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Community Members:
Newport Beach City Councilmembers, alongside state and county elected officials, gathered on Friday, March 7, for a celebratory ribbon-cutting event to mark the launch of the groundbreaking Newport Bay Trash Interceptor.
This cutting-edge system will remove much of the floating trash and debris from a major tributary, stopping pollution before it reaches the pristine Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve, Newport Harbor, and our beloved beaches.
Strategically positioned in the San Diego Creek, just upstream from the nature preserve, this $5.5 million system is designed to intercept up to 80% of floating debris from the creek. With rainfall bringing in anywhere from 100 to 500 tons of trash annually through San Diego Creek, this innovative solution is set to vastly improve our local waterways.
Inspired by a successful project in Baltimore Harbor, the Trash Interceptor operates on a floating platform that adapts to tide levels. Anchored to the creek bottom with guide piles, it features a large, 14-foot spinning wheel powered by river currents and solar energy, seamlessly driving a conveyor belt to collect debris.
Here’s how it works:
- A boom system directs floating trash toward the Interceptor.
- A spinning rake gathers debris and feeds it onto the conveyor belt.
- The conveyor belt transports the trash into a collection container.
- Once full, the container glides along a short rail system to be picked up by a standard trash truck.
The Trash Interceptor will work with the City’s existing trash-reduction strategies, including floating skimmers, trash booms, and catch basin collection systems. Together, these efforts will significantly reduce pollution and help protect Newport Beach’s stunning coastal environment.
Thank you to everyone who attended the ceremony, and in particular the funding partners who helped bring this project to life: the City of Newport Beach, the State of California, the State Department of Water Resources, the Ocean Protection Council, the Orange County Transportation Authority, and Help Your Harbor/Surfrider Foundation. Special thanks as well goes to Jilk Heavy Construction, Inc. for bringing this vision to reality, and CR&R, which is donating pickup service.
With this state-of-the-art system in place, Newport Beach is taking a big step toward a cleaner, healthier coastline.
City Manager, Grace K. Leung
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Cutting the ceremonial ribbon on the trash interceptor (L-R): Newport Beach City Councilmembers Erik Weigand and Noah Blom, Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley, Newport Beach Mayor Joe Stapleton, State Assemblymember Diane Dixon, former Newport Beach City Councilmember Duffy Duffield, Newport Beach City Councilmembers Robyn Grant, Michelle Barto and Sara J. Weber, and Newport Beach Mayor Pro Tem Lauren Kleiman. |
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As spring break approaches, the Newport Beach Police Department reminds everyone to stay safe while you are having fun!
Whether you’re hitting the beach, exploring the city, or just enjoying time off, remember to be mindful of your surroundings, follow local laws, and look out for one another. Our officers will be out and about to help ensure a safe and enjoyable break for all.
Please use this handy reference guide, "Having a Party in Newport Beach", to make sure you follow all the laws.
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Join us for a cup of coffee and great conversation at the next Newport Beach Police Department Mobile Café on Friday, March 15, from 10 a.m. to noon at 104 McFadden Place.
The event is in partnership with Newport Coffee Co. and Seaside Donuts, who will be providing coffee and donuts.
Stop by, say hello, and chat with our officers in a relaxed setting. We look forward to seeing you there!
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Calling all painters, sculptors, photographers and mixed media artists: Enter your art in the 58th Annual Newport Beach Art Exhibition, a juried art competition that presents the opportunity for artists to show and sell their artwork to the public in a one-day exhibit.
Categories include paintings (oils, acrylic, watercolor), drawings (ink, pencil, charcoal), photography and 3D Art (sculpture and 3D mixed media).
The Art Exhibition will take place on Saturday, June 28 from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Newport Beach Civic Center.
The final deadline for entries is May 9 at 11 p.m.
To apply, create a free account at www.callforentry.org.
For questions, please call 949-717-3802 or email arts@newportbeachca.gov.
 Artist credit (top): Michael Phillips, "Birds Not of a Feather Flocking Together", (bottom left to right): Aleta Knight, "Destination"; Ashley Blundell-Sanders, "Alabaster"; Richard Takemori, "Laguna Beach (2)"
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Calling all kids up to age 12: Join the Spring Reading Challenge from March 1 through April 30.
Track your reading on the Beanstack app to win prizes and be entered for the opportunity to win the grand prize of a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble. Multiple winners will be selected.
Learn more here.
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Join us for an evening with Sophie Stava, author of the new thriller "Count My Lies," on Tuesday, April 8, from 7 to 8:30 pm. in the Friends Room, Central Library, 1000 Avocado Ave.
"Count My Lies" was named the Good Morning America Book Club pick for March. The novel is a thriller about a compulsive liar who enters the lives of a wealthy New York couple, who harbor much darker secrets themselves.
This event is free and registration is recommended.
Books will be available for purchase/signing from Lido Village Books. The first 25 people to arrive will receive a free copy.
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On February 24, local Girl Scout Troop 4319 joined staff from the City's Public Works Department to learn about tree planting and gain hands-on experience.
Troop members learned about the benefits of trees, proper planting techniques, and the importance of the community forest. The Girl Scouts also helped Public Works staff dig holes and plant five sycamore trees along the Groves Bike Trail.
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Online registration will close on Monday, March 10 for the 2025 Youth Track Meet of Champions.
The meet will be on Friday, March 28 at Newport Harbor High School, 600 Irvine Ave.
For more information and to register, please click here.
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Get ready to "ride the wave" of summer fun at Camp Newport, with hundreds of enriching full and half-day camps across Newport Beach.
Registration opens at 8 a.m. on Thursday, March 13.
Hit the waves in surf and bodyboarding camps or dive into local marine life with ocean adventure programs. Set sail with OCC Sailing & Seamanship or paddle out in a beach camp. Harness skills in active camps like soccer, futsal, pickleball and more. Unleash your inner rockstar, thespian, chef, scientist or artist in our STEM-focused and creative arts camps.
Secure your spot by April 10 for a 10% or more discount on most camps.
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The City is now accepting scholarship applications from college-bound seniors and transfer students who can earn up to $700 for educational expenses. The deadline to apply is Monday, April 7, at 5 p.m.
The City's Ackerman Scholarship Program was established to assist qualified students in obtaining a higher education. Funds for the program are provided through an endowment from the Ackerman Trust. Scholarships may be used for tuition, books, laboratory and/or academic fees.
This year there will be seven $700 scholarships awarded.
Students must meet both criteria A and B:
A. Be a child residing in Newport Beach OR be a child of a regular, full-time Newport Beach City employee.
B. Graduate from high school in 2025 and are accepted to attend an accredited two-year community college or four-year college or university OR are transferring from a two-year community college to an accredited four-year college or university in Fall 2025; AND have maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better.
The criteria used for selection includes financial need, scholastic standing, school or community leadership, school and/or extracurricular activities, and career and life plans.
The deadline to apply is Monday, April 7 at 5 p.m.
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 This week, the City’s homeless outreach and response teams:
- Temporarily sheltered two people enrolled in services in a motel.
- Enrolled three people into services.
- Continued to shelter people. Twenty-five people who had been experiencing homelessness in Newport Beach are sheltered in the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter.
Click here to view the latest homeless dashboard.
Click here for information on the City's Good Giving program.
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The next meeting of the Newport Beach City Council will be on Tuesday, March 11. The full agenda is available here.
A Study Session will begin at 4 p.m. Agenda items include:
- Capital Improvement Program (CIP) early look. City staff will present new projects and funding proposals for the Fiscal Year 2025-26 CIP for review and discussion by the City Council.
The Regular Meeting will begin at 5 p.m. Agenda items include:
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Consideration of $30,000 in cultural arts grant awards as recommended by the City Arts Commission. The funds were previously earmarked to fund specific cultural or artistic programs approved by the City Council in Fiscal Year 2024-25. The Arts Commission reviews funding requests and makes recommendations to the Council.
- Amendment of Ordinance No. 2022-8 related to the completion of residential home construction. In 2019, the City Council adopted a three-year time limit to complete construction of one-unit and two-unit family dwellings. In 2022, as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted supply chains and delayed construction, the Council temporarily granted the City's building official authority to extend the time limit for up to one additional year. The amendment under consideration would remove an April 2025 sunset provision and permanently allow the building official to extend building permits for up to one additional year.
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WWW.NEWPORTBEACHCA.GOV | 949-644-3309 | 100 CIVIC CENTER DRIVE, NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92660
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