Wednesday 2/6/12
The city of Costa Mesa announced changes in the funding of
retirement for top employees.
Costa Mesa spokesperson Dane Bora, "The top leaders for the city of
Costa Mesa have volunteered to pay 39% of their pension costs, which
is the highest rate possible, saying they need to set the example of
contributing their full retirement share to help insure the city's
finances are sustainable. The employee contribution will be one of the
highest in California for public workers. The move to increase pension
contributions will effect eight city executives and the estimated
annual taxpayer savings from the increased contributions, including
the fire chief's share, is more than $50,000."
Wednesday 1/25/12
The Newport Mesa Unified School District Board of Education
unanimously fired Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Hubbard, who was recently
convicted of two felonies from when he was Beverly Hills
superintendent. He is temporarily replaced by Deputy Superintendent
Paul Reed.
Newport Beach hired Scott Poster as its new Fire Chief, starting
February 6th. Poster was a deputy fire chief for the Los Angeles
County Fire Department.
New Costa Mesa Assistant CEO Rick Francis is diving into tough
issues facing Costa Mesa.
Costa Mesa spokesperson Dane Bora explains, "The city is launching
a quality of life task force designed to tackle some of the most
stubborn challenges that Costa Mesa faces. Under the direction of
Assistant CEO Rick Francis, the interdepartmental group will focus on
problem motels, rehabilitation houses, and other properties that tend
to create crime and other problems for the city."
Friday 1/13/12
A minivan with tourists from Taiwan was accidentally pushed into
Newport Bay this morning.
The van was rear-ended by a woman driving a black Mercedes on the
Balboa Island Ferry.
The occupants, a man, woman, and children aged four and six, were
rescued by the ferry driver and city lifeguards. Nobody was hurt. The
van sank within seconds of the rescue.
Fire department spokesperson Jennifer Schulz said the woman driver
claimed her accelerator got stuck.
This report includes news gathered by Amy Senk of Corona del Mar
Today and is used by permission.
Thursday 1/12/12
Newport Beach junior lifeguard Alex Davis received a heroic act
award from the United States Lifesaving Association and a proclamation
from the city of Newport Beach.
Lifeguard Assistant Chief Rob Williams described Alex Davis’ heroism:
“While attending the beach with his mother on August 16th, 2011,
Alex Davis, an 11 year old Newport Beach junior lifeguard observed six
year old Chad Wadsworth attempting to skim board between life guard
towers P and L. Suddenly Chad was struck by a large backwash, which
caused him to fall in the shore break, whereupon he was immediately
swept into the impact zone. At this time the surf was breaking
approximately six feet due to strong south swells. Alex, without
regard to his own safety and without rescue equipment, responded to
Chad, wrapped his arms around his chest and took him under the
incoming waves and assisted him into shallow waters, where another
citizen was able to assist Alex in getting Chad onto the beach. Chad
suffered no ill effects from the incident. For his timely lifesaving
actions and for placing his life in jeopardy to rescue another
swimmer, the United States Lifesaving Association hereby presents this
Heroic Act Award to Alex Davis.”
Friday 1/6/12
More than 400 citizens showed up at Eader Elementary School in
Huntington Beach Thursday night to protest the 19th Street Bridge.
There was a vocal response to Huntington Beach Mayor Don Hanson:
"That's why you're here tonight. But I would say that the only
reason I even thought this meeting would be worth while is to gauge
some level of reaction if that is even an option."
[crowd response - no]
The opposition included elementary school student Mia Brook: "I go
to this school and I don't think we need the bridge." [applause]
Newport Beach City Councilperson Steve Rosansky summarized why he
still supports the bridge.
"I think it's a good thing for all three cities, for his help in
arranging this otherwise I wouldn't have brought it to the Supervisor
for his help in arranging this process and this meeting.
"I think if you stopped traffic on Coast Highway and asked
everybody passing through, it would be overwhelmingly supported by the
people who are actually using the roads out here."
