Fair Game

By TOM JOHNSON

City busy with short-term lodging requirements and boardwalk safety…and a birthday celebration awaits

New rules were initiated for short-term lodging at Tuesday’s Newport Beach City Council meeting. First off, renters would be required to be 25 years or older, and property owners would be responsible for their renters’ parking violations.

Those issues passed 4-3 and will return for a second vote on October 27.

Some of the other items being considered by Council are requiring STL renters to stay for a minimum of three nights, limiting the number of STL to 1,550 units and making the STL permits transferable to immediate family members upon death of a permit holder and also transferable to a new owner with the sale of the property.

At least one item requires approval from the California Coastal Commission.

The Council is trying to find a compromise between property owners, residents and potential renters.

• • •

Next time you feel like speeding down the Newport Beach boardwalk, DON’T!

City Council is looking to raise “sidewalk” speeding tickets up to $200. 

It’s an attempt by the city’s Oceanfront Boardwalk Safety Program to curb bad behavior. 

Current posted speed limits of 8 mph dot the boardwalk; however, city staff is looking at posting even more signs. 

Also being considered are eliminating electric bikes and scooters.

• • •

Business improvement districts are established for certain business types or certain business areas to pay an additional tax or levy to fund marketing or projects within the district’s boundaries.

Newport Beach has a few.

One is the Newport Beach Restaurant Business Improvement District which markets our local restaurants.

This week the City Clerk’s office announced a new member to their board. Congrats to Micah Schiesel of The Lounge Group. 

The Lounge Group operates a number of establishments in town including Helmsman Ale House, Malarky’s Irish Pub, Stag Bar, Dory Deli and Blackie’s By The Sea.

The term is for one year.

• • •

It’s October 1926. The St. Louis Cards beat the New York Yankees four games to three in the 23rd World Series. Babe Ruth becomes the first player ever to hit three home runs in a World Series game.

A.A. Milne releases a new book titled Winnie the Pooh.

The National Broadcasting Corporation forms NBC.

The Russian Politburo throws out Leon Trotsky.

A hurricane in Cuba kills 600 people, signaling the first-ever signs of “global warming.”

Oh, and Paul Salata is born in Los Angeles on October 17.

Salata would go on to a celebrated career at USC in football and baseball, before heading off to the NFL.

1950 Bowman football card featuring Paul Salata

In 1976, Paul would introduce Irrelevant Week in Newport Beach to the world honoring the last draft choice each year of the NFL.

Happy 94th birthday, Paulie.

Join in the fun tomorrow (Saturday) between 3-4 p.m. for a drive-by birthday celebration from his daughter Melanie’s front lawn at 2406 Francisco. Singing, yelling and waving is encouraged!

Yell loud…at 94, you just don’t hear like you used to.

• • •

According to www.ussailing.org, congrats are in order to Newport Beach sailor Alex Curtiss and Huntington Beach’s Jake La Dow who earlier this month won the US Sailing’s 2020 Championship of Champions sailing in the Lehman 12 class.

The team won six of the overall 21 races during the competition, placed in the top four in 17, and won the event by 44 points.

The Balboa Yacht Club was the organizing authority.

• • •

I’ve brought up Julian Dunn more than once in this column. His dad, Richard, was a writer and sports editor for me for years at the Daily Pilot.

Julian battled cancer through most of his young life and succumbed July 19, 2013 at nine, after a five-year battle with brain cancer.

Dad Rich has just released a new book available through Amazon titled One Pitch Wonder. It’s a tribute to Julian and his heroic battle, and a memoir of Rich’s career as a former professional baseball player and lifelong sportswriter.

Good stuff, check it out.

Courtesy of Amazon

B-t-w, as a footnote, Sgt. Pepperoni’s Pizza Store does a fundraiser annually in Julian’s name. The money raised goes to help fund Julian’s Lego Corner at CHOC. 

This year’s the effort raised $15,130.

Nice job!

• • •

This is your last chance and we want to get our hands on you. Well, not us, but the good folks over at Spa Gregorie’s. Together, we’re giving away five indulgent spa packages to those that are deserving.

Here’s how it works: Tell us about someone you feel who truly needs it. Give us a little write-up on why (200 words max). It could be a frontline worker, a teacher, a mother who’s at home having the kids driving her crazy, or just someone who has been down-and-out and needs a boost.

Deadline is today by 5 p.m. Send your nomination to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

We’ll let you know.

Questioning the council candidates to see what they’re thinking

With less than two weeks until Election Day, Stu News Newport is offering you a final look at the candidates competing for Newport Beach City Council seats for District 2 (Brad Avery vs. Nancy Scarbrough) and District 5 (Jeff Herdman vs. Noah Blom).

We asked each candidate the most important issues facing their Districts and the City as a whole; we asked each how they differ from the opposition; what the “dirt” is on their race; and for a little something maybe you don’t know about each of them.

We hope this helps. Remember, your vote does make a difference.

Click on photos for larger images

Submitted photos

Newport Beach City Council Candidates (L-R) Brad Avery, Nancy Scarbrough, Jeff Herdman and Noah Blom

What is the biggest issue or issues facing your District and how will your handle that? (Limit to 2)

Avery: Development of Mariner’s Mile/Coast Highway. Support community opposition to widening Coast Highway from Dover to Superior. Work with residents to mitigate the impacts of the proposed Mariner’s Mile development. 

Neighborhood traffic and pedestrian/bicycle safety. We need to consider all input. Conduct Newport Heights community traffic survey and workshop to gather information and build consensus on next steps toward safer streets. Continue to work with NMUSD for safer transition zones around the three schools.   

Scarbrough: Representation – We don’t have a voice at this point. District 2 has been the step-child for many years. We are faced with development on Mariner’s Mile that is not in touch with the community vision of what Mariner’s Mile should be or with the General Plan. The West Side of Newport is being explored (by the Housing Element Update Advisory Committee - HEUAC) for high-density, low-income housing. We need a representative on the Council who will speak up for the community’s shared vision. I will be a strong advocate for ensuring housing and community facilities are consistent with the Vision Statement of the General Plan and the Vision Statement for Mariner’s Mile. 

Traffic and Enforcement – these issues are related. When schools are open, we have lots of traffic for short periods of time. At other times of day, the people who drive in the neighborhood do not obey the traffic laws (rolling stops or no stop at all for stop signs, texting on phones or distracted driving). Add to that formula, the new electric bikes, skateboards and scooters that fly through stop signs at 30+ miles per hour, driven by adults, and kids without a license or knowledge of vehicle laws. The process for causing our police department to patrol in this neighborhood and actually enforce the laws by issuing citations, is for the City Council to instruct the City Manager, to instruct the Police Chief to enforce the laws. Right now the Council majority does not have the stomach to do that, so there are very few patrol cars and weak enforcement.

Herdman: John Wayne Airport overflights. Continue to “lead the charge” when it comes to all matters aviation as chair of the NB Aviation Committee.

Business and Tourism Recovery as it relates to COVID-19. Continue to support small businesses by taking advantage of all recovery dollars available and ensuring that these dollars get straight into the hands of business owners. 

Blom: The Airport through a three-part approach: technology, negotiations and publicity.

Small Business Recovery: by supporting the existing and struggling; stimulating the new and future; and strengthening relationships and community. 

What is the most important issue or issues facing the city and how do you stand on it? (Limit to 2)

Avery: Managing the impacts of COVID-19. Support local businesses with code flexibility, grants, loans. Remain vigilant to local COVID-19 trends and adjust outreach accordingly. Support efforts of public safety personnel to inform and protect people in public spaces. Utilize the knowledge of our local health professionals. Manage budget shortfalls with less spending; suspend non-essential projects, search out grants, private support for certain civic improvements. Do not raise taxes/fees.

Scarbrough: Economic Recovery – Restore the community and businesses following the COVID pandemic. We should be actively supporting local businesses. The city had a “Strategic Plan for Fiscal and Economic Stability” in 2009. It is supposed to have an annual review, but of course that isn’t happening. There was also an Economic Development Committee that met between 1993 and 2010. It was disbanded in 2011. It seems like there are steps to be taken here. 

State Mandated Housing Requirements – Fight back against the State mandates for so many high-density housing units. The State housing requirements are unachievable, and the City is spending 1 1/2  to 2 million dollars to look like we are trying to comply. We could focus our efforts on documenting the reasons the requirements are unreasonable, align ourselves with other coastal cities who are in the same boat and serve the problem back to the State with a price tag for what it will take in concessions to comply with the mandated housing.

Herdman: Economic recovery from the effects of COVID-19. The mitigation is careful budgeting and oversight on all expenditures, large and small; placing capital improvement projects on hold; utilization of reserves, if necessary, to assist in economic recovery. 

Blom: Homelessness: collaboration with neighboring cities; cleanliness by upholding our standards; enforcement through maintaining law and order.

Economic Recovery: marketing with more local focus; maintenance by keeping our strength and culture; and growth of our merchants and businesses. 

How are you different from your opponent?

Avery: I am approaching 4 years of experience on City Council. Other experience: 5 years as Newport Beach Harbor Commissioner; 2 years as vice chair and chair of city’s Water Quality and Tidelands Committee. Currently on city’s Finance Committee and Ad Hoc committee on Homelessness. Member, Board of Advocates, Oasis Senior Center.

Scarbrough: I participate by attending most City meetings and community meetings on a regular basis; I have a comprehensive knowledge of issues throughout the City; as a SPON (Still Protecting Our Newport) board member we regularly discuss environmental issues such as the Bay, the Banning Ranch and recently Short-Term Lodging; I am on the SPON Policy and Budget committees, and the Good Neighbor Policy Committee; I attended almost every City Council meeting for the last three plus years; I attended or viewed the live feed of most Planning Commission meetings for the past three years; I attended almost every Finance Committee meeting for the last year; I attended and commented at several Zoning Administrator meetings; I attended all but one of the community outreach meetings for the General Plan update until the Mayor canceled the committee; I attended every public meeting of the new Housing Element Update Advisory Committee (HEUAC) charged with finding property to rezone for 4834 high-density, low-income housing units in Newport Beach. After COVID-19 this will be the biggest issue of 2020 and probably 2021 and no one is talking about it; I attended most meetings of the Aviation Committee; I attended and commented at the Orange County Board of Supervisors meetings regarding the General Aviation Improvement Program; I attended and commented at several Orange County Airport Commission meetings regarding the General Aviation Improvement Program; I attended and commented at every meeting of the Homeless Task Force before it was disbanded; I attended all the public meetings for Newport Beach Election Reform; I attended all the public outreach and Study Sessions for Cottage Preservation and 3rd Floor Massing ordinances; I regularly attended the Corona Del Mar “Good Morning CdM” meetings until they were postponed. I have attended several of the virtual meetings since they changed formats; I participate in the Newport Heights Improvement Association (our HOA) meetings as a member; I am an active participant in the Protect Mariners Mile Coalition; I have attended and commented at NMUSD Board meetings and was very involved in the (failed) effort to save the Ensign trees; I attended every town hall meeting put on by Newport City Council members Joy Brenner, Diane Dixon and Jeff Herdman; I was one of three people to regularly attend the Office Hours with councilman, now Mayor, Will O’Neill until they were canceled or postponed; I have been working at this for several years, attending numerous meetings and events on a weekly basis. No member of the Council or Staff have attended as many meetings as I have. 

