Join the Costa Mesa City Council and the Costa Mesa Planning Commission for a special joint study session to discuss the proposed Inclusionary Housing Program.

The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. in the Community Room at City Hall.

Mayor John Stephens joined former mayor and County Supervisor Katrina Foley and former mayors Mary Hornbuckle and Arlene Shafer for the Harbor Mesa Lions Club fashion show and fundraiser.

The event, on Saturday, May 6, was held at the Norma Hertzog Community Center with an Endless Summer theme.

On Sunday, May 7, Mayor John Stephens presided over early morning start of the 19th annual OC Marathon.

This was his fifth time presiding over the event that marked its 14th year in Costa Mesa. The weekend also included a Kids run and OC 5K on Saturday, May 6, and a half marathon also on Sunday.

The Kids run and OC 5K begin at the OC Fair & Event Center on Saturday. The full and half marathons began at Fashion Island Sunday morning and finished in Costa Mesa. 

Nearly 15,000 people took part in the full and half marathons and 5K combined and another 5,000 people in the Kids Run.

Council Members Manuel Chavez and Loren Gameros joined City directors and staff and some park commissioners to get feedback from residents on improvements to both Ketchum-Libolt and Shalimar parks. 

Costa Mesa’s Parks & Community Services and Public Works staff will collect the public input and prepare plans to make improvements to the two westside parks.

On Wednesday, World Lupus Day, City staff wore purple to support those who are living with lupus and help bring awareness to this autoimmune disease.

Lupus is a chronic disease that can cause inflammation and pain in any body part. 

To learn more about lupus, please visit Lupus Foundation of America at https://www.lupus.org/resources/what-is-lupus.

The City of Costa Mesa is joining Caltrans and Clean California to offer a Clean Costa Mesa event at Paularino Elementary School on Love Costa Mesa Day.

For more about Love Costa Mesa, watch this video.

Let’s Be Kind is a Costa Mesa non-profit that focuses on creating student led cultures of unity through kindness on school campuses.

As a recent sponsor of Let's Be Kind's annual gala, the City of Costa Mesa asked several of our team members to share their thoughts on what it means to be kind.

This video was featured at the event, and we encourage all of our neighbors to take time to share and demonstrate their own acts of kindness throughout our #CostaMazing community.

You can learn more at LetsBeKind.org.

Check out the video below: 

The Network for Homeless Solutions (NHS) hotline receives about 40 calls a week from individuals seeking assistance.

One of the NHS staff members recently answered a call from a woman who was staying in a local motel with someone whom she didn’t feel safe with.

While discussing some of her options with the NHS staff member, the caller mentioned that she might be able to go back to her father’s house who lived in another state.

The NHS employee contacted the woman’s father to confirm he could take her into his home and they proceeded to make her travel arrangements.

A few days later, the woman contacted the City to say she had arrived safely and was very thankful for the assistance she received.

Without assistance from the City’s NHS team, she would have ended up homeless in Costa Mesa, alone with no support system, or she would have stayed in an unsafe situation in the motel. Instead, she ended up reconnecting with her father. 

To apply for this job or others, click here.

Costa Mesa police officers were in Sacramento to represent the Department at the 45th Annual California Peace Officers’ Memorial Ceremony.

The cost of travel, lodging, and meals were all covered by the Costa Mesa Police Association.

This ceremony memorializes the names of the California peace officers who died in the line of duty the previous year.

Members of the Costa Mesa Police Department were there to honor the officers who lost their lives while protecting the communities they served, including Pilot Officer Nicholas Vella, from neighboring the Huntington Beach Police Department (HBPD).

Officer Vella died on the night of Feb. 19, 2022, when HBPD’s helicopter, HB1, crashed into the waters off Newport Beach while responding to a call for service.

CMPD officers responded to the scene of the crash that night as mutual aid. 

Days after that tragic event, the Costa Mesa Police Association and CMPD Peer Support partnered together to support Huntington Beach Police Department.

The association and peer support team took food to HBPD and gave them support.

The Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) congratulates Officer Stephanie Moore on her well-deserved retirement after 25 years of service to this Department and the City of Costa Mesa!

Officer Moore joined CMPD as a recruit in August 1998. In February 1999, she promoted to police officer and was assigned to Field Operations/Patrol.

In January 2006, Officer Moore transferred to the Investigative Services Bureau and was a successful and well-respected Vice/Narcotics detective.

In January 2021, she was selected as a Field Training officer and demonstrated great enthusiasm and responsibility to make a positive impact on the future success of the organization.

Officer Moore was also instrumental in supporting organizational goals by helping train department personnel on new technologies and vital procedures.

Throughout her career, Officer Moore has shown great leadership, partnership, and dedication to the care and protection of the community. The Department thanks Officer Moore for her service and wishes her all the best!

Officer Robert Josett completed his field training this week.

Officer Josett came from the Montebello Police Department, where he held positions of Field Training Officer, Arrest and Control Instructor, Taser Instructor, Rangemaster and Special Response Team Operator.

