CORONA DEL MAR TODAY

CdM Today’s Top Stories This Year

Reflecting on the year and making a top ten list is as much as New Years tradition as Champagne and “Auld Lang Syne.” We spent time this week thinking about 2010 — a year that began and ended with huge storms with a non-existent summer in between; a year of politics (and never-ending political phone calls); and a year where we met new friends and said goodbye to others; and so much more.

This list includes our top stories of the year — stories we most enjoyed covering, or that struck a chord, or that had a major impact on the lives of us who live in Corona del Mar. If we’ve missed on of your favorites, let us know in the comment section.

1. The July 4 weekend sewage spill, which contaminated Buck Gully and the water off Little Corona Beach, closing the beach for the entire holiday weekend and resulting in more than $43,000 in fines. Read our stories here and here.

2. Less then two months after the city’s cycling safety task force members submitted a report to the Newport Beach City Council, cyclist Michael Nine was killed July 15 as he rode down Spyglass Hill Road and collided with a truck making an illegal turn. The truck driver was charged, and cycling advocates expressed outrage at yet another death by vehicle of one of their own. Read our story here.

3. We already were huge fans of the Toyota “Swagger Wagon” ads when it twigged — we know that little girl! Corona del Mar triplets Sienna, Jaden and Tegan Brown, who started kindergarten at Harbor View this year — were featured in the commercials, and we sat down to talk to them and their mom about their modeling work. Read our story here.

4. Lines of up to five hours caused parents and students to complain — loudly — at Corona del Mar High and Middle School in August and prompted school officials to vow to improve the process by 20100. Read our stories here and here.

5. When a Corona del Mar homeowner added 168 solar panels to a hillside above Bayside Drive, he triggered complaints and City Council scrutiny. Read our stories here and here.

6. This year may be leaving with a stormy bang, but it started with one too, and one of our most compelling stories was the dramatic rescue in January of six men whose outrigger capsized at the mouth of the harbor. With waves up to 17 feet and Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol rescue boats’ engines repeatedly flaming out, the rescue ultimately was a success with no injuries. Read our story here.

7. Largely because of complaints from Corona del Mar residents and the leadership of Councilwoman Nancy Gardner, the City Council tightened rules for door-to-door solicitors and created a Do Not Solicit registry in April. Read our story here.

8. Patricia “Pat” Herzog died in October at age 88 in her Corona del Mar home. She was famous for the 1982 Sullivan vs. Sullivan case, in which she argued in the California Supreme Court that people who put their spouses through medical or law school have a right to share in the earnings of that career, even if the couple divorce. Read our obituary here. Corona del Mar also lost civic leader Inez Howald in March and former Balboa Bay Club President Richard Stevens in October.

9. In October, after more than a year of construction, hundreds gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the OASIS Senior Center; read our story here.

10. Corona del Mar residents rallied to send the Lakers No. 1 fan to Boston for the NBA Finals in June. Desiree Engle, who works at CeFiore, put out a tip jar asking for donations and soon had more than $1,000, making her say, “Baby! I love my town!” Read our story here.