Briefly in the news

Fletcher Jones Motorcars in Newport Beach recently announced that

sales figures for the first half of 2001 almost topped the $200 million

mark. This amount equals a 25% increase from the same period last year.

New vehicle sales went up 16%, and demand for older models increased

62%.

Fletcher Jones is at 3300 Jamboree Road, Newport Beach.

Information: (949) 718-3000.

Community center hosting Angels baseball getaway

The city of Costa Mesa’s recreation division will present a “Family

Night Out” excursion to the Angels vs. Yankees Baseball game Friday at

the Edison International Field of Anaheim. Families are welcome to attend

and should meet at the Balearic Community Center, 1975 Balearic Drive,

Costa Mesa, at 5:30 p.m.

At least one adult must register for a group of, at most, five

children. The trip will end at 11 p.m. $15 per participant. Registration

will close Wednesday.

Information: (714) 754-5158.

Vanguard University names new event coordinator

Karen Rydin of Santa Maria was recently named Vanguard University’s

new Concert and Performing Arts Event Coordinator for the music

department.

Rydin will coordinate the scheduling and booking of off-campus

concerts, as well as concerts presented every year by the university’s

Concert Choir, Orchestra, Women’s Chorus, Vanguard Singers and Band,

Stage Band and the Vanguard Players.

The new coordinator will also arrange concert and tour logistics for

each group.

Rydin graduated from North Central University in Minneapolis with a

degree in church music. Her experience includes working as Assistant.

Music Minister for Pacific Christian Center in Santa Maria and teaching

music to elementary school students.

Information: (714) 556-3610, ext. 457.

Opera Pacific readying four new productions

Opera Pacific’s 16th season will begin in September and run through

May 2002 with four productions at the Orange County Performing Arts

Center, one at the Irvine Barclay Theatre and the third annual Festa

Italiana at the Irvine Bowl.

Collaborations include a performance of Jean-Phillipe Rameau’s Platee

in September at the Center, presented by Opera Pacific and the

Philharmonic Society of Orange County and the Voices in Song series by

Opera Pacific and The Center.

Giuseppe Verdi’s “Rigoletto” will open the subscription series in

November at The Center, Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” will follow in January,

Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” will be staged in February and Jake

Heggie’s “Dead Man Walking” will be presented in April.

Gioacchino Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville,” a fifth non-subscription

production, will be staged in May at the Irvine Barclay Theatre.

Information: (714) 830-6371.

South Coast Plaza to host Z’Tejas

Paul Fleming, known as the P.F. in P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, and

Michael Archer, former president of Morton’s of Chicago, recently

announced that Z’Tejas Southwestern Grill will open in mid-September at

South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa.

The opening will be the restaurant’s first California location.

Hours will be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 11 a.m.

to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Happy Hour will be hosted from 3:30 to

6:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays with half-price appetizers and drink

specials.

South Coast Plaza is located at 3333 S. Bristol St., Costa Mesa.

Information: (714) 979-7469.

Soho opening up its first West Coast store

Soho, a retail boutique with fashions and accessories for women,

recently opened its first West Coast location at South Coast Plaza’s

Crate & Barrel/Macy’s Home Wing in Costa Mesa.

Soho’s collection includes designs by Apple Green, Betty Page,

Hollywood Jeans, Policy and such European names as Coltura and NYK.

South Coast Plaza is at 3333 Bear St., Costa Mesa.

Information: (800) 782-8888.

Race for the Cure returns to Fashion Island

The 10th Anniversary Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Orange

County Race for the Cure will be held Sept. 23 in Fashion Island in

Newport Beach.

Participants can compete as individuals or as a team with colleagues,

friends or family members in any of the race’s categories, which include

a 5K run or walk and the Family 1-Mile Fun Walk.

For those who can’t run in person, registering can be done online at

o7 https://www.occure.comf7 . Entry fees will help raise funds.

Volunteers are also needed to help at the race.

For registration information, race times and fees, call (714)

957-9165.

Kids Day America to promote health for kids

Michael Corey, a Corona del Mar chiropractor, will present Kids Day

America from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 22 at his office, 2867 E. Coast

Highway.

He will share information on health, child safety, environmental

awareness, free computerized spinal exams and disease prevention.

The Newport Beach Police Department will offer free child

fingerprinting kits. McGruff the Crime Dog will make a special

appearance. And the Newport Beach Fire Department will bring a fire truck

and hand out safety information to children.

Activities include judo demonstrations, clowns, face painting,

giveaways and prize-drawings.

Free. Information: (949) 673-8489.