Teachers Night Out: gross creepy crawlies, and science connections to bugs, dirt and poop

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Courtesy of ENC

Teachers learn how to get closer to nature at ENC

Join ENC on September 6 from 4 to 7 p.m. for Teachers Night Out bringing all kinds of educators together to experience exciting hands-on ways to teach children about science and nature. Everyone is invited! Classroom teachers, outdoor educators, scout leaders, homeschool parents – anyone who wants to be a better educator.

Targeted toward 3rd - 6th grade teachers, participants will walk through the Center, after hours, to discover some fun ways to teach about gross creepy crawlies! Dr. Leonard Vincent, an entomologist and arachnid expert at Fullerton College, will lead you on a search for spiders in the Center, then ENC staff will make some science curricula connections to bugs, dirt and poop that you can take back to the classroom and share with your students.

October 31st is just around the corner! This workshop will help you make fun science connections to the spook and gore of Halloween.

Afterwards, you’ll enjoy a light meal together and share some wine by the campfire before breaking out the marshmallows and skewers to make some s’mores.

There is no fee for ENC members; for non-members, the cost is $10.

Save the Date: The next Teachers Night Out will take place October 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. and focus on Native American Exploration, Cross-Cultural Connections.

Environmental Nature Center is located at 1601 E. 16th St., Newport Beach. For more information, visit www.encenter.org.

Moving Reagan statue: Haven’t we been through this all before?

By AMY SNIDER SENK

If the residents of Newport Beach wanted a statue of Ronald Reagan in the Civic Center Park, they would have said so six years ago. But the City Council, which voted 5-1 this spring to relocate the memorial sculpture, seems to have forgotten that back in 2011, a very vocal group of citizens made it perfectly clear that partisan art doesn’t belong in the city’s non-partisan Civic Center.

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Photo by Amy Snider Senk

Do the current City Council members not care about the past, or are they clueless about the Reagan statue’s history in Newport Beach? If so, here’s a refresher. Back in 2010, then Mayor Keith Curry proposed renaming a park after Reagan, but the City Council voted down two separate motions to do so. Curry later sought private donations for a Reagan statue to be placed at the Civic Center, then under construction. But many members of the public expressed outrage, even shouting at Curry during a public Arts Commission meeting. Eventually, the then-City Council members agreed that the Civic Center should be apolitical, and that the entire issue was distracting them from important city business. When the statue was finally unveiled at Bonita Canyon Sports Park, Curry and others hoped it would be the first of many patriotic statues that could be placed in the location as part of a Patriot’s Walk.

The current push to move Reagan came up at the April 11 City Council meeting. Councilman Scott Peotter, who had earlier that evening been formally notified of a recall effort against him, proposed moving the Reagan statue as a condition of funding the third phase of an ongoing art-in-the-park program.

City Attorney Aaron Harp said that there were no legal problems arising from the Reagan item not being on the meeting agenda. “Specifically, under the Brown Act, the City is required to give the public general notice of what it will be considering at a meeting of the City Council so the public can provide input,” he said in an email. “As part of the agenda for the April 11, 2017, meeting, the City notified the public it would be discussing a contract with Arts Orange County to Manage Phase III of the Sculpture Exhibition in Civic Center Park.”

Why didn’t Peotter ask that staff study the issue – the costs and placement and public opinion – and that the city’s Arts and Parks, Beaches & Recreation commissions weigh in, before a Council vote? According to Harp, the Council isn’t required to seek guidance from those commissions unless it wants to.

Ultimately, the city’s Arts Commission did take up the matter at its July meeting, creating an ad hoc committee to explore places for the Reagan statue to be moved within the Civic Center Park. The topic presumably will be on future city agendas before it’s a done deal, if the public of Newport Beach still cares to comment. Already, there have been letters and emails sent to city officials complaining about the statue’s potential new home.

“It’s not that I’m opposed to Ronald Reagan per se, but I am opposed to politicizing our public parks by showcasing status of any political-party specific individual, president or otherwise,” wrote Karen Tringali of Corona del Mar. “Newport Beach is governed as a nonpartisan municipality…Our Civic Center Sculpture Garden was never intended to be a political memorial garden.”

Art consultant and former Corona del Mar business owner Fred Page echoed the sentiment. “The sculpture garden needs to be watered with poetry,” he wrote, “not desiccated by political prose.”

Peotter said he was aware there were “detractors” back in 2011. “But we didn’t have the sculpture exhibits at that point either,” he said. “They were only in the planning phases.”

He added that the Civic Center appropriately should have “civic art.” “Seems like a waste of a beautiful piece of sculpture of a president that had a huge impact on our history to be tucked away at the end of a cul-de-sac,” he said. “This isn’t partisanship, it is our history.”

When the topic goes back to the Arts Commission, then to City Council – we will see whether the mood toward Reagan has softened, or if the residents rise up to fight it once again.

~~~~~~~~

Amy Snider Senk has lived in Corona del Mar for 17 years and was publisher of Corona del Mar Today, an online newspaper that ran daily for seven years. Senk, a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, is involved in the Corona del Mar Residents Association and the Corona del Mar High School PTA. She and her husband have two children.

Nancy Dahlfors is newly appointed to NB Public Library Foundation Board of Directors

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Courtesy of NB Public 

Library Foundation

Nancy Dahlfors

The Newport Beach Public Library Foundation welcomes Nancy Dahlfors to their board of directors.

She and her husband Brant have lived in Corona del Mar since August 2001. She hails from a small town called Fairborn in Ohio, and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business from the University of Texas, San Antonio.

Their daughters Wren and Reede both graduated from Corona del Mar High School

Dahlfors is an avid reader and member of several book clubs.

For more information, visit www.nbplfoundation.org.

Newport Beach – A Look Back 

Photo series courtesy of Balboa Island Museum & Historical Society

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An old color photo of Marine Avenue. Wouldn’t you love to drive one of those cars down Marine Avenue today?

Visit Balboa Island Museum at 331 Marine Ave., Balboa Island. It is open Tuesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Museum Store is open Tuesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 949.675.3952. www.balboaislandmuseum.org

Newport Beach Chamber to hold August Sunset Mixer at Seasons 52

Submitted photo

Join the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce at their August Sunset Mixer on Thursday, August 24 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Seasons 52 Fresh Grill.

Come discover new business relationships while enjoying a great atmosphere. There is a no-host bar, complimentary hors d’oeuvres and opportunity drawings.

Cost: NBCC members are free; guests, $35. Reservations are not required. Valet and self-parking.

Seasons 52 is located at 3333 Bristol Ave., #2802, Costa Mesa (next to Bloomingdale’s in South Coast Plaza).

For more information, call Pam Smith at 949.729.4411 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Segerstrom Center to kick off jazz series

Three distinguished jazz artists will take to the stage for one unforgettable evening of music on October 7, 2017. Segerstrom Center for the Arts presents composer, pianist and National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Ramsey Lewis and his quintet, leading the evening with works from the three-time Grammy Award winner’s remarkable 50-year career that spans musical styles ranging from pop to R&B. The concert continues as longtime L.A. all-star guitarist Lee Ritenour along with special guest saxophonist Ernie Watts share the remarkable Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall stage celebrating all that is the joy of jazz.

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Photos courtesy of SCFTA.org

Ramsey Lewis

Throughout his illustrious career, jazz legend Ramsey Lewis has joined forces with countless other artists to create new and innovative music. In 1984, he collaborated with Nancy Wilson on the song “The Two of Us”; in 1988, he recorded with London’s Philharmonic Orchestra for the album A Classic Encounter and in 1989, Lewis and Dr. Billy Taylor cut a set of piano duets in “We Meet Again.” In 1995, Lewis launched the side project Urban Knights, in which he collaborated with a handful of successful crossover jazz stars, including Grover Washington Jr., Earl Klugh and Dave Koz. In 1997, Lewis added disc jockey to his resume, hosting a popular show on Chicago’s WNUA-FM that ran until 2009. A new show was syndicated in 2006 under the name Legends of Jazz with Ramsey Lewis and was broadcast on jazz radio stations across the country. In 2006, a well-received 13-episode Legends of Jazz television series hosted by Lewis was broadcast by PBS on public TV nationwide and featured live performances by a variety of jazz artists. Lewis is the recipient of seven Billboard Gold Records, has had his personal memorabilia inducted into the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., his jazz single “The In Crowd” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and he has performed in the White House.

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Lee Ritenour

Since his early recordings in the 1970s, Lee Ritenour has earned 19 Grammy nominations, numerous No. 1 spots on guitar polls, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian SJ Awards and a prestigious “Alumnus of the Year” Award from the University of Southern California. He has recorded more than 40 albums that have yielded 35 chart songs. As a young guitarist, he put his combination of diverse musical styles and brilliant technical chops to work on more than 3,000 sessions with a broad spectrum of artists, and was a founding member of Fourplay, which is considered the most successful group in contemporary jazz.

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Ernie Watts

Two-time Grammy winner Ernie Watts is one of the most versatile and prolific saxophone players in music. It has been more than 50 years since he first picked up a saxophone, and from age 16 on he has been playing professionally, initially while still attending school. Watts has been featured on more than 500 recordings by artists ranging from Cannonball Adderley to Frank Zappa, always exhibiting his unforgettable trademark sound. In 2014, Watts received the prestigious Frankfurt Music Prize awarded by the Trustees of the Frankfurt Music Prize Foundation in Germany. It is presented to both classical and non-classical musicians. Of the 32 current winners, only six have been jazz musicians. Per the Frankfurt Music Prize Foundation, Watts was “selected for his strikingly melodic saxophone style and his original tone language, with which he has already enriched several generations of musicians.” In 2015, Watts was selected as Guest of Honor at the Telluride Jazz Festival in Colorado, and played on the Ernie Watts Main Stage with his own Quartet.

Single tickets are $29 and will go on sale Monday, August 21 at 10 a.m. They will be available online at www.SCFTA.org, at the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling 714.556-2787. For inquiries about group ticket savings for 10 or more, call the Group Services office at 714.755.0236.

Stump the Stu

This one’s for the birds

This great intaglio can be found around town. The question is, where? 

Take the challenge, and submit your answers to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The correct answers will be in Thursday’s edition.

If you have a unique spot or icon around town that you think StuNewsNewport readers would enjoy finding out about, please shoot it, share it and give us the answer, so we can challenge them!

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Hello...Hola...Ciao!...Salut...Bonjour...Hallo!

For those of you yearning to learn another language, now is the perfect opportunity. The Newport Beach Public Library is offering Rosetta Stone, the popular learning language program, for free! Patrons can gain free access to 30 different language courses at the beginning level.

Library card holders can log on to Rosetta Stone from home or at the library and take core lessons to build reading, writing, speaking and listening skills, as well as refine grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation.

For more information, visit www.newportbeachlibrary.org.

Guest Column

Jeff Herdman

Aviation Update

Newport Beach City Councilmember Jeff Herdman

Being Chair of the NB Aviation Committee, and just beginning to get my feet wet in terms of learning and content, I thought in this Blog/Newsletter I would spend some time updating you on the new Metroplex Project being implemented by the Federal Aviation Committee (FAA). So many of my constituents in District 5 are impacted by flight takeoff paths originating from John Wayne Airport; I am frequently asked questions that the information below may help to answer.

After completing an environmental assessment, the FAA made three changes to departures at JWA: PIGGN, for flights east of Las Vegas; FINZZ and HHERO for flights west of Las Vegas. PIGGN was introduced on March 2, with the FAA carefully monitoring flight paths since. The FAA has identified a slight shift of traffic to the east and a correction was in order, which was made on May 25th. FINZZ and HHERO were implemented on April 27th.

(Note: I made no attempt to spell out the above referenced acronyms because I don’t know what they stand for!) 

Be aware that:

This is part of the FAA’s nationwide effort, and the FAA has complete control over the airspace;

Both the County and the City are in litigation with the FAA over the Metroplex environmental assessment;

The City has found the FAA to be responsive to the City’s concerns and open to dialoguing with the City;

The City believes the departure tracks can be improved to better split the “Narrows” and still pass directly over noise monitor #7;

The City works on the departure issue regularly - often daily - and it’s a top priority for both he City and the County;

There is no guarantee that the FAA will change the alignments as they ultimately control the airspace;

Know that the City is happy to go over your specific concerns and talk with you at any time about what you are hearing and seeing.  

Some STATS:

Passenger traffic has decreased in June 2017 as compared with June 2016 (600 less passengers);

In June the Average Daily Departures were 128.1 vs. 132.3 for June of 2016.

Altitude:

Several questions have been asked related to altitude, specifically, “Are they actually flying lower during takeoff?” Altitude analysis for the period of 2007-2016 show very little disparity. Newer aircraft show significant improvement in both altitude and noise.  

Noise:

If an aircraft exceeds noise limits at one or more locations, a “Notice of Violation” will be issued to the registered owner of the aircraft. Notices of Violations remain in effect for three years. If three violations occur within a three-year period, the aircraft owner, the aircraft operator, and the aircraft are subject to denial of use of the Airport for a period of three years.  

And finally, having recently been selected by the City Selection Committee to be a Commissioner on the Airport Land Use Commission, and being chair of the NB Aviation Committee, I intend to immerse myself, and be well-informed on JWA Airport issues for the benefit of my constituents.  

As always, I remain “at your service”, and encourage you to contact me with any questions, concerns, and feedback. 

Jeff Herdman

Newport Beach City Council

District 5

Guess who opens the new Davidson Field? Hint, it’s not NHHS

By STEVE VIRGEN

As night falls upon Davidson Field in Newport Beach, a uniquely lit sign stands out among a renovated stadium that has quickly become the pride of Newport Harbor High School.

Each letter seems a bit dim, as if each has a shadow, but it’s still prominent.

The sign can be seen: “Home of the Sailors.”

But that is not the case for Week Zero of the 2017 high school football season. That’s because the new and improved Davidson Field will be the home of the Sea Kings.

As a mere product of scheduling, Corona del Mar will be the first team to play football under the lights at renovated Davidson Field, August 25. And that will be a big game against JSerra. 

Submitted photo

CdM football team practices under the lights

Newport Harbor does not open the season until September 2 at Pacifica. The Sailors have their home opener the following week against Chino Hills.

This occurrence has intensified the Back Bay rivalry, as some from Newport Harbor have privately expressed distaste that the Sea Kings get to ring in the new stadium.

However, it has also caused the rival schools to work together for agreements over their stadium, a Newport-Mesa Unified School District site they have shared throughout the years.

Initially, in the weeks leading up to the football season, Newport Harbor administration preferred for Corona del Mar to move its first two home games to a different site so that the Sailors could be the first team to play at Davidson Field.

The Sea Kings denied that preference.

“We’ve been displaced from Davidson for two years as well,” CdM football coach Dan O’Shea said after an intra-squad scrimmage at Davidson Field Wednesday night. “We’ve been playing at Estancia. Every game we play we get on a bus. We felt, as a district stadium, we certainly want the opportunity to be treated equally at the facility. We’re honored to play here and really happy about it.”

Some on the Corona del Mar football team believe the home opener at Davidson Field scenario is fitting.

“It’s great,” said CdM standout TaeVeon Le, who did not play on Wednesday to give others the opportunity to compete. “We’ve been winning for the past few years here. It’s kind of become our home field more than it has been theirs. I look forward to opening it up against a good team.”

Le discovered on Wednesday that the Sailors’ administration had asked CdM to play its first two games at a different site so that Newport Harbor could be the first team to play at renovated Davidson Field. 

“It doesn’t surprise me,” Le said. “When you dominate them for so long they got to kind of give it you. It happens.”

The Sea Kings posted their fourth straight win over the Sailors in the rivalry last year in convincing fashion, 41-13, at Orange Coast College.

Newport Harbor was considered the home team in the annual series, the 55th edition of the Battle of the Bay.

CdM has agreed for the Sailors to be the designated home team for the second straight year this season in the Battle of the Bay on Sept. 15, CdM athletic director Don Grable said.

Grable also said the Sailors preferred for CdM to play its first two games at a different site, but Newport Harbor has been accommodating with regard to preparation for the Sea Kings’ home opener at Davidson Field.

CdM and Newport Harbor administrators were at the intra-squad scrimmage on Wednesday for a walkthrough and “test run.”

O’Shea said the Sea Kings are excited to play against JSerra at Davidson Field, in a state-of-the-art stadium, a gem of a site, complete with on-site team rooms, artificial turf surrounded by a gray, rubber track. The funding for the renovation project at Davidson Field was estimated at $15.9 million, according to the NMUSD.

CdM’s hopes of a new home stadium remain in the works. For now, the Sea Kings will take pride in playing at Davidson Field.

“Every football stadium is the same to us when we get inside the white lines,” O’Shea said. “But our kids grew up in Newport Beach and Davidson Field has always been the field they dreamed to play on. For our seniors it’s really important that they are able to play the home games in the city they live in. We don’t have a home field, and consider our home field Davidson Field in conjunction with Newport Harbor.”

Coach Jeff Brinkley, who enters his 32nd season at Newport Harbor, said the renovation project at Davidson Field was long overdue. He said the upgrade is spectacular. Rumors had swirled that this could be Brinkley’s final year with the Sailors, as he was wanting to play at least one season in renovated Davidson Field. 

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NHHS players listen to the Coach

“It doesn’t have anything to do with this place,” he said about retiring in reference to Davidson Field. “It’s really if we can stay competitive. I’ll just keep plugging away. I didn’t care about (the new field). I like this because it’s great for practice. I liked the kids we had in our dirt fields (in the past). It’s really how you can perform and not what the field looks like.”

Brinkley said this year’s team will be challenged because of its lack of depth. Health and avoiding injuries will be important for the Sailors. Meanwhile, the Sea Kings are strong. CdM has become a football school. Its freshman team boasts 85 players.

Times have changed. Before CdM’s four-game winning streak in the Battle of the Bay series, Newport Harbor owned CdM with a 13-1 advantage from 1999 to 2012.

Brinkley is aware some from Newport Harbor are disappointed that CdM is the first to play at Davidson Field this season, but it doesn’t matter to him.

“The field is the same size everywhere,” Brinkley said after practice at Davidson Field on Thursday. “You go play on it. I don’t care who is on there first or second it’s never been a big deal to me.”

Brinkley is plenty aware of the tradition at Davidson Field. He’s glad the wooden bleachers remained a feature. 

He said he wasn’t aware that Newport Harbor administrators asked CdM to play elsewhere for its first two games.

“I have nothing to do with that,” Brinkley said. “We’ll line up and play where they tell us to play and when they tell us to play. Honestly it doesn’t matter to me. I don’t care. I have bigger worries than that.”

Newport Harbor starting quarterback Sam Barela said the Sailors will use the scheduling with regard to Davidson Field as motivation to perform at a high level this season. He said it didn’t bother him that CdM was the first to open the stadium with football this season, but acknowledged, that “it’s big-time.”

By the time the Battle of the Bay comes around it will surely be “big-time.”

Farm to Fork: A Foodie’s Point of View 

By LANA JOHNSON

2017 Lobsterfest…a huge success and great day for family fun

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Submitted photos

Stephanie Murguia with Lobsterfest and Leadership Tomorrow (right) presents a $5,000 check to Make A Wish® - Orange County and Inland Empire. Lido Lobster (center) is tickled red.

Lobsterfest 2017 is in the books, and a great time was had by all! They are so grateful to all those who attended and helped raise a record amount for their charities Make-A-Wish® - Orange County and Inland Empire, and Leadership Tomorrow, Orange County.

What made this event so special this year, was they had a couple who anonymously matched their $5,000 donation to Make-A-Wish, so they will be granting two “Wishes” this year!

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Attendees enjoyed the buffet line with fresh Maine lobster and all the fixings

Thank you to the sponsors who made this all possible: Anderson Seafoods, Melissa’s Produce, OC Baking Company, Angeline Vineyards, Coachella Valley Brewing Co., Young’s Market Company, Dulce Vida Tequila and Ralphs Grocery.

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Wearing lobster hats added to the day’s fun theme

Next year, Save the Date: 2018 Lobsterfest will be on Sunday, August 5 returning to Newport Dunes Resort & Marina, once again. Sign up for their VIP newsletter to be the first to know when tickets go on sale, April 2018. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or 949.479.3468. Visit www.lobsterfestatnewportbeach.com.

Ciao Vincenza!

Art show packs The Board Club 

By STEVE VIRGEN

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Submitted photos

(L - R): Mark Cunningham and Peter Belden

Surfers and art lovers packed the house at The Board Club on 31st Street in Newport Beach, as Mark Cunningham’s Art Aquatic show was on display, Friday night, August 11.

The lively event featured Cunningham’s unique art, which is made up of items he acquired while snorkeling in Hawaii.

Cunningham, who was a world champion bodysurfer, has turned items lost at sea into art. He says the pieces are “remains of a wipeout, a forgotten wallet brought into the inviting waters, the shiny and new becoming corroded and encrusted in their underwater resting place, are resurfaced and brought to land to question what happened.”

A selfie stick with a camera encrusted with calcium was among the art pieces. A pair of sunglasses or a watch? Cracked surfboards and detached surfboard fins? That’s art, too. Fascinating.

Cunningham said he was, “absolutely blown away,” by the turnout at The Board Club.

“I’m just stoked with the love and aloha I’m getting,” he said.

Cunningham was happy to talk with the art lovers and surfers during the event.

“It stems from my love of surfing,” he said of his art. “I grew up in Hawaii and surfing has always been a part of my life and I am a retired lifeguard. I love, love surfing. All these things on the wall are remains of the wipeout.”

“You see the glory shots of the boy in the barrel or doing the crazy air but there’s a price to be paid. All those things are what I pulled from the bottom of the ocean and the wood it’s mounted on I found while beachcombing on the windward side of the island or the North Shore. It’s just putting all those things that I love together. It’s purely selfish.”

A Bear Flag Fish Co. food truck were parked in the back for service. There were “Maui Mules” served by Pau Maui Vodka, and craft beer by Town Park Brew. There was also live music, as Dano Forte’s Juke Joint Freak Show was the featured act.

The Board Club is a surf club house and rental surfboard shop. Peter Belden, a former Newport Harbor High water polo standout and Newport Beach lifeguard, is the founder.

Fair Game

By TOM JOHNSON

70-year-old man killed by boat propeller near Jetty

News broke late yesterday afternoon that a 70-year-old man, yet to be identified, was killed by the propeller from the boat he had just left to take a swim. The incident took place near the Jetty.

Apparently, another person on-board decided to back the boat, closer to the swimmer, when the incident occurred.

Orange County Sheriffs and the Newport Beach Fire Department were involved. 

The man was taken to a nearby dock and pronounced dead. 

• • •

The City of Newport Beach dealt with one of those damned if you do, damned if you don’t issues at the last Council meeting.

If you remember, Sacramento recently passed a new gas tax that adds 12 cents onto each gallon of gas and at the same time increases vehicle license fees.

The monies collected will help with needed repairs throughout the State on transit, roads and bridges.

When the Sacramento vote was taken it went right along party lines. So, as you can imagine with our conservative City Council, they all opposed the tax.

So now comes the decision, does Newport Beach attempt to utilize those funds now that they’re available, or not, for local expenses?

Well, the answer is no. Voting 5-2, with Diane Dixon and Brad Avery the two yes votes, the Council voted not to apply for some $480,000 in potential funds. The money was perhaps available to go toward the needed paving efforts for MacArthur Boulevard and University Drive.

The Council collectively agreed that it was a difficult decision.

• • •

One of the biggest issues around town are the recall efforts of City Councilman Scott Peotter.

As I would expect, Councilmembers Marshall Duffield and Will O’Neill made contributions as individuals to support Peotter’s efforts.

Councilman Brad Avery donated directly to the Committee to Oppose the Recall of Scott Peotter from his campaign account, while former Councilmembers Mike Henn, Keith Curry, Rush Hill and Tony Petros all contributed to the Committee to Recall Scott Peotter.

Petros, in fact, donated $5,000 from his Petros for Newport Beach City Council 2016 account.

• • •

News flash: The Beer Cans out of the Balboa Yacht Club were cancelled last Thursday night for the first time in 58+ years for, you guessed it, our visiting whale.

Reported sightings in the Bay include just off Davey’s Locker, near Lido Island and in the Back Bay.

Experts say the young whale is just curious and taking his or her time moving north.

• • •

Hit the Dory Deli for lunch Saturday and ordered the Pistol Pete’s…pastrami, coleslaw, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing on marble rye. It is perhaps the best sandwich I have ever had.

Nine bucks!

The person with me had the Reubinstein…thin corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing on toasted marble rye. Equally impressive!

No wonder the place was jammed to the rafters.

Will be back soon!

Mario Marovic is giving Wing Lam a run for my “best place to go to lunch” spot.

Symphony to wrap up summer in spectacular way

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Submitted photo

Pacific Symphony ends every summer season with a spectacular bang, a burst of colorful fireworks and grand music. This year feels particularly significant, as the orchestra draws to a close its inaugural season in its new home at the Orange County Fair and Events Center on the triumphant note of “Tchaikovsky Spectacular.” 

Music Director Carl St.Clair leads this annual hit parade of Romantic masterworks, which also includes favorites by such mighty Russian masters as Shostakovich and Prokofiev. The concert features the brilliant virtuosity of the Van Cliburn gold medal winner, Yekwon Sunwoo, who performs Rachmaninoff’s exquisite and sweeping Piano Concerto No. 2. Capping off this memorable evening is the electrifying “1812 Overture,” featuring the Huntington Beach Concert Band – complete with cannons and brilliant fireworks – sending hearts racing and spirits soaring.

“Our summer will close with the ringing of bells, the sound of cannon fire and, of course, fireworks and Tchaikovsky’s ever-beloved ‘1812 Overture’ – it’s always a memorable time,” said Maestro St.Clair. “Each year’s ‘Tchaikovsky Spectacular’ features an all-new program, and this summer the audience will be treated to a powerful performance of Rachmaninoff’s famed ‘Second Piano Concerto’, as well as great music by other top Russian composers. It is sure to bring our first summer at the Pacific Amphitheatre to a wonderful and fitting close.” 

A grand spectacle from beginning to end, “Tchaikovsky Spectacular” takes place Saturday, September 9, at 8 p.m., in the Pacific Amphitheatre at the OC Fair & Event Center. Tickets are $25-$99. 

Pre-concert entertainment by the Huntington Beach Band takes place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Plaza Pacifica entrance. 

All are welcome to bring their own food, wine and non-alcoholic beverages onto the premises, but glass containers and glassware are not permitted inside the amphitheater. 

Beer, along with additional food and beverages may be purchased at the concession stands inside the amphitheater. The gates open at 6 p.m. for picnicking. Picnic tables are available at the Plaza Pacifica entrance or patrons may picnic at their seats. 

For more information or to purchase tickets, call 714.755.5799 or visit www.PacificSymphony.org.

Pet of the Week

StuNewsNewport 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.”

Courtesy of Newport Beach 

Animal Shelter

MEET BARRY

Barry needs a loving home

Barry is a 3-month-old Chihuahua mixes. He was born at the shelter on Easter morning. He was fostered in a home with children. He is neutered, vaccinated and microchipped, and weighs about 3.5 lbs. He would be perfect in a small home, condominium or apartment.

Adoption costs at the shelter:

Dogs - $130

Puppies - $150

Cats - $90

Kittens - $110

At any given time, the shelter can have 4 - 5 dogs and 7 - 8 cats/kittens available for adoption. At times, they receive owner turn-ins that would do best adopted out together. 

If you are interested in finding out more about Barry, or any other animals up for adoption, the Newport Beach Animal Shelter is located at 20302 Riverside Drive, Newport Beach. It is open daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 949.644.3656. Email Valerie Schomburg at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

To find out how you can help support the shelter, visit www.nbpd.org and click on “Our Animal Shelter” to view the wish list. They can always use food & treats; new toys; grooming, hygiene & comfort products; as well as laundry soap, dish soap, paper towels, sponges & scrub pads and lint rollers. If you are interested in volunteering, you can fill out and sign the application on the website.

Sister City International Regional meeting at Civic Center

You might have read about the Annual Exchange of Students between Newport Beach and Okazaki, Japan. It’s only been happening for 30 some years! Or you might have seen articles on a similar exchange with Antibes, France and Ensenada, B.C., Mexico.

This Saturday, August 12, the Newport Beach Sister City Association, the group that makes these exchanges happen, will be hosting the Sister City SoCal Regional Conference in the Civic Center Community Room. Officers and members from 39 Sister City organizations, ranging from Los Angeles to San Diego, and from Malibu to Ontario, have been invited to exchange ideas, and meet their counterparts along with some of the Exchange Students.

Through this region of the organization, 168 cities in 50 countries around the world have established and maintained relationships with local citizens, fulfilling the dream of President Dwight D. Eisenhower who supported the creation of the Sister City Program in 1956 as a “greater conduit for international understanding.”

They welcome their guests, and salute them for their programs promoting mutual respect and understanding. The Civic Center is located at 100 Civic Center Drive, Newport Beach.

For more information on the Newport Beach Sister City Association, visit http://www.nbsca.org.

Unique beer vs. wine dinner at Balboa Bay Resort

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On Friday, August 11, the culinary team at Balboa Bay Resort, Newport Beach led by Executive Chef Rachael Haggstrom presents another in its series of Beer vs. Wine experiences. They are calling the event “The Summer Beach Bar B Que,” and Haggstrom has created a unique four-course Friday night dinner with a menu to please every palette. Each course will be paired with a selected beer from Stone Brewery and a chosen wine from the Prisoner Wine Company.

Featured beers will include Stone Tangerine Indian Express Pale Ale and Woot Stout 2017. Among the wines will be Cuttings Cabernet Sauvignon, Prisoner Red Blend, Meiomi Rose, and Blindfold White Blend. Haggstrom’s pastry chef Saree Musick is topping off the dinner feast with a specially created ice cream sandwich made with chocolate macaroon, fig gelato and almonds.

The Balboa Bay Resort’s Kevin Gasparro is calling the evening “A Battle Of The Taste Buds.” The public is invited to participate in the dinner. The cost per person is $99 plus tax and gratuity. An outdoor reception fronting the channel of the main harbor will kick off the evening which begins at 6:30 p.m. To purchase tickets, go to https://nightout.com/events/beer-versus-wine-dinner-stone-brewery-vs-the-prisone/tickets.

Stump the Stu

Friendship Statue commemorates 20 years

Well, did you get it this week? There are a few of these around town, but this one in particular is at the Mariners Branch Library. The gift, presented by Koichi Shibana, Mayor, City of Osazaki, to Newport Beach to commemorate the 20th anniversary as Sister Cities. A number of people logged in with correct guesses, including Rebecca Lighfoot, Bill Lobdell, Don Webb, Melissa Kelly, Carole Boller, Lor Speech and Sue Brianca. 

If you have a unique spot or icon around town that you think StuNews readers would enjoy finding out about, please shoot it, share it and give us the answer, so we can challenge them!

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On the Harbor: It’s a win at Trans Pac!

By LEN BOSE

Everything went as planned aboard the Santa Cruz 50 Horizon in this year’s Trans Pac race to Hawaii. We won our class of 10 Santa Cruz 50’s, finishing seven hours before the second place boat on corrected time. The next seven boats finished within an hour of each other for the battle of a podium finish.

Of the eight Trans Pacs I have completed, this was the first time that I have finished in the day. This made for some outstanding photo opportunities. The Facebook live video, helicopter and drone videos can be found on my blog site at http://lenboseyachts.blogspot.com.

There is an important rule while sailing on an offshore race and that is “What happens on the boat stays on the boat.” As always, I did learn a number of lessons that I will try to remember in the future. One of the many lessons I learned was to keep a closer eye on all the race preparation expenses. When I send a piece of equipment out for inspection or repair I have to obtain quotes on the work. Then let the owner review these quotes for the final decision. Nothing worse than having to make a phone call and explain why or how I was so far over budget.

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Photo by Sharon Green/

ultimatesailing.com

Horizon, just before the finish line at Diamond Head

As a race boat manager, I will also need to spend more attention to detail regarding the terms of the contracts with the professional sailors on the boat. We had two paid hands on the boat, one was our navigator, the other our maintenance person. In the future, I will have an amount of satellite data that can be downloaded in the navigator’s agreement. Satellite data is weather information that is allowed per the racing rules. This way the navigator and owner will not have to have a discussion on what is too much, or too little, during the race. This always seems to happen towards the end of the race when it is nice and warm down below and dinner is in the oven.

We also learned you cannot have enough fans in the boat, two of the fans stopped working during the race and the looks I was getting from the crew was concerning. The quote of the race was, “There is a lot of defecation in the water.” We were very fortunate not to have hit any of the large crates we noticed floating by. We did catch a large piece of plastic dock line on our rudder and after some effort we were able to push it off with our boat hook.

So that’s a wrap on this year’s race and the accolades from around town have been overwhelming thank you again for all your acknowledgments.

• • •

What’s new around the harbor during all this time I have been writing about myself? As you know the city has just completed its first month of harbor operations, managing the moorings and city codes in our harbor. All the employees have been making the extra effort as in any new relationship. Although there is one person, who is a city employee that transferred from Public Works to assist on getting this project off the ground and that is Raymond Reyes. He is a beast at multi-tasking and comprehending all subjects in one month’s time: Title 17 Harbor Codes and working through the software program that manages the Marina Park Marina and the Mooring fields. He is now the go-to person for your mooring permit transfers or questions regarding Title 17. Reyes amazes me every day I work with him; his patience, cordiality over the phone and to employees is some of the best I have ever worked with. Reyes is not the only one with natural abilities that is now working for Harbor Operations. In fact, it is rather humbling for me to see how many people want to join this new team. For what it’s worth, things are looking better than I would have imagined coming off the starting line. It’s a long race and only time will tell but the harbor is looking good at this time.

Speaking of looking good, go check out this new Harbor Operations web site www.newportharbor.org. There is almost everything you wanted to know about our harbor. What I found most interesting is the Guest Slips, Moorings & Anchorage link on the top of the page. Now, scroll down to Mooring Transfers, almost to the bottom of the page, then click on the Mooring Transfer Log. This log will give you a comparable sales log of what moorings have been selling for. Good stuff, right?

Remember, you do not have to keep a vessel on your mooring to keep your permit in good stature. Will be back next week to update you on who has been crushing it on the race course this summer.

Sea ya’

