Around Town: Huntington State Beach lifeguards honored for nighttime rescue in rough surf

Two Huntington State Beach lifeguards were among several Orange County lifeguards honored Thursday with Heroic Act and Meritorious Act awards during the spring board meeting of the California Surf Lifesaving Assn.

“These individuals demonstrated quick-thinking, decisive action and bravery beyond the call of duty,” said association President Bill Humphreys, who presented the awards. “Their heroism is both inspirational and worthy of recognition.”

Killian Rose and Aaron Hoff were honored for a nighttime ocean rescue of two swimmers trapped in rough surf and rip currents on Aug. 3 at Huntington State Beach.

Rose and Hoff were dispatched to a call of swimmers in distress near lifeguard Tower 4 at about 10:15 p.m., according to the CSLSA.

Rose was the first to arrive and found friends of the swimmers waving for help and pointing out to the dark sea. Hoff arrived moments later.

With little ambient light, Rose found the distressed swimmers by following their sounds, and he and Hoff rescued them, the association said.

Doug Leach, a marine safety officer for the city of Huntington Beach who responded as backup to the state lifeguards, credited Hoff and Rose with using orienteering skills to find and rescue the swimmers in near-total darkness and under very difficult conditions.

Both swimmers were released after they were treated by Huntington Beach paramedics and taken to a hospital because of water inhalation, according to the CSLSA.

Earth Day celebration Saturday at Bolsa Chica wetlands

The Bolsa Chica Conservancy Interpretive Center in Huntington Beach is hosting an array of activities Saturday to celebrate Earth Day, an annual worldwide event meant to show support for the environment.

Visitors to the Bolsa Chica event can interact with animals and learn about pollution and the wetland ecology. Educational booths, a jump tent and guided tours of the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve will be offered, and food will be available for purchase.

The event is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 3842 Warner Ave. Admission is free, but participants must register for tours and animal feedings at bolsachica.org.

For more information, call (714) 846-1114.

Costa Mesa to hold community meetings about coyotes

The city of Costa Mesa will hold two community meetings this month to discuss local coyote activity and the city’s coyote management plan.

The first meeting will run from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday in Conference Room 1A at City Hall, 77 Fair Drive.

A second is scheduled for the same time and location April 23.

For more information, visit costamesaca.gov/residents/coyote-information.

Estancia High School wins in Design/Build competition

Estancia High School in Costa Mesa won first place in the Southern California Building Industry Assn.’s annual Design/Build competition over nine other high schools last weekend in Huntington Beach.

Twelve teams from high schools, Orange Coast College and the Orange County 4-H Club participated in the competition, part of the California Homebuilding Foundation’s Building Industry Technology Academy, a four-year high school curriculum.

Students had 1½ days to build a tilt-roof garden shed with a Dutch door, a window, a vent and a flower box. Judges from Shea Homes, Toll Bros. and Taylor Morrison ranked the teams on safety and craftsmanship.

Laguna Beach fire station unveils little free library

A little free library has opened outside the Laguna Beach fire station in the Top of the World neighborhood.

The nonprofit organization Little Free Library donated the red box to the city through its Impact Library Program. The library is stocked with books about nature, the environment and fire prevention.

The box is open around the clock for anyone to take a book or leave a book.

Fire Station No. 3 is on the corner of Tree Top Lane and Alta Laguna Boulevard.

Benefit concert in Laguna Beach on Wednesday

Laguna Beach Live will present M-Pact, a six-man a cappella pop and jazz group, on Wednesday at 891 Laguna Canyon Road.

Doors will open at 5 p.m. and the concert is from 6 to 8 p.m. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. Funds raised will benefit the Laguna Beach Boys & Girls Club, public schools and the Laguna Beach Community & Susi Q Center.

Tickets are $35 for general admission and $100 for VIP.

For tickets, visit lagunabeachlive.org.

Newport-Mesa Human Relations Task Force to meet

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District will hold a meeting of its Human Relations Task Force at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the Sanborn building at the district headquarters, 2985 Bear St., Costa Mesa.

The task force was formed in response to an off-campus party last month where several local high school students made Nazi salutes around a swastika made of plastic cups.

Spanish interpretation and childcare will be provided at the meeting. An informational meeting in March focused on gathering input from the community on what the task force should be.

For more information, contact Kirk Bauermeister, district executive director of secondary education, at (714) 424-7516 or kbauermeister@nmusd.us.

Earth Day event set at Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve

Guests can celebrate Earth Day on April 20 at an OC Parks and Newport Bay Conservancy event at the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve, 2301 University Drive, Newport Beach.

The free event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and feature environmental exhibits, arts and crafts, live music, food trucks and a scavenger hunt with prizes.

Sherman Library to present annual garden tour

Tickets are on sale for Sherman Library & Gardens’ annual Newport Beach Garden Tour.

The event is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 11. The tour, in its 23rd year, features walks through seven private residential gardens, lunch at Sherman Gardens in Corona del Mar and an after-party with an auction and a raffle.

Tickets are $50 for Sherman Library members and $60 for nonmembers.

For tickets and more information, visit slgardens.org.

Applications accepted for Art in the Park in Newport

The Newport Beach Arts Foundation is taking applications from artists and artisans for the 16th annual Art in the Park, set for Sept. 28 on the Newport Beach Civic Center lawn.

Art in the Park features more than 100 Southern California artists displaying and selling their works in all media, including painting, ceramics, photography, textiles, jewelry, glass and wood.

The public is invited; admission and parking are free. There also will be free art activities for children.

Artist applications are due Aug. 10.

For more information or to apply, visit newportbeachartsfoundation.org or email artintheparknb@gmail.com.