By Grace Leung, Newport Beach City Manager
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 percent 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 percent 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!
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.
Superior Ave. Pedestrian Bridge Nears Completion
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.
Firefighters Return After Regional Deployments
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 percent 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.
Newport Harbor Underwater Cleanup Effort Seeks Volunteers
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. https://www.newportharborunderwatercleanup.com.
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.
OASIS Wraps Summer Olympic Fitness Challenge
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.
Registration Now Open for Fall Recreation Activities
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.
You can register at this link: https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/cnbreg/activity/search.
Be Well Mobile Response
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.
Homelessness Update
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.