~~~~~~~~

Len Bose is a yachting enthusiast, yacht broker and harbor columnist for StuNewsNewport.

OC Fair Update!

The final days of the 2017 OC Fair are approaching but the excitement is intensifying as Fairgoers get ready for the iBUYPOWER GameFest and Tournament Series. iBUYPOWER has proclaimed the OC Fair GameFest as the first ever live eSports carnival to take place at any of California’s largest fairs. OC Fairgoers will be invited to enjoy a variety of some of the latest virtual reality games and gadgets popular in the gaming market today. All games and exhibits will be free-to-play for Fairgoers from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, August 12 and Sunday, August 13 in The Hangar. The iBUYPOWER GameFest will also sport an Oculus VR Village with 10 stations, a 65-person Free2Play LAN (Local Area Network) with iBUYPOWER custom PCs, and video games including Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Rocket League, HeartStone: Heroes of Warcraft, League Legends and Overwatch. Rolling over into the evening, serious pro-gamers and brave Fairgoers will face off for grand prizes in the iBUYPOWER Tournament Series.

The four tournaments:

Overwatch - Free-to-enter tournament with hardware prizes; more than 50 players registered so far.

Rocket League - Tournament with a prize pool compromised of 50 percent of the fees collected from players; eight teams.

CS: GO (collegiate) - Tournament with a prize pool compromised of 50 percent of the fees collected from players; more than 20 players registered so far.

CS: GO - Open-to-the-public, large-scale tournament with a $10,000 prize pool; more than 100 players registered so far. 

Registration for the Overwatch tournament is still available. Admission to the Tournament Series is $17.50 for standing general admission and $25 for reserved seating. Tickets include all-day expo and demos plus exclusive access to the Hangar beginning at 7:30 p.m. The Tournament Series begins at 8:30 p.m. iBUYPOWER will also be streaming live broadcasts of the International DOTA 2 Championship finals Saturday, Aug. 12, during the Tournament Series. 

• • •

Here are a few more things to do this week that you won’t want to miss!

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Courtesy Orange County 

‘Fair & Event Center

1. The Wild West Turkey Stampede will be held daily at 2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m. in the Livestock Show Ring.

2. Send a postcard to a veteran. Stop by Heroes Hall to fill one out; they’ll be mailed to veterans at the VA hospitals and recruits at Camp Pendleton.

3. Catch a show in Pacific Amphitheatre. Concerts include The Isley Brothers/The Commodores on Thursday, August 10 and Jake Owen/Honey County on Sunday, Aug 13. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.pacamp.com.

The OC Fair runs through August 13, offering nightly entertainment, food, rides, shopping, exhibits and more. For more information, visit www.ocfair.com.

New commissioners approved for Arts Commission

The Newport Beach City Council unanimously approved Barbara Glabman and Marie Little, 7-0, for two open vacancies on the city’s Arts Commission.

Vacancies came about as two former commissioners, Jennifer Van Bergh and Lynn Selich resigned their positions.

Glabman’s civic experience includes serving on the executive board of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, the South Coast Repertory board of directors, the Orange County Museum of Art and the Newport Beach Public Library Foundation.

Little’s service includes the St. Joseph Hospital Foundation, Provident Speech and Hearing Center, and the Biennial Invitational Regatta.

Following a coin flip to select expiring dates of their appointed terms, Glabman won and her term expires in 2021. Little’s term expires in 2020.

Sixteen applicants were considered. Those formally submitting applications included Marjaneh Afkhami, Dziyana Aydin, Katy Bambeck, Ronda Siegrist Clark, Saboohi Currim, Robert Eakin, Charles Fancher, Vivien Hyman, Wayan Kaufman, Ash Kumra, Katherine Pearson, Alexandra Robinson, Sarra Schuster and Alex Wanerman.

NBPD to focus on motorcycle safety

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As part of their grant-funded Special Traffic Enforcement and Crash Prevention (STEP) activities, the Newport Beach Police Department will be conducting specialized Motorcycle Safety Enforcement Operations on Friday, August 11 and Saturday, August 19.

Extra officers will be on duty patrolling areas that are frequented by motorcyclists and where recent traffic collisions have occurred, in an effort to reduce injuries. Education and enforcement will be targeted at drivers and motorcycle riders alike. The officers will be focused on specific offenses including driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, speeding, driving on a suspended or revoked license, violations of motorcycle license endorsement and any other dangerous activities.

Motorcycle fatalities have risen dramatically in California, showing a 28 percent increase over the decade low of 352 in 2010. In 2013, 453 motorcyclists lost their lives, marking the highest number of deaths in the previous five years. California collision data shows that the primary causes of motorcycle-involved collisions include speeding, unsafe turning and driver/rider impairment due to drugs or alcohol.

During the past two years in the City of Newport Beach, 66 persons were injured in traffic collisions involving motorcycles, but none of these collisions involved a fatality. The Police Department remains dedicated to preventing traffic-related deaths and injuries. They encourage everyone on the road to stay alert and aware of your surroundings, especially when turning or changing lanes. Whether you are on two wheels – or on four – it’s your responsibility to safely share the road.

Safety tips for motorcycle riders: See and be seen, use your lane position to increase visibility; change lanes only when there is ample room; match your speed to surrounding traffic; always wear a DOT-compliant helmet and brightly colored protective clothing; ride with lights on, even during daylight hours.

Safety tips for drivers: Share the road; look twice for motorcyclists, especially when entering the roadway, turning, or changing lanes. Remember that motorcyclists are allowed in HOV lanes, unless prohibited by signage.

Funding for these Safety Operations is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic and Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Look what’s coming next to Segerstrom Center 

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A ribbon cutting and day-long community celebration is scheduled for October 28 for the latest creative addition to the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

A stunning fountain, 60 feet in diameter, with shimmering arches of water, reaching heights of 24 feet in the air, will soon create a dramatic new visual element at the entrance to the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. 

The design by Michael Maltzan Architecture and Fluidity Design Consultants reflects the iconic Grand Portal arch of Segerstrom Hall, the sweeping curves of the glass façade of the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall and circular elements of the staircases and café of the new plaza, and Center for Dance and Innovation. 

Featuring a reflecting pool with an infinity edge, the new fountain can be illuminated at night with LED lights that can display the full spectrum of color. 

The fountain was made possible by an additional gift from Julianne and George Argyros, whose original $13.5 million lead gift to the Center’s Next Act campaign funded the dramatic transformation of the Center’s plaza, and the Center for Dance and Innovation. 

Little Lido Kids Club meets today

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Submitted photo

You’re invited to the Lido Marina Village Kids Club today, Thursday, August 10 from 10 to 11 a.m. at Lido Village Books. Bring your children and enjoy a reading of Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts.

Kids will enjoy making a special, innovative blue print during craft time and moms will love the opportunity drawings and specials from participating Lido Marina Village retailers including $25 off your purchase at Eberjay, 15 percent off your purchase at Bailey44, 10 percent off your book purchase at Lido Village Books, 10 percent off your purchase at Sweaty Betty (first-time customers only), 10 percent off any one item at Yolk and 15 percent off your purchase at Juice Served Here.

This event is free and open to the public, but they ask that you RSVP by visiting http://bitly.com/LLarchitects. Each person who RSVPs will receive one entry for a drawing of a book of the day from Lido Village Books, one free week at Curl Fitness, a gift certificate to Sweaty Betty, a $10 gift card to Yolk and free juice from Juice Served Here. You must be present to win.

Can’t make it? Don’t worry, the Lido Marina Kids Club will be held every Thursday.

Lido Village Books is located in Lido Marina Village at 3424 Via Oporto Suite 102, Newport Beach.

Letter to the Editor:

Campaign finance reform still needed

Campaign finance reports have been filed and once again, our Newport Beach city council is raising money from people having business before the city council, in some cases, three years before they face the voters again.

Scott Peotter is a good example. He is shaking down city tree trimming vendors, trash haulers and other vendors for thousands. Despite currently being investigated for taking excessive contributions from people associated with Woody’s Wharf, and failure to report the costs of a 2014 fundraiser held at Woody’s, he has raised another $1,100 so far from a Woody’s owner. In 2015, Peotter cast the deciding vote to abandon litigation with Woody’s and settle for more than $300,000 and significant operating hour concessions.

You would think that after being cited twice for accepting donations that exceed the city’s legal limit he would learn, but once again, Peotter’s own 2017 reports show that he accepted $400 more than the limit from Buck Johns, operator of the Newport Beach Golf Course. At least this time he refunded the money in advance of being caught by the public. The penalty for this offense is supposed to be removal from office, but due do his influence, the city does not enforce its own law.

If we want political reform and to stop the pay to play influence at city hall, we must recall Scott Peotter. Go to www.recallscottpeotter.com.

Regards,

Chuck Groux

Newport Beach

Hoag rises to top tier of America’s best hospitals

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Continuing its steady rise into the top tier of America’s best hospitals, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian announced Tuesday, August 8, it is the highest ranked hospital in Orange County, now ranked the third-best hospital in the Los Angeles metro area and eighth-best in California overall in the new annual national rankings by U.S. News & World Report. 

Hoag was the only Orange County hospital ranked in the top 10 for California.

