Around Town: Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast set for Friday
Orange Coast Christian Outreach will present the 51st annual Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast on Friday with the theme of honoring military members and veterans.
The keynote speech will be given by Brent Theobald, a Marine Corps combat veteran, Vanguard University graduate and director of strategic operations at Far Reaching Ministries.
The breakfast will begin at 7 a.m. at Hotel Irvine, 17900 Jamboree Road. The cost is $40.
Theobald will describe serving in the military in Iraq, Afghanistan and Horn of Africa and the difficulties he faced afterward.
“My story is not unique — there are thousands of veterans who have transitioned out of the military and faced various challenges,” Theobald said in a statement. “My hope is that one or two of them will benefit from hearing my story of healing, forgiveness, hope and purpose.”
At Far Reaching Ministries, Theobald works with refugees fleeing Islamic State radicals in Syria and Iraq. He also works with people in south Sudan.
For breakfast reservations, visit https://www.outreachweek.org.
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Mesa Water District marks facility anniversary
One of Mesa Water District’s facilities has its second anniversary this week.
A Mesa Water Reliability Facility anniversary meeting is scheduled for 4 to 7 p.m. Friday. The meeting will include discussion of how the facility takes the amber color out of treated groundwater and supplies the Newport Beach-Costa Mesa area.
The facility, at 1350 Gisler Ave. in Costa Mesa, had its grand opening in March 2013. It was initially built in 2000 with a different name and different technology.
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Banning Ranch to be discussed
The Newport Beach Women’s Democratic Club will present a discussion March 17 about the development at Banning Ranch.
Local conservationists Dorothy Kraus, a member of Stop Polluting Our Newport, and Banning Ranch Conservancy Vice President Suzanne Forster will speak about the proposed development of the 400-acre bluffs and wetlands in west Newport Beach.
The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Five Crowns restaurant, 3801 E. Coast Hwy., Corona del Mar. The cost to attend is $20.
To RSVP, call Patty Gwin at (949) 640-0923.
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Assemblyman honors Hoag executive
Assemblyman Travis Allen (R-Huntington Beach) honored Cynthia Perazzo, senior vice president of strategy and business development at Hoag Hospital, as the 2015 Woman of the Year for the 72nd Assembly District during a ceremony Monday at the state Capitol.
“I am pleased to recognize such a distinguished individual who has dedicated her life to providing top-quality care to our local community,” Allen said in a statement. “Ms. Perazzo’s demonstrated commitment to the residents of Orange County makes her a significant figure in the 72nd Assembly District.”
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Pep squad, cheer team win
Newport Harbor High School’s pep squad and the Ensign Intermediate School cheer team racked up a series of wins March 1 at the SHARP International Competition at Estancia High School in Costa Mesa.
The Newport Beach teams took first place in the Varsity Advanced Cheer division, Junior Varsity Cheer, Junior High School Cheerand Stunt, Song and Pom and the Majorette division.
The teams also were recognized as Most Spirited and won the Grand Champions Award.
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Veterans nonprofit opens chapter in Newport
The Veterans Assn. of Real Estate Professionals is scheduled to launch an Orange County chapter on Wednesday at 4685 MacArthur Court in Newport Beach.
The Corona-based nonprofit works to increase homeownership and economic development for active military personnel and veterans.
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Dance team to honor Sierra Soto
The Newport Harbor High School dance team will perform March 18 to 21 at an event called Arries, an annual tribute to Sierra Soto, the 4-year-old daughter of former dance team advisor Cindy Soto.
Sierra died in 1999 after a motorist ran his car into the yard of the Costa Mesa preschool where she was playing.
The performance will be held at the high school’s Robert Wentz Theater, 600 Irvine Ave.. Newport Beach. Tickets start at $10.
For more information, call (949) 515-6368.
* Entries accepted for Imaginology contest
Orange County students are invited to submit entries until April 3 to OC Fair Imaginology, an event planned for April 24 to 26 that emphasizes science, technology, engineering, arts and math.
Competitions include cardboard engineering, digital media and kinetic art. The contests are generally open to students in preschool to high school, though rules vary.
For details, visit ocfair.com/steam.
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Irvine company donates luggage
An Irvine-based luggage retailer has donated 26 suitcases to a local foster-care agency.
Rooten’s Luggage Center at 17775 Main St. donated the supplies as part of A Case for Giving, a national program by luggage company Briggs and Riley.
The suitcases were sent to Koinonia Family Services in Anaheim.
“We have a regular trade-in program, but teaming up with Briggs and Riley to make a difference for local youth in need in this small way is very uplifting,” Rooten’s owner, Steve Rooten, said in a statement.
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Grants awarded to children’s charities
The Festival of Children Foundation, a Costa Mesa-based nonprofit, has awarded $40,000 in grants to eight Orange County children’s charities as part of the foundation’s Possible Dream program.
The recipients are the Boys & Girls Club of Cypress, Families Forward, Family Support Network, Friendly Center, Kids Konnected, KidWorks Community Development Corp., Orange County Therapeutic Arts Center and Talk About Curing Autism.
“The Festival of Children Foundation selected these fine member charities for the Possible Dream 2015 grant program for their tangible, measurable and collaborative projects that will undoubtedly improve the lives of Orange County children,” Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, the foundation’s executive director, said in a statement.