$164K Lottery Ticket; Bear Brothers; Best Hotel: Saturday Smiles

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — To keep your weekend light, Patch presents some positive Southern California stories from the past week — many that hopefully will brighten your day.

Animals

Mountain Lion Reported In P-22's Old Griffith Park Stomping Grounds

Wildlife officials are working to confirm the sighting of the uncollared cat that was captured on video near a condo complex.

Orphaned Black Bear Brothers Released Into Wild In SoCal

The siblings are ready to survive on their own after being raised at San Diego Humane Society's Ramona Wildlife Center.

Arts and Entertainment

Birch Aquarium To Spotlight Sharks With Shark Summer

Sharks will take the spotlight with a variety of shark-themed activities this July at Birch Aquarium.

Luke Bryan Told Abi Carter Something Special After 'American Idol' Win

Sunday night's "AI" victory for this Indio singer was something special, Bryan said. Here's how to listen to her single "This isn't Over."

North America's First Lego World Parade To Debut Friday At Legoland

The Lego World Parade will feature a variety of Lego-themed floats and entertainers through the west side of the Carlsbad-based theme park.

Ohtani Buy's Adam Carolla's La Cañada Flintridge Home

Podcaster Adam Carolla said in a recent interview that he was selling the mansion after divorcing his wife, Lynette Paradise.

Popular Disneyland Show To Return Friday After Hiatus

Disneyland's "Fantasmic!" show will return Friday, almost a year after it went on hiatus due to a fire that broke out during the show.

SeaWorld San Diego To Host Memorial Day Weekend Celebration

In honor of Memorial Day, the theme park will hold a daily flag ceremony, military band performances, nightly fireworks salute and more.

'Summer Movies In The Park' Series Returns To San Diego County

The summer series includes more than 100 movies at dozens of parks across the county.

Temecula Juneteenth Concert 2024, Celebrating Freedom, Perseverance

The city's Juneteenth Celebration Concert is planned for June 8.

The Beach Boys Slated For Pechanga Summer Show, John Stamos As Guest

The Beach Boys, who played alongside John Stamos at the Stagecoach Country Music Festival, will bring him back to the stage in Temecula.

Will Disneyland Resort Shutter Classic Attractions? New Designs Emerge

Never fear, Disney fans. Though new lands like "Tangled," or "Frozen" are being considered, classic rides aren't going anywhere.

Business

Casual Upscale Restaurant To Open Doors In Newport Beach

Nick's Restaurant will move into the former Gracias Madre space in Newport Beach, The Orange County Register reported.

Edgar Alle Poe Speakeasy Pops Up In Queen Mary

Watch four stories from famed author Edgar Allen Poe come off the page and onto the stage during the pop-up experience.

New Goodwill Donation Site Opens In South OC: What To Know

The new site is the latest step in Goodwill's plan to double its impact across Orange County over the next 10 years.

Smoothie And Superfruit Bowl Chain Juice It Up! Opens Long Beach Store

Juice It Up! is one of the nation's leading smoothie and acai bowl chains and is now serving customers in Long Beach.

The Best Hotel In The U.S. Is In Santa Monica

The hotel was ranked No. 1 on Tripadvisor's Travelers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best Hotels list.

United Airlines Announces Nonstop Service Between Palm Springs, DC

The service is the first connection ever between Washington, D.C., and Palm Springs.

Community

Are You Holding The $164K Lottery Ticket Sold In LA County?

A ticket with five winning numbers but missing the Powerball number was sold at a market in Los Angeles County.

Effort To Conserve Huge Swath Of Public Land In RivCo Gains Momentum

If President Joe Biden signs off, the area would become one of the largest land monuments in the continental United States.

Helmet Donation Drive To Ensure Temecula Kids 'Caught With Helmets On'

As summer arrives, a campaign to share helmets with children who need them is picking up speed.

Laguna Beach Man Wins Big After Giving Back: Good News

The Orange County man was announced as the first early bird drawing winner for the 2024 San Diego Giving Back Raffle.

Sequoia Seedling 'Moon Tree' Planted In Dana Point By Girl Scouts

Local Girl Scout Troop 7574 celebrated a momentous occasion Monday when they succeeded in planting a "Moon Tree" in Dana Point.

Sunday Named 'Father Greg Boyle Day' For Homeboy Industries Founder

Recently given the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Father Boyle was credited with leading the world's largest gang-intervention program.

Schools

2 Laguna Beach Administrators Ranked Best In CA

Two Laguna Beach Unified School District administrators were honored this month as 2024 Administrators of the Year.

1,000 Students Join Beach Cleanup, Art Display In West OC

Students from 12 elementary schools will celebrate Kids Ocean Day, a statewide celebration and day of action for the ocean.

11-Year-Old To Graduate College, Breaking Brother's At OC School

Athena Elling is graduating at an even younger age than her brother, who set the previous record when he graduated last year.