Additional Hoag 2017-2018 rankings included:

No. 25 nationally in Orthopedics

No. 27 nationally in Gastroenterology & GI Surgery

No. 46 nationally in Pulmonology

No. 47 nationally in Geriatrics

High performing in three adult specialties, including Neurology & Neurosurgery, Nephrology and Urology

High performing in all nine types of care, including Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair, Aortic Valve Surgery, Colon Cancer Surgery, COPD, Heart Bypass Surgery, Heart Failure, Hip Replacement, Knee Replacement and Lung Cancer Surgery

“Hoag’s steady ascension to one of the state’s and nation’s top hospitals is a testament to our highly talented and compassionate staff who provide the highest quality patient care every day,” said Robert T. Braithwaite, Hoag president and CEO. “We are extremely honored to be named the third best hospital in the LA Metro area – one of the largest and most competitive health care markets in the nation.”

Braithwaite continued: “Hoag was founded on a commitment to delivering outstanding and innovative care. We remain proud of our long history and reputation as a trusted local health care partner for the communities we so proudly serve. We will continue to be an example of excellence in community-focused innovation, quality and patient care.”

Now in their 28th year, the U.S. News Best Hospitals rankings help guide patients to hospitals that deliver outstanding care across 25 specialties, procedures and conditions. The Best Hospitals methodologies include objective measures such as patient survival, the number of times a given procedure is performed, infection rates, adequacy of nurse staffing and more.

To view the full rankings of U.S. News & World Report, visit http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals.

Historical Society planning fall fundraiser

The Newport Beach Historical Society’s “Newport Beach Taste of History” 50th Anniversary Fundraising + Culinary Event Celebration will take place Friday, September 22, 2017 at the Balboa Pavilion. This historic, culinary-themed community event will help the Newport Beach Historical Society fulfill its mission to preserve the rich heritage of Newport Beach as they look ahead to the future.

The Historical Society connects people of the past, present and future, by collecting, inspiring, educating, preserving and protecting the unique and vibrant history of the City of Newport Beach.

Sponsorships of the event are available by contacting Peggy Fort, NBHS consultant at 949.675.0501. For more information, check out www.nbhs.eventbrite.com and www.newportbeachhistorical.org.

Fair Game

By TOM JOHNSON

All’s good as Council moves projects forward

I applaud the Newport Beach City Council for some important action that was taken at last Tuesday’s (Aug 8) meeting.

First off, the Council approved a nine-inch cap to the sea walls surrounding the north, south and west sides on Balboa Island.

The project was initially anticipated to cost the City some $5 million, but staff now anticipates costs somewhere in the $1.5 to $2 million range.

Council voted 6-0, with Councilman Jeff Herdman recusing himself because of real property owned on the Islands.

The advice to future community leaders is this, the caps are a very good and right move for today. However, the future generations need to know that there will come a time in another 20-30 years that the walls will all need to be replaced. 

Don’t wait until then to start looking for the money.

The project is expected to be put out for bid immediately and for work to begin this fall. The capping will take an expected 16 weeks, with a break in work during the holiday season.

Next, Mayor Kevin Muldoon and Councilmembers Will O’Neill and Brad Avery brought back a review of 128 Council policies currently on the books. The three made up a subcommittee that held meetings the past five months.

As O’Neill explained to me, one obsolete policy even included a requirement that to properly vote a councilperson needs to hit the green light for yes or the red light for no. The only problem is that the Council hasn’t used lights for years.

Does that mean all those previous votes were in violation? No.

But it’s nice to have them cleaned up.

The end result was of the 128 City Council policies reviewed, 51 were recommended for review to various City commissions and committees. Of the remaining 78, 26 were revised, 17 consolidated and 16 were deleted. Nineteen policies remained the same. 

Good stuff.

The Council also took a stand and authorized City Manager Dave Kiff to send a letter in opposition to California Senate Bill 54.

California State Senator Kevin de Leon has put a bill before the State Assembly that’s awaiting a hearing. The bill “limits State and municipal law enforcement in immigration enforcement actions not involving serious crime.”

The City’s position is simply this: it’s “equally important to re-assert to our community and to our visitors that our public safety efforts are focused on safety and crime suppression, not seeking out immigration violations.”

That being said, the City opposes Sanctuary City/State status for California.

Finally, remember the changes coming to Bayside Drive? Council approved a not-to-exceed $352,751 fee for the design and construction support systems to move the project forward. 

According to the Staff Report: “the segment of Bayside Drive between Coast Highway and Jamboree Road/Marine Avenue is scheduled for major pavement rehabilitation.

The proposed design maintains four travel lanes for the entire length of the project segment, but utilizes reduced lane widths and strategically placed raised medians as traffic calming measures. With the above-listed items, this concept will improve pedestrian and bicycle access, beautify the roadway and may provide a slight speed reduction with minimal impact to the flow of traffic.”

CdM Chamber to hold Sunset Networking Mixer

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On Tuesday, August 29 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., the Corona del Mar Chamber of Commerce is holding their Summer Networking Mixer. Join chamber members, community friends and neighbors for a pre-Labor Day celebration.

Attendees will enjoy refreshing margaritas, scrumptious appetizers and getting out to be social! The event takes place at El Cholo and is open to the public – so bring a friend or colleague.

No RSVP is necessary. For more information, call 949.673.4050 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

El Chollo is located at 3520 E. Coast Highway, Corona del Mar.

Stasha Has a Nose for News – Meet my cousin Rocco

This month I have big news about the Friends of the Newport Beach Animal Shelter – and my new fur buddy named Rocco.

Readers may remember in October I wrote about a new group forming in town to create a non-profit organization, Friends of Newport Beach Animal Shelter. Their goals are to eventually raise money to buy the property in West Santa Ana Heights where the shelter is located currently – which the city is renting – and generate funding for better cages and facilities along with upgraded medical and dental care to make animals more adoptable.

I’m happy to report FONBAS is now up and running! You can learn more about the organization at http://www.fonbas.org, as to how you can get involved and where to send a donation. I’ve donated $1,000 and The William A. Schampeau Charitable Trust has agreed to donate up to $10,000.00 in matching funds to the shelter.   

“The Friends of Newport Beach Animal Shelter has raised close to $25,000 in checks and pledges within two weeks of opening its bank account. Although this is just a small beginning toward the goal of having the City own its own shelter, it is confirmation that this community has a serious heart and soul. I›m so happy that we finally got this project off the ground,” said FONBAS board member Jean Watt. 

Four paws up for Jean and her group!

And in other news this month, I now have a new companion in the house. My cousin Rocco is a two-year-old black lab/terrier mix rescue dog – just like me.

He’s visited many times, but now his family is getting divorced so Rocco is hanging at our house. At first it was fun, but I’m not used to sharing toys and attention with anyone – let alone this goof ball. 

Noticing I was getting a bit testy with Rocco at times, Mom called my trainer Vlad the Russian Dog Wizard for tips on integrating a second dog into our mix. http://www.russiandogwizard.org/home.html

“It’s important to set boundaries,” Vlad told mom.  Boundaries? I don’t need no stinkin’ boundaries! He advised that Rocco and I needed to be crated several times a day – with our crates next to each other – or to partition a room off with each of us on either side of the gates. At this point I was hoping mom had thrown away my old crate, but as luck would have it she hadn’t. 

The next thing I know my furry little butt was being pushed into the crate two to three times a day for about a week. Needless to say…I wasn’t happy about it.  Rocco isn’t that sophisticated, so he happily hopped in. To make matters worse, Vlad told mom not to give either of us any of her usual undivided loving attention. He said if we didn’t get her attention, we’d be forced to focus on each other.

This all sounded bad to me, but Vlad’s been voted the Best Dog Trainer in Orange County three years running now, so the guy knows his stuff. He said that even though Rocco and I were acquainted before he came to live with us, “you’re playing Russian Roulette by not creating a proper social bond with these two dogs.” 

Mom bought into Vlad’s advice hook, line and sinker. Life changed for me and Rocco for several weeks as phase two began. 

We had to periodically switch crates to familiarize ourselves with each other’s scent. We’re at the stage now where one of us is out of the crate, while the other remains free in the room. We take walks on our leashes together and even eat side by side now with no problems. 

Though I wasn’t happy with any of this at first, as Vlad says, “It was short term pain for long term gain,” and he was right.

Rocco and I have become buddies. We recently drove to Vegas together, so I could introduce him to my furry party peeps there. My friend Cali and Rocco played in the pool for days. 

I haven’t told mom yet, but if Rocco’s family thinks they’re getting him back, they’ve got another thing coming. 

Bark at ya’ next month!

Share your thoughts and photos at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Check out my past columns at www.bvontv.com.

Nominations open for the Rosalind Williams Service Excellence Award 

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Do you have a valued employee that has stood out to you this year for their exemplary customer service? Someone who creates indelible memories for all visitors to the city of Newport Beach?

Nominate your exemplary staff member for the 2017 Newport Beach & Company Rosalind Williams Service Excellence Award, honoring frontline service employees who go above and beyond in their duties.

The award will be presented to the recipient at the Newport Beach & Company Annual Marketing Outlook Dinner on Thursday, September 28 with a $500 monetary award and commemorative plaque.

Complete the form by Thursday, August 24, 2017. Visit www.newportbeachandco.com.

Rosalind Williams, the former President and CEO of Visit Newport Beach, was truly dedicated to supporting and improving the community of Newport Beach. This award honors her legacy, rewarding an individual that encompasses her strengths of leadership, perseverance, dedication and service. Thank you for keeping Rosalind Williams’ legacy flourishing in our community!

Guest Column

Dave Kiff

An insider’s look at what’s going on in and around City Hall

Newport Beach City Manager Dave Kiff  

Here’s what might be of interest to you that’s on the agenda for the Newport Beach City Council meeting planned for Tuesday, Aug 8. I don’t summarize every item, so make sure you look at the City Clerk’s agenda page to read the whole agenda if you’d like.  

The study session is short, and begins at 5:30 p.m. One item is a presentation about the Trauma Intervention Program (TIP) of Orange County, which has been a wonderful program that assists neighborhood families following a significant traumatic event, such as an accident or a crime. For more information about TIP and what it does, visit http://tiporangecounty.org.

Following closed session items, the evening’s Regular Session will start at 7 p.m. Here are the items that may be of interest to you:

Senate Bill 1 was passed into law earlier this year, and raises the gas tax, vehicle license fees and fees on electric vehicles. The funds raised are intended to be (in part) returned to local communities for additional roadwork. We have identified about $480K in immediate new revenue in this fiscal year that can go towards roads here, including fixing the remainder of MacArthur to the 73 tollway. About $1.4M is expected for the community next year from SB 1’s changes. These revenues are intended to supplement (versus supplant) our existing expenditures on roads. So one item on the agenda asks the City to identify what projects the City intends to make eligible for SB 1 funds.

Speaking of roads, the next phase of reconstruction Irvine Avenue (this time between 16th and Santiago) is up for design funding on Tuesday. Construction is expected to be underway in this fiscal year (17-18). Additionally, the Council will consider awarding a design contract for the now-approved plan for Bayside Drive’s improvements. Recall that the Bayside Drive approved plan is a four-lane roadway (two in each direction) that includes some additional median and landscaping work. Consider this your advanced warning that both projects will be constructed in the not-too-distant future. 

Council is asked to weigh in on a working group’s amendments to various Council policies. These are the guidelines and approaches that Councils (over many years) have asked staff and commissions to follow as we address issues that don’t fall under the Newport Beach Municipal Code.

Lastly, for our Balboa Island friends, a more formal discussion for the Council and community about the upcoming Balboa Island sea wall effort. The current approach is to add 9” to the walls (which are of varying height now – so adding 9” keeps the variations but just raises the walls) to address storm surges and King Tides as well as any increases in sea level. Grand Canal and Little Island are already at the correct heights. This is about a $2M item.    

I’ll note too that there is a once-a-year formal meeting of the Newport Beach Public Facilities Corporation – where the Council acts as the corporation – that is also open to the public and that starts at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug 8th (also in the Council Chambers). This annual meeting is associated with regular reporting on the Certificates of Participation (COPs) that were issued to construct the Civic Center and to refund the Central Library bonds back in 2010.  

Some community notes:

The Central Avenue public pier is coming to, well, Central Avenue. Expect construction to start by late next week. This is the new public pier going in near the Elks’ Club and Nobu, off of that little street that kind of parallels the Newport Blvd. bridge (on the eastern side). We hope that the pier will be installed this fall.

Two weeks ago, the Council authorized moving forward with a Prop 218 protest hearing on our wastewater rates. That means that, possibly, increases could be coming down the, um, pipeline. In the spirit of transparency, I’ll note again that this issue is worth your reading and your attention.  Information is on the City’s website here.

Concert on the Green – On Sunday, Sept 3, it’s Night Shift (Labor Day weekend), starting at 6 p.m. and ending by 7:30 p.m. here at the Civic Center. Bring food and chairs and blankets, but no booze.

As the City Council has only this one meeting planned for August, the Insider’s Guide is taking its usual summer break until shortly after Labor Day. You’ll see something from me on Friday the 8th or so, as folks are back in school, back on the freeways commuting, and yet (I’m sure) the warm summer weather will persist. As Newport folks know, September can be the best time of year as crowds are smaller, weekends a little less hectic, and beach time is still terrific.  

Enjoy your weekend, and thank you for reading. Please forward this Guide to family, friends and members of your HOA if you represent one. I always like hearing from you, too, so please don’t hesitate to ask a question or offer a comment. 

Sincerely,

Dave Kiff

City Manager

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949-644-3001

You must reminder this: Our house on Iris

By NANCY GARDNER

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I remember once reading of a house – I think it was on Harbor Island – that had a 1500 sf master bedroom. I was quite impressed since that’s bigger than my entire home. I was also puzzled. What on earth do you put in a 1500 sf bedroom – a bowling alley? Anyway, it made me think of how our homes have changed over the years. In the 50s, my folks built their house on Iris in Corona del Mar. They hired local contractor Ed Rogers to build what was basically a duplicate of one he had built for himself.  On the typical CdM lot, we had a one-story house with three bedrooms and one bath. One bath! That must seem bizarre in today’s world where baths tend to outnumber bedrooms, but it seemed perfectly adequate even though there were four of us. I guess none of us was overly modest.

After five years on Iris, my folks sold that house and built a new one in Shore Cliffs designed by Mr. Featherstone, a local architect. Our new house had three bedrooms and two baths.  What impressed me about our new house was not the second bathroom (although I would come to appreciate it as I entered my teens) but all the space around the house. There was a deep front yard, a big side yard, and an even bigger backyard – all that room to play without ever leaving our lot. The house did have its peculiarities. The water heater was on the second floor, ensuring that if it sprang a leak there would be maximum water damage.  The regular heater was under the house, so if the pilot light went out, someone had to crawl under the house to light it, and it had to be a small person since the opening was very narrow. And finally, there were almost no right angles in the house. Apparently, this was a signature of Featherstone which made his houses interesting, particularly when something had to be repaired or refitted. Fortunately, that didn’t happen very often. The house was probably 30 years old when the folks decided to replace the roof. John Lusk, the developer, was a good friend of my father’s, and he sent some of his crew to do the work. As they removed the old shingles, they marveled at how well the original had been constructed – the kind of care and workmanship that wasn’t seen that much in their large-development world.

