Newport hires new library director Newport...

Newport hires new library director

Newport Beach City Manager Homer Bludau announced last week that

Linda Katsouleas has been hired as the city’s new library services

director.

Katsouleas, who is currently library director for Buena Park, has

more than 20 years library experience including in Clark County,

Nev., Oxnard and Pasadena. She has two master’s degrees from Cal

State Los Angeles and from UCLA, where she studied library science.

“The selection was made not only by me, but by all of the library

board,” Bludau said. “We came to the unanimous conclusion that Linda

was our person. She will be a wonderful addition to our city.”

Katsouleas will begin work in Newport Beach on Jan. 20. Her

position is one of two created to replace the position formerly held

by Community Services Director LaDonna Kienitz, who retired earlier

this year. That position oversaw the city’s community services as

well as the library. Bludau has divided this position into two:

recreation and senior services director, for which Marie Knight was

hired earlier this year; and library services director, which

Katsouleas will fill.

“This was the final piece of the puzzle,” Bludau said.

The most pressing item of city business for Katsouleas will be

helping to create the new Mariners Joint-Use Library. She is also

likely to play a role in planning a community center for Newport

Coast, which may contain library services.

Costa Mesa group gets help cleaning up graffiti

Costa Mesa-based Operation Clean Slate, an organization that

combats graffiti at schools, will receive a $5,000 donation from the

Ralphs and Food 4 Less Fund’s School Beautification Program.

Operation Clean Slate gets students throughout Orange County

involved in covering up graffiti with murals painted by the children.

The program seeks to eradicate graffiti while at the same time

provide creative, community involvement for at-risk young people.

Since 1993, nearly 10,000 youths working through the program have

created more than 260 mural projects in Orange, Los Angeles and San

Diego counties.

Suess is headed to a stage in Costa Mesa

“Seussical the Musical,” starring Cathy Rigby, will play at the

Orange County Performing Arts Center’s Segerstrom Hall From Dec. 25

until Jan. 4. Tickets are on sale at the box office, online at

www.ocpac.org, by phone through Ticketmaster at (714) 740-7878 or

(213) 365-3500. Tickets cost $22 to $57. The theater is at 600 Town

Center Drive, Costa Mesa.

Fund-raising firm opens a Corona del Mar office

Fund-raising consulting firm Mirenda and Associates just opened a

regional office in Corona del Mar to provide counsel and strategy to

nonprofits in Southern California.

“We chose this location because we see an exciting and expanding

philanthropic market in Southern California, particularly in Orange

County and San Diego,” said Ron Mirenda, founding principal of

Mirenda and Associates.

Denver-based Mirenda and Associates has already worked with the

Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach and the San Diego

Symphony.

The firm strives to strengthen communities through philanthropy,

helping local and national organizations raise funds and deliver

their missions more effectively.

Cove Christmas tree tradition continues

A Christmas tree will be put up at the Crystal Cove Historic

District on Saturday. The annual holiday tradition started by Laura

Davick, founder of the Alliance to Rescue Crystal Cove, in 1996 will

continue this year.

Christmas tree decorating will be ongoing from the early morning

hours to about 2 p.m. Firefighters from the Newport Coast Fire

Station No. 8 will also help. There will be a reception from 2 to 4

p.m. for volunteers. The Crystal Cove Interpretive Assn. will provide

cocoa and cookies.

This year, the tree will be co-sponsored by Joan Irvine Smith of

the Crystal Cove Conservancy and Stella Hiatt, a former Crystal Cove

resident. The tree will be located at the Crystal Cove Historic

District in front of the Visitor’s Center at the beach. Parking will

be at the Los Trancos lot.

Newport apartments sell for $2.6 million

In a 30-day escrow, CB Richard Ellis’ Private Client Group-OC

Apartments sold a 19-unit apartment building in Newport Beach for

$2.6 million. The building located at 1481 Placentia Ave. was

constructed in 1965.

Formerly owned by a private family trust, the property was on the

market for less than 72 hours before a contract was drafted and

signed. CB Richard Ellis spokespersons say the buyer has plans to

rehabilitate the property including constructing new piping,

individual hot water heaters for dishwashers and washer and dryer

units in each apartment and the creation of a new Cape Cod style

facade.