$15K Winning Lotto Ticket; Dolphin Belly Rub: Saturday Smiles

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — Amidst the holiday bustle, here are some nice stories to slow down and smile.

Campus Planned For Special Needs Student Development In Redondo

• The Friendship Foundation is planning a campus in Redondo Beach for special needs student development after high school.

WATCH: Dolphin Gets 'Belly Rub' From Boat In Oceanside

• A playful pod of dolphins were captured on camera by Oceanside Adventures, including one that swam upside down and scratched its belly.

Smile Sparking Seals Bring Joy To Orange County Families In Need

• Over the weekend, the Pacific Marine Mammal Center guided the Deek family into the facility to meet the seal & sea lion residents in rehab.

Murrieta Tobacco Store Sells Winning Lottery Ticket

• The SuperLotto Plus numbers drawn Wednesday night were 5, 8, 13, 20, 39 and the Mega number was 1.

Coast Film Festival Announces Award Winners

• The second annual Coast Film Festival shared the top honors and awards from the 2020 event, held at The Ranch Laguna Beach and online.

Santa Monica's Universal Music Acquires Bob Dylan Catalog

• Santa Monica's Universal Music Publishing acquired Bob Dylan's catalog in what could be the largest publishing acquisition of an artist yet.

Gwen Stefani Re-Introduces Herself To Fans With New Song

• Front-woman of Anaheim's No Doubt, Gwen Stefani released her new single "Let Me Reintroduce Myself" this week.

2 New Hosts Will Helm KCRW's 'Morning Becomes Eclectic' In 2021

• Novena Carmel and Anthony Valadez will take over the three-hour weekday program "Morning Becomes Eclectic" at the start of the new year.

Air & Space Museum To Induct 2 Women Aviators To Hall Of Fame

• The San Diego Air & Space Museum is California's official air and space museum and education center.

Prisoners In Norco Get Shot At Earning 4-Year College Degrees

• The program at California Rehabilitation Center is touted as the first of its kind nationwide.

QDOBA To Open New Location Friday In Mission Valley

• The fast-casual Mexican restaurant chain is known for its freshly prepared burritos, bowls, nachos and salads.

CSU Planning For Primarily In-Person Courses Next Fall

• The CSU system, which includes SDSU and CSU San Marcos, is planning for an anticipated return primarily to in-person courses next fall.

UCLA Dining Helps Feed Patients, Families At Venice Family Clinic

• UCLA dining has stepped into a new role during the pandemic: feeding patients and families at Venice Family Clinic.

Peltzer Pines Reopens, Unscathed, After 6,600+ Acre Bond Fire

• Families returned to the Orange County Christmas Tree Farm, recently spared from last week's wind-driven wildfire.

Lake Elsinore Homeless Housing Project Near Completion

• The former 19-room motel at 215 W. Graham Avenue — newly renamed The Anchor — is scheduled to open Dec. 30.

Permit OK'd For Planned Charter High School In East County

• Liberty Charter High School will serve 450 students in grades nine through 12, and employ 33 faculty members.

How To Save Capo Beach? County Must Come Up With Solution By 2021

• The small community of Capistrano "Capo" Beach has long fought for erosion control measures to save their slice of Orange County.

San Juan Capistrano Resident Awarded Biola's Highest Scholarship

• Alexander White, a freshman at Biola, was one of 338 who received the highest scholarship the university has to offer.

Will Riverside County's Digital Divide Really Close

• The County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution Tuesday that supports increased efforts to expand broadband internet access.

4 Decades Of Innovative States: Where California Ranks

• In times of crisis, innovation is key to overcoming challenges. A new study by Commercial Cafe looks at which states do best at innovating.

Health and Science

UC Riverside To Lead Coronavirus Research Consortium

• UCR received a $1.75 million award for the purpose of forming the consortium that will include researchers from UC Davis and UC Merced.

LA County Launches Campaign To Help Keep Essential Workers Safe

• Los Angeles County launched a campaign Monday to emphasize keeping essential workers safe during the pandemic.

UCSD, Newsom's Office Announce Expansion Of COVID-19 App

• The mobile technology confidentially notifies people who opt in if they have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

$1M In PPE Being Distributed To Coachella Valley Businesses

• More than 1.4 million face masks, 96,000 bottles of hand sanitizer and 40,000 face shields are being distributed.

Eisenhower Health Receives $7.5 Million Donation

• Philanthropists Jerry and Kathleen Grundhofer made the gift through their foundation.

Santa Monica Playgrounds Reopen Under Revised Health Order

• All playgrounds at Santa Monica parks reopened Friday as part of the state's revised health order, city officials announced.

Gratitude Parade Honoring Health-Care Workers Scheduled In MoVal

• The drive-by car parade at Riverside University Medical Center takes place Saturday.

Supervisors Vote To Expand County's Business Relief Program

• San Diego County has received nearly $390 million in federal CARES Act funding to help residents and businesses since the pandemic started.

Sharp HealthCare Leads County In San Diego Blood Bank Donations

• Sharp HealthCare was named San Diego's largest donor of blood products to the San Diego Blood Bank in 2020.

San Diego County Libraries Offer Door-Side Books Amid Pandemic

• Card holders can check out library materials and pick them up at the door.

Holiday Stories and Events

Operation Santa; Happy Place; Menorah Lightings: SoCal Weekend

• Looking for things to do virtually and in person this weekend in Southern California? Patch has you covered.

Best 2020 Holiday Lights, Decorations In Murrieta

• These 34 decked-out Murrieta homes are bound to dazzle!

Hanukkah Celebrations Become Socially Distant Due To Pandemic

• Hanukkah begins at sundown Thursday with socially distant and virtual events replacing public menorah lighting ceremonies.

Gifts Handed Out To Star Boys & Girls Club Students In RSM

• Cox Communications & the Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley showered star students and their families with gifts handed out Thursday.

Santa Rolling Through Beaumont Saturday, Christmas Lights Galore

• Beaumont residents can track Santa's whereabouts and check out "Christmas Lights and Holiday Sights."

Best Holiday Lights, Decorations In Temecula: Winners Announced

These six Temecula locations are the winners of the 2020 ‘Twas the Lights Before Christmas Home Decorating Contest.

Holiday Guide: Christmas, Hanukkah & Santa 2020: Los Angeles County

Holiday Events: Christmas, Hanukkah & Santa 2020: Orange County

Holiday Events: Christmas, Hanukkah & Santa 2020: Riverside County

Holiday Events: Christmas, Hanukkah & Santa 2020: San Diego County

If you have an idea for a nice news story in your town, let us know. Email your story tips to autumn.johnson@patch.com.