By Grace Leung, Newport Beach City Manager
Some of you have already received new, green-lid carts for recycling yard waste, food waste and other biodegradable materials as part of a State-mandated organic waste recycling program that took effect January 1.
The cart rollout will continue through the end of March. Pickup of organic recycling will begin the week after the carts are delivered, on the same day as trash and standard recycling are collected.
The organic waste recycling cart delivery includes educational materials explaining how to recycle properly to meet the state’s environmental goals. I encourage you to read through the booklet and consult the following resources for more information:
- Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cn6jWR2RK6Q&t=24s for a short video on how to separate and recycle organic waste.
- Visit newportbeachca.gov/recycle to find out when the organic recycling carts will arrive in your neighborhood (use the search function at the top of the page).
- Read through our Frequently Asked Questions document at https://www.newportbeachca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/70926/637770021974330000 for answers to common questions and concerns.
- Collection days have changed for about 14,000 households. To find out your trash and recycling pickup day: newportbeachca.gov/findmycollectionday.
- Street sweeping days have also been adjusted in the neighborhoods with collection day changes. These neighborhoods include portions of the Balboa Peninsula (21st Street to G Street) and Corona del Mar (north of Coast Highway), Irvine Terrance, the Port Streets and the north tip of Newport Heights. These changes will avoid conflicts, address parking conditions, and maintain street sweeping effectiveness.
For maps and information visit www.newportbeachca.gov/2022sweeping or call the City’s Utilities Department at (949) 644-3011.
Residents Encouraged to Apply for Aviation, General Plan Committees
- Aviation Committee. The City is seeking community representatives from Council District 1 to fill an unscheduled vacancy on the Aviation Committee. If you are a resident of District 1 and are interested in applying, please visit newportbeachca.gov/vacancy for more information. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
- General Plan Update Steering Committee. The City is seeking community representatives for three open seats on the reestablished General Plan Update Steering Committee. If you are interested in applying please visit, newportbeachca.gov/vacancy for more information. The deadline to apply is noon on Wednesday, February 16.
JWA General Aviation Update Meeting February 10
John Wayne Airport staff will host a community meeting on February 10 with two sessions, 4 to 5 p.m. and 5 to 6 p.m., at the airport’s Community Room, 3160 Airway Ave., Costa Mesa to provide an update on the General Aviation Improvement Program (GAIP). The public is invited to attend in person or via webstream or phone. For more information visit the airport’s GAIP website at https://www.ocair.com/business/general-aviation/general-aviation-improvement-program/.
Ocean Piers Maintenance Project Underway
Maintenance work has begun at the Balboa and Newport piers. During the next few months, Associated Pacific Constructors, Inc., a City contractor, will be performing inspections and routine maintenance repairs underwater and underneath the decks of the City’s ocean piers.
The Balboa and Newport piers were originally built in 1940. While the decks are constructed of relatively low-maintenance concrete, the timber support structures below the decks are continuously impacted by the ocean waves, tides, and the harsh marine environment.
For the duration of the maintenance work, both piers will remain open to the public, restaurant patrons, and small delivery/trash trucks. Please exercise caution when walking next to the construction zones and contact Public Works at (949) 644-3311 with any questions or concerns.
COVID-19 Cases in Newport Beach
As of February 3, the total cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in Newport Beach was 8,601 (a decrease after the number was adjusted downward on January 31 because of an earlier reporting error). The total number of cases in Orange County as of February 3 was 521,431, an increase of 18,139 cases since January 27. The number of recovered COVID-19 patients countywide as of February 3 was 410,516. These figures are provided to Orange County by the California Department of Public Health.
Testing and Vaccination Resources
Self-collection, at-home COVID-19 Test Kits are available at no cost to people who work or live in Orange County, and can be ordered online at www.ochealthinfo.com/covidtest.
In addition, free tests are now available from the federal government through www.COVIDtests.gov or by calling (800) 232-0233. You can order up to four rapid tests to be sent to your home address, which will be mailed at no cost through the U.S. Postal Service within 7 to 12 days.
Vaccines continue to be widely available throughout Orange County for walk-in, same day and future appointments. Individuals who are not yet vaccinated or boosted against COVID-19, or are eligible for a third dose (due to immunocompromise conditions) are encouraged to visit a local pharmacy or healthcare provider, or go online to www.Vaccines.gov, www.MyTurn.ca.gov or www.Othena.com to schedule a vaccination appointment. For more information on COVID-19 information and resources, including case counts, vaccination and testing in Orange County, visit www.ochealthinfo.com/covid.
Homelessness Update
- City Net, Newport Beach’s contract social services agency, toured senior apartment buildings with two men who were awarded Emergency Housing Vouchers. Emergency Housing Vouchers are funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and allow people to pay affordable rent based on their fixed incomes. Nine people experiencing homelessness in Newport Beach have been awarded vouchers. The voucher program is administered by the Orange County Housing Authority. City Net is assisting Newport Beach clients with completing the necessary paperwork, obtaining bank statements, touring potential rental apartments, and more.
- 17 people who had been experiencing homelessness in Newport Beach are now sheltered in the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter.
- City Net enrolled two people into its services and completed a Vulnerability Index Assessment. City Net utilizes the Vulnerability Index Assessment to screen clients on a number of factors to determine proper placement in the County’s Continuum of Care system. Factors include age, health issues, and length of time being unsheltered.
To donate to those experiencing homelessness in Newport Beach, please visit our Good Giving Program web page at https://newportbeachca.gov/trending/community-issues/homelessness/how-you-can-help.
Volunteers Needed for Homeless Point in Time Count
Sign up to help shape homeless services in Orange County for the next several years as part of the Point in Time Count, February 22 through February 24. Point in Time is a biennial count of people experiencing homelessness on a given night. The count provides vital information that helps the County better understand homelessness in the community and guides the way the County and its partners respond to homelessness in Orange County.
Volunteer opportunities are available leading up to the event and during the Point in Time Count event. Sign up at https://www.everyonecountsoc.org/.
