Crystal Cove

The 15th annual Pacific Coast Triathlon is planned for Crystal Cove State Park on Sunday morning. Drivers can expect a portion of the southbound lanes on East Coast Highway to be closed from early in the morning until about 11 a.m. Organizers didn't provide a specific start time. Race organizers also take over the Reef Point parking lot to stage the event. Pedestrians will not be able to cross Coast Highway to get into the coastal areas of the park except at the Los Trancos tunnel, until the road reopens.

A panga boat carrying 15 illegal immigrants flipped in heavy surf along Crystal Cove early Tuesday morning and ejected all the occupants, federal immigration authorities said. All but two aboard were detained and there were no serious injuries or deaths, officials said. The incident was reported around 5 a.m., said Virginia Kice, a spokeswoman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The nationalities of those detained were not immediately available because they were still being questioned by federal agents, Kice said.

Time goes by in a blur when you're having fun. So it seems incredible that it has already been a year since the Crystal Cove cottage dwellers were forced to pack their bags and return the beach back to its rightful owners, the people of the state of California. That's where the fun comes in. On any given weekend, scores of families and visitors can be seen at the previously gated enclave enjoying the beauty and serenity of the beaches, the scenery and coastal charm that was only available to a select few. So yes, we're having fun now, and hopefully it will only be a matter of time before the bungalows are restored and the residents of this state will get the chance to stay the night in paradise also.

Stefanie Frith EDITOR'S NOTE: Prior to leaving their homes and vacation spots in Crystal Cove, a number of the cove's residents talked with the Daily Pilot about their memories and stories of a place they believe is one of the most magical areas in the world. A perfect month For about one month out of the year, Shana Robertson falls tosleep to the sound of the waves crashing down on the sand outside her cottage. For Robertson, it's the best one month of the year.

June Casagrande In the hazy and humid late morning, Natalie and Nicole Kaylor toted a twisted hunk of wood and wire almost as big as them. The lesson is likely to be a lasting one: "No littering!" Natalie, 8, said. The El Morro sisters were among about 350 volunteers who pitched in two Crystal Cove cleanup sites as part of the statewide Coastal Cleanup Day, in association with the International Coastal Cleanup, organized by the Ocean Conservancy.

Deirdre Newman The picturesque park that sits between Newport Beach and Laguna Beach was named one of the favorites in the state Wednesday, based on a survey conducted by the California State Parks Foundation. The survey was part of the foundation's inaugural "State of Our State Parks" report. The main thrust of the report is that the state park system is in dire financial straits since funding has not kept pace with need while visitation has mushroomed in the last two years.

Paul Clinton CRYSTAL COVE -- The state parks department is set to take the first step toward evicting the residents of the historic cottages at Crystal Cove State Park Beach. The department, which owns the 46 cottages on the beach, has set Feb. 15 as the day it will mail out 30-day eviction letters to the residents, a state parks spokesman said. The state will remove the tenants of the 40 occupied cottages so the department can replace aging septic tanks at the dwellings.

Paul Clinton CRYSTAL COVE -- Visitors to the historic district this week may think they've wandered onto Mars. Starting Thursday, a crew of workers began removing toxic lead-based paint from four of the 46 cottages in "moon suits" -- white body suits with blue booties and respirator masks. The somewhat surreal scene unfolded Thursday morning as the hazardous materials team hired by California State Parks began its work. The work is part of the state's interim plan to protect the cottages until officials can formulate a plan for the future of the district.

Paul Clinton CRYSTAL COVE -- State parks officials managing the vacant, historic cottages at the state park have extended a contract with a security firm to continue a 24-hour watch. California State Parks extended a one-year deal with B.R. South Coast Private Security Services Inc. for two more months, until a new contract can be worked out with a new firm. The company has been supplying security personnel with badges and guns to monitor the 46 cottages for potential vandals, curious teenagers and anyone with bad intentions toward the historic landmark.

June Casagrande NEWPORT BEACH--Picking up tiny pieces of plastic and foam from an otherwise beautiful beach can really get you thinking: Who could be so inconsiderate as to litter at a place like Crystal Cove? How could anyone possibly throw bottle caps and cigarette butts in the street, even miles from the ocean where it will eventually turn up? These were some of the more negative thoughts amid the otherwise upbeat energy of Saturday's annual Coastal Cleanup Day. "I didn't think there would be as much trash out here as there was," said Janele Shockley, a Sage Hill School student who had volunteered alongside her mom, Heide Alexander.

