City Hall
Council, Boards, Commissions, Committee Meetings – Etc.
(Most City meetings will be viewable on NBTV and live streamed on the City’s website)
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Tuesday, May 26
Camp Newport Early Bird Discount Deadline
8 a.m.
City Council Study Session
City Council Chambers
100 Civic Center Dr. – 4 p.m.
City Council Regular Meeting
City Council Chambers
100 Civic Center Dr. – 7 p.m.
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Thursday, May 28
Zoning Administrator Meeting
Corona del Mar Conference Room, Bay 1E
100 Civic Center Dr. – 3 p.m.
Finance Committee
Crystal Cove Conference Room, Bay 2D
100 Civic Center Dr. – 3 p.m.
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Monday, June 1
Civil Service Board Meeting
City Council Chambers
100 Civic Center Dr. – 5 p.m.
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Tuesday, June 2
Parks, Beaches & Recreation Commission
City Council Chambers
100 Civic Center Dr. – 6 p.m.
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Wednesday, June 3
Office Hours with Mayor O’Neill
Newport Coast Community Center
6401 San Joaquin Hills Rd. – 8-10 a.m.
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Thursday, June 4
Water Quality Coastal Tidelands Committee
Canceled
Planning Commission Meeting
City Council Chambers
100 Civic Center Dr. – 6:30 p.m.
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Tuesday, June 9
City Council Study Session
City Council Chambers
100 Civic Center Dr. – 4 p.m.
City Council Regular Meeting
City Council Chambers
100 Civic Center Dr. – 7 p.m.
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Wednesday, June 10
Harbor Commission Meeting
City Council Chambers
100 Civic Center Dr. – 6:30-9 p.m.
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Thursday, June 11
Zoning Administrator Meeting
CdM Conference Room, Bay 1E
100 Civic Center Dr. – 3 p.m.
Finance Committee
Crystal Cove Conference Room, Bay 2D
100 Civic Center Dr. – 3 p.m.
City Arts Commission Meeting
City Council Chambers
100 Civic Center Dr. – 5 p.m.
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Monday, June 15
Board of Library Trustees Meeting
Central Library
100 Avocado Ave. – 5 p.m.
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Thursday, June 18
Planning Commission Meeting
City Council Chambers
100 Civic Center Dr. – 6:30 p.m.
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Saturday, June 23
City Council Study Session
City Counci Chambers
100 Civic Center Dr. – 4 p.m.
City Council Regular Meeting
City Counci Chambers
100 Civic Center Dr. – 7 p.m.
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Saturday, June 25
Zoning Administrator Meeting
CdM Conference Room, Bay 1E
100 Civic Center Dr. – 3 p.m.
Finance Committee
Crystal Cove Conference Room, Bay 2D
100 Civic Center Dr. – 3 p.m.
• • •
City Council Meetings 101 – FAQs about City Council Meetings (copies are available in the City Clerk’s office at 100 Civic Center Drive, Bay E, 2nd Floor; or call 949.644.3005.)
www.newportbeachca.gov
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Online log-in information to view and/or participate will change from meeting to meeting. To access information for each meeting, go to the City website and find it posted on the agenda.
Click here for agendas, meeting minutes and more info.
CdM High School ranks in top 5 percent nationwide in U.S. World and News Report
Corona del Mar High School has been ranked in the top five percent of all schools nationwide, placing 91st out of the more than 3,100 public high schools in California and 646 nationally out of approximately 17,000 public high schools in the nation.
The annual list published by U.S. News and World Report looks at more than 17,000 public high schools throughout the United States to select the best schools. Top performing schools are based on student participation in college-level exams, achievement on math and reading assessments, the performance rates of underserved populations and graduation rates.
Only a dozen Orange County high schools placed within the top 1,000 nationwide. However, in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District (NMUSD), Costa Mesa, Early College, Estancia and Newport Harbor high schools all ranked in the top 30 percent of schools nationwide.
“We are extremely proud of our schools for this recognition,” said NMUSD Superintendent Dr. Fred Navarro. “These rankings reflect the hard work and dedication of our students and school community.”
NMUSD schools serve approximately 20,000 students and offer a wide range of academic and extracurricular programs, such as innovative and specialized programs, visual and performing arts programs and competitive athletic programs.
To learn more about the high school rankings, visit the U.S. News and World Report website.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
This is as close as we can come to actually singing to our readers on their birthdays!
We’d love to include yours – and/or your friends and children’s birthdays here.
Just email to:
lana@stunewsnewport.com
Celebrate and enjoy your
birthday!