After my parents died, I sold that house which was scraped. For $25,000, it was a great house.  Add several zeroes to the land value, and suddenly it’s horribly inadequate. So, as all over the city, a house of about 1500 sf was replaced by something more than twice as big. Not so big as to have a bowling alley in the bedroom, but big enough to have lots of bathrooms and, sadly, to have eliminated all those lovely yards.

~~~~~~~~

Nancy Gardner, former Mayor of Newport Beach, long-time resident and daughter of Judge Robert Gardner, is a regular contributor to StuNewsNewport.

Frontier Real Estate expands and Hunter Lassos joins firm

Frontier Real Estate Investments, a privately held commercial real estate investment firm known for its entrepreneurial and innovative approach to development, has announced that Hunter Lassos has joined the company as a Leasing Representative.

“As Frontier continues to experience rapid growth, we’ve been strategically expanding our industry-best team,” said Dan Almquist, the company’s Co-Founder and Managing Partner. “In bringing Hunter on board, we have acquired a driven, hard-working individual whose impeccable work ethic and polished communication skills will ensure that his role as the first point of contact in leasing will create lasting partnerships with national and regional tenants for Frontier’s projects.”

Lassos will also work with the Frontier team to identify and secure new tenants for Frontier’s portfolio of projects currently under development throughout California. Prior to joining the team at Frontier Real Estate Investments, Lassos held a variety of positions focusing on sales, community events and business relationship management. He holds a BA in Communications from California State University in Fresno.

Two CdM parcels closed at a record $55 million

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Two parcels in the coastal village of Corona del Mar closed this week for a record price for the area of $55 million. Held in the same family for more than 100 years, the properties comprise slightly over three acres of ocean and bay view land at the mouth of Newport Harbor.

One house, a bright blue Bermuda-style residence built in 1936, has long been a local landmark. The sellers were a family trust and partnership with lineal descendants of the original owners whose holdings can be traced back to the early 1860s. The properties were acquired by a private owner. There are no immediate plans for the property. The sellers were represented by Rob Giem from COMPASS in Newport Beach. The buyers were represented by Kim Walker of Surterre Properties.

Stump the Stu

So Statuesque...

 StuNews spotted more than one of these around town. But you need to guess where this specific friendship statue is…a gift from Japan.

Take the challenge, and submit your answers to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The correct answers will be in Thursday’s edition.

If you have a unique spot or icon around town that you think StuNews readers would enjoy finding out about, please shoot it, share it and give us the answer, so we can challenge them!

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Fair Game

By TOM JOHNSON

StuNews hires familiar face to write sports!

Several weeks ago you probably read the news across town in the Daily Pilot that two long-time sports writers, Steve Virgen and Barry Faulkner, took buyouts from the Los Angeles Times.

I loved those guys and their commitment to making local sports the major leagues.

But what this means, as a person who’s dealt with it in the past as publisher of the Daily Pilot, is that those eliminated positions can now not be backfilled.

That means, they’re down two people, yet last year they expanded their coverage area to include Laguna Beach and Huntington Beach. It can’t be good for anyone.

A lot of people connected with sports reached out to me complaining that now the sports focus is on some of the big Huntington Beach schools and that other schools aren’t getting the same level of coverage.

So, I did what we do here at StuNews, I’ve made a deal on the interim with former Pilot Sports Editor Steve Virgen to write for us.

He debuts today with a story on the World Team Tennis Champion Orange County Breakers. He’s talked to me about getting into the local high schools, which he is very good at. 

Obviously, what was almost a year ago, we started StuNewsNewport because the Pilot was moving in a direction we thought was wrong.

Virgen can bring a lot to StuNews. Sports is actually something we know we’ve been missing, and Virgen is the best in the local community.

We…me, Shaena Stabler and Lana Johnson, are going to be getting out in the coming weeks to discuss advertising with businesses who not only want to reach the Newport Beach community, but also believe that local community coverage is vital for the community.

We’ll be discussing premium fixed positions for advertisers and we’ll be offering guaranteed rates that we’ll honor moving forward, no matter how big we get!

So, if you’re been watching StuNews as a potential place to share your advertising message, now is the time!

And, you’ll be happy to note that we’re growing each and every week. I would argue that with our reach and our rates, there’s not a better buy in Newport Beach.

To our readers, I’m also always interested in what you have to say, good or bad.

If you feel we’re missing something let me know. If there’s an area you would like to see covered, feel free to also tell me.

The more feedback we get, the better we can become.

Or, and if you have a great story idea, let us know. And, if it’s sports related, we’ll probably put our new sports guy on it. You’ll be glad we did.

City Arts Commission seeking grant applications 

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The Newport Beach City Arts Commission invites arts organizations offering cultural arts programs for Newport Beach residents and visitors to apply for 2017/2018 Newport Beach Cultural Arts Grants available through the City Arts Commission. The deadline for applications is September 29, 2017.

Cultural Arts Grants, as determined by the City Arts Commission, will be awarded to qualified arts organizations with strong projects that enhance arts education and community programs for the citizens of Newport Beach. Successful applicants must propose projects/programs for funding that directly benefit children, youth, adults and seniors living in Newport Beach, as well as schools within the City’s geographic boundaries. Applicants must also be able to document need, quantifiable success, a realistic budget and an implementation plan. 

Grant applications are available online on the City’s website, www.newportbeachca.gov/culturalarts under Cultural Arts Grants, and must be completed according to the instructions. Applications may be emailed and/or dropped off at the Cultural Arts Office by 4 p.m. on Friday, September 29, 2017. This is not a postmark date.

The address for delivery is Cultural Arts Services, Newport Beach Public Library, 1000 Avocado Avenue, Newport Beach, CA 92660. Applications, or requests for additional information, should be sent to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Breakers go on the road to win WTT King trophy

By STEVE VIRGEN

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Photo by Steve Virgen

Breakers team celebrates around tennis great Billie Jean King

The Mylan World TeamTennis Finals turned out to be a thrilling match as the Orange County Breakers and San Diego Aviators battled for the King trophy Saturday night at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad.

In the background of it all was the fact that Palisades Tennis Club was a key factor in determining the champion.

The Breakers used that home-court advantage in Newport Beach during the regular season to secure the top seed and determined the order of play for the championship match. That paid huge dividends as the Breakers’ strategy led the way to a 22-18 victory and the King trophy. It was the Breakers’ first WTT championship since 2004 when they were the Newport Beach Breakers.

The Breakers and Aviators both finished 9-5 during the regular season, but the Breakers earned the top seed on a games-won advantage. The Breakers’ perfect record at home helped secure the top seed, as they went 7-0 at Palisades.

Breakers coach Rick Leach turned in the order of sets for the match: women’s singles, women’s doubles, men’s doubles, mixed doubles and men’s singles. 

Orange County proved to be dynamic in women’s singles, men’s doubles and men’s singles.

Yanina Wickmayer, the WTT Female Rookie of the Year, got the Breakers off to a great start with a 5-2 win in women’s singles.

Teymuraz Gabashvili was named the WTT Finals MVP and the regular-season WTT Male MVP. He certainly played like an MVP against the Aviators. He teamed up with Ken Skupski, the WTT Male Rookie of the Year, for a pivotal 5-2 win in men’s doubles. That gave the Breakers a 13-9 lead through three sets.

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Courtesy of CameraworkUSA

Teymuraz Gabashili, finals MVP, celebrates

“I wasn’t expecting it,” Leach, the WTT Coach of the Year, said of the men’s doubles win over Rajeev Ram and Raven Klaasen. “They are one of the top teams in the world. On paper we had no business winning that set. Our guys rose to the occasion. I’m just so happy with the way the team improved, came together and fought hard. And that’s what it takes in World TeamTennis to win. You all have to come together at the same time.”

The men’s doubles match featured some great winning shots by Skupski and Gabashvili’s excellent serves.

Gabashvili stepped up in the final set, men’s doubles, as the Breakers protected a 17-14 lead. He edged Ram, 5-4, in a tiebreaker that was the proper exclamation point in Orange County’s championship.

“This was quality-wise one of the best matches overall in World TeamTennis,” Gabashvili said. “Every set was huge quality. It was so tight. I want to thank Yanina personally. She came through. Nobody knows, but she improved so much and today she played great tennis. We were so happy she gave us that lead. We maintained and finished it. Without her we could not make it possible.”

The WTT finale was a rematch of last year’s title match that San Diego won. The Breakers also lost in the 2015 finals when they were the Austin franchise. Orange County and San Diego split their four matches during 2017 before the finals, as they each won at home.

“I’ve been a part of a winning team as a player,” Leach said. “As a coach, this is three times in the finals. This means so much to me as a coach.”

12th Annual Just Plein Fun announces Artist Awards

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Submitted photos

Debra Huse shares one her pieces in her Marine Avenue studio

The 12th Annual Just Plein Fun event, hosted by Debra Huse Gallery took place July 31 - August 4. Eight award-winning artists painted plein-air scenes throughout Balboa Island from sunrise to sunset. The featured award-winning artists included: Jacobus Baas, Debra Huse, Sally Jordan, Greg LaRock, Calvin Liang, Paige Oden, Rita Pacheco and Randall Sexton. The “Brush Off” took place on Friday, August 4 from 4 to 6 p.m., whereby spectators watched artists capture the best Marine Avenue scene, complete with live music. While strolling the Island, spectators sought out the artists to get their signatures to be entered in the Passport to Win contest.

Following at 6:30 p.m., an Artist Awards Gala & Reception was held at Debra Huse Gallery, where guests had the opportunity to meet the artists and vote for their favorite Island paintings (which were for sale.)

We caught up with some of the Just Plein Fun artists on Thursday around the Island, as they were painting their artwork.

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Sally Jordan paints near the Balboa Island Ferry

Sally Jordan set up her easel next to the Balboa Ferry, capturing the excitement of this beloved mode of local water transport. Just Plein Fun has been going on for 12 years, and she is the only artist who has participated in 11 of them, consecutively. She was a fashion designer/illustrator for 20 years, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Painting from UCLA. Her first set of oils at the age of 6, fostered a lifelong love for painting, be it landscape, still life or portraiture. She creates her artwork in her studio in San Diego. She exhibits at Classic Gallery in Carmel, Cosmopolitan Fine Arts Gallery in La Jolla and Debra Huse Gallery, Balboa Island. www.sallyjordan.com

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Calvin Liang paints the Balboa Pavilion

Calvin Liang was capturing the Balboa Pavilion on canvas from his vantage point on Topaz Avenue. Born in Canton, China, Calvin loved to draw at the early age of six. He began painting in high school and completed his art education at the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1987. Among his many artistic pursuits was creating visual art for the entertainment industry in animation, where he worked on the “Little Mermaid” and “Spongebob Squarepants.” His accolades include the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 18th Annual Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational in 2016. View his oils at the Debra Huse Gallery on Balboa Island and at Tirage Art Gallery in Pasadena. www.calvinliangfineart.com

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Paige Oden holds her painting of the house in the background on Pearl Avenue

Paige Oden had her easel set up on Pearl Avenue. She grew up on the Peninsula, and now makes her home in Tustin. Specializing in figurative oils, this is her first year participating in Just Plein Fun. The daughter of nationally renowned illustrator Dick Oden, she earned her BFA in Painting and MFA in Figurative Sculpture. While finishing her MFA bronze works at CSULB metals foundry in 1991, she taught painting classes at the nearby Orange County High School of the Arts (aka OCSA). Now, nearly 25 years later, she is the Director of the Visual Arts Conservatory at OCSA, designing and overseeing the arts curriculum, and guiding staff and students. View her art at Debra Huse Gallery, Balboa Island. www.paigeoden.com

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Greg LaRock is known for his plein air works

Greg LaRock was painting on E. Bayfront between Diamond and Sapphire avenues, looking down the boardwalk to capture the beauty and nuances of one of the homes facing the harbor. Vivid colors graced his canvas. A former Newport Beach resident, Greg moved to Orange earlier this year. His oils bring landscapes to life. As a child, he loved to draw. Well known for his plein air works, his passion is to capture the outdoor landscape and its ever-changing light and beauty. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in fine arts, drawing and painting. This October, Greg will participate in the prestigious Laguna Beach Plein Air Invitational for the 11th year. He exhibits at Debra Huse Gallery, Balboa Island and at the Crystal Cove gift shop. www.greglarock.com

And the winners are …

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Rita Pacheco, Grand Prize Winner and Jean Stern, juror and executive director of The Irvine Museum Collection at the University of California, Irvine

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(L-R): Ann Marie Algeo, Passport Grand Prize Winner; Debra Huse Gallery Director Linda Johnson, Jean Stern, juror; and artist Debra Huse

Rita Pacheco, Best of Show Award for her winning “Crab Cooker”

Randall Sexton, 2nd Place Award

Greg LaRock, 3rd Place Award

Mark Fehlman, Best Brush Off

Calvin Liang, Randy Higbee Framer Award

Sally Jordan, Randy Higbee Framer Award

Jacobas Bass, Randy Higbee Framer Award

Paige Oden, Randy Higbee Framer Award

For more information, visit www.debrahusegallery.com. Debra Huse Gallery is located at 229 Marine Ave., Newport Beach.

Lido Isle: Loose Cannons and European Culture

By DUNCAN FORGEY

Halloween is a special night in many parts of the world, but no more unique than on Lido Isle in the 1960s. The early hours of the evening belonged to the little children prancing from door to door dressed as Mighty Mouse, Boris or Natasha, or the more traditional ghouls and ballerinas. These small groups, accompanied by parents or older siblings, gathered up candy bars, homemade donuts and a virtual treasure chest of suckers and gum. Each year, there were rumors that one of the bay front homes was giving out silver dollars. The next day at school, this proved to be an exaggeration.

By nine oʻclock, with the “wee tads” home in bed and parents now at adult costume parties, the streets were taken over by groups of adolescents who ruled Lido Isle for this one night a year. It was the east-enders versus the west-enders. It was the Fox, Haskell, Rosso gang versus the Edler, Ober and Alexander gang. A youthful army fought with dedication defending their turf, all the while attacking the other end. The true Waterloo of the island was Piazza Lido with its wide streets and great hiding places. Local developer Gary Hamilton recalls that he ran with a younger group of kids that were intimidated by the older boys. Because of their size and age, Garyʻs group was forced to hide among manicured bushes and “lay in wait” for an opportunity to strike. 

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Opening day at the Clubhouse, 1928

It was strategy, stealth, courage and mischief that combined to create the “The Great Halloween Wars” of Lido Isle. Soldiers armed with balloons, eggs and fast feet, tore about the island “nailing” enemies. Battles went on late into the night with a heavy toll. Firefights and ambushes left tired boys, and some brave girls, with ruined clothing, scrapped knees and multiple bruises. The island was left askew. Its perfectly maintained streets, stradas and alleyways were covered with eggs splashes, various kinds of debris, wounded plants and water faucets left jammed with balloon remnants.

This war-like fiasco was surely not what Swiss architect Franz Herding had in mind in 1928, when he presented an initial conceptual design for Lido Isle. Lido Isle, “the smartest new address in town,” was named after an exquisite Italian resort on the Adriatic Sea. Lido Isle was built for a more refined type of resident.

In 1923, an overly optimistic W.K. Parkinson, reportedly paid $45,000 for the island. Heeding lessons of World War I, this new sand island was created to house a base for military wharves (submarines) and industrial installations. Newport Harbor was well on its way to becoming a significant commercial harbor. Problems with depths in the shallow and constantly changing channels ended this idea. The industrialized island ended about the time of the Great Depression, when it was sold to William C. Crittenden. He, in turn, subdivided the island with the help of $1,222,861.95 in improvement monies from the state of California. These bond monies helped build the streets and bury utility lines. As bonds against future lots sold, they were an early version of the popular Mello-Roos assessments in contemporary California.  

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Newport Balboa Savings and Loan

In Crittenden and Herdingʻs vision, the island was to be a resort-quality development matching the best in Italy, France and Spain. The homes were Mediterranean style with red tile roofs. They were built around patios and “stradas” and oriented toward the sun. Each street was named after some of the greatest resort cities of all time: Barcelona, a 4th century port and ancient capital of Catalonia; Genoa, a 5th century Roman Port and gateway to the Roman Western Empire and birthplace of Columbus; Nice, a beautiful city on the French Rivera and home to the rich and royal of Europe; Ithaca, a Greek island significant because Ulyssesʻ wife Penelope waited there for him to return from the Trojan Wars. Of the 33 streets on Lido, all have historical or literary notoriety.

If there is one person who can be associated with the overall success of Lido Isle, it would have to be P.A. (Pappy) Palmer. He was the primary salesman of the 1940s and 1950s and a partner in the Newport Balboa Savings and Loan. He sat day after day on the island selling lots when it was nothing more than a sparsely occupied sandpit. Pappy typified the old adage “right place and right time,” when the post World War II boom gave Lido Isle a boost. In 1946, gross real estate sales on Lido hit an all-time high of $790,340 and it was well on its way to becoming one of Newport Beachʻs finest neighborhoods.

During this period, there was a large migration of families into Newport Beach and Lido Isle was transformed into a vibrant community. Young professionals, mostly from Los Angeles and surrounding cities, moved the blue-collar resort town of Newport Beach into a year-round residential community. 

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Partially built Lido Isle at Via Genoa

Lido Isle was a main benefactor of these new residents. Loaded with children, Lido took on a family feel treasured by the kids then and grandparents now. Decades of youths remember treasured times spent on the island. The Yacht Club, Tennis Club and an array of social events became a mainstay for the unique lifestyle on Lido. The bar was set high regarding Lido lifestyle and it remains so to this day.

Land values have risen exponentially. Starting at $1,500 for a Bayfront lot in 1931 to $100,000 in the 1960s to $1,800,000 in 2000. Todayʻs waterfronts reach into the double digit million dollar range. Inside homes started at $795 in the 1930s to $45,000 in 1960s to $650,000 in 2000. Now, bottom of the barrel inside homes can approach $2,000,000.

Original homes combining with sizable patios have given way to much larger structures with little outside area. Maximizing the square footage is the key to building today. On Lido, locations to purchase are chosen considering street noise, sun orientation, lot size, street to street versus street to strada factors, in addition to, of course, financial affordability.

Todayʻs Lido Isle is much more refined than in those hardy days of block parties, Christmas Tree forts, The Lido Round Up, sandlot football and the “Great Halloween Wars.” But Lidoʻs 21st Century ambience is still unique in Newport Harbor.

In the immortal words of Oscar Wilde: “Memory is the diary we all carry with us.” Those who grew up during those golden days of Lido Isle experienced a unique and exciting life, but now a new generation is establishing the same fondness in their heart for an island with such a distinctive history.

 ~~~~~~~~

Duncan Forgey, who made his home here in Newport Beach for many years, now resides in Hawaii. He is a monthly contributor to StuNewsNewport.

Fair Game

By TOM JOHNSON

Episcopal Church says hit the road, Bruno!

There’s the old idiom that says “he or she who laughs last, laughs best!” That someone might laugh or get satisfaction during the process but, in the end, the one who stands for justice & waits for it all to play out will get the last & best laugh or satisfaction. 

It’s what came to mind yesterday when the ruling came down from the highest-ranking Episcopal bishop in the United States, upholding a three-year suspension to the bishop trying to sell off St. James Great church.

J. Jon Bruno, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, closed the St. James church property several years ago to parishioners, basically locking them out, and attempted on several occasions to sell it off to developers.

Fortunately, the church devotees continued the fight and it finally looks like they’ll laugh loudly in the end. That is, if one can really even laugh.

The Most Reverend Michael Curry, the highest-ranking bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States, also formally replaced Bruno with Bishop John Taylor.

The high church also recommended reopening the church.

Looks like this is the last of Bruno. Thank God! Now that seems somewhat appropriate.

• • •

Have you been following the Orange County Breakers tennis season? I have, but from a distance.

Recently, things have been heating up.

It’s only a three-week season with home matches taking place at the Palisades Tennis Club.

Tuesday night they clinched a berth in the 2017 Mylan WTT Championship match this Saturday, August 5 played at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad at 8 p.m. It will also be broadcast on ESPN 3.

The Breakers will play the San Diego Aviators who they’ve split their season-series at 2-2.

Last year, the San Diego Aviators won their first title in team history by defeating the Breakers 25-14 in the 2016 championship match. 

• • •

Don’t forget Lobsterfest at Newport Beach this Sunday, Aug 6, from 3 - 8 p.m. at the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort.

The event benefits Leadership Tomorrow and Make-A-Wish/Orange County and the Inland Empire®.

Fresh lobsters are flown in from the East Coast the day of the event.

For more info., go to http://lobsterfestatnewportbeach.com.

• • •

Some Newport Beach residents held out hope that a little slice of park on Balboa Island would be renamed in honor of Ralph Rodheim who passed away earlier this year of Lou Gehrig’s Disease or ALS.

The Newport Beach Parks Commission, however, denied the request.

A longtime city policy doesn’t allow for parks being named after local residents, for the most part.

Obviously, there have been exceptions, including: John Wayne Park, Bob Henry Park and Grant Howald Park.

And we can’t forget Buck Gully Park. C’mon, there had to be someone named Buck Gully.

Farm to Fork: A Foodie’s Point of View

By LANA JOHNSON

Voting for Golden Foodie Awards begins August 5

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The Golden Foodie Awards wants to hear from you! Voting for these prestigious culinary honors begins Sunday, August 5. There are two weeks to vote and all voting takes place at http://www.goldenfoodieawards.com/vote.html.

Eligibility: The Golden Foodie Awards celebrate chef-driven concepts. For a chef-driven, multiple unit/chain restaurant concept to qualify for a Golden Foodie Award Nomination, the entity must have no more than a maximum of three units in the U.S. operating under the same name with a similar menu.

Votes: Voting multiple times will not help anyone win. There is only one vote per IP address, and votes are filtered by IP address. Winners will be announced at the red carpet gala on Sunday, September 24.

Voting Categories:

Week One Voting Begins August 5

1. Bartender of the Year

2. Best Cocktails in Orange County

3. Best Bar Program

4. Best Lunch Spot in Orange County

5. Best Brunch in Orange County

6. Best New Restaurant

7. Rising Star Chef of the Year

8. Favorite Food Influencer in Orange County 

Week Two Voting Begins August 12

1. Best Wine Program

2. Best Beer Program

3. Outstanding Community Service

4. Restaurateur of the Year

5. Best Dessert Menu in Orange County

6. Best Entree in Orange County

7. Best Service Award

For more category details, visit: http://goldenfoodieawards.com/categories.html.

The Lifetime Achievement Award is voted on by the Guild, with the recipient being announced on Sunday, September 24.

Ciao Vincenza!

Hoss and Howie rock it at the OC Fair

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Photo courtesy of OC Fair

There is an amazing array of animals at the OC Fair including peacocks, camels and piglets, but some of the most eye-catching critters are the oxen.

At 3 years old and weighing more than 1,000 pounds each, Hoss and Howie make up the Centennial Farm’s newest oxen team. The duo arrived in September 2016 after traveling more than 1,000 miles from Three Eagles Ranch in Larkspur, Colorado.

Hoss and Howie are American Milking Devon, the first purebred cattle in the U.S. and a favorite of President George Washington. This breed grows to weigh up to 1,600 pounds, have coats that range from light to dark ruby red in color and have white horns with black tips. 

The first team of oxen at Centennial Farm were named Bill and Bob and they were also American Milking Devon. The second team, Patches and Freckles, came to Centennial Farm from New Hampshire in 2007 when they were 3 years old. Patches, who weighs about 2,400 pounds and whose breed is Lineback, is the only remaining ox of the first two teams.

Hoss and Howie now join Patches in the oxen demonstrations, happening this week in the Livestock Show Ring.

Oxen Demonstration times:

Thursday, August 3 at 8 p.m.

Friday, August 4 at 6 and 8 p.m.

Saturday, August 5 at 6 and 8 p.m.

Sunday, August 6 at 2, 6 and 8 p.m.

Fun Fact: An ox is a cow or a bull that has been trained to work, not a breed or species. Almost any bovine can be trained to help humans with their tasks and the first were put to work more than 6,000 years ago. These powerful animals can pull plows, logs, boulders, wagons and anything else that is too heavy for humans to move by themselves.

How about also catching some action with equine? View the Budweiser Clydesdale Parade happening daily at 5 p.m. until the end of the fair. These majestic beauties weighing in at approximately 1,800 - 2,000 pounds always draw a crowd.

But ungulates need to get in their fair share of spectator time, too! Catch the Oasis Camel Dairy milking demonstrations daily at 1:30, 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. in the Livestock Pavilion.

The OC Fair runs through August 13, offering nightly entertainment, food, rides, shopping, exhibits and more. It is open Wednesdays through Fridays from noon to midnight, and Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to midnight. 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa. For more information, call 714.708.1500 and visit www.ocfair.com.

Letter to the Editor:

What Happened to Political Reform?

In one of the first council meetings this year, Mayor Kevin Muldoon appointed Council Members Scott Peotter, Diane Dixon and Jeff Herdman to an Ad Hoc committee to review and recommend reforms to ensure our political campaign laws in Newport Beach can be enforced to protect the public. What has happened since then? Absolutely nothing.  

Apparently, the committee has been advised not to meet since Council Member Peotter is still under investigation by the California Fair Political Practices Commission (“FPPC”). Peotter was cited twice for taking contributions that exceed the city limits, first by the city clerk and a second time in a complaint filed by Jeff Herdman with the FPPC. The evidence for the violations was contained on Peotter’s own reporting forms he filed with the city. Since then, a new complaint has been filed by Susan Skinner, alleging that Peotter failed to properly report his economic interests.

Normally, the city would depend on its city attorney to enforce its municipal ordinances, but this creates a conflict since the city attorney reports to the council, and the city attorney himself claims to lack jurisdiction to enforce our city’s campaign contribution limits ordinance, which was adopted in 1995 and had been deemed enforceable for over 20 years and 10 election cycles.

The council had the opportunity to address this in 2015, but the majority, including Council Member Peotter, chose to wait until a new council was seated before considering appropriate political reforms. As could be expected, in 2016 a second candidate filed a report showing that he also failed to comply with the city’s campaign contribution limits. Once again, the city council and the city attorney did nothing.

All citizens, no matter which faction or party they may align with, have a right to expect that our laws with be fairly and fully enforced. Peotter and the city council have failed the residents by not making the campaign contribution limits enforceable by a third party, such as the new Orange County Ethics Commission, a Special Prosecutor or the City Attorney. And where is the District Attorney? He recused himself from the 2016 case since he had accepted contributions from the candidate in question.

Peotter is now facing a recall, in no small measure because he has put himself above the law and Newport residents have no other option to ensure the protection of our democratic process. The rest of the city council should act now to ensure our contribution limits are enforced, lobbyists are registered and disclosed, and fundraising from people having business before the council is limited to election years.  

Kristin M. Cano

Corona del Mar

Mesa Water releases 2017 Water Quality Report 

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Mesa Water District (Mesa Water®) has released its 2017 Water Quality Report to the public, containing important information about Mesa Water’s drinking water supplies, high standards for water quality, and the state and federal drinking water standards that it outperforms. The Report also provides valuable information about the district’s water supply sources.

Mesa Water® provides 100 percent of its water supplies from local groundwater, with some of that water pumped from deep underground and treated at the district’s state-of-the-art Mesa Water Reliability Facility.

“Mesa Water is committed to providing clean, safe and reliable water to our customers,” said Mesa Water Board Vice President Jim Atkinson. He continued, “Mesa Water conducts over 30,000 water quality tests each year to ensure our water meets rigorous drinking water standards.”

A notable result from the Report includes no detected lead. Furthermore, the district does not add fluoride to its water supplies.

The 2017 Report also includes tips for being water-wise and instructions for how to check the water meter to detect a leak. Additional water use efficiency information, updates, rebates and a recommended outdoor watering schedule can be found at https://MesaWater.org/save-water.

The full Report can be viewed or downloaded at https://www.mesawater.org/water-quality/water-quality-report, is available in print from Mesa Water’s office, or may be requested by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

In June, Mesa Water notified customers about the Report via a postcard mailed to 110,000 residents and all businesses that receive high-quality drinking water from the district. For more information about the Report or questions about the district’s water, contact their water quality staff at 949.574.1031.

Mesa Water District service area includes most of the City of Costa Mesa, parts of Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport.

Mind Body Nature Youth Summer Camp

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Join Miss Stacey at Sherman Library & Gardens from Tuesday, August 8 through Friday, August 11 for a Mind Body Nature Youth Summer Camp, geared to ages 6 - 14.

Find Your Zen, as you mindfully connect to your inner landscape through exploring the outer landscape of the Gardens. Youth will spend their day observing and learning about the magic living in the Gardens and create art inspired by nature. Yoga will be weaved in throughout the day to move energy, experience joy and reconnect to the present moment. To end each day, a mindfulness practice will bring everything together, reinforcing how you can find a place of peace in any environment. A light snack and supplies for art will be provided.

