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Community Members:
I would like to thank and recognize our residents who participated in this year's Summer Reading Program, and our Library Services staff for delivering another stellar series. The summer 2024 numbers were impressive:
- Participation and attendance in the seven-week program increased by more than 17% from the previous year, with 4,418 adult, teen and child patrons participating in the reading challenge or attending performances and children’s craft programs.
- Participants logged 577,985 minutes of reading—more than half a million minutes—a nearly 14% increase over last years’ reading totals.
- The library had 74 teen volunteers assist this summer, providing 983 volunteer hours of service. Way to go teens!
As students head back to school, here are some helpful resources for teachers, parents and students of all ages and reading levels:
- Visit student resources for a full list of useful databases for elementary school homework needs.
- For teens, check out our college prep resources, including an informative workshop series for teens and parents as they navigate the college application and financial aid process.
- Book a field trip or a library staff visit using the educator and student services webpage.
- Find free after-school programs such as STEAM Lab, Makerspace, Middle Grade Book Club and more on our children’s calendar.
- Check out the pre-school reading program 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, which encourages parent/child reading, and the teen reading challenge 100 Books Before Graduation for middle and high school students looking to read for fun.
Also this summer, the Newport Beach Central Library celebrated its 30th anniversary. Library staff hosted a fun-filled open house with activities for children, staff-led tours, a scavenger hunt with prizes, refreshments and giveaways, enjoyed by more than 650 patrons.
The City is proud to have shared this milestone with the community and we look forward to many more years of service. If you missed the anniversary open house, catch up with this short video.
City Manager, Grace K. Leung
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Construction of the Superior Avenue pedestrian bridge and parking lot, located at Superior Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway, is nearing completion.
Bridge lighting was completed in early August and the bridge railing is scheduled to be installed next week. Trees are being planted in the parking lot and in front of the retaining walls. Temporary lane closures and barriers have been removed and pavement striping on Superior Avenue has been added.
Work crews are now installing parking lot lighting. The last major task will be completing the landscaping.
The City is on track to complete the project in September.
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The Newport Beach Police Department will host the next NBPD Mobile Café on Sunday, August 25 in partnership with the Irvine Company and Starbucks. The event will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Newport Coast Shopping Center, 21155 Newport Coast Dr.
The NBPD Mobile Café is a fantastic opportunity for community members to come together, enjoy some coffee, and engage in meaningful conversations with our police officers. This event is part of our ongoing effort to strengthen the relationship between the police department and the Newport Beach community. We hope to see you there!
Please contact Sergeant Steve Oberon with questions at 949-644-3652 or email at soberon@nbpd.org.
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All Newport Beach Fire Department personnel who were deployed throughout the state this summer have safely returned home.
However, the battle against California’s wildfires continues. As of this week, the Park Fire remains active, having burned 429,401 acres with 57% containment. Our thoughts are with the communities impacted and the firefighters and emergency personnel still on the front lines, working tirelessly to bring this massive fire under control.
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As recent events have shown, natural disasters such as wildfires and earthquakes can strike at any time. Preparedness is key, and the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program is here to help. This program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness and trains them in basic disaster response skills, including fire safety, light search and rescue, and medical operations.
The Newport Beach Fire Department will be offering two CERT program courses this fall, in September and October. This is a great opportunity to learn how to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your community in times of crisis.
For more information and to register, please visit our CERT webpage. Stay safe, stay prepared, and join us in celebrating the dedication of our team and community.
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Join us this Sunday, August 25 from 1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. for a fun and interactive creative writing workshop devoted to dads and kids ages 3-11, in partnership with fodada.
Dads and kids will work together to create, write and illustrate their own stories.
Special guest children's author Barbara Odanaka – an author, journalist, Newport Beach local, and skateboarder – will help get you started.
Advance registration is recommended.
The event will be at the Central Library Children’s Room, 1000 Avocado Ave.
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Organizers of the annual Newport Harbor Underwater Cleanup are seeking volunteers for this year's event, which will be on Saturday, September 21 at Marina Park, 1600 Balboa Blvd.
Certified scuba divers are invited to join the underwater cleanup efforts and remove trash from the harbor floor. On-shore volunteers are needed to assist with registration, sorting collected items, and supporting the divers.
The underwater cleanup will be from 7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., followed by an International Coastal Cleanup Day Celebration from 12:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. The celebration event will feature live music, food trucks and exhibitors, a welcome from Newport Beach Mayor Will O’Neill, and a presentation of harbor stewardship awards to the participating marine environmental organizations.
The last harbor underwater cleanup event removed about 5,000 pounds of debris from Newport Harbor.
Visit the Newport Harbor Underwater Cleanup website to sign up and learn more about this important community event to help maintain the beauty and health of our local marine ecosystem.
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Marian Bergeson Memorial Bridge Dedication Ceremony Set for Sept. 13
On Friday, September 13, Assemblymember Diane Dixon (R-Newport Beach) will honor former Assemblymember and Senator Marian Bergeson by dedicating the Upper Newport Bay Bridge in her memory.
The 10 a.m. dedication ceremony will be open to the public at the Balboa Marina Public Pier, 151 E. Coast Highway.
Bergeson (1925-2016) was the first woman to serve in both the California State Assembly and California State Senate. She served in the State Legislature from 1978 to 1995, was a member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors from 1995 to 1996, and was the California State Secretary of Education from 1996 to 1999.
She served two terms on the California Transportation Commission from 2004 to 2012. She began her political career when she was elected to the Newport-Mesa Unified School District Board of Education in 1964, where she served for 12 years.