Herdman: Experience, institutional knowledge, longevity within the City; leadership training and implementation; really having an overall and in-depth understanding of the issues and priorities of the majority of Newport Beach residents and property owners, and the willingness and ability to devote the time necessary to address those issues and priorities. Serving on City Council is a serious job; I work seven days a week at helping to solve some of our City’s biggest problems. 

Blom: I believe in freedom and the strength of my fellow citizens. I am an advocate for keeping beaches, boardwalks and our town open and thriving. I am an advocate for parents that want their kids to have a childhood and get our schools and playgrounds open. I want to project a message of positivity and excitement. 

What’s been the biggest attack during the campaign against you and how do you counter it?

Avery: My opponent says I’m a nice guy. I am guilty.

Scarbrough: I have heard myself referred to as a liberal. I am moderate in all things. So far I haven’t had anyone attack me personally or lie about me, however we have a few weeks to go. We’ll see…

Herdman: It really has not been an attack, but my opposition claims to have had endorsements from the Newport Beach Fire, Police and Lifeguard Departments. He has corrected that on his website; however, the majority of his mailers continually point to fire and police endorsements.

I did not receive endorsements from the Fire and Police Associations four years ago. I was told at that time that they only endorse “winners.” 

This election season I couldn’t even get the president of the Fire Association to return my phone call for the purpose of meeting. I did meet with the police union president; however, they chose not to endorse me. 

I did not have either unions’ support in my first election, yet I won. I’ll do it again this time!

Blom: Attacks on my family and business. I never thought that a divorce 13 years ago would be part of a political campaign or that an opponent would use a fictional character assassination by a “secret society.” 

I counter these attacks with positivity and strength. They are not who I am, and they do not define me. If I throw mud back then I perpetuate bad behavior and this enduring politics of hate. I will stay on message. I will ignore fiction and continue to fight for the values and love I have for my city. What tears us down only makes us stronger. 

Are you in favor or opposed to the addition of the Harbor Commission to the NB City Charter?

Avery: Very much in favor.

Scarbrough: I am opposed to Measure Z, not because I don’t agree with the concept, but the measure was written without any public input or review and it was presented to the Council in a way that discouraged public comments, so it was as if the authors didn’t want the public to review the language. I think it should be discussed openly and brought back in two years at the next election. The current Harbor Commission, even though it is not codified in the City Charter, is fulfilling all of the responsibilities and duties needed to manage our harbor. No member of the Council or candidates indicate any desire to unwind the duties of the Harbor Commission, so why rush? I don’t see any harm in waiting to have a full public review of the language of this measure to be sure it is written in a way that the public agrees with. 

Herdman: I support the addition of the Harbor Commission to our City Charter. The harbor is the largest asset in our City. It generates a substantial portion of our annual revenue. It needs continual maintenance, upkeep and improvement. The Harbor Commission plays a significant role in the areas of maintenance and improvements. The Harbor Commission also fulfills a critical lobbying role, as well, when it comes to securing state and federal dollars for the needed dredging of our harbor. 

Blom: I am in favor of the Harbor Commission being added to the Charter. 

Politics aside, what’s the one thing you would want the community to know about you?

Avery: I work to consider all sides of an issue, don’t have agendas, and I am open to a good argument. 

Scarbrough: I am a planner by profession, I understand building codes and construction. I’ve held leadership positions since I was a Girl Scout patrol leader in 3rd grade, all the way through being president of the Senior Planning Board for the Girl Scout Council as a senior in high school. I am Informed, Involved and Independent. I am compassionate, a mother and grandmother. Most people label me nice. 

Herdman: I want the community to know that I consider it an honor to have been given the responsibility of governing our City. I thoroughly enjoy being a member of the Newport Beach City Council and carrying out all of the responsibilities involved. 

I look forward to serving the people of Newport Beach for another four years, serving with integrity, hard work, dedication, and love for this City. 

Blom: I love to bake. I do it at the wee hours of the morning and find it to be so meditative and relaxing. Fresh bread when the sun rises can change any outlook on the world. Breaking bread together is what makes community.

Kobe and Gianna Bryant Memorial Water Well in rural Uganda extends family legacy

Children at St. Theresa Bethany Primary School in Uganda, Africa will have access to clean water for the first time in the school’s 58 years because of a memorial water well in Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna’s memory.

Donors in conjunction with the Orange Catholic Foundation initiated the well drilled by the Christian nonprofit Wells of Life that provides access to clean water for the poorest communities in Uganda, where an estimated one in five children die before their fifth birthday because of unclean water.

Click on photo for a larger image

Submitted photos

Youth at St. Theresa Bethany Primary School in Uganda thank the Bryants for the new memorial well

Vanessa Bryant revealed on her Instagram page that, “Well #524 was installed in memory of Kobe and Gianna to provide clean water to students who would no longer have to walk miles every day to gather water.” She also acknowledged the Orange Catholic Foundation and Wells of Life donors for their commendable gesture.

“This water well is just the beginning,” said Wells of Life Founder and CEO Nick Jordan. “Kobe and Gianna’s legacy will usher in support for education, health and opportunity giving thousands of children and families hope for a better future in rural Uganda,” he said.

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A student writes a memorable tribute on a photo of Gianna and Kobe Bryant

Local philanthropists Rand Sperry and Randy Redwitz, both with ties to the Orange Catholic Foundation and Wells of Life, had the idea to honor Kobe and Gianna’s memory with a life-giving water well installed two weeks ago at St. Theresa Bethany Primary School in the Mityana District in Uganda.

Wells of Life sought out this specific location founded by local nuns in 1962 that houses both a grade school and medical facilities. Local villagers and school children had been drawing water from an open pond prior to their new well reported to be the deepest ever drilled in the organization’s 12-year history at 340 feet (average well depth is 160 feet).

Kobe and Vanessa were married in 2001 at a Southern California Catholic parish and raised their four children in the Catholic Church as frequent parishioners at Our Lady Queen of Angels in Newport Beach.

Click on photo for a larger image

Well #524, installed in memory of Kobe and Gianna Bryant, provides access to clean water

The Orange Catholic Foundation works in collaboration with the Diocese of Orange to raise, manage, grow and grant funds supporting all aspects of the Catholic faith following each donor’s intent.

Wells of Life is based on the belief that water is a basic human right and should be available to all people. Founded in 2008 on Christian principles, the worldwide nonprofit organization views access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene as the catalyst that drives change and transforms community life for Africa’s poorest and most vulnerable people. 

For more information, visit www.wellsoflife.org.

In Memoriam

Beverly Canady Bush Morphy

September 27, 1931 - September 28, 2020

Beverly Canady Bush Morphy died peacefully at home in Newport Beach on Monday morning, September 28. She was 89. 

Born in Boone, Iowa to Myra Noyes (nee Shurtz) and Cecil Merton Canady, Beverly attended Boone High where she forged lifelong friendships and became the first female lifeguard in the state of Iowa, teaching young farmers to swim so that they could enroll in the armed services.

She attended Colorado Women’s College in Denver before transferring to the University of Iowa where she proudly pledged Kappa Kappa Gamma and graduated with a degree in English Literature. 

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Courtesy of the Morphy family

Beverly Canady Bush Morphy

Her brother, Dick Canady, notes how up-for-anything his elder sister was. Fun, engaging, loved a laugh and a good story, Beverly was the first to arrive at any function and the last to leave, qualities that characterized her all of her life. 

Beverly married Joe Bush in 1955 and lived in Coralville, Iowa until Dr. Bush moved to Newport Beach in 1959 to establish his urology practice. Bev quickly found herself involved in the community, helping special needs adults and children at Fairview Hospital (now Fairview Developmental Center), volunteering with Angelitos de Oro and becoming a founding member of the Newport Harbor Art Museum. 

The doors to her house were always open to her friends and the friends of her four children and their scout troops, dogs, sports teams, as well as the waves of family who came to visit and sometimes stay. 

Beverly remarried in 1966 to Davidge “Bud” Morphy of Pasadena and embraced his four children as her own. She loved her family and friends, entertaining and traveling with Bud on the thoroughbred horse racing circuit. 

Beverly also loved music, art, dancing, dogs, teenagers (luckily because she was both mom and warden to an unending number of them throughout her years), travel (Paris, Ireland, New York and Chicago were her favorites) and really fast cars. 

She was a lifelong football fan and thrilled to watch her own three grandsons’ high school and college careers. Bev deeply loved her vast and growing family and was a catalyst and a touchstone, firmly committed to planning and participating in as many family celebrations and events as possible. Her legacy to the generations of her family and friends is to show up and include everyone. Not many better understood the power of gathering than Bev.

In 1971, Beverly earned her California real estate license and went to work for John McNabb, becoming a member of the infamous “Dover Dollies”. Throughout the 50 years of her career, she bought and sold houses on behalf of some of the most influential people in Southern California. She excelled in her career, earning numerous accolades and awards. She felt fortunate to work with some of the best in the business at Grubb & Ellis, Coast Newport Properties and Villa. Colleagues and clients alike became her valued friends. Her Midwestern values of straight talk, generosity, commitment and loyalty drove her professional (and personal) life. It was never just business.

Beverly continued to volunteer throughout her life, planning and attending events, cooking massive amounts of chili, and driving for Planned Parenthood, Harvesters, Hoag, Boys and Girls Clubs of America and KKG at OC Alumnae Association. She and her good friends in the Gourmet Club and Saturday Night Live made a striking impact on the local restaurant community.    

She will be remembered and greatly missed for her fierce passion, her love for her family and friends, her intelligence, humor and her great influence on so many hearts and lives.

