Category Archives: Orange County

Maze of oil wells, utility lines complicates Gerald Desmond Bridge project

By Karen Robes Meeks, Long Beach Press Telegram LONG BEACH >> When crews started clearing the path for a new 1.5 mile-long span to replace the Gerald Desmond Bridge two years ago, they encountered more than a few pipes. What lurked beneath the surface was a mishmash of old and active oil wells tangled with 10 miles of utility lines, many of them unmapped or deeper than expected. And what normally takes weeks to cap and relocate dozens of wells and lines turned into months of labor intensive work to clear the way for large steel-and-concrete piles as deep as an 18-story building. Continue Reading... ...
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Guided wine tours of California’s Central Coast

Virginie Boone, Special to USA TODAY Driving around California's vast Central Coast is a visual treat even if you don't know where you're going, so imagine the breadth and depth you'll cover with a guide to provide the lay of the land, point out highlights, ponder the geographical and cultural history and serve as designated driver. The meat of the region is Monterey County, a relatively cool swath of fertile farmland and coastal beauty in the middle of California, accented by substantial pockets of national forest. Continue Reading... ...
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Ocean Recreation Water Quality Warnings and Advisories: October 4

Time: 1:50 p.m. Date: October 4, 2013 Closure and Posted Warning Status Report Closures: • No ocean, harbor or bay water closures are currently in effect. Posted Warnings: Bacterial levels in ocean and bay recreational waters exceed health standards at the following locations: Dana Point Harbor • All of Baby Beach. Continue Reading... ...
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Calling Californian snowbird sailors: a welcome mat at Catalina

SailWorld.com Calling all Californian cruising sailors or those to the north planning to cruise south for Mexico, Central America or even further afield to the South Pacific (even if you don't have a boat): Adventure Voyaging, a multi-yacht sailing vacation organiser, is rolling out the welcome mat at a suggested pit stop: Catalina Island.  It could be a great time to meet others who are sailing south, catch up on some last minute advice and enjoy some sunset cockpit drinks with compatible cruising sailors - as well as joining the festivities planned. The Log reports that from From Oct. 18-20, Two Harbors will be filled with exhibitor booths, cruising seminars, barbecues and live 'island' music performed by Brent George and the Fat Masts, during the annual Catalina Cruiser’s Weekend. Continue Reading... ...
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‘Heroes of the Coast’ Documentary Screening and Fundraising Event to Benefit Coastal Cleanup Day

SurfLine.com WHO: Surfrider Foundation's South Orange County Chapter and the California Coastal Commission with narrative from Jim Moriarty, CEO Surfrider Foundation, Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi whose AB 754 bill created the Protect Our Coast and Oceans donation check-off box for Coastal Commission grant programs such as Adopt-A-Beach. WHAT: Premiere screening of the "Heroes of the Coast" documentary that tells the story of how a grassroots group of Californians organized to save the coast, Proposition 20, and the voter-led monumental approval of the California Coastal Act. Continue Reading... ...
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George Van Zant: It’s all about the lobster

PressTelegram.com Lobster season is probably the most important season of them all to California fishermen as shown by the number of Report Card Sales. Beginning Saturday Sept. 28, hundreds of hoop nets were launched on the rocky terrains of the near Pacific California coast by anxious fishermen. Divers replaced their last year’s underwater lights with brand new batteries. Finally everybody made ready to capture the tasty crustaceans. The following rules and regulations are those that had to be followed. Lobsters may be taken only by hand or hoop nets. According to the Fish And Game captured lobster should not have puncture holes in them, which indicates the use of spears or gaffs. Continue Reading... ...
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Strictly Sail Long Beach Set for Oct. 24-27

TheLog.com LONG BEACH -- Sailboats will take center stage when Progressive Insurance Strictly Sail Long Beach returns to Shoreline Village and Rainbow Harbor, Oct. 24-27. The show, produced by the National Marine Manufacturers Association, will show new and brokerage sailboats in a wide variety of size and price ranges -- along with the latest boating gear and accessories. Last year, the show attracted more than 5,000 attendees. Continue Reading... ...
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U.S. Team Racing Championship – Twelve teams to compete

SailWorld.com A fleet of 12 of the top teams from the U.S. will compete for the esteemed George R. Hinman Trophy at the U.S. Team Racing Championship, hosted by the Newport Harbor Yacht Club (Calif.), this Friday through Sunday, October 4-6. Once again, this year’s roster boasts former U.S. Team Racing Champions, college All-Americans, and an impressive pool of sailors who have had success in various disciplines and racing backgrounds. For the first time in many years, this will be an all American event. Team racing is one of the fastest growing disciplines in sailing. Over 100 races are sailed in just a few days. Each race or flight lasts under 30 minutes and normally, three flights are racing simultaneously with teams swapping out after each race. The intended format is a double round-robin followed by a knock-out series sailed between the eight teams who have recorded the highest number of wins during the round-robin series. Continue Reading......
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Ann Romney speaks about La Jolla mansion plans: Former neighbor says he will fight project

By Dan Haggerty - ABC10 News San Diego SAN DIEGO - The permit battle for Mitt Romney's proposed house in La Jolla may soon be over. The California Coastal Commission will decide on the permits during an Oct. 11 meeting. The Romneys plan to demolish their 3,000-square-foot beachfront home to make way for an 11,000-square-foot mansion. 10News asked Ann Romney about the process during an interview Tuesday. She was making the media rounds promoting a new cookbook. Coontinue Reading......
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New project gives ‘snapshot’ of CA’s wild salmon populations

By Alessandra Bergamin - baynature.org

California’s salmon serve as an indicator of the health of watershed and coastal ecosystems. But since peaking in the early 20th century, wild populations have been in decline with seven out of 10 of California’s coastal salmon and steelhead species now federally threatened or endangered.

One of the first steps in fish recovery is simply figuring out how many are left and where they are — which is the goal of a new project by the The Nature Conservancy.

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