Mayor Pro-Tem Andrea Marr, Council Member Jeff Harlan, Economic and Development Services Director Jennifer Le and City staff attended the International Council of Shopping Centers annual conference in Las Vegas that was held from May 22-24.

This premier event is an annual gathering of dealmakers and industry experts in the shopping center industry.

City leaders connected with several prospective businesses about coming to Costa Mesa.

The 75th Annual Fish Fry will take place June 3 – 5 at its historic home at Lion's Park. Admission is free.

Fish dinners are $15, and tickets for carnival rides are currently on sale for a discounted price. Get ride tickets here.

Costa Mesa City Hall will be closed Monday May 30 in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. We join with the rest of the nation in remembering those members of our military who lost their lives defending our country.

For those looking for an event to attend, the Freedom Committee of Orange County will hold its traditional 68th Annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 30, 2022 starting at 11 a.m. at Harbor Lawn-Mt. Olive Memorial Park and return to an in-person service to honor fallen soldiers.

The Freedom Committee of Orange County veterans have participated in the ceremony since 1995 and co-sponsored the program since 2017.

For more information, please visit the Freedom Committee webpage here.

Due to the observation of the Memorial Day holiday on Monday May 30, there will be no residential street sweeping the entire week as Costa Mesa Sanitary District also observes this holiday, pushing trash collection back one day.

This results in residential gutter lines being cluttered with trash cans making it difficult for street sweeper operators to do an efficient job. Street sweeping will resume back to normal schedule starting the week of June 6.

The following are a list of task that Clean Street’s operators will be conducting next week.

For more information, residents can call the city’s street sweeping hotline at (714) 327-7471, which has been updated with this information.

The City of Costa Mesa will be home to four Vote Centers for the upcoming primary elections on Tuesday June 7. The Costa Mesa Senior Center will be an 11-day vote center and Costa Mesa City Hall, the Norma Hertzog and Balearic community centers will be four-day centers.

Vote Centers mean many more options for voters. Elections are no longer a one-day event. Voting begins the month before any election day when every voter will receive a vote-by-mail ballot.

Take advantage of the alternatives available to avoid congestion – from voting at home, drive-thru ballot drop-off, in-person options, returning your ballot via the United States Postal Service, or personally deliver your ballot to us – the choice is yours.

Click here to find a Vote Center near you.

Applications for Costa Mesa residents who would like to request a street closure to throw a block party on Independence Day are due by Thursday, June 13.

The application packet isavailable online or can be requested by phone at 714-754-5300. The packet includes instructions and rules and regulations governing Fourth of July block parties. Applicants will also need to show proof of liability insurance for the event.

The completed application must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Thursday June 13.

To obtain an online application package, visit the City’s website here.

For phone requests, please contact City Hall at (714) 754-5300 or via email at elena.martinez@costamesaca.gov.

Completed applications can be mailed Attn. Block Parties, to PO Box 1200, Costa Mesa, 92628 or delivered in person Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to the Parks & Community Services office on the third floor of City Hall, 77 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, 92628.

The public is invited to a virtual community meeting on Thursday June 16 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to learn about the City’s new project to develop a new Stormwater Master Plan for the City of Costa Mesa.

The virtual meeting format will give the opportunity to learn about important project details including: 

This community meeting is the first of two and is designed to educate and allow interaction between the project team and the public. The project team is looking for an open dialogue to identify areas of concern and to document issues of public importance regarding flooding.  

The Link to the scheduled Zoom webinar is https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89394753265

 

For more information contact Senior Engineer Bobby Fouladi at 714-574-5222 or via email at bobby.fouladi@costamesaca.gov.

“This is the day we pay homage to all those who didn’t come home. This is not Veterans Day, it’s not a celebration, it is a day of solemn contemplation over the cost of freedom.”

—Tamra Bolton

Did you happen to hop on board with the hundreds of community members who came out and volunteered on Love Costa Mesa Day last weekend?

Costa Mesa Television caught up with the Orange County Model Engineers as they were joined by a generous group of volunteers who helped put the finishing touches on their newly rebuilt train trestle at Fairview Park.

For more information visit www.ocmetrains.org.

Watch the Love Costa Mesa Day OCME trestle painting project here:

The fourth episode of the City of Costa Mesa's podcast COSTA MESA NOW is now streaming!

Mayor John Stephens and guest co-host District 4 Council Member Manuel Chavez welcomed Newport-Mesa Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Wesley Smith to the show for a robust conversation on the challenges faced in education today.

Learn about Dr. Smith's background and his thoughts on the local educational landscape as he and his board members implement solutions for providing a quality educational experience for students in the district.

