NewportBeachNow

BANK ROBBER NAME GAME: THE CDM SLACKER BANDIT STRIKES

 

By Eric Longabardi

For over two decades I've been in the news business, chasing bad guys, crooks, busting corrupt politicians, exposing wrongdoing and just plain chasing the news wherever it might be.

I've been chased by the FBI, detained by foreign police and harassed, confronted and had guns pointed at me (more than once) I've had my life threatened, but more often than not, I have also been at the side of law enforcement undercover or on a SWAT raid or some other kind of adventure where I have seen or in many cases beaten law enforcement to expose the truth about some kind of criminal activity with my reporting. 

I'm always glad to do so. I'm the first guy to call the cops when I have a story that might help them and say "hey you're going to want to watch this story".  I'm in the public service profession as well.

I've also seen some serious bad stuff go down more times than I want to remember over the many years. The worse stuff I try to forget, but sometimes that proves impossible.  I've developed a pretty thick skin and black sense of humor about the news and the world that surrounds covering it. It's what I do to stay sain in an insane world.  Like cops and other people who deal with life's darker and seamier side, it's a common defense mechanism many reporters have.

But in all those years, I have never had the chance to do something I've always wanted to do, and that is -- name a bank robber! 

That's right, every halfway decent bank robber, who holds up more than one bank in his career, gets a name by the FBI or other law enforcement agency who is trying to catch them and put them in jail.

Usually the cops, get the naming rights, but this time I'm stepping in!

This morning I got an email from Newport Beach's friendly and always helpful press spokesperson Kathy Lowe.  Now me and Kathy have had our little tisses since she took over the job recently, but she is a very nice and professional women and I respect her greatly. She's got a tough job dealing with media types like me, so I don't envy her.

The email she sent me was an urgent release about a bank robbery that took place late yesterday at Union Bank on PCH in Corona Del Mar. 

You can see the press release by the NBPD below:

The first thing that shot into my twisted reporter jaded mind, is "FINALLY!!!! - I have a chance to name this guy, he hasn't been named yet.  His $#@! is MINE!

So as you see above, I've dubbed him the 'CDM SLACKER BANDT' and if you have any information about who he is or if you saw this 'slacker' looking dude as seen above waking away from the Union Bank at about 5PM yesterday on PCH, give the Newport Beach PD a call ASAP and tell them you want to let them know about the CDM SLACKER BANDIT!

There's no reward money in the naming rights to a bank robber criminal, but for a long time reporter and journalist it would be a personal and professional milestone

So I hope you're listening NBPD and the FBI. 

It's catchy and may help you get this guy.  Use the name, it's FREE and on me!

It may just be me, but he kind of looks like Justin Timberlake to me, but I'm sure Justin has an alibi!  No offense Timberlake, I love you on SNL and I'll admit a few of your songs! I know, I'm not supposed to say that being the manly man I am! But I'm man enough to admit it!

Come on Newport - get busy!

Let's catch the CDM SLACKER BANDIT!

SNOOPY HOUSE SAVED IN COSTA MESA (AND NEWPORT)

By Eric Longabardi

The venerable Newport-Mesa tradition (officially it is Costa Mesa!) has been saved from extinction this year.  It's known as the "Snoopy House". The house where Costa Mesa resident Jim Jordan and his family put on the local tradition for 45 years.

This year almost proved to be the last for "Snoopy House". The house on Santa Ana Avenue in Costa Mesa was lost to foreclosure and that left the display without a home.

It looked for a while like the local display of holiday cheer might not be able to be staged this year.  Local residents and ultimately the City of Costa Mesa stepped forward to help the Jordan's move the display to the lawn of the Costa Mesa Civic Center.

On hand tonight were local residents, city officials and the media to ring in the holiday season. Kids, parents and kids at heart covered the lawn to show their support for the Jordan family and the holiday display.

Tonight marked the opening of the display.

"Snoopy House" will be open from Dec 13 through Jan 1st from 5P-10P every night. Santa Claus (aka Old St. Nick) is expected to be hanging around from December 13th-23rd. 

Free photos with Santa and hot apple cider will be available for those who have been good this year!

