Fair Game

By TOM JOHNSON

The NFL season is back and that means it’s time for another year of fantasy football

A week and a half ago, a group of friends got together via the internet for our 10th annual fantasy football draft, just two days before the start of the NFL season. It’s something I look forward to every year and keeps my interest on the NFL throughout the season.

As an aside, I also play fantasy golf every year and, in fact, have to organize my players for the season’s start the week after the Ryder Cup.

But back to football. This year I was assigned the second pick, which means I’m going to get a great player, but then will have to wait as the other eight players not only pick once after me, but then start over again and reverse back to my number two pick again. That means my second pick won’t come until the 19th player selected.

Here’s the good news, the guy in my league selecting number one picked Carolina running back Christian McCaffery, leaving Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes on my doorstep. I jumped at the chance.

My league is a two-quarterback league, meaning each week we play, that’s right, two quarterbacks. So later I picked Ram’s QB Matthew Stafford to join Mahomes as my starters.

I also was fortunate enough to get 49ers tight end George Kittle, wide receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett from Seattle, and running backs David Montgomery, Chicago Bears and Josh Jacobs, Raiders. Add to that perhaps the top kicker in Kansas City’s Harrison Butker and you have my week one team. Not bad!

If you followed the opening weekend closely, you’ll figure out that my group scored a record high for me and led me to an easy victory.

But before we hit the field, I needed a new team name that reflected this year’s group. That was easy, welcome to Mahome is Where Maheart Is. Kind of catchy playing off my star QB’s name, don’t you think? It’s one of the fun parts of the fantasy game.

It got me thinking of the nearly 50 million people that play fantasy football in the U.S. each year and what are some of the better team names: for example, if Minnesota’s Dalvin Cook is your running back, think Dalvin & the Chipmunks; how about if you have the Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott, well, how about Hide & Zeke; QB Jake Fromm from the Buffalo Bills, well, Jake Fromm State Farm, of course; Bengal running back Joe Mixon, Mixon it Up; Bears’ tight end Cole Kmet, Kmet the Frog; Chiefs’ running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire equals Clyde and Go Seek, Tampa Bay running back Leonard Fournette, Don’t You Fournette about Me, then Tom Brady translates to Brady Gaga or former UCLA’s QB Josh Rosen whose team could be Guns and Rosen.

Anyway, you get my drift, the team name means a lot.

I hope you’re among those playing and that the season treats you well. 

In any case, I’m 1-0 after the first week, I’m seeing my hands on that trophy, and the little cash wager we’re all playing for…wink, wink.

Week 2, here we come.

• • •

Sad news, John Emme, the longtime Corona del Mar High School baseball coach, died last week following a bicycle accident. Emme was reportedly in a coma for nearly two weeks following an incident that is still under investigation. Few details are being made available.

Let’s remember John for his commitment to his players and students at CdM that he helped in so many different ways.

• • •

The Planning Commission meeting scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 23 at 6:30 p.m. has been canceled. The next scheduled Planning Commission meeting will be on Thursday, Oct. 7.

• • •

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District has announced through a formal notice that they’ll hold a “Public Hearing” at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 5. The topic of the hearing is actually to remain in compliance with the Education Code, making certain that the instructional materials for this academic year are aligned with the required academic standards.

There shouldn’t be any surprises, it’s more of a formality. However, because it is open, the public can attend to review and hear about the planned materials.

The hearing takes place at the District office, 2985 Bear St., Costa Mesa.

For additional information contact Vanessa Galey, the Director of Special Projects, at 714.424.8983.

• • •

Something kind of fun planned for the OC Fair & Event Center this weekend, beginning today. It’s the Geico Sand Sports Super Show, which will offer attendees three days of fun and up-close looks at the latest sand rails, UTVs, ATVs, side-by-sides, accessories, apparel and more.

Doors are open today (Friday) from 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Enter Gate 3 off of Fairview.

More information, including admission and parking costs are available at www.sandsportssupershow.com/.

Council extends emergency temporary use permits for outdoor dining, some concern on neighbor impact

By SARA HALL

City Council this week unanimously agreed to extend emergency temporary use permits (ETUPs) for restaurants and retailers to conduct business outdoors, but some voiced concern about the impact on local neighbors and encouraged enhanced code enforcement.

Council voted 6-0 Tuesday, Sept. 14, to prolong the ETUPs through December 31. Councilmember Noah Blom recused himself due to business interest conflicts.

Throughout the pandemic, permits were issued to commercial and institutional uses to allow restaurants and retailers to conduct business outdoors on private and public property, parking lots and sidewalks while a city declaration of local emergency was in place. 

On June 8, after lifting the local emergency declaration, the council voted to extend the outdoor dining ETUPs through September 6. 

“This is something that the council has unanimously provided to those restaurants to get through the COVID period,” said Community Development Director Seimone Jurjis. 

Some restaurants have said they are still suffering from COVID, Jurjis said –  the summer season has died off, things are getting slower – and asked for an extension. 

Tuesday’s action automatically extended the existing ETUPs through the end of the year. Permittees may apply for a limited-term permit to continue outdoor dining beyond the new year for a period of up to 12 months. Applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis based on the merits of the location, availability of parking and land use compatibility.

The approved resolution will also continue to waive application fees and waive council policy about sidewalk café standards for procedures for limited-term permits. This waiver would allow a four-foot walkway width where a six-foot width is typically required.

Depending on how many businesses apply for a limited-term permit, it is estimated that the cost of the fee waivers is $200,000 in lost revenue.

To date, the city has received 24 limited term permit applications, with interest expressed by several others to continue with outdoor dining. The pending LTP applications are in the review process based on their individual merits, including land use compatibility and the availability of parking. 

Staff will notify all ETUP holders who have not submitted an LTP application and ask them to do so by October 15. This will provide time for staff to process the LTP applications and hold a public hearing before December 31.

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Photo by Amy Senk

Outdoor dining at the Helmsman Ale House on the peninsula

Only a few members of the public spoke or wrote in on the issue.

NB Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Steve Rosansky wrote in an email to the council that many of the businesses that requested the permits are still suffering from the ill effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The chamber “wholeheartedly endorses” extending the permits through the end of the year, Rosansky wrote. 

During public comment on the item, resident Jim Mosher noted the previous extension ended on September 6, more than a week before the council meeting. Technically, those permits have ended.

“I don’t know how you can extend something that is expired,” Mosher said. 

Or it could be incorrectly stated in the resolution title, he pointed out, and the council action is actually “resurrecting” old permits and extending them.

Jeff Shields, an attorney representing resident Jill Markowicz, owner of Trompe L’oeil Cosmetiques, reminded the council that the original purpose of the permits was because of the pandemic.

“Restaurants were being closed, they had to have outdoor dining situations, everybody understands that,” Shields said. “That no longer exists.”

There are no mandatory closures, mask requirements, or indoor restrictions, Shields said. Restaurants are wide open and packed. 

“There’s not a need for emergency extensions because the indoor dining that they all had is already back in full force,” Shields argued, 

This shouldn’t be a citywide blanket of use, he said. Each should be independently reviewed and based on the merits to their particular situation, Shields added. The ETUP is a temporary “gift” from the city, he said. It’s not something they earned or that they are entitled to.

“But it comes with a cost, the cost is to the neighbors,” Shields said. “The neighbors bear the burden of the outside noise, and annoyance and the nuisance, and it changes their property values and their lifestyle.”

The two of particular concern to his client are the Helmsman Ale House and Arc Butcher & Baker, the latter which is owned by Blom. Both restaurants are “bad actors,” he said. Since the ETUP was issued, there have been a combined total of 16 administrative citations or notices of violations, Shields said. 

He suggested to only apply the extension to ETUP holders who have not, in the course of the ETUP, received notices of violation or administrative citations.

“Then you weed out the bad actors, you don’t reward them” Shields said. “And you protect the neighbors.”

A handful of restaurants have had a number of complaints, mainly about noise issues, noted Jurjis. 

Three businesses received citations from the city, Jurjis confirmed, and they have since resolved their outstanding issues. 

There have been two restaurants that had their ETUPs actually revoked, Jurjis said. But they appealed, went through the administrative process and the ETUPs were restored. And now they are in compliance with their conditions. 

Of the two revocations, one restaurant made a number of significant changes: Management left, a brand new menu and brand new business concept.

“It was a completely new establishment,” Jurjis said. “The other one…finally understood that we meant business and they changed their menu also.”

Eventually both restaurants’ ETUPs were restored. 

“Typically, from a code enforcement standpoint, we want to work with our businesses so we have our counseling session,” Jurjis said. After explaining the issues, “they’ll receive a citation or their ETUP will get immediately revoked. Usually, we do obtain compliance.”

Councilmember Diane Dixon said she’s disappointed to hear about the violations. She supported extending the permits to December 31, however, with a condition. 

She suggested revoking the ETUP if there is a code violation, by any restaurant, because they aren’t following the rules as outlined in the permit conditions. The special permit is allowing the businesses to use public resources and provides the opportunity for greater business capacity, she said.

“It’s wonderful to be able to be outside and I wish that people could respect the rules. That’s all I’m asking, is to respect the rules.”

She also asked about improving code enforcement and following up on violations.

Code enforcement is reactionary, Jurjis said. They don’t have the staff to monitor all of the restaurants regularly, he added. They receive complaints and they respond. 

The city now has code enforcement working weekends and late nights.

The use of public property is creating the burden, but it’s still up to the residents to call and report violation, Dixon pointed out. 

Dixon also emphasized the need to upkeep the maintenance of the area. Restaurant patrons spill drinks or food on the sidewalk, she pointed out. 

Not all restaurants are using public space, Dixon agreed, but those that are should have the responsibility of keeping it clean and maintained, as outlined in the permit conditions. They could send out notices to all the restaurants reminding them they have to maintain and clean the public sidewalk if it’s being used. 

There was also some concern about usage of the outdoor area going past the hours allowed in the permit. Closing hours for the outdoor service for most of the restaurants with ETUPs is 9 or 10 p.m.

Jurjis said they’ve been able to address a lot of the complaints by speaking to the business owners about spilling over the closing hours. Staff has the administrative power to shorten the hours, if need be, he said. 

It’s important to share with the restaurants that that’s a possibility, said Councilmember Joy Brenner.

“So that they’re aware and they know they need to be considerate of the neighbors,” she said. 

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Photo by Amy Senk

Outdoor dining at Summer House in Corona del Mar

Some restaurants have been very respectful, Brenner noted. 

“We’ve got so many restaurants that are really good neighbors and that really make every effort to work with the residents that live near them,” Brenner said. 

As COVID cases increase, a lot of people don’t want to go inside restaurants to eat, she noted. 

“I really feel like we should be encouraging the good operators to do this and giving them every benefit,” Brenner said, “but at the same time if people are annoying their neighbors, then we should somehow limit that.”

She supported Dixon’s suggestion that complaints or code enforcement issues would, at the least, trigger a review of the permit or revocation. 