Schedule:

Day 1 - The Tropical Conservatory: Learn about plants and animals that grow and live in this tropical habitat. Campers will make leaf rubbings and explore yoga through replicating poses that tropical animals express every day.

Day 2 - The Succulent Garden: Learn about succulents and the desert terrain. Campers will create sand art and learn how to do cactus arms and lizard pose.

Day 3 - The Edible Garden: Explore edible plants and herbs used for various purposes like cooking. Campers will plant herbs to take home and explore poses that share the names of fruits, vegetables and other foods.

Day 4 - The Flower Garden: Explore the beautiful flowers found in the Gardens. Campers will choose their favorite flower to draw and paint. Through mindfulness practice, campers will learn to appreciate the beauty in the present moment and the beauty that surrounds us every day.

This four-day youth camp utilizes the beauty and educational value of the Gardens, the tools of yoga and asana and mindfulness practices, to create an environment for education, relaxation and focus.

Camp takes place from 1 to 4 p.m. The fee is $200 for Members and $220 for Non-Members. Register online at their website.

Sherman Library and Gardens is located at 2647 E. Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. www.slgardens.org

NB Restaurant Association BID vacancy notice

The City of Newport Beach is currently accepting applications to fill one vacancy on the Newport Beach Restaurant Association Business Improvement District (NBRA BID) Board of Directors pursuant to California Streets and Highways Code Section 36530. 

Applicants must be a member of the Newport Beach Restaurant Association BID and current with all BID assessments. An application can be obtained from the City Clerk’s Office, 100 Civic Center Drive, Bay E, Newport Beach, through the City’s website at http://newportbeachca.gov/vacancy can be mailed to you by calling 949.644.3005.  

Applications will be accepted until the vacancy is filled. 

One applicant will eventually be nominated by the NBRA and appointed by the Newport Beach City Council.

Pet of the Week

StuNewsNewport 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.”

Courtesy of Newport Beach 

Animal Shelter

MEET BODI

Precious Bodi needs a loving home

Bodi is an 11-year-old Alaskan Malamute. He weighs 104 pounds. He loves adults, children and dogs – big and small.

Adoption costs at the shelter:

Dogs - $130

Puppies - $150

Cats - $90

Kittens - $110

At any given time, the shelter can have 4 - 5 dogs and 7 - 8 cats/kittens available for adoption. At times, they receive owner turn-ins that would do best adopted out together. 

If you are interested in finding out more about Bodi, or any other animals up for adoption, the Newport Beach Animal Shelter is located at 20302 Riverside Drive, Newport Beach. It is open daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 949.644.3656. Email Valerie Schomburg at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

To find out how you can help support the shelter, visit www.nbpd.org and click on “Our Animal Shelter” to view the wish list. They can always use food & treats; new toys; grooming, hygiene & comfort products; as well as laundry soap, dish soap, paper towels, sponges & scrub pads and lint rollers. If you are interested in volunteering, you can fill out and sign the application on the website.

Segerstrom presents two remarkable divas

One word most wonderfully describes this extraordinary evening featuring two of the cabaret world’s leading singers and songwriters: Divalicious.

Segerstrom Center welcomes music divas Amanda McBroom and Ann Hampton Callaway as they help kick off the 2017-18 Cabaret Series celebrating classics from the Great American Songbook, and also entertaining audiences with their own works.

Pianist and acclaimed songwriter Michele Brourman accompanies the duo during three stunning nights of song and storytelling, October 5 - 7 in the intimate Samueli Theater. 

Callaway: Photo by Bill Westmoreland

McBroom: Courtesy of SCFTA.org

(L-R): Amanda McBroom and Ann Hampton Callaway kick off the Cabaret Series

Amanda McBroom is described by Broadway World as “... one of the greatest night club performers of all time. Her lyrics are profound and express human emotions in glorious poetry. Her humor is so smart and she sings and acts it all brilliantly.” She first came to the attention of music lovers when Bette Midler’s version of Amanda’s song “The Rose” hit No. 1 all over the world in 1979. In addition to Midler, her songs have been recorded by a wide variety of artists including Amy Poehler and Jack Black, Barry Manilow, Judy Collins, Barbara Cook, LeAnn Rimes, Anne Murray, Harry Belafonte, Betty Buckley, Stephanie Mills, The Manhattan Transfer, Donny Osmond, Kurt Cobain, Nana Mouskouri, Conway Twitty, the Chipmunks and the Baby Dinosaurs in Land Before Time (she wrote all the songs for 16 Universal Cartoon videos with longtime collaborator Michele Brourman).

A writer for the New York Observer wrote of Ann Hampton Callaway, “I once described the phenomenal Ann Hampton Callaway’s position in the tenuous world of girl singers as that of a silver Bentley in a parking lot full of secondhand Hondas. Watching her electrify a jaded audience in her current show, I now amend that opinion: She owns the whole damned block.” Callaway is one of the leading champions of the Great American Songbook, having made her mark as a singer, pianist, composer, lyricist, arranger, actress, educator, TV host and producer. Voted recently by Broadwayworld.com as “Performer of the Year,” Callaway is a born entertainer. Her unique singing style that blends jazz and traditional pop, makes her a mainstay in concert halls, theaters and jazz clubs as well as in the recording studio, on television and in film.

Single tickets are $89 and go on sale Monday, August 21 at 10 a.m. They will be available online at www.SCFTA.org, at the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, or by calling 714.556.2787. For inquiries about group ticket savings for 10 or more, call the Group Services office at 714.755.0236. 

12th Annual Just Plein Fun Painting Event this week

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“Here We Go,” an original oil painting by Sally Jordan

On August 3 and 4, 2017, head over to Balboa Island for the 12th Annual Just Plein Fun Painting Event, taking place from sunrise to sunset.

Presented by Debra Huse Gallery, eight award-winning artists will paint scenes on Balboa Island; the works will be available for view and purchase each day. Visitors to the gallery can get a free Just Plein Fun Passport to enter to win fabulous prizes, including gift certificates to local restaurants and shops.

On Friday, August 4, don’t miss the “Brush Off” on Marine Avenue from 4 to 6 p.m. Watch as the artists compete to capture the best Balboa Island downtown scene and enjoy live music while they paint. There will be an Artists Awards Gala & Reception at the Debra Huse Gallery at 6:30 p.m. that evening.

Featured Artists include: Jacobus Baas, Debra Huse, Sally Jordan, Greg LaRock, Calvin Liang, Paige Oden, Rita Pacheco, and Randall Sexton.

For more information, visit www.debrahusegallery.com. Debra Huse Gallery is located at 229 Marine Ave., Newport Beach.

Bay View Bridge out of commission for repairs 

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Courtesy of Bill Rhinesmith

Work began Monday, July 31, on the Bay View Bridge at Upper Newport Bay project. The bridge crosses over a portion of the Santa Ana Delhi Channel and is part of the Brown/Bay View Trail.

Frequent users of the trail, including striders and bicyclists, may be impacted by temporary trail closures in the project area. A detour will be available for public use.

The project is under the auspices of the OC Public Works, who in turn have hired Bitech Construction Company as the contractor. Work continues Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. until September 15, 2017.

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Shop Talk 

By LANA JOHNSON

50 Days of Fashion Island

Come celebrate 50 years of style at Fashion Island with one-of-a-kind offers! They’re having their half a century anniversary and passing the savings on to you continuing through September 16. 

Here’s a sampling of retail offerings:

Grayse – Free faux fur blanket with the purchase of $500 or more (a $395 value) while supplies last.

Rodd & Gunn – Enter to win a free trip for two to New Zealand with four-nights accommodations in Queenstown, a $1,000 gift voucher for use at Rodd & Gunn in Queenstown, and more. Also enter daily drawings to win a taste of New Zealand – a bottle of New Zealand wine (Gibston Valley Wine) and a Rodd & Gunn Newport Beach cap.

Swimspot – 20 percent off your entire purchase. Use code: FASHION50

Talia – Free tank with any purchase of $100 or more (a $50 value) while supplies last.

Trina Turk – $50 off purchase of $250 or more. Not valid on TrinaTurk.com. Offer cannot be applied to previous purchases, and cannot be combined with any other promotion. Valid on full price merchandise only.

For a complete list of participating stores, visit www.shopfashionisland.com. You’ll discover some great dining deals, too.

Editor’s Note: If you or someone you know operates a Newport Beach-based business that you would like to see featured in Shop Talk, please send the information to lThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Stump the Stu

The long and the short of it…

Congratulations to Elizabeth McKibbin, who gave us the correct answer! She used to teach kindergarten at Mariners Elementary so she knew the mural well, which faces the courtyard, outside the kindergarten classrooms.

Take the challenge, and submit your answers to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The correct answers will be in Thursday’s edition.

If you have a unique spot or icon around town that you think StuNews readers would enjoy finding out about, please shoot it, share it and give us the answer, so we can challenge them!

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Surterre Properties welcomes DJ Bibb

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DJ Bibb (Danny Bibb, Jr.) has a lifetime of experience in the real estate world and is launching a new chapter in his professional life as Newport Beach’s newest and most promising real estate agent.

Having spent the last 13 years as one of coastal Orange County’s most well-known and successful title insurance professionals, DJ has had the opportunity to work with hundreds of Orange County’s finest real estate agents, and be a part of nearly 10,000 real estate transactions. This position has served as the perfect platform for DJ to advance his real estate expertise and launch the next phase of his real estate career as it allowed him to build valuable working relationships with the Realtor community, learn the intricacies of most every local coastal market, and master the art of maneuvering through the many obstacles a transaction can bring.

DJ’s time in the real estate world goes back far beyond his title career; in fact, it dates back to his early childhood. As the son of the late Danny Bibb, local real estate legend, DJ grew up immersed in the real estate world. He worked summers in his father’s real estate brokerage, Coast Newport Properties. It was here among Newport’s most elite agents, he first started to learn the skills necessary to succeed, and began to build his vast network of real estate connections. It is these relationships that would eventually pave the way toward his career in title insurance.

DJ’s platform of knowledge, experience and relationships among the real estate community place DJ at an unmatched position to create success for his clients, and to lead them comfortably through any of the challenges of a real estate transaction.

For more information, visit www.surterreproperties.com.

Stump the Stu

It’s nice to have friends in high places

StuNews spotted this whimsical mural. Juxtaposing the tallest animal in the world, with one of the smallest. Friends come in all shapes and sizes. Can you guess where this is?

Take the challenge, and submit your answers to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The correct answers will be in Thursday’s edition.

If you have a unique spot or icon around town that you think StuNews readers would enjoy finding out about, please shoot it, share it and give us the answer, so we can challenge them!

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Newport Beach – A Look Back 

Photo series courtesy of Balboa Island Museum & Historical Society

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The copyright on this RKO Radio Picture is 1956. It’s from the movie The Girl Most Likely starring Jane Powell and Cliff Robertson.

Visit Balboa Island Museum at 331 Marine Ave., Balboa Island. It is open Tuesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Museum Store is open Tuesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 949.675.3952. www.balboaislandmuseum.org

OC Fair Update!

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What’s on tap at the OC Fair this week? Check out these events!

1. Extreme Rodeo, Wednesday, August 2 and Friday, August 4 from 8 to 10 p.m. The traditional rodeo gets turned up a notch for two nights featuring wild antics like Ring of Fire, Toro Totter and Bull Poker. Takes place in the Action Sports Arena.

2. Every Thursday is Kids Day at the OC Fair. Children 12 years of age and younger will receive free admission all day, from noon to midnight! For $30, you can purchase an unlimited carnival wristband and enjoy all the rides you like, plus two free games. (Sold until 5 p.m. and valid until 8 p.m.) For $3, enjoy samples of selected fair treats from noon to 4 p.m.

3. Feel “The Power of Love,” with Huey Lewis and the News performing Thursday, August 3 from 8:15 - 9:30 p.m. at the Pacific Amphitheatre. Tickets, available online through Ticketmaster, start at $30 and include free fair admission. General parking is $10; $30, concert preferred.

4. 9th annual OC Fair 5K Fun Run on Sunday, August 6, presented by the OC Marathon. The course starts and ends at the Main Gate, beginning at 8 a.m., and includes Detours of Fun, such as a basketball toss and a ride down the Giant Slide. A complimentary ticket to the OC Fair is included with registration, as well as a goodie bag and race T-shirt. To register, visit www.ocfair5k.com.

5. Fiesta del Charro on Sunday, August 6 from 7 to 9 p.m. Features the talents and skill of the charro, a Mexican horseman or cowboy typically dressed in an elaborately decorated outfit.Tickets, available online through Ticketmaster, start at $17.50 and include free fair admission. General parking is $10.

The OC Fair runs through August 13, offering nightly entertainment, food, rides, shopping, exhibits and more. It is open Wednesdays through Fridays from noon to midnight, and Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to midnight. 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa. For more information, call 714.708.1500 and visit www.ocfair.com.

NMUSD announces new principal at Newport Elementary 

Newport-Mesa Unified School District (NMUSD) is pleased to announce the selection of Amanda Estrada as principal of Newport Elementary School. In her 12 years at NMUSD, Estrada has been a teacher in grades one, two, four and five, and most recently she served as assistant principal of College Park and Mariners Elementary schools.

“I look forward to continuing the great work at Newport Elementary, while collaborating with students, staff and the school community to further improve learning opportunities for students,” Estrada said.

As an administrator within the district, she has successfully built relationships with teachers and the school community to further a school’s vision. She has managed disciplinary issues using positive restorative practices, led the implementation of Positive Behavior Intervention Systems, worked closely with the special education team to develop and implement Student Study Team processes, build intervention programs, coordinate state testing, and evaluate classified and certificated staff.

“Ms. Estrada is an excellent communicator, always collaborative and compassionate in her approach to ensuring that students receive the best education,” said Kurt Suhr, executive director of elementary education.

She brings with her a strong understanding of the district’s priorities, instructional programs and strategies, and restorative practices. During her tenure at NMUSD, Estrada has served in various adjunct positions including grade level chair, leadership team, school site council, GATE trainer, Rigorous Curriculum Design team and Positive Behavior Intervention Systems coach.

Estrada will begin her new role on August 1, 2017. Her appointment is scheduled for ratification by the Board of Education at the August 22, 2017 board meeting.

Musical Theatre Workshop planned for NMUSD

Submitted photos

 Matthew Malecki              Janaya Mahealani Jones

A Musical Theatre Workshop led by theatre professionals Matthew Malecki and Janaya Mahealani Jones will be held on Wednesday, August 23, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Newport Harbor High School (NHHS).

The workshop is a Newport Mesa Unified School District-wide event with only 50 spots available. 

Interested students should reserve a spot asap: Newport Harbor High School and Costa Mesa High School to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Estancia students to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; and Corona del Mar students to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Malecki has performed regionally throughout Southern California, as well as tours across the country as a professional actor, singer and dancer. 

He currently performs in Frozen: Live at the Hyperion at Disney’s California Adventure. He holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from the AMDA College and Conservatory of the Performing Arts in Los Angeles. 

Jones discovered her love for theatre at the age of 15 while performing in a high school production of Fiddler on the Roof.

She is a graduate of AMDA-LA, holding a BFA in Musical Theatre. Currently, she is originating the role of Woman #3/Dee in Pump up the Volume: A ‘90s Palooza with San Diego Musical Theatre. 

The workshop will take place at the Robert B. Wentz Theater on the campus of NHHS, located at 600 Irvine Ave., Newport Beach.

Second Annual Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk set for September 10

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Run…Walk…to honor our bravest on Sunday, September 10 at 9 a.m. at Newport Dunes Marina Terrace, 101 N. Bayside Drive, Newport Beach.

Follow the footsteps of firefighter Stephen Siller, who was off duty on 9/11, but grabbed his gear and ran through the Brooklyn Tunnel to the Twin Towers. This father of five, lost his life that day in the ultimate sacrifice.

This race honors our military heroes and first responders, with all proceeds benefiting the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, including their “Building for America’s Bravest” program, which builds specially adapted, custom-designed ‘smart homes’ of our nation’s most catastrophically injured service members.

To register, www.tunneltotowers.org.

Sewer rate study recommends increase

On Tuesday, July 25, the City Council reviewed a draft of the 2017 Sewer Rate Study. The study analyzes the cost of providing sewer service and makes recommendations regarding the rate and structure in compliance with state law. The study found that a rate increase is recommended to ensure adequate funds are available to continue to maintain a safe and healthy sewer infrastructure. 

City Council approved staff’s recommendations, which included sending all property owners and customers a rate notice in compliance with Proposition 218. Notices were mailed on Friday, July 28, and they will be holding a public hearing on September 12, 2017. 

You can find more information about the proposed sewer rate adjustment at newportbeachca.gov/sewerrates.

Fire Chief Duncan to ‘Speak Up’ at monthly meeting 

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Speak Up Newport will feature new Newport Beach Fire Chief Chip Duncan at their Wednesday, August 9 monthly meeting that is open for free to the public.

Chief Duncan oversees protection of life and property in Newport Beach and prepares the community for all manner of disasters. Paramedics in his department respond to calls with one of the shortest response times anywhere. Every day this means the difference between life and death for Newport Beach citizens.  

The lifeguards in his department patrol and protect swimmers along seven miles of beach. Chief Duncan also oversees the City’s national award-winning Community Emergency Response Team (CERT program) and the seasonal Junior Lifeguard Program. 

Chief Chip Duncan was appointed as Interim Fire Chief earlier this year and was recently promoted to Fire Chief. He started his career with the Newport Beach Fire Department in 1987 and has steadily climbed the Department’s ladder, having served in various capacities including firefighter, firefighter paramedic, fire captain, battalion chief, training battalion chief and assistant chief.

The Speak Up meeting takes place at the Newport Beach Civic Center, Community Room at 100 Civic Center Drive. There is a 5:15 p.m. reception and the program, followed by a Q & A, begins at 6 p.m.

Reservations are not necessary.

Speak Up Newport (SUN) is a non-profit, non-partisan citizens group organized to promote the common good and general welfare of the Newport Beach community.

Fair Game

By TOM JOHNSON

Why is the Fun Zone losing fun?

The Fun Zone takes another hit this summer on the word “fun” as the Bay Arcade closes down next month (August 20) after the new building owner decided the lease was not going to be renewed.

Kind of sad that after so many years of operation (70 years) and being a mainstay for kids that it’ll be gone. Unfortunately, the arcade takes the same disappearing act that the bumper cars and merry-go-round have taken in the same area in recent years.

So here’s the backstory. The donut shop building at E. Bay Avenue and Main Street was closed and sold recently. The new owners plan a coffee shop there. The donut shop owners, with no place to go, purchased the arcade site. So donuts will apparently continue and the arcade will disappear.

In today’s health conscientious world, do we really need a donut shop? With the arcade gone, where will kids learn about Skeeball or Zoltar? 

Another time honored tradition will soon be gone.

Photo courtesy of Save 

Newport/Mike Glenn

Sign posted in the window of the Bay Arcade

• • •

Former mayor and current city council person Diane Dixon would have been proud of me this weekend.

This weekend we had a family reunion here in Newport Beach. Family came from Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Washington and, of course, from all parts of California.

Many went out exploring our fair city.

One group at the Balboa Pier, after taking the ferry across from Balboa Island, called me looking for a place to dine for lunch.

I suggested jumping on the “free” trolley and heading down to the Dory Deli and the Newport Pier. They did and loved the trolley and the food. 

It was so easy and just another cool way to get around the Peninsula.

•  •  •

Finally, the Los Angeles Chargers opened up their training camp yesterday, Sunday, July 30, at Jack Hammett Field in Costa Mesa. Some 5,000 fans showed up filling the newly installed bleachers, enjoying the NFL Experience site and watching the first day of practices.

You can reserve bleacher seats for an upcoming practice at www.chargers.com/schedule/training-camp-schedule. And, two of the practices will be scrimmages against the New Orleans Saints.

Best thing is, it’s all free!

Having the Chargers local is so good on so many levels. Get out there and see for yourself.

Chamber launches new program – NAVIGATE 

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The Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce recently launched a new program called NAVIGATE: Modern Professionals. NAVIGATE is dedicated to providing a unique and interactive experience with content specifically designed to engage those ages 25 - 40.

Their next event, titled “DRESS FOR SUCCESS,” will take place Wednesday, September 13 at 6 p.m. at Newport Beach Country Club. It will cover how your wardrobe can make or break your brand and will feature professionals speaking on:

Current wardrobe do’s and don’ts for today’s modern professional;

How to get the most out of your wardrobe budget;

The power of first impressions created through clothing;

Essential style tips and resources for men and women.

Hors d’oeuvres and a no host bar will enhance the interactive learning experience. Both valet and self-parking are available. Reservations are required. The cost is $10 for Chamber members and $25 for non-Chamber members. For additional information, call 949.729.4400. Newport Beach Country Club is located at 100 Clubhouse Drive, Newport Beach.

Block the Blaze working with local kids on cancer challenges 

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This summer, youth up and down the coast, including right here in Newport Beach, will head down to the beach and take part in a time-honored SoCal Beach tradition, Junior Lifeguards! And, for the fifth year in a row, each child that participates will learn about sun safety and skin cancer prevention and early detection through the work of Block the Blaze®. Block the Blaze is a John Wayne Cancer Foundation (JWCF) funded youth skin cancer education program.

Not only is skin cancer the most common cancer, having just one blistering sunburn in your adolescence doubles your risk of developing melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer later in life.  

Block the Blaze is grateful to be the official partner of the California Surf Lifesaving Association (CSLSA) to provide skin cancer education to junior lifeguards, a demographic who is at high risk due to the amount of time spent on a beach. A local Junior Lifeguard credits Block the Blaze for saving her life.

“Last fall, I had a melanoma removed from my forearm at just 13 years old. Because of your team at John Wayne Cancer Foundation and your partnership with Junior Lifeguards, I was able to catch my melanoma quickly. All I needed was a few surgeries – I was lucky it was only Stage I. 

