Kirby joins former NFL player Chris Kluwe and Huntington Beach Councilmember Gracey Van Der Mark, who have already declared their candidacies for the open seat in 2026.

Kirby grew up in Riverside County and spent 12 years as a U.S. Coast Guard petty officer. After leaving the Coast Guard in 2023, he founded Krieger Gaming, a veteran and first responders nonprofit that aims to connect people experiencing mental health problems or facing isolation to come together through video games.

“One of my deep passions is mental health and actually getting people the help they need,” Kirby, a Huntington Beach resident, said.

Kirby recently earned a bachelor’s degree in science and environmental science from the American Military University. But in mid-June — after watching the military intervention during the protests in L.A. and growing unhappy with what he called the Trump administration’s “misuse of power” — Kirby said he decided to run for office.

“Prior to that, I had no interest in being a politician,” Kirby said. “But I feel like this is going to be the best way for me to actually push forward ideas that I believe are going to benefit all Californians, not just picking sides or playing party politics.”

Kirby, who is running as a Democrat, said he has always been unaffiliated with a political party, but running as an independent would pit him against both parties. He said his voting behavior and platform mostly align with the Democratic Party.

His priority focus is protecting individual and constitutional rights, especially the freedom of speech and the importance of giving everyday citizens a voice, he said. Kirby also wants to improve the problem of homelessness in the 72nd Assembly District.

“We have all of these things that we’re not actually solving, we’re just moving them around from place to place,” Kirby said.

In addition to focusing on mental health and protecting the coastlines and water systems, Kirby said he wants to invite the people affected by state legislation into the lawmaking process itself.

“I want to start a program that I want to push forward to the state of California, where we peer review all of our documents,” Kirby said. “It should be peer reviewed by people that it affects.”

The 72nd Assembly District spans from Seal Beach to Laguna Beach and juts inland to include  Aliso Viejo, Lake Forest and Laguna Woods. Assemblymember Diane Dixon, R-Newport Beach, is running for a spot on the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

Like Kirby, Kluwe — a former player for the Minnesota Vikings — is also a first-time candidate. He announced his bid for election after his recent arrest during a Huntington Beach City Council meeting regarding the installation of a plaque with a MAGA acrostic outside the city library.

Van Der Mark was the first to announce her campaign for the open Assembly seat. She sits on the Huntington Beach City Council and previously served one year as the city’s mayor.

“It’s empowering to know that you can impact a kid’s life so they’ve got access to the world,” she said. “It’s the kids that have kept me going.”

For the 25th time on Saturday, June 28, Hertz will be a judge for the National Braille Challenge held at USC.

The only academic competition of its kind in the nation for students who are blind or visually impaired, the challenge will host 50 of the world’s best braille readers in five age categories and five contests, competing for first, second and third places. To get there, the students won preliminaries held in the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and Ireland.

By 2030, 7.2 million Americans are projected to have visual impairment. Only 8% of visually impaired students are primary braille readers, according to data from the Braille Institute of America. But a survey of students who have participated in the challenge found that 80% have pursued higher education, which institute officials said highlights the program’s role in fostering academic success.

The annual competition promotes the importance of braille literacy and motivates students to practice and hone their braille skills, Hertz said.

Younger readers — those in kindergarten through fourth grade — are challenged in three categories: spelling, proofreading and reading comprehension. Readers in grades five through 12  compete in those, plus a speed and accuracy contest and in reading charts and graphs.

The speed and accuracy contest is Hertz’s baby.  After two dozen years judging it, the Aliso Viejo resident is affectionately known as the “Simon Cowell of Braille.”

Speed and accuracy is the competition’s most challenging event, she said, and each person scoring the contest has to be braille certified.

The contest involves students listening to a narration and transcribing what they hear in 45 minutes. To win, there can be no spelling errors, no missed punctuation and no confusion in what they’re writing.

Those who win, Hertz said, have good spelling skills, auditory skills and “braille meticulously.”

Claire Stanley, now 37 and an attorney and lobbyist in Washington, D.C. for the American Council of the Blind, won the challenge in 2007 as a high school student at Mission Viejo High.

For her, learning braille has been invaluable, she said.  A brain tumor took her sight at 9, and she spent about two years in a Capistrano Valley Unified School District classroom learning the code.

The contest was meaningful, she said, because it was a special event just for low-vision and blind students.

“It was a fun and exciting way to bring us together,” she said Thursday, after flying in to attend the event. “There were so many things that my sighted peers could participate in, but this was just for us. It was great to meet others and build relationships and share stories.”

While more recent technological advances have provided digital textbooks, Stanley said dependence on the technology has also led to fewer braille teachers and a loss of connection with the texts.

“It’s just so important to learn braille because you’re just really engaging with the literature, and I just think that’s much more helpful to engage in what you’re reading and understand it,” she said.

Learning to braille and transcribe

Hertz, 71, was first exposed to braille in 1989 when she assisted Rachel Heuser, a teacher in the Capistrano Unified School District who worked with visually impaired South Orange County students.

