Week In Review

In 1970, Owen was a Costa Mesa police officer then and one of the first officers at a fire at Bethel Towers. He helped people evacuate and was nearly trapped while helping someone escape.

While Owen was a police officer, as is most of his side of the family, Mike became a firefighter. But the career path wasn’t an odd choice, father and son said. Mike was always into the subject and excelled in his explorer program. And while Mike didn’t follow in his father’s footsteps, he contributes to public safety, which is more than his father could ask for.

BUSINESS

Hotel halves ceremony rates for gay, lesbian couples

The Wyndham Orange County hotel will provide a 50% discount to gay and lesbian couples who want to have commitment ceremonies at the hotel.

General Manager Tom Smalley conceived the program because he believed same-sex couples often felt uncomfortable taking vows in public. The Wyndham’s package will apply to the first 50 couples who register; possibly more, if the calls come in rapidly enough.

Rabbi Marc Rubenstein of Temple Isaiah in Newport Beach applauded the incentive and said he had conducted a same-sex commitment ceremony in the past. Ric Olsen, lead pastor of the Beacon, said he didn’t approve of the ceremonies morally but understood them from a business standpoint.

EDUCATION

$35-million library opens as largest building on campus

After eight long years without a permanent location, OCC’s library has finally found a home. On Wednesday, winter session students were the first to enjoy the spacious 88,777-square-foot, two-story Learning Resource Center/Library. The $35 million library, the largest building on campus, replaces the set of 32 portable buildings on the north end of campus. As one student put it, the differences between those and the new building are “night and day.” Besides the size, the architecture is impressive, it capitalizes on its windowed-frontage for natural light and has more space for books and periodicals, officials said. There were little differences too, students said. One student enjoyed the new chairs and said it didn’t squeak when he walked.

UCI scientists tapped for military help, science report