I owe it all to the Block the Blaze program. That one little fact (melanomas can be pink, blue or purple) saved me from a much more dangerous situation. I can’t thank the John Wayne Cancer Foundation enough!” – Kennedy 

The Newport Beach Lifeguards were the first agency to implement Block the Blaze, and they have played a significant role in the expansion of the program. 

Today, the program has educated more than 250,000 youth and is on track to educate 275,000 by end of the summer.  

Each child that participates is provided with a fun and informative Block the Blaze presentation, a free water resistant sunscreen stick and trucker hat. Teaching youth to be sun safe is great, but being able to provide them with the tools to be sun safe immediately is empowering. 

This year, the John Wayne Cancer Foundation is pleased to present a Newport Beach retail collection, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to support the Foundation. 

To learn more about Block the Blaze, or the work of the other Foundation programs, visit www.johnwayne.org or contact Lauren Fraga, program director, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To purchase the Newport Collection, and support the work of the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, visit https://store.johnwayne.com/.

Segerstrom announces casting for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Segerstrom Center for the Arts has announced casting for the North American tour of the National Theatre production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Tickets are on sale now and start at $29.

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Photo by Joan Marcus

(L-R): Adam Langdon and Maria Elena Ramirez star in the touring production of this Tony Award-winning play

This Tony award-winning new play by Simon Stephens has been adapted from Mark Haddon’s best-selling novel. This critically acclaimed production will premiere in Orange County from September 12 - 17 in Segerstrom Hall.

To purchase tickets, visit www.scfta.org, call 714.556.2787, or visit the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa. For inquiries about group tickets, call the Group Services office at 714.755.0236. The 2 p.m. performance on Saturday, September 16 will include an audio description, open captioning and sign-language interpretation.

Art Matters

Todd D. Smith

Upcoming programs at OCMA

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OCMA Director & CEO Todd D. Smith

Today I share the exciting news that eight dedicated individuals have recently joined the Orange County Museum of Art Board of Trustees. They represent leadership in Orange County’s business art, and philanthropic sectors.

The new trustees are Jamie Brooks, Debra Gunn Downing, David Emmes, II, John Gunnin, Pamela Schmider, Tracy Schroeder, Jennifer Van Bergh, and Chris Van Dusen.

Growth of our governing body is an important step in our building for the future. New insight will complement the existing vision and wisdom of the veteran trustees and ensure the museum remains a leader in Southern California’s cultural landscape. We are deeply grateful for the service of our current and former trustees.

In other news, our Senior Curator Cassandra Coblentz is at work on an important new installation of OCMA’s collection. Titled Pivotal: Highlights from the Collection, this exhibition will examine the museum’s long history of supporting artists at watershed points in their career. For over half a century, our museum has championed artists in this manner. Notable artists in the show include Richard Diebenkorn, Mary Heilmann, Cathy Opie and Charles Ray.

We are pleased to offer this reflection on our past while celebrating the work of one of our newest discoveries, Shanghai-based painter Shi Zhiying. Our tradition continues as this will be her first U.S. solo museum exhibition.

And finally, I invite you to visit the 2017 California-Pacific Triennial: Building As Ever. And keep an eye out as we announce several opportunities in the coming weeks to engage with artists in the exhibition.

Todd D. Smith

Director and CEO

A Q&A with new NB Planning Commissioner Lauren Kleiman

By AMY SNIDER SENK

The Newport Beach City Council has appointed a Corona del Mar resident to the city’s Planning Commission – the first woman to be appointed since 2004, according to Leslie Daigle, who eventually left the Planning Commission to become a City Council member, and who offered her congratulations. Lauren Kleiman, a Corona del Mar Residents Association member and board member for the Airport Working Group, received four Council votes, and will serve with newly appointed commissioner Lee Lowrey, who received five votes.

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Q: Where did you grow up? Tell me a bit about your family.

A: I grew up in a big, traditional Italian family on the East Coast and ultimately wound up in Malibu, where I attended both college and law school at Pepperdine. Although I am far from all of my extended family, I wouldn’t trade Southern California living for anything. 

Q: Where in Corona del Mar do you live?

A: I live in the Sailhouse Lofts with my husband and our 5-year-old son. We have become so spoiled by the Corona del Mar lifestyle, which is why I have decided to commit myself to preserving that for my son and future generations to enjoy.

Q: Do you see the Planning Commission as a stepping stone to City Council, as so many other commissioners have before you?

A: With a few weeks on the “job” barely behind me, I am just appreciative of the opportunity to serve the City of Newport Beach in an important role and at such a critical time. 

Q: Do you have plans to mentor women so they can become future planning commissioners?

A: While I realize women are underrepresented in local government and beyond, I do hope I was appointed as the best person for the position, not the best woman. Councilwoman Diane Dixon has organized a forum called Women in Newport Networking (WiNN) to encourage more women to get involved, locally. I am always happy to talk with others – women or men – about their interest in local government. Newport Beach is fortunate to have a large number of dedicated residents and volunteers, but we always want to encourage more people to get involved.

Q: I’m not sure if you can express if you supported developments such as the Museum House, but I am curious about your thoughts on property rights versus community sentiment and how to weigh them when there is conflict?

A: I can’t speak to specific projects, but my goal is to support decisions that are both legally defensible and responsible. 

Q: Do you feel that living in NB for four years is enough to know what’s best for the city?

A: I don’t think any one person “knows what’s best for the city” no matter how long they may have lived here. I can tell you that this is a great responsibility, which I take very seriously and, on top of bringing to the dais both legal and land development experience, I am bringing the perspective of an active participant in all that Newport Beach has to offer. I regularly enroll my son in the City’s recreation and camp programs, I play tennis on City courts with City instructors, I utilize the libraries weekly, I attend concerts in the park with my family and friends, we walk everywhere and frequent the parks, community centers, trails, restaurants, businesses and, of course, the beaches. 

Q: What are your favorite things about life in Corona del Mar?

A: Walkability, walkability, walkability. We walk to Bruegger’s, Nekter or Panini every weekend. But even better than the walkability is the sense of community. We see familiar faces throughout the village and have made friends with perfect strangers sharing the same weekly morning rituals week after week. We recently had friends visit from L.A. and they couldn’t believe we went the whole weekend without needing to get in a car. 

Q: Anything else you would like to share about yourself – hobbies or favorite restaurants?

A: As I mentioned, I’ve taken up tennis through the City’s program. The coaches are fantastic and I’m always recruiting more residents to play. As for restaurants, my son has discovered sushi so you can find us at Sota on any given weekend, followed by ice cream at B.Candy or macarons from Rendez Vous. 

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Amy Snider Senk has lived in Corona del Mar for 17 years and until last year was publisher of Corona del Mar Today, an online newspaper that ran daily for seven years. Senk, a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, is involved in the Corona del Mar Residents Association and the Corona del Mar High School PTA. She and her husband have two children.

$70,000 emerges from the smoke at BBR  

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(L - R): BBR GM Sam El-Rabaa, Henry Schielein, John Wortmann, Chris Louis and CEO, International Bay Clubs, LLC. Todd Pickup

The 23rd annual Gentleman’s Smoker celebrated another summer evening on the gold coast, July 21 attracting more than 100 natty gents in blazers and Hawaiian shirts, raising $70,000 for the Balboa Bay Club’s Student Scholarship Fund.

Hosted by Balboa Bay Club Manager Leticia Rice and Balboa Bay Resort General Manager Sam El-Rabaa, guests paid $250 and more per seat at the round tables fronting the bayfront as filet and lobster was served paired with exquisite wines by Trinitas Cellars under the supervision of Executive Chef Rachel Haggstrom. Music was provided by the Gary Gould Quartet. 

Since its inception, the Smoker has been a success thanks to the emcee talent of John Wortmann, BBC Board of Governors chairman, and Peter Buffa, former Mayor of Costa Mesa and financial wealth manager. The duo creates a comedic routine, part roast and part toast interspersed with managing to sell the assortment of auction items that bring in dollars for scholars. This year, Wortmann and Buffa added the element of an “Ask” reaching out to the donors in the crowd to step up and underwrite scholarships in full. Major donors included Tom Anderson and Carlos Cruz, both $10,000 donors. Additional sponsors of note were Mathias Weber, Sean Brown, Jon Newton and Manny Khoshbin.

The event was originally the brainchild of retired hotelier Henry Schielein, Honorary Goodwill Ambassador of the Cigar. Schielein attended the evening joining a multitude of friends and community members. The Balboa Bay Club Smoker is considered one of the top two events of its kind in the country according to “Cigar Aficionado Magazine.” In the crowd were Tim Busch and son Garrett Busch, Kory Kramer, Steve Arnold, Todd Pickup, Joe Moody, Lynn Caswell, Lincoln Salazar, Jerry Johnson, Chris Luis, Greg Wilkinson, Gordon Strange, Paul Daftarian, McLean Bergeron and Tyke Camaras. Also on hand to support the event was Nancy Jones, General Manager of the Cubano Room, one of Newport’s premier cigar destinations. Jones joined television producer “Hammer” from Lido Live TV donating a produced 30-second commercial as one of the live auction items. 

Throughout the evening an assortment of the world’s finest cigars were distributed and enjoyed by guests as the sunset faded into the ocean beyond. With the fundraising totals for 2017, the Smoker has contributed a significant amount of the scholarship funding now exceeding $1.5 million granted to qualified graduating seniors from the Newport-Mesa High School district. Volunteers expect to raise upwards of $200,000 this year to fund the 2018 awards. 

At the end of each school year a panel of qualified judges interviews scholarship candidates nominated by local high school counselors. Each candidate is judged on multiple levels of merit including academic achievement (GPA and test scores), athletic accomplishment, leadership, community participation, creative and artistic pursuit, speaking and writing ability, as well as financial need.

Scholarships are awarded in June, presented at a family dinner banquet hosted by the Pickup and Martin families, owners of Balboa Bay Resort and Balboa Bay Club. Awards range from multiple $1,000 grants to $7,500 semifinalists to six $20,000 finalists. Students attend a wide variety of colleges and universities both in state and across the nation.

The BBC Scholarships are among the most generous offered in the Newport-Mesa community.

Little Island Bridge is celebrated

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On July 25, 2017, the City of Newport Beach and the Balboa Island community celebrated the opening of the newly reconstructed Park Avenue Bridge, affectionately known as the “Little Island Bridge.” The day’s festivities began with a resident appreciation luncheon sponsored by the project’s contractor, John S. Meek. Then, the community enjoyed a pre-event car show. The dedication ceremony began at 3 p.m. with Ken Yonkers, president of the Little Balboa Island Property Owners Association, Jack Callahan, president of the Balboa Island Improvement Association and Mark Vukojevic, city engineer, taking a moment to thank the Park Avenue Bridge project team. Boy Scout Troop 339 performed as the color guard for the Pledge of Allegiance and Monsignor Lawrence Baird of St. John Vianney Chapel on Balboa Island performed the invocation.

Newport Beach Mayor Kevin Muldoon welcomed the crowd and reminded us of how the value of money has changed as the original 1929 bridge was built for $25,000. He then spoke about the value of memories that are created on the Island, its boardwalk and this new bridge. Council Member Jeff Herdman, who grew up and currently resides on Little Balboa Island, spoke about his fond memories and took a moment to personally thank the residents living nearest the bridge for their patience during the year-long construction. He noted the communities appreciation and love of Balboa Island.

A representative from Congressman Dana Rohrabacher’s office and Assemblyman Matthew Harper were also in attendance and took a moment to congratulate the City, the Island community and the Public Works Department on completion of the project. Public Works Director Dave Webb capped the ceremony with the final recognition and invited the Mayor and City Council Members to cut the ribbon! After the ribbon was cut, the car show attendees drove across the bridge as the crowd cheered and waved them through.  Mayor Kevin Muldoon waved to the crowd as he was piloted across as the first passenger car to drive across the new bridge in an original 1965 Shelby Cobra driven by Tim MacDonald.

The Little Balboa Island Bridge spans the Grand Canal from Marine Avenue to Abalone Avenue and is the only connection between the two islands. The project was funded by a $9.1 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration Highway Bridge Program. To comply with the Balboa Island residents vision, the new bridge was designed to have similar features of the previous 88-year-old bridge. Improvements to the bridge included increasing the traffic lanes by one-foot, making the sidewalks two-feet wider and the historic stairs providing direct access from the Grand Canal Promenade were reconstructed.

Costa Mesa: The Table Near the Coast

By DUNCAN FORGEY

When I was a kid, Costa Mesa was often referred to as “Goat Hill”. This was the result of many decades of its agricultural successes. Costa Mesa High School has a horse as its mascot, the Orange County Fair landed in Costa Mesa in 1949, when the areaʻs many farms ranged from one to several hundreds of acres and farming was a way of life.

For many years, Newporters “drove through” Costa Mesa to get elsewhere. Santa Ana, Newport Beach, Disneyland, the mountains and deserts were all destinations to pass by the sleepy city with all the animals. A roller rink, bowling alleys, Boys and Girls Club, the Fair, OCC, jobs and shopping brought Newporters up the bluff to spend a lot of family time. With the coming of the 405 Freeway in the 1960s all of that was about to change. Costa Mesa was coming of age.

Small bands of Gabrieleno and Juaneno Indians living in and around the village of Lukup were the original founders of the area. These peaceful people wandered the hills and nearby beaches. Padres from the Capistrano Mission built an estancia near the Santa Ana River to service their cattle, thus embarking the Fathers on an evangelical mission to convert locals.

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Ozment General Store

In 1810 Jose Antonio Yorba, a Native American corporal assigned to the Portola exploration, was granted the 63,414 acre Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana representing lands including Costa Mesa, Santa Ana and much of central Orange County. From the 1870s, as activities of the McFadden brothers and their wharf increased, a road connecting Santa Ana to Newport Harbor was established. Costa Mesa stood in between.

Gregory Harperʻs farmland included the Newport Road which handled wagon and auto traffic to Newport Beach. Eventually a rail was built in 1891. The “Harper” settlement was the beginning of modern day Costa Mesa. Around it, embryonic Newport Heights, Santa Ana and Fairview tracts totaling 4,200 acres were established for subdivision.  Mostly “gentlemen farms”, these larger parcels of land soon became the catalyst for growth. Lots were bought, subdivided and sold for the next century. This resulted in todayʻs mix of single family homes, apartments and condos. As the population grew, this unincorporated area became known as the “table lands along the coast” or Costa Mesa.

Costa Mesaʻs first merchant and postmaster Walter Ozment, along with Henry Garlock, Robert Binkley and Charles Twinkle were a driving force in developing new businesses that depended heavily upon transient auto traffic along Newport Road. 

Nothing came easy. Costa Mesaʻs only bank failed after the Great Depression and the 1933 Long Beach Earthquake. Ethics based on hard work, agricultural lifestyles and deeply rooted self-sufficiency helped the sleepy township survive hard times better than many other Southern California communities. Still not a city, Costa Mesa showed spunk and determination.

The community was also opportunistic regarding the cities around it. Exploiting economic booms in Huntington Beach (oil), Newport Beach (mercantilism, fishing, tourism and development) and Santa Ana (the commercial center of early Orange County), Costa Mesa farmers and businessmen sold their products and eventually their lands. This later event opened up neighborhoods and commercial developments throughout the unincorporated city, reducing its dependence on farming.

World War II played a huge role in this development. The Santa Ana Army Air Base and adjacent Air Corps Training Center built on 400 acres worked with 150,000 candidates.  This experience exposed many young people to the fair weather and relaxed lifestyle of Southern California. Many chose to become residents.

After the war, this land became Orange Coast College, the Fairgrounds, Coast Mesa High School, a smaller National Guard unit and parklands. Additionally, nearby Glenn L. Martin Company and the Santa Ana Airport (John Wayne) were big booms to the area.

As late as 1949, Costa Mesa had no sewers, trash pick up, street lights, nor sidewalks. It had a voluntary fire department and a county sheriff to call for emergencies. In 1952, Heinz Kaiser, Robert Wilson and other civic leaders formed the Home Rule Group to incorporate “Goat Hill”. They were up against a small town conservatism that did not want change and Newport Beachʻs desire to annex Costa Mesa. With very little political clout, the Home Rule Group worked to get the necessary votes from its 18,000 residents. In two attempts, the proposal passed and by 1953 Costa Mesa was incorporated. 

Downtown Costa Mesa in 1954

Real development to the fledging city came with the 405 Freeway in 1964. This led to efforts by the Segerstrom family, which owned nearly 600 acres, the Sakioka family, 1,000 acres and George Argyrosʻs Arnel Company to open up large parcels of farmland for residential and commercial development.

Alongside incredible gains of population in Orange County and the growth of the Santa Ana airport, the emergence of numerous prominent religious leaders helped Costa Mesa attract residents and started a 40-year boom period. Pastor Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel, Paul and Jan Crouchʻs Trinity Broadcasting Network, and the venerable Southern California Bible College (Vanguard University) got the word to millions and millions that Costa Mesa was a “chosen place”.

Costa Mesa was also a big benefactor of the G.I. Bill. Government funding for veteransʻ housing after World War II became readily available and developers jumped into Costa Mesa. In the late 1940s and 1950s, residential neighborhoods popped up throughout the city. This influx of people led to further expansion of industrial, commercial and residential developments.

Orange County Fair

Examples of these post WWII neighborhoods are the Freedom Homes in the west, Mesa North whose streets were named after Presidents, College Park close to Orange Coast College and the fairgrounds, and Halecrest with its Irish-named streets. New housing and blue collar families seemed to pop up everywhere well into the 1970s followed by gneighborhoods on the bird streets, state streets, and, of course, Mesa Verde.

Costa Mesa has two high schools, three golf courses, multiple shopping centers, endless retail centers, restaurants and service retail, plus South Coast Plaza.

As Costa Mesa rapidly runs out of vacant lands, developers are aggressively taking larger commercial and manufacturing sites and replacing them with high density condominiums. Costa Mesa, no longer a quiet little town, is now, a burgeoning population center.

The farms are gone as is any semblance of rural America. Costa Mesa is centrally located in the new OC, and has started marketing itself as a city for the future. As old streets get a new look with brash new businesses, Costa Mesa no longer carries any semblance of “Goat Hill.” It is Orange Countyʻs leader in the arts with the Segerstrom Center for the Arts and its multiple venues.

Harbor Roller Rink

Costa Mesa is no longer simply a dirt “table” on the coast, but in some ways it has become a banquet table set with expensive linen, golden silverware and the finest of crystal. But underneath this lies the same country town that it has always been. Costa Mesa is a bridge to the future development of Orange County and due to its size and leadership, it is bent on further growth. 

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Duncan Forgey, who made his home here in Newport Beach for many years, now resides in Hawaii. He is a monthly contributor to StuNewsNewport.

Fun for the kiddos!

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Little Lido’s Kid’s Club is taking place today, July 27 from 10 to 11 a.m. Enjoy a silly book about a rude cake who learns a lesson, then be crafty and create a cake of your choice! Lots of shopping discounts, so be sure to RSVP to enter a drawing of the book of the day from Lido Village Books.

For more information and to register, visit www.lidomarinavillage.com.

Farm to Fork: A Foodie’s Point of View

By LANA JOHNSON

Pacific Wine & Food Classic at Newport Dunes coming in September

The Pacific Wine & Food Classic will celebrate the season with summer-inspired culinary bites, wine pairings and refreshing libations in a picturesque atmosphere surrounded by spirited jazzy music and soft ocean breezes at the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort on Saturday, August 19 and Sunday, August 20, 2017.

Enjoy delicious food from the region’s most talented chefs, wines from the best winemakers, hand crafted cocktails and live culinary entertainment by local celebrity chefs on the Fisher & Paykel/DCS Culinary Stage hosted by Food Network star, Simon Majumdar.

This elevated wine and food event invites guests to experience more than 100 stations with plenty of room to spread out and enjoy the incredible culinary experience in comfort.

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Executive Chef Brian Huskey of Tackle Box is among the featured chefs

This culinary event takes both days from 2 to 5 p.m. VIP admission is at 1 p.m. Single-day tickets: $150 GA, $200 VIP; Two-day tickets: $250 GA, $350 VIP. Purchase of VIP ticket grants 1-hour early admission, access to the Champagne Bubble Lounge and the Grassy VIP lounge overlooking the bay that will serve special bites and cocktails. VIP tickets are very limited.

Net proceeds will be given to Golden Rule charity, founded in order to give back and support those in need in the restaurant industry. It administers grants and acts as a liaison between the community and those faced with an unanticipated crisis, big or small.

For more information, visit www.pacificwineandfood.com.

Ciao Vincenza!

Hoag Neurosciences one of four selected by the NFLPA for Wellness Assessments

The Trust (Powered by the National Football League Player’s Association) recently announced the launch of the Milestone Wellness Assessment. This new assessment was designed to round out The Trust’s Medical/Wellness services by providing a comprehensive health assessment administered by a team of highly regarded medical partners to players who are more than 15 years removed from playing in the NFL.

According to Bahati VanPelt, Executive Director of The Trust, “We’ve spent the past three years listening to our former player population. An assessment created specifically for this segment of players became apparent early on. Working closely with our medical providers, we designed the Milestone Wellness Assessment to focus on internal medicine concerns which can arise as males get older.”

The Milestone Wellness Assessment is a set of comprehensive screenings, including but not limited to: hypertension/high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular profile, orthopedic and body composition. As with The Trust’s Brain and Body Assessment, Milestone Wellness Assessments will be administered by the following medical partners of The Trust, Cleveland Clinic, Hoag Neurosciences Institute, Tulane Institute of Sports Medicine and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

  “Hoag is pleased and privileged to partner in this crucial collaboration to help ensure access for former NFL players to outstanding medical care following their careers,” said Michael Brandt-Zawadzki, M.D.F.A.C.R., senior physician executive at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, and the Ron and Sandi Simon Executive Medical Director Endowed Chair of the Hoag Neurosciences Institute. “As the West Coast satellite location for our efforts together with the Cleveland Clinic, we are able to optimize the health of former NFL players through a proactive approach using the most advanced diagnostic capabilities and clinical expertise available. The Milestone Wellness Assessment will enable Hoag to expand the level of high-quality care made possible through The Trust to former players,” Brandt-Zawadzki said.