“One day she asked me if I’d play Go Fish with a blind first grader, who was just learning braille,” Hertz said. “There were these cards with just raised dots. We were learning the first 10 letters, and I played with her, just matching up the letters. After playing for an hour, I knew five or six letters.”

She stuck with it, ultimately earning her certification as a braille transcriber.

Heuser, of Laguna Niguel, who retired from CUSD in 2019, said she was impressed by Hertz’s attention to detail and her conviction that blind students deserve the right to literacy, just like sighted students.

“There was a shortage of braille transcribers and I wanted to do everything to encourage her,” Heuser said. “Jana is a person that’s driven by her beliefs. Working with the blind resonated with her.”

Hertz recalls another blind student, 13 years old, who had come from Mexico and had never been exposed to braille or attended school before. Hertz was with her through high school, transcribing texts and what the teacher wrote on the whiteboard.

“I explained to her what she didn’t understand because she had her materials in braille and sometimes she didn’t understand what the braille was saying,” she said. “I was the bridge between print and braille.”

And, then there was Stanley, whom Hertz transcribed for from second grade through her senior year. Because Stanley took honors classes, many texts weren’t readily available in braille through the district, and Hertz transcribed everything she needed.

“I probably worked her too hard sometimes, but she was wonderful,” Stanley said of the many documents Hertz transcribed for her.

Stanley didn’t give Hertz a break after high school, either. Following her graduation from UC Davis, Stanley called Hertz again for help after enrolling as UC Irvine’s first blind law student.

“A true braille transcriber like Jana knows how to format things,” Stanley said, adding that proper formatting is really important in legal briefs. “It’s important to know where things begin and where they end. With braille technology, someone would plug in a braille embosser, hit emboss and whatever would pop out.”

To become really good at transcribing, Hertz said patience, precision, continuing education and an unyielding commitment to detail is required.

“One dot difference can mean the difference between ‘brother’ or ‘brothel,”‘ Hertz said. “One dot can make a huge difference. When you learn to become a transcriber, the only certifying agency in the United States is the Library of Congress.”

And that takes completing a 19-lesson coursework and transcribing the equivalent of about 20 written pages with fewer than seven errors.

In addition to working for the Capistrano Unified school district, Hertz taught braille transcribing and how to become certified at the Braille Institute in Anaheim until 2017,  and continues to teach online.

Game Day

Hertz gets excited as the challenge approaches, knowing she’s going to see the “best of the best” competing, she said. “They’re all winners.”

It will take Hertz and her team nearly eight hours to read and score the submissions. If questions arise — “Was it an error in braille? Was it a ghost dot?” — the judges confer, coming to a decision together.

Over the years, there have been some humorous mix-ups, Hertz remembered, like when all the finalists misunderstood “sexual rivalry” for sectional rivalry and “missypissy” for Mississippi.

Hertz has yet to see a contestant with a perfect score, but she has had some come very close.

The contests, she acknowledged, usually consist of more than can be completed in the allotted time. Students are given two or three passages to braille — that’s about 1,200 to 1,500 words in 45 minutes.

After the judging wraps, the festivities begin. The excited contestants file in dressed in their finest, she said. Before each winner is introduced, the audience learns a little about them.

“I’m very proud of all of them,” Hertz said. “It makes me proud that I play a small part in something so endearing and so meaningful.”

Transcribing braille, she said, is “profoundly human” because it gives those who are blind or sight-impaired a way to receive information independently and not rely on someone else’s voice or presence to access the world.

“That is the dignity of braille,” she said. “That is its power.”

“And that is why I care so deeply about transcribing well,” she added. “It’s not just about following the rules, though, of course, we must. It’s about honoring the person who will one day pick up that page and trust that what they feel is accurate, reliable, and made for them.”

Van Der Mark, who took a turn as the city’s mayor last year, is vying for the coastal 72nd Assembly District seat, an open spot in 2026 because Assemblymember Diane Dixon, R-Newport Beach, is running for a spot on Orange County’s Board of Supervisors.

“Huntington Beach has been amazing for my family, and I just wanted to move forward and preserve those values for the state, bring some common sense back into California,” said Van Der Mark.

She said she is focused in her campaign on public safety, homelessness, parental rights and taxes.

Van Der Mark enjoys a fellow conservative majority on the Huntington Beach City Council dais — but in Sacramento, Democrats lead the legislature and executive branch.

“I am open to working with other legislators to actually get things going,” said Van Der Mark when asked about navigating that change, should she be elected. “I don’t think we should just stick to one side or another of the aisle. If it makes sense, we should move forward together.”

On the City Council, Van Der Mark has been involved in myriad polarizing decisions, including changes to the city’s libraries, legal challenges to the state’s housing mandates and a voter ID requirement for city elections, which voters approved in 2024.

Although she’s lived in Huntington Beach for 24 years, Van Der Mark grew up in Maywood, a small city south of Los Angeles. She is the daughter of immigrant parents. Between her and her husband, she’s a mom to seven.

Van Der Mark said she decided to jump into the race because she believes the 72nd Assembly District needs a “strong conservative” to represent it — and with Dixon leaving the seat, it’s losing that type of representation, she said.

