Around Town: Town hall to discuss projects
A town hall meeting presented by Newport Beach Mayor Pro Tem Diane Dixon to provide an update on projects and plans in her City Council District 1 will begin at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the former City Hall, 3300 Newport Blvd.
The district includes West Newport, the Balboa Peninsula, Lido Isle, Bay Island and Newport Island.
Dave Webb, the city’s director of public works, will provide an update on projects such as Marina Park and improvements to 15th Street and Balboa Boulevard. Guests will have a chance to ask questions and make comments.
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Part of Ocean Boulevard to close
A portion of Ocean Boulevard in Corona del Mar will be closed beginning Monday for pavement reconstruction.
The street will be closed between Iris Avenue and Lookout Point until construction is finished March 22.
For more information, call Frank Tran at 949-644-3340.
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Concordia offers Africa program
Concordia University in Irvine plans to expand its international programs in the fall semester with the new Master of Arts in International Studies Africa program.
The one-year graduate curriculum, offered through the School of Professional Studies, will combine a fall semester of coursework on campus with spring and summer semesters spent in Accra, the capital of Ghana in Africa.
Informational sessions will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and on April 23, May 26 and June 23 in the Dahlgren Boardroom in Grimm Hall at Concordia University, 1530 Concordia West, Irvine. For more information and applications, visit https://www.cui.edu/academicprograms/graduate/international-studies/africa or contact admissions counselor Taylor Sirna at (949) 214-3615 or taylor.sirna@cui.edu.
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CdM board to talk conservation, street sweeping
Water conservation tips and proposed changes to the Corona del Mar street sweeping schedule will be discussed at the Corona del Mar Residents Assn. board of directors’ monthly meeting at 7:30 a.m. Thursday.
The meeting will be at the Oasis Senior Center, Room 5, 801 Narcissus Ave. For more information, call (949) 719-9390 or visit https://www.Cdmra.org.
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Hearing set on records dispute
A hearing has been set for April 13 in Orange County Superior Court in an attempt by the former personnel chief of the Newport-Mesa Unified School District to compel the district to release public records.
John Caldecott, a 10-year district employee, had wanted a copy of a written response to an internal complaint he filed against Supt. Fred Navarro, but a school district attorney denied his request in December on grounds that the “privacy rights of the employee outweighed public interest in the case,” according to Caldecott’s court filing.
The school board fired Caldecott on Jan. 27, shortly after he asked a Superior Court judge to require Newport-Mesa to release internal documents that he argues are public under the law.
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Northwood High wins Grammy Foundation award
Northwood High School in Irvine has been selected as a Grammy Signature School by the Grammy Foundation for the third consecutive year and the sixth time since it opened in 1999.
The accolade for music education is being presented this year to 13 schools nationwide. Northwood’s music program will receive $3,500 as part of the award.
Winning applicants for the honor were chosen by a committee of music educators and professionals.
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UCI names dean for School of Medicine
Dr. Howard Federoff, executive vice president for health sciences and executive dean of the School of Medicine at Georgetown University, will join UC Irvine as vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine on July 1, the university said.
Federoff will oversee and guide the development of UC Irvine Health, providing strategic direction for the clinical programs of UC Irvine Medical Center and its affiliated patient care centers and guide UCI’s academic programs in nursing science, public health and pharmaceutical sciences, the university said.
Federoff will replace Dr. Roger Steinert, who has been interim dean of the School of Medicine since Dr. Ralph Clayman retired in July.
“I am quite excited to be joining UCI, which has a highly regarded history of medical care, education and research,” Federoff said in a statement provided by UCI. “I plan to bring a fresh perspective to this new position and guide our medical school and health-care enterprise to new heights.”
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Newport woman honored for hospice work
Arnetta Robinson of Newport Beach, community relations liaison at Sea Crest Home Health and Hospice in Costa Mesa, is the March/April recipient of Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary’s Oliver Halsell Care Award, which honors people who have demonstrated exceptional care in their profession and community.
Robinson, who also is board chairwoman of the Pacific Hospice & Palliative Care Foundation, has more than 20 years’ experience in the health-care industry. After her sister lost a 16-year battle with lupus in 2002, Robinson transitioned to hospice care to help people battling terminal illnesses. She now travels throughout Orange County to discuss with patients how they would like to live their remaining days.
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Restaurant gives to nonprofit
SOCIAL Costa Mesa recently contributed $637.50 to Project Hope Alliance, a Costa Mesa-based nonprofit that aids homeless children.
In January, the restaurant on West 19th Street donated $2.50 of each brunch entree bought by customers during its “Brunch for Lunch” program.
The funds will help Project Hope Alliance provide school lunches for homeless Orange County youths.
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Singers wanted for anthem contest
If you’ve watched celebrities on TV sing the national anthem and think, “I can do that,” you have a chance to prove it.
Southern California residents 13 and older are invited to send a YouTube video link of themselves singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” for a contest in which the winner will sing the anthem for an expected 3,500 people at Fairhaven Memorial Park’s 23rd annual Memorial Day event, “Celebrate Freedom,” on May 25 in Santa Ana.
Entries in the “Oh, Say Can You Sing” contest can be submitted between March 25 and April 30 at contest@fairhavenmemorial.com. Entry is free.
For more information, contact Cynthia Adair at (714) 532-8921, ext. 289, or cadair@fairhavenmemorial.com.