The much-anticipated grand opening of the Mercado Gonzalez Northgate Market finally took place on Friday, Nov. 17, as hundreds of customers streamed into the store to buy groceries, tamales, churros and more.

The market replaced the former Albertsons in the Harbor Center and is a dining-hall-style concept set with more than 20 food stalls, live music, shopping, and a fine-dining restaurant.

In a pre-opening ceremony on Tuesday, Nov. 14, Mayor John Stephens, Mayor Pro-Tem Jeff Harlan, Council Members Manuel Chavez, Arlis Reynolds and Andrea Marr and City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison and Deputy City Manager Alma Reyes celebrated the opening of the new market.

Mayor Stephens presented a Certificate of Recognition to Miguel Gonzalez, who is the son of the founders of Northgate Markets — Don Miguel Gonzalez and Dona Teresa Reynoso de Gonzalez.

Northgate Markets also delivered checks for $1,500 each to Save Our Youth, Someone Cares Soup Kitchen, Families Forward and the City’s Bridge Shelter.

Northgate Markets first opened in Anaheim in 1980 and now has more than 40 locations throughout Southern California.

Mercado Gonzalez has the feeling of walking through a downtown Mexican town surrounded by “puestos” (stands) and several murals.

Customers have the option of eating inside or in the outdoor dining and entertainment areas.

In honor of Veterans Day, Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris last week hosted the fifth annual Veterans of the Year ceremony at Irvine Valley College.

The Assembly Member recognized three veterans, U.S. Marine Corps veteran Christopher McGuire of Costa Mesa, Navy veteran Jameeka Green Aaron of Irvine and Marine Corps veteran Bill Hammerle of Tustin, for their outstanding military service and contributions to fellow veterans and the community.

Mayor John Stephens presented McGuire with a Certificate of Recognition along with Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley. The event was attended by nearby City and County leaders as well as veterans service organizations and nonprofit organizations in the 73rd Assembly District. Ian Stevenson, the Executive Director of City partner Trellis, was also in attendance.

McGuire joined the Marine Corps in 2004, and spent time at Marine Corps Air Station New River and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.

He deployed three times to Iraq and Afghanistan and spent time performing pirate interdiction off Somalia. McGuire received his Bachelor of Science in Earth System Science in 2018 from UC Irvine and his doctoral degree in 2023.

After witnessing the amount of plastic in his ocean samples, he wanted to make a difference in his local community by providing a means to reduce grocery packaging.

He was inspired to open Orange County's only plastic-free grocery store in Costa Mesa, Amis de la Terre Zero-Waste Market, with his wife and fellow PhD student.

He continues to serve his community and wants to create positive change by reducing plastic waste and investigating the drivers of pollution. 

Congratulations to Energy and Sustainability Services Manager Salem Afeworki, who was profiled in North America Outlook, a B2B digital magazine that covers multiple industries including construction, energy and utilities.

The article focused on the City’s green goals by moving to electric vehicles and the installation of EV charging stations, active transportation initiatives, as well as the City’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP), a multi-year and inclusive process that will include extensive stakeholder engagement and input.  

Click here to read the article.

As the first rain storms of the season approach, the City's Public Works maintenance service crew has made sand and sandbags available at City Hall for residents who experience flooding.

The sand and sandbags are available for free to Costa Mesa residents only, not for commercial use.

The sand is located in the southeast corner of the City Hall parking lot at 77 Fair Drive.

The location is self-service and while there are shovels available, bringing your shovel is suggested as supplies could be limited.

The number of sandbags is limited to 15 sandbags per household. 

Last weekend we celebrated Veterans Day, so today we salute Costa Mesa resident, award-winning high school teacher and historical reenactor Shelby Anderson, who shares her passion for educating students and the public on American history through the use of her original military uniforms and artifacts. 

As a recent winner of the "Walt Disney 100th Anniversary Teacher Celebration," she has been recognized nationally as one of "100 exceptional teachers who reflect the creativity and imagination of Walt Disney.”

This teacher is also a member of the Historical Unit of Southern California, where she and fellow reenactors don vintage military uniforms and regularly participate in public events like Costa Mesa’s Memorial Day ceremony and parade at Harbor Lawn-Mt. Olive Memorial Park and Mortuary.

Last summer, Anderson was one of 30 educators chosen to attend the National WWII Museum’s "Collection to Classroom Teacher Training,” and is now part of the Museum’s nationwide network of "Master Educators,” dedicated to improving the quality of instruction on World War II and recognized as an expert in World War II education by the Museum.

You can watch a video profile on Anderson at the link below:

As the holidays near, pet owners have more time to walk their dogs in City parks and facilities

But Costa Mesa Animal Services wants to remind pet owners that City ordinances require dogs to be leashed in public at all times unless they are visiting a designated dog park such as Bark Park.

And always, please pick up after your pet - it keeps our city clean and helps visitors and pets stay safe.

You can find out more about being a responsible pet owner at the City of Costa Mesa website here.

Click the link below to watch the video.

For this job and other opportunities click here.

The Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) was awarded a $285,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS).

The grant will increase traffic patrols throughout the community and provide other traffic safety programs to help reduce the number of serious injuries and deaths on the roads.