“Bevie” is survived by her brother Dick Canady (Carol); children Brigit Morris (Del); Minda Bush; JB Bush (Wendy) and Blaine Bush (Susan), Liz Monroe, Mary MaKinney (Bill), Sam Morphy (Carol) and Mark Morphy (Cindy); grandchildren Sam, Peter, John and Ellie; nephews Scott Kavanagh, Steven Kavanagh and Michael Canady and niece Kelly Canady and her large extended family.

A Celebration of Life to be announced.

Take Five: Meet Gretchen Sheppard, Helio creative director and app developer

By AMY SENK

Newport Beach resident Gretchen Sheppard knows a thing or two about early childhood education – being a kindergarten aide for nearly a decade and being a mother of two would make anyone a pro. These days, she’s been putting those skills to use as a creative director at Helio, a company owned by her brother, John Fyke. Their latest effort is a new children’s app called ABC Cool Kid PreSchool Academy, and I caught up with her to learn more.

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Courtesy of Gretchen Sheppard

Gretchen Sheppard

Q: We’ve heard about your company’s new app, ABC Cool Kid PreSchool Academy. How does it work, and is it a game or an educational tool?

A: Our company, Helio, is known for educational nightlight projection systems. We started thinking about creating an app that would work at bedtime with the nightlight, but screen time at bedtime was a little tricky for some parents. John and I brainstormed and decided to start with a foundation – the start, if you will – to education, and make fundamentals like letters, numbers, sequencing, patterns and problem solving exciting without feeling like a school. So, it is both a game and an educational tool. ABC Cool Kid PreSchool Academy is an audio directive app, which means our characters ask your little one to follow auditory prompts to accomplish the goal, so it needs to be heard. Engaging while in a loud restaurant or next to an adult on a Zoom meeting would not be ideal. So far, our feedback has been great from parents. Strengthening auditory processing was a pretty important skill parents wanted to see, and a goal we achieved by using step-by-step directions, engaging gross and fine motor skills, and incorporating these visual recognition and bilateral skills – crossing an object from one side of the screen to the other using spatial awareness and reasoning. Feedback these days comes if you ask for it or not. We just want to make something safe, educational and fun.

Q: How did the idea for this program come to be?

A: I started helping my brother, John, at the Helio kiosk in Fashion Island. Shortly thereafter, Fashion Island shut all the kiosks down, but I didn’t want to stop working. I loved interacting with people shopping and fell in love with the nightlight product. I joined John in the office day-to-day, and we started collaborating with Barbara Milne, a longtime educator/singer/child whisperer, and we thought an app would be a great way to go. ABC Cool Kid PreSchool Academy was created for all kids, with academic and developmental levels in mind. 

Q: I’ve heard you describe this app as a family labor of love. Can you elaborate?

A: Helio is definitely a family business! My brother, John Fyke, is the CEO of Helio, I am the creative director and the voice of Professor Helio, and my husband, Rodney, is the voice of Chomp the monster, who created all the music in the app. It has been fantastic watching all of us put our own individual pieces into this puzzle and making it work as a team. I feel so blessed to work daily with my family and create fun and whimsical characters that kids actually love.

Q: What would you say to parents who want to limit screen time? 

A: I totally get it. Screen time is extremely important and what is on the screen is equally crucial. I have always used age as a good guideline for all things monitored in my house. If my child is 3, then I would just double the number, and that’s the screen time per day. So, a 3 year old should be limited to 33 minutes a day. I can hear the gasps now, but as every family is different, that just worked for me. Now with distance learning, that model has flown out the window. With our app, the kids feel like they are playing a game so letting them play a little extra will only strengthen their skills.

Q: When you aren’t working on the app, how do you and your family spend your time?

