Glass

Wylie Aitken, co-host of the annual South Coast Repertory's August patron party with his lovely wife Bette, stood before the gathering in his home and told the crowd, "Permit me to quote Larry Higby when I say that I don't want to sell chairs -- I want to sell tables." Newport Beach's Higby, who with his wife Dee have been formidable fundraisers for the repertory, was standing in a corner of the Aitken family room, listening. The crowd got the message.

June Casagrande A year's worth of questioning is complete. A year's worth of answers are compiled. But in undertaking the monumental task of updating the city's general plan, answers tend to lead to more questions that, in turn, can lead to controversy. Beginning with a Visioning Festival in January 2002 and ending with a Visioning Summit in 2003, city leaders have been picking residents' brains. Should the city promote more tourism? Should more development be allowed in Fashion Island?

ANDREW NGUYEN 'Glass' only deals with pieces of the true story Five years and a Jayson Blair scandal later arrives the tell-all movie describing how a 24-year-old from the University of Pennsylvania duped the famous political magazine, the New Republic. While the Blair incident introduced themes of race and workplace affirmative action into public discourse, the Stephen Glass affair in 1998 asked some equally important questions still pertinent today: i.e., did the public's appetite for salacious journalism allow editors to overlook the dubious gaps and criticism surrounding Glass's "human interest" stories?

Kris O'Donnell With the advent of fiberglass came a boom in boat construction in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. During its heyday, fiberglass boat making supported about 70 builders in the area. "The first reinforcing material was cotton soaked in a polyester resin," said 43-year fiberglass boat builder, Richard Valdes. In the mid 1950s Joseph McGlasson, of Costa Mesa, designed, built and successfully marketed a 24-foot wooden sailboat, the Islander, in Costa Mesa.

For the past 16 years, the third Monday in January has been perceived to be only an African American holiday called King Day. The King holiday is an American holiday that should be celebrated and commemorated by all Americans. Unfortunately, the readers of the Daily Pilot were not presented with that perspective in Tony Dodero's column on Monday (From the Newsroom -- "There exist great reasons to be off today"). King deserves a national day of recognition because he was a great American.

The long-running concern about what to do with the San Joaquin Reservoir came to a peaceful and beneficial end last week in a ceremony that saw gallons of reclaimed water empty into the long-dried-out body of water. By refilling the reservoir, officials from the Irvine Ranch Water District and the city of Newport Beach capped off a decade-long debate over the fate of the 55-acre man-made lake and restored it to its previous glory. The San Joaquin Reservoir was born some 40 years ago as a drinking water and firefighting source.

Corona del Mar Florist's latest window display features an old-school bicycle with a wire basket stuffed with red, white and blue flowers - half in and half out of the shop as if it was riding through the glass. “People are stopping,” said owner Karen Yould. “They walk by, they look at it, they turn back and look again. We get a lot of Junior Guards riding past, and they just smile. Some people put their hand up to the glass window to see how it could be going through.” The answer to that is a brother who can weld, said Yould, who decided to make the display after seeing an image online several months ago. She bought the old-fashioned girls bike on Craigslist, and her brother cut it in half and then helped make the stands for the display.

The Cal State Fullerton men's basketball team flirted with history this season, matching the school's best start (16-4) and competing for a Big West Conference crown until well into February. And Corona del Mar High product Eric Glass has had a courtside seat. Glass, who averaged 5.1 points per game as a 6-2 senior guard for the Sea Kings, before graduating in 2002, is in his second season as a manager for Coach Bob Burton's Titans. And while his myriad tasks have included doing laundry and sweeping floors, Glass, an aspiring coach, will be dispensing more than towels and water when the No. 3-seeded Titans begin play in the Big West Tournament tonight at 6 against Pacific.

Barry Faulkner SAN GABRIEL - When Corona del Mar High boys basketball coach Paul Orris said he was keeping some things in reserve during the Sea Kings' CIF Southern Section Division III-AA first-round playoff game at Gabrielino Wednesday night, he apparently wasn't talking about seldom-used Eric Glass. The 6-foot-1 junior earned his first varsity start and quickly paid dividends, stealing the ball on the Eagles' first possession and converting a layin, while being fouled.

Connoisseurs of art glass shop at Orrefors Kosta Boda at South Coast Plaza. Collectors will want to save at the store's semi-annual sale starting today through July 31. Save up to 15% on all regular-priced items. Orrefors and Kosta Boda, two famous Swedish glasshouses, teamed up to form one art glass gallery. It's here that you can find the exquisite Orrefors, produced since 1898 and known for its creative design and excellent craftsmanship, combining the best in form and function.