“I wanted to honor her service by stepping up and continuing her legacy,” said Van Der Mark, whose term on the City Council is up in 2026.

The 72nd Assembly District spans the coast in Orange County, from Seal Beach to Laguna Beach, jutting inland to include Aliso Viejo, Lake Forest and Laguna Woods.

As of February, the latest report from the secretary of state, registered Republicans make up 39.8% of voters in the district, Democrats account for 32.14% of registered voters, and 21.32% are no party preference.

Van Der Mark is already backed by former GOP Assembly leader Scott Baugh, according to her campaign.

The mall, now half of its former shape, saw the back end of the property demolished in 2024. Left alone in the back parking lot was the hulking remains of JCPenney, boarded up and idle.

Newport Beach-based Integral Communities is proposing 167 two- and three-story condominiums for the back side of the mall. Amenities will include a pool, play area, bocce ball court and lounge areas.

The city this summer will begin the approval process for the homes, which includes an environmental impact report  and community engagement sessions.

Representatives from Lennar Homes and the mall owner TRC will be attending the ceremonial launch of demolition on Thursday.

Address: 1500 E Village Way

99 Ranch open in Aliso Viejo

99 Ranch Market opened its newest grocery store last week at The Commons in Aliso Viejo.

The Buena Park grocery chain specializes in Asian pantry goods, produce, fish meat, household tools, a bakery, hot food and more.

Shopper tip: New 99 Ranch app users will often get a cash-value coupon to use at the cash register.

The shopping center was reimagined by its owner, ValueRock, which revamped a vacant Lowe’s and several smaller stores into new retail spaces, including 99 Ranch, a Tesla showroom and service center, Daiso, Philz Coffee, Pet Evolution and Paris Baguette.

Still to come at The Commons: Lucky Strike bowling, a Sender One climbing facility, Omomo Tea Shoppe, and a curry restaurant.

ValueRock previously said it was spending at least $115 million to convert the center from a traditional strip mall into something “new and exciting.”

Address: 26519 Aliso Creek Road

USC radiation oncology clinic opens in Newport Beach

USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the Keck Medicine of USC, recently opened a radiation oncology and imaging center in Newport Beach.

The 12,500 square-foot Keck Medicine of USC – Newport Beach Radiation Oncology and Imaging offers imaging and radiation therapy technology including positron emission tomography – computed tomography, also known as the PET-CT and computed tomography scanners for the diagnosis, treatment simulation and monitoring of cancer. The clinic also has two linear accelerators that aim precision radiation at tumors.

The proprietary SCINTIX “biology-guided radiation therapy,” or BgRT, also is available for patients. The imaging system uses an injected tracing compound that interacts with cancer cells and sends signals with the location of cancer cells, according to Keck Medicine. That location helps guide radiation treatments with a specificity not found in traditional radiation therapies.

Patients interested in the treatments offered should have their primary physician or oncologist call 949-507-6700 or email NewportBeachRadOnc@med.usc.edu.

For more on the facility, go to KeckMedicine.org/OCRad. Address: 4590 MacArthur Blvd.

On the move

Steve Metcalf is the new virtual chief artificial intelligence officer at TeamLogic IT in Mission Viejo. TeamLogic IT said he will lead the development and implementation of AI strategies for the company. Previously, Metcalf was the co-founder and chief executive of Imagine AI Live, a summit that explored AI’s potential in business. TeamLogic IT provides managed IT services and technology support for small and midsize businesses.

Kitt Jones at Roland DGA has taken a new position as Segment Manager of Interior Design and Surface Decoration at the Irvine firm. Jones previously was Business Development and Co-Creation manager.

Matt Myers recently joined the Roland DGA team as North American sales manager for DIMENSE and Design. He most recently was a sales manager within Epson’s Pro Graphics division.

Matt Koenigsmann, previously Roland DGA’s Atlanta Imagination Center manager, is now a Business Development Applications specialist and will focus on support and pre-sales efforts for the Roland DGA wide-format digital printer line.

On board

Christopher D. Tower recently was appointed to the board of governors at Orange County Community Foundation. He has 40 years of experience as a certified public accountant working in financial oversight, sustainability and leadership. Tower most recently led environmental, social and governance services at the accounting firm BDO.

Meals on Wheels Orange County recently appointed four new board members and one returning member. They are: Ana Flor, chief people officer at Attom Data Solutions in Irvine; Aaron Malo, partner in the Orange County office of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP; Sagar Patel, chief revenue officer for Care Partners At Home; William Young, founder and president of the Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly Association; and Stuart Moss, the board’s former chairman and a partner and managing director at Keystone Capital Markets.

Good works

Beyond Blindness raised $235,000 at its eighth annual Vision Beyond Sight Gala held Thursday, March 27 at Mile Square Golf Course in Fountain Valley. The money raised will go toward programs and services offered by the nonprofit, which helps children with visual impairments and other disabilities “achieve their fullest potential.” Find out more at beyondblindness.org.

Grants

The Irvine Unified School Board on April 17 received $2 million from Irvine Company and the Donald Bren Foundation. The contribution is part of a 20-year, $50 million commitment to the district’s Excellence in Education Enrichment program, which supports art, music and science programs for every fourth- through sixth-grader. Since it was established in 2006, the program has provided resources for 200,000 elementary school students.

