Huntington Beach Fire Department

Developer honored by tourism industry One of Surf City's most popular hotel developers is being honored this month for his contributions to the local tourism industry. Stephen Bone, president and chief executive officer of Newport Beach development firm the Robert Mayer Corp., will be presented with the Orange County Tourism Council's legacy award at the upcoming Service Excellence Awards. The award recognizes lifetime contributions to businesses that serve tourists. Bone has been instrumental in developing and building Huntington Beach's two beachside resorts, the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa and the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort.

As fires burned in northern Los Angeles County two weeks ago, members of the Huntington Beach Fire Department were there battling the blazes with their fellow firefighters. That might seem a bit far from home, but the Fire Department's efforts could pay off if things get bad in their backyard. The firefighting work was part of a statewide agreement among fire agencies to help one another in time of need. It's an agreement that should help us all sleep a little easier, knowing we're not only in the capable hands of our local firefighters -- they've also got backup if they need it. The fires in Topanga and Burbank were just the latest reminder that we never know when a disaster may strike that requires us to call for extra help.

Bicyclist killed by car A Huntington Beach man was killed while riding a bicycle when an alleged drunk driver hit him on Sept. 29, police said. Chris Joseph Kalina, 44, was riding a bike southbound on Newland Avenue near Jenny Street at 6:43 p.m. when a black 2006 Dodge Charger drifted to the right and hit him, police said. Kalina was transported to UCI Medical Center in Irvine, where he died of injuries early Friday. Police officers at the scene determined that the driver of the car showed visible signs that he had been drinking.

Dave Brooks Huntington Beach received a record number of grants in 2004, totaling more than $12 million. The money came from a wide range of private and public sources, allowing the city to invest in different programs without spending money from the general fund. Most of the money was obtained using grants and funding requests written by city staff. The 2004 Summary of Outside Funding estimated that 1,930 personnel hours were spent drafting proposals for the $12 million.

The American Cancer Society's Huntington Beach Relay for Life Planning Committee held a kickoff party on Feb. 24 at the Meadowlark Golf Club in preparation for the 11th annual Huntington Beach Relay for Life to be held on June 4 and 5 at Golden West College. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R -- Huntington Beach) and Mayor Jill Hardy addressed the community and encouraged attendees to participate in the fight against cancer. Members of the Huntington Beach Fire Department and the Huntington Beach Police Department also attended to show their support ... Erin C. Silverlake, a Huntington Beach resident, was recently named to the College of Arts and Sciences' Dean's List at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore. To make the dean's list, students must earn a grade-point average of 3.7 or higher.

Shepherd cemetery The council will hear an appeal from the Orange County Catholic Diocese over a recent Planning Commission approval of the Good Shepherd Cemetery expansion. Church officials want to build a three-story, 85,000-square-foot mausoleum, a 10,000-square-foot maintenance facility and a series of one-story garden crypts to run along the perimeter of the property. WHAT TO EXPECT The Planning Commission's approval of the project included some changes to the cemetery's drainage system that Diocese officials say will be very difficult to manage.

Dave Brooks The Huntington Beach Fire Department is getting a new set of $155,000 ambulances. Looking to update its current fleet and correct some problems with its past line, Fire Chief Duane Olsen has added two new Truck Modular Freightliners to his fleet and hopes to add an additional two in the next couple of years. "This is really about the safety of the patients," he said during a City Council tour of the ambulances Monday. The Huntington Beach Fire Department has a contract with the city to be the sole ambulance service provider within city limits, handling about 2,500 calls a year.

Gun tossed during pursuit, four arrested A loaded gun discharged when it was thrown out of a vehicle involved in a police chase shortly before 11 p.m. Saturday at the intersection of Newland Street and Slater Avenue, police said. A Huntington Beach Police officer tried to make a traffic stop on a white Mitsubishi heading east on Warner Avenue, but the driver of the vehicle, Javier Medrano, 19, of Santa Ana, didn't stop, Huntington Beach Police Sgt. Dave Bunetta said.

Three people robbed at knife point Three people were robbed at knifepoint Saturday morning on Heil Avenue, police said. A 22-year-old man and a woman, also 22, both from Huntington Beach, and a 19-year-old Garden Grove man were accosted at about 10 a.m. in the 4700 block of Heil Avenue. No one was hurt in the robbery. Police are still looking for two suspects. One is described as a man, 5-foot-10, about 24-years-old, with a thin build, dark short hair, and a goatee, wearing light-colored shorts and a blue shirt.