Take a look:

THURSDAY NIGHT LIGHTS IN NEWPORT: BEACH CITY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL BEATS THE HELL OUT OF THE X FACTOR!

By Eric Longabardi

It's been a while since I decided to spend an evening watching football. Last night the San Diego Chargers were playing the Oakland Raiders in a special Thursday night NFL game on the boob-tube. I didn't even know the game was on until long after it was over. That was the case because in general I don't watch much TV. I have worked in the television business for two decades, and honestly I think the old adage that 'the more you watch, the more your brain turns to putty', is a true and accurate statement.  Or as the famous old saying about TV says, it's a "vast wasteland'.

How do I know is for certain?  Well I have been forced to watch the Fox show "The X-Factor" for the last few weeks with my better half (no offense honey but I'd rather drive nails through my eyes if I had a choice!) I know for certain my brain has already turned to mostly putty and is being destroyed cell-by-cell every minute I watch of that show! No offense either, I happen to love Simon Cowell. The guy is a TV genius! I still hate watching, sorry Simon! I don't know if Simon likes "American Football", as our 'brit' friends call it. I bet Cowell prefers what we call 'soccer'. He seems to be an authentic kind of British bloke.

 

Nevertheless, late last night I found out the Raiders won the game. I'm glad they did. Cincinnati Bengals cast-off, former USC quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer was traded to Oakland recently. He has a chance to rekindle his career. Palmer is ike so many NFL quartbacks before him, told they were washed up and ready for retirement. Does Jim Plunkett ring a bell? He led Oakland to a Super Bowl victory after he was told hang up his cleats.  I am always rooting for the underdog, so Palmer is my new charity case.

I'm a football fan, but not a tailgating zealot. I've been to NFL, college and even a few high school games over the years. I always have and always will enjoy the sport. I  admire the game I never really played.  Yeah, I played football as a kid and all the way through elementary and middle school. But never with pads, helmets and the works. Meaning I never really took to kindly to getting crushed by someone unexpectedly. 

My key to aversion to football was the getting hit part. Especially when you didn't know where and when it was coming from. It's a unique sport in that way. You don't really control or know when you're going to get smashed. That takes some getting used too. I never got used to it. That is why I stopped playing football when I got to High School. Don't get me wrong, I loved hitting people, that was fun!

In football that feeling gets replaced quickly when someone in turns hits you. Sometimes it hurts. It's an especially violent sport in that way. You hit somebody, they hit you, and back and forth. The idea of the game is to avoid getting hit or tackled and to get the football into the end zone as many times during the game as possible. Minus all the plays, positions, formations and rules, it's a fairly basic sport. Take the ball and put it into the end-zone while other people try to knock you down and stop you.

You get a team of guys to try and keep those 11 other guys from smashing you and taking the ball away from you. Simple sport really.

Last night after another week contemplating my future and career as a journalist and finding humor in the fact that the City of Newport Beach had been shamed by me nto releasing public records they should have released long ago involving the tragic death of woman last month when a tree fell on her killed her in this town.  I decided what I needed was a little local high school football to wind down the week and get out and get some fresh air.

Lucky for me the home stadium of my ala mater Newport Harbor High is only a short distance from where I live.  So I grabbed my better half after she got home from work and I told her "I'm going to the Newport football game tonight, it's the final home game of the season" and I had read somewhere if they won the game they would tie for the league title. She looked at me with a face that said "oh great, I'd rather watch mice dance a jig on America's Funniest Home Videos!" Since I don't follow football, let alone High School football with any regularity these days the game sounded like some fresh air could be had an usually warm November evening.

I know you're riveted to my every word at this point in this column, but rather than continue to fill this space with my prose and Hemingway like literay brillance, I instead offer up this photo essay.  It tells the story of last night's game much better than I can. 'A picture is worth a thousand words' as the old saying goes.  So if I did my math right, the five photos below are about 5K? Thank god my fingers are already hurting from typing this much already!