Watch the complete video episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L53UucIqRfs&t=158s

On May 22, 2022, the Costa Mesa Police Officer’s Association held its first annual Cornhole Tournament at Kenwood’s Tap and Grill in the City of Costa Mesa. The event was held to benefit Costa Mesa Police Lt. Jerry Hildeman, who is currently battling brain cancer.

 

The event was a success and positive feedback was received from the attendees, which included Mayor John Stephens, Council Member Manuel Chavez, City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison, Chief Ron Lawrence and staff. 

There were over 60 players, including staff members from the City of Costa Mesa, family members, and community members. 

During the event, the association hosted a long toss event, which Parks and Community Services Director Jason Minter won along with a 9-year-old family member of a Costa Mesa Police Officer. There were two winning teams among the social and advance Cornhole groups, which won cash prizes.

 

Several local law enforcement agencies, local businesses, and associations from within the city, including the Costa Mesa Fire Fighter’s Association and the Costa Mesa Police Management Association, provided donations and raffle gifts for the event.

 

The event raised money for the Survivor fund and part of the fundraiser will go toward Lt. Hildeman’s health-related expenses. 

The Costa Mesa Police Officer’s Association and the Costa Mesa Police Department would like to thank all who donated and attended this event.

The Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) will increase patrols at Costa Mesa school campuses until the end of the school year.

Though there is no information of a threat in any Costa Mesa school, CMPD received input from the community requesting increased police presence and will be able to provide extra patrols with the assistance from the Mayor, the City Council, the City Manager, in coordination with Newport Mesa Unified School District. Below are statements from City leaders.

 

Mayor John Stephens:

 

“The senseless loss of innocent lives in Uvalde, Texas, is heartbreaking and tragic. While we wait for Congress to take action to address gun violence, the City of Costa Mesa, through our Police Department, is committed to working with the school district to prioritize student safety for the rest of the school year and going forward.”

 

Police Chief Ron Lawrence:

 

“As law enforcement officers, who are also parents and family members to young students, we take situations such as what happened in Texas seriously and work to take immediate action in our own community. Upon learning of this tragedy, we immediately assigned extra police officers to provide high-visibility patrols to Costa Mesa campuses including high schools and elementary schools for the remainder of the school year.

 

“We want our Costa Mesa families to know we are doing everything we can to make sure students are safe in their school seats and playgrounds. Our School Resource Officers (SROs) are stationed year-round at Costa Mesa High School and Estancia High School, and also visit neighboring elementary schools. SROs work tirelessly to maintain safe campuses in Costa Mesa. Their presence is a reassurance that they are there to help and keep students safe.”

 

City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison:

 

“The frequency of these mass shootings is heartbreaking. Schools should be a safe haven for our children to learn and increasingly, they are not. I am committed to working with Mayor Stephens, our City Council, and Police Chief Lawrence on both short-term and long-term solutions to this crisis.”

On May 18, 2022 Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue (CMFR) deployed a Battalion Chief and crew on our CalOES Type 3 Engine as part of an Orange County Metro Cities/CalOES Strike Team.  

Specifically, CMFR Battalion Chief will serve as a Strike Team Leader for a Type 3 (4WD Wildland) Strike Team.

This Strike Team includes our Costa Mesa CalOES Type 3, in addition to crews from our Metro Cities partners (Anaheim Fire And Rescue, Fullerton Fire Department, Laguna Beach Fire Department and Orange City Fire) and a Strike Team Leader Trainee (Anaheim). 

A Strike Team includes five Fire Engines (like resources), a Strike Team Leader and a Strike Team Leader Trainee. 

The Strike Team has been deployed across state lines to New Mexico, per an urgent request for firefighting resources to assist on a major fire that they have been aggressively fighting. The fire is located east of Santa Fe and is being called the Calf Canyon & Hermits Peak Fire Incident.

Currently, this fire has burned over 310,000 acres.

Additionally, two Type 6 (Smaller, more mobile 4WD Wildland Patrol Fire Engines) Strike Teams from the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) and Los Angeles County Fire Department have been deployed to assist. All three of these Strike Teams will be traveling together and will be assigned initially for up to two weeks.  

An evaluation assessment will occur at that point to either extend for an additional week or demobilize resources as the incident (or Strike Team) dictates. Two weeks (a 14 day-deployment) is a standard timeframe for our CalOES deployments to ensure the most efficient and effective continuity and management of emergency resources.

This request was part of the EMAC (Emergency Management Assistance Compact), which is the nation’s version of our California master mutual aid plan - sharing of resources between states, effectively a Governor to Governor request, as New Mexico has previously assisted California in the same manner a number of times in the past with our extraordinary statewide wildfires.