Once the assessments are completed, medical partners will provide the former player with recommendations containing a plan of action the former player can follow to ensure continuity of care at home. Annual follow ups with their personal primary care physician or specialist will be recommended. As with all of The Trust’s programs and services, a former player must have a minimum of two credited seasons to participate in the assessment.

Former players who are interested in activating their benefits and/or learning more about the Milestone Wellness Assessment contact The Trust via phone 866.725.0063, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or website http://playerstrust.com/get-started.

  The Trust is a set of resources, programs and services designed to provide former players with the support, skills and tools to help ensure success off the field and in life after football. The Trust emerged from the commitment of the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) and its members to ensure that players are provided access to benefits and services that assist in their success beyond the game of football. It culminates the hard-fought efforts of past and present CBA battles to better serve former NFL players. For more information, visit http://www.playerstrust.com.

NMUSD offers nutritious meals for those in need 

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Newport-Mesa Unified School District has announced its policy to serve nutritious meals every school day under the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and/or Afterschool Snack program. Effective July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018, children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals if the household income is less than or equal to the federal guidelines.

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Households do not need to turn in an application when the household receives a notification letter saying that all children automatically qualify for free meals when any household member receives benefits from CalFresh, CalWORKs or FDPIR. 

Children who meet the definition of foster, homeless, migrant, or runaway, and children enrolled in their school’s Head Start program are eligible for free meals. Contact school officials if any child in the household is not on the notification letter. The household must let school officials know if they do not want to receive free or reduced-price meals. 

Applications will be sent to the household with a letter about the free and reduced-price meal program. Households that want to apply for meal benefits must fill out one application for all children in the household and give it to the nutrition office at 2985 Bear Street, Building B, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. 

For a simple and secure method to apply, use the online application at http://nmusd.heartlandapps.com. Contact the Nutrition Services Office at 714.424.5090 for help filling out the application. The school will let you know if your application is approved or denied for free or reduced-price meals. 

Households may turn in an application at any time during the school year. If you are not eligible now, but your household income goes down, household size goes up, or a household member starts receiving CalFresh, CalWORKs or FDPIR, you may turn in an application at that time. Information given on the application will be used to determine eligibility and may be verified at any time during the school year by school officials. 

The last four digits of your Social Security number from any adult household, or a checking account number is required if you do not have a Social Security number for inclusion income on the application. 

Households that receive Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits, may be eligible for free or reduced-price meals by filling out an application. 

Foster children are eligible for free meals and may be included as a household member if the foster family chooses to also apply for the non-foster children on the same application. 

Your child’s eligibility status from the last school year will continue only until September 30, 2017 or until the school processes your new application, or your child is otherwise certified for free or reduced-price meals. After September 30, 2017, your child will have to pay full price for meals, unless the household receives a notification letter for free or reduced-price meals. School officials do not have to send reminder or expired eligibility notices. 

If you do not agree with the decision or results of verification, you may discuss it with school officials. You also have the right to a fair hearing, which may be requested by calling or writing the hearing official: Dale Ellis, Director, 2985 Bear Street, Building B, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, Phone: 714.424.5090.

Mesa Water continuing to sponsor NBLT nursery 

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Mesa Water District (Mesa Water®) recently announced its sponsorship of the Newport Banning Land Trust (NBLT) nursery located outside its office in Costa Mesa. This is the third consecutive year that Mesa Water® has sponsored the NBLT nursery and related planting activity.

Designed to grow native plants from seeds collected from Newport Banning Ranch, the nursery was developed during the second phase of the NBLT’s community-based Restoration Program. The Restoration Program was initiated on Earth Day in April 2014 with seed collection and continues, with oversight by volunteers, to grow and expand.

The clippings and seeds collected by volunteers during Phase One of the Restoration Program were planted in trays adjacent to the NBLT office. The trays were then transformed into a “proper” nursery with assistance from a group of graduate students from Cal Poly Pomona who designed and developed the final stages of the native plant nursery as a project for their Ecosystematic Design class.

Now managed by Maddy Letterman, an Environmental Studies and Biology student at Orange Coast College, the nursery is being updated with her supervision and she is also supporting NBLT’s effort to grow native plants for other restoration projects around Orange County.

With Mesa Water’s financial support, the nursery can continue to expand, add more trays and areas for plant growth within the given space. The purpose of the nursery is to replant the seeds gathered from Banning Ranch back on the land to restore the degraded areas.

Seed collection and planting events organized by NBLT occur bi-monthly. Volunteers meet monthly at the NBLT office in Costa Mesa and more volunteers are always welcomed.

For more information contact Robyn Vettraino at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 949.683.4645.

Letter to the Editor:

Peotter’s Plan is bad for Newport Beach

As someone who served with Scott Peotter on the Newport Beach Planning Commission, an issue that greatly concerns me is Mr. Peotter’s initiative to update the City General Plan. The current City Council has limited municipal planning experience thereby offering Mr. Peotter significant and undue influence in the General Plan update process. If he is successful, this will have negative impacts on Newport Beach neighborhoods for decades to come.

Mr. Peotter has outlined a plan for “trip based” zoning. While this may sound appealing, what he really wants to do is go to a trip-based zone program. This is what was used in Irvine for the Irvine Business Center (IBC) developments that has produced street after street of dense, higher rise development. Take a drive along Jamboree in Irvine at 5 p.m. to see the Peotter Plan in action. Mr. Peotter, of course, was an Irvine Planning Commissioner and was personally involved for years in approving development deals in that city. As with many issues, he wants to bring Irvine policies and development intensity to Newport Beach.

Mr. Peotter’s other idea is to institute “by right” development. This would give extraordinary development powers to the politically connected, and more importantly, would deny the public the opportunity to speak on major projects and influence the approvals by the Planning Commission and City Council.

As we saw with Museum House, Mr. Peotter is willing to go to extraordinary lengths to prevent the public from exercising its rights to be heard on development. He alone wrote an opinion piece defending his actions to subvert the petition process, and he refused to rescind the project approvals in spite of 14,000 resident signatures in opposition to this high-rise development.

Mr. Peotter is on record in support of raising the height limits on Lido and he was a consistent affirmative vote on the Planning Commission for larger and denser development.

The recall is not simply a matter of removing him from office a few months before the 2018 election, it is the best opportunity for residents to prevent him from locking his high-rise vision into our General Plan for a generation.

Mike Toerge

Corona del Mar

Jurassic Park on big screen while Pacific Symphony performs the score live

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It’s a soundtrack 65 million years in the making! Pass the popcorn and hold on tight as the action-packed blockbuster movie “Jurassic Park” is shown on the big screen, with John Williams’ thrilling score performed live by Pacific Symphony. 

Masterfully directed by Steven Spielberg and based on the novel by Michael Crichton, “Jurassic Park” transports the audience to a secluded island where scientists have succeeded in reviving the age of dinosaurs. One of the most thrilling science-fiction adventures ever made, and featuring one of Williams’ most iconic and beloved musical scores, “Jurassic Park” transformed the movie-going experience for an entire generation. It not only won three Academy Awards, “Jurassic Park” also became the highest-grossing film of its time in 1993. 

This exciting movie-concert experience takes place at the Pacific Amphitheatre at Orange County Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, the Symphony’s new summer home, where the orchestra continues to perform throughout the 2017 summer season.

The third concert of the series, “Jurassic Park,” led by Principal Pops Conductor Richard Kaufman, takes place Saturday, August 19 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25-$99. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 714.755.5799 or visit www.PacificSymphony.org.

Tourism Matters

Gary Sherwin

Newport Beach makes an impact

Newport & Co. President & CEO Gary Sherwin

Ah, summer. Long days, cool breezes and the busiest time of the year here in Newport Beach. Once again, people from around the world come to our very special place to not only soak up some sun but also enjoy our very enviable lifestyle. 

On the business side of things, July is also the start of our Fiscal Year, which means we take stock of the last year and add up the numbers. Once again, our conference sales team had another strong year and booked 84,520 room nights, which resulted in $21.3 million in revenue for our hotels and a total economic impact of $56,738,942 for the community (that includes not only hotels stays, but shopping at places like Fashion Island, dining in restaurants and enjoying harbor-related activities for example).

On the leisure side, which includes people who come just to vacation here, our specific campaigns generated 98,100 room nights with an economic value of $36.9 million. Add up both our conference and leisure marketing efforts and Visit Newport Beach generated $93.6 million in overall economic impact to the city.

It is worth noting that our visitors are critical to keeping your taxes as a resident of Newport Beach low. Without our visitors the average tax bill would go up nearly $1,000 per household if city services were kept at existing levels. And, without our visitors, the number of restaurants and great retail shopping simply could not continue unless everyone in town spent $36,628 more each year.

The year ahead will bring some interesting changes to Newport Beach. Not only will we welcome the highly anticipated 130-room Lido House Hotel on the peninsula, but the Duke Hotel (formerly the Fairmont Newport Beach) will become the Renaissance Newport Beach in early 2018 after an extensive remodel. The Radisson Newport Beach is also undergoing an extensive remodel and will reopen as the Hyatt Regency John Wayne Airport Newport Beach in the first quarter of 2018. (The existing Hyatt Regency on Jamboree won’t change).

Newport Beach is not alone on the new hotel front. Our neighbors to the north in Huntington Beach are opening a new addition at the Hilton in late summer that will add 192 ocean-front suites. That is great news for them, but it adds even more competition for visitor dollars. Anaheim will be adding more than 22,000 hotel rooms in the next few years including several four-star properties.

The best news for us is that Newport Beach continues to reinvent itself. In addition to the new hotels, we are seeing tremendous buzz over the new shops and restaurants at Lido Marina Village. And in just a few weeks, our retail centerpiece, Fashion Island, celebrates its 50th anniversary. The iconic center is always coming up with new ways to remain fresh, vital and take advantage of the latest trends.

So, savor those wonderful summer days and the good life in our wonderful community. And know that while we are enjoying them essentially for free, our visitors are paying for the privilege!

Journey Well,
Gary C. Sherwin
President & CEO
Newport Beach & Co.

Stump the Stu

Fish hooks seven correct answers

We couldn’t fool you with this school of fish in Fashion Island. Seven correct guesses came in: Kent Boom, Bill Finster, Tom Iovenitti, Chuck Galanti, Mike Glenn, Joe Stapleton and Sylvia Burnett. 

Take the challenge, and submit your answers to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The correct answers will be in Thursday’s edition.

If you have a unique spot or icon around town that you think StuNews readers would enjoy finding out about, please shoot it, share it and give us the answer, so we can challenge them!

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Call for artists for Art in the Park festival

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Submitted photo

The Newport Beach Arts Foundation will host its annual fundraiser, the Art in the Park arts and crafts festival, on Saturday, October 14, on the Newport Beach Civic Green.

Applications are now being accepted to participate at this event, featuring more than 100 Southern California artists and artisans, who will have their works for sale. Now in its 14th year, this widely publicized show is expected to attract 1,500 visitors and includes art activities for children provided by the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity.  

Booth space is limited and sells out every year. Applications must be postmarked by Friday, August 18, 2017. Vendors fees are available at www.newportbeachartinthepark.com.

Proceeds from this event will help to provide support for school tours, acquisition of significant works of art for the city, as well as arts and cultural programming in Newport Beach. 

The Festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is no charge for visitors and the public is invited. Children and pets are welcome.

The Civic Green at the Newport Beach Civic Center is located at 100 Civic Center Drive, Newport Beach.

Newport Beach Fire Department hosts significant other survival workshop

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Submitted photo

On Saturday, July 22, the Newport Beach Fire Department in partnership with Counseling Team International hosted a “Significant Other Survival” (SOS) workshop focusing on “fire family” wellness and the challenges affecting the firefighters and their close relationships. The interactive workshop covered some of the particular challenges firefighters and their spouses (and fiancées or significant others) face. First responders are subject to the same daily stressors as everyone else, but there are also stressors unique to public safety professionals. Firefighter careers can span 30 years or more, with firefighters dealing with sleep deprivation, effects from traumatic and emotional calls, death and near death experiences in both those they rescue and even their fellow firefighters. Many important family milestones are missed because of the hours worked, which can be between 56-120+ hours per week as well as the fact that it is a 24/7, 365 service that never stops. This means they are often away from their families during significant holidays, events, birthdays, anniversaries and home emergencies.

The workshop discussed the varied stressors that are part of being in “the fire family.” This enabled the significant others involved in the life of the firefighter to have a better understanding of the work issues involved and learn ways to assist their firefighter with these challenges. During the workshop, participants also learned about awareness and positive coping mechanisms to deal with these complex issues. The firefighters of the significant other attendees have careers spanning 1 to 30 or more years from various fire departments throughout Southern California. Due to the success of the first class, the Newport Beach Fire Department will be hosting another Significant Other Survival (SOS) class this fall.

For further information on the workshop, contact Newport Beach Fire Department EMS Division Chief Kristin Thompson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Pets of the Week

StuNewsNewport 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.”

Courtesy of Newport Beach 

Animal Shelter

MEET APPLE AND BARRY

Apple and Barry are seeking a loving home

Apple and Barry are 3-month-old Chihuahua mixes. They were raised in a foster home with children. They are spayed, neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. They weigh 3.5 lbs. each so they would be perfect in a small home, condominium or apartment.

Dogs - $130

Puppies - $150

Cats - $90

Kittens - $110

At any given time, the shelter can have 4 - 5 dogs and 7 - 8 cats/kittens available for adoption. At times, they receive owner turn-ins that would do best adopted out together. 

If you are interested in finding out more about Barry and Apple, or any other animals up for adoption, the Newport Beach Animal Shelter is located at 20302 Riverside Drive, Newport Beach. It is open daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 949.644.3656. Email Valerie Schomburg at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

To find out how you can help support the shelter, visit www.nbpd.org and click on “Our Animal Shelter” to view the wish list. They can always use food & treats; new toys; grooming, hygiene & comfort products; as well as laundry soap, dish soap, paper towels, sponges & scrub pads and lint rollers. If you are interested in volunteering, you can fill out and sign the application on the website.

OC Fair Update!

Submitted photo

Centennial Farm welcomes new piglets! Violet, the 2-year-old sow, gave birth to a litter of adorable piglets!

“Everyone’s gone hog wild about the birth of Violet’s piglets,” said Evy Young, Centennial Farm Supervisor.

In fact, the Farm will be planning a birthday party for the piglets on Sunday, July 30 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

In the meantime, you can visit the days-ole piglets at Centennial Farm anytime during regular OC Fair hours.

After visiting Centennial Farm, here are four other things to enjoy this week.

1. See talented Jr. Chefs compete (Thursday, July 27, 3 p.m., OC Promenade Culinary Arts) – Mason Partak (winner of Chopped Jr.) and Sean Le (MasterChef Jr.) will go head to head on the main culinary stage.

2. Watch monster trucks in all their glory (July 26-30, Action Sports Arena) – The TRAXXAS Monster Truck Destruction Tour will roar its engines during the third week of the OC Fair. This action-packed show is not to be missed.

3. Rock out with Sweet & Tender Hooligans (Saturday, July 29, 8:30 p.m., The Hangar) – Every day is like a Sunday with this Morrissey and The Smiths tribute band. Led by Jose Maldonado, Sweet & Tender Hooligans will perform everything from “What Difference Does It Make?” to “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out.”

4. Get a sweet tooth at the sugar arts demonstration (Sunday, July 30, 5 p.m., OC Promenade Culinary Arts) – Award winning patisserie chef Stéphane Tréand will create a highly technical sculpture in front of a live audience. The theme? “Farm Fresh Fun,” of course!

The OC Fair runs through August 13, offering nightly entertainment, food, rides, shopping, exhibits and more. It is open Wednesdays through Fridays from noon to midnight, and Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to midnight. For more information, visit www.ocfair.com.

Passenger counts at JWA are flat year-over-year 

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Submitted photo

Airline passenger traffic at John Wayne Airport decreased in June 2017 as compared with June 2016. In June 2017, the Airport served 902,059 passengers, a decrease of 0.1% when compared with the June 2016 passenger traffic count of 902,673.

Commercial aircraft operations decreased 2.5 percent and commuter aircraft operations decreased 50.9 percent when compared with June 2016 levels.

Total aircraft operations increased in June 2017 as compared with the same month in 2016. In June 2017, there were 25,482 total aircraft operations (take-offs and landings), a 1.1 percent increase compared to 25,211 total aircraft operations in June 2016.

General aviation activity, which accounted for 69.7 percent of the total aircraft operations during June 2017, increased 3.1 percent when compared with June 2016.

The top three airlines in June 2017 based on passenger count were Southwest Airlines (345,331), American Airlines (161,855) and United Airlines (141,628).

Newport Beach – A Look Back 

Photo series courtesy of Balboa Island Museum & Historical Society

The Duke, of course. John Wayne at the helm of his yacht, the Wild Goose, 1971.

Visit Balboa Island Museum at 331 Marine Ave., Balboa Island. It is open Tuesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Museum Store is open Tuesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 949.675.3952. www.balboaislandmuseum.org

New principal named for Back Bay/Monte Vista 

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Newport-Mesa Unified School District (NMUSD) is pleased to announce the selection of Marc Trocchio as the new principal of Back Bay/Monte Vista High School. Trocchio has nearly 20 years of experience in education. He is known for his ability to connect with students, staff and parents to develop trust that contributes to a positive and cohesive school environment. 

“I pride myself on being student focused, responsive and open minded when discussing placement of students,” said Trocchio. “I am excited to collaborate with colleagues on the alternative education needs of our students,” he said.

Trocchio most recently served as assistant principal of Marina High School and Fountain Valley High School for the Huntington Beach Union High School District. He also has served as assistant principal of San Dieguito Academy and La Costa Canyon High School for the San Dieguito Union High School District. Trocchio began his career as a guidance counselor and teacher.

“Mr. Trocchio’s background in counseling and administrative leadership, make him an ideal leader for our alternative education program,” said Chief Academic Officer Russell Lee-Sung.

Some of Trocchio’s administrative experiences include successfully implementing restorative practices, overseeing student safety and discipline, developing staff collaboration time and Professional Learning Communities. He has collaborated among various district departments and school sites to create comprehensive counseling and wellness programs, develop master schedules, lead WASC teams and manage special education cases. 

Trocchio is married to his wife Kelli, and they have three kids; Jack (12), Ben (10) and Mary Jean (5).

Trocchio’s appointment is scheduled for ratification by the Board of Education at the August 22, 2017 board meeting. His transition to NMUSD is being finalized with his current district.

Guest Column

Dave Kiff

An insider’s look at what’s going on in and around City Hall

Newport Beach City Manager Dave Kiff  

Here’s what’s in store for the Newport Beach City Council meeting planned for Tuesday, July 25, 2017. We’re probably back to a fairly long meeting again, after the luxury of an 8:00-ish end to the last one. It was still light out.

Remember that I don’t summarize every item on the agenda, so make sure you look at the City Clerk’s agenda page to read the whole agenda if you’d like. 

There are a couple of noteworthy items on study session, which begins at 4 p.m.:

 Our annual visit from Visit Newport Beach and Newport Beach and Company, as they review the year past and look forward to the year ahead in Newport Beach tourism and destination marketing (among other things). The VNB/NB & Co folks, led by Gary Sherwin, are always among the best in the business at what they do.

•And then there is wastewater rates. After a detailed study of our capital and operating needs, we’ll be asking the Council and the public to consider allowing the rates to be adjusted upward to cover sewer costs, as is typical of an “enterprise fund” within government. Our sewer operations consist of about 20 different pump stations (our geography makes moving wastewater more expensive and complex than a relatively flat inland city), many miles of a collection system, a bazillion sewer laterals to homes, and the staff to keep all of that running and from spilling into the Bay. In Newport, we don’t treat the sewage – that goes to the Orange County Sanitation District and you pay for that differently via your property tax bill. The wastewater rate appears on your municipal services statement. This study session item is but one chance for the Council and community to understand the system’s obligations and to weigh in on any concerns about a rate increase. However, at a later date (likely in September 2017), the public has a formal chance to support or protest the possible rate increase via a public hearing.   

Following closed session items, the evening’s Regular Session will start at 7 p.m. Here are the items that may be of interest to you:

A labor agreement with the association that represents our seasonal lifeguards.

A new contract that continues our relationship with our Huntington Beach neighbors, as they provide a PD helicopter to assist our PD in crime suppression.

The routine – but still very special and very appreciated – annual donation of a whopping $250,000 from the Friends of the Newport Beach Library. Each sale of a $1 or $2 book adds up, and the Friends are very gracious about putting that money back into more materials and programming at the NBPL. Thank you, Friends!!

A-Frame signs may be coming to the Lido Marina Village area, just as they have been allowed in Corona del Mar. A-Frame signs are not allowed on public spaces as marketing tools in other parts of town, generally.

Council will review an appraisal for and an update of rents that commercial pier permit holders pay in Newport Harbor. These include large and small marinas and more, when they are over public (and City-held) tidelands.

Council will be asked to consider sending the Coastal Commission a plan to allow residents along the oceanfront in Balboa Peninsula Point to keep (and pay fees upon) their use of about 15’ of City right-of-way that is coastward of their properties. The fate of the plan ultimately will rest with the Coastal Commission, as the Commission considers whether these encroachments are appropriate even with a fee.

State law has recently changed in regards to allowing accessory dwelling units in residential areas (aka Granny Units). The State has been trying to get more housing units built, recognizing a shortage in California of good housing. State law allows cities to make some modifications as we allow these units, and the Planning Staff and the Planning Commission have developed a proposal for Council to consider.  

That’s a lot of stuff. There are more items, but I don’t want to overwhelm you. Again, please check out the agenda in full if you’d like.