Mr. Ronald G. McMackin, of Crystal Cove and Mrs. Meredith J. McMackin, of Newport Coast, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter Casey Jeanette to Mr. Sean Frank Calcagnie, son of Kevin and Peggy Calcagnie of Coto de Caza.  Miss McMackin graduated with honors from the University of Southern California and is an Account Executive employed at Irvine Technology Corporation.  Mr. Calcagnie graduated from the University of Southern California...

The 15th annual Pacific Coast Triathlon is planned for Crystal Cove State Park on Sunday morning. Drivers can expect a portion of the southbound lanes on East Coast Highway to be closed from early in the morning until about 11 a.m. Organizers didn't provide a specific start time. Race organizers also take over the Reef Point parking lot to stage the event. Pedestrians will not be able to cross Coast Highway to get into the coastal areas of the park except at the Los Trancos tunnel, until the road reopens.

Sage Restaurant will close at the end of the year if it cannot reach a lease extension agreement with its landlord, chef Rich Mead confirmed Wednesday. Mead asks customers to email the Irvine Co., which owns the Eastbluff Shopping Center that houses the restaurant, to support Sage, according to a letter he wrote and posted on the restaurant's website earlier this month. The Irvine Co. could not be reached for comment. "It's their ball, and it's in their court," Mead said.

Newport is set to get even sweeter this summer with the opening of Sweet and Saucy Shop at the Crystal Cove Promenade. "We're shooting for the beginning of June and it looks like we're on track for that to happen," said Eileen Francabandera, who co-owns the shop along with her daughter Melody Brandon. It's the second location for the Long Beach-based bakery, known for its beautiful, modern, custom cakes, cupcakes, cake lollipops, cookies and mini desserts that are a favorite with celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Miley Cyrus, LeAnn Rimes and Tori Spelling.

NEWPORT BEACH — The Irvine Co. was responsible for monitoring urban runoff into a protected stretch of the Pacific north of Crystal Cove, until the Newport Beach City Council voted last week for the city to assume the responsibility. The change will cost the city $10,000 per year, but officials say it partly compensates the Irvine Co. for installing and maintaining a nearby public wastewater pump station. For decades, the Irvine Co. and local governments have been working out water quality protections between Corona del Mar and Laguna Beach.

CORONA DEL MAR - The days of collecting shells, rocks and other sandy souvenirs at Big Corona State Beach are coming to an end. Little Corona State Beach has long been a protected marine area, but starting Jan. 1, 2012, Big Corona State Beach will be included when changes to the state Fish and Games Marine Life Protection Act take effect. Currently, Little Corona and its tidepools are part of the Robert E. Badham State Marine Conservation Area, which limits collecting rocks and shells along with tidepool creatures and wildlife.

The acclaimed London-based restaurant Tamarind opens its doors Monday for dinner to the public, a restaurant spokesman said this week. The Indian cuisine restaurant in Newport Coast's Crystal Cove Promenade at 7862 E. Coast Hwy. will operate under the name Tamarind of London and act as the U.S. flagship location. "For the most part, there is not a restaurant like Tamarind in Los Angeles or Orange County," said Gene Lawless, vice president of Fessel International, a Costa Mesa-based restaurant consulting firm Tamarind hired for the move.

Coastal Cool is the first women's designer-apparel boutique in Orange County to offer iPANEMA flip-flops created by supermodel Gisele Bündchen, according to a news release. The 2,000-square-foot store opened in the Crystal Cove Promenade in Newport Coast on Sept. 8, said center spokeswoman Jane Gillespie. The store also features contemporary apparel from Chan Luu, Johnny Was, Kain Label, AG Tees, Seaton, and Bailey 44 and others. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Four Mexican citizens face federal charges for their alleged involvement in this week's attempt to smuggle undocumented immigrants into Crystal Cove by boat, authorities said. The four were among 14 detained at the cove Tuesday morning when their panga boat capsized as it tried to land there illegally, U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials said in a news release Friday. Among those charged are the boat's captain, assistant captain and the boat's navigator, according to the release.

A panga boat carrying 15 illegal immigrants flipped in heavy surf along Crystal Cove early Tuesday morning and ejected all the occupants, federal immigration authorities said. All but two aboard were detained and there were no serious injuries or deaths, officials said. The incident was reported around 5 a.m., said Virginia Kice, a spokeswoman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The nationalities of those detained were not immediately available because they were still being questioned by federal agents, Kice said.