May 26
John Blom
Lindsay Smith-Rosales
Maurice Murphy
Michael Crowe
Moses Camacho
May 27
Andrea Pronk Dunn
Brooke Bramlett
Linda Atkinson
Lorraine O’Donnell
Marcus Sotelo
Pete Haak
Stephanie McCormick
Tony Capitelli
Tyler Bowman
May 28
Belal Dalati
Cristy Healy Fischbeck
May 29
Corinne Bo
John W. Briscoe
Larry Rausch
Louis Orozco
Pam Pedego
May 30
David Bahnsen
Deepa Bharath
Jennifer Mahar Christ
Peter Townsend
Rita Tayenaka
Shaena Stabler
Tom Harman
May 31
Duncan Forgey
Shani Behzadi Moslehi
Stacey Kaszton-Jones
Steve Gabrielson
June 1
Chandrkanth Bharamappanavar
Gordon Bowley
Taylor Zeldin
Timothy Brian Dunn
ENC to offer Nature Camp to children of essential workers
The Environmental Nature Center (ENC) is offering its Nature Camp to children of Essential Workers as defined by the State of California from June 1-19. Nature Camp provides quality science education in an outdoor setting. ENC Nature Camp emphasizes experiential learning. Campers spend most of their time outside, having a great time observing nature up close using tools like binoculars, magnifying lenses and microscopes. Science concepts are introduced in a fun environment, with crafts, games and nature activities.
Click on photo for a larger image
Courtesy of ENC
The health and safety of campers, staff and volunteers is and always has been of utmost importance to the ENC. In light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the ENC is constantly assessing the status of Orange County’s public health and making decisions related to their camp programs based on the most up-to-date and scientific information from the Centers for Disease Control and the OC Department of Health.
To ensure the health, safety and well-being of all campers, staff and volunteers, ENC is transitioning to modified camp protocols to be aligned with best health practices. Click here to read about ENC’s COVID-١٩ Camp Policies. The camp is open to youngsters ages 5-10 with staggered drop off and pick up times.
For more information and to register, visit www.encenter.org.
City of Newport Beach accepting applications for community programs and special events grants
The City of Newport Beach is accepting applications from community nonprofit program and event organizers seeking financial support for Newport Beach-based community programs and special events. The applications are for events and programs occurring between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021. The deadline is Wednesday, May 27 at 5 p.m.
Click on photo for a larger image
Courtesy of the City of Newport Beach
These grants enable organizations to apply for funding to cover some of the costs associated with hosting an event or community program in Newport Beach. This is a competitive process. Submitting an application does not guarantee funding. Applicants should read the information and program overview to gain an understanding of the program’s eligibility, qualification, and evaluation criteria and how the grants are funded.
To learn more about the grants or to submit an application, click here.
Get active at home through the City’s Online Recreation Center
The City of Newport Beach’s Online Recreation Center has posted a collection of digital recreation courses and online classes for children, adults and seniors to help residents stay busy, active and engaged.
The Online Recreation Center brings programs and resources right into residents’ homes to support health and well-being.
The Center is regularly updated with new offerings. Free and paid classes have been made available using different mediums including Zoom chats, Instagram live, Facebook live and more.
To access the Online Recreation Center go here.
If you have a great resource to share or feedback to offer about the online recreation center, email recreation@newportbeachca.gov.
Vital senior services maintained during closures
Critical services for Newport Beach’s senior community, including meal delivery and transportation services, will be maintained during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) response.
Although the OASIS Senior Center is temporarily closed, staff is available to assist senior residents during this time. On Sunday, Gov. Gavin Newsom released updated response guidelines, which included a recommendation that people 65 and older, and those with chronic health conditions, should stay at home.
The City will continue its meal delivery and transportation services during the Senior Center closure.
In addition, Newport Beach seniors who are homebound and require special assistance are encouraged to call the City’s Senior Services Dept. at 949.644.3244 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
“If you are struggling and feel like you need help, please call us and we will figure out a way to provide assistance,” said Celeste Jardine-Haug, OASIS senior services manager.
These measures are among a series of steps adopted by the City of Newport Beach in recent days to protect public health and align with recommendations from the state Department of Public Health, federal Centers for Disease Control and Orange County Health Agency.
ENC campus architects earn national award for sustainable design excellence
The American Institute of Architect’s Committee on the Environment (COTE) honored the Environmental Nature Center’s architectural firm, LPA, with a national COTE Top Ten award, the industry’s best-known sustainable design award, for the design of the Environmental Nature Center and ENC Nature Pre-School.
The American Institute of Architects also awarded the two projects with the COTE Top Ten Plus designation, which recognizes projects that have already demonstrated “exemplary performance and generated post-occupancy lessons.” The Environmental Nature Center (ENC) was the only one of the 10 projects honored to receive the Plus designation.
The annual COTE awards program, established in 1997, recognizes 10 innovative projects from around the world each year for “integration of design excellence with environmental performance.” Projects are evaluated on 10 distinct parameters, ranging from energy strategies and water conservation to resiliency and wellness.
“Working with LPA gave us a unique opportunity to design facilities that mirror our sensibilities on sustainability and energy efficiency,” said ENC Executive Director Bo Glover. “The LPA designed buildings on the ENC campus are model green buildings, and we are enthusiastic about sharing our model with administrators from a multitude of educational institutions – from preschools to universities. We are passionate about empowering people to make sustainable choices: to strengthen their communities, and literally save the world.”
Click on photo for a larger image
Courtesy of ENC
ENC Nature Pre-School is a model green building
The Environmental Nature Center and ENC Nature Pre-School, which opened last fall, have also both been awarded Platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The ENC’s learning facility that opened in 2008 was the first LEED Platinum building in Orange County. The award is the highest designation available to buildings that demonstrate energy efficiency and sustainability.