But not everyone on the dais agreed.

There are sometimes neighbor disputes in mixed-use areas, O’Neill noted, and there are complaints from one resident with a long list of concerns that predates the pandemic. It’s not a great idea for the council to get involved in neighbor disputes, he said.

Also, if a person complains, that doesn’t mean it’s valid, he added. There is due process.

Tying a permit to receiving a complaint is not appropriate, O’Neill said. Pulling back on the hours of operations because of complaints is also not appropriate.

“That’s not how we do things in this city,” O’Neill said. “Never has been, never should be.”

There are differences between complaints and violations, and violations that would actually justify removing a permit. For example, if they are a “few inches off” and they have a code violation, that’s not a good reason to take away a permit, O’Neill said. 

There is certainly a due process, but residents have a right to complain and a right to be listened to, Dixon responded. And it’s unfortunate if they are critical of residents whose quality of life has changed because the council took action on something that affects the noise levels in their neighborhood.

“We should be respectful of their concerns,” Dixon said. 

She trusts staff, whether that’s code enforcement or the police, to handle it appropriately, Dixon said. They can differentiate between a complaint and a code violation, she added. There is a difference between a complaint and code violation, but the consequences of a complaint that results in a legitimate code violation is subject to the staff’s determination, she said.

Dixon suggested that if a citation is issued for a code violation for any restaurant, then the ETUP would be revoked.

City Attorney Aaron Harp reminded council of the due process before revocation.

It includes opportunity for correction, allows for appeals and is already worked into the process under the permit. Revocation has occurred on a couple restaurants already, Harp noted. 

It’s an important point and it’s good general guidance, if it’s the will of the council, that if there are violations that they should move through the appropriate process. 

The maintenance condition is also already in the ETUP.

Whole Maine lobster rocks the Civic Center Green at 12th Annual Lobsterfest 

The 12th Annual Lobsterfest at Newport Beach was held at the Newport Beach Civic Green on Sunday, Sept. 12 with close to 500 guests attending this year’s annual end-of-summer culinary celebration. The day centered around a fresh whole Maine lobster dinner with dancing to live music, a raffle drawing for a big screen TV, luxurious spa packages from Spa Gregorie’s Newport Beach, other great prizes and fun for the entire family.

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Photos by Amy DiLuzio, The Lobsterfest At Newport Beach Foundation

Live whole Maine lobster, flown in fresh on the morning of the event 

Live whole Maine lobster was flown in fresh on the morning of the event and prepared on-site alongside a delicious dinner that included shrimp, clams, corn on the cob, red potatoes, salad and rolls. Dessert included freshly made chocolate chip cookies, courtesy of The Bungalow Restaurant in Corona del Mar. Lobster lovers enjoyed craft beer and premium wine while rockin’ out to the tunes of the Pinch Me! Band who kept the party rolling.

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Lobster lovers are served crustacean culinary delights by Make-A-Wish^® Orange County & the Inland Empire volunteers

The day raised money for Lobsterfest beneficiaries and local nonprofit organizations, with net proceeds benefiting Make-A-Wish^® Orange County & the Inland Empire’s “Grant A Wish” and the Corona del Mar High School Sea Kings’ football team. The 2021 Lobsterfest Foundation $7,500 check donation to Make-A-Wish® grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. An additional donation will be made again this year to the CdM Sea Kings’ football team in appreciation for their ongoing volunteerism and valued support of this annual event. 

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“Lido The Lobster” greets (L-R) Diego Gaviria, Sommer Long, Lobsterfest Event Director Peggy Fort and Dan Buchanan

The Lobsterfest Foundation would like to thank the following 2021 sponsors for their valued support of this year’s event:

–Anderson Seafood

–City of Newport Beach

–CMC Inc. Marketing by Peggy Fort

–CR&R Environmental Services

–Spa Gregorie’s Newport Beach

–The Bungalow Restaurant

–QURE Nature Inspired Alkaline Water

A special thank you also goes out to the following:

–All student and adult volunteers for donating their time

–Corona del Mar High School football players

–Make-A-Wish^® Orange County & the Inland Empire

–Make-A-Wish volunteers

–Newport Beach Police Explorers

–Table Sponsors

–Tim Brown, Stephanie Murguia, the Lobsterfest at Newport Beach board of directors, and committee members for donating time and energy for the success of this event.

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A special thank you goes out to the Corona del Mar High School football team for their community volunteerism and hard work at this year’s Lobsterfest

The Lobsterfest at Newport Beach began in 2009 as a fundraiser for the Costa Mesa and Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary clubs. Now in its eighth year, the Lobsterfest has created its own foundation and maintains 501(c)(3) status. Since 2009, proceeds from the event have supported the Newport Sunrise Rotary Club, Costa Mesa Rotary Club, Newport-Mesa Schools Foundation, Leadership Tomorrow, Make-A-Wish^® Orange County & the Inland Empire and New Directions for Women.

For more information, visit www.lobsterfestatnewportbeach.com/

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Lobsterfest guests dance and rock out to the tunes of the Pinch Me! Band

Take Five: Meet Heather Cieslak, Newport Bay Conservancy operations director

By AMY SENK

The Upper Newport Bay, also known as the Back Bay, is nearly 1,000 acres of wetlands, where freshwater and seawater meet, creating the perfect habitat for wildlife and a perfect playground for the tens of thousands of us humans every year who go there to enjoy biking, hiking, paddle boarding and activities. This Saturday, Sept. 18 is Coastal Cleanup Day at Upper Newport Bay – the first year back after the 2020 event was celebrated virtually do to COVID. Organizers are expecting more than 800 volunteers who will help with a much-needed deep cleaning, and with single-use plastics, masks and other pandemic-related staples, the deep cleaning is overdue. I caught up with Heather Cieslak, Newport Bay Conservancy’s operations director, to learn more. 

Courtesy of Heather Cieslak

Heather Cieslak

Q: This is the first in-person Coastal Cleanup Day since 2019, so how will it be different? 

A: Newport Bay Conservancy (NBC) is coordinating with all the bay’s landowners – the City of Newport Beach, Orange County Parks, State of California, Fish & Wildlife – to mobilize groups directly to specific cleanup sites rather than having masses of people check in at the Peter and Mary Muth Center or Back Bay Science Center and then head out to a cleanup location. This takes a little more coordination, communicating with groups and individuals ahead of time and making sure cleanup supplies are at each of the mini-sites around the bay. For Coastal Cleanup Day from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, we are urging folks to BYO – bring your own mask, gloves, trash bag or bucket in order to save us from bringing as many supplies to each site, but we will also have them on hand. Happy Trails!

Q: What are your goals for this big cleanup?

A: To fill up two huge dumpsters with at least 10,000 pounds of trash and debris that has been piling up in the bay since March of 2020. We also hope that people, with seeing all the single-use plastics in the bay, would pledge to remove those items from their daily lives and encourage others – friends, family, companies – to do the same. 

Q: Over the years, what was the strangest or most amazing thing a volunteer has found during a cleanup?

A: A couple years ago, a wallet with ID, credit cards and money still in it was found and returned to the owner. We’ve seen iPads, small appliances like a microwave and a lightsaber. The force must not have been strong for it to end up in the bay! Trash cleanup season kicks off every September with Coastal Cleanup Day and continues throughout the winter season as not to disturb nesting animals in the spring and summer. One year someone found a whole pumpkin pie in a plastic bag and a Christmas tree with the plastic tree stand still attached. You have to wonder what happened during those family gatherings...hmmm.

Q: What do you wish people knew about the NBC?

A: As NBC’s mission is protecting and preserving Upper Newport Bay and its watershed through education, restoration, research and advocacy, we do a little bit of everything. We have a very small staff and rely heavily on trained volunteer naturalists to lead our programs and support those of our partners. Each fall, NBC hosts Naturalist Training, a 13-week session that teaches volunteers anything they would ever want to know about the bay in order to share that knowledge with others. Volunteer naturalists go on to lead a variety of walking and water tours for both the public and kindergarten-through-college students. NBC hosts community stewardship activities, planting native plants or removing non-native plants to improve habitat for our wildlife. We seek larger, million-dollar grant funding to lead major restoration projects like the recent removal of multiple acres of non-native pepper trees in the Big Canyon section of the bay. Although NBC doesn’t sponsor a lot of original research, we highlight and support current research that is applicable to coastal wetlands like the Bay through Naturalist Nights lectures and an all-day World Wetlands Day Symposium. Finally, NBC advocates and welcomes everyone to the bay through larger-scale events such as Earth Day at the Bay, the annual SOCALPAPA art show, or this year’s Coastal Cleanup Day.

Q: What is your favorite nature spot in all of Newport Beach? In California? In the world?

A: In Newport Beach, I love sitting on the “dock of the bay,” also known as the dock of the Back Bay Science Center. From there you see the juxtaposition of million-dollar boats and houses to one side, and then look the other way into this amazing wildlife refuge. My favorite spot in California has to be Griffith Park, which was my home away from home for the 15 years while living in Los Angeles. There was nothing like riding my horse through those hills in the evening with the L.A. skyline or the ocean in the distance. Spoiler alert! I’m probably one of the only people in Newport Beach that hasn’t traveled outside of North America, so no favorite place in the world and that works for me to keep my carbon footprint low.

Editor’s Note: To join Upper Newport Bay’s Coastal Cleanup Day, visit www.coastalcleanupdayunb.eventbrite.com, or if you can’t make it on the 18^th, sign up for Newport Bay Conservancy’s monthly email event listing to participate in a future cleanup activity.

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Amy Senk is a longtime resident of Corona del Mar and a regular contributor to Stu News Newport.

Sculpture Exhibition grand opening on Saturday in Civic Center Park

On Saturday, Sept. 18 from 1-4 p.m., the City Arts Commission will be hosting the grand opening for Phase V and VI of the Sculpture Exhibition in Civic Center Park. Phase V sculptures were installed in July 2020, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on large public gatherings, the grand opening for Phase V was postponed. This year the City Arts Commission is combining Phase V with the grand opening for Phase VI sculptures.

On February 9, 2021, the Newport Beach City Council approved 10 new pieces for Phase VI of the Sculpture Exhibition in Civic Center Park, along with three alternates. Installation, managed by Arts Orange County, was completed in June 2021. Phase VI sculptures were installed in June 2021 and will be on loan through June 2023.

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Photos courtesy of the City of Newport Beach Cultural Arts

“Scorpion” by artist Colin Selig is in the Phase VI exhibition

The grand opening will include a dedication and reception, as well as children’s activities.

The Sculpture Exhibition in Civic Center Park is an integral feature of the Newport Beach Civic Center. The City Arts Commission determined that a rotating exhibition, in which pieces are loaned for a two-year period, was an optimal approach to bring sculpture to the city in a cost-efficient manner.

