Hey hey Costa Mesa! Your one-stop source for local news is here. Continue reading for all the updates. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Petals & Pistons & Pups Car Show and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: Where is the worst place to hide in a hospital ? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. Orange County football preview 2026: Sigma League (ocregister.com) — Costa Mesa High's Mustangs are moving up a league after a dominant 9-2 season and undefeated Tango League run, returning 10 starters and 16 seniors. A powerful offense led by standout running back Gavin Garza and a seasoned defense anchored by Louis Arreola has coaches expecting a hard-hitting, experienced squad. League rivals Anaheim, Katella, Ocean View, Rancho Alamitos and Saddleback round out the Sigma League.
2. Despite objections, Costa Mesa planning commissioners advance Fairview housing plan (latimes.com subscription) — Costa Mesa's Planning Commission has advanced a specific plan that could allow up to 4,000 housing units at the Fairview Developmental Center site, sending it to the City Council for possible approval on Sept. 15. Residents are sharply divided over density, traffic, and impacts on the Costa Mesa Country Club's Mesa Linda course, while supporters highlight the city's need for more affordable housing. The project could unfold over 20 years and reshape Harbor Boulevard.
3. The Orange County Register: Safety precautions to keep in mind during outdoor summertime fun (choc.org) — A Costa Mesa-based pediatrician with Rady Children's Hospital Orange County shares detailed tips to keep local kids safe during summer, from helmets and hot playground surfaces to rattlesnakes and pool supervision. She also explains smart sunscreen use, hydration strategies, and how to recognize heat exhaustion or heat stroke so families can enjoy outdoor fun more safely.
4. Irvine proposal would protect grocery jobs at small chains during mergers (ocregister.com) — Mother's Market workers at the Costa Mesa flagship store were recently suspended amid a unionization push, even as Irvine officials weigh a job-protection ordinance that could affect the chain's small-format groceries. The piece details worker complaints about low pay and staffing, union organizing across multiple Orange County locations, and concerns over a possible sale of the Costa Mesa-founded company.
5. Remembering (all of) the families who sued to desegregate Orange County schools (latimes.com subscription) — Costa Mesa leaders are wrestling with a state housing mandate that could significantly reshape local development, while a well-known Costa Mesa grocer has suspended more than a dozen pro-union workers. The newsletter also highlights regional transportation upgrades, environmental leadership changes, and labor settlements that frame broader issues affecting Orange County communities.
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-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: In the ICU (Thank you Donna M. for sending it in!)
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