We will provide periodic updates as they become available.

For a real-time visual and status update of the incident, you can visit the following resources: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8049/

or https://m.facebook.com/CalfCanyonHermitsPeak

On Thursday May 19, 2022 members of the Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue family attended the Leadership Tomorrow luncheon to celebrate colleague and family member Amy Ellard, as she and her classmates participated in their final workshop. 

For nine months, Ellard and classmates spent one entire day in workshops focused on a single aspect of local community (Costa Mesa, Irvine, Newport Beach) that is common to the communities.

Leadership Tomorrow focuses on a series of nine workshops, with subjects consisting of: Team building and leadership, business development, education, transportation and housing, local water sources, health care and human services, justice and public safety, arts and local government. 

During the workshops, students attended presentations and participated in panel discussions and activities with local leaders and experts. The program required commitment of time, energy and participation with a contribution of participant’s thoughts and perspectives as they parlayed into the ongoing discussions.

 

The City of Costa Mesa has had a large attendance of staff in this excellent program, with delegation from numerous departments. CMFR has had a strong representation with alumni including: Chief Dan Stefano, Division Chief Jason Pyle, Battalion Chief Chris Coates, Fire Marshal Jon Neal, Executive Assistant Lora Ross and former Management Analyst Alma Reyes, current Management Analyst Kristin Stevens and Fire Captain Joe Noceti. 

Warmer weather is upon us, and as people begin to venture outside more and enjoy those warm weather activities, Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue remind everyone of important water safety tips:

• Learn to swim – this is crucial to protect children from injury and death

• Buddy swimming - Children should never swim alone or unattended

• Swim near a lifeguard – Lifeguards can advise of the safest place to swim and dangerous areas to avoid

• Enter water feet first – Check for depth and obstructions before diving in

• Use sunscreen and drink water – Excessive sun exposure affects your body and can also dehydrate you quickly

For more information, please visit https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/swimming/water-safety/water-safety-tips-training

The pool renovation at the Downtown Aquatic Center, located at 1860 Anaheim Avenue, is completed.

All the plaster and tile inside the pool has been replaced, along with the tile around the perimeter pool deck. The new pool tile has an updated grey and “Galaxy” blue color palette that enhances and complements the different elements of the facility.

The pool will reopen to the public starting June 2022. Scheduled activities at the pool can be obtained by contacting the Parks and Community Services Department at 714-754-5300.

The existing picnic shelter at Shiffer Park had exceeded its useful life and become infested with termites and rot.

All of the damaged wood has been replaced and sealed with a fresh coat of paint to match. The shelter is now repaired and available for reservations for birthday parties and other events.

The existing pathway lighting throughout the park will soon be upgraded to brighter and more energy efficient LED lights. This project is scheduled to begin in mid-June.

Be cool this summer and play some hoops.

Join Skyhawks Sports Academy for Summer Basketball Camp.

Girls and boys are welcome to participate in this program that teaches shooting techniques, ball handling, defense and more.

The Camp is located at Shiffer Park, 3143 Bear St.

Bounce on over and register today! Visit cmclassesonline.com for more information.

Dive into Summer with Springboard Diving Lessons.

Students, ages 5-17, will learn the basics of diving along with specific diving techniques.

Pool days require a swimsuit, gym days require workout attire.

Tuesday and Wednesday 5-6 p.m. at the OCC Pool

Thursday 2-3 p.m. at Coast Divers Gym

Tuesday 4-6 p.m. at the OCC Pool

Thursday 2-3 pm at Coast Divers Gym

Register early at cmclassesonline.com.

Flex your new skills this summer with gymnastics classes.

Develop balance, coordination, strength, and grace while building life-long skills. Classes begin in June at the Downtown Recreation Center, 1860 Anaheim Ave.

Register today at cmclassesonline.com.

The month of June brings a packed schedule to the fairgrounds in anticipation for the upcoming OC Fair.

Also, the OC Fair is going to hold a job fair to fill the 1,500-plus openings for ages 16 and up. Fair leaders will be conducting walk-up interviews. Resumes recommended but not required. Bring family and friends who are looking for a fun summer job!

Apply ahead at ocfair.com/jobs

Click here for a listing of events.

The Costa Mesa Sanitary District, the City of Costa Mesa and CR&R invite Costa Mesa residents to a free drive-thru Shredding and Compost Giveaway Event on Saturday June 11 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Estancia High School.

Residents can drop off up to five standard file boxes of paper per household.

There will be two bags of compost per household available while supplies last.

A limited amount of kitchen pails will be available to residents upon request while supplies last.

Proof of Costa Mesa residency is required.