Status Update: Pet Food Express opens in Laguna Hills; Meals on Wheels needs your help
Pet Food Express is open in Laguna Hills in the Oakbrook Village next to Trader Joe’s.
The store made its official debut on Dec. 14.
It’s the 69th location in California for the Concord-based chain, and the second for Orange County. The other is in Huntington Beach. The company dates to 1976 when Michael Levy started a dog training business in the Bay Area.
The store sells a wide array of pet food related products. It also offers a self-serve pet wash station and in-store dog training classes. It also offers same-day delivery, plus the option to buy online and pick up orders at the store.
Address: 24241 Carlota Ave.
The pet food retail scene took a hit in early December, when the Lake Forest location of Pet Wants closed its doors .
The pet store closed after six years at Heritage Hills Plaza on Lake Forest Drive.
Design studio, decor shop opens in Costa Mesa
Molly O’Neil, a Newport Beach native, recently opened Molly O Architectural Interior Design Studio in Costa Mesa.
The studio and home decor shop specializes in luxury residential and hospitality projects.
Hours: 9 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday and by appointment on Saturdays. Address: 1663 Placentia Ave.
For more information, go to mollyointeriors.com or call 949-423-4685.
New urgent care for Hoag in Newport Beach
By year’s end, Hoag will open its 17th urgent care facility, this one inside the Hoag Health Center Newport Beach – Jamboree.
The urgent care, officially open on Dec. 30, will be staffed with roughly 100 doctors and 150 staff members. Patients with illnesses and injuries, from coughs and colds to aches and accidents, can be treated there.
Address: 4699 Jamboree Road in Newport Beach. Hours: 8 am to 8 pm Monday through Friday and 8 am to 5 pm Saturday and Sunday.
For more information, go to hoagurgentcare.com .
Donations sought for Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels OC needs help from the community to get meals to shut-in seniors this season.
The is asking for $10 donations to pay for an organization holiday meal.
Donations of any amount can be made online at MealsonWheelsOC.org
Meals on Wheels says one in four older adults in Orange County struggle with hunger. The nonprofit helps by providing a million meals annually to at-risk older adults in the county.
Mentors needed for Dragon Kim program
Adult volunteers are needed to mentor the annual Dragon Kim Fellowship.
The fellowship is a seven-month social entrepreneurship program that awards community service grants to high school students in Arizona, California and Nevada. Each student is required to create and manage programs that will impact their communities.
The foundation is looking for experienced adult mentors to work with the high school students. Projects topics include musical and visual arts, academics, business, environment, mental health, STEM and robotics.
For more about the organization, go to dragonkimfoundation.org/fellowship
$9.4 million gift will support OCC students
The Orange Coast College Foundation was recently given a $9.44 million gift from an alumni donor, the largest in the school’s history.
OCC declined to identify the donor.
The money will go toward students in OCC’s Visual and Performing Arts programs.
“Investments like this one in our OCC arts students can have a profound impact on an institution like OCC,” says OCC President Angelica Suarez. “Donors are recognizing that their investment in our community college can benefit a greater number of students compared to other sectors of higher education.”
This money will be used to establish the OCC Endowment for the Arts, a scholarship fund for students continuing their education at OCC or transferring to other institutions.
Some of the money will also support performance and exhibition opportunities.
On the move
Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County recently promoted two employees and hired two new ones for four director roles. The promotions include Vanessa Lopez to director of food safety and facilities, and Starlite Ossiginac to director of strategic initiatives. Toyah Brooks was hired as director of operations, and Crystal Tosello as director of its annual campaign.
Vanguard University recently promoted Michael Pearlman to chief financial officer and Shree Carter as chief of staff. Both Pearlman and Carter had been serving in interim roles in their respective positions, the university said. Carter, during her 25 years at Vanguard, has held multiple roles, most recently as the director of Organizational Strategy. Pearlman has been with Vanguard for two years.
On board
Tyler Diep and Chi Charlie Nguyen were recently sworn in to the board of directors at the Midway City Sanitary District. Diep was re-elected, having previously served in four terms since joining the board in 2006. Nguyen was re-appointed for a third term. Sergio Contreras was appointed as the board president.
Appointments
Cypress resident Love Adu was recently appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to the California Community College Board of Governors. She has been a Voters Choice Act ambassador for California Secretary of State, peer tutor at Cypress College, senator at the Associated Students of Cypress College, publicist for the Cypress College Honors Program and policy researcher at Diversify our Narrative since 2024. The position does not require Senate confirmation; compensation is $100 daily. Adu is not registered to vote.
Grants
Nonprofit Radiant Futures in Fullerton was recently awarded an annual grant of $15,000 from The Rosendin Foundation. The money will go toward counseling services for survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. “The funds will help support the mission of Radiant Futures to use survivor-driven, trauma-informed practices to build a safer community,” said Mark Lee, the nonprofit’s chief executive officer. For more information about Radiant Futures, go to www.radiantfutures .org.
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.
