Around Town: 23rd annual Newport Beach Film Festival opens Thursday

The Newport Beach Film Festival is opening this Thursday with the film “WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story,” starring Daniel Radcliffe, at the Edwards Big Newport theater at 7 p.m.

The festival will continue through Oct. 20 and dozens of films will be screened during its run. It will close with the much-anticipated “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” from director Rian Johnson. For more information or to buy tickets, visit newportbeachfilmfest.com.

Bella Terra hosts Viet Film Fest this weekend

The Viet Film Fest will be holding its in-person screenings this weekend at the Bella Terra in Huntington Beach.

Films will be screening on both Friday and Saturday. The festival opened at the start of this month and will continue through Oct. 15 in a hybrid format. For more information and scheduling, visit vietfilmfest.com.

Free health fair at Newport Coast Pharmacy Oct. 20

The Newport Coast Pharmacy and Compounding Center is hosting a free community health fair on Oct. 20, where people will be able to get free flu shots, COVID-19 bivalent boosters, glucose and blood pressure checks and product samples. The health fair will begin at 10 a.m. and end at 2 p.m. It will be at the center at 400 Newport Center Drive, Suite #106.

Sign-ups still on for Love Newport Beach Volunteer Day

The first Love Newport Beach Volunteer Day takes place Oct. 15

The event was organized by more than 25 businesses, nonprofits and faith-based organizations. Volunteers attending will be matched with more than 30 projects throughout the city.

The day will begin at 8 a.m. at Newport Beach City Hall, 100 Civic Center Drive, where volunteers will gather for breakfast and a kickoff celebration. Work will take place from 9 a.m. to noon.

Volunteers can sign up at renewnewport.com.

Candidates forum on state races set for Wednesday

Speak Up Newport will hold a candidates forum for the state offices that include Newport Beach on Wednesday. The forum will include races in the 72nd state Assembly District, the 36th state Senate District and the 47th Congressional District.

Candidates expected to attend, according to organizers, are Diane Dixon, Judie Mancuso, Janet Nguyen, Kim Carr and Scott Baugh. Congresswoman Katie Porter was invited, but unable to participate in the forum.

The program will be held at the Newport Beach Civic Center Community Room and begin at 6 p.m. Registration is not required to attend the in-person event, though organizers are asking interested viewers to register at speakupnewport.com/2022-state-candidates-forum for the Zoom simulcast.

Huntington Beach High’s Melissa Vandenbosch receives honor

Huntington Beach High School athletic director Melissa Vandenbosch was recently named the athletic director of the year by the Orange County Athletic Directors Assn.

Vandenbosch, who has served as athletic director of the school for 11 years, has been on campus for two decades. She spent the previous nine years as an athletic trainer for Huntington Beach.

“I am very humbled and honored to receive this award,” Vandenbosch said. “Huntington Beach athletics holds a special place in my heart. I am fortunate to work with an amazing administration, staff, coaches and athletes on a daily basis.”

Orange Coast College plans Community Science Night for kids

Orange Coast College is welcoming elementary school-aged children to attend its 23rd annual Community Science Night on Friday, Oct. 14, from 5 to 9 p.m.

Science Night is returning in person for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic. The event is free to attend for all elementary school students. Attendees will be provided a hot dog and water at no cost.

“More than a dozen STEM departments will be participating in Science Night, including chemistry, marine science, astronomy, engineering and more,” Scott Mitchell, the coordinator for Science Night, said in a release. “Kids will have a chance to explore tide pools in our aquarium, see robots battling in our technology building, and visit the far reaches of our galaxy in our Planetarium theater.”

Activities will take place in the Planetarium and surrounding buildings. For more information on the event, visit orangecoastcollege.edu/sciencenight.

Fountain Valley Fire Department Open House

To celebrate “Fire Prevention Week,” the Fountain Valley Fire Department will host its annual Open House event at Fire Station No. 1 on Saturday, Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The station is located at 17737 Bushard St.

Residents are invited to come enjoy the festivities, including the chance to view the inside of an ambulance and see the “Jaws of Life” put to work. Attendees will also learn about fire prevention.

There will be a hot dog lunch and a dessert truck.

Fountain Valley Sports Hall of Fame Induction

The fourth annual Fountain Valley Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place at the Center at Founders Village (17967 Bushard St.) on Saturday, Oct. 15 from 5 to 9 p.m.

The event will honor elite athletes of the past from Fountain Valley High School, and tickets are available for purchase through Monday, Oct. 10. The cost is $50.

Those being inducted into the Fountain Valley Sports Hall of Fame this year include Carlos Briceno (volleyball), Dan Malane (basketball), Pam Boswell (softball), Dan Lewis (wrestling), Luke Hudson (baseball), baseball coach Ron LaRuffa, wrestling coach Wayne Mickaelian, and the 1994 and 1995 baseball teams.

Questions should be directed to FVHOF@yahoo.com.

Bulky household waste to be accepted at Costa Mesa’s Senior Center Oct. 15

As part of “Clean California Dump Day,” a $1.1-billion initiative launched by Gov. Gavin Newsom to help keep roads and waterways free of litter, Caltrans staff will be at Costa Mesa’s Senior Center on Oct. 15, from 8 to 11 a.m., accepting bulky household items, such as mattresses, furniture and toys that are too big for residential garbage bins.

The following items will not be accepted: hazardous materials, such as paint, oil, pesticides, fluorescent lights and smoke detectors; e-waste or anything with a circuit board or battery; concrete, rocks, bricks or asphalt; treated wood or tires.

Costa Mesa Senior Center is located at 695 W. 19th St. Those dropping off items are advised to enter on Plumer Street via Anaheim Avenue. The event ends at 11 a.m. or until intake capacity has been reached.

Randy’s Donuts locations in O.C. to support Breast Cancer Angels with ‘Pink Sprinkles’ sales

To mark October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Randy’s Donuts stores are offering to donate proceeds from the sale of all “Pink Raised with Sprinkles” and “Pink Sprinkles Iced Cake donuts” to local nonprofit organizations that support breast cancer patients and survivors.

In Orange County, proceeds will go to Breast Cancer Angels, a Huntington Beach nonprofit that provides immediate and temporary assistance with housing, transportation, food, utility payments and more during breast cancer treatment and offers social workers to assist with resources and emotional support as well as legal advice.

Costa Mesa’s Rockharbor Church welcomes new lead pastor

On Sunday Rockharbor Church in Costa Mesa will commission Glenn Packiam as its new lead pastor at all three of its weekend gatherings, at 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. at 345 Fischer Ave.

Prior to accepting the position, Packiam served for 22 years at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colo. He holds a doctorate from Durham University in England, is an ordained priest with the Anglican Church of North America, has written more than 65 songs and several books and hosts the podcast “Resilient Pastor.”

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