Mendocino Farms is opening later this year in Mission Viejo in the retail center Alicia Landing.
The Los Angeles-based fast-casual chain, which touts premium sandwiches, salads and grain bowls, also is hiring.
A job listing at PoachedJobs.com said full- and part-time cashiers, runners, bussers and hosts can earn up from $19.50 to $22 hourly, including tips.
Also see: 31 stores in California on Rite Aid closure list
Address: 24420 Alicia Pkwy, Mission Viejo
More retail news: Barnes & Noble replacing Aki Home at District in Tustin
2 local cancer centers switching to UCI
UCI Health has acquired two cancer centers after the parent company filed for bankruptcy protection.
Patients at GenesisCare’s radiation oncology centers in Fountain Valley and Anaheim will be contacted by UCI Health about the transition.
The health system expects the switch to be “a seamless transition” of care.
Both of the centers will be renamed UCI Health Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Work continues on Old Towne Plaza fountain
Old Towne Orange’s historic plaza fountain might just be ready for the annual Christmas tree lighting.
The fountain was damaged in March when a car involved in a high-speed police chase plowed through the traffic circle and smashed into the structure. The impact crushed custom tiles that were laid on the fountain in 1937. The new tile, made to match the old, will be set by Mark McCandless, the grandson of the original tile-setter, Charles McCandless.
Also see: Din Tai Fung dumpling house coming to Brea Mall
The plaza itself dates to 1886.
The city in a social media post said restoration work would start this week. That effort includes cleaning the existing tile and grout, making custom-made color-matched glazed tiles to replace the smashed ones (which were removed) and their installation.
Perimeter fencing keeping kids from poking fingers into the empty fountain will remain until the project is completed.
More Orange news: Orange getting its second Goodwill, replacing a shuttered Big Lots
The work should take six to eight weeks, the city said.
Postal service hiring all over OC
The US Postal Service is hiring for positions across much of Orange County.
Positions are available in Irvine, Trabuco Canyon, San Clemente, Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, El Torro, Newport Beach and Costa Mesa.
Starting pay ranges from $18.22 to $21.17 hourly.
The Postal Service is looking to fill spots for mail processing clerks and handlers, city and rural carriers, tractor-trailer operators and mechanics, laborer custodians and automotive technicians
For more information and how to apply, head over to usps.com/careers.
Make-A-Wish marks milestone with a furry wish
Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire raised $800,000 at the “The Make-A-Wish Gala: An Evening in Monaco.”
The event on Oct. 21 at Balboa Bay Resort marked a big milestone for the nonprofit: It granted its 8,000th wish in 40 years.
That wish was granted to 10-year-old Xayden, who recently completed treatment for leukemia. While Xayden was surprised to see his life story playing out on big screens at the event, the bigger surprise came in a box — a puppy!
Xayden’s wish got some help from the Orange County Sherriff’s Department, Orange County Fire Department, John Wayne Airport, Southwest Airlines and Harbor Patrol.
On the move
Phillip Franks has been named chief executive officer at Irvine-based Be Well OC. He has 25 years of experience in healthcare and military leadership and most recently served as the CEO of OC Specialty Health & Hospitals.
Newport Beach-based nonprofit CureDuchenne has made some key hires to its executive team, adding Executive Director Laura Hameed and Kristen Morris as vice president of medical affairs and community engagement. The organization also added board members Chris Finazzo, Diane Kemple, John Maraganore and Nick Prytherch.
On board
Orange County United Way appointed Mahboob Akhter to its board of directors. He will serve a three-year term beginning in September 2023 and ending in June 2026. Akhter is president and CEO of Ascend Tools Inc., a startup specializing in the supply of hand tools for industrial, aviation, composite and electrical markets.
Milestones
The Santa Ana nonprofit KidWorks will honor longtime supporters Camille and Tim Strader Jr. of Newport Beach at its 17th annual Foundation for Success Luncheon. The Dan Donahue Leadership award, named after the late developer from Newport Beach, will be presented to the Straders. The event takes place Thursday, Nov. 9 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel near John Wayne Airport, (201 E. MacArthur Blvd.). To be a sponsor, contact Lisa Gels, KidWorks’ director of development, at lisa.gels@kidworksoc.org or 714-834-9400 ext. 126.
Valentina Bonev has been inducted as a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. This designation is given to board-certified surgeons who meet the highest standards established by the ACS. Bonev is a breast surgical oncologist at Breastlink in Orange.
OC World, a public affairs news and features program, celebrated its two-year anniversary at The Cove UCI. The event also marked an opportunity to share new programs including “Smart Money, Bright Future” tied to financial literacy; “OC History Hunters” with former State Sen. John Moorlach and PBS history sleuth Chris Epting; and “OC Innovators” in collaboration with MacGillivray-Freeman Films. For more information about OC World, visit www.ocworld.org.
Good works
Crystal Cove Conservancy and 250 guests raised $710,000 at the 21st annual Soirée. The money supports The Conservancy’s science, technology, engineering and math education programs, which bring more than 10,000 students to Crystal Cove each year.
Illumination Foundation, a nonprofit organization with the mission to disrupt the cycle of homelessness, raised $335,000 at their 3rd Annual Women’s Philanthropy Luncheon on October 20 at the Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton Hotel, in Huntington Beach to support women experiencing homelessness. The funds will provide integrated housing and healthcare services for women in Illumination Foundation’s programs.
Status Update is compiled from press releases by contributing writer Karen Levin and edited by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items and high-resolution photos to sgowen@scng.com. Allow at least one week for publication. Items are edited for length and clarity.
