WINNERS of the social media contest for the National Night Out event in Garden Grove, with Police Chief Tom DaRe in the center (City of Garden Grove photo).

The annual National Night Out event in Garden Grove took on a different look on Tuesday due to the coronavirus pandemic. It was virtually commemorated with a video produced by the city’s GGTV3 team.

This year, the video introduced several police officers and specialized units, including the Special Resource Team (dedicated to helping the homeless), the Community Impact Unit (focusing on solving problem areas and trends) and the K-9 unit with canine Kody. A social media challenge was hosted on Facebook and the winners are Elsy Vianey Salazar, Lindy Monge, Maria Castro-Orellana, Lala Leela, Mandy Alvarado and Julia Favro.

Got some junk you want to get rid of? The Midway City Sanitary District is planning another Clean-Up Event for Saturday, Aug. 15 at the Bowling Green Park, located at Forrest Lane and Parkview Avenue in Westminster. That’s southeast of Hazard Avenue and Brookhurst Street.  The event will start at 10 a.m. and go until 1 p.m. or when the trash bins – courtesy of CR&R Environmental Services – are full. Bring your e-waste (TVs, computers, microwave ovens, etc.), large appliances (washers, dryers, refrigerators, etc.) and yard waste (clippings, trimmings, branches) other items such as bikes, suitcases, tools, tires and trash. The MCSD serves Westminster and Midway City and is intended for customers of the district.

Love the new (extended) Medal of Honor bike and pedestrian path connecting Brookhurst Street to the downtown area of Garden Grove? Wondering when it will get “spruced up” with trees and other landscaping? The city council on Tuesday will be asked to approve awarding a contract worth up to $510,996 to Kato Landscape, Inc. for planting 363 trees along its length along with irrigation. Most of the money will come from a state grant and the deal will include a warranty and maintenance. The intended start date is Sept. 8 and the completion goal is 60 days later (Nov. 8).

The pandemic has hit restaurants hard, but there are signs of new life. All four of our cities are issuing temporary permits for outdoor dining that may reach out onto sidewalks and even streets – see Azteca and Louie’s on Main Street in Garden Grove. The SteelCraft outdoor dining hall on Euclid Street in Garden Grove lost some clients during the shutdown, but several have reopened and one new operation is on its way. In the spot previously occupied by The Nest (breakfast fare) will be Merenda, which advertises “a different way to enjoy pizza.” Can’t wait!

“Our Towns” is a weekly column for news notes, short items about honors, etc. and “slices of life” items about daily doings in our cities of Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Stanton and Westminster. Send your information to us at orangecountytribune@gmail.com .