Community Corner

Warhorse Gets Statue; Third Oldest Gorilla Celebrates Birthday; Hottest SoCal Travel Destination: Saturday Smiles

Need a break from bad news? Here are a few of our favorite uplifting headlines and photos from Southern California Patch sites.

If you are looking for a lighter news story for your weekend, Patch is here to brighten your day.

San Diego Zoo Safari Park Celebrates Gorilla’s 59th Birthday

  • Vila, believed to be the world's third-oldest western lowland gorilla, celebrated her 59th birthday at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

SeaWorld San Diego Releases Three More Marine Mammals

Find out what's happening in Beverly Hillsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Two California sea lions and an elephant seal return to the ocean as SeaWorld San Diego winds down its 2016 rescue season.

Travel Guru Ranks Los Angeles As Nation's Hottest Destination

  • Lonely Planet places LA as the world's third hottest travel destination in the coming year.

RAMS to Donate Football Equipment to all LA Public School Teams

Find out what's happening in Beverly Hillsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Football players representing their LAUSD schools will get helmets, shirts, shorts, sandals, cleats and jerseys from the Rams.

Legendary Disney Animator Who Broke Color Barrier to Receive Special Achievement Awards in Marina Del Rey

  • Floyd Norman will be receiving the Legendary Animator Award from the African American Film Critics Association at its awards ceremony.

Orange County Residents Pick the Scariest Halloween Movies of All Time

  • What are the top Halloween Horror movies of all time? Alphabetized A-Z, these are the movies that keep Orange County moms awake at night

Hermosa Beach Police K-9 Team Wins at Las Vegas K-9 Competition

  • The Las Vegas K-9 Trials is one of the oldest in the nation and feature teams from throughout the western United States.

Community Goes KaBOOM! for New Fountain Valley Area Family Resource Center

  • It took a village to build a new community resource center playground thanks to OC volunteers from CAPOC, Target and KaBOOM!

Wow! House: Musicians John Trivers and Liz Myers Sold Hermosa Beach Home for Record Price

  • The home is the most expensive home sold in Hermosa Beach so far this year.

Lake Forest Area Hampton & Brinks Congratulate Boy on Saving for Service Dog

  • OC Hampton Products Intl. sent a care package to a boy who saved pennies in a wagon named "Brinks" to get his Type 1 diabetes service dog.

Camp Pendleton to Honor Decorated Warhorse with Monument on Base

  • The horse, Staff Sgt. Reckless, was bought at a racetrack in Seoul during the Korean War and trained to navigate supply routes by herself.

Mission Viejo High School Graduate Predicts Cubs to Win World Series 2016

  • In 1993, a Mission Viejo grad made his fateful prediction in his high school yearbook.

Laguna Beach Unified School District Falls in Love with Reading

  • Students in Laguna Beach have fallen in love with Reading, according to the Laguna Beach Unified School District.

Trash to Treasure: Puente Hills Landfill Park Approved for San Gabriel Valley

  • A 142-acre park plan was approved by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday on what was the second largest landfill in the country

-- Photos courtesy of the San Diego Zoo

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.