A: Well life in the Sheppard house has drastically changed with COVID. My husband, Rodney, is the guitarist for Sugar Ray, and due to the virus, live shows are on hold. When he isn’t working doing Zoom concerts, he is helping me with app content or spending time with our horse, Werner. Charlotte, our daughter, is a senior at Corona del Mar, a Hunter equestrian, and is Zooming her way through college applications and social distance learning. Our son, Campbell, is a junior at the University of Alabama studying Creative Media Production and is navigating college life behind a mask like a pro. We are just going day by day, communicating and trying new ways to stay busy, focused and sane.

~~~~~~~~

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

Police Files

Residential burglary occurs in Eight 80 community

A residential burglary was reported to Newport Beach Police that occurred between 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Friday, October 9 in the Eight 80 community in the 1800 block of 16th St.

While the victims were out to dinner, an unknown suspect entered the residence through the front door (it is not clear how the suspect was able to unlock the door). Inside the residence, the suspect went through various dresser drawers before fleeing the scene.

Reported losses included jewelry, jewelry boxes, a computer, suitcase, car key and paperwork.   

Police reported no information available as to the suspects.

Deceased woman found in Eastbluff Park died of natural causes

The deceased woman recently found in Eastbluff Park on October 3 has been identified as Merry Watanasrimongol, 36. She was reported to be a transient.

According to a report from the Orange County Coroner’s office, Watanasrimongol died naturally of pulmonary thromboemboli and additionally suffered from large uterine fibroids and obesity. Pulmonary thromboemboli, or embolism, occurs when a clump of material, most often a blood clot, gets wedged into an artery in your lungs.

Watanasrimongol was found around 8 a.m. by a passerby, who then reported her to the Newport Beach Police Department. 

Phone and alleged threat lead to $50,000 bail

On Monday, October 12, at approximately 7:02 p.m., Newport Beach Police were dispatched to the area of West Bay Ave. and 18th St. referencing an alleged residential burglary that had just occurred.

Upon arrival to the residence, police found that Ryan Kelly Flynn, 25, of Fountain Valley, had taken a telephone from the victim’s hand and left the site. There was a relationship between the suspect and the victim, so no further information was released.

However, Flynn was arrested for alleged strong arm robbery, threatening a crime with the intent to terrorize and residential burglary with no forced entry.

His bail was set at $50,000.

Editor’s Note: An arrest contains allegations that a suspect has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

NBPD awarded $237,000 grant from OTS

The Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) has awarded a $237,000 grant to the Newport Beach Police Department which will focus on the safety of everyone traveling on our roadways. The grant will assist in the Newport Beach Police Department’s continued efforts to reduce deaths and injuries on Newport Beach roads.

“These are trying times, and now more than ever, it is important that we are at the forefront of traffic safety,” Lt. Damon Psaros said. “This funding allows us to educate and enhance the safety of all residents.”

The one-year grant is for the 2021 federal fiscal year, which runs from Oct. 1, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2021.

The grant will fund a variety of traffic safety programs, including:

–Patrols with emphasis on alcohol and drug-impaired driving prevention.

–Patrols with emphasis on awareness and education of California’s hands-free cell phone law. 

–Patrols with emphasis on education of traffic rights for bicyclists and pedestrians.

–Patrols with emphasis on awareness and education of primary causes of crashes: excess speed, failure to yield, failure to stop at stop signs/signals, improper turning/lane changes. 

–Community education presentations on traffic safety issues such as distracted driving, DUI, speed, bicycle and pedestrian safety.

–Collaborative efforts with neighboring agencies on traffic safety priorities.

–Officer training and/or recertification: Standard Field Sobriety Test (SFST), Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) and Drug Recognition Expert (DRE).

“Through education and behavior changes, we hope to create an environment that is safe and equitable for all road users in our community,” Sgt. Corey Wolik said.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

October is National Pedestrian Safety Month

October is National Pedestrian Safety Month and the Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD) encourages the public to remember that everyone is a pedestrian.

“Whether in a parking lot, crosswalk, or intersection, we are all pedestrians,” Lieutenant Damon Psaros said. “Always be aware and look for pedestrians. We want those who are out walking to be safe and feel safe when traveling.”

In an effort to promote a safe walking environment in our community, the NBPD will focus on locations with a higher number of incidents of vehicle crashes involving pedestrians. Officers will monitor crosswalks for drivers and pedestrians who fail to yield the right-of-way or commit other violations that put pedestrians at risk.

The number of pedestrians killed has grown by about 50 percent over the past decade, with 6,283 pedestrians killed in traffic crashes nationwide in 2018, or one traffic-related pedestrian death every 84 minutes.

Excess speed, poor lighting, crossing outside crosswalks and impairment are the main factors that lead to a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle.

The Newport Beach Police Department offers the following tips for drivers and pedestrians:

For drivers: 

–Slow down on busy streets and intersections.

–Always look for pedestrians in intersections. Stop and allow pedestrians to cross. Pedestrians have the right-of-way at all marked or unmarked crosswalks.

–Stay off the phone and avoid other distracting behaviors such as eating, grooming, or using in-dash touch screens.

–Do your best to not block crosswalks making a right-hand turn.

–Keep headlights on at night and be extra careful when pedestrians are harder to see.

For pedestrians:

–Obey signs and signals. Try to cross at marked crosswalks, preferably at stop signs or signals where cars expect to see pedestrians.

–Make eye contact and nod or wave at drivers. A quick nod or wave is an easy way to let a driver know you see them, and they see you.

–Get in the habit of walking with a flashlight or wearing a reflective vest at night so it is easier for drivers to spot you.

–If you need to briefly walk into the street to maintain social distancing on sidewalks, look both ways for passing cars.

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Signing up to work the polls is a lot more than just showing up

By GARY SHERWIN

With a hugely consequential election upon us, many will be heading to the Orange County Voting Centers in the next few weeks to cast ballots and interact with the people who staff them. Until recently, here’s a question I haven’t pondered: How smart do you really have to be to serve as a poll worker? 

With reports about fake election drop boxes in Southern California and a national discussion about the fundamental trust in our election systems, layered on top of the fears with COVID-19, safe and accurate voting has never been more important.

Earlier this summer, after reading about the lack of poll workers due to the pandemic, I decided to take the plunge and apply to help out. Obviously, without poll workers in-person voting is impossible, although there are plenty of other ways to cast a ballot nowadays.

I didn’t do it for any other reason other than to assist the community. I figured that I would raise my hand and the Orange County Registrar of Voters would welcome me in, escort me to a voting machine and ask that I disinfect it after every voter or some other basic task they needed.

Click on photo for a larger image

Courtesy of Visit Newport Beach

Gary Sherwin

Was I ever wrong.

Maybe I was naïve, but I learned that if you want to work the polls in Orange County, you have to want that job very, very much.

Not only was the application process tough, but the training, both online and in person, is extremely time consuming and not for the faint of heart.

Hello? I just want to help people cast their ballots in a year with expected high voter turnout. That’s not how this process works. If you remember older people sitting at a polling station desk with a big paper book of addresses ready to cross you off when you arrive, those days are as dead as large birthday parties this year.

Back in June, I logged on to the county site and after searching around for a while, found the poll application and filled it out. Then crickets. Nothing. 

Then magically many weeks later, I received an email acknowledging my application and asking that I take an online assessment from a third party named Wonderlic. No problem. They suggested that I have a pad of paper and a pen ready to take the exam and nothing else.

The next day I took it. And it blew me away. The exam, no exaggeration, was in many ways the equivalent of the dreaded college SAT. There were questions featuring algebra, geometry, fractions, decimals and English synonyms. Every question was timed and there was a countdown clock as you sweated the answers.

Did I accidentally apply to be a county scientist or in the accounting department? Why are they doing this for a poll worker position who doesn’t actually even count any votes? My fear was that most applicants would be so turned off by the exam that they would walk away from the process before finishing it and I would completely understand that. 

More concerning is that it seemed that the only poll workers the county wanted were highly skilled college-educated people, which never seemed to be what the job required. Was the county trying to scare off potential workers?

I answered as many questions as I could and finished it. I didn’t hear anything for weeks until they emailed me back and asked for a Zoom interview.

The interview went well, and they emphasized they wanted people with excellent customer skills. I was happy to hear that.

Then more emails came. I was instructed to go and get fingerprinted. Then I was given two days’ notice, no other options, to report to the registrar headquarters and to bring proof of citizenship like a passport. I guess they were weeding out Russian and Chinese operatives who want to meddle with our Vote Centers.

They had me sign a huge pile of papers to the point where I asked the person behind the counter if the county had just sold me a house. “Yeah, I get that a lot,” was the reply.

Then the big stuff happened. They sent me a link for a mandatory 11-hour online training course which included how to work all the equipment and set it up. There were numerous quizzes throughout and if you didn’t pass them, you couldn’t move to the next module. It took me well past the allotted time.

The online course was tedious and extremely detailed. My brain hurt. Why am I doing this, I asked myself, and frankly I almost gave up. After several days of taking the course in chunks, I got through it.

After jumping through those hoops, then it was time for the eight-hour in-person training at the registrar headquarters. A personable instructor named Hala took 20 of us application survivors through a full day of hands-on work with the equipment and the various scenarios we would face. Our group was a mixed bag of young people and older professionals, primarily female and mostly first-time poll workers. I didn’t see any retirees.

We practiced situations such as what happens if an LA County voter wants to vote in the OC or if a person tries to vote twice. (The check-in machine, called ePollbook, can track if you have already voted by mail or at another Voting Center. In both cases, they both get provisional ballots, by the way, but if you try to vote twice, we are instructed to sternly tell the voter that they can’t do that).

While I was at the registrar, I asked a few people why the initial exam was so hard and what exactly were they trying to recruit for, but I didn’t get any answers. Some people told me it was a human resources issue. Nowhere on the application site did it indicate what the steps were needed to apply, and the time needed to train for this job which would have been useful. 

After all that, I have my official name badge and my poll worker handbook. I’m ready to go when county voting begins on October 30. I’ll be assigned to work at a Voting Center and my hours will last as long as 13 hours a day perhaps longer on Election Day. And I’m OK with that.

Perhaps with all the new technology, being a poll worker isn’t as simple as it used to be. But in much larger LA County, they recently put out a call for poll help and indicated that all would be required is an hour of online training and another hour in person, a very far cry from here in the OC.

Serving as a poll worker has traditionally been an honorable way to provide a public service to your community for just about anybody. I think it still is and I’m excited to serve, but you better have a solid body of knowledge (especially math, which as I learned, except for some basic addition and subtraction, you don’t use in the job) and a lot of stamina during the training process to support you.

I hope that the county didn’t come up with this system and intentionally or unintentionally spook some great people from pursuing this work. In a year when all eyes will be on polling stations, we need as many talented people as we can get to serve in this role even if they aren’t folks with fancy degrees.

See you at the polls.

Gary Sherwin is President & CEO of Visit Newport Beach and Newport Beach & Company.

COVID-19: 203 new cases reported in OC

Sadly, OC Health Care Agency reports that 1,410 people have died due to COVID-19 in Orange County, including one new death reported today (October 19). There have been 26 deaths of Newport Beach residents to date.

The county reports that there have been 57,071 cumulative cases of COVID-19 countywide to date, an increase of 203 cases today.

The county reports that there have been 1,188 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Newport Beach to date. This represents a per capita rate of 13.627 cases per thousand residents.

The county reports that 36 percent of ICU beds and 68 percent of ventilators are currently available countywide.

The county reports that 168 individuals are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 (includes ICU); 63 are in ICU.

The county estimates 51,018 “recovered cases” according to its data criteria.

For questions about the data presented by the county, call (714) 834-2000 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

To view the data dashboard, click here.

Numbers are updated daily by Stu News Newport and reported on our social media pages @StuNewsNewport.

Click on photos for larger images

Courtesy of OC Health Care Agency

Orange County COVID-19 case data as of October 19, as reported by the County; click here to visit page that is updated daily

Sherman Library & Gardens hires first ever Education Director

Catherine Dickinson has joined Sherman Library & Gardens as its first ever Education Director. 

During her career, Dickinson has worked for a range of cultural and education organizations and lived in three different countries. After completing graduate work in Museum Studies at the University of Manchester, UK, she began her career in curatorial roles at three large regional UK museums: the Harris Museum Art Gallery & Library, Centre for Visual Arts, Cardiff and Manchester Art Gallery. 

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Courtesy of Sherman Library & Gardens

Sherman Library & Gardens’ new Education Director Catherine Dickinson

Most recently, Dickinson was Community Outreach Coordinator for the Irvine Barclay Theatre.    

She brings 20+ years of experience working in education and community outreach in arts and other cultural organizations in Europe and the U.S. to Sherman Library & Gardens. 

“I am delighted to join Sherman Library & Gardens as the first Education Director,” said Dickinson. “It is an honor to represent such a beloved cultural organization. I’m looking forward to working with the Sherman community as well as expanding our reach to new audiences.” 

The newly created Education Director position was strategically designed to help advance Sherman Library & Gardens’ mission to provide the public an oasis of inspiration, education and appreciation of regional history, horticulture and the arts. 

“Education is the foundation for our future. Catherine’s unique combination of skills and experience checks all the boxes of what I was looking for in an Education Director and I’m thrilled to welcome her to the team,” said Scott LaFleur, executive director of Sherman Library & Gardens.   

Dickinson lives in Newport Beach with her husband and two daughters, who attend Corona del Mar High School.

Sherman Library & Gardens is a 2.2-acre property that boasts a nationally renowned botanical garden and research library with collections related to the history of the Pacific Southwest. It is located at 2647 E. Coast Highway in Corona del Mar. 

For more information, visit www.thesherman.org.

You Must Remember This: The Greeter and then south to T Street beach

By NANCY GARDNER

One of the big treats when I was young was going to T Street (Trafalgar) in San Clemente in the summer. The fun started in Laguna. Bart and Edna McHugh were friends of my folks, and they owned a toy store on PCH just past Forest. As we drove past the store my mother would call out, “Ba-art!” We’d continue on our way, but before we’d gotten a block we’d hear, “Ka-ty!” and look back to see Bart standing outside his store. I looked at the cars around us with a puffed-up air.  None of them could do that. But that wasn’t the only treat Laguna had to offer.  There was The Greeter.

It seems impossible that everyone in the world doesn’t know of T dhe Greeter, but just in case, there was a real person behind the statue and the restaurant. His name was Eiler Larsen, a Dane with long hair and beard who knocked around the world before somehow ending up in Laguna where he decided, at some point, to stand on a corner of PCH and bellow out greetings to the people passing by. Eventually he was designated the official greeter of the city. His presence made for a very big deal, especially going south. He was on the far side of the street. Would he even see me, and if he did, would he remember me? After all, we hadn’t been by in a while, and there were so many people driving by every day. The closer we got the more nervous I got, and then there he was, and yes! He was waving at ME! He remembered ME! The main part of the trip south now over, I could sprawl (no seat belts in those days) in comfort in the back seat for the remainder of the trip.

T Street itself was a big, long sandy beach with good waves, and that was part of the charm since I was already a pretty fair bodysurfer. Often as not, some stranger would comment on my ability, affirming my good opinion of myself, but the really cool thing about T Street was the railroad trestle. The beach backed up to a bluff, and at the base of the bluff were (are) railroad tracks. Metal stairs and a metal bridge had been built to take you from the bluff over the tracks and to the beach. While you were sitting on the beach, you’d hear the train’s horn, and there would be a mad scramble by the kids at the beach to get on the trestle. The train would thunder under us with a deafening roar, all that metal rattled, shook and shuddered – it was like a ride at an amusement park.

At the end of the day, we got in the car and drove home, and it was a quieter trip. Mother didn’t call out to Bart going this way, and as far as The Greeter, it wasn’t nearly so nerve-wracking. Now we were on the same side of the street, and it was only a few hours since we’d gone by. Still, if we weren’t in the right lane another car might get in between us, and I was a little sunburned and my hair was all flat with saltwater which might confuse him, but then there he was, waving at me. I should have known he wouldn’t forget.

Of course, there came a time...it was sort of like Santa Claus when I got old enough to realize The Greeter waved to everybody and that I was just one more blur going by, and with that, one more little bit of magic vanished from this world.  Sigh.

~~~~~~~~

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

Balboa Island views

Click on photo for a larger image

Photo by Kevin Pellon (Instagram @socalsnapz)

We love looking at our amazing city from this perspective

Shredding and e-waste day tomorrow conducted by City

Newport Beach residents are reminded to bring documents and electronic waste for free shredding and disposal tomorrow, October 17 from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. at the Harbor Day School parking lot, 3443 Pacific View Drive, Corona del Mar.

Residents need to present an ID, as residency will be verified for this event.

Up to ten (10) standard file boxes may be processed for shredding. Acceptable items for shredding include:

–Bank and financial statements.

–Credit card statements or pre-approved credit card offers.

–Old IRS tax forms, checks or bills.

–Old credit cards and plastic/paper membership cards.

–Junk mail, of any size and color.

–Document can be bound with staples or paper clips.

The shredder cannot accommodate X-rays or larger plastic items such as binders. All material is shredded on site. 

Acceptable items for e-waste collection include:

–Camcorders, CD, DVD and VCR players.

–Cell phones, telephones & answering machines.

–Computer monitors (CRTs & flat screens), Computers/CPUs/laptops.

–Printer/scanner/fax/copiers (desktop).

–Radios of all types.

