BIZ BITES

Rip Curl partners with Boost Mobile for 2007 surf series

Costa Mesa-based Rip Curl USA announced Thursday its partnership with Boost Mobile for the 2007 Rip Curl GromSearch surf series, set for Memorial Day Weekend in Puerto Rico.

The two companies will sponsor the eighth annual event, which is one of the top junior competitive circuits.

Some of the winners will win trips to the Boost Mobile Pro of Surfing, a trip to Disneyland and mobile phones.

“The days of a plastic trophy and a handshake are over,” Rip Curl’s sports marketing director Dylan Slater said in a news release. “We’re constantly trying to keep this tour evolving and for Boost to offer this kind of carrot and support for the GromSearch contestants ensures another amazing season.”

Santa Monica company buys Costa Mesa office building

A Santa Monica-based real estate firm announced recently its entry into the Newport-Mesa commercial real estate market with the purchase of a 77,165-square-foot office building in the 3100 block of Red Hill Avenue.

Highpoint Capital LLC purchased the building for $15.8 million, making it one of the most expensive building purchases the 1-year-old company has made.

IRS reports uptick in e-filing

The IRS announced last week that taxpayers filed online and used direct deposit in record numbers this year.

More than 76 million taxpayers filed electronically and more than 140 million clicked on www.irs.gov during tax season, according to a news release.

As of May 4, more than 76 million e-filed their returns, which was an increase of more than 3 million over last year. But only 22 million of those filed on their home computers, which was also more than in 2006, according to the IRS.