He brings a lot of experience and expertise to CMPD and the team can’t wait to see what he’ll accomplish!

Congratulations to Officer Chris Greeley, who received the Vehicle Theft Officer of the Year Award for recovering the most stolen vehicles in Costa Mesa last year.

Deputy Chief Joyce LaPointe and Acting Captain David Casarez attended the Orange County Auto Theft Advisory Committee 33rd Annual Award Ceremony at the Marconi Automotive Museum on May 10 to cheer for Officer Greeley and his work!

May is National Bicycle Safety Month.

Costa Mesa residents, if you have a bike, the Costa Mesa Police Department encourages you to use Project 529 to register it so you have a higher chance of recovering the bike if lost or stolen.

The Department is offering free shield decals for easier identification of your bike. Just register your bike and come on down to the PD at 99 Fair Drive with proof of Costa Mesa residency.

There is no need to take your bicycle to the Police Department. Bicycle registration is no longer required in Costa Mesa but it is helpful.

The first week of May was National Correctional Officers Week.

The Costa Mesa Police Department proudly recognizes the Jail Custody team for their hard work and commitment to service.

Our Custody Officers have the difficult assignment of processing inmates and ensuring their safety and welfare with curtesy and respect during an inmate’s detention in CMPD’s Jail.

CMPD thanks the men and women of the Jail Custody team, and in this picture, so does the Telecommunications Team, who delivered treats to the Custody Officers earlier this week.

Enjoy your morning cup of coffee with a cop. 

Join the CMPD for Coffee with a Cop on Friday, May 19 from 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. at Shirley’s Bagels located at 270 E 17th St. Suite 1 in Costa Mesa. 

Coffee with a Cop events, like this one, brings police officers and the community they serve together, over coffee, to discuss issues and learn more about one another. No agendas and no speeches.

 Si puede pasar por Shirley’s Bagels, 19 de Mayo, entre las 7:30 hasta las 9:00 de la mañana, venga a compartir un cafecito con nosotros. Esperamos verlos pronto!

Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue (CMFR) Fire Captain Chuck Torres graduated Magna Cum Laude from Vanguard University and, notably, was selected as the class keynote speaker for Vanguard’s Professional Studies. 

Captain Torres, who currently manages the Training, Safety & Professional Standards for CMFR, has actively been working on this journey of higher education and completion of his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management.

Captain Torres achieved this goal with honors, and CMFR is proud of this great accomplishment. 

“Captain Torres worked hard to complete this milestone and we proudly recognize his tenacity to finish strong, highlighted with an exclamation point in his inspiring graduation speech,” shared Fire Chief Dan Stefano. “Chuck is a shining example of what many of our CMFR personnel have been steadfastly accomplishing throughout the past decade, navigating the pursuit of expanded professional development, specialized technical certifications, and higher formal education, all balanced alongside of focused professional careers and highly valued family and personal lives.” 

Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue hosted the annual California Fire Chief Training Officers Wildland Entrapment Avoidance seminar, which took place in the City Council Chambers. 

Costa Mesa Fire Captains Taylor Voss and Steve Airey, who both serve on the Executive Board for the CalChiefs Training Officers, were instrumental in coordinating and facilitating this year’s successful training. 

The training setup also included support from CMFR Training Captain Chuck Torres and Orange City Training Captain Bob Lobato, among others.

Fire service professionals from throughout the entire region were in attendance with a total of about 180 firefighters present, including Santa Ana College’s (SAC) Basic Fire Academy recruits who were also in attendance. A strong collaborative piece between CMFR and SAC provided this invaluable exposure and training at the early stages of their fire careers. 

The keynote speaker this year was Retired Battalion Chief Tim Kelley from Los Angeles Fire Department who discussed breaking the accident cycle.

The main discussion was centered on situations that led up to a burn over incident at the Mendocino Fire.

Lessons taught in this training will help reinforce firefighter’s situational awareness while deployed in the wildland arena during the upcoming season. 

Earlier this week, Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue units attended a training on the Aztek Kit tools.

Firefighter/Paramedic Omar Amaya instructed the department on the proper use and functionality of this piece of equipment.

The Aztek Kit is a tool that is used to lift patients from below or above grade and frequent training ensures personnel are familiar with the device. 

This course will assist FF/PM Amaya who is working towards his Instructor’s Certification and adds valuable experience in teaching his peers and continue to strengthen his skills in proper instruction. 

The Aztek Kit is a specialized tool that requires an annual review to maintain user competence and maintain familiarity in the case of an actual emergency. 

Public Works held two Bike to School Days over the span of two consecutive Wednesdays.

The first event kicked off on May 3 at Kaiser, Killybrooke, Paularino, Wilson, Whitter, and Woodland Elementary Schools, followed by May 10th at Adams, California, College Park, Pomona, Rea, Sonora, and Victoria Elementary Schools.