–Televisions (CRTs and flat screens), video game consoles and accessories.

All data should be removed from electronic items prior to arrival.

All other household hazardous waste will NOT be accepted. However, household hazardous waste materials can be taken to Orange County’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facilities for disposal. Facility information can be found at www.oclandfills.com.

NBPD encourages “Walk to School Day”

The Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD) encourages the community to participate in a “Walk to School Day” this month even if the trip to school has been to the living room lately. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has made school an at-home learning experience for much of the state, but the NBPD is joining communities across California in support of “Walk to School Day,” encouraging children, parents and community leaders to get active and highlight the benefits of walking. 

“School looks and feels different this year, and what better way to improve a child’s health and well-being than to include a walk as part of the school day,” said Newport Beach Lieutenant Damon Psaros. “Even with schools closed or with limited in-person instruction, a neighborhood walk is a great way to practice safe walking behaviors with children.” 

While “Walk to School Day” was officially October 7, the public is welcome and encouraged to celebrate any day this month or when in-person learning resumes. 

“It’s been a challenging year adjusting to distance learning and aligning education with public health guidance due to COVID-19, but this is a great way to build a routine and allow students to return to a small sense of normalcy,” said Sergeant Corey Wolik. 

The Newport Beach Police Department offers a few best safety practices for children to incorporate into their walks: 

–Always look left-right-left before crossing the street. Make sure cars see you. Continue scanning for cars when entering the crosswalk. 

–Do not listen to loud music or use a phone when walking. Eyes and ears should be focused on the road ahead.

–Quiz yourself on traffic rules.

–Watch for cars entering/backing out of driveways or leaving parking spaces.

To learn more about “Walk to School Day” and ideas to participate while adhering to public health directives, visit the “Walk to School Day” website at www.walkbiketoschool.org/20-ideas-for-walk-to-school-day-2020/.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

School Notes

Preschool openings still available for enrollment

Newport-Mesa Unified School District (NMUSD) is still enrolling for free preschool for the 2020-2021 school year. The openings are for 3- and 4-year-olds for half days, full days and distance learning (online).

The half day elementary schools in the district are at College Park, Paularino, Pomona, Rea, Sonora, Whittier, Wilson and Killybrooke.

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Courtesy of NMUSD

Preschoolers practice social distancing

A grab and go lunch is also provided.

Full day programs, at a reduced cost, are available at Pomona and Whittier elementary schools, with a lunch provided.

Distance learning is available online and a lunch is available for pick-up.

Enrollment is open to all Orange County residents.

For requirements and additional information call 949.515.6645 or 949.515.6819.

You can request a free preschool program flier in both English and Spanish here.

Letters to the Editor

Scarbrough is authentic

It is not often that there is an authentic council candidate like Nancy Scarbrough to run for office in Newport Beach. By authentic, I mean one who has resided here for years, has raised children who have attended our school system, who has started/managed her own small business, all while attending basically every civic meeting in Newport Beach for many years. None of this was done for personal gain, but to acquire an understanding of citywide affairs, and to get involved in areas of concern where she might be able to help out.

Her intention was not to run for office. However, when several City leaders, impressed by her interest, knowledge and participation in civic matters, asked her to run for city council, she did not let them down.

Nancy possesses project management skills and business experiences which equip her with a valuable perspective and knowledge to tackle serious problems faced by the council. 

Not one to blurt out simple responses or “easy fixes,” Nancy’s serious and thoughtful nature belies someone who thinks carefully before she speaks, and someone who values independence from those who would try to influence her for their own gain.

Nancy will provide a good balance to the council, someone who will bring the interests of her citywide constituents to the table. Residents in the Heights and Cliffhaven who are familiar with her zest for representing citywide concerns look forward to having her on the council. 

VOTE for Nancy Scarbrough to advocate for all of Newport Beach.

Tom Baker

Lynn Lorenz

Newport Beach

Concerns about Blom’s candidacy

I have concerns regarding one candidate running for Newport Beach City Council and want to share them. Candidate (Noah) Blom has repeatedly implied that the Newport Beach police and firefighters are backing him. Even after it was pointed out to him, mailers continue to arrive every few days with the same implied message. I feel that some people will take this implied message without considering that it’s the foundations who are actually promoting Blom and two other candidates, who have hidden agendas that promote development and harbor interests and are not the views of all firefighters and police. These foundations also know that by bringing in Blom, they will again have a majority on the Council to vote for their agenda.

When watching the candidate nights that Blom participated in, I found two statements in particular that caused alarm. When asked about wearing masks during the pandemic, Blom stated that people should be able to do what they wanted and that masks weren’t necessarily needed. These kinds of statements continue to divide us rather than unite us in a common cause to address the problem. 

The other comment came up when asked how we could remediate the traffic problems especially going through Corona del Mar. Blom said he wasn’t in favor of alternative routes because he felt the more traffic the better. It would benefit local businesses. This type of perspective does not address the needs of all residents and the ever-expanding traffic problems.

There’s been a huge campaign against Jeff Herdman, and it seems like an awful lot of money has gone into getting him off the council and getting someone on that will vote with the pro-development group. When I watch the city council meetings it’s pretty obvious that often Jeff is one of the few council members that opposes this group. I value a more balanced council that isn’t prone to running their own agenda through.

It has really helped my perspective on candidates by watching them in action either at the council meetings or candidate nights.

Carol Tomlinson

Newport Beach

Are increases in short-term rentals and the Museum House on Blom’s agenda?

Newport Beach voters need to pay attention and follow the money supporting new council candidate Noah Blom.

After announcing his support for eliminating the cap on short-term vacation rentals and allowing these types of rental properties in every neighborhood of our city, Blom received a maximum donation of $1,200 on September 17th from Jeff Bosson. Bosson is the Mission Viejo-based owner of Sea Breeze Vacation Rentals, a company that specializes in the short-term rental business.   

On the same day, Blom received $500 from Newport Beach Vacation Properties. 

Clearly, these business interests are anticipating a strong return on their investment if Blom is elected and our short-term rental regulations are reduced to allow the massive expansion of vacation properties into your neighborhood.

One may also wonder why Gino Canori, an executive with Related Companies based in the Northern California town of Ross, gave Blom $500 on September 3rd. Perhaps it was because Blom had announced his support for bringing back the high-rise, high-density Museum House Tower. Concerned citizens remember that this project was sponsored by Related. 

Blom is the only candidate running on his support for this project which just shows how out of touch he is with Newport Beach residents. Over 14,000 people signed petitions in just two weeks to reject this high-density high-rise.

Blom claims to be a concerned and active citizen, but he has never been [to my knowledge] active on any neighborhood association, civic issue, or ballot measure. In fact, he has only voted four times in our local elections in the last 16 years.

He is just another empty suit, brought in by special interests to provide a vote for their economic interests.

We don’t need unlimited vacation rentals in every neighborhood, we don’t need the Museum House and we don’t need Noah Blom. Vote for Jeff Herdman, a council member who is independent and represents residents, not out-of-town business interests.

Lawrence Robinson

Newport Beach

Disappointed by lack of character support

I’ve spent the majority of my life in Newport Beach advocating for families and now for seniors. In all things, I know character counts, and that’s more than whether a person uses an occasional swear word. When it comes to local politics affecting our homes, families and communities, a person’s actions speak louder than words. 

I suppose I’ve grown used to being disappointed by Newport Beach politics in recent years but 2020 breaks all records. Why are Mayor Will O’Neill and councilmen Duffy Duffield and Kevin Muldoon supporting Noah Blom, who has had a bench warrant issued against him for nonpayment of child support? These are public officials and fathers who talk about family values. How can they rationalize this endorsement? Elected officials who campaign as examples for the community have no reason to hold up a deadbeat father as a model.   

I have cast my vote for Jeff Herdman because he’s a principled man who, as a former educator like myself, has been a strong advocate for families, residents and local businesses. I respect others’ right to support another candidate but am shocked that “family values” council members would set the bar so low.        

Scott Paulsen

Newport Beach

Registration open for Christmas Boat Parade and Ring of Lights

It’s time to start planning for the holidays and with that the registration for the 112th Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parage and the Ring of Lights has opened. The boat parade will run from December 16-20.

The Boat Parade and Ring of Lights are hosted by the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce and the Commodores Club.

The holiday tradition has helped Newport Beach earn the designation as the “#2 City in the Nation for Holiday Lights” by Yahoo! Travel and has been hailed as one of the “top holiday happenings” in the nation by the New York Times.

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Photos courtesy of Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce

“El Navegante” No. 35 (SASCO, Jimmie Roblero) won the Sweepstakes – The Bill Lusk Award in 2019

The five-night parade features extravagantly decorated boats of all sizes cruising throughout the harbor. The parade beings each evening off the tip of Lido Isle at 6:30 p.m. and finishes back there around 9 p.m.

The parade will be streamed to viewers, offering the world a front-row seat. The virtual viewing will take place on multiple platforms including web, social media and the City of Newport Beach’s local broadcast channel NBTV. The show will include the parade’s entirety, the Ring of Lights home competition, interviews with participants and spotlights on both the frontline heroes as Grand Marshal and from local charities.

Opening and closing night gatherings at Marina Park and the fireworks shows will be eliminated due to pandemic concerns. There will also be an abundance of signage around the harbor restricting viewing at some areas and advising against overcrowding.

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Phil and Mary Lyons’ home on Harbor Island took the Chairman’s Choice Award in 2019

The Ring of Lights has joined the parade over the years by seeing the residences, businesses and yacht clubs bordering the Bay joining in to elaborately decorate their places.

Boat Parade participants will be asked to attend a pre-parade Skippers Meeting on either Wednesday, December 9 or Monday, December 14 at 6 p.m.

Registered boaters pay an entry fee of $35 and receive a 60-day Sea Tow membership, a Simple Green VIP Cleaning Kit and a chance for the boat to appear on the live broadcast.

For more information, visit www.ChristmasBoatParade.com or call 949.729.4400.

To register for the Parade or Ring of Lights go to www.ChristmasBoatParade.com/enter/.

Neglected breast cancer is an issue, but it doesn’t have to be

Have you ever felt a lump in your breast and ignored it? Noticed a change in your breast and waited months to talk to your doctor? If so, you could be at risk of neglected breast cancer.

Neglected breast cancer is the term for people who have ignored symptoms for weeks, months, or even years. It’s a common clinical occurrence in underserved communities, whether in Third World nations or in areas of the United States where women have limited access to screenings, treatment and education. 

But it happens in Orange County too. Many educated women who know about breast cancer and its symptoms – and have access to medical experts – allow their fear to take over, and they don’t seek care in a timely manner. 