The Huntington Beach response:
"Good evening, I am Councilmember Connie Boardman and when I was
mayor in 2003, I put an item on the council agenda at that time about
this bridge and the council unanimously voted to oppose it"
"My name is Joe Shaw, and I'm a Huntington Beach city councilman
and I've asked staff at our January 17rh city council meeting to put
that resolution that they passed back on our agenda so that we can
reaffirm it."
Costa Mesa City Councilperson Wendy Leece, "Good Evening, I'm Wendy
Leece, I'm a council member in the city of Costa Mesa and I do support
our original proclamation that we oppose the bridge and I continue to
oppose it."
This is Milo, KOCI Community News.
Thursday 1/5/12
Jim Jordan, creator of the Snoopy House, thanked Costa Mesa for
hosting the 45th year of the display this year at city hall.
“We just wanted to come by and thank you so very much for hosting
the Snoopy Display this year. To say that it has been, in our opinion
it was a tremendous success would be an overstatement [sic.]. The
public received it very well. They were extremely happy it was here
and I just felt that all of the time and energy that was put in by you
folks, we had an absolute ball and I really wanted to take a moment
just to thank you very much for having us here.
“Now, several of you have approached me about coming back for this
next year and if that offer is open I’ve talked to my elves and their
ecstatic about coming back. We would very much like to be here.
“I thank you to the staff, they did a superb job of supporting your
outreach. They did an excellent job. I’m very, very pleased. It was,
was, to the volunteers that came out, thank you, God bless to them and
our heart goes out. We have been humbled by your generosity and look
forward to coming back.”
Volunteers are needed all day Thursday to help tear down and store the display.
Wednesday 1/4/12
Costa Mesa spokesperson Dane Bora announced a meeting regarding the controversial 19th Street Bridge.
“Thursday evening, Orange County Supervisor John Moorlach will host a town hall meeting on the proposed
19th Street Bridge in Huntington Beach at the Eader Elementary School at 7 p.m. The intent of the meeting is
to solicit feedback from residents regarding the future ofa bridge which the city of Costa Mesa has officially
opposed since 1993, but is still on the county’s master plan.”
Monday 12/12/11
The 45th year of Jim Jordan's Snoopy House was threatened by a
Wells fargo foreclosure of his house. The city of Costa Mesa stepped
in to save the popular holiday display.
Costa Mesa spokesperson Dane Bora, "Tuesday evening at 5:30 p.m.,
the Peanuts Christmas display, now on the lawn at City Hall, will be
officially opened with a special lighting ceremony. City council
members, the Jordan family, who have put on the display for 45 years,
and community members will be there to celebrate the continuation of
this uniquely Costa Mesa holiday tradition."
Tuesday 11/29/11
Costa Mesa spokesperson Christine Cordone announced the Costa Mesa
Fire Department's annual toy drive and Polar Express.
"On Saturday, the fifth annual Polar Express Day at Goat Hill
Junction at Fariview Park will take place from two to four p.m.
Children can enjoy a free train ride, photo with Santa, craft tables,
and even face painting. The event is hosted by Weichman Associates
Realtors and the Costa Mesa Fire Department.
"If you'd like to support the toy drive please bring an unwrapped
toy or gift card valued at $10 or greater. If you cannot make the
event and would like to contribute a toy to the drive, you may drop
off your gifts at City Hall or the fire station located at 2300
Placentia Avenue"
Tuesday 10/11/11
Costa Mesa spokesperson Dane Bora said today:
“The federal government promised late last week to crack down on
medical marijuana dispensaries, a move that could change the landscape
quite a bit in Costa Mesa, which has its fair share of those
businesses. But so far the city is unsure how the promised crackdown
will play out, because there is a conflict between federal and state
law, it will depend on when and how heavy the federal government comes
down on this issue. This will be an evolving story.”
Robert Martinez, host of KOCI’s Sunday morning Cannabis Community show, said:
“Federal law makes no distinction between possessing or growing
marijuana for medical purposes and possessing or growing it for
non-medical use. The same penalty applies. So, that being said, the
federal government does not acknowledge that we here in California
have voted and the people overwhelmingly have voted in favor of
providing medical cannabis to patients.”