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“Talking Heads” by artist Oleg Lobykin graces Civic Center Park in Phase VI 

The exhibition has become a “museum without walls” that offers the temporary display of public art in a unique, naturalistic setting, appealing to residents and guests of all ages and sensibilities. Moreover, the city is able to exhibit a well-balanced representation of public art with artistic merit, durability, practicality and site responsiveness as criteria in the selection of work.

Admission to the park and parking are free.

Civic Center Park is located at 100 Civic Center Drive, Newport Beach.

“Newport Beach in the Rearview Mirror” unveils The Killer of Bal Week 

By BILL LOBDELL, podcaster

Bill Lobdell looks at people and events – famous and forgotten – that shaped Newport Beach in his podcast, “Newport Beach in the Rearview Mirror.”

In his most recent podcast, Lobdell shares, “The Killer of Bal Week.” Here’s a preview of his latest episode.

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Courtesy of the City of Newport Beach

Dora Hill

In 1954, Dora Hill, housewife and grandmother, reluctantly buckled to the lobbying of her pastor and entered the Newport Beach City Council race just 10 minutes before the filing deadline. She not only won the election, but garnered the most votes in city history, a landslide victory that surprised even her husband, who only agreed to her run for office because he was convinced she would lose.

At her first council meeting, she was appointed the city’s first female mayor. For the next four years, Mayor Hill would lead a reformation of Newport Beach from a town run by a powerful good old boys’ network that traded heavily in backroom deals and cronyism to a transparent and professional city government that continues at City Hall to this day. She was, simply, Newport’s greatest politician. 

But largely lost to history, Mayor Hill achieved another herculean task that was almost as hard as overhauling an entire political system: She killed Bal Week.

Bal Week started in the 1920s when high school and college kids from across Southern California descended upon Balboa during spring break, creating a week of fun and debauchery as only unsupervised teenagers and young adults – fueled by alcohol and hormones – can. 

For more than two decades, Newport businesses and landlords saw Bal Week (also called Easter Week) as an imported goose that laid golden eggs. At the time, the town was mostly deserted in the winter, and an invasion of thousands of kids in the spring made for packed rentals and crowded restaurants and stores.

But by the early 1950s, Bal Week had gotten out of control. Each spring, more than 35,000 kids would overrun the town of 17,000. In 1953, the year before Mayor Hill’s crackdown, Newport police arrested 350 spring breakers. Weary residents wanted the city to put a stop to the out-of-control, weeklong party.

Mayor Hill wasn’t one to mess around. She had a new ordinance drawn that required landlords to get a city license if renting during Bal Week and also provide the city a list of the specific number of tenants. Failure to do so could result in a $500 fine and six months in jail. If that law sounds unconstitutional, it was. But it took a year before a judge threw it out, and that was enough time to help quell the Bal Week activities. 

The city also required unaccompanied minors to have a note from their parents that approved of their being unchaperoned in Newport. Mayor Hill also instructed the new police chief, John Upson, to crack down on any type of violation. Thirty-five reserve police officers joined 45 full-time officers to enforce even the slightest violations of the law. 

Roadblocks were set up, and cars, houses and teenagers were searched for liquor (police found 200 empty beer cans scattered on the floor in one home). Violators were arrested, or worse, had their parents called. As the police chief said, “Most of them would rather spend five days in jail than have their parents called.”

Not everyone liked Mayor Hill’s tough stance. Some merchants and landlords threatened a recall campaign, but that soon fizzled out. 

In the end, the shock-and-awe measures put in place by Mayor Hill badly wounded Bal Week in 1955, and the tradition died completely a few years later. Between parents cracking down on their teenagers and kids no longer being able to have unbridled fun in Newport, the hordes moved to Palm Springs. 

Listen to the whole story of “Dora Hill: Newport’s First Female Mayor, Greatest Reformer and Killer of Bal Week” (including highlights of a rare audio interview of her) on the “Newport Beach in the Rearview Mirror” podcast at http://newport-beach-podcast.com.

Editor’s Note: Stay tuned for connecting to Bill Lobdell’s future podcasts in Stu News.

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Bill Lobdell, former Daily Pilot editor and Los Angeles Times journalist, has a podcast called “Newport Beach in the Rearview Mirror,” which looks at people and events – famous and forgotten – that shaped Newport Beach. You can listen and subscribe to the podcast at http://newportbeach-podcast.com. You can also follow “Newport Beach in the Rearview Mirror” on Instagram (@newport_in_the_rearview_mirror).

Friends of the Library presents $200,000 gift to NBPL

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Friends of the Newport Beach Public Library presented a gift of $200,000 to Melissa Hartson (far right) with the Newport Beach Public Library on Tuesday, Sept. 14. Friends include (L-R front): Amy Hunt, Wendy Frankel, Pam Cook and Paul Fliegelman; (L-R back): Ita Vandenbroek and Janet Callister. Founded in 1961 by a small group of volunteers, the Friends of the Library operates the used bookstore at the Central branch that raises hundreds of thousands of dollars toward library programming each year. What makes this particular donation so unique is that funds were raised during the challenge of the COVID pandemic. The Friends bookstore generates funds year-round for children’s programs, summer reading materials, furnishings, services and collections.

Are you doing your fair share?

Philanthropy is the lifeblood of nonprofits throughout our community and across the country. Kindness funds help to the homeless and downtrodden; children, who in many cases, would have to do without; medical and health support for so many who are out of other options; and so much more.

Our Spotlight on Philanthropy is designed to show you the inner workings of programs touching our community and, hopefully, encourage you to take a closer look.

Featured Charitable Organization:

Explain the purpose of the Surfrider Foundation?

The Surfrider Foundation is a nonprofit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s ocean, waves and beaches, for all people, through a powerful activist network.

How many people are serviced by the Surfrider Foundation, who are they and where do they come from?

Founded in 1984 by a handful of visionary surfers in Malibu, Calif., the Surfrider Foundation now maintains more than one million supporters, activists and members, with more than 170 volunteer-led chapters and student clubs in the U.S., and more than 700 victories protecting our coasts.

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Photos courtesy of the Surfrider Foundation

Surfrider staff, volunteers and coastal industry reps at Coastal Recreation Hill Day

What are the services provided by the Surfrider Foundation?

From testing our coastal waters to ensuring that runoff stays in your garden to reducing plastic pollution, Surfrider’s programs and campaigns help to ensure that our marine ecosystems are protected. Programs include Surfrider’s Blue Water Task Force, Ocean Friendly Gardens, Ocean Friendly Restaurants and local beach cleanups.

Why should people give?

For 37 years, the Surfrider Foundation has worked to ensure that the ocean, waves and beaches are safe and accessible for all people. We do this, in part, through grassroots organizing across the nation to give everyone a voice when it comes to protecting and enjoying our coast. With one foot in the sand and the other in the water, the Surfrider Foundation is the only nonprofit organization with 100 percent focus on protecting our coasts. 

How do you give or donate?

Donations can be made atwww.surfrider.org/support-surfrider. In addition to gifts, there are a variety of other ways to make a lasting contribution, including workplace giving, employer matching contributions, and memorials and tributes, to ensure that our ocean, waves and beaches are protected for future generations.

Items collected at a beach cleanup with the Surfrider LA Chapter

Can someone volunteer? If so, how? What opportunities are available?

Anyone interested in protecting the ocean and coasts can get involved by finding the nearest chapter or student club at www.surfrider.org/chapters.

Please describe any internal clubs, partnerships, committees.

Our irreplaceable national network of chapter and student club volunteers serves as the first response to local threats in coastal communities across the U.S. Volunteers collaborate at both local and national levels with regional staff and issue experts to carry out our mission through campaign, program and educational initiatives in their local communities. 

What are the major fundraisers for the Surfrider Foundation? Please provide a description and tell us when they are.

Every year, Surfrider Foundation hosts two bicoastal fundraising events in support of our mission to protect the world’s ocean, waves and beaches. These annual events take place in Montauk, N.Y. (July), and San Juan Capistrano, Calif. (October 9, 2021), and rally our largest and most dedicated communities to celebrate coastal victories and raise critical funds to support the hard work of our coastal defenders. Most importantly, the events are a place where we continue to cultivate the friendships and vibrant networks of people who form the core of our organization.

More information about our events can be found at www.surfrider.org/one-ocean-event.

Click on photo for a larger image

(L-R) Jack Johnson, Lukas Nelson, and Adam Topol perform at a Surfrider’s annual event

What are the names and titles of the leadership group, including the board of directors?

Staff Leadership

Dr. Chad Nelsen – Chief Executive Officer 

Michelle Kremer – Chief Operating Officer

Spencer Campbell – Director of Development

Angela Howe – Legal Director

Edward Mazzarella – Director of Chapters

Eddie Anaya – Director of Marketing

Pete Stauffer – Environmental Director

Board of Directors Leadership

Adrianna Estrada – Chair

Dan Lammot – Vice Chair

Steve Shipsey – Secretary

Tom Garcia – Treasurer

Where is your location?

The Surfrider Foundation is headquartered in San Clemente, Calif.

Contact address and information:

Surfrider Foundation

P.O. Box 73550

San Clemente, Calif. 92673

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.surfrider.org

949.492.8170

Spotlight on Philanthropy is underwritten by

Join the volunteer team at the 39th Annual Corona del Mar Scenic 5K 

Join the Corona del Mar Chamber of Commerce for an exciting day on the bluffs above Big Corona del Mar State Beach at the 39th Annual Corona del Mar Scenic 5K on Saturday, Oct 2 as a volunteer!

Come enjoy live entertainment and the opportunity to meet new people. Volunteers will receive an event T-shirt and refreshments. Opportunities include a wide range of fun duties, so sign up today at www.cdmchamber.com.

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Courtesy of CdM Chamber of Commerce

Volunteers share in the community spirit of the day at a previous CdM Scenic 5K

The CdM Scenic 5K schedule lineup:

–6 a.m. Event Day Registration Begins

–7:30 a.m. Warm-up

–7:55 a.m. Men’s 5K Race

–8:20 a.m. Women’s 5K Race

–8:45 a.m. 2-Mile Fun Walk/Youth Run

–9 a.m. 1K Kid’s Dolphin Dash

The supporters of the CdM Scenic 5K this year include:

–Presenting Sponsor: Casey Lesher, Coldwell Banker Global Luxury

–Corporate Sponsor: Hoag 

–Contributing Sponsor: Mariners Escrow Corporation

–Supporting Sponsor: Priestley Family Chiropractic

–Supporting Sponsor & Race Warm-Up: Rooted Soul Movement

–Official Pace Car Sponsor: Porsche Newport Beach

–Supporting Sponsor: Kurvana

–Supporting Sponsor: CR&R

–City Support Sponsor: City of Newport Beach

Stu News Newport is once again proud to be a Media Sponsor for this year’s CdM Scenic 5K.

