Senior Health Fair set

OCEANSIDE -- The Oceanside Senior Center will hold a free Senior Health Fair from 12:30-3 p.m. July 9 at 455 Country Club Lane. Local pharmacists will be available to review prescriptions and other medications, vitamins and supplements. The event will include screenings, healthy snacks and refreshments and opportunity drawings. R.S.V.P. by July 7 at (800) 562-2734.

Free tax rebate assistance offered

OCEANSIDE -- Free renters' and homeowners' tax rebate assistance will be available from 8:30-11:30 a.m. Tuesdays, July 8-Sept. 9 at the Oceanside Senior Center, 455 Country Club Lane. Assistance is on a first-come, first-served basis; ask for a number at the front desk. Call (760) 435-5250.

Elks hold breakfast, bingo

OCEANSIDE -- Oceanside Elks Lodge 1561 will hold bingo at 1 p.m. July 6 at 444 Country Club Lane. A free breakfast will be served from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. to all who buy in. Profits are used for charitable purposes. Call (760) 433-1561.

Comedy show, dinner on tap

CAMP PENDLETON -- The North County branch of the NAACP, Citibank and Saturn of West 78 will sponsor the 2008 Jazz & Jokes Dinner and Comedy Show at 7 p.m. July 11 at the Camp Pendleton South Mesa Staff NCO Club, 202850 San Jacinto Road.

The show will be hosted by Daran Howard and will feature comedians Evan Lionel and Lawrence "LC" Craig. Jazz will be provided by Erik Blue. Dinner will include catfish, greens, salad, spaghetti, peach cobbler and more.

Tickets -- in advance only -- cost $40 and can be purchased online at www.nsdcnaacp.org or by calling (760) 754-9686. Sponsorship opportunities are available. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the national "Back to School, Stay in School" program, which was developed by the NAACP to provide elementary and high school students with the academic and social support necessary for success.

Workshops to plan Coast Highway area

OCEANSIDE -- The city of Oceanside will hold two 1-week design workshops this summer to create a vision and strategic plan for the revitalization and future development of the Coast Highway project area.

The first workshop will take place from July 28-Aug. 1 and will address masterplanning issues related to the North Coast Highway area. The second workshop will take place from Aug. 25-Aug. 29 to address master planning issues related to the Mid and South Coast Highway area. Both sessions will be held at the Civic Center Community Rooms located at 300 N. Coast Hwy.

The daily schedule for the workshops is available on the city of Oceanside Web site, www.ci.oceanside.ca.us/chv/. Call (760) 435-3534.

Casa de Amparo sponsors food program

OCEANSIDE -- Casa de Amparo, which operates an emergency residential children's shelter and the Child Development Center for abused and neglected children in San Diego County, announces the sponsorship of the Child and Adult Food Program and the National School Lunch Program for the CDC, both through the California Department of Education's Nutrition Services Division. The CDC program, located at 103 Rancho del Oro Drive, in Oceanside, receives the benefits of the Department of Education sponsorship and is available without charge to all enrolled children.

In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, the CDC is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD).

Food stamp application assistance offered

VISTA -- The Vista Community Clinic offers food stamps application assistance from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.Fridays at 846 Williamston St. To schedule an appointment, call (760) 407-1220, Ext. 113.

Jewelry class offered

VISTA -- Kim Yang will hold a class, "Jewelry Design: Ancient Echos" from 10 a.m.-noon July 8 at the McClellan Senior Center, 1400 Vale Terrace Drive. The class will show a variety of ways to use natural materials and a new three-strand stringing method to create jewelry. Cost is $8 plus a one-time $3 semester fee. Jewelry making kits cost $25. Call (760) 432-0635.

Vita to hold concert series

VISTA -- The Vista Village Business Association will present the fourth annual "Summer Music Concert Series" from 6-8 p.m. Fridays, July 11-Aug. 1 at the Main Street Gazebo in Downtown Vista. Free.

July 11 will feature "Blues Pharaohs"; July 18, "Negative Void"; July 25, "Fast Lane"; Aug. 1, "PRI."

Information: (760) 414-9391; www.vvba.org.

Local author to sign books

CARLSBAD -- San Marcos author Cheri Harris will answer questions and sign copies of her book "A Message From St. Francis: An Ancient Mystic Speaks to the Modern World," from noon-5 p.m. July 6 at Sacred Pathway book store, 800 Grand Ave., Suite A6. Information: www.followsaintfrancis.com.

Sculpture camps offered for youths

CARLSBAD -- The Lynn Forbes School of Sculpture is still accepting students for its weekly Summer Sculpture Camps running through Aug. 25. The camps are designed for ages 6-14 and run from 1-5 p.m. weekdays at the school, 300 Carlsbad Village Drive, Suite 102. Cost is $149 per week plus $25 for materials.

Also, the School of Sculpture and Francoise Dupont Wainwright will conduct a show in August for youths who have completed classes in the school's summer camps. Grand prize winner will receive $1,000. Other cash prizes will be awarded to first- through fourth-place winners in each age division. Non-cash prizes also will be awarded.

