• Ernesto Rodriguez is the new master chef at Trotter’s Family Restaurant, 825 Harvey Road, Auburn.

Rodriguez, of Houston, has special interests in Italian, Greek and Mexican-style dishes.

A culinary school graduate from The Art Institute of Houston, Rodriguez worked at several prominent restaurants in the Houston area. He most recently worked at Cactus Restaurant in Kirkland.

• Friends of the late Shiloh Drott have established an online donation Web site – www.giveforward.org/Bleauroom – to help rebuild the east room of the Pacific community and recreation center.

The room will be called the “Bleau Room” after Drott’s middle name. The room was damaged when a gunman shot and killed Drott, 21, at a church-sponsored late-night youth event Nov. 14.

City officials, led by Mayor Richard Hildreth, are spearheading efforts to acquire volunteer labor and donations to rebuild the room.

Arai Jackson Ellision Murakami architects are preparing plans.

More than 60 skilled trade members from the area have volunteered for the project. Each member intends to mentor local youths as they work to restore the room.

Funds from the giveforward.org campaign will be matched with some corporate donations for an overall goal of $150,000.

In addition to an architectural firm, the venture has secured an engineering company and project manager – all donating their services.

For more details, please visit giveforward.org and click on the community section.

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