Reds

COSTA MESA — Costa Mesa High senior quarterback Todd Davis spent most of the second half of Friday’s 42-6 win over Orange Coast League visitor Godinez by watching and cheering. His mission, he said, was to encourage sophomore backup Nathan Alvis to “do better than me.” That was a tall order indeed, after Davis threw for five touchdowns and ran for another at Estancia High in the most prolific game of his career. Davis completed 13 of 21 passes for 301 yards.

IRVINE — To convey a fully comprehensive understanding of the strategic changes behind a recent upswing, UC Irvine men’s soccer coach George Kuntz would require a display board and the rapt attention of anyone interested. But when it comes to the instructive skills necessary to educate an uninitiated soccer enthusiast about the forces behind the Anteaters’ goals in Wednesday’s 4-2 Big West Conference home victory over UC Riverside, Kuntz might enlist the help of professors more proficient in physics and geometry.

The West Coast premiere of “Red Cliff,” the most expensive film ever made in China, will take place exclusively tonight at a local cinema, as part of the Ancient Paths, Modern Voices Chinese cultural festival. Director John Woo, 63, known to American audiences for Hollywood films like “Face/Off,” returned to his roots in Chinese action films to create “Red Cliff,” a war epic based on one of China’s most famous historical chronicles.

 The 7th annual Reds, Whites & Greens Charity Golf Classic was held recently at SeaCliff Country Club.  This upscale golf and wine event netted $162,721 for the Orange County Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, bringing the seven-year total to $885,000.  Cindy Thomsen, founder of the Reds, Whites & Greens is an avid golfer, wine enthusiast and two-time breast cancer survivor and decided to combine her passions for golf and wine in the fight against breast cancer.  This year’s event featured an on course around-the-world wine tasting, taking players to Australia, France, Italy, Argentina, Spain and of course, California, where they enjoyed three varietals from each country paired with hors d’oeuvres.

Costa Mesa is reevaluating whether it should run red light cameras at several of the city’s bigger intersections. Since red light cameras first went up around town in 2003, the city has noticed an increase in accidents at intersections that are monitored with the cameras. However, while rear-end collisions are up 20%, broadside crashes, which often cause more severe injuries, are down 30%. Officials look at this as a positive result. But there are other pieces to the equation.

Police continue to investigate a major car crash at Harbor Boulevard and Gisler Avenue that sent an elderly man to intensive care. About 11:15 a.m. Sunday police responded to a three-car crash at Harbor Boulevard and Gisler Avenue where witnesses reported seeing a silver 2003 Inifiniti run a red light southbound on Harbor and broadside Donald Watson’s car, police said. Police said Cecilia Pogozelski, 40, of Valencia, ran the red light and hit Walton’s white 1997 Mercedes, sending the car spinning through the intersection and into a third car, a 2007 Honda Odyssey.

When Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed selling the O.C. fairgrounds in May, he may have been thinking about closing the beleaguered state’s massive budget deficit. But local officials have other reasons for supporting the move. Orange County’s fair is in a unique position: It’s called an enterprising agency of the state. Unlike many California fairs, it is not funded by tax dollars; like a private business, the fair can spend only what it brings in. But it must still deal with strict state regulations and a bureaucracy, which can often stifle its ability to compete with other entertainment businesses.

The Peking Acrobats seem to spend more time in the air than on the ground — at least during their performances. Thursday, the 12 youngsters group gave three performances at the Orange County Fair’s Park Plaza. The crowd sat with jaws agape as they twirled and tumbled across the stage, throwing and catching each other frequently. They ranged in age from 9 to 21. Tension ran high as one of acrobats stood on her hands from the top of a stack of upended chairs that towered about 30 feet high.

Submitted by Daphne Hart The American Red Cross of Orange County held its 6th annual Bravo for Bravery awards breakfast on Thursday, June 4, 2009, at the Marconi Automotive Museum in Tustin. Bravo for Bravery is an annual event that recognizes and celebrates extraordinary acts of courage by members of our local community. In a letter read at the event, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger thanked honorees for their efforts and said, “Your commitment to provide unwavering service to others has had a positive impact on countless lives.

An on-duty Newport Beach police officer ran a red light on Pacific Coast Highway and crashed his cruiser into another vehicle, according to preliminary reports of the accident, police said Friday. About 7:15 p.m. Thursday a Newport Beach police officer, whom department officials declined to identify, was eastbound on Pacific Coast Highway when witnesses said the officer ran the red light at Avocado Avenue and hit another car turning left in front of them onto PCH before crashing into a light pole, said Sgt. Evan Sailor.