Information: (949) 444-1926, www.sculptureschool.net.

Senior center hosts bingo

CARLSBAD -- The Carlsbad Senior Center hosts games of bingo from 12:30 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays at the center, 799 Pine Ave. Bingo game packets stop selling at 1 p.m. Sponsored by the Carlsbad Senior Citizens Association. Call (760) 602-4650.

Networkers meet at Marie Calendars

CARLSBAD -- Le Tip of Carlsbad meets for breakfast and business referral networking at 7 a.m. Thursdays at Marie Calendars, 5980 Avenida Encinas. Call (760) 877-7759.

Center to host Tai Chi classes for seniors

CARLSBAD -- The Carlsbad Senior Center will host advanced Tai Chi Chuan classes for adult learners, hosted by MiraCosta College, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Wednesdays at the center, 799 Pine St. The classes will consist of practice in the advanced form of the Chinese exercise discipline of Tai Chi Chuan. Emphasis is placed on balance, flexibility and ease of movement. The instructor for the class is Yvonne Merson. Call (760) 795-8710.

Chamber orchestra receives grant

RANCHO SANTA FE -- The Rancho Santa Fe Women's Fund has awarded $45,000 to the San Diego Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Jung-Ho Pak, artistic director and conductor, to support its ground-breaking Frances Hunter Music Memory Program, which will make its debut in the fall of 2008. Named in honor of Frances Hunter, a longtime supporter of the Orchestra's education outreach programs, the program will be implemented in the San Diego County Unified School District, the Encinitas Unified School District, the Rancho Santa Fe School district and elementary schools in Escondido. The program will culminate each year with a San Diego-wide "music bee," a Music Memory final competition that will feature all-star teams from the participating elementary schools. Students will also attend a live concert by the San Diego Chamber Orchestra and will be tested on their knowledge by participating in a team competition that will result in awards to participants.

Group to examine current, world affairs

ENCINITAS -- Join in the conversation and share opinions about current events, discuss news topics on C-SPAN or talk radio in a roundtable format at 1:30 p.m. Tuesdays at the Encinitas Senior Center, 1140 Oakcrest Park Drive. Call (760) 943-2250.

Toastmasters to meet Wednesdays

SOLANA BEACH -- The North Coast Toastmasters meet from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Wednesdays at Loftin Integrative Health Services, 530 Lomas Santa Fe, Suite A & B. Special entrance located in the southeast corner of the building. Reservations required: www.nctoastmasters.org.

Shelter seeks foster pet families

RANCHO SANTA FE -- The Helen Woodward Animal Center is seeking volunteer foster parents and families to assist with caring for orphaned pets that are too young to be adopted, or have special medical needs. Training is provided. Information: (858) 756-4117, Ext. 375; www.animalcenter.org.

Botanical garden to offer docent training sessions

ENCINITAS -- Docents-in-training will learn more about the Quail Botanical Gardens, 230 Quail Gardens Drive, during its three-hour training sessions, offered once a month. Attendees may begin with any class, but must attend all six to complete docent training. Cost is $40 for the entire six-class series. Advance registration required. Information: (760) 436 -3036, Ext. 206; www.qbgardens.org.

Local authors to sign Fairgrounds book

ENCINITAS -- The Paper Rose will host Solana Beach authors Diane and Paul Welch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 12 for a book signing event at the store, 705 N. Vulcan Ave. The authors will be signing their newly released pictorial book which showcases rare vintage photographic images and retells the history of the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Call (760) 436- 2855.

MiraCosta to offer drivers' training

CARDIFF -- MiraCosta College's Community Services will offer driver education and behind-the-wheel driver training using certificated instructors who interact with students, use guest speakers, and demonstrate contemporary audio/visual aids during the class held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., July 14-17, in Room 307 on the college's San Elijo campus, 3333 Manchester Ave. A second session will be offered from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 28-31 in Room 401.

MiraCosta also offers after-school, evening and weekend times for behind-the-wheel training. Classes meet at Carlsbad High School, El Camino High School, Rancho Buena Vista High School, and at MiraCosta College's San Elijo and Oceanside campuses. Cost is $345 for both classroom and behind-the-wheel training; individually, driver education is $88, and behind-the-wheel is $285. Call for schedule. Call (760) 795-6825, (760) 795-6820.

Botanical garden to host insect festival

ENCINITAS -- Quail Botanical Gardens will host its annual salute to bugs, the Family Insect Festival, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 12-13 at the garden, 230 Quail Gardens Drive. Celebrate creepy crawlies at this one-of-a-kind event that includes "tastings" of cooked mealworm larva while learning about the fascinating world of insects through educational, interactive booths. Children 12 and under are admitted free and can practice bug collecting, hands-on insect arts and crafts. Entomologists and other bug experts will be available for questions and information. In honor of "The Year of the Frog," Quail Botanical Gardens will have a frog table along with frog-related crafts and live frogs for viewing. Free for members and children 12 and under; $10 for adults; $7 for seniors, military and students. Call (760) 436-3036.