January rains bring roses

The recent rainstorms in Orange County, which drenched Surf City and flooded streets throughout town, could have a silver lining for the next Miss Huntington Beach: They may make her roses bloom a little faster.

Every year, the city honors its newly crowned queen by dedicating a rose bush to her outside City Hall. The bushes, which live for decades, line a planter with bronze tablets displaying the name of the queen below each one. Tuesday, the garden had precious little color, but a few radiant petals stood out amid the winter drabness.

“That rain is pretty powerful,” said Carole Ann Wall, the president of the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce’s Women of Action committee, which puts on the Miss Huntington Beach Scholarship Pageant.

Sunday afternoon, a five-judge panel will crown a new young woman to represent Surf City for 2010. The queen and her court — the two runners-up — appear at functions throughout the year, including the Fourth of July Parade, the Duck-A-Thon, grand openings, ribbon-cuttings and more. And shortly after, a new bush will join the ranks by City Hall.

In the running this year are 10 women between the ages of 17 and 24 who live, work or go to school in Huntington Beach: Dylan Thomas, 17, Brandi Bondoc, 17, Sara Budnik, 17, Sarah Maines, 18, Samantha Seligman, 18, and Chelsea Short, 18, all from Huntington Beach High School; Rachel Culhane, 17, from Edison High School; Taralyn Pecht, 19, from Orange Coast College; Cassie Cotarelo, 18, from Marina High School; and Lana Brewster, 22, from Cypress College.

In addition to displaying a talent, each contestant must advocate a social cause. The platforms this year range from fighting drunk driving to protecting the environment to standing up for pets’ rights.

The ceremony is at 2 p.m. Sunday at Huntington Beach High, with three certified Miss America judges and two surprise celebrity ones. Executive Director Pam Alagata said the judges look for poise and people skills in naming their winner, due to the queen’s many social obligations.

“All the young ladies we’ve had have been very articulate, very intelligent young ladies — talented and outgoing and personable,” she said. “I haven’t had a queen that has not been able to be interviewed on the spot. Those are qualities the judges look for.”

The winner will go on to compete at the Miss California 2010 Pageant in Fresno from July 6 to 10.

If You Go

What: Miss Huntington Beach Scholarship Pageant

Where: Huntington Beach High School auditorium, 1905 Main St.

When: 2 p.m. Sunday

Tickets: $15 at the door

Contact: (714) 536-8888 or www.misshb.org