Neglected breast cancer is not new. A 2015* study found that nearly one in five women who discovered a suspicious sign, such as a lump in their breast, did not contact their doctor for at least a month. The same study found that one out of three women experiencing symptoms waited more than three months before seeking medical help; and further, one in 20 women waited six months or longer to get checked by a medical expert.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

Early detection saves lives

Did you know that the rate of breast cancer in Orange County among females is higher than the state average?** Waiting to get a mammography screening or to see your healthcare provider also increases your risk of metastatic breast cancer (MBC). MBC is breast cancer that has spread to other parts or systems of the body. Also referred to as stage IV breast cancer, it affects approximately 1,000 women in Orange County and an estimated 154,000 across the U.S.***

By knowing your risk, finding out when and how often you should have mammogram screenings and practicing self-exams or having clinical breast exams by a healthcare provider, breast cancer can be detected early. And early detection can make all the difference.

Click on photo for a larger image

Submitted photo

Wade Smith MD, medical oncologist, City of Hope Newport Beach, with grateful patient Sarah

Early detection quick facts

–Early detection gives doctors more treatment options.

–The 5-year survival rate for localized breast cancer (cancer that has not spread) is 99 percent.

–Breast cancer often presents no symptoms, which is why maintaining a doctor-recommended mammography screening schedule is essential.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Now is the time to talk to your doctor about breast cancer, learn your risk factors, understand screening recommendations and be proactive in early detection. 

The bottom line is: If you notice changes in your breasts, see your physician. The most common physical change you may notice is a breast lump, but see your doctor if you have persistent swelling, skin redness or rash, swelling of your underarm, or changes in your nipples. Ask your doctor if you’re due for a screening and discuss healthy habits you can explore, like controlling your weight, avoiding smoking and being physically active. 

At City of Hope, our work exploring immunotherapy to treat chemotherapy-resistant cancers, particularly breast cancer, is bringing breakthrough treatments from the lab to the bedside. And with advanced technologies in breast cancer diagnostics, intraoperative radiation therapy and reconstructive aesthetic surgery, we walk with you every step of the way in your journey into survivorship.

Facing an uncertain diagnosis is scary, but you don’t have to face it alone. Our team of experts truly understands your needs and fears and we are here for you. Don’t put your health on hold.

CITY OF HOPE ORANGE COUNTY

1601 Avocado Avenue

Newport Beach CA 92660

Now open and providing world-class cancer care in Newport Beach, City of Hope’s specialty team includes an internationally recognized researcher in multiple myeloma treatment, a pioneer in kidney and bladder cancer, a leading colorectal cancer expert and researcher, a surgeon specializing in breast surgery and aesthetic reconstruction and a national thought leader in patient education and prevention. City of Hope’s cancer campus in Irvine will bring highly specialized care, clinical trials, precision medicine and early detection closer to home. Housed on 11 acres, it will include Orange County’s only specialty cancer hospital, which will open in 2022.

This is a paid advertorial.

Sources: 

*Block, L. M., Jee, Y. M., Baskaya, M. K., Bentz, M. L., & Poore, S. O. (2015). Denying the Obvious: Four Extreme Cases of Neglected Tumors. Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open, 3(11), e571. https://doi.org/10.1097/GOX.0000000000000541

**The National Cancer Institute

***Susan G. Komen Orange County

“A Night In With Crystal Cove” raises nearly $430k virtually

A virtual crowd of nearly 200 from 12 states joined together for Crystal Cove Conservancy’s “A Night In With Crystal Cove” livestream event, raising a total of nearly $430,000 to support the Conservancy’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education programs at Crystal Cove State Park. Title sponsor The Resort at Pelican Hill partnered for the 11th year to provide gourmet drive-thru dinners-to-go for sponsors.

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Photos courtesy of Crystal Cove Conservancy

Beto Bedolfe with his opportunity drawing bag

“We had no idea what to expect from our first entry into this virtual space, and we are just thrilled that our event this year raised nearly as much for our programs as we’ve been able to raise in a normal year. Our donors just keep coming through for us, and we couldn’t be more grateful,” said Gavin Herbert, Crystal Cove Conservancy’s board chair.

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(L-R) Operations Manager Laura Morgan with Paula Cole, wife of past chairman Jeff Cole

The event included a live auction, an opportunity drawing for a chance to win a three-night stay in Cottage #14, and a conversation with Carl Safina, award-winning author and ecologist. “We were thrilled to have Carl join us from his home in Long Island, N.Y. to talk about his work, his travels and our shared effort to inspire the next generation of scientists,” said Kate Wheeler, president and CEO.

The night began with a toast to Madeline Swinden, a longtime supporter of the Conservancy who passed away earlier this year. “Madeline’s passing left a hole in the hearts of those who loved her and the organizations she supported. She was a great friend of Crystal Cove and will always be a part of the Cove Magic,” said Wheeler.

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High school students participating in a Marine Protected Area cruise

Wheeler’s remarks focused on the transformation of Crystal Cove State Park into an ideal outdoor classroom that can inspire young people’s love for the natural world and in turn, an interest in science and conservation. The Conservancy’s outdoor STEM education programs – now adapted for distance learning – engage more than 10,000 students from all over Southern California each year in hands-on programs that immerse them in ongoing conservation projects in the Park. These experiences connect students from under-resourced schools and low-income communities to real-world environmental challenges along the coastline and in protected backcountry habitats, giving them a deep understanding of how they can help protect the environment.

The Conservancy has three main areas of focus: to educate the next generation of environmental scientists; protect fragile habitats and natural resources in the park including 3.2 miles of sandy beach and coastal bluffs, 2,400 backcountry acres and an offshore Marine Protected Area; and preserve the unique mid-century beach cottages as affordable overnight rentals for families. While these may seem like disparate functions, at Crystal Cove, they weave together to create a rich experience in the natural world for people from diverse backgrounds that supports the protection of this fragile piece of California coastline.

The event can be viewed at http://cove.givesmart.com/.

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Serenity on the water

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Photo by Michelle Mar (Instagram @msmichellemar)

Basking in a calm fall day on the harbor

Effective social media is the name of the game for Chamber’s Business Connection Series

Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce will present “Drive More Sales with Social Media” on Wednesday, Oct. 21 as part of its Business Connection Series. The Zoom webinar is planned for 12-1 p.m.

As a small business, social media can be overwhelming, often resulting in a feeling of just spinning your wheels. Business owners have to figure out where to be, how to be engaging, and how to get results, all with a limited amount of time and resources.

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Courtesy of NBCC

Victoria Byrne is the featured speaker

In this webinar, Victoria Byrne, founder of Creative Marketing Services, LLC, a full-service digital marketing agency, will share top tips for social media that will help save time, get results to grow your business, and help to drive more sales.

Byrne has worked in small business marketing for more than 18 years, helping her clients achieve optimal results through a combination of creative and cost-effective marketing initiatives.

Additionally, Byrne has been a professional speaker for more than nine years and has presented to thousands of small businesses.

Following her presentation, the second half of the meeting will include an opportunity for networking though breakout rooms.

To make reservations, go here.

OC Fair Food Drive-Thru enters final weeks

The drive-up OC Fair food fun is entering its final two weeks with a fresh lineup of vendors. Now’s the time to make plans to get those funnel cakes, turkey legs and deep-fried treats on a stick.

The OC Fair Food Drive-Thru takes place Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through October 25 at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa. Hours are 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sundays. There are no parking or entrance fees. Guests enter the fairgrounds at Gate 1 off of Fair Drive, drive up and order from the vendors; some take credit cards only.

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Courtesy of OC Fair & Event Center

A favorite fair food – fried funnel cake topped with whipped cream and strawberries

Concessionaires are Dole Whip, Funnel Cake, Roasted Corn, Fried A Fair, Who Fried the Cheese, Australian Battered Potatoes, Chicken Charlie’s, Kettle Corn, Mom’s Bakeshoppe, Pink’s Hot Dogs, Olde Tyme Ice Cream, Juicy’s and JP’s Old West Cinnamon Rolls.

The OC Fair Food Drive-Thru is open for those heading to the Urban Legends Halloween Haunt (now through November 1) and the Autosonic Concerts live drive-in shows this weekend featuring Sweet and Tender Hooligans on Friday, Queen Nation on Saturday and Jefferson Starship on Sunday. Make sure to grab your OC Fair Food before the show.

Weekly maps and menus are available at www.ocfair.com/drivethru.

This is the only official fair food event presented by the OC Fair.

NB Chamber to present 2021 Economic Forecast

The Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce will present its signature annual event with the 2021 UCI Paul Merage School of Business Economic Forecast on Tuesday, Oct. 20. The free meeting will be held at 11 a.m. via Zoom.

The event will feature two industry leaders as they focus on the future economy to help budgeting, investing, real estate, the evolving changes in the coronavirus pandemic and how these issues will affect the 2020 Presidential Election.

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Photos courtesy of Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce

Christopher Schwarz, associated professor of finance at UCI’s Paul Merage School of Business

Guest speakers for the presentation are Christopher Schwarz, associated professor of finance at UCI’s Paul Merage School of Business, and Richard Afable, MD, MPH, president and board chair of MindOC/BeWell Orange County.

Schwarz, also the faculty director for UCI’s Center for Investment and Wealth Management, will present his 2021 Economic and Financial Economic Forecast.

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Richard Afable, MD, MPH, president and board chair of MindOC/BeWell Orange County

Afable, who is the recently retired President & CEO of St. Joseph Hoag Health, will present Coronavirus Testing, Therapeutics and Vaccines.

The event will be done in concert with other chambers from the cities of Costa Mesa, Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Brea and Yorba Linda, in addition to South Coast Metro Alliance and the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

To register for the event, go here.

City of Hope Newport Beach nurse practitioner and breast cancer survivor “knows” the journey

When Linda Buck began working as a nurse practitioner, she made it a habit to spend about an hour with each of her new breast cancer patients, discussing the ins and outs of their treatment. She spoke with an innate knowledge that transcended her clinical expertise – she’s a breast cancer survivor who’d been on their same journey, too.

“I’d tell them, ‘I want you to know this about me so you’ll feel truly free to express yourself. You can ask me anything. I know what it’s like,’” Buck said. “I have the book knowledge, but I also have the personal experience. That was very meaningful. Some patients would start to cry when I told them, because it made them feel like, ‘She gets it’.”

Buck practices at City of Hope Newport Beach, where she’s involved in almost every aspect of her patients’ breast cancer care, from answering questions about side effects or medication refills to reviewing scans or going on rounds. And she’s happy to share advice when needed.