If you would like to attend the dedication ceremony, please RSVP by calling Assemblymember Dixon's office at 949-798-7221.
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The OASIS Fitness Center held a "Summer Olympic Challenge" for members this month, who were encouraged to explore new physical activities throughout the city. Participants chose from five events—track and field, weightlifting and gymnastics, water sports, racket and ball, and cycling—to compete and earn a chance to win prizes.
The next competition will begin this fall, as fitness center members will compete head-to-head in a four-week step-tracking competition.
The OASIS Fitness Center is open seven days a week and offers strength and cardiovascular machines, free weights, resistance bands, and yoga mats. Annual membership is available to individuals at least 50 years old at the rates of $137 resident and $192 for non-residents. Membership sign-up and orientation is by appointment only and can be made by calling 949-718-1818.
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Registration for City of Newport Beach fall recreation activities is now open.
Newport Beach residents will be receiving the latest edition of the Newport Navigator in their mailboxes with a complete list of camps, classes, programs and activities.
In the meantime, you can view the digital magazine here and register at this link.
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 The City is now accepting applications for the 2024-2025 Mayor's Youth Council, an unpaid internship program. The Mayor's Youth Council aims to educate high school students about the significance of civic duty.
Participants are paired with City staff and spend a minimum of four hours during the year learning about their mentor's job responsibilities. Additionally, participants will assist with City special events and create their own service projects.
Applications are due Tuesday, September 3.
For more information, click here.
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 The Be Well mobile crisis response team operates in Newport Beach 12 hours a day, 7 days a week to respond to mental and behavioral health crises. The mobile unit is staffed with mental health specialists and works closely with the City’s police and fire departments.
This week, the Be Well team:
- Transported a person to a crisis stabilization unit for treatment.
- Transported two people to homeless service providers.
- Transported a person to the Be Well sobering station for treatment.
- Collaborated with the County’s Crisis Assessment Team to place a person into a treatment facility.
The mobile crisis team is dispatched through the Newport Beach Police Department. To request service, dial 911 or call the Police Department's non-emergency line at 949-644-3717.
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 This week, the City’s homeless outreach and response teams:
- Enrolled two people into services.
- Sheltered a person in a motel to prepare for job interviews and housing appointments.
- Continued to shelter people: 25 people who had been experiencing homelessness in Newport Beach are sheltered in the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter.
Click here to view the latest homeless dashboard, which includes key monthly and yearly data on the City's homeless response.
Click here for information on the City's Good Giving program.
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The next City Council meeting is Tuesday, August 27. Items of interest are highlighted below. The entire agenda and staff reports can be viewed here.
A study session will begin at 4 p.m. Agenda items include:
- Development impact fees. Staff will present the results of a recent development impact fee study for discussion and input.
The regular session will begin at 6 p.m. Agenda items include:
- An agreement with Environment Planning Development Solutions, Inc. for the preparation of an environmental impact report on Surf Farm, a proposed private development at 3100 Irvine Ave. The applicant has proposed to redevelop 15 acres of the existing Newport Beach Golf Course into a 7-acre surfing lagoon, lounging areas, viewing platforms for spectators, private cabanas with bathrooms and showers, and three warming pools. Two new buildings are also proposed for uses such as health and fitness facilities, a surf-related retail store, locker rooms, food service and overnight accommodations for visiting athletes. The environmental analysis is expected to take about 10 months to complete.
- A proposed amendment to an existing agreement with Axon Enterprise Inc. for the Fusus intelligence system to support real-time crime analysis and data integration in the Police Department’s Crime Information Center (CIC). The Police Department is developing the CIC to enhance real-time crime analysis and investigation, digital evidence retrieval and processing, and a future drone program. Fusus will allow CIC staff to quickly access video resources near crime incidents and immediately begin working on leads to guide responding patrol officers and investigators.
- A budget amendment to accept a $200,000 donation from the Friends of the Newport Beach Library. The donation will augment the Library’s collections and sponsor a variety of programs.
- A public hearing and consideration of an ordinance and resolution approving the Residences at 1600 Dove Street project and overriding an Orange County Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) determination of inconsistency. The applicant, Picerne Group, is requesting approval of a General Plan amendment, affordable housing implementation plan, traffic study, and development agreement for the future development of a residential project of up to 282 dwelling units at 1600 Dove St. A project design is not being proposed, and would require later review by the Planning Commission. Also for City Council consideration is a resolution overriding a June 20 ALUC determination that the project is inconsistent with airport land use plans.
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A public hearing on the issuance of tax-exempt revenue bonds by the California Enterprise Development Authority for the benefit of Sage Hill School. Sage Hill has requested Council approval to issue up to $55 million in revenue obligations to finance school improvements. The City's role is to provide an opportunity for community input on the bond issuance. The City does not have any responsibility for the debt and is not pledging any assets as security for the debt.
- Homeless outreach update and related items. The Council will receive an update on the City’s homeless outreach program from January through June 2024, including summaries of tasks accomplished and data collected by City staff and consultants. The Council will also consider two related items: a six-month agreement to continue Be Well OC Mobile Response Team services; and modifications to Newport Beach Municipal Code regulations governing the use of public property and interference with public access. The agenda item also includes staffing recommendations to further improve the City's efforts to reduce homelessness.
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WWW.NEWPORTBEACHCA.GOV | 949-644-3309 | 100 CIVIC CENTER DRIVE, NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92660
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