Paul Clinton

Paul Clinton A second-grade class at Ralph Hawes Elementary School worked on a familiar Huntington Beach problem -- cleaning up the beaches. Taking their science lesson to a new level, children dabbed up oil with cotton balls, hay and other items to learn how to accomplish the task. Divided into three tables, the children dipped the items into an aluminum pan filled with water and oil. "Try to soak up the oil spill," said Cynda Jennings, the teacher.

Paul Clinton Community leaders putting on a popular fund-raiser are almost ready to throw their ducks into the soup for the annual Duck-A-Thon. The event, now in it's 10th year, has been scheduled for the weekend of May 18 and 19. Organizers carefully picked the day, so they would have an incoming tide, when the miniature rubber ducks are tossed off the Huntington Beach Pier. "We don't like picking them up in Catalina," said Pat Davis, the event's lead organizer.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher and U.S. Commerce Secretary Don Evans presented a local minority-owned business with a federal award and encouraged others like it to "go globally and grow locally." On an afternoon trip to Aranda Tooling Co., in Surf City, Rohrabacher and Evans presented owner Pedro Aranda with the commerce department's Export Achievement Certificate. The company manufactures small hand tools. Evans said small Latino-owned businesses are the "backbone of our nation's economy" and credited Aranda with successfully marketing and selling the tools in Japan, Mexico and other world markets.

Paul Clinton The Huntington Beach Community Clinic has hired two new full-time physicians to increase its staff. The clinic used funds provided by Measure H and the Orange County tobacco settlement initiative to hire the physicians. Miles Masatsugu, a family practice physician, and Patricia Riba, a pediatrician, are both now on board at the clinic. "With the addition of these two key physicians, [the clinic] can provide continuity of care [and]

Paul Clinton The Orange County Grand Jury has issued a seven-point indictment of the Orange County Sanitation District's decision to withhold crucial data about bacterial contamination near Huntington Beach's shoreline. The report, released on Tuesday, critiqued the agency, saying its leaders have "not disclosed the existence of all publicly funded studies." The grand jury cited "The 20 Meter Study," a 1996 report paid for by the district -- funds derived mostly by rates passed on to users.

Paul Clinton A man allegedly held up a Huntington Beach bank and made off with $1,500 in cash. At 4:11 p.m. on Wednesday May 29 a man allegedly passed a note, demanding money and warning that he had a gun, to the teller of the Bank of America branch at 16811 Algonquin St., before making off with the money, police said. Witnesses in the bank described the thief as 25, a Latino or light-skinned black man, 5-feet-7, about 150 pounds, with short dark hair, freckles and a gap between his front teeth, police said.

Paul Clinton The Costa Mesa Sanitary District postponed a decision on whether to support or oppose a federal sewage waiver for the county sewer agency. Board members unanimously supported putting off the decision until June 24, two days before the Orange County Sanitation District decides whether to chase the waiver. Nine cities have lined up to oppose the waiver, which allows the district to discharge 240-million gallons of partially treated sewage into the ocean.

Paul Clinton Twenty-five hearty souls threw their warm bodies into the chilly water near the Huntington Beach Pier on New Year's Day, as part of the annual Polar Pier Plunge. "In a word, it is exhilarating," organizer Michael Parks said. "It's a mental challenge. It's not exactly easy to throw yourself into 55-degree water." The group of friends, many of whom live in Surf City, have been plunging into the water on New Year's Day since 2001.

Paul Clinton Kaden Bruner and Natal Morrow have been best friends since they met in preschool when they were 2. With both children now celebrating their seventh birthdays, they're teaming up to participate in the spirit of holiday giving. It may have taken a little nudging from their parents, but the two friends and classmates at Tamura Elementary School will be handing over their birthday gifts to children spending the holiday season at City of Hope Medical Center, in Duarte, who are there getting treatment for various types of cancer.

Paul Clinton The Orange County Health Care Agency posted warnings at two points in Huntington Harbour after discovering heightened levels of bacteria. The Sunset Aquatic Marina and Peter's Landing Marina were both hit with the postings on April 18 at 4 p.m. bringing the number of affected areas in the harbor to three. Harbour Channel at Coral Cay had been previously added to the agency's list. Swimmers and divers are warned to stay out of the water, when a section of the harbor is posted to avoid the health risk.