Balboa Peninsula

The state on Thursday recognized Newport Elementary School as a 2012 California Distinguished School. State Supt. of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced in a release that the Balboa Peninsula campus was one of 387 elementary schools to receive the honor for "innovative education programs that encourage students to learn and help close the achievement gap. " "The schools we are recognizing today demonstrate the incredible commitment of...

Seeking to tame problematic restaurants and bars, the Newport Beach City Council may increase fines for noise, occupancy and other violations. On Tuesday, the council will discuss adding a higher level of fines — up to 10 times the current amount — for certain laws and for repeat offenders. In recent years, neighbors in Corona del Mar and on the Balboa Peninsula have complained about noisy bars and restaurants. City officials say they sometimes have to stake out the businesses late at night to document violations, and that their staff members' time is often wasted during lengthy investigations.

A pile of debris caused a house fire Monday in Newport Beach that stopped traffic and caused $20,000 worth in damages, authorities said. Firefighters responded to a call from a neighbor reporting a fire in the 200 block of East Balboa Boulevard about 2:26 p.m., the Newport Beach Fire Department said in a news release. When firefighters arrived they discovered the blaze extended from the patio of the Balboa Peninsula home to the attic. Two traffic lanes on East Balboa Boulevard were rerouted for about 30 minutes while firefighters extinguished the fire.

Gina's Pizza and Pastaria has returned to the Balboa Peninsula. The new location at the Landing shopping center features the same recipes and a faster oven, a restaurant spokesman said Tuesday. The 2,600-square-foot Italian eatery on 3142 W. Balboa Blvd. is the first expansion for the Corona del Mar-based chain in 10 years, said company Director of Operations Fred Caron. Other Gina's locations are in Laguna Beach, Costa Mesa and Irvine. Gina's previously had eateries at the Balboa Fun Zone and off West Coast Highway and River Avenue.

Some Corona del Mar High School students are preparing to get in on the Occupy movement to try and preserve the Balboa Fun Zone. The students are planning Project: Occupy the Fun Zone at noon Saturday during an open house for the upcoming ocean-themed educational and entertainment center, ExplorOcean, that is slated to replace the fun zone, said movement leader Courtney Brown, 16. "We've had so many memories there and we want to do everything...

A string of residential burglaries on the Balboa Peninsula over a two-month period appear to be related, Newport Beach police said. Beginning in mid-August, there have been reports of break-ins at homes there, with burglars getting in through windows and open doors while the victims are home, according to a police crime alert. Among the items taken were a purse, jewelry, cash, MacBooks, laptops, an iPad and a watch. Five of the 11 total burglaries happened on Balboa Boulevard.

The State Lands Commission has approved the boundaries for Marina Park, bringing the Balboa Peninsula public waterfront development one step closer to construction. By overcoming this hurdle, the city can now complete its California Coastal Commission application and restart the long-stalled project. Park advocates, city officials and others decided on a plan for the development more than three years ago, but it has been stuck in bureaucratic morass. In the meantime, residents of the 57 mobile homes have been afforded more time on public land, while others have protested the slow progress.

The California Coastal Commission prevailed in its lawsuit to open Newport Harbor's Bay Island bridge to the public, but the island's residents will likely fight the judge's decision. Last week, the attorney representing the residents filed court documents that could provide the basis for an appeal. At stake is access to the 130-foot span, which commission officials say should be available for all to use. If the residents lose the appeal, they may be able to retrofit the existing bridge and keep it private, or they could build a new bridge, in which case they would have to comply with the commission's order.

Among the iPods, cameras, family heirlooms and bestsellers being auctioned off on EBay, online shoppers can now bid on a Newport Beach landmark: the Balboa Fun Zone carousel. The iconic merry-go-round has been placed on the auction block with an opening bid of $149,999 . Fun Zone Manager Patrick Moore said he hopes that interested parties will spot the attraction online and reach out to him. "If I happen to sell it, wonderful, but I don't expect to," Moore said. Moore has been with the Fun Zone since 1989, not long after the carousel was installed in 1985.

Three medicinal marijuana dispensaries in Newport Beach have decided to close, rather than face a civil order from the city, officials said Thursday. The West Coast Cure, 2814 Newport Blvd., Nature's Alternative Solutions, No. 117, 3400 Irvine Ave., and The Healing Tree, 4120 Birch St., shuttered last month after the Newport Beach City Council authorized nuisance-abatement proceedings in late May. Two of the dispensaries were in Santa Ana Heights, while the third was on the Balboa Peninsula.