Corona del Mar Today

Corona del Mar Car Show a 'huge success'

Amid dozens of rare and expensive automobiles on display lat weekend at the Coastline Car Classic at Big Corona State Beach, one vehicle had visitors contemplating selling their homes in order to afford the purchase price — a $2 million motor coach with granite counters, a dishwasher and full-sized fridge, six televisions, walnut floors, microwave and cook top.

"This is amazing," said Teddie Valenzuela of Azusa, who was attending the Car Classic for the first time. "We should sell our home and buy this…"

People lined up for a chance to take off their shoes and snoop around the luxury coach, which salesman Chad Stevens said is popular among movie stars and athletes. The coaches, he said, are custom made using Prevost bus shells with a starting price of $1.8 million.

"We don't talk about mileage," he joked. (Later he said they get about 7 miles to the gallon.)

The coach might have been the biggest vehicle, but it certainly wasn't the oldest, loudest or fastest. Visitors could check out a 1911 Auburn, a 1937 Packard convertible, a 1931 Rolls Royce Phantom 2 Drophead Coupe and more, including muscle cars and vintage cars. Owners took home trophies, lovingly polishing their cars before driving up to collect their prizes.

The event was the seventh car show, said organizer Linda Leonhard of the Corona del Mar Chamber of Commerce.

"We get better every year," she said.

OASIS parking rehab underway

Crews recently began a rehabilitation project on the OASIS Senior Center parking lot on the northwest corner of Marguerite Avenue and Fifth Street.

During construction of the senior center across the street, trailers were installed on the lot for OASIS offices. The facility is nearly complete, with staff moving into the new space, and the trailers are gone, city officials said. The center will be open next week to the community.

The lot will be closed during the entire rehabilitation project, which is expected to be complete by Sept. 24. Workers are scheduled to be on the site between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.

The cost of the project is $149,924.50, according to the city's website.

State: Fire danger 'very high' in Corona del Mar

Buck Gully, Morning Canyon and most of Corona del Mar have been tentatively reclassified as areas of "very high" fire danger by the state fire marshal, local officials confirmed.