News

July 4th in Newport: Everything You Need in One Spot

1) Events (from Daily Pilot): What: Old Glory Boat Parade Where: Newport Harbor and around Balboa Island When: 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday Admission: Free Details: The patriotic-themed parade will start off Collins Island. A Harbor Patrol fire boat will lead close to 100 decorated boats through the harbor. The event sponsor is the American Legion Yacht Club. Information: alyc291.com …

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Throwback: The Oldest Throwback, Ever (the year 1800)

This is the oldest throwback photo of Newport that I know of.  It is actually a scan of the topographical maps before flight was even possible– back in the 1800s.  This was before the Balboa Peninsula was even formed, and our bay was unrecognizable compared to its current form. Collins saw the potential with Newport and created the peninsula using …

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4th of July Spirit comes Early on Peninsula

At 11:30am on Friday morning, a local businessman covered his storefront so that nobody could read his sign. …For America. For a show of spirit of the 4th of July, Todd Masters, a peninsula resident and creator of Toddland.com, lead a community fundraiser with no contributions allowed over $20, and raised enough money to purchase an enormous flag that covers the front of the …

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Ben Carlson Monument– APPROVED!

Last night, City Council unanimously approved the monument to our lost lifeguard, Ben Carlson, to be placed at the foot of Newport Pier. This has been a long and hard-fought journey to reach this point, and while it may feel like it is over now, there is still a long way to go.  The foundation will now build the monument …

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Sign Petition to Support Ben Carlson’s Statue TUESDAY

Do you support a memorial for our lost lifeguard, Ben Carlson? OF COURSE YOU DO. Sign the petition to urge Council to vote YES on this on TUESDAYS session. Even better? Show up in person and voice your opinion on this. The meeting will be at 7pm on Tuesday, June 23rd, at 100 Civic Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660 …

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Lido Live Needs Your Help Thursday!

Lido Live

Lido Live desperately needs your help this Thursday.  They are applying for a permanent beer license and are going to the Planning Commission.  PLEASE be there to speak out in support of them and their ability to entertain guests with not just fantastic concerts, but the ability to relax with a beer or two, too!  The meeting will be this Thursday, the 18th, …

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A Different Type of “Red Tide”

We haven’t seen THIS volume of tuna crab wash up on shore since the late 70s. While unusually warm weather and high tides can bring these critters up– and even in droves– to see them carpet the beach with this kind of coverage is extremely rare.  Most tuna crab are dead or dying after the tides left them stranded on …

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Staff Countermands Council in Fire Ring Submission

Family by the Fire Rings, photo credit unknown

On Thursday, the California Coastal Commission reviewed “Plan 17” that was presented by the City of Newport Beach. This plan included 64 rings– 32 of them containing fire, and 32 containing charcoal. Four of the new rings will be added on the Back Bay, leaving the oceanfront with 28, rather than the 60 we had just a few years ago. …

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Fire Rings: Proposal Accepted by Coastal Commission

Family by the Fire Rings, photo credit unknown

It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you that we lost more than half of the oceanside fire rings at the Coastal Commission vote. Here’s the breakdown: Currently, we have 60 fire rings, all of them wood-burning (as of the vote on Jan 13th).  They are divided between Balboa Pier and CdM. Assuming the CdM vote goes the …

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City Council Meeting Tonight

Newport Beach City Hall and Bunnies, photo by Mike Glenn

Tonight’s city council meeting is going to include an item which will reduce transparency in government and erode the ability of the public to effectively participate in council sessions.  The most questionable item on todays agenda is called– ironically– “Open Meeting Policies”.  However, what it states (http://novusagendapublic.newportbeachca.gov/CoverSheet.aspx?ItemID=5780&MeetingID=672) is that the mayor will have the ability to shuffle items on the agenda, …

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