Status Update is compiled and written by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items and high-resolution photos to sgowen@scng.com. Allow at least one week for publication. Items are edited for length and clarity.

The building, named 2525 Main St. after its address, was nearly full with nine tenants at the time of the sale, according to Cushman & Wakefield, which represented J+R.

Before the sale, the building on nearly 4 acres underwent upgrades to its common areas and offices. J+R Group also added a six-story parking garage, and got residential entitlements on its excess land.

The company last year proposed converting another Irvine office tower into residential units, according to the OC Business Journal.

“The exceptional common areas focused on tenant amenities along with the future use optionality on the flex portion of the site make for a rare and very attractive investment opportunity in the premier submarket of Orange County,” said Jeffrey Cole, executive vice chairman at Cushman.

Chemical distributor leases in Brea

A specialty chemical distributor recently leased 4,571 square feet at Brea Place.

IMCD US, a subsidiary of IMCD Group, leased Suite 570 at 135 S. State College Blvd., a six-story mid-rise building near Brea Mall.

NAI Capital Commercial represented IMCD US and the landlord, Hines.

Based in Cleveland, Ohio, IMCD US has locations in La Mirada and Oakland, offering coast-to-coast distribution.

Brokerage debuts in Newport Beach

Three real estate finance veterans recently formed CrownPoint Partners, a real estate brokerage and advisory firm.*

Formerly with Graystone Capital Advisors, the trio of Julius Swolsky, Shannon Bona, and Don Bingham recently opened bi-coastal headquarters with offices in Newport Beach and West Palm Beach, Florida. Bona will lead the Florida office.

The firm also hired Suramya Miller to run operations.

Their specialities include commercial properties in retail, industrial, office, medical and special-purpose sectors.

For more information, call 949-386-6162 or email suramya@crownpoint.co.

On the move

Shalon Hopkins recently was named senior vice president of accounting and finance at Pacifica Hotels in Aliso Viejo. She brings 20 years of experience, the company said, and will oversee Pacifica Hotels’ cash flow management, financial reporting and compliance strategies. Previously, Hopkins was chief financial officer at Quorum Hotels & Resorts and before that was CFO at at Pacific Hospitality Group.

Michael Freed recently joined the Saywitz Co. in Newport Beach as the firm’s director of maintenance and construction. The Corona resident has 25 years of experience in the field, including head of construction for Sunrise Senior Living. He also was supervisor of maintenance and construction for the San Bernardino County Housing Authority and its portfolio of multifamily properties. At Saywitz, Freed will oversee a division that includes maintenance, turnovers, acquisitions, renovations, tenant improvements and construction management.

James deRegt recently joined SRS Real Estate Partners as senior vice president in the firm’s Newport Beach office. Previously with Lee & Associates, he has 30 years of industry experience in industrial brokerage and investments in Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. Also joining SRS is Nick Krakower as a senior vice president and RJ Dumke as associate. Krakower specializes in acquisition, disposition and leasing of industrial properties in the Orange County, Inland Empire and mid-counties markets.

Jon Mitchell and Xavier Hendricks recently joined Kidder Mathews in Irvine as senior vice president and senior associate, respectively. Mitchell, with 29 years of experience in multifamily sales, previously he led a multifamily team at Cushman & Wakefield and spent 24 years at Marcus & Millichap in Orange County. With six years of experience, Hendricks specializes in multifamily investments across Orange County and San Diego County.

Milestones

Tim Jemal, the chief executive officer of NAIOP SoCal, was named the Commercial Real Estate Man of the Year for 2025 by Cal State Fullerton’s College of Business and Economics Center for Real Estate.

Jemal was named CEO of the industry group in 2020 and has since helped expand membership 60% to more than 1,300 members. The group also said revenue under Jemal have increased 68%.

“When I became NAIOP SoCal’s first-ever CEO my goal was to elevate the organization to be the leading voice for commercial real estate in Southern California,” he said in a statement. “It is very humbling to have such an incredible university like Cal State Fullerton honor my work.”

Under his leadership NAIOP SoCal also launched the Orange County version of the popular Commercial Real Estate Challenge that pits graduate students from two universities in a contest to see who can redevelop a commercial site in the most innovative and useful way. The Orange County challenge includes Chapman University and UCI who vie for the Orange Cup. Last year the teams dug into possible options for the Laguna Niguel Ziggurat. UCI won the Orange Cup.

Editor’s note: The news item on CrownPoint Partners was corrected to reflect that the new firm is a brokerage, not a lending firm.  

The real estate roundup is compiled from news releases and written by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items and high-resolution photos via email to  sgowen@scng.com . Please allow at least a week for publication. All items are subject to editing for clarity and length.

A lot has led her to this moment, but Kim Varet said the tipping point came when President Donald Trump returned to office alongside a Republican-controlled Congress after the 2024 election, “undoing progress” on issues she holds dear.

“I see what we could lose, and what we are losing every day,” said Kim Varet, a Democrat.

