A quick look at the things that made news this week in Newport Beach:
• City council voted Tuesday to purchase an office building owned by Kenneth Kaplan at Monrovia Avenue and 15th Street for $4.3 million. Kaplan sued the city in 2011 for inverse condemnation after it was rezoned for residential use. Kaplan agreed to drop all legal action if the city purchased the site.
• Authorities sent out a traffic advisory to the community warning of street closures beginning at 5:30 a.m. and reopening at 10 a.m. on Oct. 13 for the 26th Annual Harbor Heritage Run. Several streets in the Cliff Haven Community and St. Andrews Village will be affected.
• The Newport-Mesa Unified School District Academic Performance Index increased for the ninth straight year, officials announced on Thursday. The district scored 838 this year and achieved “high performing” designation from the state.
• Authorities announced that sharrows will be installed in Corona del Mar by the end of the month. Officials have been discussing how to improve bike safety in the city and have discussed possible projects. It was also announced that a memorial bike ride will be held on Oct. 28 for Sarah Leaf and Catherine “Kit” Campion-Ritz, who were killed while cycling in Newport Beach.
• A man committed suicide in the parking lot of Arroyo Park on Wednesday after local police received a call from OC Sheriff’s Department to assist in looking for a missing male. Officers found him in his vehicle at the park around 5:45 p.m. and attempted to contact him, as he displayed a handgun and shot himself. He was transported to the hospital, where he died as a result of his injuries.
• George Osumi, 64, of Newport Beach, is being accused of stealing about $2.7 million in fine vintage wines from his clients storage lockers at Legend Cellars Inc. in Irvine. He is being held on $4 million bail and is scheduled for arraignment today. He faces six felony counts related to the robbery. Osumi operated the cellars and allegedly swapped out the expensive bottles for cheaper wine, and then auctioned off some of the pricey wine.
– Compiled by Sara Hall