CMDP awarded a $285,000 grant from OTS to increase safety on roads

“This grant funding allows us to support our ongoing traffic safety efforts in the community,” said Lt. Stephanie Selinske. “We will be able to increase our efforts in making our roads safer for everyone and focus on critical areas such as distracted driving, impaired driving, and speeding.”

The grant will provide additional programs and resources, including:

• DUI checkpoints and patrols focused on stopping suspected impaired drivers.
• High-visibility distracted driving enforcement operations targeting drivers in violation of California’s hands-free cell phone law.
• Enforcement operations focused on the most dangerous driver behaviors that put the safety of people biking or walking at risk.
• Enforcement operations focused on top violations that cause crashes: speeding, failure to yield, stop sign and/or red-light running, and improper turning or lane changes.
• Community presentations on traffic safety issues such as distracted driving, impaired driving, speeding, bicycle and pedestrian safety.
• Collaborative enforcement efforts with neighboring agencies.
• Officer training and/or recertification: Standard Field Sobriety Test (SFST), Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) and Drug Recognition Expert (DRE).

The grant program will run through September 2024.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from OTS, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

This week, District 1 and District 2 residents had the opportunity to meet Chief Ron Lawrence at the Listening Tours in their districts.

Mayor John Stephens joined the Chief to answer questions and address concerns raised by the Costa Mesa attendants and Chief Lawrence shared some updates about the Costa Mesa Police Department.

The next Listening Tour is in District 3. Chief Lawrence will be joined by Mayor Stephens and Councilmember Andrea Marr.

Date: Monday, November 20, at 6 p.m.

Location: Davis Magnate School, 1050 Arlington Drive

Save the date for your district to meet with Chief Lawrence and Mayor Stephens, along with some CMPD and City staff, who will all be present to “listen to you.”

Next Listening Tours:

• District 4, Dec 7, Norma Hertzog Community Center
• District 5, Dec 11, at Costa Mesa Senior Center
• District 6, Dec 13, at the Boys and Girls Club

To see a map of voting districts click here.

Nov. 14 was National Law Enforcement Records and Support Personnel Day.

The Costa Mesa Police Department’s Records and Support Personnel are highly appreciated for everything they do.

The Records Bureau is an integral part of police operations, they are available 24/7, handle thousands of reports a year, and provide police records to the public and other law enforcement agencies.

CMPD has incredible support staff in Property & Evidence, who receive, store, and maintain evidence items for safekeeping.

They all make our department top-notch.

We thank you today, on Records and Support Personnel Day, and every day!

Recently, Costa Mesa Fire and Rescue (CMFR) crews responded to a working residential structure fire in a two-story, multi-unit townhome complex in the 1600 block of Iowa Street.

Upon dispatch, a substantial large column of smoke was observed from City Hall to beyond the 405 freeway.

The first arriving CMFR crews observed heavy black smoke blowing out of a second-floor open area of the structure and initiated immediate search and rescue and fire attack operations.  

Crews initiated an aggressive interior fire attack, confined the fire to the room of origin with a rapid extinguishment and prevented further extension of the fire.

CMFR crews were able to confirm all occupants were safely out of the structure. One of the two occupants was home at the time of the fire and was subsequently assessed for smoke inhalation and released without further medical treatment required. 

No other injuries were noted on this incident and CMFR crews stayed on scene with the utility companies and the City’s building department and continued salvage and overhaul operations.

The incident scene and access were strongly secured by our Costa Mesa police partners and our Emergency Communications Center professionals strong work.

Additional incident support and station coverage was provided by our partners at Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley Fire. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

Last week, Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue deployed its Cal OES Type 3 (Wildland) Fire Engine crew. Crews returned home 24-48 hours after their deployment. 

This deployment was part of a Metro Cities/Cal OES Type 3 Strike Team (Costa Mesa, Anaheim, Fullerton, Laguna Beach and Orange City), all part of the regional pre-positioning efforts, for the Santa Ana wind event and elevated fire weather the region was experiencing. 

CMFR’s pre-positioning deployment is part of a collaborative and unified statewide effort of placing additional fire and rescue resources in place and ready to immediately deploy in high-risk fire and high-hazard areas throughout our region in advance of an active fire event taking place. 

Thank you to Captain Travis Johnson, Engineer Matthew Chavez, and Firefighter/Paramedics Craig Bates and Spencer Hibbard for their strong work and strong representation of the City of Costa Mesa and CMFR. 

Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue has officially launched this year’s Firefighters Annual Toy Drive campaign, which runs through Dec. 23.

For those interested in making the holiday season a little brighter for a child in need, please bring any new, unwrapped toy or sports equipment to your local fire station and please remember, the toy or sports equipment needs to be new, unwrapped and in their original packaging or box.

Toys to consider include board and card games, craft activities, art kits, building blocks, dolls, infant toys and youth sports equipment of all kinds. 

We cannot distribute stuffed animals, clothing, personal care items including blankets, etc.

Those who wish to donate may drop off toys at any of the six of Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue’s fire stations (through Dec. 23, 2021) or Costa Mesa City Hall, located at 77 Fair Drive.

