City gets $2 million to improve beach

A state coastal protection agency has handed the city $2 million

to help fund the final stage of a 10-year effort to improve South

Beach.

City officials are chipping in $9.5 million in matching funds for

the project. The California Coastal Conservancy awarded the grant

Jan. 23.

“The world class beaches of Huntington Beach attract some 11

million people a year,” Coastal Conservancy Chairman Paul Morabito

said. Conservancy board members tapped in to clean-water measure

Proposition 40, which was passed by state voters in March, for the

funds.

City officials will use the grant to build new restrooms, showers

and seating areas. Improvements to the 1,760 feet of the pedestrian

and bicycle trail area also planned. In addition, the city will add

new beach overlooks, reconfigure traffic circulation and parking,

plant new landscaping, install public art, security lighting and a

public address system and revamp lifeguard buildings.

Construction is set to begin in the spring. Without the grant,

work would have been delayed until 2004.

The city has completed other improvements to the base of the pier,

North Beach and South Beach. Designs began in the mid-1990s.

The city has financed the public improvements through a

combination of grants, bonds and awards from the American Trader oil

spill. The city issued a revenue bond in 2001 to cover the costs of

the South Beach improvements; the bond fell about $2.5 million short

of the entire cost.

South Beach extends down the coast from the Huntington Beach Pier

approximately one mile.

Surf City’s Surfline names new CEO

Local surf-information provider Surfline Inc. has named Jonno

Wells as its new chief executive officer. Company President Sean

Collins made the announcement Tuesday.Wells, in this post, will take

over the company’s operations of sales, marketing, business

development, product development and international licensing, Collins

said.

Wells joins the company from technology company CMP Media ,where

he held various positions in publishing, operational management,

sales and business development during a 16-year stint. CMP Media is

based in San Francisco.

He grew up surfing the waves off Newport Beach and Laguna Beach.

Founded in 1985, Surfline provides up-to-the-minute surf and

weather forecasts. Its reports are available in a print copy and by

phone, fax, wireless Web and the Internet. The service reaches more

than 1 million subscribers per month.

Harman seeking Assembly fellows

Assemblyman Tom Harman, who represents Surf City, is looking for

applicants for the 2003-04 Assembly Fellowship program.

The 11-month program gives college graduates the opportunity to

become full-time Assembly staff members working on fiscal and policy

issues.

Fellows also participate in a weekly academic seminar with

legislative members, senior staffers, journalists, lobbyists and

other state officials. They can earn 12 graduate credits from Cal

State Sacramento and are paid a monthly stipend of $1,882. They are

also given medical and dental benefits.

Applicants must have earned their degrees by September 2003. No

specific major is required for the program. The program is also open

to people with advanced degrees or those who are already in a career.

Eighteen fellows are elected in May, after an initial screening of

the applications and interviews with semi-finalists. The deadline for

submitting postmarked applications is Feb. 26.

Applications are available at Harman’s local office at 17011 Beach

Blvd., suite 570. For more information, call (714) 843-4966.

Fish and game seek senior volunteers

The Department of Fish and Game is expanding its senior volunteer

program to include Orange County. Until now, the program has only

been active in San Diego County.Seniors interested in volunteering 24

hours a month will be trained to educate Orange County communities

about the environment.

The new branch will focus on coyote education and control, habitat

and pollution awareness, and coastal marine education.

Applicants must be at least 50 years old and have a valid

California driver’s license. Completion of an 80 hour training

academy as well as attendance at a monthly staff meeting is required.

Volunteers must also attend periodic refresher training seminars.

To apply, contact Kent Smirl at (714) 638-8488, (714) 448-4215 or

e-mail him at [email protected]. Information is also available at the

Bolsa Chica Interpretive Center. (714) 846-1114.

The application deadline is Feb. 10.

DVD retailer crosses border into Surf City

Entertainment retailer Image Entertainment Inc. is moving its DVD

Planet.com store down the street, on Beach Boulevard, from

Westminster to Huntington Beach.

The store is set to open at its new, larger location at 16672

Beach Blvd. on Feb. 1.

DVD Planet has been at 15251 Beach Blvd., a former Ken Crane’s DVD

and Laserdisc, since 1999.

DVD Plant’s new store, which is under construction, will be

adjacent to Beverages and More in the Huntington Collections shopping

center. It will occupy a 8,500-square-foot space in part of the

former Anna’s Linens space.

-- Compiled by Jenny Marder and Paul Clinton