Mayor John Stephens recently held a Zoom meeting with Jennie Barrera, the Mayor of Wyndham City, Australia and that City’s Senior Advisor for Civic Projects Lesley Rogan to re-establish what had been a long-standing Sister City agreement with Costa Mesa that was put on hold during the pandemic.

Costa Mesa and Wyndham's Sister City friendship was first established in 1996.

The program has enabled exchanges of information, experiences through delegations and the fostering of positive connections.

According to the mayor of Wyndham, the relationship with Costa Mesa is highly valued, respected and enjoyed by Wyndham City Council and the Wyndham community.

Wyndham's Hoppers Crossing Secondary College and Estancia High School enjoy annual student exchanges where global connections, development of leadership skills, and immersion in the respective country’s way of life is enabled.

Wyndham City Council also hosts visiting students and teachers from Costa Mesa for a dinner or luncheon during these exchanges.

On Saturday, Feb. 3, the City hosted another “Dump Day” event for collection of bulky items at the Costa Mesa Senior Center located at 695 West 19th Street. 

At this event, sponsored by Caltrans, residents from the City and throughout Orange County were invited to drop off and dispose of bulky household items and electronic waste (e-waste) at no cost. In total, approximately 170 vehicles came to drop off their unwanted items.

This was the latest successful Dump Day hosted by the City along with its valued partners. All these events were received well by the community, which prompted the hosting of this latest Dump Day event.

This collaborative interagency effort among the City of Costa Mesa, Caltrans, and the Office of Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, highlights the mutual cooperation in maintaining our clean community and emphasizes the need to dispose of bulky trash items properly and safely. Caltrans’ Clean California Program funded this Dump Day event.

The Public Works Department is proud to help lead this effort and appreciates the community stakeholders who participated in this event in making this a great success! Details for the next Dump Day will be published as soon as they become available. 

The League of California Cities (Cal Cities) recently put together and released a short video, showcasing a handful of different city leaders through the state of California, including Costa Mesa Fire Chief Dan Stefano.

The video and speakers discuss the value and importance of statewide collaboration and how essential it is for active engagement efforts, to strengthen local government’s voice, not only at a state level, but federal level as well.

Please see the video here.

Repairs to two pedestrian bridges have been completed at Fairview Park. The repaired bridges are located along the trail in the wetlands area, adjacent to Pond A. 

The pedestrian bridges were repaired after showing signs of deterioration and settlement, prompting City crews to rehabilitate the bridges and ensure continued access to these recreational trails.

During the project, repairs were made to shore up the bridge decks and replace the deteriorated beams and foundations, while maintaining the original alignment and footprint of the bridges.

The work was done with minimal disruption to the public, and the bridges are now in full operation, which are both functional and aesthetically inviting.

Both the Public Works Department and the Parks and Community Services Department coordinated together in bringing these pedestrian bridges back to full service for the surrounding community to enjoy.

The Costa Mesa Police Department’s CSI Unit has cause to celebrate this week.

Crime Scene Investigator Jason Hartert has successfully completed his training and is now cleared for independent scene work on routine CSI calls.

Hartert graduated from Long Beach State with Bachelors in Criminal Justice. He worked at the Orange County Crime Lab for approximately a year before he was hired at the Costa Mesa Police Department. 

Hartert volunteered in the Police Department’s CSI Unit for almost one year before he was selected as the newest Crime Scene Investigator. He is officially off training and completing property crimes and less complex crime scenes on his own. 

Congratulations on this career milestone CSI Investigator Hartert!

If you’re looking forward to hosting or attending a Super Bowl LVIII watch party this weekend, be the real MVP and make sure you have your own winning game plan.

🏈 If you plan to consume alcohol or other impairments, plan ahead and designate a sober driver or use a ride share service. 

🏈 Don’t allow those who attend your watch party to drive home impaired. Assist them in finding alternate transportation. 

🏈 Always wear a seatbelt. 

🏈 Your friends and family are counting on you to enjoy the big game responsibly. 

The Costa Mesa Police Department wants everyone to remember Super Bowl Sunday for the great plays on the field, not for unnecessary risks on the road.

Do your part to keep the streets safe and don’t drive under the influence.

Do you follow the 9PM Routine?

This campaign was created by law enforcement to educate and remind residents of some daily safety tips to help reduce crimes of opportunity.

The 9PM Routine suggests these safety checks be completed each evening at the same time and become part of your nightly routine:

• Remove valuables from your car

• Lock your car door and windows

• Lock your home windows, exterior doors and gates

• Make sure your garage door is closed

• Bring in your mail

• Turn on any exterior lights

Need an easy reminder? Set an alarm on your smartphone or other device for 9PM every night and join us in the #9PMRoutine.

Your nightly routine can be earlier or later, just make it a nightly routine. 

We recently launched our new, free Costa Mesa 311 mobile app that allows residents to conveniently report an issue and/or access city services?

With storm season now upon us, we encourage residents to use the app to report things like clogged storm drains and fallen branches during winter storms?

When residents submit service requests via smartphones, the app automatically alerts City staff to the precise location of the problem. 

Residents also have the option of using their smartphone camera to upload a photo to better assist staff. 

