By Grace Leung, Newport Beach City Manager
You are invited to join us on Wednesday, June 12 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. for a special grand opening celebration and open house for the new Junior Lifeguard Building near the Balboa Pier at 901 E. Ocean Front.
After a short ribbon-cutting ceremony at 5:30 p.m., we will invite the community to tour the new facility and meet with our lifeguard staff. Food will be available for purchase.
The 5,400 square-foot facility will be the first permanent home for the popular Junior Lifeguard Program, which has operated out of temporary trailers for decades.
The building was funded through a public-private partnership between the City and the Newport Beach Junior Lifeguard Foundation. The facility includes administrative and event space, expanded storage, locker rooms and private and public restrooms.
The construction included improvements to Parking Lot A, including electric vehicle charging stations. The building will be available for public rentals during the off season.
We are excited to bring this new facility to Newport Beach – and to open just in time for the 2024 Junior Lifeguard season. Please join us next week to celebrate!
Summer Reading Program Begins June 8
The Newport Beach Public Library’s popular Summer Reading Program begins Saturday, June 8 and runs through July 27. Sign up today for a summer of great books, prizes, free family activities, science programs, entertaining performances and more!
Stop by any library location or visit www.newportbeachlibrary.org to learn how you can join the fun. The Summer Reading Program is for all ages, from children and teens to adults.
The Summer Reading Program is generously funded by the Friends of the Library and the Newport Beach Public Library Foundation.
NBPD Welcomes New Deputy Chief, Officers, Staff
The Newport Beach Police Department proudly welcomed seven new employees at a swearing-in ceremony on June 3.
The event was attended by community members, City Council members, NBPD staff, and representatives from other law enforcement agencies, reflecting the strong support and collaboration within our community.
The ceremony included the swearing-in of new Deputy Chief Javier Aguilar, two police officers, two dispatchers, and two community services officers. These new staff members bring experience, dedication, and enthusiasm and will help strengthen the department’s mission of serving and protecting the Newport Beach community.
Congratulations to all the new NBPD employees!
City Joins 29th Annual Balboa Island Parade
Newport Beach City staff from the Utilities, Public Works, Fire, Police, Harbor and City Manager departments participated in the 29th Annual Balboa Island Parade on June 2.
The City’s decorated heavy equipment provided fun additions to the festive parade, an annual tradition sponsored by the Balboa Island Improvement Association. This year’s theme was a tribute to the late Jimmy Buffet.
Swimming Lessons Available Beginning June 10
It’s time to break out the sunscreen and head to the pool!
Summer officially kicks off on June 10 at Newport Harbor High School and the Marian Bergeson Aquatic Center at CdM High School with a full lineup of group and private swim lessons for children (starting as young as 3 months), and additional lap swim hours for adults.
A full list of swim lesson offerings and pool hours can be found here: https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/recreation-senior-services/aquatics.
Friends of the Library “Almost Summer” Book Sale June 7 – 8
The Friends of the Library will host the “Almost Summer” book sale on Friday, June 7 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, June 8 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
More than 15,000 books will be for sale, including bestsellers, children’s books, beach reads, vintage classics and more. All the money raised supports Newport Beach Public Library programs.
Please note that Friday is a members-only day (memberships are available at the door).
More information: https://www.newportbeachlibrary.org/about/friends-of-the-library.
Ride the Free Balboa Trolley This Summer
The Balboa Peninsula Trolley is now operating with free service on weekends and holidays throughout the summer.
The trolley service is available from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays as well as on Independence Day (July 4), July 5 and Labor Day (September 2).
There are 22 designated stops along the trolley route. Trolleys are scheduled to arrive in 15-minutes intervals, which may vary slightly depending on traffic conditions. Riders are invited to climb aboard or exit the trolley at any of the stops along the way to and from the Balboa Pier and Fun Zone area.
For those planning a day at the beach, the trolley can accommodate bicycles, surfboards under six feet long, and beach gear. Trolley riders traveling from outside the area can utilize free parking at the City’s Avon Street municipal parking lot, located near the intersection of Tustin Avenue and Avon Street.
This service is provided by the City of Newport Beach and funded through grants from the Orange County Transportation Authority (Measure M2 funds). For more information visit www.newportbeachca.gov/trolley.
Registration for Summer Classes Now Open
Get ready for an exciting summer! Registration for the City’s summer classes is now open.
See the latest Newport Navigator and visit www.newportbeachca.gov/register for more information on summer classes for all ages and interests, as well as community events such as Movies in the Park and July 4 is for Families.
Be Well Mobile Response Team
The Be Well mobile crisis response team operates in Newport Beach 12 hours a day, seven 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 two people to the Be Well sobering station.
- Transported five people to homeless service providers.
- Transported a person to a medical appointment.
- Transported a person to a bus stop to return home.
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.
Homelessness Update
This week, the City’s homeless outreach and response teams:
- Placed a person into permanent housing after a stay at the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter.
- Enrolled four people into services.
- Continued to shelter people: 23 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: https://www.newportbeachca.gov/trending/community-issues/homelessness/monthly-homeless-count.
Click here for information on the City’s Good Giving program: https://www.newportbeachca.gov/trending/community-issues/homelessness/how-you-can-help.