“I frequently tell people that what they are feeling and experiencing is normal,” she said. “They need to allow themselves to have their feelings, no matter what they are. I try to reassure patients their emotions are valid, and that helps them to relax and then move forward when they can.”

Those breakthrough moments inspire Buck. “It’s amazing to see the growth that can come out of a person’s journey,” Buck said. “To be with them and see them gain inner strength that changes how they present themselves to the world makes me think, ‘Wow, I need to stretch myself some more.’”

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Courtesy of City of Hope

City of Hope Newport Beach Nurse Practitioner Linda Buck

Buck’s own breast cancer diagnosis required a lot of stretching. An oncology nurse for three decades, she discovered she had early-stage HER2 overexpressed breast cancer in fall 2010, during the first semester of her nurse practitioner program. Buck navigated surgery, an intense four months of chemotherapy, and a year of maintenance while also keeping up with her coursework.

“The fact that I was in graduate school helped me,” she said. “I had a lot of support from friends and family. It helped me stay focused on what I needed to do and not get lost in what was going on with my health at the time.”

Buck recently marked her one-year work anniversary, but City of Hope has been part of Buck’s career for many years. It’s where she earned her first chemotherapy certification and found many learning opportunities. That’s why it’s special for her to be part of City of Hope’s expansion into Orange County.

“Patients who live in OC don’t have to drive for hours to get the kind of care we offer at City of Hope,” she said. “The Newport Beach location is beautiful and calming. It may sound unusual to say a person can relax while they’re getting chemotherapy, but we have everything to help make that possible. We have chairs that vibrate for a little massage, and open windows where you can see outside; you’re not stuck in a closed doctor’s office. Our patients are grateful to have access to a wide range of services in one location and be able to put long commutes for treatment behind them.”

While Buck spends most of her working hours with breast oncologist Wade Smith, M.D. and breast surgical oncologist Hang Dang, D.O., she has also supported the location’s physicians who specialize in other forms of cancer. She found the opportunities to be “a beautiful learning experience.”

“City of Hope Newport Beach physicians are highly trained cancer specialists. They have a broad network of colleagues to consult with. And many of them are clinician-scientists whose research is leading to breakthrough treatments,” Buck said. “The resources our patients have access to are almost endless, unlike anywhere else l know of in the Orange County area.”

The opportunity to offer support is especially meaningful to Buck. “It’s a privilege and an honor to build relationships with patients and their families, because patients have a choice who they are going to see, and they keep coming back to us. Cancer, its treatment and survivorship, is not like having a one-time procedure where it’s repaired, you’re done, and you never see the surgeon again,” Buck said.

Buck believes that nursing nourishes relationships – it’s in the nature of the profession, she said. And, grounded in the professional and personal wisdom Buck has gained as a practitioner and a survivor, it’s evident that building common bonds helps her offer the best hope for patients.

For more information, visit www.cityofhope.org.

Community invited to important online housing workshop

The City will be seeking input from the community on the future of housing in Newport Beach at an interactive, virtual workshop on Tuesday, Oct. 20 from 6-7:30 p.m.

The workshop, “Envisioning the Future of Housing,” is the first in a series of community forums that will help update the housing and circulation (transportation and mobility) portions of Newport Beach’s General Plan. 

Participants can register for the virtual workshop, hosted on Zoom, at www.newporttogether.com.

Earlier this year, the City was informed that it must plan for an additional 4,834 housing units over the next decade to comply with legal requirements of the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA). This workshop will gather input on how best to integrate future housing units into the city. 

The virtual workshop will include surveys, polling, live discussion and other activities to engage Newport Beach residents in the General Plan process. The October 20 workshop will focus on housing, to be followed by a circulation workshop later this year. 

The General Plan update effort builds on the broader “Newport, Together” community outreach conducted in fall 2019. The General Plan’s Housing Element details the City’s strategy for enhancing and preserving community character and identifies strategies for additional housing. The Circulation Element guides how people move through the City through various forms of transportation. 

Go to www.newporttogether.com for more information and to register for the Zoom virtual workshop.

Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club welcomes Rotary District Governor 5320

On Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 8 a.m., the Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club will welcome Gianna Richards, Rotary District Governor 5320 on Zoom. She will discuss the District’s 2020-2021 strategic priorities and objectives, which include the creation of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, ensuring inclusiveness in membership, promoting Youth Services education and opportunities to succeed, and encouraging innovation during the pandemic.   

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Courtesy of Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club

Gianna Richards, Rotary District Governor 5320

District Governor Richards has served as club president of the Rotary Club of Anaheim Hills and during that time partnered with the OC Family Justice Center Foundation to provide back-to-school clothes and supplies for needy children. Her standard for service to Rotary has been set by her family of five very active Rotary members. She is a Paul Harris Fellow Award recipient.

Richards is president of Solari Enterprises, specializing in the development and management of affordable housing in California. Solari manages more than 8,000 units, providing nearly 30,000 household members with a place to call home.

Learning that the warmth of a home is the foundation for professional growth and a child’s happiness, Richards enjoys traveling, listening to live music, and spending time with her family and volunteering.

The Zoom link for the Rotary meeting is available by request at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

45th Annual ENC Fall Faire & Pumpkin Patch Online Silent Auction is live

Join the fun at the 45th Annual ENC Fall Faire on Sunday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Embark on a virtual “Craft Crawl” and “Story Walk.” Play virtual nature games, do a fun science experiment, and watch performances around the virtual “Fire Circle Stage.” Decorate yourself in your best fall-themed costume or face paint, post your photo on Instagram and tag it #2020ENCFallFaire for a chance to win awesome prizes. The schedule for the day’s online fun is posted here.

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Courtesy of ENC

Embark on ENC’s virtual Fall Faire & Pumpkin Patch on October 18

An Online Silent Auction is taking place now through October 18. It features something for everyone from wine tasting experiences to gift certificates to your favorite restaurants to cupcakes! For more information and to check out what they have listed so far, visit www.32auctions.com/encfallfaire. More items will be added each day.

Purchase a Fall Faire “To Go” bag at https://encenter.org/blog/events/fall-faire-to-go/, and have a Fall Faire experience from the safety of your home. Each high-quality reusable canvas bag includes: a pumpkin (additional pumpkins for $50 are available online), goodies and recipes from the Savor OC Restaurant Showcase sponsors, an ENC bandana, native plant seeds, a nature tattoo, a children’s nature book, materials to do a fun science experiment (the hidden colors in a leaf) and materials to create a fall-themed craft. Fall Faire “To Go” bags are $100 each. They can be picked up on October 15 and 16 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

The first 200 bags will also contain: a $20 gift card to Avila’s El Ranchito Restaurant (valid at three locations), a $10 gift card (off $25 Purchas) to Descanso Mexican Restaurant, $5 gift cards (off $25 purchase) to Hi-time Wine Cellars, $5 gift cards (off $25 purchase) to Sweet Shack, $5 gift cards (off $25 purchase) to Al’s New York Café, a free #1 combo from Wahoo’s Fish Taco, a free week of classes at Ra Yoga, a jar of pepper jam from Naked Grandma and a BAO TEA toothbrush.

If you are interested in a corporate sponsorship, visit https://encenter.org/event-sponsorship. If you would like to donate to the online auction, complete the form at https://encenter.org/auction-donation-form.

Virtual College & Career Night planned for NMUSD students

Newport-Mesa Unified School District (NMUSD) will present a Virtual College & Career Night on Wednesday, Oct. 21, from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

More than 150 colleges will participate, in addition to college and career workshops, interactive panels with college representatives, a live FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) breakout session, virtual college campus tours and NCAA information.

Included will be pathway career booths with representation from a variety of industry sectors and booths with representatives from the military, Regional Occupation Program (ROP), and apprenticeship and training programs from labor unions.

The event is open to 7th-12th grade students and is presented in partnership with Vital Link OC.

Breakout and event sessions will be available in Spanish, too.

Registration is required by first completing the Vital Link Registration Form at https://vitallink.typeform.com/to/AonGaPUu, then completing the Event Registration on a desktop at https://bit.ly/3imqPdL and/or on a mobile device by downloading the Vital Link OC App.

For additional information, go to www.nmusd.us/collegeandcareernight or call 714.424.5044.

Leadership Tomorrow alumni to mix it up

All Leadership Tomorrow alumni are invited to meet virtually via Zoom for a get-together on Thursday, Oct. 29 from 5-6 p.m. 

Learn how to mix a great cocktail, courtesy of the chief mixologist from the Bungalow Restaurant in Corona del Mar, who will demonstrate how to create a signature libation. Participating alumni will find out the ingredients in advance so that they can follow along. At the same time, attendees will mix it up together to network and get reacquainted as well as meet new business contacts.

Courtesy of Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce

Featured guest speaker, Ed Hart

Ed Hart will be the featured guest speaker, discussing “The Power of Resilience.” A popular workshop speaker, Hart is an author, trainer, consultant, executive coach and public speaker, focusing heavily in the areas of family business, leadership, succession planning, strategy, identifying and developing strengths, building trust, education, legacy, mentoring, improving corporate culture and developing relationships.

To make your free Zoom reservations, visit www.leadershiptomorrow.org/alumni-mixer.

YMCA of OC announces career opportunities dedicated to helping youth grow, succeed

YMCA of Orange County (YMCA OC), the largest licensed childcare provider in Orange County, has open positions in its child and youth development programs across Orange County. With a focus on safety, health, social growth and academic enhancement, YMCA OC serves families and children from kindergarten through middle school with distance learning support, homework support, full-day and part-time childcare options.

Working in child and youth development, YMCA OC staff interact and engage with every child that comes to the before and after school program in a classroom setting. Staff have the opportunity to plan and assist in leading the education curriculum. With valuable training and growth opportunities, many assistants ultimately grow to take on site lead roles – a great opportunity to jumpstart a career. During the COVID-19 pandemic, YMCA OC childcare has remained open as an essential service to local communities. This has presented opportunities for the organization to grow and continue meeting the community’s needs.

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Submitted photo

Youngsters enjoy arts & crafts at a local YMCA

YMCA OC is currently offering childcare for children from kindergarten through eighth grade at more than 60 sites throughout Orange County during the 2020-2021 school year to meet the needs of working families amid the COVID-19 pandemic. YMCA OC continues to work closely with the Orange County Health Care Agency and follows all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requirements, to provide the safest environment possible for all children and staff. This includes limited capacity, daily health checks, social distancing and intensified cleaning protocols.