The app also provides access to TESSA, our new permitting system, Costa Mesa news, calendar listings, public meeting agendas and more, and it can can be downloaded on Google Play or at the Apple Store.

Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue Firefighter Kenji Taniguchi was recently highlighted by the Santa Ana College Foundation as a “Profile in Promise.” 

“Kenji’s story is an amazing one, providing insight to who he is and what he is all about,” shared Fire Chief Dan Stefano. “His story is also indicative of the highest caliber of professionals and people we have, each with their own and valued story, and each of whom make up our phenomenal Costa Mesa Fire Family; past, present, and future,” Chief Stefano added. 

Click here to view the article.

Congratulations to CMFR Firefighter Kenji Taniguchi for this special recognition. 

Over the last week, Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue crews have attended department basic life support (BLS) provider/CPR training. 

Every two years, all crew members across all three shifts (A, B and C shift) attend this refresher training to stay current in adult/child/infant CPR, obstructed airway, and proper use of the Auto External Defibrillator (AED.)

The training was held in the classroom at Fire Station no. 4 and was instructed by EMS Captain Justin Horner. 

On Tuesday Feb. 6, during the recent rainstorm experience, Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue responded to a vehicle rollover incident, located on the northbound 55 freeway.

Engine 85 and crew were first to arrive on scene, accident, which fortunately, only resulted in minor injuries, with the patient self-extricating before arrival.  

All City staff were well prepared for the rain and remained fully operational throughout all of the local, regional and statewide related weather impacts.

Fire Engine 528 recently came in for maintenance, specifically for the removal and replacement of its rear airbags.

This process required lifting the suspension of the fire truck to access and replace the airbags. Taking advantage of the engine being in the shop, the Equipment Maintenance team decided to perform additional preventative maintenance to avoid any unnecessary breakdowns and reduce downtime.

In addition to the work on Fire Engine 528, Equipment Maintenance also addressed various repairs to the backhoe utilized by Public Works.

The backhoe had hydraulic line breaks that needed to be replaced. They took proactive measures to protect the hydraulic lines from future damage by welding plates to shield the lines to minimize the risk of potential damage.

While working on the hydraulic lines, they saw an opportunity to improve the overall condition of the backhoe. They replaced the tires, changed the windshield, and performed some cosmetic work to enhance its appearance. 

By combining the necessary repairs with proactive maintenance, the Equipment Maintenance team ensured that Fire Engine 528 and the backhoe received comprehensive care during their time in the shop.

This approach not only prevents unnecessary breakdowns but also reduces the chances of extended downtime in the future.

For these jobs and others, please click this link.

Camp Costa Mesa springs back into action during NMUSD’s spring recess from April 8 through April 12, 2024.

Children in kindergarten through 6th grade will enjoy group games, on-site guest entertainment, local excursions, and more at the Balearic Community Center (1975 Balearic Drive) from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Spring Camp fees are $220 per child, plus $5 for non-residents. Registration is open for Costa Mesa residents either online at www.cmclassesonline.com or in person at City Hall (3rd Floor) and Downtown Recreation Center.

Open enrollment begins Tuesday, February 13. Early registration is highly encouraged as space is limited. For program information, please call (714) 754-5161.

The Parks and Community Services Commission kicks off the year with new appointments as it elected Chair Elizabeth Dorn Parker and Vice Chair Kelly Brown.

Thank you, Commissioner Cassius Rutherford for serving as Chair from April 2022 - January 2024.

Pictured above from left to right are Commissioners Scott Glabb, Parker, Rutherfod, Brown, Terry Wall and Shayanne Wright.

Join the commission at its next scheduled meeting on Thursday, March 14.

The Parks & Community Services staff are always working hard to make sure they can bring you the best possible classes, programs, and events.

Recently some of our staff attended a regional training with the California Park & Recreation Society, where they were able to refresh some skills, meet potential program and event vendors, and learn about emerging trends in recreation.

We can always count on our staff to make sure the Parks and Community Services Department stays #COSTAMAZING!

This Lunar New Year is the Year of the Dragon for Chinese, Korean and also the Vietnamese communities.

The Year of the Dragon symbolizes authority, honor and dignity.

The Vietnamese New Year kicks off with the Tet Festival at the OC Fair & Event Center beginning Friday Feb. 9 and running through Sunday Feb. 11.

For more information on that festival, visit the OCfair.com.

Here’s to a long life, peace, prosperity and good luck this year.

Cesar is a 3 year old, male, Cairn Terrier mix. Cesar is a cute dog that would prefer to be adopted in a home with older children.

Cesar is neutered and up to date on his vaccines.

If you are interested in meeting Cesar, he is located at The Orphanage – Claremont (665 E. Foothill Blvd. Unit E Claremont, CA 91711) To view other adoptable pets, you may visit https://pricelesspetrescue.org/.

In recognition of Women’s History Month (March), Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris is seeking nominations for her annual Women of the Year celebration, which honors extraordinary woman across the 73rd Assembly District for their service and leadership in our communities.

She invites community members to nominate a woman who lives or works in Costa Mesa, Irvine and Tustin, and who they believe has made a significant or meaningful contribution over the past year. One honoree will be selected from each city as the Women of the Year.

Nominations must be submitted by February 14, 2024. Learn more and submit your nomination here.