CITYSCAPE ROUNDUP:Forum open for senior center

Public comment period has opened for the proposed Huntington Beach Senior Center’s upcoming Environmental Impact Report.

Through May 4, interested parties can submit comments to the city on what environmental impact issues should be analyzed in the upcoming draft report, as well as the scope and content of that study.

General areas of study will include biological, traffic, archeological, geological and visual impacts.

As part of this comment period, there will be a scoping meeting to take public comments. It will be at 6:30 p.m., Apr. 19, in Room B-8 at Huntington Beach City Hall, 2000 Main St.

Those who wish to comment outside of the meeting can contact Jennifer Villasenor, associate planner, at jvillasenor@surfcity-hb.org.

The city’s official notice of the upcoming report is on its website at www.surfcity-hb.org/CityDepartments/ planning/major/senior_center.cfm.

Fourth of July board seeks nominations

The Huntington Beach Fourth of July Executive Board is seeking nominations for a Community Grand Marshal for its 2007 festivities.

The winner will ride down Main Street in this year’s 103rd Annual Fourth of July Parade, as well as being honored throughout the Fourth of July celebrations.

Those who are nominated must live within Huntington Beach city limits and have made an outstanding contribution to the community, whether as an individual or with an existing organization in a leadership role. Friends, family and co-workers are all eligible to submit names. Submissions should be a detailed, written description of the nominee’s accomplishments.

The deadline to receive nominations is 5 p.m., May 15, Huntington Beach City Hall, Fifth Floor, 2000 Main St. For more information, go to www.hb4thofjuly.org.

Taste of Huntington Beach to offer treats

Dozens of restaurants and wineries will offer bite-sized samples of their drinks and dishes at the sixth-annual Taste of Huntington Beach at noon Saturday.

The popular charity event’s proceeds will benefit the Huntington Beach Children’s Library and the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, the city’s official adopted military unit stationed out of Camp Pendleton.

The feast will be from noon to 4 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Resort & Spa, 21500 Pacific Coast Highway.

Tickets are limited. For more information, call (714) 375-5023.

Harman bill to waive fees passes out of committee

A bill sponsored by Huntington Beach state Sen. Tom Harman that would waive fees for professional licenses for active members of the Armed Forces and their spouses passed out of one committee this week.

The bill, SB 374 — which would require any commission, board or bureau overseen by the California Department of Consumer of Affairs to waive professional license fees and renewal fees — passed unanimously out of the Senate Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development on Monday. It will now move to the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.

“I am pleased to see that my colleagues agree with the intention of this bill,” Harman said in a news release. “Those in the Armed Forces give so much in so many ways. This is a modest attempt to say thank you.”

Platt College invites future students to event

The Huntington Beach campus of Platt College, 7755 Center Ave., Suite 600, will host an open house at 6 p.m. on Wednesday to give prospective students and the community a look at its programs in graphic design and visual communication.

Activities will include open labs, free blood pressure screenings and question and answer sessions. Attendees will also have the chance to watch how visual communication students use motion-capture equipment to make animated characters move.

For more information, call (714) 373-3240, or go to www.plattcollege.edu.

Religious groups march against global warming

Religious groups, ranging from American Buddhists to nuns from the Sisters of St. Joseph, will appear at Huntington Beach Pier Saturday and march to City Hall with the public as part of the anti-global warming National Climate Day of Action, according to a news release from the Orange County Interfaith Coalition for the Environment.

The coalition will present a certificate of appreciation to the city of Huntington Beach for endorsing the aims of the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, which sets goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, at a recent council meeting.

The event will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday, and will include music and a speaker.