For more information, call 949.673.4050 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Regattas and Races…

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Photo by Bronny Daniels | Joysailing.com

BCYC

2021 Wild Sailing Regatta (two-race series)

September 12, 2021

Race #1 – Class A 

1 Problem Child – Dan Rossen, BCYC 

  Elapsed 1:59:42, Corrected 1:47:26 

2 Amante – Tim Richely, LIYC

  Elapsed 1:54:56, Corrected 1:47:42 

3 Legacy – Brian Dougherty, LIYC 

  Elapsed 2:05:04, Corrected 1:50:36 

4 TNT – Wes Selby, BYC

  Elapsed 1:47:14, Corrected 1:51:27 

5 Heartbeat – Charles Brewer, NHYC 

  Elapsed 2:10:18, Corrected 2:03:16 

6 Mr. Pongs – CK Hwang, BYC 

  Elapsed 2:37:04, Corrected 2:25:12 

Race #1 – Class B

1 Radical Departure – Dennis Rosene, BYC 

  Elapsed 2:18:16, Corrected 1:55:21 

2 Miss Informed – Jeff Tighe, BYC 

  Elapsed 2:30:19, Corrected 2:03:47 

3 Shadow – Steve Fink, BCYC

  Elapsed 2:26:20, Corrected 2:04:38 

4 Lickity Split – Andrew Whittingham, WSAOC 

  DNC 

5 Violetta – Jane Hartley, BCYC 

  RET 

Race #1 – Class C

1 Valkyrie – Don Albrecht, SSYC 

  Elapsed 1:57:14, Corrected 1:19:43 

2 Silk – John Hanscom, SSYC 

  Elapsed 1:56:51, Corrected 1:27:57

3 Halcyon – Bob Kafka, BCYC 

  Elapsed 2:09:27, Corrected 1:35:19 

BYC

Fall Gold Cup/CFJ Shadden Series

 September 11-12, 2021

(Top 10 Finishers by Class)

CFJ

1 Blake Behrens/Richard Rychlik Jr., SBYC 

2 Reade Decker/Sophia Mulvania, NB4T/BCYC/LIYC/BYC 

3 Noah Stapleton/Piper Blackband, CBYC/NB4T/BCYC 

4 Tate Christopher/Ashtyn Tierney, NB4T/BCYC/ABYC 

5 Tommy Rudowicz/Preston Miller, Coronado YC 

6 Hope Campbell/Carly Kieding, SBYSF 

7 Oliver Stokke/Catalina Sarai, SBYC/SBYSF 

8 Crue Ziskind/Teo Lee, SBYC/SBYSF 

9 Conrad Cook/Kathi Keller, NHYC 

10 Chase Decker/Vera Allen, NB4T/BCYC/LIYC 

Sabot A

1 Caleb Everett, BCYC 

2 Maddie Nichols, BYC 

3 Kingston Keyoung, BCYC 

4 Julia Getter, NHYC/BTC 

5 Kousei Hatter, SDYC 

6 Charlotte Carmichael, NHYC 

7 Kevin Cason, Coronado YC 

8 Michael Sentovich, NHYC 

9 Hannah Crompton, LBYC/BCYC 

10 Colin Kennedy, NHYC 

Sabot B

1 Celeste Oder, Coronado YC

2 Katie Cannon, NHYC 

3 Olivia Norton, NHYC 

4 Luke Espinoza, NHYC 

5 Brynn Jolly, ABYC/LBYC 

6 Wilbur Smith, NHYC 

7 Steven Ashton, SWYC 

8 Vance Khamsi, LIYC/BCYC 

9 Piercen Giordani, NHYC 

10 Reid White, BCYC 

Sabot C1

1 Olympia Barelli, SDYC 

2 Sean Kasrburg, MBYC 

3 Enzo Loth, SWYC   

4 Jefferson Lazarus, SWYC 

5 Loki Barrett, MBYC 

6 Wesley Logan, SDYC 

7 Austin VanPatten, SWYC 

8 Jack McGhie, LBYC 

9 Nicole La Fond, SWYC 

10 Jack Irish Condon, NHYC 

Sabot C2

1 Evan Markworth MBYC 

2 Braden Ozarski, MBYC 

3 Sophia VanPatten, SWYC 

4 Aleks Strom, SDYC 

5 Vesper Gronborg, SDYC 

6 Lorelei Heim, SDYC 

7 Taylor Ashton, SWYC 

8 Sage Nelson, SWYC 

9 Isabella Cason, Coronado YC 

10 Jonah Wozniak, SWYC 

Sabot C3

1 Liam Benjamin, NHYC 

2 Victoria Swan, BYC 

3 Allison Schock, BCYC 

4 Taj Lewis, LBYC 

5 Francesca Lumpkin, NHYC 

6 Theo Card, SDYC 

7 Lou Silva, SWYC 

8 Oliver Widhelm, NHYC 

9 Santiago Crane, SWYC 

10 Jack Brodsky, LBYC 

BYC

2021 Bridges Regatta – 9.10.21

Men’s Sabot Division

1 Scott Finkboner, MBYC

2 Lanny Coon, MBYC 

3 Michael O’Connell, SDYC 

4 Chris Kyburg, n/a 

5 Dennis Allison, BYC 

6 Jason Brooks, MBYC

7 Matt Foreman, BYC (DNF)

7 Roderick Messinger, CRA (DNF)

Women’s Sabot Division

1 Dawna Uchtmann, AYC 

2 Betty Becker, SDYC

3 Lynn Acosta, DPYC

4 Erika Foy, SSC

5 Serena Hanby, MBYC

6 Susan K. Jennings, BYC/NHYC

7 Michelle Drever, NHYC

8 Debbie Meany, BYC

9 Gail Kalscheur, BYC

10 Linda Ungerland, BYC

11 Bobbie Morrow, SDYC 

Mixed Novice Division

1 Sally Cannon, BYC 

2 Carol Harmon, BYC

3 Sandra Lindsey, BYC

4 Eva Evans, BYC

5 Diane Kent, BYC (RET)

5 Teresa Power, BYC (DNF)

BYC

Beercans – Single Malt (September) Series

(through September 9)

Race #2 – PHRF 1 Division 

1 It’s OK – Andrews 49.9 - Andy Rose/Tom Purcell, BYC

  Elapsed 36:52, Corrected 38:28 

2 TNT – 1D48 - Wes Selby, BYC

  Elapsed 42:40, Corrected 43:16 

Race #2 – PHRF 2 Division 

1 Red Bull – Open 6.50 - Tracey Kennedy, BYC

  Elapsed 45:10, Corrected 39:57 

2 Amante – Choate 48 - Richley Family, NHYC/LIYC

  Elapsed 49:45, Corrected 46:53 

3 Heartbeat 4 – J124 - Charles Brewer, NHYC

  Elapsed 52:25, Corrected 49:27 

4 Marisol – J124 - Seth Hall, CRA

  Elapsed 52:55, Corrected 49:57 

5 Adios– J120 - Matt Campbell/Tim Martin, BYC

  Elapsed 1:04:48, Corrected 1:01:30 

Race #2 – PHRF 3 Division 

1 Violetta – Davidson34 - Jane Hartley, BCYC

  Elapsed 55:08, Corrected 49:05 

2 Kaizen – Santana 35 - Don Logan, CRA

  Elapsed 1:02:39, Corrected 55:14 

3 Cha Cha Cha – C&C40 - Larry Walter, LIYC/CYCA

  Elapsed 1:03:31, Corrected 57:21 

Race #2 – PHRF 4 Division 

1 Campaign – C&C34 - Mark Glackin, BYC

  Elapsed 47:37, Corrected 40:23 

2 Gem – Santana 20 - John Cooper, BYC

  Elapsed 53:47, Corrected 42:57 

3 Iconoclast – J22 - Min Choi/Don Gordon, OSC

  Elapsed 1:00:47, Corrected 51:57

4 Silk – Harbor 25 - John Hanscom, SSYC

  Elapsed 1:01:28, Corrected 52:30 

5 Zabuloot – Catalina 36 - Charles Ullman, BYC

  Elapsed 1:06:44, Corrected 1:00:11 

NHYC

2021 Summer Twilights – September

(through September 9)

Finn

1 Paul Marshall – NHYC Total 8, Net 5 

2 (Sail #9) – NHYC, Total 13, Net 10 

3 Brad Dwan – NHYC, Total 19, Net 13 

4 Robert Kinney – NHYC, Total 21, Net 15 

5 Keith Yonkers – NHYC, Total 23, Net 17 

 Harbor 20A

1 Allen/Helias – NHYC Total 18, Net 13 

2 Len Bose – BCYC, Total 23, Net 16 

3 Thompson/Conzelman – NHYC/BCYC/LIYC, Total 22, Net 16 

4 Yates/Kincaid – NHYC, Total 24, Net 17 

5 Kurt Wiese/Anne Wiese – NHYC, Total 24, Net 17 

6 Doug Rastello – NHYC Total 48, Net 36 

7 McDonald/JPinckney – NHYC, Total 50, Net 38 

8 Boukather/Stemler – NHYC, Total 50, Net 38 

9 (Sail #360) – N/A, Total 58, Net 46 

10 Randall Hause – NHYC, Total 64, Net 52 

11 Kevin McCarthy – NHYC Total 72, Net 60 

Harbor 20B

1 Cheadle/Schupak – BYC, Total 13, Net 8 

2 Peter Haynes/Debra Haynes – BCYC, Total 16, Net 12 

3 Thomas Corkett – NHYC, Total 30, Net 22 

4 Chris Bubb – NHYC, Total 28, Net 22 

5 Noring/Foy/Noring – SYC, Total 38, Net 27 

6 Watanabe/Sutherland – UCISA, Total 39, Net 31 

7 Nik Froehlich – NHYC, Total 45, Net 34 

8 Duncan/Duncan – NHYC, Total 47, Net 36 

9 Craig Atkins – LIYC, Total 49, Net 38 

10 Somers/Barnes – NHYC, Total 52, Net 41 

Harbor 20C

1 Russ Detwiler – UCI, Total 10, Net 7 

2 Brooks/Allen – NHYC, Total 22, Net 16 

3 Roy DeLis – BYC, Total 22, Net 16 

4 Adam Bradley – NHYC, Total 27, Net 21 

5 (Sail #64) – NHYC, Total 31, Net 25 

Laser

(No scores posted)

Lehman 12

1 Curtis/Moore – NHYC, Total 10, Net 7 

2 Tyler Macdonald – NHYC, Total 15, Net 10 

3 Campbell D’eliscu – NHYC, Total 29, Net 18 

4 Andrew Person – NHYC, Total 31, Net 20 

5 Carolyn Smith – NHYC, Total 26, Net 20 

6 Jake LaDow – NHYC, Total 32, Net 21 

7 Chuck Beek – NHYC, Total 30, Net 23 

8 Michael Dahl – NHYC, Total 41, Net 30 

9 (Sail #34) – NHYC, Total 44, Net 33 

10 Hause/Hause – NHYC, Total 55, Net 44 

News relating to racing in or around Newport Harbor should be forwarded to Tom Johnson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

This week’s mega waves

Click on photo for a larger image

Photo by Todd Walker (Instagram @twalkerphotograph)

Giant waves hit the Wedge this week and body surfers dove in

You Must Remember This: New Jersey “connections”

By NANCY GARDNER

Today when you go around the country you can feel at home almost any place, particularly when it comes to food. This can be very handy when you’re traveling with children. Driving up to a familiar Subway or McDonald’s is a much easier task than trying to persuade them to taste chitlins, but it didn’t used to be that way. Before food chains took over, when you went to different parts of the country the food was different. I remember when we moved to New Jersey, I was a little surprised that there were no Mexican restaurants, but I assumed everything else was the same. Ha! I dropped in at a Friendly’s, which was similar to a Coco’s, and ordered a hamburger and a vanilla milkshake. The hamburger was a ground beef patty on a piece of white bread, no bun – and no onions, pickles, tomatoes, catsup. Weird. Even weirder, the milkshake was just that, vanilla-flavored milk that was shaken up a bit, like in a cocktail shaker, without a trace of ice cream. It wasn’t just food that was different. You couldn’t buy alcohol on Sundays since blue laws were still in effect, something I’d read about and assumed had gone out with the 19th century. When it came to clothing, denim hadn’t made much of an inroad, so when an invitation said casual, it didn’t mean jeans.