“As we work to support parents during this unprecedented school year, we’re thrilled to be able to hire additional staff to join our team,” said Jeff McBride, CEO of YMCA OC. “The Y is committed to excellence and we are looking for driven and dynamic team members that are eager to give children the best possible environment to learn and grow.”

Open positions include:

–Assistant Teacher

–After School Teachers

–Preschool Teachers

–Assistant Directors

–Directors/Site Coordinators

–Inclusion Facilitator

–New Horizons Program Event Staff 

Click here for a full list of job openings.

Working for YMCA OC offers a variety of benefits. Employees are eligible for a free gym membership, free workout classes, free pool access, free training and certifications, free virtual health care solutions, program discounts, paid sick time, retirement options and a flexible schedule. The greatest benefit is that their employees go to work every day knowing that they are making an impact on the youth in their community. 

To learn more about YMCA OC’s current open positions, visit

https://ymcaoc.org/careers/ or contact a recruiter at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 714.508.7614.

What’s happening in October at our library?

Mark your calendars for these upcoming events at Newport Beach Public Library, which you can experience virtually, as well as a juried art exhibit you can view at Central Library.

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Courtesy of NBPL

Spooktacular fun awaits...all month long

–Spooktacular for Teens: Short Story and Art Program now through November 7. It’s time to get into the Spooky Halloween spirit with a Halloween-themed short story and art program...so get creative! Open to tweens and teens in grades 5 through 12, you can select one of the creative writing and art prompts provided or come up with your own spell-binding theme. 

~How to Enter: Provide your name, contact information, title of the work and word count at the top of the first page. Short story submissions should be between 500-2,000 words. You can submit up to six works for entries into the opportunity drawing. Entries must be original content created by the person submitting the story. By submitting your work, you give Newport Beach Public Library authorization to share your work on their social media and Spooktacular webpage for other NBPL teens to enjoy. Everyone who participates in the Spooktacular Program will be entered into a drawing, and three lucky teens will each receive a $20 gift card to Amazon. NBPL will post all the art and short stories on their website. While they encourage stories/art to have spooky/horror elements, overly graphic or mature content will not be shared on the library website. Please try to keep submissions family friendly. Email all submissions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.no later than Friday, October 30. If you have any questions, send them to the email address.

–Tune-In Tuesday Storytime on October 20 and 27 at 9:30 a.m. with the NBPL Children’s Services staff.

~October 20: Features Ms. Annika reading Stretch by Doreen Cronin (author) and Scott Menchin (illustrator), singing, early literacy activities and a craft, too.

~October 27: Features Ms. Bernadette reading Who Ate All the Cookie Dough? by Karen Beaumont (author, illustrator), singing, early literacy activities and a craft, too.

–It’s Your Money on October 20 and 27 from 1:30-2:30 p.m.

NBPLF is going virtual with the “It’s Your Money” financial workshops. These weekly workshops continue taking place through November 10 via Zoom. The instructors are local fee only financial advisers who all act in a fiduciary capacity with their clients. None of the speakers are licensed to sell any financial products. These programs are updated regularly to stay current with tax law, codes and trends.

~October 20: It’s Your Money: Medical Care Planning – Caregiver & Insurance. 

~October 27: It’s Your Money: Equity Investing – How To Use Stock.

Weekly handouts are available for download at http://materials.itsyourmoneyandestate.org/.

Courtesy of NBPL

“Aging as Art” photography show was juried by a panel of distinguished judges

–“Aging As Art” photographic exhibit opened on October 14. Presented by the Council on Aging – Southern California that invited all amateur and professional photographers, 18 years of age or older residing in California, to use their imagination and share their vision and unique interpretation of the aging experience. The Aging as Art Photography Show was juried by a panel of distinguished judges. Selected entries are currently on display on the second floor of Central Library through November 20. The Aging as Art Photography Show depicts the diversity, dignity and challenges of what living a long life means today.

–It’s Your Estate on October 21 and 28 from 1:30-2:30 p.m.

NBPLF presents “It’s Your Estate” financial workshops with financial planning specialist Peter Kote. These weekly workshops continue taking place through November 11 via Zoom. The instructors are local fee only financial advisers who all act in a fiduciary capacity with their clients. None of the speakers are licensed to sell any financial products. These programs are updated regularly to stay current with tax law, codes and trends.

~October 21: It’s Your Estate: Charitable Giving. 

~October 28: Retirement Account.

Weekly handouts are available for download at http://materials.itsyourmoneyandestate.org/.

–Spook-tacular Halloween Crafts from October 19-31. Calling all ghouls, goblins, princesses and superheroes! NBPL is brewing up a lot of at-home Halloween fun with Grab-and-Go crafts and activities, a virtual costume parade, and a chance to win an opportunity prize. Grab-and-Go craft kits are available for pick up at any Newport Beach Public Library location beginning October 19 through October 31 (while supplies last). Funding is generously donated by the Friends of the Library.

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Photo by Nina Subin

Author Julia Phillips

–Virtual Happy Hour with Julia Phillips on October 24 from 5-6 p.m. Newport/Mesa ProLiteracy invites supporters to enjoy Happy Hour with popular author, Julia Phillips, from the comfort of your own home. Phillips will talk about her debut novel and National Book Award finalist, Disappearing Earth. Attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions, which the author will answer. Phillips’ spellbinding and emotional storytelling quickly propelled this powerful novel into contention for a long list of awards and accolades, including being selected as a finalist for the National Book Award as well as for many lists of the 10 best books of 2019 including the NYT and Vanity Fair. This event is free. Registration is limited. Donations to Newport/Mesa ProLiteracy are greatly appreciated. Registered guests will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link to the event. RSVP here.

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Courtesy of NBPLF

Thomas C. Cesario, MD

–Medicine in Our Backyard on October 26 from 4-4:45 p.m. The Newport Beach Public Library Foundation (NBPLF) in collaboration with UCI Health virtually presents the 2020-2021 season of “Medicine in Our Backyard” featuring a group of renowned doctors and researchers speaking on a wide range of topics. The UCI doctors present the latest studies and newest technologies in an engaging online forum. This series is funded in part by the generosity of long time NBPLF members Mike and Polly Smith.

~“Coping with the Current Pandemic: A COVID-19 Update” with Thomas C. Cesario, MD, infectious disease specialist, UCI Infectious Disease Services. COVID-19: What can we expect next? Dr. Thomas Cesario, professor emeritus of the UCI School of Medicine and a renowned expert on multiple infectious diseases, will discuss what we know now about the virus and answer frequently asked questions, including: is the virus mutating? Do mask and social distancing really work? What are our diagnostic tests and how good are they? Where are we with vaccines? And what we all want to know, how close are we to controlling this? To register for this webinar, go here.

Police Beat Primer

Compiled by Tom Johnson 

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

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

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

Abbreviations sometimes used in Police Beat:

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

DUI Arrests

George Edward Johnston, 39, Las Vegas – Tuesday, October 13 

Incident Reports

Wednesday, October 14

Arrests for Being Drunk in Public

None

40th St. I 200 Block I Controlled Substance, Narcotics and Toluene

8:41 p.m. Tyler Reid Sagot, 27, Newport Beach, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, possession of a narcotic controlled substance and possession of toluene. Bail was set at $2,500.

Newport Pier I Deadly Weapon and Drinking in Public

8:21 p.m. Kathleen Anne Reinberger, 58, Costa Mesa, was arrested for exhibiting a deadly weapon other than a firearm and drinking in public. Bail was set at $500.

Newport Blvd. I 1700 Block I Costa Mesa I Controlled Substance, Narcotics and Paraphernalia

5:40 p.m. Samuel Mark Gabriel, 31, Newport Beach, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, possession of a narcotic controlled substance and possession of unlawful paraphernalia. Bail was set at $2,500.

Tuesday, October 13

Arrests for Being Drunk in Public

Ricardo Romo, 39, Costa Mesa

Tremont Drive I 200 Block I Battery

9:19 p.m. Shelby Rae King, 29, Newport Beach, was arrested for battery. Bail was set at $500.

Begonia Ave. I 500 Block I Riding Bike on Sidewalk and False ID

12:26 p.m. David Alan Kraft, 62, Los Angeles, was arrested for riding a bike on the sidewalk and for presenting false identification to a specific peace officer. Bail was set at $500.

E. Balboa Blvd. I 1700 Block I Switchblade and Under the Influence

11:22 a.m. Christopher Daniel Rios, 34, Lancaster, was arrested for carrying a switchblade knife on his person and for being under the influence of a controlled substance. Bail was set at $1,000.

Newport Blvd. I 2100 Block I Grand Theft and Paraphernalia

11:03 a.m. Richard Benjamin Niebling, 45, Costa Mesa, was arrested for grand theft from a motor vehicle and possession of unlawful paraphernalia. Bail was set at $20,000.

Monday, October 12

Arrests for Being Drunk in Public

None

E. Bay Ave. I 1800 Block I Robbery, Threatening Crime and Burglary

8:52 p.m. Ryan Kelly Flynn, 25, Fountain Valley, was arrested for strong arm robbery, threatening a crime with intent to terrorize and for residential burglary with no forced entry. Bail was set at $50,000.

Santa Ana Ave. I 20100 Block I Threatening Crime

7:27 p.m. Paulo Froes Magalhaes, 48, Newport Beach, was arrested for threatening a crime with the intent to terrorize. Bail was set at $50,000.

Westcliff Drive & Santiago Drive I Warrant

5:43 p.m. Jeffrey Scott Wadsworth, 58, Huntington Beach, was arrested on a warrant for being drunk in public. Bail was set at $500.

Sherington Place & Irvine Ave. I Firearm, Ammo, Concealed Weapon and Warrant

5:27 p.m. Donyae Duwayne Dawson, 21, Compton, was arrested for being a felon or addict in possession of a firearm, possession of ammo by a prohibited person, carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle and on a warrant for grand theft. Bail was set at $35,000.

Seashore Drive I 5200 Block I Assault with Deadly Weapon

2:22 p.m. Jason Dean Ruggerello, 42, Newport Beach, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon. Bail was set at $500,000.

San Miguel Drive I 300 Block I Receiving Stolen Property

12:27 p.m. Colby David Lyon, 31, San Clemente, was arrested for receiving stolen property with a value less than $950. Bail was set at $500.

W. Coast Highway & Balboa Blvd. I Under the Influence and Paraphernalia

2:37 a.m. Joseph Barrak, 46, Huntington Beach, was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of unlawful paraphernalia. Bail was set at $1,000.

Editor’s Note: An arrest contains allegations that a suspect has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.