Community Notes:

A heads-up to our Newport Heights neighbors. The removals of some of the eucalyptus along 15^th Street (Heights, not 15th Street on the Peninsula) will be occurring early this week, maybe as early as today (Monday) morning. These are being removed to accommodate the new sidewalk along the coastward side of 15th Street from about Newport Heights Elementary to Irvine Avenue. 

At long last, the Little Island Bridge (aka the Park Avenue Bridge) is about to open back up. After a long and tight-quartered construction project, this once-in-a-lifetime effort to replace (entirely) a very important accessway for traffic, peds, bikers, and utilities from Balboa Island to Little Balboa Island will be all done on Tuesday July 25th. The detour bridge will then come down, likely over a short period of time. Big kudos to our Public Works team, led by Dave Webb and Mark Vukojevic, our contractor, and to the patience of the “four corners” residents (the residents who had to experience all of this on each side of the bridge for way too long) for getting us to this point. Someday they’ll write a book about it.   

The Aviation Committee – which has not met for a long time – will meet at 4 p.m. on Monday, July 24th. There is a lot to talk about, especially in regards to the FAA’s NextGen efforts and new flight paths out of JWA. The Committee meets at City Hall in the Community Room. All are welcome to attend. 

This coming week is the final working week for Community Development Director Kim Brandt. This is a week I’d hoped would never come, but retirement (and a new grandson) is beckoning for Kim. Kim was our first Community Development Director (in a very long time), as it was her assignment to combine the Building and Planning Departments into one department that provided for a more seamless customer service experience and better coordinated work. Her project accomplishments are many – from the management of the department to the LCP/IP to her assistance with Marina Park, Sunset Ridge Park, the Lido House Hotel, and many more. She leaves the department in great shape, with some of the best personnel that I have seen in this field. All the same, Kim’s are tough shoes to fill. Kim has my deepest admiration and thanks – I am so honored that she spent the years she did with me, the CD Department, the management team, and the community of Newport Beach.    

That’s it for now, thanks for reading. Please forward this Guide to family, friends and members of your HOA if you represent one. I always like hearing from you, too, so please don’t hesitate to ask a question or offer a comment. 

Sincerely,

Dave Kiff

City Manager

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

949-644-3001

Assistance League of Newport-Mesa Honors 13 High School Seniors for their Years of Service

Photo courtesy of Gilmore Studios

(Top Row:) Margaux Brook, Margret Osumi, Katie Hendrix, Isabelle Dajee

(Middle Row:) Ashley Obuljen, Chloe Goble, Sierra Muehlhauser, Julia David

(Bottom Row:) Clara Eddy, Camile El-Bayar, Katelynn Kelly, Jessica Saucedo, Callie Spooner

Thirteen graduating seniors of Assistance League of Newport-Mesa Assisteens® Auxiliary were honored recently at the 26th Annual Medallion Recognition Ball held in the Ballroom at the Island Hotel in Newport Beach on Saturday, June 25. All of the debutantes were marking the end of their years of community service as members of Assisteens, an auxiliary of Assistance League of Newport-Mesa.  

Membership is open to young people in grades 7-12. The purpose of participation is to support the philanthropic programs of Assistance League of Newport-Mesa and to develop social responsibility within the community through volunteerism, personal responsibility, self-reliance, and leadership. 

Through four years of service, this class of Assisteens has volunteered close to 3,500 hours for Assistance League.

The evening’s festivities began with formal portraits of the debutantes greeting the guests in the pre-function area while they enjoyed passed hors d’oeuvres. 

The ballroom was decorated with breathtaking flower arrangements supplied by Elegant by Design; this included antique and white imported Hydrangea, green Cymbidium orchids, succulents, Mondail roses, white Dendrobium orchids and a medley of greenery that included hanging Amaranthus, Italian Ruskus and Seeded Eucalyptus. 

Each debutante wore a traditional long, white gown and evening gloves and carried a 12” pomander, otherwise known as the kissing ball, made of white roses, orchids and greenery held with a white ribbon. Once she was announced, each debutante performed the classic St. James bow, a straight-back deep knee-bend.

She then crossed the ballroom on the arm of her father, to present her mother with a long-stemmed duet rose and then joined her sister debutantes on the opposite stage.  

Once all 13 debutantes were presented, they once again executed the St. James Bow as a group to a captivated audience of 220 friends and family members. After descending the stage, the young ladies performed a traditional waltz with their fathers and then with their escorts.  

Family and friends concluded the Medallion presentation ceremony with a champagne and sparkling cider toast to the debutantes. The rest of the evening included a three-course dinner and ended with dancing until late evening.

“It was a beautiful evening celebrating these accomplished young ladies before they leave for various colleges across the country. The night also included the presentation of an engraved commemorative classic microphone to Dale Johnston who has been the Master of Ceremonies for the Medallion Recognition Balls for over 20 years”, said Barbara Fitch Co-chair Medallion Recognition Ball 

The 2017 Debutantes were: Margaux Michelle Brook, Julia Barbara David, Isabelle Marie Dajee, Clara Catherine Eddy, Camile El-Bayar, Chloe Paige Goble, Katie Louise Hendrix, Katelyn Marie Kelly, Sierra Maria Muehlhauser, Margaret Jane Osumi, Ashley Noelle Obuljen, Jessica Lorraine Saucedo and Callie Karinna Spooner.

Celebrating its 77th anniversary in the community, Assistance League of Newport-Mesa began in Newport Beach with a small group of women wanting to make a difference in the lives of children. Today, the four philanthropic programs, Cheri Harris Dental Center, Operation School Bell®, Scholarship Program and The Kids on the Block are completely self-funded through grants, endowments, fundraising events, private donations and proceeds from the on-site shops and are staffed by member volunteers.

Vintage auto photos on display at JWA 

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Submitted photo

Now through August 17, 2017, a series of photographs inspired by Tom Griffithe’s time as a track photographer for the Vintage Auto Racing Association (VARA), will be on display at John Wayne Airport (JWA) as part of JWA’s Community Focus Space Program (CFS). 

These works can be viewed on the Departure (upper) Level near security screening areas in Terminals A, B and C, and on the Arrival (lower) Level adjacent to Baggage Carousels 1 and 4.

“Through his use of vivid colors and creative digital imagery, Mr. Griffithe portrays the energy in its most visceral form,” said Board Chairwoman Michelle Steel. “John Wayne Airport guests are fortunate to be able to see this exhibit’s thrilling vitality.”

Initially, most of Griffithe’s race photos were pure unabridged photography. Through the use of creative plug-ins, the drama and visual excitement for this exhibit has been heightened. Some of the racecars are posed resembling sculptures and yet others demonstrate pure grit.

Griffithe is a visual artist who uses photography with innovative digital tools to enhance the visual works while maintaining artist/photographer control. Of all of his photography experiences, shooting auto racing is his most exciting. From the roaring header exhaust to the smell of the fuel – capturing the color, energy and competitive atmosphere was essential. “My array of subjects tends to be eclectic but I do have a passion for the earthy or gritty. I love subject matter that is aged. They speak to me of two purposes, first the initial form and usefulness and second, its artistic display, almost a metamorphosis.”

Griffithe is a retired graphic design manager and a graduate of California State University, Long Beach Art Department. Mr. Griffithe has exhibited and won awards at the Hubbard Museum of the West, New Mexico, the Orange County Fair, and multiple Photographic Society of America International Salons. He has been featured in several publications such as the California Coastal Commission’s Beaches and Parks in Southern California, Anaheim Magazine, OC The Place, the Humane Society’s All Animals, and The Orange County Register. As a member of the Orange County Fine Art Association, he exhibited at the Showcase Gallery in Costa Mesa and the Avante Garden Gallery in Santa Ana. VARA awarded Griffithe with their Jolly Award for vintage auto racing photograph excellence. The automobile racing magazine Victory Lane published a feature article about the photographer and has published other articles written by the photographer with his contributing photographs. The most recent was an article about the restoration of a 1981 Indy race car in the May 2017 issue.

Please visit https://tom-griffithe.pixels.com/ for more information about Tom Griffithe’s work.

Fair Game

By TOM JOHNSON

BYC wins Governor’s Cup for first time in 37 years

Get the champagne out they’re celebrating at the Balboa Yacht Club (BYC). Oh wait, the kid that won the Governor’s Cup, the oldest youth match racing regatta in the world, is only 20 years old.

Make that Bosco and milks all around.

Any way, Christophe Killian, 20, sailing out of the BYC beat Leonard Takahasi and the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron 3-1 in the best-of-five finals in the 51st Governor’s Cup.

Killian, had a great week, going 9-2 in the round-robin first-round to position himself and his crew in second only to Harry Price of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA), who finished the opening round at 11-0.

In the round two round-robin Price again won with a 10-1 record. Killian finished second at 9-2.

As they approached the semi-finals, Killian beat Christopher Weis, out of Del Rey Yacht Club, 3-0.

However, in the other semi, Takahasi upset Price, 3-1.

For Killian and his crew, the win ended a 37 year-drought since the last time a BYC team won. Joining Killian were Harrison Vandervort and Jack Martin.

Here’s a list of the final standings:

The yacht clubs participating were: Balboa Yacht Club (BYC), Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS), Del Rel Yacht Club (DRYC), Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA), the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC), the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (RFBYC), the Weymouth Sailing Club (WSC), Cambridge University (CUCC), the Davis Island Yacht Club (DIYC) and the Newport Harbor Yacht Club (NHYC).

Other former BYC winners of the Governor’s Cup are Argyle Campbell (1967, 1968), Andy Rose (1969, 1970), Mark Rastello (1974), Brad Wheeler (1978, 1979) and Jack Franco (1980).

The last local winner of the event was Michael Menninger (2007, 2008) from the Newport Harbor Yacht Club.

This is a big deal, congrats to the BYC!

• • •

Recently I’ve been attending St. Andrews Presbyterian on the fringes. It’s hard to explain. Let’s just say I get my mother there every week and stay as long I can before heading off to the radio show at 11 a.m.

I can only imagine what it’s been like to be a parishioner of St. James the Great church in Newport Beach. 

Two years ago this Bishop, J. Jon Bruno decides he’s going to sell the church grounds. Obviously, the congregants fight it.

Well, this past week the national Episcopal Church, of which St. James is a member, has proposed suspending Bruno for three years and returning the church to the parishioners.

That would definitely be a win for Newport Beach! Stay tuned.

• • •

Did you check out Dave Kiff’s letter in today’s StuNewsNewport, he lets the community know that Kim Brandt, Community Development Director, is calling it a career after this week.

As Kiff says, apparently she has a “new grandson” that’s calling her elsewhere.

Kudos to Brandt for a job well done and a resume loaded with accomplishments.

Speaking of resignations, how about the hit the Daily Pilot took last week, and more importantly, the bigger hit that the community takes. Sports Editor Steve Virgen and long-time sports reporter Barry Faulkner both took buy-outs offered by the Los Angeles Times, owner of the Daily Pilot.

Many in the community think sports is the backbone of the Pilot, it’ll be interesting to see where they go from here.

As for Barry, wishing him the best. He’s darn good.

As for Virgen, I’d love to make him part of StuNews, and trust me, I’ve had calls supporting that idea.

Who knows, with a few more advertisers and readers sharing our website with friends, we might be able to get there.

B-t-w, we have a pretty good story these days about our growing subscriber base. If you’re trying to reach Newport Beach we definitely are worth a look.

Stump the Stu

Can you I.D. this school…of fish?

This school of fish resides in Newport Beach. We know you’ve seen the, but where are they?

Take the challenge, and submit your answers to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The correct answers will be in Thursday’s edition.

If you have a unique spot or icon around town that you think StuNews readers would enjoy finding out about, please shoot it, share it and give us the answer, so we can challenge them!

Click on photo for a larger image

Dogs off leash and on stage for concert series

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Submitted photo

The Newport Beach City Arts Commission is pleased to announce that the Newport Beach summer Concerts on the Green will feature Tijuana Dogs on Sunday, August 6 at the Newport Beach Civic Center, 100 Civic Center Drive.

Tijuana Dogs is a popular Southern California band founded by Matt Mauser in 1997 and comprised of world-class musicians Mike Holowatch, Dave Murdy, Daniel Pearson and Jason Toney. Together they deliver a high-energy performance of eclectic mix of rock, R& B, jazz, country, and pop.

Admission to the concert is free and free parking is available in the Civic Center parking structure. The concert begins at 6 p.m. but concertgoers are encouraged to come early and bring a picnic dinner or purchase food and refreshments from food trucks that will be on site. Attendees should also bring low-slung beach chairs and blankets for the outdoor event. No alcohol.

For more information about concerts or other cultural arts programs in the City of Newport Beach please go to the City’s Cultural Arts webpage at www.newportbeachca.gov/CulturalArts.

The ENC is hiring

The Environmental Nature Center is searching to hire a new part time Naturalist. The Naturalist/Camp Teacher is responsible for teaching outdoor environmental and social science education programs to children.

The Naturalist/Camp Teacher’s goals are to encourage students’ awareness and appreciation of the environment, broaden students’ knowledge of science concepts, and foster students’ commitment to the protection of the natural environment. The Naturalist/Camp Teacher is also responsible for creating and implementing age and theme-appropriate curriculum for the sessions of camp they are scheduled to teach.

For more information, visit www.encenter.org.

Ruby’s Diner celebrates Burger Day

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Submitted photo

Ruby’s Diner welcomes back Burger Day on Wednesday, July 26. They will offer the new 35th Anniversary Burger – a 1/4 lb. version of the classic RubyBurger, with French fries for just $2.99. For each burger purchased, $1 of each sale will benefit The Ruby Dooby Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting the health and well-being of children. Inspired by Ruby Cavanaugh herself, the Foundation aims to continue Ruby’s legacy of selfless and sincere care for others. www.RubyDoobyFoundation.org

Head over to Ruby’s Diner at 2305 E. Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. Visit www.Rubys.com. This offer is not available at Ruby’s Shake Shack in Newport Coast.

Lynn’s Spin

By LYNN SELICH

Good Clean Fun in Support of the 1/1

Last Saturday I joined my fellow advisory board members from the Newport Beach 1st Battalion, 1st Marines Foundation for the second of our summertime car wash fundraisers at the Newport Dunes Resort and Marina, along with 35 strapping Marines from the 1/1 stationed at Camp Pendleton, and boy did we have a ball! But what was truly inspiring and worth the sun burnt shoulders was the turnout from the community, as well as those visiting our fair city in support of our troops.

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Photos Courtesy of the 1st Battalion, 

1st Marines Foundation

You may have seen some of the Marines along PCH or Jamboree with directional signs. It’s amazing how spontaneously people choose to stop in when they see them on the side of the road. Cars were lined up all day, but what is always a delight are those people who cruise by on their bikes or stop the guys on the street and give them money and a sincere “thank you for your service.”

At last month’s car wash we had a lady come by with her kids with bags full of In-n-Out burgers and fries, and even though The Dunes generously donates a delicious barbeque luncheon for the guys, those burgers and fries were chowed-down without hesitation. Can those guys eat! A steady stream of cookies and other treats are usually dropped off throughout the day as well, so thank you to whomever you are for your kindness and support! 

One strapping vet on a long day ride came by and dropped $200 into the kiddy with a warm and deep-voiced “Semper Fidelis Gentlemen” – which was promptly answered with a hearty “Oorah!” from all the Marines with respect to those who served before them. Too cool.  

I was sorely disappointed when one young Marine came in from sign duty for lunch to tell us that a Porsche full of young people flipped him the bird. Wow. Really?  Shame! But otherwise, the day was filled with laughter, friendly jibbing only Marines can conjure up and generosity of spirit and purse by the community.  

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The funds we raise through these summertime car washes are used primarily to offset the cost of attending the annual Marine Corps Birthday Ball for the lower-ranking enlisted Marines and their wives or dates. The USMC will celebrate its 242nd year on November 10; a date I am proud to say coincides with my own birthday. 

I’ve written in the past about how the citizens of Newport Beach adopted the 1/1 (1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division) in 2003. Since then, our great community has supported 1/1 Marines, Sailors & their families while at their home base on Camp Pendleton, and when the battalion is deployed. 

With members of the 1/1 recently returning from a combat deployment in the Middle East and other parts of the world, they are looking forward to attending the unit’s Marine Corps Birthday Ball, always the most celebrated event of the year at Camp Pendleton.

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The mission of the Newport Beach 1/1 Foundation as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization is to provide community and financial support to the men and families of the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines both during overseas deployments and when training for the next deployment. 

I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention the highly anticipated September 18th Newport Beach Police Association Charitable Foundation Golf Classic, this year being held at the exquisite Newport Beach Country Club.  Not to be missed, it’s one of the best golf tourneys of the year in Newport, and reservations are going fast thanks to the success of last year’s event at Big Canyon.  For more information and to register, log on to www.nbpagolfclassic.org. I’ll be there again this year handing out fine cigars to players – always a fun day!

Finally, a big shout-out to Newport Dunes for again generously allowing the Marines to use the car wash facility on their premises and the barbeque for the volunteers. It’s a beautiful waterfront location for us to raise funds and have some good clean fun. Mark your calendars for our third and final car wash on Saturday, August 12 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.  

The cost of each car wash is suggested at $20, but any donation amount is appreciated. Suffice it to say, if it’s the most expensive car wash you ever pay for, it will be worth every penny.

  For more information about how you can support the 1/1 visit: www.oneonemarines.com. 

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Avid boater, Lynn Selich is currently the Chair of the Newport Beach City Arts Commision and a 1st Battalion, 1st Marines Foundation board member. She resides in Newport Beach. She is a contributing columnist to StuNewsNewport. Reach her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Fair Game

By TOM JOHNSON

“Love shack, baby, love shack”

When my daughter was going through her younger years, birthdays always seemed to be celebrated at Benihana. I’m sure it’s the same today, as kids love the antics of the chefs: shrimp in the hat, knife flips and the always entertaining around the back pass. 

Like every other kid, my daughter loved it.

But one particular visit, on an early teen birthday, she convinced me on the way in or out to let her sing karaoke in the bar. We hung around, so she went up and put her name on the list.

We waited.

Finally the call came, “Ashley Johnson, you’re up!”

There I was, proud father standing in the wings, beaming for that moment above moments.

She took the stage.

Now I remind you again, she was young!

All of a sudden the music comes up and my daughter is singing “Love Shack” by the B-52’s in front of a bunch of people who’ve had too much to drink.

Now, I don’t know if you know the words of “Love Shack,” but it certainly wasn’t the kind of song my daughter should have been singing at her age.

It could have gotten ugly. Fact of the matter is, she had a bad voice, too, but that’s another story. 

The crowd was kind.

I was mortified.

So, where we headed tonight, you ask? 

Well, after all these years my daughter and I are heading out to see the B-52’s performing with the Pacific Symphony at the Orange County Fair.

I’m excited.

And, as the years have gone by, I’ve never forgotten that one visit to Benihana. 

That being said, my daughter is now 34. I’ll probably have the “talk” with her over dinner before the concert so that this time around she can truly understand what the lyrics mean. 

I figure it’s about time to let go.

• • •

Werner Escher, a longtime Newport Beach resident, who passed last January, is being honored Monday, July 24, by the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce at the Werner Escher Community Golf Classic. 

Escher, of course, was the executive director of domestic and international markets for South Coast Plaza. He was with the Segerstrom organization for nearly 50 years.

The tournament will be held at Mesa Verde Country Club.

Third Annual Divas Concert features acclaimed vocalists

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Vocalist Darby Walker

Acclaimed performers from “The Voice,” Maiya Sykes and Darby Walker, will join other female vocalists Gia Ciambotti, Tricia Freeman, Ava Licon (age 16) and Emerson Coulston (age 9) in raising money for a free girls’ self-esteem program at the 3rd annual Divas Benefit Concert. The fundraiser takes place Sunday, July 30 beginning at 6 p.m. at Campus JAX restaurant, 3950 Campus Drive, Newport Beach.

Tricia Freeman has shared the stage with the likes of Spencer Davis Group, Little River Band, Olivia Newton-John, Missing Person, Eric Burdon and the Animals, Eddie Money, Al Green and John Fogerty.

Gia Ciambotti joined Bruce Springsteen as a back-up vocalist for his worldwide tour and she has worked as a session singer for artists such as Lucinda Williams, Natalie Cole, Chicago, and others.

Two up and comers, Ava Lincon from the Boys and Girls Club and Emerson Coulston, will be two of the youngest Divas to take the stage.

The Divas Concert, sponsored by the Women’s Journey Foundation (WJF) will help raise funds for more than 400 at-risk girls, ages 8 through 18, to participate in free self-esteem program produced by the WJF.

Concert tickets are $35 per person.

For more information, visit http://womensjourneyfoundation.org/our-events/

Youth Wind Ensemble wins Vienna competition

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Submitted photo

Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble, which recently completed a European tour, was awarded first place in the symphonic band division of the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival and Competition in Vienna. 

The Wind Ensemble, performing under the baton of its Music Director Gregory X. Whitmore, joined 34 other ensembles from around the world for the festival, held July 7–12, and shares the first place award with the Osaka High School Symphonic Band of Japan. 

Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble was one of only three U.S. ensembles to travel to Austria for the festival and the only ensemble representing the western region of the United States. 

International Youth Music Festival has become one of the most prestigious youth festivals in the world, bringing together the very best youth orchestras, choirs and bands from 13 countries and five continents for five days of fulfilling music making in Vienna. 

While at the festival, Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble not only participated in Summa Cum Laude Festival’s prestigious competition held in the famed Golden Hall of the Musikverein, but also attended interactive workshops and educational lectures conducted by members of the festival’s orchestra jury at the University of Music in Vienna. 

“We’re proud of the accomplishments of Pacific Symphony’s Youth Wind Ensemble. Under the outstanding leadership of conductor and educator, Gregory Whitmore, they have proven that Orange County has tremendous talent and can rival their peers from around the world. Competitions, however, are only one benchmark for the Symphony’s instrumental training program.

Above all, we want students fall in love with making music together, deepen their knowledge of the range and depth of music, and inspire their curiosity for lifelong learning.