Take a look:

Newport Harbor High's varsity team gets riled up to play Sunset League rival Edison High School at Davidson Field, the final regular season game of the year

Newport Harbor's punter let's loose on a first half kick

Newport's Sailor mascot get fans ready for the second half

With 9:33 left in the 4th quarter, the score says it all. Not a good night for Newport Harbor

The lights stay bright despite a dim showing by the NHHS Sailors on this night

IN HIS OWN WORDS: NEWPORT BEACH PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN STATUE SPEAKS

By Eric Longabardi

On October 9, 2011 a statue was dedicated in Newport Beach, CA to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of President Ronald Reagan. Similair events have taken place around the country and across the world.

The striking statue likeness of President Reagan in Newport Beach was created by sculptor Miriam Baker of Balboa Island, CA.  A long-time resident and artist based in the city.

WATCH AND LISTEN:

Yesterday the statue was vandalized in an attempt to steal or destroy it. Police are still investigating the case. No suspects have been arrested. If you have any information concerning this case contact the Newport Beach Police Department.

The Newport Beach Police Department released this informaiton concerning the case:

"On Sunday, November 6, at approximately 5:30 a.m. officers responded to a vandalism in progress at Bonita Canyon Sports Park. A witness observed a suspect attaching what appeared to be a chain or rope to the Ronald Reagan statue. The chain was secured to the suspect's vehicle and he was attempting to pull the statue down. Officers searched the area for the suspect however he was not located. The suspect was last seen fleeing into the Port Streets neighborhood. Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to contact the Newport Beach Police Department at (949) 644-3717."

- Suspect Description: Male, wearing dark clothing
- Suspect Vehicle: Tan pickup truck (unk model), extended cab, early 2000's model year

--

ALSO CONTACT:

NEWPORT BEACH NOW with any tips or information concerning this case.  Any information provided be will be reviewed by 20-year veteran national-award winning investigative journalist Eric Longabardi.

EMAIL: newstips@theenterprisereport.com

* ALL INFORMATION WILL BE TREATED WITH COMPLETE CONFIDENTIALITY *

INTO THE FOG: WHEN NEWS BREAKS: FIX IT: NEWPORT SHIP RESCUED OFF CORONA DEL MAR ROCKS

By Eric Longabardi

News as the old saying goes 'breaks' and when it does, it seems I'm usually the guy there to to fix it!  That's how the old joke goes in the journalism profession.  As a reporter for over two decades, my mind works that way by default.  It's just something that happens, even when I don't want it too. Last Sunday it happened again!

So what happened you ask? I just happend to be out on a boat, actually a large charter yacht, dubbed 'Endless Dreams', owned and operated by Hornblower Cruises of Newport Beach.  Was that a blatant plug?  Yes it was! The brunch cruise was great and it was free! That's why it tasted even better. I won the brunch cruise last year via 'Visit Newport Beach Inc' in a photo contest with a picture of my daughter on the Balboa ferry heading to 'The Fun Zone' one day.

On this Sunday I was just enjoying my nice peaceful Sunday brunch cruise.  As me and my better half and the rest of the boat-brunchers putted around the bay sipping champagne and enjoying eggs, sausage and pasta salad, among other tasty items, little did I know "news" was about to "break". It always seems I never do! 

For those of you who know what journalists earn these days, it's not like I'm swimming in cash and was just enjoying another day hanging out with the 1% percenters of my hometown of Newport Beach eating caviar and sipping champagne by the case load.

No offense to the 1% percent crowd in any way. I have been trying for years and still am trying to get into your club!

Nonetheless I was enjoying the good eats and bubbly with a crisp blue sky on a beautiful pre-Halloween Sunday as we slid across Newport's harbor. It was a beautiful day. Then that blue sky quickly turned to a foreboding dense fog in a matter of seconds.

As the Captain of the ship came on the speaker, he tried in vain to point out various famous spots to the tourists on board (which did not include me, I'm a local boy) Everyone, including the crew sort of just chuckled at his valiant attempt. Fact was you couldn't see much. The fog had taken over the ocean as far as your eyes could see. That wasn't very far.

As we approached the entrance to Newport Harbor just off the famous "Wedge" and Corona Del Mar's "Pirate's Cove" the fog was so thick I couldn't see much past the tip of our ship's bow.

Then in an instant, without warning, out of the dense fog came this:

Being the "reporter" I am, I of course swtiched on my handy HD Flipcam and caught two Harbor Patrol boats racing out to assist somebody who needed help before they too disappeared in the fog. I had no idea who needed their help, but I figured in the dense fog somebody was in trouble and help was on its way!

