CITYSCAPE ROUNDUP:Boeing wins $700-million contract

Boeing Co., which has a plant facility in Huntington Beach, won a $700-million contract for its Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle rocket program with Delta IV launch capability.

The contract involves working with Vandenburg Air Force Base in California and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and a host of system engineering and technical support systems and teams. The contract was placed by the Headquarters Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base, and about $400 million has already been set aside.

Contractors began bidding for the contract in April 2005, and negotiations were completed in June this year. The contract is expected to be completed by September 2007, according to an industry publication, the Defense Industry Daily.

The rocket program design will help reduce the cost of government-funded space launches through standardization of equipment and bidding by contractors.

Youth board raises $3,200

A fundraiser for the Huntington Beach Youth Board on Nov. 18 and 19 raised about $3,200 for organizing events at Albertson’s Shopping Center at Yorktown Avenue and Main Street.

Youth board members, parents and friends volunteered to serve bratwursts, provided by a Johnsonville Brats truck, and other food, including chips, buns, condiments and drinks, donated by Albertson’s general store manager John Oborny.

The money raised will be used by the board to plan the “Youth in Government Day” in April 2007. All four high schools in Huntington Beach participate in the event, allowing 170 teenagers to observe city employees as they go about their everyday routine.

Book signing by local authors

After Thanksgiving, it’s time to gear up for Christmas and other holidays with local author Chris Epting on hand to sign his best-known work “Images of Huntington Beach” and his new book, “The Ruby Slippers, Madonna’s Bra and Einstein’s Brain, The Locations of America’s Pop Culture Artifacts.”

Epting will sign his books at the California Greetings store from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. He also penned the book “Marilyn Monroe Dyed Here, James Dean Died Here, and Elvis Presley Passed Here.”

The Huntington Beach writer will appear with San Clemente-based author Roberto Diaz for the book signing in downtown Huntington Beach. Diaz will sign his new children’s book, “My Surf Tricks,” in which he writes about surfing, reading and parent-child bonding.

“I wrote this book for my own son to share in my passion for the ocean,” Diaz said in a news release. “ ‘My Surf Tricks’ is designed to help children get acquainted with different surf moves and to provide a fun way to encourage children to read.”

California Greetings is at 301 Main St. #110 in the Plaza Almeria buildingParking is available. For more information, call (714) 960-1688.

Calendars for the Bolsa Chica

The Bolsa Chica Land Trust is offering its annual wall calendar for $10 to raise funds for preservation, educational and restoration efforts at the Bolsa Chica. The calendar features the work of local photographers, including local environmentalist Mark Bixby, at the Bolsa Chica wetlands.

The land trust is printing the calendar for the fourth consecutive year. Last year’s batch was sold out. The calendars can be ordered by calling (714) 846-1001 or e-mailing the Land Trust at [email protected] or ordering on the website at bolsachicalandtrust.org. There’s also an offer to get five calendars for $39.95 plus shipping. The Land Trust is also stocking the calendars at some stores and at its office.

H.B. hotel to sell Disneyland tickets

If you plan to visit Disneyland in the winter, Hotel Huntington Beach guests can buy tickets directly from the hotel. The hotel is now an authorized ticket vendor for Disneyland. Tourists can buy tickets at the hotel and get to the park admissions gates without the hassle of standing in line to buy tickets.

The hotel, which sits across from the newly-opened Bella Terra mall on Center Avenue, is within close driving distance to Disneyland in Anaheim. Tickets will be sold seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, visit HotelHB.com.