Category: Costa Mesa

Suspect in Custody in Fatal Costa Mesa Shooting

COSTA MESA, Calif.—A man was in custody Nov. 25 in connection with a shooting in Costa Mesa on Thanksgiving Day that left one person dead and four other people wounded. Officers were sent to the 400 block of West Bay Street about 6:45 p.m. Nov. 24, according to the Costa Mesa Police Department. “Upon arrival,…


Too Close to Call: Costa Mesa Early Election Results

Incumbent John Stephens holds a 7.7-point lead in the race for the mayor of Costa Mesa, California, over former state Sen. John Moorlach, according to results released Nov. 12 at 5 p.m. Stephens had 53.85 percent of the vote compared with Moorlach’s 46.15 percent. Stephens was appointed mayor in 2021 to replace then-mayor Katrina Foley…


Majority of SoCal Cities Miss State Housing Plan Deadline, Face Possible Consequences

Sixty-one percent of Southern California cities failed to have an approved housing element plan by the Oct. 15 deadline—as mandated by the state—and now face possible consequences including loss of state funding, less control over certain development projects, and a shortened period for rezoning. The state has required cities and counties to update their housing…


Human Remains Recovered From Pipe in Costa Mesa

COSTA MESA, Calif.—Authorities Oct. 19 recovered human remains from a blocked pipe at the Costa Mesa (55) Freeway at Baker Street in Costa Mesa. Caltrans and California Highway Patrol officials became aware of the blockage Oct. 17 and requested that members of the Coroner Division of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department be on hand when…


Suspected Human Remains Found in Blocked Pipe in Costa Mesa

COSTA MESA, Calif.—A blocked pipe at the Costa Mesa (55) Freeway at Baker Street might have human remains in it, officials said Oct. 18 as efforts were underway to clear the pipe. Caltrans and California Highway Patrol (CHP) officials became aware of the blockage Monday and requested that coroner’s officials be on hand when the…


Costa Mesa Officials Seek $3.5 Million to Redevelop Former Mental Hospital Into Housing

Costa Mesa city councilors voted unanimously Oct. 4 for a request for proposals of $3.5 million in state funds, which will be spent in planning for the redevelopment of a former mental hospital into residential and commercial properties. Located just south of Harbor Boulevard and Adams Avenue, the 100-acre property was formerly the city’s Fairview…


Newport-Mesa Unified School Board Candidates Face Off at Forum

Motivated by a desire to improve academics, school safety, and parental rights, candidates vying for a seat on the Newport-Mesa Unified School Board faced off in a forum hosted by the Harbor Council Parent-Teacher Association Oct. 10. This year, four seats on the board are up for grabs: Trustee Area 2, which covers Costa Mesa’s…


Measure K to Green-Light Development in Costa Mesa

Costa Mesa residents will be asked Nov. 8. to vote on Measure K, which will no longer require high-density developments to go through a public vote for approval. City officials who sponsor the measure say it will encourage development and it is necessary to remain compliant with the state’s affordable housing quota. But opponents say…


Bite-Sized History of Costa Mesa: From Farming Village to ‘City of the Arts’

Costa Mesa—a vibrant city of 69 years with a population of 111,000 in 2021, according to census data—grew from a small Spanish settlement into the hub of arts and culture in Orange County. The region’s first inhabitants were a Native American tribe called the Yukup who settled along the banks of the Santa Ana River,…


Newport-Mesa Unified Candidate Kristen Valle Wants to Invest in Children

Kristen Valle, a candidate in the Nov. 8 election for the Newport-Mesa Unified’s Board of Education, is calling on the entire community to invest in its children. Valle, 34, a sales and marketing professional who currently works for a healthcare organization, told The Epoch Times she noticed an increase in anxiety and depression among children…