Kicking off the centennial celebrations

Let the celebration begin. And it has.

The Newport Beach centennial celebration began last week on the

California Riviera with a reception held to honor local builder and

developer William Lusk for his contributions to the community on both

a business and personal level.

Hosted by Washington Mutual Bank, the event took place at the

Balboa Bay Club & Resort in Newport Beach. The reception brought

together the local builders’ community to not only honor Lusk and his

wife Nancy, but also to help raise funds to support the many upcoming

events planned by the Newport Beach Centennial Committee.

Marie Knight, working with the City of Newport Beach, reported

that Washington Mutual joined the centennial board with a major

sponsorship gift of $25,000.

Steve Hesse, a senior vice president with Washington Mutual,

presented the donation to Newport Beach Mayor Pro-Tem Don Webb.

The evening also attracted generous donations to the centennial

celebration from John Laing Homes, Chicago Title and Brookfield

Homes.

Enjoying the reception by the bay were distinguished guests Paul

Needels, Tom Redwitz, Nancy and Craig Smith, Ken Vernengo, Frank

Joseph, Robert Horlick and Art Gronsky.

Also in attendance were Homer Bludau, Steve and Ronnie Bromberg,

Rick and Margie Fortunato, and Adrian Foley.

For more information on the upcoming schedule of events relating

to the City of Newport Beach and the centennial celebration, contact

Knight at [email protected]. ca.usf7.

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and California Attorney

General William Lockyer are set to visit Orange County on Aug. 29 as

guests of Chapman University School of Law. The distinguished legal

visitors will front Chapman’s celebration of the 10th anniversary of

its law school, in conjunction with Welcome Week at the university

for students returning to fall classes.

Scalia is set to take part in a reenactment of the 1905 historic

case of Lockner versus State of New York.

The Lockner case, which deals with the role of government

regulation over free market business activity, was overturned by the

court in 1937 but remains influential today in discussion of property

owners’ rights in a free society.

Chapman students will participate in the reenactment along with

Lockyer.

Following the afternoon legal session, a reception at the

university will feature the unveiling of the “Milestones on the Road

to Freedom” wall in the Kennedy Hall Foyer.

A dinner celebration will follow.

The next morning, Scalia will address the community.

Admission to Scalia’s speech is free and open to the public

without reservations.

For more information, contact Danny Bueno at

[email protected].

The Villa Nova Restaurant in Newport Beach celebrated the launch

of the Francis Tunney Memorial Fund in support of United Cerebral

Palsy of Orange County. Frank Tunney, a former executive with

Irvine-based Allergan Inc., served on the United Cerebral Palsy board

of directors from 1993 through 2000.

“Tunney was devoted to helping people with developmental

disabilities lead full and meaningful lives,” said Kathy Chennault,

director of development for United Cerebral Palsy of Orange County.

The Francis Tunney Memorial Fund is being supported by Doris

Tunney, a retired pediatrician who practiced at Hoag Hospital.

Joining her are many friends and associates in the community,

including Gunnar Gooding, Richard Cohn, Tim Wegner, Steven Robert,

Grant Dunning and Mark Clemens.

Additional support is coming from Geoff Coar, Kevin Elder, Jeffery

Haydel, Rene Henrikson, Douglas Ingram, Michael Mulroy, Jeffrey

Reeves, Norm Scheel, Jon Schissler and Paul Pulver -- executive

director of United Cerebral Palsy of Orange County.

To learn more about the Francis Tunney Memorial Fund, go to

o7www.ucp-oc.comf7.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.