A quick look at the things that made news this week in Newport Beach:
• Recently hiked marina rents got a small rollback Tuesday night. The City Council approved commercial rents of approximately $1.68 per square foot, trimming the rate of $1.97 per square foot approved Oct. 23. Council members also agreed to an estimated $1.02 per square foot hike on businesses using public tidelands, such as charter operators, daily boat rentals, yacht clubs and visitor slips at restaurants.
• City Council members boosted staff salaries Tuesday night, voting unanimously for an 11 percent raise for City Clerk Leilani Brown and a 3 percent bump for City Manager Dave Kiff. The raise brings Brown’s salary to $123,800 and Kiff’s to $231,750. In a related matter, the council adopted new salary ranges and proposed a performance-based bonus system for employees.
• A $15,000 donation Tuesday night by a CdM high school coach has kick-started renewed talks about a football stadium at Corona del Mar High, the Daily Pilot reported. Making the donation, Coach Bill Sumner pledged to lead the effort to raise the $3.8 million needed to build the stadium.
• A Newport man who manages the world’s largest bond fund donated $20 million to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the Los Angeles Times reported. PIMCO founder Bill Gross and his wife, Sue, had donated an identical amount to Hoag Hospital in 2005.
• Promelis Westcliff Market closed after more than a decade in business, citing problems with congestion and traffic overruns from neighboring Kean Coffee, the Orange County Register reported. Kean’s owners disputed that assertion.
• A local pizza shop has chipped in to help Hurricane Sandy victims. Original Pizza agreed to donate 20 percent of Tuesday’s sales from its locations in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa.
• With $85,192 in donations, a local Movember team has out-fundraised almost 13,000 U.S. teams as of Tuesday, the Daily Pilot reported. By sporting mustaches throughout November, Movember participants raise money and awareness for men’s health issues.
• Construction of a pedestrian bridge will keep San Miguel closed all day today, Monday and Tuesday between MacArthur Boulevard and Avocado Avenue. The roadway also will close Wednesday until 3 p.m.
• Air travelers now can track the status of flights in and out of John Wayne Airport thanks to a newly launched online and mobile service. The free service, available at ocair.com/mobile, also provides information on parking, construction delays, airport eateries and more.