This was all trivial compared to the mob. In California, there was crime, of course, but there wasn’t the long history of organized crime that there was on the East Coast, and a family friend found out the hard way what that meant. John MacIntosh, the creator of the Snack Shops, Reuben’s, etc., longtime Newport Beach resident, decided to enter the East Coast market, selecting New Jersey as the location for his first restaurant on that side of the country. He bought a property, designed the restaurant and was part way into construction when a gentleman visited him and suggested that he needed more union workers on his project. MacIntosh said he was happy with his current arrangement. The man suggested he think again. MacIntosh said he didn’t have to think again, everything was working well, thank you. The man left, and the next night the partially constructed building burned to the ground. As MacIntosh discovered, when someone suggested something in New Jersey it was a little different than someone suggesting something in California. He wrote off the site and the East Coast which may have left a gap in his restaurant empire, but allowed him to go back to rejecting suggestions when he wanted without fear of a fire bug. His experience was pretty pointed, but even if you weren’t negotiating about unions and the like there was the sense that the mob was quietly around.

There was a restaurant near us called Sammy’s. It had been a speakeasy during Prohibition, and it looked like there had been very few changes to the place since then. I don’t remember how we found it, but once we did we fell in love with both the atmosphere and the food. Sammy’s had the best steaks and lamb chops we’d ever had, which seemed a little surprising considering the modest setting, something we remarked on to a native.

“Well, you know,” he said.

“Know?” we echoed blankly. 

Cleary the Dumb Californians didn’t. “They’re connected,” he explained.

Even the DCs knew what that meant, so the next time we were there we looked around for things that should have tipped us off – a clientele resembling the cast of Guys and Dolls, maybe? The clientele looked like the clientele at any other restaurant – except no other restaurant got the first pick from the suppliers apparently.

Things have changed since then, of course. Everyone wears jeans, and we are now one world when it comes to food. If you look up Friendly’s today, you will see a hamburger – a real hamburger with all the trimmings, not that thing they tried to pass off as a hamburger back when.

