Tom Hanks Crashes Wedding + New Restaurants: Saturday Smiles

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — If you are looking for the positive side of news, we are here to help. Patch has sweet Southern California stories we hope you will enjoy.

Watch: Tom Hanks Crashes Couple's Santa Monica Beach Wedding

• Tom Hanks crashed a wedding in Santa Monica and asked if he could pose for a photo with the new couple.

SDSU's Aztec Food Drive Happening Through Nov. 14

• The campaign aims to fight food and nutrition insecurity.

$2.2M Powerball Lottery Ticket Sold At Perris Circle K

• The store is located at 19470 Brown Street.

Winning $2.6 Mega Millions Lottery Ticket Sold In Sun Valley

• An Angeleno Lottery player snagged a $2.6 ticket in the Southland — but they missed the Mega number, which could have won them $20 million.

Laguna Beach Trick Or Treat At Susi Q. Center, Scary Fun For All

• Come to the Pre-School Trick or Treat at the Community and Susi Q Center Terrace on Friday.

Gene Simmons Drops $10.5 Milllion In Beverly Hills

• Legendary KISS frontman Gene Simmons is making a sweet return to Beverly Hills after leaving for Las Vegas.

Sprouts Announces Opening Date For New Menifee Store

• The 22,610-square-foot store at 27281 Newport Road will be the fourth Sprouts Farmers Markets location in/near Southwest Riverside County.

Legendary Funk Band WAR Celebrates 50 Years With Show In Venice

• You know the songs. You know the sounds. Celebrate 50 years with funk and soul legends WAR at a free show in Venice this weekend.

San Diego Foundation Awards $104 Million In Grants

• San Diego Foundation awarded a record-breaking $104.1 million in grants to 2,000 nonprofit organizations during the 2021 fiscal year.

Holiday Season Arrives At Disneyland Nov. 12: What To Expect

• What can you expect this year in Disneyland and Disney California Adventure? Expect some magical transformations to ring in your season.

Protection Of 100,000 Desert Acres Falls On New Shoulders

• Cody Hanford and Kelly Herbinson will serve as joint executive directors of the Mojave Desert Land Trust.

Palos Verdes Nature Preserve Reopens After Rainfall

• After the rain this week, the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve, including the Abalone Cove Park & Reserve, reopens Wednesday.

Northridge Hosts First Experimental Indoor Container Farm

• This experimental farming method looks like it came from the future, but may be the sustainable method the drought-ridden city needs.

San Diego Leaders Unveil 'Our Climate, Our Future' Initiative

• "Collectively, we can choose a better future by facing the threats that already impact San Diegans every day."

Watch Dolphins Jump To Dana Point Whale Watchers Delight

• This group of 50 dolphins swam and jumped for a full complement of whale watchers in Dana Point. How high did they fly? Take a look.

Goldenvoice Inks Long-Term Deal With Indio's Empire Polo Club

• The new agreement expands a previous arrangement that was based around Goldenvoice's Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals.

Name Unveiling Scheduled For Coachella Valley's New Hockey Team

• The team's new name will be announced Nov. 5. The team will be the 32nd in the AHL and will be the affiliate to the NHL's Seattle Kraken.

Manhattan Beach Chamber Of Commerce: New President, CEO Named

• David Archer is the new president and CEO of the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce.

Council OKs Permanently Allowing Outdoor Business Operations

• Spaces as Places allows for outdoor areas for dining, walking, biking and other activities.

Temecula Valley Museum Hosts 'Thrift Style' Exhibit

• The exhibit will be on display through Nov. 28 and explores the reuse of feed sacks to make clothing and other household objects.

Northridge Locals Donate Blood At Red Cross Drive

• The Northridge Fashion Center was transformed Tuesday to host a blood drive amid a nationwide shortage

24 CA Schools Among Best Universities In The World: U.S. News

• U.S. News this week released its annual list ranking 1,750 universities throughout the world.

UC San Diego, Ford Companies Team Up For Mobility Services

• Spin, a micromobility provider, and TransLoc, a transportation software solutions company, are teaming up for the project.

Trunk Or Treat Planned In Santa Monica

• Join a Trunk or Treat event planned in Santa Monica. Here's how to get into the spooky spirit.

Businesses Impacted By Oil Spill Can Apply For Disaster Relief

• The disaster declaration makes SBA assistance available in San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

New Passenger Train Route Chugs Forward In Riverside County

• The proposed 144-mile commuter rail project would link the Coachella Valley to San Bernardino, Orange and Los Angeles counties.

Food and Restaurants

Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken Heads To Conejo Valley

• The Thousand Oaks restaurant will be first, SoCal locale for fast-growing chain, known for fried chicken & "best dang" biscuits.

Marco's Pizza Opening New Temecula Location

• The newest spot opens Thursday at 29740 Rancho California Road.

Wild Taco Ranks Among Orange County's Top 50 Taco Joints

• Laguna Beach's Wild Taco is one of the best places in Orange County to get your crunch on. Those views aren't bad, either.

A San Fernando Valley Taco Empire Expands

• Daniel Vazquez follows in his father’s footsteps by opening a Northridge restaurant called Tacos El Tijuanense.

Where Vets & Military Can Eat Free On Veterans Day 2021

• As a show of thanks, California restaurants are offering freebies & dining deals to U.S. armed forces & veterans Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021.

Health and Science News

New Oral COVID-19 Treatment Being Tested In Riverside County

• The testing will involve patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 and who do not require hospitalization, county health officials said.

Scripps' Emergency Departments Accredited For Geriatric Care

• The four Scripps hospital campuses — in Chula Vista, Encinitas, La Jolla and San Diego — met a range of criteria.

Mental Health Facility For Kids Opens In Banning

• The Oasis Banning Center opened Oct. 21.

San Marcos Health Care Provider Receives Federal Grant

• North County Health Services will use the money to treat 30,000 patients in San Diego County — 96 percent of whom are low-income.

Palm Desert's Alzheimers Coachella Valley Celebrating Expansion

• Alzheimers Coachella Valley, which offers Alzheimer’s and dementia programs, activities and family support, is hosting an open house.

San Diego Zoo CEO Named Chair of Jane Goodall Institute Board

• The Jane Goodall Institute has become known internationally for primate conservation.

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.