Are you ready for some football?

I am.

I’m ready to see Peyton Manning lead the Broncos to the Super Bowl.

I’m curious to see how USC and UCLA fare this season.

And, of course, I’ll be watching our local teams in the Garden Grove League, most notably perennial powerhouse Garden Grove High, which won the CIF title two years ago and advanced to the final before losing last season.

This campaign, the Argonauts are once again one of the top-ranked teams in the county and favored to win league.

So mark this on your calendar: Garden Grove High at crosstown-rival Westminster High at 7 p.m. on Sept. 6 in the season opener.

For a full schedule of Garden Grove League games, check out this week’s OCN.

And boys, get ready to rummmmmble!

–Brady Rhoades

Check out page 4 of this week’s OCN, headlined “From the death of a child … to helping others”, for a moving, compelling, tragic, triumphant story about Garden Grove women who have lost children.

And learned to grapple with their grief, and help others, through support groups.

The groups are organized by the Orange County Umbrella Ministries.

If you’re a mother who’s lost a child and would like support, and maybe a way to get through your grief, call Bev Leckie, local organizer, at 714-554-5943.

–Brady Rhoades

Miss Garden Grove 2013 has had quite a run.

In a few months, Missy Mendoza will move on to even bigger and better things, I’m guessing, and a new Miss Garden Grove will be crowned.

Meanwhile, here’s a can’t-miss event: the Miss Garden Grove Scholarship Organization is excited to announce the next installment of its quarterly Pub Trivia Fundraiser to benefit the Miss Garden Grove Scholarship Fund. The event is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 22 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Azteca Mexican Restaurant, 129 Main St. in Garden Grove.

As they say, be there or be square.

–Brady Rhoades

The older you get, the faster it passes, it seems.

Summer, that is.

Some schools in the Garden Grove area have already rang that first bell, signaling the first day back to school.

Huh? Yep, it’s true.

Others are planning to do the same.

Football players can be seen sweating and smash-mouthing on our local fields in preparation for those special, never-to-be-forgotten games under the Friday night lights.

And the nearest mall in our coverage area is also gearing up. I’m talking about the Westminster Mall. Yes, it’s in Westminster, obviously, but it’s the mall of choice for many Garden Grove and Stanton residents because of its proximity and because, well, it’s an underappreciated but pretty good mall.

With that said, and I’m lifting the following from a story that will appear in this week’s paper, Simon Property Group, Inc., a leading global retail real estate company, is holding a special celebration to help young students and parents across the country “make the grade” even before the school year begins.

Families are invited to score an “A+” in preparedness and entertainment with Simon Kidgits Club’s annual back-to-school event at Westminster Mall on Aug. 24 from 10 a.m. to noon in Macy’s Court.

Simon Kidgits Club’s back-to-school event will feature a variety of interactive activities for children and valuable offers for adults, all designed to make transitioning into academic routines a little easier.

•Infusing some fun: To incorporate excitement into getting back to the classroom, kids will have the opportunity to participate in seasonal-inspired craft-making activities and games, including personalized notebook decorating and other back-to-school creations.

•Introducing what’s hot: Before hitting the books, families can explore the latest clothing, accessory and toy trends from retailers at Westminster Mall.

•Sharing savvy ways to save: Event attendees will have the chance to win prizes and giveaways, and tackle their back to school shopping lists with exclusive retailer coupons and promotions. For example, GAP has partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America for a “Back to School Drive” benefitting disadvantaged students. Shoppers who donate school supplies in-store for students aged 6-17 will receive 25 percent off one regular priced item (please see a GAP sales associate for official rules and details). In addition, Kidgits Club members will receive a special insulated lunch bag during Westminster Mall’s event, while supplies last.

“At Simon malls, we know the back-to-school experience means more to families than simply purchasing must-have supplies,” said Nate Weirbach, director of marketing and business development at Westminster Mall.

The Simon Kidgits Club is a fun and informative program that focuses on health, wellness, education, safety and entertainment for children ages 3-8. Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2013, the Simon Kidgits Club has kept children and parents alike amused for a decade with various events and activities while providing incentives for club members, such as special offers, rewards and games.

For more information about the Simon Kidgits Club and back-to-school events, visit www.simon.com/kidgits or visit Westminster Mall on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/WestminsterMall on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ShopWestminster or on Instagram at http://instagram.com/shopwestminster.

–Brady Rhoades

The Garden Grove Fire Department is now using Facebook to provide updates to local residents.

The page can be found at www.facebook.com/GardenGroveFire. It features significant incident reports, fire and rescue safety messages for the community, upcoming event notifications, and photos of Garden Grove firefighters in action.

Facebook users can also get weekly statistics displaying the amount and type of emergency calls being responded to by the Fire Department.  And just in time for summer, the page also features important pool safety tips, including the reminder to practice the A-B-Cs: A-adult supervision; B-barriers; and C-classes, to prevent accidents.

Note that the Facebook page is not monitored 24 hours a day.  For emergencies, you should call 9-1-1. For non-emergencies, call 714-634-4341, and to contact the Garden Grove Fire Department’s Business Office, call 714-741-5600.

– Brady Rhoades

The Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce has announced its new president-CEO, David B. Ahern . 

Ahern will take over for Jeremy Harris.

Ahern has had an extensive career in the business community and local government.  He has worked directly with various chambers, boards of Realtors, elected officials, major businesses and neighborhood business districts.  

Ahern has worked directly with community groups, non-profit organizations,  planning events and dealing with community issues.  He has served on non-profit board of directors and as a police commissioner. 

He will start with the Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce on Monday, Aug. 5. Ahern brings to the job a wealth of knowledge and skills upon which to further fortify and grow the chamber, according to chamber representatives.

–Brady Rhoades