After that brief bit of excitement, I immediately returned to the champagne and brunch and enjoyed the rest of my relaxing cruise that afternoon.  For the last hour of the cruise, I wouldn't say I was tipsy. but I was feeling good with all the mimosa's now running through my veins. On the trip back to the dock, I slowly lost that feeling and when we arrived dockside I was completely safe to drive without risking a stop by a friendly Newport Beach PD patrolman on my short drive home. I've never had a DUI, don't want to start now!

My 'reporter's hunch' about what happened out there as "news broke" just outside the harbor, in that mysterious fog, would be gnawing at me the next day. So I did what any good reporter does, I picked up the phone a tried to check it out. The answers came from Sgt. Hollenbeck of the O.C. Sheriff's Harbor Patrol a few days later.

He told me a boat named "WIDE OPEN" (owned, I learned elsewhere, by a Balboa Island resident, name withheld because I don't want to embarrass him for running into the rocks in the fog) had hailed a MAYDAY emergency call after running into rocks just off Newport's Little Corona Beach. That is where the patrol boats I had seen and videotaped were racing too. According to the Harbor Patrol, they helped the boat and its owner off the rocks and back into the Harbor safely.

No injuries, no boat sunk, and nobody lost in the fog!

All and all, a decent day on the water.

As our brunch cruise headed back to our dock, just past the famed Balboa Pavilion and its ferry crossing, the fog lifted and the skies were once again blue as far as the eye could see.

As I soaked it all in I thought to myself, is there anywhere I can go, where "news won't break"? the answer came to me in a quick, simple and very loud internal voice ... NO there isn't!

The voice was clear and unwavering, it said .. listen up Eric ...

When news "breaks" ... you'll always be there to "fix it". 

That's just the way it is!

NEWPORT BEACH WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL 2011: SEA SUN AND FUN

 

By Eric Longabardi

Last month I took my annual jaunt down to the harbor to take in the American Legion Yacht Club's wooden boat festival. An event I've enjoyed for many years.

Click on the links for more info on the event and Newport's American Legion Post 291

In addition to the wide varieties of wooden boats on display, the highlight for me was taking a tour of the tall brigantine ship, 'Irving Johnson'. The 'Irving Johnson' and the 'Exy Johnson' later raced off Newport Beach between the Newport and Balboa piers. 

The "Exy" as it is known prevailed according to a few 'sea-tales' I later heard. 

Once you watch the video below you will see the Captain of the 'Irving Johnson' may be without a crew today because of a bet he made with me!

Take a look:

LABOR DAY PHOTO SPECIAL: THE SWELL OF 2011 HITS THE WEDGE IN NEWPORT BEACH

By Eric Longabardi

When it comes to big wave surf breaks there are many places known by surfers around the world. Places like Pipeline, Waimea, Mavericks, Cortez Bank and many more. In the world of body boarding and body surfing there is only one place that even matters.

It's called 'The Wedge', a special piece of beach on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, CA. A place where the beach stops and the sand and waves run into a man made jetty. There is no other place like it.

When the conditions are right, this is the place where the men are separated from the boys. No offense girls!

Starting early last week a swell from New Zealand swept across the Pacific to the shores of Newport Beach.  If you've never seen 'The Wedge' in person, when mother nature is showing off, the best it can be described is that it's kind of like seeing a mountain rise up out of the sea and crash itself on a beach in only seconds. And just like some kind of sick joke by mother nature, it all happens in just a few feet of water.

To honest, you really can't describe it, you have to see it for yourself.

Although not everybody has that chance, Newport Beach Now presents the photos of photographer Jay Stallman of Huntington Beach, CA who was there and did a great job of capturing what 'The Wedge' had to offer this past week.  

And all we have to say to Jay is; nice job bro!

Take a look:  (For full-size versions of each photo - click on photo)

 

  

( All still photos courtesy Jay Stallman - ©2011 )

OLD SCHOOL NEWPORT: SURFING CORONA DEL MAR: CIRCA 1938

By Eric Longabardi

I came across this amazing video this morning on the always stellar Facebook group: 

I grew up in Newport Beach BEFORE it was the OC 

No writing or prose needed for this story. The images speak for themselves.