For questions about toy drop-off requirements, toy collection sites and events, please contact 714-327-7400.

Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue’s Fire Protection Specialist Ryan Meadors recently attended the Orange County CERT Mutual Aid Program monthly meeting.

During this month’s meeting, Meadors was nominated and elected by members of the organization to serve as the new secretary.

Also elected were Newport Beach PIO/CERT Coordinator Josh Leith, who was elected as Vice Chair, and City of Orange’s Gabby Landeros, who was elected as Chair of the program. 

The CERT Mutual Aid program includes other cities and agencies who meet with the shared interest and purpose of providing CERT mutual aid to other communities when an incident occurs and aid is needed. 

The California Mobility and Parking Association (CMPA) awarded the City of Costa Mesa with the 2023 Parking Program of the Year Award for the new Residential Permit Parking Program. 

Costa Mesa's commitment to innovation has provided an example for other California agencies in pioneering strategies to meet the evolving needs of our residents, business community, and visitors.  

An extensive public outreach effort was conducted along with collaboration among several City Departments to reimagine our Residential Permit Parking program and develop strategies to ensure equitable access to the curb while mitigating parking congestion challenges. 

In July 2022, Costa Mesa City Council adopted revised Residential Permit Parking Program Guidelines and municipal code changes. Over the last year, the revised program has been rolled out in three phases. 

This phased approach can serve as a model for other municipal parking programs with similar existing conditions.

The award was presented to the City of Costa Mesa at the CMPA Annual Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, Nov. 8.

Public Works is proud to receive this prestigious award on behalf of the City of Costa Mesa and will continue to strive to develop award-winning projects that benefit the community in improving the quality of life in Costa Mesa.

The City of Costa Mesa has over 1.5 million linear feet of sidewalk throughout the City.

The Street section of the Maintenance Services Division utilizes a combination of in-house staff and outside contractors to maintain uneven sidewalk lifts and gutter flow locations throughout the City. 

Uneven sidewalks pose a danger to pedestrians as well as create ponding and gathers debris. 

Grinding uneven sidewalks removes dangerous trip hazards and improves the aesthetics of the area.

The team typically grinds up to 10,000 linear feet of sidewalk annually.

The Public Works Department is committed to serving its residents and community stakeholders in maintaining, repairing, and improving the City’s infrastructure. 

To report maintenance issues with sidewalks and more visit our website here.

The City’s Equipment Maintenance team is responsible for the maintenance and repair of over 300 vehicles and equipment. 

That inventory includes eight ambulances that service the community. The Maintenance team inspects, repairs, and maintains each ambulance to ensure they are in optimal condition.

Preventative maintenance is a cornerstone of the mechanics' work, as it helps identify and address potential issues before they become major problems.

From routine oil changes and tire rotations to checking electrical systems and engine performance, no detail is overlooked.

By adhering to a strict maintenance schedule, the mechanics ensure that the ambulances are always in peak condition, ready to respond to any emergency.

The mechanics' responsibilities extend beyond routine maintenance. They are also responsible for diagnosing and repairing any mechanical issues that may arise.

Whether it's a faulty engine component or a malfunctioning electrical system, the team's knowledge and skill ensure that the ambulances are always in optimal working order.

The preventative maintenance performed by the team guarantees that the City's ambulances are always prepared to provide prompt and reliable medical assistance when it matters most.

The City of Costa Mesa is collaborating once again with Caltrans, the offices of Assembly Member Cottie Petrie Norris, Caltrans and My EWaste to hold a Dump Day Event on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Costa Mesa Senior Center.

Residents can dispose of bulky waste items that are too big to fit in residential garbage bins, including mattresses, furniture and toys.

No hazardous material will be accepted.

This event is free of cost for all OC residents and no appointment is necessary. It is first-come, first-serve and items will be accepted until full capacity is reached.

With the holidays right around the corner, it’s time to mark up your calendar.

We invite everyone to join us at Snoopy House Dec. 15 through Dec. 22 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. daily at City Hall located at 77 Fair Drive.

This holiday season there will be photos with Santa, letters to Santa, food trucks, entertainment, and so much more!

For more information, please visit www.costamesaca.gov/snoopyhouse or call (714) 754-5300.         

Do you know how many turkeys are prepared for Thanksgiving in America each year?

About 46 million!

You’ll have the chance to test your trivia knowledge at the Teen Centers on Nov. 22.

The Teen Centers will be open on Monday, Nov. 21, and on Tuesday, Nov. 22 only.

Programming will resume on Nov. 27. Come hang out with us and have some pie to share before the break.

Sign up for FREE online at www.costamesaca.gov/teens or give us a call for any questions: 714-327-7562.         

The Costa Mesa Senior Center’s Veterans Social Group has grown from 8 to 20-plus members.

Veterans meet on the first Tuesday of the month at 1 p.m. and enjoy fellowship. In honor of Veterans Day, senior veterans were treated to a catered lunch from Corner Bakery and a special presentation.

The Veterans Social Group also installed a display of photos and mementos from their time serving.

The veterans display that is located in the library display case will be available to view until early December, so stop by Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to view the display.