CITY ROUNDUP:Silva opposes Iraq War bill

Assemblyman Jim Silva voiced opposition this week to a bill in the state Assembly that would put the Iraq War up for public referendum in California. He said such a vote would not be binding and would embolden terrorists in Iraq.

If passed, SB 924 would ask voters during the 2008 primary election whether they support ending the war and withdrawing troops immediately.

“As a father of two children who graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy, one of whom is still serving as a fighter pilot, I look forward to the day the war in Iraq is over,” Silva said in a news release. “But passing legislation like SB 924 accomplishes nothing more than demoralizing our troops while empowering those terrorists who fight against them.”

Advisory Board seeks diverse membership

The Citizen Participation Advisory Board is looking for more members, as it will have four vacancies by the end of September. Residents who wish to apply must fill out their forms by Sept. 7, and if appointed they would begin their terms in October.

The board’s purpose is to recommend how to allocate funds for Community Development Block Grants, the federal program that gives cities significant leeway in addressing issues like infrastructure, anti-poverty efforts, and affordable housing.

Low-income residents and minorities are especially encouraged to apply, as the city says it wants to represent diverse views regarding socioeconomic issues.

To get an application, go to https://www.surfcity-hb.org/ Government/boards_commissions/. The board meets monthly, generally at 7 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month.

For more information, call Carol Runzel, Senior Administrative Analyst in the Economic Development Department, at (714) 536-5224.

Portofino Circle gets a public access sidewalk

A local conservationist group has successfully established a new access route to the coast in Huntington Harbour, opening up an area closed to the public for years.

There is now a public access sidewalk at Portofino Circle off Sparkler Drive, opening up foot traffic to the sea wall there, Orange County Coastkeeper announced this week.

A new automatically locking gate near the Portofino Cove Condominiums will let in the public from sunrise to dusk, according to a news release from the group.

The organization has contracted with the California Coastal Conservancy and will manage the Portofino Public Access Boardwalk, providing signs, benches, trash cans and the locking system.

Parking for the route is available at nearby Seabridge Park on Countess Avenue.

“The state of California has determined that all coastal areas are open to the public,” said Orange County Coastkeeper’s director Garry Brown. “Any resident of California should have access to the beach.” For more information, visit www.coastkeeper.org.

Library summer reading

This year’s summer reading program at the Children’s Library drew 4,493 children. The program, called “Get a Clue @ Your Library,” had almost 1,900 children earn the right to a prize; to do so, they had to read either 50 books or 1,500 pages over the summer.

Assistance program seeks toy donations for project

The city’s assistance program for low-income single parents, Project Self-Sufficiency, is looking for toy donations for its “Birthday Toy Closet.”

Children with a parent in the program can pick out a toy as a present on their birthdays, but the closet is now bare. New, unused toys are needed.

Bring donations to the Project Self-Sufficiency office on the fifth floor of City Hall, 2000 Main St.

Police Department promotes two

In the wake of one retirement at the Huntington Beach Police Department comes two promotions.

Sgt. Mitch O’Brien will be promoted to lieutenant and will take on duties as a watch commander; previously, he has worked at the Professional Standards Unit as well as narcotics and patrol work. Det. Chad Nichols, recently assigned as a sexual assault investigator, will be promoted to sergeant.

Those promotions follow the retirement of Lt. James “J.B.” Hume.