A SPECIAL KIND OF ARTIST: MEET MIKE BLESS: NEWPORT BEACH'S WOODYBOARD MAN

By Eric Longabardi

When you think of Newport Beach, or at least when I think of Newport Beach, I don't think of a place brimming with artistic talent. Don't get me wrong, and no offense, I'm sure there are very talented creative people here in town and I know a few of them. People like Miriam Baker, a longtime sculptor who lives on Balboa Island and just finished molding clay in ways I can only dream about for a life size soon-to-be dedicated statue of former President Ronald Reagan that the City will unveil later this year.

It may just be me, but when I like many in this city think 'art', I tend to look south towards Laguna Beach. That's where you'll find the world renown artist colony just down Pacific Coast Highway. When I'm looking for that special kind of person, the kind you can call an 'artist', that is usually where I'm sure to find one.  Although I'm not sure I can define exactly what one is, I can assure you I know it when I see it!

One thing I do expect to find here in Newport Beach is surfers. Surfers love Newport and Newport loves them. It always has and always will. The sport and its culture have been a part of the fabric that ties this city together since the first days the sport took hold so many decades ago.

I've seen with my own eyes a few works of art over the years. People like that Italian guy, what's his name?, who painted the 'Mona Lisa' hanging in the Louve in Paris. Her eyes once followed me as I walked by. I remember it well. Or even the vivid dolphins, whales and the rainbow of sea-life a guy named 'Wyland' sees as his never-ending ocean canvas.  I've seen all that and everything in-between.

I've also seen a lot of surfers and even more waves here in Newport Beach. From the world famous "Wedge' to 'The Point' or north to the jetties of upper Newport. I spent my youth on the beaches of Newport seemingly every day growing up in this town. I have the chronically messed up ears from being in the water too much to prove it!

But what I have never seen before in Newport Beach is someone who has turned a passion for surfing and a love of woodworking into a lifelong passion for art.

That was until recently. When I met Mike Bless.

Actually I met Mike long ago growing up here in Newport. I just sort of forgot. Life has a way of doing that.  With age memories fade and they did this time as well. Mike and I went to the same High School in Newport. We knew some of the same people, but for some reason our paths never really crossed or stayed connected. We weren't close friends growing up in this mecca of surf, sand and sun. But what tied us together, then and now, was that we both had the same mutual friend. We did then and we still do now. His name is Rich. He doesn't like publicity and is humble modest guy, so I'll leave it at that.

As you probably expected Rich is a surfer too, just like Mike. Turns out I wasn't much of a surfer in my younger days, but I always managed to find another way to stay in the ocean for hours on end, either body-surfing or on a boogie board. Now I tell stories about what I can remember. Sometimes as you might expect the waves and wipeouts have grown bigger and more spectacular with time. I'm o.k. with that. I tell stories for a living. 

One thing I know for sure about Mike now is that he paid a lot more attention in high school wood-shop than I ever did. That was when he wasn't at the beach surfing or hanging out just like I was. Or maybe he just had a special innate ability to understand how creating things with your own two hands is a lost art more and more in these days. Mike's dad was in the construction business, that probably played a role for Mike. He can cut, carve, shape and customize wood and other things related in ways I and most others will never know. 

You can see some of that special talent and artistic ability in a special video I created about him. Take a look you will see what I mean:

Mike's passion for his 'art' turned into his profession long ago.  

He still does it all right here in Newport Beach. He even built a house to showcase it. If you're heading north on West-PCH in Newport Shores hang a right and head to Newport Shores Drive. When you run into the house that looks like Newport's 62nd lifeguard tower, you'll know you're in the right place!. You can't miss it.

Mike's path has crossed mine once again.  This time nearly 30 years later we both have families and we live not far from each other here in Newport Beach. Recenly we reconnected via that same old friend once again. This time, unlike the last time, I intend to make sure our paths stay connected.

Long ago somebody told me 'art' is in the eye of the beholder, but an 'artist' is somebody who can sell their art and gets paid to do it.

Mike Bless is an 'artist'

I think you'll agree.

SUNSET SHOT FROM THE NEW SHAKE SHACK ON PCH