As for Sammy’s, it’s still there. Whether they’re still connected – if they ever were – who knows, but from the reviews, they’re still serving great steaks and chops. 

~~~~~~~~

Nancy Gardner, former Mayor of Newport Beach, longtime resident and daughter of Judge Robert Gardner, is a regular contributor to Stu News Newport.

Mesa Water receives prestigious award for “New Customer Welcome Program”

Mesa Water District announced it received a first-place customer service award for its “New Customer Welcome Program” and Neighborhood Chats initiative in the 2021 California Municipal Utilities Association Resource Efficiency & Community Service Awards. These annual awards highlight best practices and innovative ideas within California’s water and power industry.

Mesa Water is among nine publicly owned agencies and utilities that took top honors. Mesa Water was recognized in the medium-size utility community service category for its entry, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Good Neighbor Initiative.”

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Courtesy of Mesa Water District

“We are incredibly honored to be recognized for our unique programs to connect with our customers and put a familiar, friendly face on Mesa Water, the agency responsible for delivering our customers an abundance of local, reliable, clean, safe water. This award reflects Mesa Water’s commitment and dedication to our customers and community,” said Marice H. DePasquale, Mesa Water Board president.

For Mesa Water’s New Customer Welcome Program, in conjunction with the district’s prompt water connection service, new customers receive a hand-delivered welcome bag filled with useful and water efficient Mesa Water-branded items, such as a refillable water bottle. New customers also receive a personal phone call from Mesa Water staff and a postcard wishing them a warm welcome to the community.

Mesa Water’s Neighborhood Chats involve Mesa Water’s board of directors who meet with residents at public locations in neighborhoods throughout the district’s service area to discuss water supply, ongoing water use efficiency efforts and opportunities to serve customers more economically and effectively.

Each nominated program was judged on overall concept and implementation, originality, creativity and innovativeness, promotion of efficient use of natural resources and/or serving local community needs, and benefits to customers and/or the community.

For a complete list of honorees, go here.

Mesa Water District is an independent special district that provides water service to 110,000 residents in an 18-square-mile service area that includes most of the City of Costa Mesa, parts of Newport Beach and unincorporated Orange County including John Wayne Airport. For more information on Mesa Water District, visit www.mesawater.org.

St. Lawrence String Quartet comes to Segerstrom Center on September 21

Segerstrom Center for the Arts presents the acclaimed St. Lawrence String Quartet (SLSQ) on Tuesday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. in Samueli Theater. For this program of works by Erich Wolfgang Korngold – Five Songs, Op. 38; Tomorrow, Op. 33; String Quartet #3 Op. 34; Mond, so gehst du wieder auf? Op. 14; and Piano Quintet Op. 15 – the SLQ joins forces with Stephen Prutsman, the pianist, composer and conductor hailed as one of the most innovative musicians of his time. Soprano Monica Schober lends her incomparable voice to the vocal selections.

“Modern,” “dramatic,” “superb,” “wickedly attentive,” “with a hint of rock ‘n roll energy” are just a few ways critics describe the musical phenomenon that is SLSQ, comprised of Geoff Nuttall, violin; Owen Dalby, violin; Lesley Robertson, viola; and Christopher Costanza, cello. Renowned for the intensity of its performances, its breadth of repertoir, and its commitment to concert experiences, the quartet is at once intellectually exciting and emotionally alive.

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Courtesy of Segerstrom Center for the Arts

St. Lawrence String Quartet

Established in Toronto in 1989, SLSQ quickly earned acclaim at top international chamber music competitions and was soon playing hundreds of concerts per year worldwide. It established an ongoing residency at Spoleto Festival USA, and made prize-winning recordings for EMI of music by Schumann, Tchaikovsky and Golijov, earning two Grammy nominations and a host of other prizes before being appointed ensemble-in-residence at Stanford University in 1998.

At Stanford, SLSQ is at the forefront of intellectual life on campus. It directs the music department’s chamber music program, and frequently collaborates with other departments including the Schools of Law, Medicine, Business and Education. The quartet frequently performs at Stanford Live, hosts an annual chamber music seminar attracting musicians from all over the world and runs the Emerging String Quartet Program through which they mentor the next generation of young chamber musicians.

In recent years, the ensemble has collaborated with Michael Tilson Thomas and the SF Symphony, Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Philharmonic, and Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony in John Adams’s Absolute Jest for string quartet and orchestra. Fiercely committed to collaboration with living composers, SLSQ’s fruitful partnership with Adams, Golijov, Jonathan Berger and many others has yielded some of the finest additions to contemporary quartet literature. 

Samueli Theater at Segerstrom Center for the Arts is located at 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. For tickets and more information, visit www.scfta.org.

Newport Beach Art Exhibition postponed

The City Arts Commission has recently elected to postpone and reschedule the 56th Annual Newport Beach Art Exhibition, originally slated to take place on October 9. The commission will provide the rescheduled date for June 2022 as soon as possible. 

“We are truly delighted to have so many talented, creative and inspiring artists join us for our annual exhibition each year,” said Arlene Greer, chair of the City Arts Commission. “As soon as a new date has been confirmed, we will announce the exhibition for 2022.” 

The Newport Beach City Arts Commission acts in an advisory capacity to the city council on all matters pertaining to artistic, aesthetic and cultural aspects of the city. It recommends to the city council the adoption of such ordinances, rules and regulations as it may deem necessary for the administration and preservation of fine arts, performing arts, historical, aesthetic and cultural aspects of the community. On behalf of the city, it actively encourages programs for the cultural enrichment of the community, including visual and performing arts activities as well as arts education programs.

More information about cultural arts programs in the City of Newport Beach can be found on the city’s Cultural Arts webpage at www.newportbeachca.gov/CulturalArts.

NBPL presents first Sunday Musicale of the season this weekend

The Newport Beach Public Library (NBPL) is presenting its first Sunday Musicale of the season this weekend, on September 19 from 3-4 p.m. in Central Library’s Friends Meeting Room. 

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Courtesy of NBPL

The Sunday Musicale takes place in Central Library’s Friends Meeting Room

Sunday Musicale welcomes internationally acclaimed and award-winning concert violinist Cristian Fatu, along with pianist Evangeliya Delizonas-Khukhua, both of whom have performed under prestigious conductors worldwide.

The program is free and reservations are not required. The event is limited to room capacity.

Central Library is located at 1000 Avocado Ave., Newport Beach.

Coastal Cleanup Day takes place at Upper Newport Bay on Saturday

The Newport Bay Conservancy (NBC) is once again hosting Coastal Cleanup Day at Upper Newport Bay in person on Saturday, Sept. 18, from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Last year’s event was celebrated virtually, with a webinar (Trash Talk Challenge: Coastal Cleanup Day) encouraging volunteers to pick up trash in their own neighborhood. This year, more than 800 volunteers are expected to meet at Upper Newport Bay to pick up trash together. The goal is to remove 10,000 pounds of trash from the uplands and marsh areas of the bay. 

“This will be a much-needed deep cleaning of Upper Newport Bay,” said Newport Bay Conservancy Operations Director Heather Cieslak. “Since the last major cleanup in 2019, we have experienced a new wave of waste from the increased use of single-use plastics, and disposable masks and gloves used during the pandemic. These items and other trash can harm wildlife, pollute our waterways and threaten public health. Volunteer support is crucial to our mission.”

Photo by Holly Fuhrer

Volunteers during a previous Coastal Cleanup Day at the Bay

Unlike past Coastal Cleanup Days at the Bay, this year’s volunteers will not all meet at the same starting point. There will be 20 to 25 different mini sites around the bay, including the Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center, Newport Aquatic Center, Big Canyon, Vista Point and Jamboree Bridge. Volunteers are asked to register online via Eventbrite, and before the event will receive instructions explaining where to meet and what to bring to the cleanup. Shuttles will carry volunteers to areas of the bay where parking or direct access isn’t available and accessible options are available. “Everyone is welcome to lend a hand,” said Cieslak, although minors need guardian permission and adult volunteers present (ages 6 and up may participate).

As Operations Director of the Newport Bay Conservancy, Cieslak sees first-hand the trash that flows into the bay all year, but it’s the heavy rains, she says, that bring the most litter to the nature preserve. “The bay collects water and refuse from a 154-square-mile watershed, which includes seven different cities. When it rains, trash and debris from the city streets wash down the storm drains, which eventually end up in the Upper Newport Bay and Pacific Ocean.” Some items commonly found in the bay are cigarettes, plastic straws, food wrappers, polystyrene (Styrofoam), tires, clothing, toys, tennis balls and even dangerous items such as hypodermic needles. “The best thing you can do is stop the litter at its source by picking up trash when you see it on the street and disposing of it properly,” Cieslak concluded.

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Courtesy of Newport Bay Conservancy

When it rains, trash and debris from the city streets wash down the storm drains, which can end up in Upper Newport Bay

And we can all follow the 5 Rs as much as possible: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose and Recycle.

For a full list of all Coastal Cleanup Day sites in Orange County, visit Orange County Coastkeeper’s website, and for more information about the Newport Bay Conservancy, visit www.newportbay.org.

Enjoy happy hour at Central Library with best-selling author Maggie Shipstead

Join the Newport Beach Public Library (NBPL) on Saturday, Oct. 9 for happy hour with best-selling author Maggie Shipstead.

Shipstead will be discussing her Booker Prize longlisted novel, Great Circle, and the global adventures that prompted the story. The book is being adapted for a TV series.

Synopsis: Spanning Prohibition-era Montana, the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, New Zealand, wartime London and modern-day Los Angeles, Great Circle tells the unforgettable story of a daredevil female aviator determined to chart her own course in life, at any cost.

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Courtesy of NBPL

Maggie Shipstead in Greenland

The event takes place at Central Library, 1000 Avocado Ave., Newport Beach. Wine, beer, soft drinks and light hors d’oeuvres will be served in the Courtyard at 6 p.m., followed by the 7 p.m. presentation in the Friends Room.

Tickets are $35 and available at www.newportliteracy.org.

Proceeds from the evening support Newport/Mesa ProLiteracy.

For more information, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 949.717.3874.

Susan G. Komen MORE THAN PINK Walk^® returns September 25

Susan G. Komen^®, the world’s leading breast cancer organization, has announced that its signature MORE THAN PINK Walk^® fundraising events in Orange County, Los Angeles and the Inland Empire will be held on Saturday, Sept. 25. With screenings, treatment and research delayed during COVID-19 lockdowns and breast cancer deaths predicted to rise as a result, this year’s event and the funds raised for Komen’s lifesaving breast cancer programs are more important than ever. 

This year, Komen is creating a one-of-a kind digital experience that will connect participants from across Southern California as breast cancer survivors, “thrivers,” and supporters to walk and fundraise to end breast cancer. No matter where the public joins in to walk and fundraise – from a treadmill, neighborhood sidewalk, favorite beach walk, or hiking trail, Komen will host interactive activities, new challenges and inspirational stories during the event’s “Power of ONE Week” and opening ceremonies.

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Photos courtesy of Susan G. Komen

Three women participate in a previous Komen MORE THAN PINK Walk 

“Our Komen family of supporters are the power and spirit behind the impact of Susan G. Komen,” said Robin Walker, executive director of Susan G. Komen in Orange County. “Our sponsors, teams and walkers all know, more than ever, that their fundraising efforts for the MORE THAN PINK Walk will help someone who is experiencing breast cancer today – and will energize Komen’s research, advocacy and patient care support well into the future.”

Susan G. Komen’s work coming out of the pandemic is arguably more important than ever. Screenings, clinical trials and research were largely halted during COVID-19 lockdowns, making the funding of key research and breast health services all the more critical to get lifesaving progress back on track.

The organization’s leadership and supporters see this year’s event as an opportunity to walk at home and in their own neighborhoods, with the united goal of a world without breast cancer.

A furry friend joins participants on the trail in a previous Komen MORE THAN PINK Walk 

“Seven weeks after marrying the love of my life, I got diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. I had insurance and a support system to help me through my treatment that other people don’t,” said Angelique Fong, Susan G. Komen’s 2021 Orange County MORE THAN PINK Walk Chair. “I volunteer with Susan G. Komen because I know what a difference it made for me to have caring people by my side and access to the treatment that I needed during my battle with breast cancer. Unfortunately, my breast cancer came back, but after three surgeries and 33 radiation treatments, I know how blessed I am to be in remission again. I know that every dollar matters when it comes to accomplishing that next research breakthrough or discovering that next improved treatment practice. Every contribution serves to improve outcomes and ultimately save more lives.”

Registration for the Walk is free, and participants are encouraged to raise at least $250 each for Komen’s investments in breakthrough research, vital patient care support and public policy action at all levels of government. Komen continues to work to discover cures while ensuring that those facing a breast cancer diagnosis today receive the care and support they need.

To register or join a team in Orange County, click here.

Capturing iconic Newport Beach and beyond: The Rusty Pelican

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Artwork by Don Krotee

Named for Newport Beach’s pelicans, the Rusty Pelican was opened by Pete Siracusa in 1979. In the restaurant’s early days, local fresh fish was caught and literally came through the back doors, for patrons to enjoy. Along with attracting regulars and tourists, the Rusty Pelican also served celebrities including John Wayne and Chick Hearn. This landmark continues to be part of a Newport tradition. Patrons continue to enjoy the food and fantastic waterfront views. This drawing was inspired from the artist’s reference photo when he lived in Newport Heights. The medium: alcohol-based architectural markers were used every day in his architectural practice, and it was common to make a study drawing before the start of an often much larger watercolor painting. 

