What’s Up in Huntington Beach ?

Huntington Beach’s Weekly Report For week of June 7, 2010.

Well let’s start out with the good stuff and work our way down to the not so good stuff.

60th Annual Pier Swim

The Community Services Dept. will hold its 60th Annual Huntington Beach Open “Rough Water” Pier Swim on Saturday, June 12.  The first race is for ages 16-31 and will start at 8:45 a.m.  The second race is for Masters through Ultra Masters and starts at approximately 9:30 followed by the Junior Men and Junior Women, 12-15 years of age at 10:15 a.m.  Trophies will be awarded, first through third places, in each of the eleven divisions with the Gene Belshe Memorial Perpetual Trophy going to the winning team and a trophy to the first Huntington Beach boy and girl.

This is one of the first regular ocean swims of the season. Almost 400 contestants participated last year.  The public is invited to participate or come and watch the competition.  Registration will be taken at the beach on June 12 between 8:00 and 8:30 a.m. – $20 without a shirt.  A limited number of shirts will be available for purchase.  For further information, please call 714-536-5486.

Yoga on Saturdays for Beginners – NEW!

Learn to create balance with proper breathing techniques, body alignment/posture & restore flexibility in a specially designed yoga class — A traditional small class giving individual attention to each student.  This Saturday class is held at the City Gym and Pool beginning June 26 at 10:30 a.m.  For more information, contact the City Gym and Pool at 714-960-8884 or sign up at www.hbsands.org today!

H B Seniors give $2 million in  Services

Senior Services Volunteers – in 2009, over 400 Senior Services Volunteers contributed 51,492 hours of service which calculates to an amazing $2 Million dollars in value to senior services!  Because of this dedicated team of volunteers, Huntington Beach has a thriving senior center and outreach center with a wide range of services, activities and classes.

Several volunteers became members of 500 Hours Club including kitchen volunteers, Beulah Asbra, Doris Byrd and Fanny Hunter; Handy Crafters, Mary Kanaske, Verdelle Web, and Inge Weinfeld; Travel Coordinator Betty Hickey; Meals to the Home Volunteer Ida Dollinger; Computer Teacher Lewis Russakov; and Driver John McGrew.  Also in the 500 club were the Huntington Beach Council on Aging President & Vice President, Don MacAllister and Judy Ann Morris.  Volunteers are essential to the success of the programs of Senior Services and there is always a place for new volunteers.  Currently summer substitutes are being sought for the Meals to the Home program and Transportation program.  Experienced golfers are needed for the On Course Golf Tournament and Office Support volunteers are needed for the busy Outreach Center.  For more information on available volunteer opportunities, contact Diane Swarts, Volunteer Coordinator at 714-374-1544 or dswarts@surfcity-hb.org.

Annual Art Benefit Auction & Art Experience Dinner – June 11, 2010

From now thru June 11, the public is invited to view the 10th Annual Art Benefit Auction works in the main galleries.  These pieces have been donated by a myriad of contemporary artists in a range of media.  The work will be auctioned off to the highest bidder on June 11.  Proxy bidding is available.  Contact the Art Center on 714-374-1650 to register your details. The Art Experience Dinner precedes the Auction event.  Cucina Alessá, our community partner, will be providing the fine dining experience. Only a limited amount of tickets are still available at $75 per person. Call the Art Center on 714-374-1650 to reserve your tickets today.

Children’s Summer Art Camp – Art at the Beach

The Summer Art Camp Program is bursting with a range of fun–filled art activities taught by our knowledgeable and professional artists.  The camp dates are June 21 – August 13. Children between the ages of 6 – 12 can choose from full and half day sessions.  You can register at the Huntington Beach Art Center or reserve your place online at www.hbsands.org.  For more information, call 714-374-1650.

Now to the not so good stories… someone’s house got smoked!

