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By Grace Leung, Newport Beach City Manager
Following this Labor Day weekend, which marked the official end of the summer season, I would like to recognize the men and women who help ensure the safety of residents and visitors on our beaches – our City lifeguard team.
In the summer 2024 peak season (June 8 through Labor Day), our City lifeguards:
- Performed 45,324 preventive actions, warning swimmers about dangerous ocean conditions or unsafe behaviors.
- Made 2,731 ocean rescues.
- Administered First Aid 684 times.
- Provided medial aid (assistance at a higher level than First Aid) 135 times.
- Treated 266 stingray wounds.
- Provided other types of public assistance 414 times.
- Assisted boaters 104 times.
In all, over the course of the summer, their work amounted to nearly 70,000 contacts with the public.
As we all know, our lifeguards are more than rescuers. They are community ambassadors, role models, and educators. Through ocean safety programs – most notably the Junior Lifeguard Program – they have empowered generations with the knowledge and skills needed to enjoy the ocean responsibly. This summer, 1,430 young people were able to experience the Junior Lifeguard Program for the first time in the new Junior Lifeguard Building.
Thank you to all our City lifeguards, including the management team led by Fire Chief Jeff Boyles and Chief Lifeguard Brian O’Rourke, as well as the many seasonal lifeguards who are critical to the success of our beach safety efforts.
Free NBPD Vacation Check Helps Keep Your Home Safe
Whether you’re heading out for a long weekend, an extended vacation trip, or just a quick getaway, the Newport Beach Police Department is here to help ensure your home and valuables stay safe while you’re away.
Did you know you can request a vacation check from the NBPD? Simply visit the website NBPD.org and fill out a vacation check request form. Volunteers and officers will regularly check your property for any signs of suspicious activity.
Vacation check is a free service, part of our commitment to providing excellent community policing and keeping Newport Beach safe.
As you plan your vacations for this fall, winter and beyond, don’t forget to take advantage of this valuable service. With the NBPD keeping eyes on your home, you can relax and enjoy your time away.
Safe travels, Newport Beach!
‘Wonka’ Movie Screening at Buffalo Hills Park Sept. 13
Bring your family and friends to Buffalo Hills Park, 1891 Port Provence Place, and enjoy a screening of the movie “Wonka” on Friday, September 13. The event begins at 6 p.m.; showtime is at sunset.
There will be fun activities, free popcorn, and food available for purchase. Remember to bring a chair and blanket for comfortable seating during the movie.
Join us for the Final Summer ‘Concert on the Green’ Sept. 22
Join us for the last Summer Concert on the Green! AbSOULute (R&B, funk, soul and classic rock tribute band) will be performing on Sunday, September 22 at the Newport Beach Civic Center, 100 Civic Center Dr. Concert will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Bring blankets, low-slung beach chairs, and a picnic dinner, or purchase from food trucks on-site. Admission and parking are free; alcohol is not permitted.
7th-12th Grade Students Invited to Sept. 18 College Preparation Workshop
Join us at the Central Library, 100 Avocado Ave., on Wednesday, September 18 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. for a college prep workshop focusing on the Common App.
The Common App gives you a lot of opportunities to tell your story in a way that admissions directors will find compelling, and this seminar will show you how.
College admissions experts will review each part of the Common App and show you where you can inject your personality and protect your shortcomings. You’ll leave knowing how colleges evaluate you and your application, which will give you the information you need to make the most out of your application. Registration is required.
Funding for this workshop is generously provided by the Friends of the Library.
For more information visit the Library’s web site at www.newportbeachlibrary.org and click on Calendar.
Get Your Library Card During Sign-Up Month
September is Library Card Sign-Up Month, and the Newport Beach Public Library invites residents to discover the incredible resources and opportunities available at our libraries by signing up for a free card.
Whether you are upgrading your skills, scouting for knowledge and information, or connecting with other heroic readers, a library card is your key to an arsenal of resources.
Sign up for a library card at any Newport Beach Public Library location in September and receive a free NBPL vinyl sticker! Visit www.newportbeachlibrary.org.
Public Invited to Review Draft Development Impact Fee Study
At a public hearing this fall, the City Council is expected to consider updating Newport Beach’s development impact fees in the areas of recreation, fire, police, water and sewers.
Development impact fees are designed to offset municipal cost increases imposed by growth, including capital improvement needs and expanded service levels.
A public draft of the City’s Development Impact Fee Nexus Study is available for review and comment at City Hall or online at www.newportbeachca.gov/DIF.
For comments or questions, please contact Senior Planner Liz Westmoreland at 949-644-3234, or lwestmoreland@newportbeachca.gov.
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. 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.
Get Prepared: Enroll Now for Fall CERT Classes
As recent events have shown, natural disasters such as wildfires and earthquakes can strike at any time. Preparedness is key, and the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program is here to help. This program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness and trains them in basic disaster response skills, including fire safety, light search and rescue, and medical operations.
The Newport Beach Fire Department will be offering two CERT program courses this fall, in September and October. This is a great opportunity to learn how to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your community in times of crisis.
For more information and to register, please visit our CERT webpage. Stay safe, stay prepared, and join us in celebrating the dedication of our team and community.
