Crystal Cove State Park

COSTA MESA 100-plus-degree Orange County Fair wraps up "Our joke now is this was the 114th fair in our history and it was 114 degrees." So declared Becky Bailey-Findley, chief executive of the Orange County Fair, after this year's festival closed July 31. Yes, it was an exceptionally hot July, and perhaps as a result, fair attendance went down a bit from the previous two years. Still, with the third-highest attendance in history ? 924,315 ? fair officials had little to complain about.

Local water-quality officials are taking issue with a new report from an environmental group that criticizes beach water quality along the coast, including several Newport Beach spots. The Natural Resources Defense Council on Thursday announced record-high levels of beach closings and warnings in 2005 as a result of water-quality problems. While closures and warnings statewide were up 25% last year compared to 2004, Orange County test spots showed a 33% decrease in problem levels of bacteria.

Visitors to the wildly popular overnight-stay cottages at Crystal Cove State Park could help fund renovation of the rest of the historic district, under a proposal floating around Newport Beach City Hall. The plan would set aside a percentage of the hotel bed tax the city collects from the 13 cottages that opened in June and turn over the money to the cottages' operator. Crystal Cove's historic district includes 46 beach cottages built in the the 1920s. The state parks department paid $14 million to restore 22 cottages — including a yet-to-open café, marine research facility and cultural center — but no money has been reserved for the second phase of the work.

Employees of 12 state departments who live in state-owned housing ? including two rangers and a maintenance worker living at Crystal Cove State Park ? will begin paying private-sector prices for their accommodations, under a new law. Governor Schwarzenegger last week signed the measure written by Newport Beach Assemblyman Chuck DeVore. It gives the state Department of Personnel Administration power to ensure departments that provide housing get regular appraisals and charge fair market value to those who live in it. State law already requires state agencies to charge fair market rents for their housing.

EL MORRO VILLAGE ? The noise of crashing waves was the backdrop for the sounds of creaking metal and splintering wood as workers demolished beachfront trailers Thursday at the now-deserted El Morro Village. The work began Tuesday, and by 5 p.m. Thursday 40 of the 72 units by the ocean had been wrecked and much of the debris removed. On the inland side of the park, which straddles Pacific Coast Highway, work is underway to remove about 125 remaining trailers, California State Parks spokesman Roy Stearns said.

As of Thursday afternoon, a number of rooms were still available in December in dorm-style cottages at Crystal Cove State Park, said Crystal Cove Alliance founder Laura Davick. The alliance is a nonprofit group that is managing park concessions. The 13 renovated historic cottages, which will open to the public at the end of the month, have been a sellout hit since overnight rentals first were offered in April. Reservations for late June through October sold out within hours of being offered, and in early May the same thing happened with rentals in November.

CRYSTAL COVE STATE PARK ? A Westminster man hiking with his girlfriend Wednesday at Crystal Cove State Park was rescued by helicopter after falling about 30 feet from a cliff, officials said. Officials said the man was 49 but they did not release his name or information on his condition. He was flown to Mission Trauma Center in Mission Viejo with head and arm injuries, Crystal Cove State Park Superintendent Ken Kramer said. Authorities are still investigating whether drugs or alcohol were involved in the incident.

The release of the Historic Cottages at Crystal Cove State Park for overnight reservations generated unprecedented response by those wanting to spend a few nights at Crystal Cove State Park. The demand obviously far exceeded our inventory of available cottages. We ask that those who wish to stay overnight at the Crystal Cove State Park Historic District to be patient and hopefully everyone will get the opportunity to experience this exceptional resource. In the meantime, please come to the park for the day and discover the natural and cultural wonders of your beautiful park.

Well, I'm back. Not tan, not fit, but I'm back. So what's been going on around here? I see the gas prices are going well. That all seems to be working. A deer turned up in Bay Shores and on Lido Isle on Friday, which is interesting, no? Not quite a chicken on MacArthur, but interesting. The deer was strolling around Bay Shores around 6:30 a.m. Friday morning, prompting a number of calls to the Newport Beach Police Department, whose officers looked high and low for the happy wanderer ?