October 3, 2006

COMMUNITY SERVICES

Marine Safety - On September 3, a vehicle crashed through a chain link fence and plunged 20 feet into a concrete-lined flood control channel near the intersection of Slater and Misty. After Huntington Beach Police Officer Brian Knorr rescued the 83-year-old woman driver from the vehicle, the Police Department requested that the Huntington Beach Marine Safety Underwater Search and Recovery Team assist with the vehicle recovery. Marine Safety Officer Claude Panis utilized a fully encapsulated mask and dry suit system to enter the contaminated water and search for more passengers. After confirming that there were no more accident victims, MSO Panis attached a towline to the submerged vehicle. The vehicle was then successfully towed up the embankment and onto the street. Marine Safety statistics for September 5 to 24 were as follows: Attendance - 416,703; Public Contacts - 13,991; Rescues - 59; Preventative Actions - 2,780; Law Enforcement Contacts - 2,595; Medical Aids - 41; Lost and Found Children - 3; Wildlife Calls - 2; Drownings - 0.

Live on Stage from Hawaii - Michael E. Rodgers Seniors' Center is honored to host Kimo Hussey and his quartet Ho'omalie for a live ukulele performance free on Friday, October 6, at 12:15 p.m. Kimo Hussy is in Southern California to give workshops and performances at the Southern California Ukulele Festival in Cerritos. While here, the Aloha Seniors invited him to perform at Rodgers. Kimo created a ukulele CD, "Eminent Ukulele," and shared publication of a Hawaiian songbook, "He Mele Aloha." He also shared in the inception of a non-profit organization, Pacific Music Foundation, whose mission statement is to facilitate music that SOOTHES. After Kimo Hussey's soothing performance, the audience is welcome to stay to enjoy the Rodger's premier showing of Friday Afternoon at the Movies. For more information, please call Rodgers Seniors' Center at 563-9387.

Brunch for the Arts - Enjoy an elegant day at the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort while supporting the Art Center at this year's Brunch for the Arts hosted by the Huntington Beach Art Center Foundation on Sunday, October 15. This annual fundraising event will feature a gourmet buffet with champagne and fine wines, a display of children's artwork from Art at the Beach, and a taste of the highly popular music series, Jazz at the Center. The event will highlight both live and silent auctions, which will include fine art, fine wine, and fine jewelry. Please call the Art Center for details at 374-1650.

LIBRARY SERVICES

2007 Summer Reading Program - The Library's Children's Department has once again received a generous grant from the Target Corporation to support its 2007 Summer Reading Program. Next year's theme will be "Get a Clue@Your Library," and the grant will be used to buy reading logs, book bags, and reading incentives for the anticipated 4,000 readers.

PUBLIC WORKS

Warner Avenue Gravity Sewer Update and Bike Lane Restrictions - Traffic flow in the area near Warner Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) will be constricted during the construction of the Warner Gravity Sewer Line and the completion of Sewer Lift Station D. Construction at Station D is progressing well and is generally off of the street. The gravity main project has just begun and will continue through the spring. This project will provide wastewater service to Huntington Harbor, Sunset Beach, and parts of the beach recreational area. The new sanitary sewer line will make it possible to eliminate the existing, older and problematic Lift Stations B and C. The contractor, Vadnais Corporation, has set up traffic control between PCH and Los Patos in preparation for installing 5 of the 9 vertical shafts, which will be used to micro-tunnel 4,100 lineal feet of 24-inch clay sewer pipe. The construction activity necessitated re-striping Warner Avenue so that there is now one eastbound lane and two westbound lanes. This re-striping eliminated the bicycle lanes on Warner Avenue. Bicyclists can either ride with traffic or walk their bicycles on the sidewalk along the north side of Warner Avenue. Most traffic control configurations will remain installed for the contract duration, which will end May 2007. The benefit of the micro-tunneling construction method is that it eliminates open trench cuts, which are costlier in comparison. The schedule duration is shorter, traffic disruption is less, and potential environmental issues are lessened. These projects are on concurrent schedules as they are related.

Work on Edinger Avenue Next Weekend - On Saturday, October 7, Union Pacific Railroad is scheduled to repair its railroad tracks crossing Edinger Avenue beginning at 6:00 a.m. Edinger Avenue, between Beach Boulevard and Gothard Street, will be closed to through traffic until approximately 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 8. Local traffic to businesses will be maintained; however, through-traffic in both directions on Edinger will be routed around the work area by clearly-signed detours at Beach Boulevard and at Gothard Street. This work will include replacing the tracks and crossing pads, along with new paving on Edinger to smooth the entire crossing for vehicles. We recognize that even though the closure will be brief, it will be a significant inconvenience. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation. Please call one of the following representatives below if you have any questions. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD - Mark Mahonney, (916) 789-6114; or CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH/DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS - James Jones, Maintenance Operations Manager, 960-8861.

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