Orange Coast College saves about 30 classes...

Orange Coast College saves about 30 classes

Officials at Orange Coast College announced that they will be able

to restore about 30 credit classes for next spring because of lower

energy costs this summer.

The school went to a schedule of 10-hour shifts four days a week

this summer to help cut costs. The switch to a Monday through

Thursday schedule saved the school $100,000.

OCC will put that money toward more classes on the spring 2003

schedule, adding classes for about 1,000 students. This fall, the

school cut about 500 classes from its schedule because of state

budget cuts.

The school has eliminated 1,300 classes over the past three

semesters, and enrollment has dropped nearly 11% this fall.

Many students at OCC this semester reported difficulty getting

classes because of the fewer courses available on the schedule.

UC Irvine hosts virtual, interactive wolf exhibit

UC Irvine’s Beall Center for Art and Technology will open its

2003-04 season Sept. 23 with “Through the Eye of the Wolf,” an

interactive re-creation of a wolf pack.

The award-winning presentation from UC Irvine assistant professor

Bill Tomlinson also features digital footage of wolves in the wild,

shot with cameras attached to the animals.

The project stars a virtual pack of three pups and three adults

who must form a social hierarchy. Visitors will control the pups in

the virtual world and help them interact with one another, using

their own voices to communicate.

Tomlinson is an assistant professor in the arts, computation and

engineering graduate program. He previously worked as a biologist and

lived with a pack of gray wolves on an Indiana wildlife preserve.

Sam Easterson shot the wolf footage to give visitors a

“wolf’s-eye-view” and allow them to witness the animals’ daily

routines.

The AlphaWolf project comes to the Beall Center after an

international tour of electronic arts venues and festivals, winning

grand prize in the interactive category of the 2002 Keio University

digital arts awards and honorary mention in the Prix Ars Electronica

2002 competition.

Tomlinson and Easterson will discuss their projects at an opening

reception from 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 23, which is open to the public.

“Through the Eye of the Wolf” runs through Oct. 26 at the Beall

Center, which is open noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and

from noon to 8 p.m. Friday. Admission is free.

For more information, visit https://beallcenter.uci.edu.

Bon up on your French, messieurs et mesdames

Orange Coast College’s Extended Education Office is offering a

workshop in French conversation conducted by Katherine Watson, a

professional translator, writer and lecturer.

The course will be taught at the intermediate and advanced levels.

Some knowledge of French is required.

It will be held from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays, Sept. 10

through Oct. 22, at the OASIS Senior Center, Corona Del Mar.

The course fee is $65. Call (714) 432-5880 or toll free at (888)

622-5376 for registration and information.

Seminar offers better management of finances

Orange Coast College’s Extended Education Office will offer

“Successful Money Management,” a seminar presented by Bonnie Wusz, a

certified financial planner and author.

The course will teach attendees how to save money on taxes,

increase their return on savings, investments and plan financial

goals.

It will be held in three sessions from 6 to 9:30 p.m. on

Thursdays, Sept. 11, 18 and 25 and Tuesdays, Sept. 16, 23 and 30.

The course fee is $69 per class. Call (714) 432-5880 for registration and information.

Zinc Cafe & Market wins beautification award

Zinc Cafe & Market in Corona del Mar received the “Business

Beautification Award” for the month of July from the Corona del Mar

Business Improvement District.

Restaurant owner John Secratan spent about a year remodeling the

restaurant, at 3222 E. Coast Highway, before opening his third Zinc

Cafe there.

The remodel is consistent with the area’s Vision 2004

beautification plan. Zinc Cafe and Market serves vegetarian dishes,

desserts and specialty coffees for breakfast and lunch.

Zinc can be reached at (949) 719-9462.