Waking up to headlines about the Trump administration rolling back diversity, equity and inclusion efforts — or dismantling the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, which advised the president on cultural policy — has been eye-opening, Kim Varet said. The committee, which dissolved twice under Trump — first in 2017 when members resigned in protest and again during his second term — was reinstated by former President Joe Biden in 2022 to advise him on arts, humanities and library services.

“I’m first and foremost an art historian,” said Kim Varet, who earned an art history degree from Yale University and a Ph.D. in the field from Columbia University.

“In an era when we need an educated public, (the administration) is stripping away the tools and mechanisms that keep people engaged and educated,” she said. “With the rise of AI (artificial intelligence), our creativity is going to be one of the biggest assets. But when you systematically stifle creativity, you are stifling what makes America great and what makes capitalism great in America.”

Her gallery, Various Small Fires, often highlights art that explores social justice, climate activism and the power structures shaping American politics.

California’s 40th Congressional District spans western San Bernardino and Riverside counties and eastern Orange County. It’s represented by Rep. Young Kim, R-Anaheim Hills, who plans to run for reelection in 2026, spokesperson Callie Strock said.

Republicans, according to the secretary of state’s latest tally of voter registration data from late October, make up 38.29% of registered voters, while Democrats are at 33.46% and 21.98% have no party preference.

Kim won reelection to a third term in 2024, garnering 55.3.% of the vote in the race with Democrat Joe Kerr.

Kim made history alongside Rep. Marilyn Strickland, D-Washington, and former Rep. Michelle Steel, R-Seal Beach, as the first Korean American women elected to Congress.

If elected next November, Kim Varet would join the ranks of Korean Americans in Congress.

Born in Dallas in the 80s to Korean immigrant parents, Kim Varet’s identity is a melting pot. Her grandparents fled North Korea during the Korean War, and her parents, who immigrated to Texas in their 20s, built and rebuilt their lives after a failed mushroom farm left the family with almost nothing.

“I think it’s easy for people to assume that I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth,” Kim Varet said. “I wasn’t.”

By the time Kim Varet was in middle school, her father had bought their first home, and her family was on their way to stability. Kim Varet attended top universities and launched her gallery from her Venice Beach kitchen in 2012 while working on her doctoral dissertation.

“That is what gave me the backbone to then continue building and looking for opportunities for myself in the future,” Kim Varet said. “And I feel like it’s such a familiar story to so many people in Orange County.”

A self-described “builder and fighter,” Kim Varet said she’s running on a platform focused on economic relief for small businesses and working- and middle-class families, affordable health care and protecting access to abortion, contraception and in vitro fertilization.

Kim Varet said economic issues aren’t just political talking points; they’re personal to her. As a small business owner, she’s experienced firsthand how rising costs affect both employees and the employer.

“I don’t have hundreds of employees, but the employees that I do have, they’re like family to me, so when the cost of living goes up for them, I know that they’re stressed out because they need a raise to feel like they can keep up,” Kim Varet said. “And then I’m stressed out because the cost of doing business is increasing, too.”

“The first cuts come with me. … I have to make those tough decisions all the time, and that kind of weight and understanding of those anxieties on a fundamental level of the people that are living through it every day is incredibly informative in how someone goes to D.C.,” she added.

Business is only one of many lenses through which Kim Varet says she sees the world.

Growing up in a Baptist church and attending a Christian private school for 13 years, Kim Varet said she learned how to connect with people from all walks of life — something she sees as essential in today’s divided political landscape.

“My family and my friendship roots are very religious, and I understand that that is part of my blood, too. So when issues like pro-life and pro-choice come up … what I believe doesn’t necessarily mean you have to believe it, too, right? I really feel like at this point in history, we need leaders that know how to unite people,” she said.

“I actually don’t care if you voted for Trump in the last election,” she said. “If you have common sense, come talk to me.”

Kim Varet, who also has a home in Aliso Viejo, said she plans to give voters plenty of opportunities to meet her in person — but not just through the typical town hall, precinct walk or campaign event.

While still in its early stages of planning, Kim Varet and her team want to launch a mobile coffee truck called “Common Ground” that will travel throughout the district, allowing voters to meet her, ask questions and share their concerns.

Her soon-to-open gallery in Tustin — set to open in the spring with exhibitions focused on the cultural history of Orange County — will also serve as a space for community conversations.

“I want to create mobile spaces where people can come meet me,” Kim Varet said. “I just want to really listen to people, I want to understand their needs … and those needs are changing every day, every hour.”

In the wake of such ruin, which could amount to $57 billion, roughly 140 Orange County restaurants will donate 20% of all sales on Tuesday, Jan. 14. Money will go to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank in support of their fire-relief efforts.

ALSO SEE: These Los Angeles restaurants offer food to fire evacuees and first responders

“We are in the business of feeding people, and now is the time for our businesses to feed those who need it most,” said Marco Criscuolo, owner and executive chef of Trattoria Trullo, in a written release. “These donations will enable the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to continue their support of 600 partner agencies and ensure that those most impacted by the fire have one less thing to worry about.”

A comprehensive spreadsheet of participating restaurants can be found here.

Here is a list featuring some of the OC eateries taking part in Tuesday’s dining effort:

• Apizza Doho (Dana Point)
• Artisan by 7 Leaves Cafe (Fountain Valley)
• Avila’s El Ranchito (Corona Del Mar, Lake Forest)
• Ballpark Pizza (Mission Viejo)
• Bar Becky (Long Beach)
• Bayside (Newport Beach)
• Benny + Mary’s (Irvine)
• Bistango (Irvine)
• Bosscat Kitchen & Libations (Irvine, Orange)
• Brio Tuscany Grille (Dana Point)
• Burns Road (Tustin)
• Cambalache Grill (Fountain Valley)
• Cappy’s (Newport Beach)
• Carlos Mexican Restaurant (Dana Point)
• Casanova Ristorante (Dana Point)
• Champagnes Kitchen (Newport Beach)
• Coffee Dose Cafe (Costa Mesa, Irvine, Laguna Hills, Stanton)
• Coffee Importers & Scoop Deck Ice Cream (Dana Point)
• Craft House (Dana Point)
• Darkroom (Santa Ana)
• El Cholo (Corona Del Mar)
• Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens (Newport Beach)
• Freddy’s Deli (Irvine)
• George’s Mexican Food (Huntington Beach)
• Glasspar (Dana Point)
• Hidden House Coffee (San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana)
• Homeslice (Dana Point)
• Honey Pot Meadery (Anaheim)
• Il Fornaio (Irvine)
• Il Girasole (Costa Mesa)
• Jack’s Restaurant (Dana Point)
• Jane (San Clemente)
• Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern (Dana Point)
• Jon’s Fish Market (Dana Point)
• Julep Cast Iron Kitchen (Brea)
• Kitsch Bar (Costa Mesa)
• Lantern’s Edge (Dana Point)
• Lido Bottle Works (Newport Beach)
• Lighthouse Cafe (Newport Beach)
• Lola’s by MFK (Anaheim)
• Luciana’s Ristorante (Dana Point)
• Lupe’s Mexican Eatery (Dana Point, from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.)
• Luxe Restaurant & Martini Bar (Dana Point)
• Micro Dose Drive Thru (Costa Mesa)
• Milligram Coffee (Costa Mesa)
• Mixing Glass & Market (Costa Mesa)
• Newport Rib Company (Costa Mesa)
• Orange Hill (Orange)
• Pampas Helados Argentinos (Aliso Viejo)
• Plums Cafe (Costa Mesa)
• Populaire Modern Bistro (Costa Mesa)
• Portola Coffee Roasters (Costa Mesa)
• Project Social (Dana Point)
• RJ’s Cafe (Dana Point)
• Rangeen Kitchen (Laguna Niguel)
• Royal Hen (Newport Beach)
• Sauced BBQ & Spirits (Irvine, Orange)
• Scratch Bakery Cafe (Laguna Hills, Newport Beach)
• Seabirds Kitchen (Costa Mesa)
• Shwack Beach Grill (Dana Point)
• Stadium Brew Co. (Aliso Viejo, Anaheim)
• Station Craft (Dana Point)
• Stillwater (Dana Point)
• Story Kitchen & Bar (Anaheim)
• Sun Bliss Cafe (Anaheim, Corona Del Mar)
• Ten Sushi (Irvine)
• The Cellar (San Clemente)
• The Longboard (Huntington Beach)
• The Point Restaurant (Dana Point)
• Toast Kitchen & Bar (Brea)
• Trattoria Trullo (Aliso Viejo)
• Trevor’s at the Tracks (San Juan Capistrano)
• Villa Roma (Laguna Hills)
• Wall Writers Coffee (Irvine)
• Wilma’s Patio (Newport Beach)
• Young’s Beach Shack (Dana Point)
• Zov’s (Newport Beach, Irvine, Newport Beach, Tustin)

Other dates:

• Angelina’s Pizzeria Napoletana on Saturday, Jan. 18 (Irvine)
• Bottega Angelina on Saturday, Jan. 18 (Laguna Hills)
• Gibroni’s on Wednesday, Jan. 15 (San Clemente)

Diners can book a table on Tuesday where available; call in advance to see if walk-ins are possible. Restaurants interested in joining this campaign are urged to contact jill@trattoriatrullo.com for details.

In addition to the aforementioned fundraiser, other O.C. restaurants have pitched in since the fires ignited.

Chef Andrew Gruel of Calico Fish House in Huntington Beach has offered free meals to those affected, as well as a temporary shelter. “We have a large parking lot, you can stay as long as you need and camp out,” he wrote on X. “We will provide free meals for all of those affected.” Gruel will also accept available volunteers, transportation of goods to L.A., and donations, including pet food, feminine care items, camping gear, water, gift cards, phone chargers and more. Amazon delivery donation items can also be sent to his restaurant at 16600 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach.

And OC Baking Company in Orange will offer fresh bread for people planning on making food runs to L.A. Individuals interested in assisting can contact chef-owner Dean Kim via Facebook Messenger.

L.A.-based restaurants, ranging from Spago to Sizzler, are also providing free food and drink to firefighters, first responders and evacuees.