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Artist Don Krotee is a 35-year resident of Newport Beach, a member of the 2000 GPAC, a Corona del Mar Residents Association member, a board member of SPON and lives in Corona del Mar. He is an architect, and a fine artist who has been drawing and painting from an early age. Krotee provides Stu News drawings and paintings from iconic Newport Beach and the world. Find more art by Don on Instagram @donkrotee.

Backhausdance presents “Garden Flow,” a month-long residency at Sherman Gardens

Backhausdance, Orange County’s critically acclaimed contemporary dance company, is creating “Garden Flow,” a site-specific dance performance inspired by the beauty of Sherman Gardens. 

Garden visitors can watch and engage with the dancers as they immerse themselves throughout Sherman Gardens during weekly rehearsals beginning Thursday, Sept. 23. The month-long residency concludes with two ticketed promenade performances on Saturday, Oct. 16 at 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. 

“This exciting and unique collaboration with Backhausdance aligns with our mission to provide the public an oasis of inspiration, education and appreciation of history, horticulture and the arts. Audiences of all ages are welcome to participate in the creative process by watching and following the dancers as they rehearse throughout Sherman Gardens on select days leading up to the ticketed performances,” said Scott LaFleur, executive director of Sherman Library & Gardens. 

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Photo by Adrien Padilla

Backhausdance dancers Ellen Akashi and Samuel DeAngelo

“Garden Flow” rehearsals will take place 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on September 23 and 30 and October 7, 14 and 15. Viewing of the rehearsals is free with garden admission, which is $5 per person.  

Ticketed guests are invited to a pre-show reception at the new Cultivar restaurant while a special VIP offering includes a three-course dinner and chance to meet the dancers. 

“Backhausdance is thrilled to create and premiere ‘Garden Flow’ utilizing the landscape of the Sherman Gardens as our inspiration. ‘Garden Flow’ is a multisensory, personal experience that will infuse the rhythm, presence, colors and beauty of the gardens with the dancers’ fluidity and deeply human and emotional artistic qualities,” said Jennifer Backhaus, artistic director and founder of Backhausdance. 

Ticket Options:

–Saturday, Oct. 16

~2 p.m.: Afternoon performance is free with garden admission. Registration is required.

~5:30 p.m.: Pre-Show Reception at Cultivar followed by the Performance – Members, $75 and Non-Members, $100.

–VIP Offering: Pre-Show Reception, Performance and Post-Show Dinner at Cultivar and a chance to meet the Backhausdance Dancers. Members, $150 and Non-Members, $200.

Backhausdance, Orange County’s critically acclaimed contemporary dance company, has performed extensively nationwide as well as internationally.  Founder Jennifer Backhaus is an award-winning choreographer and Chapman University faculty member. Backhausdance is the recipient of 10 Lester Horton Awards from the Dance Resource Center of Los Angeles for achievements in choreography, design and performance, quickly propelling the company to the forefront of Southern California contemporary dance. The company is committed to engaging and educating the community about the relevance and vitality of contemporary dance, both as a valuable art form and as a tool for learning, creative expression, healing and overall well-being. Backhausdance is particularly interested in responding to new locations and collaborating with other organizations. The company provides extensive education programs in schools and the community for all ages and is dedicated to cultivating the next generation of artists. Visit www.backhausdance.org to learn more.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.thesherman.org, or call 949.673.2261. 

Sherman Library & Gardens is located at 2647 E. Coast Highway, Corona del Mar.

Art show at THE LOT Fashion Island today

Today, Friday, Sept. 17, THE LOT Fashion Island is holding an art show from 3-7 p.m. E3 Solutions, a local nonprofit, will be hosting the event with a ribbon cutting at 3:30 p.m. with the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce. Admission is free.

Betty J. Scott is among the artists whose work will be on display at the art show. Scott’s interest in art and art history stems from living in Vienna, Austria, and being surrounded by beautiful art. An accountant by trade, she began taking art classes at Mission: Renaissance Fine Art Classes in Irvine when she retired six years ago.

In addition to art classes, Scott enjoys going to local art museums and painting with her daughter and friends at home. This is the first time her paintings have been displayed in an art exhibit, and as an Irvine resident since 1981, she is thrilled to be part of this show.

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Submitted photo

A painting by Betty J. Scott

In addition to Scott, other participating artists include Jennifer Bloomfield, Teresa MacGregor, Kristina Malykhin, Vann Manoukian, Sherry Pollack Walker and Tina Rodriguez, as well as local musician Brian Flammer.

Proceeds from the art show will go to support local children’s art programs. 

The mission of E3 Solutions is to engage, enable and empower people to change the world through the way they choose to live in it.

For more information, view www.ethreesolutions.org.

THE LOT Fashion Island is located at 999 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach.

COVID-19: 54 new cases and no new deaths reported in Newport Beach this past week

Stu News Newport is reporting COVID-19 numbers on a weekly basis, as reported by the OC Health Care Agency.

This week, September 8-14, there have been 54 new cases in Newport Beach and no new deaths, bringing the overall totals to 4,826 cases reported to date and 92 deaths. 

During the past week, the county reported a total of 3,171 new cases, raising the total to 291,772 to date. The death totals for the county were 46 for the week, bringing the overall total number of deaths to 5,316.

As of Tuesday, Sept. 14, Orange County has performed a cumulative of 4,855,145 tests to date. There are 372 current cases of hospitalized patients in Orange County, of which 105 are in ICU.

For questions about the data presented by the county, call 714.834.2000 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

To view the county’s data dashboard, click here.

COVID-19 numbers are updated weekly by Stu News Newport in Friday’s edition.

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Data courtesy of OC Health Care Agency

The wave stands alone

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Photo by Todd Walker (Instagram @twalkerphotograph)

A rare sighting of an empty wave at the Wedge

Whittier Trust named top five worldwide best Multi-Family Office by STEP

Whittier Trust, based in Newport Beach, was recently named one of the top five worldwide best Multi-Family Offices by STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners). The award applies to a team dedicated to meeting the comprehensive needs of multiple families and/or their trusts or branches of the same family. The judging panel will decide upon a winner which will be announced at the virtual awards ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 23. Whittier was the only company named with offices in the Western United States.

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Courtesy of Whittier Trust

Greg Custer

“We are thrilled to be one of the top five Multi-Family Offices in the world recognized by STEP,” said Greg Custer, executive vice president of Whittier Trust. “We’ve always felt our investment management, trust & fiduciary, family office services, philanthropy, real estate and educating the next generation about their legacy were special but to be recognized globally is especially gratifying. Whittier’s objective is to provide investment management and trust services to wealthy families by assisting them with the transition of wealth by creating a family’s legacy and a lasting difference,” added Custer.

The awards judges assess entries and shortlist five nominees per category. They are supported by a panel of experts selected by the judges and represent internationally renowned solicitors, lawyers, accountants, financial advisors, barristers and trust companies.

STEP is the global professional association for practitioners who specialize in family inheritance and succession planning.

For more information about Whittier Trust, visit www.whittiertrust.com.

Pacific Chorale, led by Artistic Director Robert Istad, announces 2021-2022 season

Pacific Chorale Artistic Director Robert Istad and Andrew Brown, president & CEO, announced the chorus’ 2021-2022 season featuring its return to in-person performances at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, beginning in October, with sweeping programming that builds upon its trailblazing legacy of championing contemporary composers. The ensemble presents five transformative programs, bookending the 54th season with two world premieres by Grammy-nominated former Composer-in-Residence Tarik O’Regan, the first, The Stillness Chained, a Pacific Chorale commission set to the poetry of Yone Noguchi. 

Each of the five programs includes a range of compelling works by some of the most groundbreaking composers of our time, including the West Coast premieres of Damien Geter’s profound Cantata for a More Hopeful Tomorrow, a message of hope refracted through the lens of Bach’s musical legacy interwoven with African-American spirituals, featuring celebrated soprano Aundi Marie Moore and Pacific Symphony Principal Cellist Warren Hagerty; and Frank Ticheli’s Until Forever Fades Away, a poetic meditation on the elusive nature of time.

Among other vibrant contemporary choral works, Istad conducts Pulitzer Prize winner Caroline Shaw’s and the swallow, a setting of Psalm 84 inspired by the Syrian refugee crisis, and her playful Music in Common Time for choir and orchestra; Paul Fowler’s wordless, hypnotic Calling; and Edie Hill’s poignant We Bloomed in Spring, set to the words of St. Teresa of Avila. Pacific Chorale also performs leading Estonian composer Galina Grigorjeva’s On Leaving, a contemplation on the soul’s release from the mortal body; Spiritus Mundi, Dale Trumbore’s hymn of gratitude for the fruits of the earth; Jake Runestad’s exuberant setting of Walt Whitman’s Proud Music of the Storm; and South Korean composer Hyo-Won Woo’s dramatic Me-Na-Ri (Space Music), a work for three choirs and percussion that stretches the boundaries of choral music.

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Courtesy of Pacific Chorale

Artistic Director Robert Istad leading Pacific Chorale

Adding further breadth to the season are three iconic 20th century choral masterworks: Rachmaninoff’s evocative a cappella Vespers (All Night Vigil), Op. 37; Martin’s Mass for Double Choir, a tour-de-force laced with vocal fireworks; and the choir’s first-ever performance of Vaughan Williams’ poignant Dona Nobis Pacem, giving voice to the plea, “Grant us peace,” and featuring renowned guest artists soprano Liv Redpath and Grammy Award-winning bass-baritone Dashon Burton.

Pacific Chorale’s signature holiday programming returns with two performances each of “Carols by Candlelight” – spotlighting timeless repertoire from the Renaissance and beyond, including works by contemporary British composers Bob Chilcott, Patrick Hawes, Cecilia McDowall and Will Todd – and the beloved family favorite “Tis the Season!,” chock-full of festive carols, seasonal delights and even a visit from Santa Claus. This year, “Tis the Season!” will conclude with the first live performance of Emmy Award-winning composer Gary Fry’s new arrangement of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” which Pacific Chorale commissioned and premiered during last season’s virtual holiday concert.

“As Pacific Chorale resumes singing in person, I wanted to select works that both recognize the challenges we have all faced in recent times and reflect the diverse repertoire that our singers love to perform and our audiences have come to expect,” said Istad. “Composers creating artistic statements right now are deeply connected to our current human experience. I sincerely hope their messages resonate with our singers and audiences in an immediate, powerful way. At its core, Pacific Chorale exists to unite people through choral music, so returning to live performances enhanced by the sparkling acoustics of Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall will, no doubt, be an incredibly joyful experience for all of us on the stage and in the theater.”

“We are extremely grateful to the Pacific Chorale’s loyal patrons, vital community partners and committed donors for helping the organization transition through the extended closure brought about by the global pandemic,” said Brown. “While we made it a top priority to remain artistically connected to our patrons during this challenging time by pivoting to create innovative, digital programming, there is nothing like the visceral aspect of a live performance. We are thrilled to be able to, once again, welcome patrons back inside the concert hall and showcase the Pacific Chorale’s artistry in a concert setting.”

In addition to presenting its own concert series, the Chorale makes guest appearances on five Pacific Symphony programs this season. They include Handel’s Messiah, led by Robert Moody (December 5, 2021) and four presentations under the baton of Carl St.Clair – A Lunar New Year program (February 5, 2022), Cathedrals of Sounds (February 17-19, 2022), Verdi’s Otello (April 7, 9, 12, 2022) and Mozart’s Requiem in D Minor (May 19-22, 2022).

Segerstrom Center for the Arts, American Ballet Theatre announce partnership, premieres

Segerstrom Center for the Arts President Casey Reitz and American Ballet Theatre (ABT) Executive Director Kara Medoff Barnett announced a three-year partnership combining the resources of America’s National Ballet Company^® and one of the nation’s leading presenters of dance. The partnership will commence in December 2021 with three additional years of the co-presented annual productions of Alexei Ratmansky’s The Nutcracker and continue with world and West Coast premieres and engagements each spring through 2024. 

“We are proud to designate the renowned American Ballet Theatre as the Official Dance Company of Segerstrom Center for the Arts. This partnership reflects the extended history and long-term commitment between Segerstrom Center for the Arts and ABT, a company that has graced our stage and entertained patrons with exciting and inspiring performances since 1987,” said Reitz. “The Center is committed to these premieres because we recognize each has been beautifully and uniquely crafted to provide enjoyment to dance audiences throughout Southern California for many years to come.” 

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Courtesy of scfta.org

A scene from “Uniting in Movement,” a co-production between the Center and ABT, April 2020

Segerstrom Center and ABT have a robust long-standing relationship. At the Center, ABT gave the world premiere of Mikhail Baryshnikov’s Swan Lake in 1988. In 1999, the ABT production of Le Corsaire was taped for broadcast on PBS’s Dance in America, winning an Emmy Award. In 2003, The Dream was also taped at the Center for broadcast on Dance in America. In 2008, ABT co-commissioned Twyla Tharp’s Rabbit and Rogue with Segerstrom Center for the Arts, which received its world premiere in New York and its West Coast premiere at the Center. Other ABT productions at the Center have included the West Coast premiere of Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie’s production of The Sleeping Beauty in 2007, the World premiere of a new production of Firebird by ABT Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky and three additional ballets by Ratmansky including the West Coast premiere of The Nutcracker in 2015, the world premiere of Whipped Cream in 2017, the West Coast premiere of Harlequinade in 2019 and the world premiere and co-commissioned production Of Love and Rage in 2020. Most recently, the Center presented Uniting in Movement in April of 2021, a unique dance project bringing 18 ABT dancers together for safe collaboration and an exhilarating performance of new works by Jessica Lang, Lauren Lovette and Darrell Grand Moultrie. Since 2015, ABT has wowed Southern California audiences at Segerstrom Center for the Arts with annual holiday engagements of The Nutcracker for more than 63 performances.

