CITYSCAPE ROUNDUP:Emergency siren test Friday

Residents should step outside and open their ears at noon this Friday, as Huntington Beach tests out its recently-upgraded emergency siren system.

“People who might not have heard it in the past may be hearing it now for the first time,” city spokeswoman Laurie Payne said of the sound of the beefed-up sirens.

All fire stations in the city are equipped with the sirens, which are designed to warn residents of impending disasters. Examples would include hazardous chemical spills, tsunamis or a collapse of the Prado Dam on the Santa Ana River.

If the alarms ever do sound outside of a scheduled time, residents should immediately turn on a radio to KWVE 107.9 FM, the official station for government emergency alerts.

From now on, tests will take place at noon on the first Friday of every month.

For information, call Glorria Morrison, the city’s emergency services coordinator, at (714) 536-5980.

Area revitalization workshop on May 10

Residents with an interest in the planned revitalization of Beach Boulevard and Edinger Avenue are invited to a community meeting on the issue May 10. The Economic Development department and Planning department are hosting the meeting on the Beach/Edinger Corridor Study area.

At the workshop, participants will learn about challenges to development, opportunities and restraints to revitalization, transportation and economic issues, and will have the chance to contribute ideas.

The city mailed 1,425 notices to property and business owners in the area. The notice is also available online at www.surfcity-hb.org/ CityDepartments/Planning/.

For more information, call associate planner Rosemary Medel at (714) 536-5271, or call project manager Paul DaVeiga at (714) 536-5544.

Get your ducks in a row

for annual event

The 15th annual Huntington Beach Duck-a-Thon, which benefits the nonprofit Community Care Health Centers, is coming up on May 18-20. As happens yearly, thousands of rubber ducks will be tossed into the waters off of Huntington Beach Pier to race to shore for prizes at 3 p.m. May 19. Local businesses will get to compete with each other as well, racing jumbo-sized “big mama” ducks launched into the ocean. A wine tasting will kick off the festivities at 6 p.m. May 18 at Pier Plaza, while the Duck Festival lasting throughout the weekend will feature food, crafts and other entertainment.

Ducks can be purchased at the Community Services department on the fifth floor of City Hall, 2000 Main St.; prices range from $10 for a small rubber duck to $125 for a large, “Aloha”-themed corporate duck. Wine tasting tickets are $40 per person in advance.

For more information, or to purchase ducks or tickets to the wine tasting, call (714) 536-6712.

Meals to the Home needs volunteers

Huntington Beach Senior Services is in great need of volunteers for its Meals to the Home program that provides prepared food for the frail and elderly. Volunteers deliver meals in their own vehicles once a week, for a two-hour shift, either on a permanent route or as a substitute.

The Meals to the Home program serves 160 qualified clients, bringing them three meals per day from Monday to Friday. According to a city news release, volunteers delivered 102,000 meals in 2006, and demand is expected to rise this year.

To volunteer, or for more information, call Diane Swarts at (714) 374-1544. Fingerprinting and a background check are required for applicants.

Volunteers needed to

test water quality

Orange County Coastkeeper is looking for volunteers to help test water quality this Saturday at the Bolsa Chica Wetlands as part of California Snapshot Day.

The fifth-annual event is a day of fun meant to inform the public about local water-quality issues. Volunteers will receive training and sampling kits before being sent off to local lakes and streams to collect samples. At the same time, teams from the Citizen Watershed Monitors of Orange County will be testing sites as well to gather the most accurate data.

In addition to the testing, attendees will have the chance to see demonstrations and pick up educational materials, take a nature hike, participate in trash pickup and listen to a special speaker.

Volunteers can either show up at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Bolsa Chica Wetlands, 3842 Warner Ave., or call Ray Hiemstra at (714) 850-1965 for more information.

Major repairs to senior complex to begin

A recent city inspection of the Emerald Cove Senior Apartment Complex, which the city built in 1986 to provide affordable housing for seniors, has determined that major repairs are needed. Work required includes repairs to the exterior balconies and decks, the roof, and plumbing work, as well as general interior repair.

After formally soliciting bids for the project, the City Council awarded the $606,920 contract to AAA Restoration.

Construction will begin midway through May, and it is expected to last four to six months.

Fourth of July parade coordinator honored

The Huntington Beach Fourth of July Executive Board has given its 2007 Bill Gallienne Award to consultant Ronnie Lomas.

The award honors a volunteer, employee or consultant for a long period of support for the annual Fourth of July Parade.

Lomas and her husband Bill Lomas, who own Pageantry Productions, celebrate their 30th year coordinating all details of the parade this year.

“The parade has grown over the years, right along with the ever-expanding celebration, and we’ve enjoyed each year,” said Ronnie Lomas in a news release. “Working with the Huntington Beach 4th of July Board has been both exciting and rewarding.”

For information on this year’s parade, visit www.hb4thofjuly.org.