Many Los Angeles dining staples succumbed to the Eaton, Hurst and Pacific Palisades fires, including the Fox, Gladstone’s, Moonshadows and Reel Inn, Cafe Vida, Casa Nostra, Cholada Thai, Rosenthal Wine Bar & Patio, Café de Leche, Minik Market, Rancho Bar and Pizza of Venice, to name a few.

This Teacher Fun Card is good through Dec. 31, 2025, with a few blackout dates: May 25, July 5, July 12, July 19, July 26, Aug. 31. .

Teachers can’t get the pass at the park; they must register for it online, using their teacher ID, and then visit the park at least once by May 31.

The pass doesn’t include parking, which at this writing was $35. Ouch. So load up the car, you teachers. Note this is only for K-12 credentialed teachers with ID. And it’s for a limited time.

To redeem this offer, eligible teachers must be verified through GovX, register online and visit the park by May 31. To learn more visit seaworld.com/san-diego/tickets/teacher-free-admission/

Billy Douraghi, 1, and Lucy Douraghi, 6, of Laguna Niguel sit with Santa during his appearance at Aliso Viejo’s annual All is Bright Holiday Celebration at the city’s Town Center on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Hundreds of families celebrate the holidays together with train rides, ornament making, a tree lighting and a visit from Santa during the annual All is Bright Holiday Celebration at the Aliso Viejo Town Center Fountain and Amphitheater on Thursday evening, Dec. 5, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Zach Fecteau of Aliso Viejo holds Willow Fecteau, 3, as they meet an Ice Princess during Aliso Viejo’s annual All is Bright Holiday Celebration at the city’s Town Center on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

A group of kids plays in fake falling snow during the annual All is Bright Holiday Celebration at the Aliso Viejo Town Center on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Santa arrives with a military escort at Aliso Viejo’s annual All is Bright Holiday Celebration at the Town Center on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Siena Sanchez, 1, of Capistrano Beach isn’t quite sure what to make of her first time meeting Santa during his appearance at the All is Bright Holiday Celebration at the Aliso Viejo Town Center on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Santa greets Jordan Cansino, 9, of Aliso Viejo as she steps up to his throne during the annual All is Bright Holiday Celebration at the Aliso Viejo Town Center on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Hundreds of families celebrate the holidays together with train rides, ornament making, a tree lighting and a visit from Santa during the annual All is Bright Holiday Celebration at the Aliso Viejo Town Center Fountain and Amphitheater on Thursday evening, Dec. 5, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Rich Cansino, Jordan Cansino, 9, and Christine Cansino, from left, of Aliso Viejo stand with Santa during his appearance at the annual All is Bright Holiday Celebration at the Aliso Viejo Town Center on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Presley Dickhout, 12, of Newport Beach, a member of the Avanti Aerial Team, performs tricks as she swings in the air during the All is Bright Holiday Celebration at the Aliso Viejo Town Center on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Nazni Nasr of Mission Viejo holds her daughter, Nora Nasr, 3, as they play in fake falling snow during the annual All is Bright Holiday Celebration at the Aliso Viejo Town Center on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Lucy Douraghi, 6, of Laguna Niguel steps up the meet the big guy during Aliso Viejo’s annual All is Bright Holiday Celebration at the city’s Town Center on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Hundreds of families celebrate the holidays together with train rides, ornament making, a tree lighting and a visit from Santa during the annual All is Bright Holiday Celebration at the Aliso Viejo Town Center Fountain and Amphitheater on Thursday evening, Dec. 5, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Billy Douraghi, 1, and Lucy Douraghi, 6, of Laguna Niguel sit with Santa during his appearance at Aliso Viejo’s annual All is Bright Holiday Celebration at the city’s Town Center on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

The Aliso Niguel High School Choir performs on the steps of the Aliso Viejo Town Center Amphitheater during the city’s annual All is Bright Holiday Celebration on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Santa welcomes families to the annual All is Bright Holiday Celebration at the Aliso Viejo Town Center on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

The Aliso Niguel High School Choir performs on the steps of the Aliso Viejo Town Center Amphitheater during the city’s annual All is Bright Holiday Celebration on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Santa and Aliso Viejo Mayor Mike Munzing flip a giant switch to illuminate the city’s 22-foot Christmas tree during the annual All is Bright Holiday Celebration at the Aliso Viejo Town Center on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Laura Rubright of Aliso Viejo helps her daughter, Kasey Rubright, 6, create a Santa dog ornament at a craft table during the annual All is Bright Holiday Celebration at the Aliso Viejo Town Center on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Aliso Viejo residents welcomed Santa Claus and the holiday spirit during the city’s annual All is Bright Holiday Celebration.

Gathering at the Aliso Viejo Town Center, residents enjoyed entertainment, including aerial acrobats, fun family activities, the lighting of the city’s tree and visits with Santa.

Snow even fell.

The company, founded 70 years ago, makes all of its traditional ice cream from scratch using three main ingredients: cream, eggs and sugar. Ice cream flavors are leveled up with additions like jam, chocolate, caramel, coffee, nuts, fruit, crumbles and more.