On the afternoon of June 1, 2010, the Fire Department responded to a fire on Skylark Drive. When the first unit arrived, there was smoke and fire showing from a one-story single family home. Twenty-one firefighters, including mutual aid from the Orange County Fire Authority, brought the fire under control in ten minutes. The fire started in a rear bedroom and extended into the hallway. The occupants were not at home at the time of the fire. The cause of the fire is being investigated. The estimate for property loss is $40,000 due to fire and smoke damage.

….and last but not least !

There was a Hit and Run Traffic Accident on June 6, 2010, at about 4:45pm, Huntington Beach police officers responded to the H & R at Pacific Coast Highway and Magnolia Avenue.  The victim, a 21 year old male was crossing the roadway in the crosswalk when he was stuck by a Ford Taurus that went through a red light heading southbound on PCH.  The pedestrian victim received serious injuries and was treated by the Huntington Beach paramedics and then transported to UCI Medical Center.

H B officers were able to locate the suspect driving his vehicle near his home in Newport Beach.  Our officers arrested the driver, Richard Elwood Swanson, a 59 year old resident of Newport Beach.  He was booked in the Huntington Beach city jail for felony charges of Driving Under the Influence and Hit and Run.

ANd that’s the news from Huntington for this week.

What’s Up in Huntington Beach?

Huck Finn Fishing Derby

Last Saturday was a great day at the pier for 250 kids and their families in the 46th Annual Huck Finn Fishing Derby.  As the children, up to age 15, grabbed their lucky spot, parents watched on and untangled fishing lines.  Sponsors donated so many prizes that no one went away empty handed.  The top prizes were bikes donated by Sport Chalet along with a full assortment of fishing gear and fishing trips.  Let’s Go Fishing donated enough bait for everyone.  Members of Fish Talk Radio presented many prizes and secured donated items including fishing trips, poles, and other tackle.  Poles and assistance were available from the Department of Fish and Game.

Children’s Library to Host Concert for Record Breaking Summer Reading Program’s Participants!

This year’s Summer Reading Program, “Home Run Readers”, is breaking previous year’s records.  The final tally for the 2008 program was 5056 participants.  So far, with less than a week to go, an amazing 5123 children have signed up for the 2009 program!  Sponsored by the Angels Baseball Foundation and the Beach Pit BBQ, this year’s program has been wildly popular.  With so many children signed up, the children’s librarians are extra appreciative of the teen volunteers.  Upwards of 200 young adults have volunteered their time to staff the prize desk, read aloud to children, help at Storytime or shelve books this summer.  This is another record breaker, as last year’s volunteers tallied in at around 160.  To top it all off, on August 14, the final day of the program, children’s musical performer “Razzle Bam Boom” will be making a special appearance outside at the Central Park Bandstand.  There will be two shows at 11 am and 1 pm, free for anyone who participated in the program and their family members.  Hot dogs, drinks, and snacks will be on sale.  Since this day will most likely be a scorcher, guests are advised to bring sunscreen and hats! Public Comment Meeting on Downtown Specific Plan Draft EIR

Downtown Specific Plan Update
The Planning Department and Economic Development Department will hold a public comment meeting on Thursday, August 13 at 6:00 P.M at City Hall, Room B-8, to take comments related to the adequacy of the environmental issues analyzed in the Downtown Specific Plan Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR).  Hodge & Associates, the consultant who prepared the Draft EIR, along with city staff, will be present to answer questions and record comments on the Draft EIR.

Vandalism in Gibbs Park

Gibbs Park, also known as Butterfly Park, is on the west side of Graham between Warner and Heil Avenue.  During this past weekend an unknown person(s) broke the tops off about ten of the younger trees in the park.  These trees had recently been planted by a Boy Scout troop.  The police department is looking into this vandalism, but at this time there are no suspects or witnesses to what occurred.  The police department is also making extra patrol checks of the park, which has a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. park curfew.raft EIR is available on the Planning Department website at:
http://www.surfcity-hb.org/Government/Departments/Planning/major/DTSP.cfm.  For additional information, contact Jennifer Villasenor, Associate Planner, at (714) 536-5271.