LA Zoo Reopens This Week | Rooftop Dining: Saturday Smiles

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — Here are some stories from Southern California this week that are sure to brighten your day.

Los Angeles Zoo To Reopen On August 26

• Guests can buy tickets starting at noon on Wednesday.

SpaceX Sets Rocket-Reuse Milestone With Satellite Launch

• Video: Watch liftoff as SpaceX sets a new record. Falcon 9 is the first orbital reusable rocket.

Girl Scouts Announce Toast-Yay! Cookie For 2021

• A new flavor of Girl Scout Cookie joins the roster. Inspired by French toast, the Toast-Yay! that can be shipped straight to your door.

$1M For Students: CSUSM Chemistry Profs 'Beyond Excited'

• A $999,875 grant will fund scholarships of up to four years to 20 full-time students.

Coronavirus Unlikely To Be Passed Through Breast Milk: UCSD Study

• A study conducted by UC San Diego and UCLA researchers found it is unlikely that COVID-19 can be passed to infants through breast milk.

San Diego County Removed From State Watch List

• K-12 students could be back in the classroom as soon as Sept. 1, depending on the guidance of individual school districts.

Tesoro High School Students Help Others Through Online Tutoring

• Friends and fellow Santa Margarita residents developed a plan to help families struggling with students amid the rigors of online education.

Venice Art Crawl Celebrates 10 Years: Virtual Party In Pandemic

• Watch the virtual performances and meet Venice artists live Thursday night in a special event.

Calling All Artists: $600 To Beautify NoHo Utility Boxes

• Concepts that reflect the community, promote unity and drive a "modern aesthetic" are most likely to be selected.

Hundreds Petition Disneyland To Rename Carnation Cafe After Oscar

• Oscar Martinez was a fixture at the Carnation Cafe since Walt walked Main Street. Now, fans ask Disney to rename the restaurant after him.

Amazon Plans To Create 200 New Jobs In San Diego Region

• Amazon plans to expand its offices in six U.S. cities, including in San Diego, bringing 200 new jobs to the region, the company announced.

Unemployment Drops To 14.2% In San Diego County

• Unemployment has slowly but fairly consistently declined from the high of 25 percent the week of May 9.

Riverside County's Jobless Rate Shows Improvement Amid Pandemic

• Some sectors of the regional economy have returned to semi-normalcy.

CSUSB's Palm Desert Campus Expands Hospitality Program

• The CSUSB Department of Marketing recently welcomed Sean Kim as an assistant professor for the hospitality management program.

Lucinda Williams To Headline Free BeachLife Fest Livestream

• BeachLife Fest will host a free livestream Thursday, featuring artists Lucinda Williams, Josh Heinrichs, The Aquadolls and Timmy Curran.

Join Culver City's Virtual Fiesta La Ballona During The Pandemic

• For the first time, Fiesta La Ballona will be held online, a move to keep the Culver City tradition alive during the pandemic.

Orange County Fire Watch Volunteers Keep A Watch For Smoke, Arson

• Fire Watch volunteers are not trained as firefighters but provide an important component to prevent destructive wildfires across the county.

San Diego Leaders Announce Childcare Provider Grant Program

• The program will distribute $25 million in coronavirus relief funding to childcare providers impacted by COVID-19.

San Diego Airport To Add Nonstop Route To Norfolk, Virginia

• It will be the only year-round service offered between the two cities.

UCSD Team Creates Visualization Of Protein Linked To Parkinson's

• UC San Diego scientists have created the first visualizations of a protein that has been linked to Parkinson's disease.

Teen Who Battled AIDS-Related Discrimination Remembered In RivCo

• Tuesday, Aug. 18, marked the 30th anniversary of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act.

Food And Restaurants

These CA Restaurants Among Wine Spectator 2020 Winners

• Amid hardships faced by restaurants during the pandemic, Wine Spectator honored 3,800 restaurants on this year’s list.

SoCal's First Dutch Bros Coffee Shop Planned For Indio

• Ex-dairy farmers Dane and Travis Boersma started Dutch Bros in Grants Pass, Oregon, in 1992.

Jimbo's Carlsbad Store Undergoing Renovations

• Jimbo's will add new cases to the store's perimeter departments, expand the bakery, and increase seating in the outdoor dining area.

Own A Piece Of Bistro Garden History: Liquidation In SF Valley

• After its recent closing, the iconic restaurant is selling off its chandeliers, china, art, bar stools, kitchen gear & more at 3-day sale.

September Kicks Off Month Of Restaurant Deals In Newport Beach

• A new app unlocks foodie prizes and specials for the first-ever Newport Beach Restaurant Month.

Harriet's Reopens Rooftop Dining In West Hollywood

• The restaurant, atop 1 Hotel, is a glam-throwback with an elegant atmosphere and great views.

Dine Al Fresco At New 'Abbey Road' Alley In WeHo

• The outdoor space adds street-café finesse to The Abbey Food & Bar, West Hollywood’s iconic gay bar & eatery.

Local Heroes

• 'He Cares About Those Who Protect Us': Pass Area Local Hero
• Working Dad In Lake Elsinore Juggles Career, Kids: Local Hero
• Watchful Angel To Seniors: Murrieta Local Hero
• Health Care Warriors Make Temecula Mom Proud: Local Heroes
• Patch Heroes: Meet Nicholas Hernandez, A Dedicated Firefighter
• Face Masks Made With Love: Temecula Local Hero
• Menifee Restaurant Steps Up For Seniors: Local Hero
• Kind-Hearted Soul: Lake Elsinore, Wildomar Local Hero
• Insurance Agent Rescues Animals During Apple Fire: Local Hero