Around Town: Newport Mesa Film Fest on Thursday

The third annual Newport Mesa Film Fest will spotlight the work of area high school students in a variety of categories during a ceremony beginning at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Robins-Loats Theater at Newport Harbor High School, 600 Irvine Ave., Newport Beach.

Tickets are $5 for students and $8 for adults ($10 at the door).

For more information, visit nhhs.schoolloop.com/filmfest.

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Young men’s group helps renovate shelter

More than 40 members of the National League of Young Men, including members of the Newport Mesa chapter, and 20 parents volunteered to help renovate Human Options’ domestic-violence shelter in Orange County last weekend, contributing 125 hours during the three-day project.

They hauled out and cleaned furniture from six bedrooms, painted the complex and put the furniture back in after carpeting was installed. They also hauled mattresses up flights of stairs and made beds.

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Newport Wine & Food Festival set for October

The second annual Newport Beach Wine & Food Festival will begin with a launch party Oct. 2 at Oak Grill and Aqua Lounge, followed the next two days by the festival at Newport Beach Civic Center.

Returning restaurants will include Selanne Steak Tavern, Tamarind of London, Montage Laguna Beach Studio and The Loft. First-time restaurants will include Andrea, Fig & Olive, Red O and Twenty Eight.

Net proceeds will benefit returning charity partner Project Hope Alliance, which works to end homelessness for children in Orange County.

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Donation will aid health care for veterans

The Appearance Center of Newport Beach, a skin-care facility on Newport Center Drive, will donate $10,000 on Thursday to Fisher House Southern California, based in Long Beach.

The funds will support health care for veterans and their families.

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Man plans to cycle for AIDS/HIV awareness

Costa Mesa resident Jason Warden is raising money to participate in this year’s AIDS/LifeCycle, a 545-mile bicycle ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles from May 31 to June 6.

Warden, who recently lost 167 pounds through Weight Watchers, has raised more than $6,000 so far. The funds will go toward AIDS/HIV awareness and research.

“I feel blessed to be riding for such a great cause,” Warden said in a news release. “Being able to do this physical challenge is amazing, but I’m more proud of the fact that I’m helping a wonderful organization that’s helping so many people. Whether they’re gay, straight, male or female, a doctor, lawyer, advocate or caretaker — – none of that matters. (HIV/AIDS) doesn’t define them.”

To donate, visit tofighthiv.org/goto/jasonwarden.

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Costa Mesa man to get university award

The University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business will honor Costa Mesa resident Sid Giddings with one of its Distinguished Young Alumni awards in an April 23 ceremony in Columbia, S.C.

Giddings, a certified public accountant, earned his master’s of business administration from the university in 2006.

Giddings is vice president of operations for Wyndham Vacation Ownership. His duties include oversight of a 150-member team and Wyndham properties throughout California, Oregon, Washington and Mexico.

He began working for Wyndham in 2010. He also has worked for the Marriott hotel group.

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Iranian American Women Foundation founder honored

Mariam Khosravani, founder and president of the Irvine-based Iranian American Women Foundation and executive director of the Coastline Community College Foundation, is a recipient of the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations’ 2015 Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

The annual medals recognize people for community service “while maintaining the traditions of their ethnic heritage as they uphold the ideals and spirit of America,” according to a news release.

Khosravani will be honored along with Meredith Vieira, George Uribe, Howard Lutnick and others during a ceremony May 9 on Ellis Island in New York.

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Irvine schools rank high in survey

Irvine Unified was ranked as one of the best school districts for the buck among 375 California districts in a new survey by financial website NerdWallet.

Irvine beat out all other Orange County districts to place 11th in an analysis based on affordability, class sizes, standardized test scores and college readiness. The data used, from 2013, was from the U.S. Census Bureau and the state Department of Education.

Irvine Unified students posted an average SAT score of 1813 and a 95.5% graduation rate, according to NerdWallet. The average student-to-teacher ratio was 24.87 to 1, and the median home price in the district was $639,900.