Change of address
OCEANSIDE — Thrivent Financial for Lutherans opened a new office at 3402 Piazza De Oro Way, Suite 200 in Oceanside. Everyone is welcome at an open house at 2 p.m. and a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce at 4 p.m. Aug. 27.

Chairwoman honored
OCEANSIDE — Sylvia Ramirez, noncredit-ESL department chairwoman at MiraCosta College, has received the 2010 Promising Outcomes Work and Exemplary Research, or POWER, award for Exemplary Student Learning Outcomes Assessment in Noncredit. The award comes from the SLO Collaborative of the Academic Senate and the RP Group.

New sports bar
ENCINITAS — Encinitas’ newest sports bar for the whole family, Stadium Sports Bar and Restaurant, at 149 S. El Camino Real, will be opening at 11 a.m. through 2 a.m. Aug. 28 hosted by 3b Charities, benefiting local sports and children’s activities. Along with a full menu of steaks, seafood, plus kid-friendly burgers and sandwiches, Stadium has 60 TVs, a mahogany bar and serves dinner on a blue glass, fire canal on its open patio. The bar will be stocked with the finest tequilas and craft beers. Children will be catered to with age-appropriate arcades and a monitor at the tables for parents to watch the youngsters from private, oversized black leather booths. The restaurant will also feature live music. “The Stadium restaurant is excited to introduce a new and luxurious concept in family sports bars, food and fun for everyone. This corporation and restaurant has no affiliation with the previous establishment,” said owner /manager Brandon Gonzales.

Grauer School award
ENCINITAS — Dana Abplanalp-Diggs, principal at The Grauer School, announced the school has been awarded membership in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO, Association Schools Project Network for the promotion of quality education. ASPnet schools are considered “centers for innovation” and make a commitment to conduct pilot projects to reinforce the humanistic, cultural and international dimension of education.

New spa director
RANCHO SANTA FE — Jim Croghan has been named the director of spa and recreation at The Grand Del Mar, overseeing programming, budgeting and operations at the resort’s 21,000-square-foot luxury spa, as well as spearheading select fitness and recreational programs.

Cook joins Hospice
CARLSBAD — Kathryn Cook has been appointed director of business development at Hospice of the North Coast. Cook, a residential care for the elderly administrator, is responsible for coordinating and conducting community outreach, education and related efforts. Prior to joining HNC, she served as director of the Memory Care Center at Garden Park Villas and is a longtime volunteer for the Alzheimer’s Association.

Local entrepreneurs
COAST CITIES — Encinitas resident Jane Adolph is one of three women who have developed Mayesa, a new drink made from organic cacao, the purest form of chocolate. The cacao is blended with hemp protein, rice and select spices. Mayesa provides fiber, calcium, potassium, vitamin D and antioxidants and is dairy-free, lactose-free, gluten-free, has no cholesterol and no trans fats. It can be found at Ralphs, Albertsons, Henry’s, and Jimbo’s. For more information on Mayesa products and retail locations, visit www.Mayesa.com.

Free sub days
SAN MARCOS — A new Jersey Mike’s Sub Store has opened at 595 Grand Ave. To celebrate, store owner Steven Leonard will hold a five-day fundraiser through Aug. 29 to celebrate, on behalf of Cancer for College. Customers can get a free sub with a coupon and a $1 donation to the charity.

Board members
CARLSBAD — The Board of Directors of San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine has appointed Kathleen Pacurar as its new president and chief executive officer.

Outside the bowl
CARLSBAD — Plein air painter Scott W. Prior has donated 16 original paintings to Outside the Bowl, a non-profit organization dedicated to alleviating world hunger.  Sept. 23, Prior will host a “heART for hope” event at Carlsbad Seapointe Resort, 6400 Surfside Lane. Admission is free, but reservations are required at https:// event.attendstar.com/view-event/heart-for-hope-carlsbad/. Reserving a spot enters you to win one of Prior’s paintings. OTB built a super kitchen in Paarl, South Africa and one in Port-de-Paix, Haiti to feed 8,000 people a day. Next will be Tijuana, Mexico. The facilities distribute hot meals to orphanages, schools, clinics, churches and other in-country organizations in need.