While there are no official numbers, there are estimates of dozens
of cannabis collectives in both Newport Beach and Costa Mesa.
Wednesday 9/28/11
A student proposal to ban single use plastic bags was discussed by
the Newport Beach city council.
Mayor Pro Tem Nancy Garnder said:
"The students from Harbor High made a brief presentation during
public comment about single use bags and banning plastic bags."
EQAC is the Environmental Quality Advisory Committee.
"And on a straw vote, EQAC was very interested in having a discussion on this. And so I said I would bring it to council and make sure that was, nobody had an objection to EQAC at least looking at the issue."
Council Member Rush Hill objected:
"I thought EQAC was pretty busy working on the Banning Ranch."
"Well, this would be after their EIR. The EIR is going to be discussed at their next meeting and then this is something they can take up things, with the leaf blower ordnance and also the styrofoam."
"What's it going to cost the city for that group to convene and study plastic bags?"
City Manager Dave Kiff spoke:
"Well, I note respectfully I think we did bring about maybe a quarter or more ago we brought up like five different issues and asked the council whether or not the committee should pursue them. One was that ban on plastic bags. This might be slightly different than that, I'm not sure. Or maybe it's identical to that. And the council, I think, a majority said 'no, please don't spend staff time or committee time working on that.' "
"I had sort of in the back of my mind thought maybe that was because there was a state ban at that time and it looked like it was going to pass, so to do it locally made no sense if there was going tobe a state ban."
"We could put this on the next agenda for did you want, do you want us to spend more time looking at it, if we're being more proper."
"OK"
Friday 9/23/11
Costa Mesa honored track athlete Sharon Day.
Mayor Gary Monahan praised her, saying:
“And I’d like to recognize another young lady, Sharon Day. She excelled at track and field with back to back state track and field championships in 2002 and 2003 for the high jump. In 2003 she was named Orange County high school athlete of the year and Junior Pan American Games champion. She continued to participate in track and field while attending college at Cal Poly in San Luis Obisbo, earning the highest record in high jump and heptathalon. She was named Cal Poly SLO athlete of the year. She continued her studies and graduated in 2008 with a bachelor of science degree in kineoslogy. After college Sharon placed third at the United States Olympic Trials for high jump. In 2009 she was the USA national heptathalon runner-up. In 2010 ranked second in the USA nationals heptathalon. In 2011 Sharon was named the USA outdoor heptathalon champion.
“Sharon you have been incredibly impressive. We are incredibly proud of you here in Costa Mesa. Congratulations.”
Sharon Day said:
“I just want to say thank you to everyone here in the city of Costa Mesa for all the support that I’ve received over the years since high school and beyond and I really appreciate it. I want to especially point out Eric Bever, Councilmember Bever. So it’s really cool to have that connection with my home town, so I just want to say thank you.”
Saturday 9/3/11
Some of the biggest waves of the year hit Newport Beach and other southern California beaches.
City workers pumped water from flooding on Balboa Peninsula Wednesday and put up a temporary eight foot sand berm to prevent further flooding.
Newport Beach Lifeguard Captain Boyd Mickley:
“We’ve had a southern hemisphere swell. It was a storm off of New Zealand, one of their winter storms. It’s generated the surf here. It came in a little earlier than expected. We got it Wednesday morning and we were thinking it was going to be later in the day Wednesday. We’ve had surf anywhere between 10 and 22 feet over the last couple of days. It has impacted the shore dramatically. We’ve had a lot of beach erosion, a lot of rip currents. That’s our number cause of rescues in the beach. And we’ve had occasional flooding in the high tides with the surf pushing behind it, but overall it’s actually been managed pretty well. We’ve staffed up and we’ve been able to handle it.”
While surfers took advantage of the challenge, hundreds of spectators watched from the beaches.
“The predictions are showing it easily into the weekend and maybe even some on Monday, but it’s already started to diminish, so it will be dropping over the next few days.”
