BUSINESS
The Resort at Pelican Hill, a lavish Newport Coast destination planned by the Irvine Co., has another member on its management team, as the company announced Tuesday nationally renowned chef Thomas Ryan would oversee the resort’s Pelican Grill.
Ryan, who grew up in New York and trained in New York and Munich, has worked on the openings of seven luxury hotels. His career has included stints with the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel, the Ritz-Carlton company and a number of independent hotels.
The Pelican Grill, along with the resort’s golf club, is expected to open in November, with the rest of the grounds to start operations next year.
PUBLIC SAFETY
The 24-year-old Garden Grove man arrested last month on suspicion of stabbing a sea lion in Newport Beach that later had to be euthanized was charged by the federal government Thursday with violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Hai Nguyen was charged with a misdemeanor count, filed Thursday morning in United States District Court, accusing him of illegally taking and attempting to kill a marine mammal.
Nguyen will be summoned to appear for an arraignment in September. The charge carries a maximum statutory penalty of one year in federal prison and a $20,000 fine.
Southern California Edison officials asked the public to cut back on electricity, especially air conditioning, to avoid brownouts over the weekend.
Newport Beach should only see temperatures in the high 70s to 80s throughout the weekend, but further inland the heat will rise to the upper 80s and 90s, according to the National Weather Service. And the humidity makes the heat more suffocating.
Costa Mesa City Hall employees were asked to turn off fans, radios, and work in natural light — if possible — during the afternoon.
Former Los Angeles Raiders and USC quarterback Todd Marinovich pleaded not guilty to charges of felony possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor counts of unauthorized possession of a hypodermic needle and resisting a police officer.
The 38-year-old Newport Beach resident, in an interview in jail Friday, called this latest run-in with the law a “bump in the road” to sobriety. The former football star has had several brushes with the law over the years. He is being held without bail because of a number of arrest warrants issued against him for probation violations.
