California

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani defended GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney and tore into President Obama on Thursday night at a California Republican Party fundraiser. The reception at the private Pacific Club in Newport Beach aimed to promote Orange County Republicans up for election in various races. "I think Gov. Romney did us a real favor by pointing out that 47% of people don't pay income taxes," Giuliani told the gathering of about 40, referencing Romney's recent publicity dust-up.

Cheese, ice cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream and butter. Kaiser Elementary School's students Thursday morning listed some of the foods cows produce as they got up close to a bovine during a free assembly sponsored by the Dairy Council of California's Mobile Dairy Classroom. "It's good for them to know where their milk comes from, where all their food comes from," said Mobile Dairy Classroom teacher Steve Miller in a cowboy hat, sunglasses and boots. The star of the show was 8-year-old Feisty, a 900-pound brown and white Jersey cow who makes her home at the Mission Viejo High School farm, Miller said.

Visitors can get a taste of what life was like for early Californians at an adobe that has stood for nearly 200 years. The Costa Mesa Historical Society is hosting its 46th annual Early California Days from noon to 3 p.m. Sept. 30 at the Diego Sepulveda Adobe in Estancia Park, 1900 Adams Ave.. The event will mark the society's anniversary. "Come and learn about some local heritage and have fun at the same time," said Terry Shaw, historical society vice president of programs.

Local schools will receive almost $1 million in free upgrades starting next week, thanks to the state Public Utilities Commission. The Newport-Mesa Unified School District approved an agreement Tuesday with Southern California Edison to be a part of its Public Schools Program, which will go into each school and district facility to upgrade indoor lights where needed. It will save the district an expected $220,000 in utility costs, according to the board agenda. An estimated $940,000 in upgrades will be put into Newport-Mesa Unified properties, with the district only contributing labor - which was already allocated - to oversee and inspect the projects, said Tim Marsh, the district's administrative director of facilities support services.

Ashley Erin Greywoode     February 7, 1978 - August 29, 2012 Maiden name: Foss Born in Newport Beach, California, Ashley was the first child of Tom and Stancie Foss, making her a third-generation Californian.  She, along with her brother Taylor and sister Carrie spent nearly all of her childhood in Orange County.  Ashley graduated from Newport Harbor High School and then attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where she obtained her Bachelor of...

Jeanette Eleanor Thayer (Olson) August 21, 1918 - August 23, 2012 Jeanette Thayer of Costa Mesa, California passed away August 23, 2012 at the age of 94 surrounded by her loving family.  Jeanette began her life in Minnesota where she eventually met and married Rustan (Rusty) Thayer in 1942.  In 1957, they moved to California with their three children where she was a homemaker and together they raised their family.  She was a warm and loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, whose home was open to all.  Jeanette was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Rusty, and daughter Barbara.  She is survived by her son Jeff (Kerry)

What do Bruno Mars, LMFAO, Harry Potter and classical piano have in common? Edward Chan enjoys them all. The 10-year-old boy, who studies at the Irvine School of Music and lives in Las Flores, is set to compete at the Southern California Junior Bach Festival at Chapman University in September after advancing from the branch and regional competitions earlier this year. "I had to practice very hard for the competition," he said. "I practiced every day of the week for half an hour.

A majority of Newport-Mesa Unified sophomores passed the statewide high school exit exam last year, according to data released Wednesday. Eighty-eight percent of local sophomores who took the California High School Exit Exam, or CAHSEE, passed. That puts the district as a whole on par with Orange County and above the state as a whole, according to the state Department of Education. "We consider the CAHSEE one of many data points we utilize to measure success in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District," said Charles Hinman, assistant superintendent of secondary education.

After more than 20 years of planning, the city of Newport Beach on Thursday received the California Coastal Commission's approval for Sunset Ridge Park. City leaders rejoiced that their design changes finally swayed enough commissioners, who voted 8 to 4 during their third hearing on the matter. The 14-acre sports park at Superior Avenue and West Coast Highway will add more fields for youth and other teams, which often have to travel across town for play. Newport's historical west side wasn't developed with as much attention to recreation as modern master-planned communities, and the City Council has pushed park development plans.