Laguna Beach Unified named a No Place for Hate school district

The Laguna Beach Unified School District was recently named a No Place for Hate district by the Anti-Defamation League.

To receive the designation, the district formed a No Place for Hate committee, signed the No Place for Hate promise and held three or more school events that recognized diversity and promoted respect. The district also underwent an assessment.

“We strive to support every student every day, and we appreciate the support and guidance the ADL has provided as we move forward with this mission,” Supt. Jason Viloria said in a news release.

Laguna Playhouse raises $1.7 million at gala

The Laguna Playhouse raised $1.7 million at an annual gala attended by 400 patrons at the Fashion Island Hotel in Newport Beach.

The May 12 event featured dinner, live and silent auctions and a performance by Davis Gaines, known for his role in “The Phantom of the Opera.”

Jared Mathis — great-grandson of Nellie Gail Moulton — and the Moulton family donated $1 million to be devoted to renovations of the playhouse’s Moulton Theatre.

Assemblyman Harper honors Second Harvest Food Bank as Nonprofit of the Year

State Assemblyman Matthew Harper (R-Huntington Beach) on Wednesday honored Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County as the Nonprofit of the Year in his district.

The award ceremony is an annual occurrence at the state Capitol to honor nonprofits.

“From children to seniors, Second Harvest Food Bank goes above and beyond to provide fresh food to everyone who needs it,” Harper said in a statement. “Their hard work and dedication to ensuring no one goes hungry in Orange County makes them the best choice for Nonprofit of the Year for the 74th Assembly District.”

Irvine-based Second Harvest has distributed more than 418 million pounds of food since its inception in 1983.

Segerstrom Center honored by O.C. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

The Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa was named Community Partner of the Year as part of the Estrella Awards presented by the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

The awards recognize outstanding contributions in the fields of business, community and education, according to the chamber.

The Segerstrom Center has relationships with several Latino organizations as well as many schools in which English is a second language.

“We are pleased to be able to collaborate with the community to present many performances and festivals that reflect the county’s rich and diverse cultural heritage,” Segerstrom Center President Terrence Dwyer said in a statement.

Also honored at the Estrella Awards was UC Irvine, which received the Dr. Juan Francisco Lara Education Award.

UC Irvine recognized for environmental record

UC Irvine recently became the fourth campus worldwide to receive a “platinum” rating through the Assn. for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System.

The university attained the status through an evaluation of its environmental performance, scientific research, environmental programs, academic courses, community engagement and sustainable campus operations.

“This represents an important environmental stewardship milestone for the University of California and reflects the collaborative efforts of many engaged and committed people across the UCI campus,” Wendell Brase, associate chancellor for sustainability, said in a statement.