“American Ballet Theatre’s mission calls us to preserve the classics and extend the repertoire of classical ballet,” said Kara Medoff Barnett, ABT executive director. “As the Official Dance Company of Segerstrom Center, ABT brings both the beloved classics and exciting new works to Southern California audiences. With talented students at the ABT William J. Gillespie School and enthusiastic audiences, Orange County offers ABT’s artists the warmest of welcomes. Segerstrom Center’s leadership recognizes the importance of innovation and invention to the future of the art form, and through this partnership, they provide opportunity to choreographers and dancers to introduce new works.” 

The three-year partnership between American Ballet Theatre and Segerstrom Center for the Arts will include three premiere works. Beginning March 2022, ABT and the Center will present a mixed repertory program to include a world premiere by Alonzo King and West Coast premieres of Ratmansky’s Bernstein in a Bubble and Lang’s ZigZag, featuring songs recorded by Tony Bennett. 

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Photo by Gene Schiavone

Courtesy of scfta.org

Snowflakes in a scene from “The Nutcracker”

In March 2023, American Ballet Theatre will give the North American premiere of Like Water for Chocolate at the Center. From the award-winning team of choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and composer Joby Talbot, with costumes by Bob Crowley, this co-production with the Royal Ballet is inspired by Laura Esquivel’s bestselling novel of the same name. The evening-length production tells the story of Tita, a young Mexican woman whose restrictive upbringing prevents her from marrying until her mother dies. Overwhelmed by a sense of duty and family tradition, Tita’s only form of expression is through cooking, but her life takes an unexpected turn when she falls in love with her wealthy neighbor Pedro. Their forbidden passion has far-reaching – and devastating – consequences. 

“Having Christopher and his team transform my story into a ballet is truly magical for me,” said Esquivel. “It was a great pleasure to have them visit Mexico for extensive research and to develop the scenario together. I am amazed at how Christopher can translate deep emotions into movement, and I can’t wait to see this wonderful creative adventure unfold.”

ABT and the Center’s partnership in 2024 will include a third world premiere. Details will follow at a later date. 

“I am so pleased to continue our long relationship with Segerstrom Center for the Arts, a place I consider a second home to ABT,” said Kevin McKenzie, ABT Artistic Director. “This partnership will allow ABT to expand our programming and experiment with new ways of telling stories. In our first collaboration with renowned dance maker Alonzo King, ABT dancers will stretch their wings with King’s unique form of expression and brand of movement. I am excited to see the results. And from page to stage, Christopher Wheeldon will bring Laura Esquivel’s celebrated novel Like Water for Chocolate to life for its U.S. Premiere at Segerstrom Center.”

The Segerstrom Center for the Arts also houses the ABT Gillespie Ballet School. The school offers unrivaled training, performing opportunities, Master Classes, lectures by visiting artists and the highest quality of classical ballet training through the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum. Forty students are featured annually in ABT’s production of The Nutcracker, and have performed alongside ABT dancers in the World Premiere productions of The Sleeping Beauty (2015) WhippedCream (2017) and the West Coast premiere of ABT’s Harlequinade (2019).

Pet of the Week

Stu News Newport is delighted to be working with the Newport Beach Animal Shelter to help get the word out in search of loving homes for pets that deserve a warm, nurturing environment and a place to call “home.”

The shelter has the cutest little pup available. Her name is Amaya and she’s a jubilant 5-month-old. She’s full of pep and needs some training, so she will do best having another friendly dog in the home that loves to play and a family that is dog savvy. She’s a breed that has a lot of personality and she’s really silly. It seems that she may grow to be a medium-sized adult. If you’ve been waiting for a busy puppy that you would enjoy spending time with, and taking out on adventures, then you are invited to contact the shelter to learn more.

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Courtesy of Newport Beach Animal Shelter

Meet Amaya

Shelter staff can easily be reached at 949.718.3454. They’ll be happy to answer any and all questions that you may have.

They do require completed application forms for their animals, so simply print one up from their nonprofit’s webpage at www.FONBAS.org. After it is completed, you can email it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and upon review, they’ll call you to schedule an appointment. 

Newport Beach Animal Shelter adoption fees:

–Adult Dogs - $150

–Puppies - $225

–Adult Cats - $90

–Kittens - $110

–Rabbits - $45

Also, consider becoming a member of an incredible nonprofit that supports the city’s efforts with providing wonderful opportunities to stray, injured, ill and owner-surrendered domestic pets.

Artwalk returns to South Bayfront Promenade 

The 26th Annual Balboa Island Artwalk, presented by Mary Hardesty Realty, will take place on Sunday, Sept. 26 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. along the South Bayfront Promenade on Balboa Island. The Artwalk is the premier showcase for talented local artists with art, music, sun and fun for the whole family. 

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Courtesy of the Balboa Island Artwalk

“Colorful Competition ll,” an original oil by artist Debra Huse, is featured in this year’s Artwalk

This free fine art show, stretching more than a mile, features 100 artists exhibiting paintings, fine jewelry, blown glass, sculpture and photography. Spectators will enjoy live music throughout the day on five stages along the walk. 

For more information and to view the participating artists, visit www.balboaislandartwalk.info.

For A Good Cause

From Golf to Galas: Supporting Our Community

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Courtesy of E3 Solutions

Lobsterfest, an end-of-summer tradition, raises funds for deserving charities

E3 Solutions presents an art show at THE LOT | Friday, September 17 from 3-7 p.m. E3 Solutions, a local nonprofit, will be hosting an art show with a ribbon cutting at 3:30 p.m. with the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce. Admission is free. Among the participating artists to date are Jennifer Bloomfield, Teresa MacGregor, Kristina Malykhin, Vaan Manoukian, Sherry Pollack Walker, Tina Rodriguez and Betty Scott, as well as local musician Brian Flammer. Proceeds from the art show will go to support local children's art programs.

Contact: www.ethreesolutions.org

Takes place at THE LOT Fashion Island, 999 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach.

Mission: E3 Solutions’ mission is to engage, enable and empower people to change the world through the way they choose to live in it.

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Courtesy of Childhelp

(L-R) John Westersten, Rick Reiff, Michael Danzi and Brian Bentson teed it up at the 2019 Childhelp Rich Saul Memorial Golf Classic

Childhelp Rich Saul Memorial Golf Classic | Thursday, September 23. This year marks the 39th year of the Orange County Childhelp Golf Classic, now known as the Rich Saul Memorial Golf Classic. The event continues in the spirit of the late NFL great Rich Saul, who was dedicated to changing the lives of abused and neglected children. The tournament, which is sold out, hosts a full day of golf, and camaraderie at Pelican Hill Golf Club and an incredible online auction for everyone. NFL Rams legends and local business leaders participate in the day’s activities. Last year, although they couldn’t hold the event due to COVID restrictions, they still had benefactors who signed up to play golf and upon learning they weren’t able to play, many directed Childhelp to keep the golf entry fees and treat them as a donation to help children during the pandemic. They raised more than $342,000. This year, they would be so pleased to have any donations toward underwriting the event. If you would like to participate in this way, visit the website. You can also participate by taking part in their online auction, which went live on September 9. They have fabulous items, like a Napa Valley vacation, a NASCAR VIP Exclusive, Thermal Club/Desert Golf Stay, Rams tickets and memorabilia and so much more! Bidding can take place by texting “Childhelpocgolf2021” to 243725 or at this link: www.bidpal.net/childhelpocgolf2021.

Contact: www.bidpal.net/childhelpocgolf2021

Takes place at Pelican Hill Golf Club, 22800 S. Pelican Hill Road, Newport Coast.

Mission: Childhelp is a U.S. nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of child abuse. Founded in 1959 as International Orphans, Inc. by Sara O’Meara and Yvonne Fedderson, Childhelp is one of the largest nonprofit child abuse prevention and treatment organizations in the nation.

Private Art Showing to benefit the Newport Beach Arts Foundation | Saturday, September 25 from 2:30-4:30 p.m. This is the fall fundraising event to benefit the Newport Beach Arts Foundation. While the artwork this evening at Bistango will be available for purchase, the $100 ticket price to attend is where the Arts Commission makes their money through fundraising.

Contact: To RSVP, email Carmen Smith by September 10 at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To view the participating artists, visit https://newportbeachartsfoundation.org/.

Takes place at Bistango Art Gallery/Restaurant, 19100 Von Karman Ave. (near the airport), Irvine.

Mission: The Arts Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) dedicated to supporting the arts in Newport Beach and the Newport Beach Arts Commission.

15th Annual Ante Up for Autism to benefit TACA | Saturday, September 25 from 5:30 p.m.-12 a.m. This casino and gala event benefits Newport Beach-based The Autism Community in Action (TACA). Supporters will gather in-person safely and responsibly. The program will be live streamed to viewing parties hosted throughout the country. Master of Ceremonies is actor Johnathon Schaech.

Contact: www.tacanow.org

Takes place at the Waterfront Beach Resort, 21100 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach.

Mission: Over the past 14 years, TACA’s signature fundraising event has raised more than $6.1 million in support of TACA’s mission to provide education, support and hope to families living with autism. Funds raised enable TACA to annually provide services to more than 75,000 individuals affected by autism. On average, 600 parents and caregivers reach out to TACA every month for help.

Big Brothers Big Sisters 57th Annual Gourmet Dinner | Thursday, September 30 at 5 p.m. Scotch. Cigars. Cars. Mark your calendars for a one-of-a-kind evening featuring premium food and beverage tastings, hand-rolled cigars, exciting auction experiences and a multi-course gourmet dinner under the stars. The event honors Patty Arvielo, recipient of the Joel K. Rubenstein Award. Tickets range from $15,000-$25,000.

Contact: Cherylee Shaar about this invitation-only event which you can donate to at 714.426.5642 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. www.ocbigs.org/gourmetdinner 

Takes place at Newport Beach Country Club, One Clubhouse Drive, Newport Beach.

Mission: The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County & The Inland Empire is to deliver one-to-one mentoring to youth facing adversity through four program models. They provide the training, resources and support necessary for each match to succeed. Programs include Traditional Mentoring, Big Couples, High School Bigs and Workplace Mentoring.

Seneca Family of Agencies Forever Families Gala | Saturday, November 6 at 5 p.m. This 4th annual gala – An Evening in the Orange Grove – celebrates Seneca Family of Agencies’ foster care and permanency work in Southern California. Seneca’s programs work to build and sustain families for the children who need them, and to prevent disruption at all costs by providing critical mental health support. The evening honors Geoff Le Plastrier and Susan Laird with the Seneca Leadership Award, and Wylie and Bette Aiken with the Community Impact Award. Tickets ranging from $500-$50,000 can be purchased at https://aesbid.co/ELP/FF21/Tickets.

Takes place at the Balboa Bay Resort, 1221 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach.

Contact: www.senecafoa.org

Mission: The national average of adoptions remaining permanent is roughly 75 percent, which means 25 percent of children are returned to foster care due to a failed adoption. With Seneca’s commitment to unconditional care – doing whatever it takes to support the success of kids and families – 100 percent of their adoptions in Orange County remain permanent.

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Courtesy of scfta.org © RMA Photography Inc.

Segerstrom Hall

Segerstrom Center for the Arts Candlelight Concert | Friday, December 3 at 5 p.m. One of the most treasured and celebrated fundraising galas in Orange County, it brings together the luminaries of the community to raise critically needed funds for the arts. Through the magic of theater, Segerstrom Hall’s stage is transformed into a breathtaking ballroom, where guests dine and dance the night away. This historically sold-out event raises more than $2 million each year to support the Center’s artistic, education and community engagement programs. Britt Meyer will serve as the event chair.

Takes place at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts’ Segerstrom Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa.

Contact: www.scfta.org

Mission: Segerstrom Center for the Arts believes in the power of performing arts to transform lives and that the shared experience and exploration of the arts will help unite Orange County, creating a more culturally connected and vital community. They will help shape the Orange County of the future through meaningful collaborations with diverse communities, embracing creativity in all its forms and enabling a more inclusive, vibrant performing arts scene at the Center and across the region.

Editor’s Note: If you represent a philanthropic organization located in Newport Beach with an upcoming event or know of a charitable organization choosing Newport Beach as its event venue, please email the information and a hi-res photo for consideration in our “For a Good Cause” calendar to help you publicize the event. Email pertinent information and images to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Police Beat Primer

Compiled by Tom Johnson 

Police Beat derives from information in the log maintained at the front counter by the Newport Beach Police Department and required under CA Government Code Section 6254 (f). The press does not have access to written police reports.

Information in the police department log is deemed reliable and StuNewsNewport is not responsible for mistakes made available as public record by the Newport Beach Police Department.

Any person arrested is innocent until found guilty in a court of law.

Abbreviations sometimes used in Police Beat:

647f – Public Intoxication; DUI – Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs; NFA – No fixed address; RP – Reporting/Responsible Party; UTL – Unable to locate