CITY ROUNDUP:Volunteer to help seniors

The city’s new volunteer service for seniors who need assistance running errands is still looking for more helping hands. Since it began in January, the program has seen demand double, and the 15 volunteers serving the elderly are not enough.

The program is looking for more people willing to escort seniors on Thursday and Friday shifts.

Volunteers must go through fingerprinting, a background check, and training. The next training class begins Sept. 26 at Rodgers Senior Center. For more information, call Volunteer Coordinator Diane Swarts at (714) 374-1544.

Three intersections to get left turn arrows

Left turn signals at three Huntington Beach intersections are getting a safety upgrade.

Construction began this week to add protected left turn arrows on Warner Avenue at Gothard Street, as well as at Edwards Street. After those are finished, Gothard Street will get turn arrows at Edinger Avenue.

The improvements cost $350,000 in all, but 50% of the funding comes from state and federal grants as part of the jointly administered Hazard Elimination Safety program. The rest will be paid by gas taxes.

In addition to the new signals themselves, the work includes new poles and electrical conduit.

Residents invited to start Neighborhood Watch

Huntington Beach residents are invited from 7. to 10 p.m., Aug. 7, to join Neighborhood Watch programs nationwide in the 24th annual National Night Out.

In the yearly event, sponsored by police and the National Assn. of Town Watch, residents are asked to turn on porch lights and go outside to meet their neighbors and discuss starting a Neighborhood Watch program.

Those who wish to start a Neighborhood Watch program in their area can call (714) 536-5933.

Crime is down, according to a city news release, but the public is still urged to be alert. Those who wish to report possible criminal activity at a problem house can call (714) 375-5095 if they live north of Talbert Avenue or (714) 375-5140 if they live to the south.

High school grad wins $5,000 toward tuition

Huntington Beach teen and Marina High School graduate Marin Anderson has won first place in a scholarship contest run by the Western Federal Credit Union. The $5,000 prize will go toward her goal to get a bachelor’s degree at UC Berkeley.

Anderson received A’s in every high school class she has taken, with a 4.85 grade point average, according to a news release from the credit union. She is also a member of the National Honors Society and the California Scholarship Federation; she has participated heavily in Girl Scouts of America and the Marina High School tennis team.

“Marin exemplifies the caliber of student this scholarship was created to recognize,” said Lisa Otomo, vice president of marketing for the credit union, in the news release.