Hello Back Bay Bubs, happy Monday.

Local’s Summer is undefeated. The weather has been a beautiful 75° and sunny, the Fall fairs are in full swing, and the traffic between NB Blvd and Jamboree has died down to a manageable crawl. Time to enjoy the quiet weeks before False Fall.

To our new readers—welcome! The Back Bay Buzz delivers just the right amount of news and events for locals in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. No crime, no politics, no spam—just the good stuff. We scan newspapers, blogs, social media, business journals, and Google alerts so you don’t have to.

In today’s Buzz:

• New Police Station Proposed in NB

• Hoag breaks ground on new construction

• Haunted Oktoberfest at OC Fairgrounds

— Jon Dougher, Publisher, Back Bay Buzz

Newport Begins Hunt for New Police Station

Newport Beach is kicking off the hunt for a new police HQ—but the first cut of the process will be handled behind closed doors. The City Council voted 5–1 to form a three-member ad hoc committee of councilmembers only (Councilmember Grant voted no; Mayor Stapleton abstained). Supporters say keeping it tight helps with sensitive real-estate talks; critics wanted residents on the committee for transparency and Brown Act visibility.

Why the push now? The current station dates to 1973 and is bursting at the seams. Staff says the city needs a replacement by 2032—about 73,000 sq. ft. to fit patrol, training, and a shooting range—with a potential price tag north of $100M. Stapleton and Grant argued for public members to bring community perspective; Blom countered that early negotiations are no place to tip the city’s hand. City leaders say there will be a robust public study session down the line, where residents can weigh in on cost, location, and what the new HQ should look like.

Hoag Breaks Ground on New Recovery Center

Hoag just broke ground (Oct 2) on the CareMar Recovery Center at its Newport Beach campus—a new, medically integrated hub for addiction and mental health care. Backed by a $25M lead gift from the Pickup and Martin families—inspired by matriarch Carole Pickup’s decades of advocacy—the center will offer residential programs, intensive outpatient care, and a full slate of group, wellness, and family support. The idea: treat the whole person, with direct access to Hoag’s physicians and hospital resources for co-occurring medical needs. Hoag says addiction touches roughly 370,000 Orange County residents; CareMar aims to close the gap with personalized, long-term support. The groundbreaking also introduced the Daniel G. Smith Endowed Chair in Addiction Medicine & Prevention, funded by the George Hoag Family Foundation, to advance care and honor Smith’s legacy of service in recovery.

THIS WEEK:

• Girl Dinner @ The Whaler
  Monday Oct 20th
  5-10pm
  Info

• Cowboys and Costumes - Saint Andrew’s Presbyterian
  Wednesday Oct 22nd
  5:30-7:30pm
  Info

• Newport Beach Film Festival - Fashion Island
  Thurs Oct 16th-Thurs Oct 23rd
  Tickets

• Jazz Night at Bar Tinto
  Thurs Oct 23rd
  7p-10p
  Info

• Boo Haha: Haunted Oktoberfest - OC Fairgrounds
  Demolition Derby, Beer tastings, live music
  Sat Oct 25th
  Info

• Newport Beach Car Fest
  Fri Oct 24th-25th
  Info

• Artisan Marketplace - Environmental Nature Center (Newport)
  eco-friendly, handmade, one-of-a-kind creations
  Sun Dec 7
  11am-4pm
  Info

• Awakened Lifestyle Expo - Norma Hertzog Community Center
  Sun Dec 7th
  9:30am-9pm
  Info

• Newport Beach Boat Parade Guide
  Click Here for the Guide
  Register your boat here

WHAT’S GOING ON IN SOUTH OC?

Check out our great partner newsletter:

🌊 Water temp = 66º
Suit Rec: Spring suit

THIS WEEK:

• Halloween Movies at the Pendry Newport Beach

  Tuesday, 21 October

  6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
  Info

• Halloween Party with "For Every Mom OC" at Poppi Seed Market in Irvine

  Tuesday, 21 October

  10:00 am - 1:00 pm
  Info

• Tanaka Farms Movie Night ($25)

  Wednesday, 22 October

  6:00 pm - 10:00 pm
  Info

• Cowboys and Costumes - Saint Andrew’s Presbyterian
  Wednesday Oct 22nd
  5:30-7:30pm
  Info

• Little Lido Storytime at Lido Village Books

  Thursday, 23 October

  10:00 am - 10:45 am
  Info

• Free Farm w/ Animals @ OC Fairgrounds

  Thursday, 23 October

  1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
  Info

• Trunk or Treat Hosted by Torelli Realty in Costa Mesa

  Thursday, 23 October

  5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
  Info

• Boo Bash at The Camp in Costa Mesa

  Friday, 24 October

  4:00 pm - 8:00 pm
  Info

• Free Hot Dogs and Science Activities at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa

  Friday, 24 October

  5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
  Info

FAMILY PLAN AHEAD:

• Boo at the Bay: Family Halloween Party in Newport Beach

  Saturday, 25 October

  11:00 am - 3:00 pm
  Info

• Monster Mash at The Crossings Church in Costa Mesa

  Saturday, 25 October

  5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
  Info

• Halloween SpookTacular - Mariners Park
  Bouncers, DJ, trunk or treat, haunted walkthrough
  Sat Oct 25th
  3-6pm
  Info

• Haunted Forest Silent Disco at ENC Newport Beach ($30)

  Sunday, 26 October

  6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
  

🎵 ⏩️ PLAN AHEAD

• Mickey Avalon (yes That Mickey Avalon)- Wayfarer
  Sat October 18th

Thanks! Please ignore any typos, our editor keeps having to go back to the store because he already ate all the bags of Halloween candy because, in his words: “you never quit all of your vices at once”.

PS: Feel free to let me know any feedback or inside scoops you have for the newsletter. Just reply to this email, I read every one. Thanks!