Seasonal flavors include Martinelli’s apple cider and cranberry jam, reindeer tracks and pumpkin spiced latte. There’s also vanilla with California brittle, coffee with molasses chips and scoops that feature See’s Candies.

Dairy fans, prepare your stomach for this one: McConnell’s creamy concoctions are loaded with 18% milk fat, considered among the highest percentage in the ice cream industry.

For customers who skip the dairy, there are oat-milk based options including passion fruit lemon swirl, chocolate fudge, salted caramel chocolate swirl, vanilla and a peanut-butter chocolate crunch. McConnell’s also sells fresh-baked cookies in chocolate chunk, brownie and peanut butter crunch.

Address: 31864 Paseo Adelanto Suite 104 San Juan Capistrano

*Reps with McConnell’s Fine Ice Cream told us Monday, Nov. 11 that the opening day is delayed to Dec. 5.

Barber shop opens at The District

Perhaps you’ve seen the popular social media videos that feature amazing makeovers of young men at the barber shop. The trend is all about the “high fade,” which trims hair close to the scalp along the sides and leaves a longer mop of hair on top.

Well, fans of the high fade can get that same look at Golden Vision Barber Shop, a new “grooming destination” at The District at Tustin Legacy.

Golden Vision features haircuts, beard trims and hair designs, according to the retail center’s landlord, Vestar.

The shop is in The Promenade next to RAKKAN Ramen. Address: 2437 Park Ave.

Christmas tree lightings

The Outlets at San Clemente will unveil its Santa Clemente Village installation at its 10th annual Tree Lighting Concert and Ceremony at 5 pm Saturday, Nov. 16. The village includes Santa’s house, a surf shop, a coastal-inspired post office, a candy store and other holiday storefronts – all surrounding the center’s Christmas tree. Country singer Caleb Lee Hutchinson will headline the celebration’s concert with performances from Calvary Chapel, the Full Circle Boys and students from OCSA’s Montage.

South Coast Plaza will hold its tree lighting ceremony at 6:30 pm, Thursday, Nov. 21 at the Westin hotel (Town Center Park) adjacent to the shopping center. Students from Orange County School of the Arts will perform.

Crystal Cove will light its tree and greet Santa Claus on the sand at sundown Saturday, Dec. 7. The festivities in front of the Beachcomber restaurant include a meet-and-greet with Santa, who arrives by lifeguard truck just before the sun hits the horizon. The conservancy also serves cookies, hot chocolate and hot cider to guests before the tree is lit after sundown. Visitors can park across the street at Los Trancos parking lot on Pacific Coast Highway. A shuttle goes between the lot and the entrance near the restaurant. 

Ambry Genetics sold again, this time for $600M

Aliso Viejo-based Ambry Genetics is being acquired by Tempus AI Inc., an artificial intelligence tech company focused on healthcare, in a deal valued at $600 million.

Chicago-based Tempus announced the deal Monday, Nov. 4 in its third-quarter earnings report.

Ambry, a genetics testing company founded in 1999 by Charles Dunlop, was acquired in 2017 by Tokyo-based digital technology company Konica Minolta in a deal valued at nearly $1 billion.

Tempus said it will pay $375 million in cash and $225 million in shares at closing.

The Ambry acquisition, Tempus said, will provide it with expanded testing capabilities for inherited cancer risk and new disease categories, including pediatrics, rare disease, immunology, women’s reproductive health and cardiology.

Milestones

Goodwill of Orange County celebrated its centennial with a gala on Saturday, Oct. 5, raising more than $520,000 to support the nonprofit’s programs which go toward helping at-risk residents gain work experience and career development.

Fundraisers & grants

Olive Crest in Santa Ana recently was awarded a $225,000 grant from Northgate González Market, which collected donations from its customers. The nonprofit, which serves 5,000 children and families daily in the Western U.S., credited Northgate for its support over 11 years. The money will go toward Olive Crest programs that help prevent child abuse by supporting families in crisis. For more information about the organization, contact Rhonda Tagge via email at Rhonda-tagge@olivecrest.org.

Beyond Blindness set a tournament record, raising more than $132,000 at its annual Dr. Frank Villalobos Fall Golf Classic held Oct. 14 at Coto de Caza Golf & Racquet Club. The money will go toward Beyond Blindness programs, which help children with sight challenges through early intervention, education and enrichment and family support services. For more information, go to beyondblindness.org

Extraordinary Lives Foundation, a children’s mental health and emotional wellness nonprofit, raised roughly $200,000 at its comedy night fundraiser held Oct. 23 at the Marconi Automotive Museum. Gala proceeds will support ELF’s two biggest programs, Piggie BEAR and the Children’s Emotional Wellness Week. For more information about ELF, go to elfempowers.org.

On board

Stefan Bean, Orange County superintendent of schools for the Orange County Department of Education, was recently appointed to the board of directors at the Orange County Business Council. He was appointed last June as the county’s 12th superintendent of schools and previously was executive director of Irvine International Academy.

Status Update is compiled and written by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items and high-resolution photos to sgowen@scng.com. Allow at least one week for publication. Items are edited for length and clarity.