JWA holiday passenger traffic posts 21%...

JWA holiday passenger traffic posts 21% gain

Passenger traffic jumped a whopping 21.6% at John Wayne Airport in

December, airport officials reported Wednesday.

The 695,284-passenger mark in December represented an increase of

more than 100,000 passengers over December 2001.

Commercial carrier air taxi operations also showed a sharp

increase -- up 101% over the same period in 2001. Commercial carrier

flight operations slightly increased -- 4.4%.

Notably, there were actually fewer flights in December than in

December 2001. There were 28,520, down 73 -- or 0.3%.

Costa Mesa charity receives $12,000

Robinsons-May announced Tuesday that it will award more than

$12,000 to Childhelp USA Orange County Group Homes of Costa Mesa as

part of its Holiday Bear Campaign.

Through its parent company, The May Department Stores Co.,

Robinsons-May is donating a percentage of the proceeds from the

purchase of the Centennial Holiday Bears -- celebrating the teddy

bear’s 100th birthday -- to one local charity in each major market it

serves.

Fifteen years ago, Childhelp USA was licensed by California to

operate two six-bed group homes in Orange County to serve severely

abused boys and girls ages 6 to 12. A third home was licensed in 1999

specifically to serve siblings for short-term diagnostic treatment.

By providing a safe, stable home environment and a variety of

nurturing therapeutic programs, these children are slowly able to

heal their wounds, find their way back to new families and return to

society as functioning adolescents.

“Childhelp USA extends our sincere appreciation to Robinsons-May

for their thoughtful concern for the lives and well-being of abused

children,” said John Collins, director of community programs, in a

press release. “Their contribution will help the Group Home children

obtain a more positive perspective about life, love and

relationships.”

The three collectible “centennial” teddy bears -- designed by May

and produced by Gund -- represent 1902, 1952 and 2002. The original

teddy bear was named for President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt.