NEWPORT BEACH
Finding the beauty in everyday momentsFollowing Tuesday's artist reception, a collection of photographs from Newport Beach resident Lauri Mendenhall's "Oddly Ordinary" series will remain on display at the Newport Beach Central Library through the end of April.
Each of Mendenhall's large, brightly-colored photographs aims to capture the eccentricities within everyday moments, details people often miss in their hectic lives.
"I love it when I'll just be going along and see something and think, 'Oh my God, that's just incredible,' " she said. "It happens randomly and I think that's half the fun of it."
The City Council voted Tuesday to halt plans for Newport Center Park and send them back to the parks and recreation commission for a 60-day review.
The decision came after the council learned parks commissioner Debra Allen, who helped plan the park, could have a conflict of interest.
City officials said their maps show Allen lives within 500 feet of the park property, which could be a conflict under state law.
The council rescinded its Feb. 27 decision to begin building the Avocado Avenue park to avoid any appearance of a conflict.
Council members stressed that the decision does not reopen consideration of the park site as a city hall location.
Allen defended herself, saying an appraisal showed she has no conflict, and she criticized the council for sending information about the potential conflict to the media before hearing her side of the story.
Two Newport Beach waterways should be added to a list of those that are polluted and need to be cleaned up, according to a study by water quality advocacy group Orange County Coastkeeper.
The group recommended in February that water authorities put Morning Canyon and the Delhi Channel on the list of polluted waterways, a Coastkeeper spokesman said last week.
When a waterway is on the list, it gives local officials notice that they must address the pollution. The State Water Resources Control Board will make the final decision this fall on which waterways will be added to the polluted list.
COSTA MESA
Talks don't bring much progress for future planningThe council and parks commission held a joint study session Tuesday to talk about future planning for parks and sports fields, but few ideas were generated. Staff members had suggested reviewing the master parks plan to make sure potential new developments are accounted for, but some council members said that won't be necessary.