The second event on May 10, students, families, school officials, and community leaders got together at pre-planned meeting points across the City, strapped on their helmets and biked, walked, and rolled in unison to their elementary school campuses in a celebration highlighting the importance of safe, active transportation to school and promoting accessible spaces to provide the opportunity to make all trips by modes other than personal automobiles.

Hundreds of people participated in the two Costa Mesa Bike to School Day events.

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District and Costa Mesa Public Works staff, the Costa Mesa Police Department, and parent-teacher organizations were at the events along with elected officials and members of the City’s Active Transportation Committee to pass out educational material and other giveaways.

Bike to School Day events are an important part of the Public Works Department’s ongoing efforts to promote safe and active transportation opportunities for students and their families and contribute to the continued paradigm shift in how community members travel throughout Costa Mesa.

Walk to School Day events are planned throughout the City in October. 

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Orange County awarded the City of Costa Mesa with the 2022 Outstanding Roadway and Highway Project Award for the Randolph Avenue Parking and Multi-Modal Circulation Improvements Project.  

Public Works completed multi-modal transportation improvements on Randolph Avenue and on St. Clair Street to increase available on-street parking, slow traffic speeds on Randolph Avenue, and provide improved pedestrian safety and mobility. 

The project reduced the number of travel lanes, added angled on-street parking in the center, and constructed a raised mid-block crosswalk, four sets of speed cushions, and a modern roundabout with lighting, crosswalks, and landscaping.

The award was presented to the City of Costa Mesa at the ASCE OC Annual Awards Ceremony on May 4, 2023, at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library. 

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

Symphony on the Go! is a mobile community concert experience. Pacific Symphony brings a traveling stage to communities around Orange County. The City of Costa Mesa is thrilled to host two concerts in the coming months.

All concerts are presented weather permitting. The public is encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to our free outdoor concerts. Each concert is 50 minutes long.

Symphony on the Go! will perform for the Costa Mesa community on two dates and at two different locations:

• May 2 at 1 p.m. in the Costa Mesa Senior Center Parking Lot.
• June 18 at 7 p.m. at the Balearic Community Center Lawn.

Two new utility boxes by graphic designer Melody Avena have been wrapped in art and are now on display.

The first is located on Wilson Street and Harbor Boulevard and the second on Fair Drive. Both are sponsored by the Orange County Fair & Event Center.

A third box was created by graphic designer Lauren Kilb and Natasha Meyer.

It is located at the Jack Hammett Sports Complex and is a City Manager’s office project that was commissioned last year and recently implemented.

Animal Care Services hosted its annual Spring Bark Bash on Saturday, April 29, at TeWinkle Park with 20 local pet vendors and animal rescue groups in attendance, as well as representatives from the Costa Mesa Police Department and Animal Services Committee.

More than 500 attendees viewed K-9 demonstrations by CMPD, participated in one-on-one dog obedience training, interacted with adoptable dogs and cats, took pictures at photo ops, and partook in free activities, such as caricature pet drawings, balloon animals, airbrush tattoos, paw print art, and adopt-a-plush animal.

Three food trucks were also on-site for dogs and their owners to enjoy.

 On Thursday May 4, Senior Center staff member Alexis Quintero and about 300 other participants attended Second Harvest Food Bank’s annual training and mini conference in Irvine.

The Costa Mesa Senior Center and other organizations who partner with Second Harvest met to discuss operations of their food distribution site models and shared ideas on how to improve distributions.

The Costa Mesa Senior Center continues to be recommended by Second Harvest Food Bank as a training site to other organizations due to the Center’s efficiency in organizing and executing the Senior Grocery program.

Please visit www.costamesaca.gov/seniorcenter to view food resources available at the Senior Center and within the community. 

Summertime is around the corner and the Parks and Community Services team are getting ready for some summertime fun.

Recreation Coordinator Enyelber Franco taught staff how to set up and tear down the 24 foot by 13 foot, 300 pound outdoor projector screen and AV equipment.

Staff also learned how to operate a generator/light tower unit by Recreation Specialist Kristina Veneciano.

Please save the date for Movies in the Park on June 17 (Lions Park - Puss in Boots:The Last Wish, July 15 (Balearic Park - Minions: The Rise of Gru), and August 19 (TeWinkle Park - Sonic the Hedgehog 2).

On May 8, the Senior Center hosted an artist reception for the recent installation of The Exhibit artist Alan Mayeda.

Mayeda is a familiar face at the Senior Center since he is the Center’s Tai Chi instructor.

His astrological art pieces will be on display through July on the 2nd Floor of the Senior Center.          

SMART Camp is coming soon!

Registration opens Monday, May 15, at 8 a.m.

This free camp is for 4th-8th graders in the Newport Mesa Unified School District. Camp runs June 12 - 29 at Costa Mesa High School.

Sessions are subject to fill. Register early.

Visit us online at costamesaca.gov/recreation and cmclassesonline.com.

Costa Mesa Resident Registration for summer classes and programs is open now.

Open Registration begins Monday, May 15 online and in-person at 8 a.m. Summer classes begin in June.

Visit us online at costamesaca.gov/recreation and cmclassesonline.com.