The pre-school is also pursuing the Living Building Challenge’s Petal Certification, one of the first projects in the region to target both a high-level of sustainability and the healthy environment standard. Both buildings operate at net-zero energy, meaning the total amount of energy used on an annual basis is equal to the amount of renewable energy created on site.
Energy efficiency and water conservation are incorporated into every element of the facility. The butterfly-shaped roof opens the classrooms to natural light and supports a 32KW array of photovoltaic panels, which are designed to provide 105 percent of the net energy for the preschool’s electrical needs. Natural ventilation, low-energy ceiling fans and a radiant floor heating system eliminate the need for traditional HVAC systems. Rainwater is treated as an educational tool, with water channeled through rock basins and bioswales, and naturally treated by plant materials.
“LPA was able to work with educators, the community and ENC leaders to develop the idea of learning through nature in a facility that reflects the organization’s mission,” said LPA Design Director Rick D’Amato. “The preschool seamlessly blends indoor and outdoor learning environments to connect children to nature. The nature play and education areas expand on the sustainability focus of the original nature center.”
The ENC Nature Preschool’s philosophy is embedded within its design. Curriculum is play-based. The design of the school encourages and nurtures the children’s inquiries and discoveries. Children’s ideas and investigations are easily implemented because their classrooms are open and flexible to allow indoor spaces to blend with the outdoors. Classrooms open to a central courtyard, which connects to the Nature Playscape. Daily hands-on experiences with nature instill a deep intuitive understanding of nature and the natural world.
“Engagement with nature and with others is where real learning occurs,” said ENC Nature Preschool Director Sue Bierlich. “Our teachers are really there to guide the learning that the children initiate themselves based on what they discover in the environment. The blending of the school’s indoor and outdoor spaces has been essential to the success of our educational philosophy, and the school’s green features are a huge draw to parents who want their children to learn in an environment with good indoor air quality, surrounded by non-toxic materials.”
For more information or to donate to the ENC Nature Preschool scholarship fund, visit encnaturepreschool.org or contact ENC Executive Director Bo Glover at 949.645.8489, ext. 101 or bo@encenter.org.
County of Orange awarded $700,000 to support small business impacted by COVID-19
In partnership with the Orange County Workforce Development Board (OCWDB), the County of Orange will be launching the OCWDB COVID-19 Layoff Aversion Support Program. OCWDB received $700,000 in Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds from the California Employment Development Division (EDD) to support local small businesses impacted by COVID-19.
“This program allows the County to offer another vital opportunity to local small businesses struggling to continue their operations,” said Chairwoman Michelle Steel, Second District Supervisor. “We are grateful to the State for awarding this funding.”
Through the OCWDB COVID-19 Layoff Aversion Support Program, eligible businesses can receive up to $10,000 in grant funds. This funding is intended to help local small businesses mitigate layoffs and adhere to “social distancing” provisions established by state and federal public health entities.
“Some businesses will need to modify their operations before they can open their doors in accordance with state and local health orders,” said Vice Chairman Andrew Do, First District Supervisor. “This funding will help small businesses keep their workers employed, and alleviate some of the financial strain they are feeling.”
Businesses will need to submit an application on the Orange County One-Stop Centers website at www.oconestop.com/covid-19-
layoff-aversion-program to be considered for the grant funding. Applications close on Wednesday, May 28 at 5 p.m. PST or until 170 applications are received, whichever comes first. Eligible applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis until all available funds have been committed.
“This program is a lifeline for small businesses and their employees,” said Supervisor Donald Wagner, Third District. “These businesses must be made aware of every opportunity and resource the County can offer.”
To be eligible for this grant funding, businesses must be in Orange County, have a workforce of 500 or fewer employees and be up to date on Unemployment Insurance (UI) taxes and in good standing with the State of California. Other general criteria employers must meet to be considered for local funding include:
–Priority consideration will be given to Small Businesses located within the Orange County Workforce System.
–May only apply for one site or location in Orange County.
–Only one application may be submitted per organization.
–Must pay employees minimum wage or more.
–Must use the funds to help avert imminent layoffs or furloughs as a result of the COVID-19 economic crisis.
–Must be able to demonstrate a need for layoff aversion support due to the impacts of COVID-19.
–Must be able to enter into an agreement with Orange County that includes the conditions outlined in the application.
–Must be able to complete quarterly reports for up to one year after the award.
“Residents are looking forward to visiting their favorite neighborhood shops again,” said Supervisor Doug Chaffee, Fourth District. “Local small businesses are urged to apply.”
Businesses can visit the Orange County One-Stop Center website at www.oconestop.com/ for full details on eligibility requirements for the Layoff Aversion Support Program, including allowable activities and prohibited costs.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our Orange County economy. They help stimulate local economic growth and provide job opportunities within the community,” said Supervisor Lisa Bartlett, Fifth District. “This program helps the County’s local businesses during this critical time while complying with state and federal guidelines.”
For more information on Orange County One-Stop Centers, visit www.oconestop.com/ or call the Economic and Business Recovery Call Center at 714.480.6500.
