The senior living community Coventry Court in Tustin traded hands July 10, selling for $83 million. The seller was Meta Housing Corp. in Los Angeles, and the buyer was Jonathan Rose Cos. in New York. ()

The senior living community Coventry Court in Tustin traded hands July 10, selling for $83 million. The seller was Meta Housing Corp. in Los Angeles, and the buyer was Jonathan Rose Cos. in New York. ()

The senior living community Coventry Court in Tustin traded hands July 10, selling for $83 million. The seller was Meta Housing Corp. in Los Angeles, and the buyer was Jonathan Rose Cos. in New York. (Photo courtesy of Northmarq)

The senior living community Coventry Court in Tustin traded hands July 10, selling for $83 million, according to Northmarq.

The brokerage represented the seller, Meta Housing Corp. in Los Angeles. The buyer was Jonathan Rose Cos. in New York.

The deal closed July 10, Northmarq reps said.

The 55-and-older community in the Tustin Ranch neighborhood has 240 units, with more than half of them income-restricted. Only 87 units at Coventry Court are rented at market rates, according to Northmarq.

The apartments were completed in 2012 and sit not far from the blimp hangar that burned in 2023.

Bustling Fullerton Metrocenter sells for $118.5M

Space Investment Partners recently paid $118.5 million to Kite Realty for Fullerton Metrocenter, a 395,703-square-foot retail center anchored by Sprouts, Petsmart and Target.

The shopping center at 1375 Harbor Blvd. sits on 30 acres with 40 tenants that also include Urban Air Adventure Park.

“Looking ahead, we plan to revamp the center, bringing in new concepts and ensuring it serves the surrounding community as more housing is added,” said Ryan Gallagher, Space IP managing partner and co-founder.

Built in 1988 and updated in 2002, the shopping center will get some immediate improvements including fresh paint, updated signage, new landscaping, and leasing efforts “focused on attracting new food and fitness tenants,” according to the company.

Eastdil Secured represented the seller in the transaction.

Fullerton apartments fetch $4.1 million

A nine-unit apartment property in Fullerton sold June 13 for $4.1 million or $455,555 per unit, according to Marcus & Millichap.

Greg Bassirpou at Marcus & Millichap pointed out the small complex is minutes from Cal State Fullerton and retail centers, making it an attractive option for investors.

Bassirpou did not identify the buyer or sellers.

The property at 3169-3175 Quartz Lane includes one two-bedroom, two-bathroom townhome and eight two-bedroom, one-bathroom units in 9,831 square feet.

Amenities include a landscaped courtyard, patios, enclosed garages and on-site laundry rooms.

Bassirpou said the sellers made “extensive interior and exterior renovations to the property.”

CapRock goes big in Houston

Newport Beach-based CapRock Partners recently acquired a 524,199-square-foot, Class A industrial facility in Houston for undisclosed terms.

The fully leased Kennedy Greens Distribution Center was CapRock’s first buy in the Houston marketplace as it expands across Texas.

Built in 2020, the distribution center sits on 29 acres less than 3 miles from George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

“Houston’s industrial market continues to demonstrate strength, driven by durable demand, land constraints and a diversified economy,” Jon Pharris, co-founder and president of CapRock Partners, said in a statement.

Gantry moves mortgage team to Atrium in Irvine

Fresh off it’s deal to acquire Irvine-based Westcap, Gantry has relocated its now larger team to the Atrium office campus in Irvine.

The firm, which moved from Suite 285 at 19600 Fairchild Road in Irvine, now works from 19100-19200 Von Karman. The office complex includes an open air, 10-story lobby connecting two, 10-story office towers in 334,828 square feet.

Gantry’s new office space houses the firm’s commercial mortgage loan producers and corporate marketing staff.

Gantry Principal Andy Bratt said the firm’s operations “grew significantly” in 2024 after buying Westcap and its $3.2 billion loan servicing portfolio last December. The shift to a larger space will help integrate Westcap’s loan production staff with Gantry’s team.

Stream Realty Partners represented both sides of the five-year lease for 5,000 square feet.

The real estate roundup is compiled from news releases and written by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items and high-resolution photos via email to  sgowen@scng.com . Please allow at least a week for publication. All items are subject to editing for clarity and length.

The worldwide listening party will take place 5-8 p.m. on Thursday July 17. Chipotle calls it the first of its kind.

Warren’s single “Ordinary” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks earlier this year.

His new album is called “You’ll Be Alright, Kid,” and will be released Friday, July 18. Chipotle will play it for three hours straight on loop, Warren said in an Instagram video that includes a snatch of the music.

Warren is a San Diego County native. He’s also a Chipotle fan, the news release said, and has a bowl named after him featuring Chipotle Honey Chicken.

Fans who order it on Chipotle’s app or online during the listening party will be entered to win an autographed copy of the album. Use the promo code “ALEX.”

Warren is touring in Europe, according to his website, but will perform in San Diego on Aug. 9.

Information: chipotle.com

After multiple decades, my wife, Andrea, and I started playing tennis again about a year ago when our son bolted for college on the East Coast.

She and I played together regularly during our courting years, often during the evening at a Costa Mesa apartment complex where I lived. The facility boasted two lighted tennis courts, as well as a weight room, sauna, pool and Jacuzzi.

We would usually play tennis at night, and then bask in the Jacuzzi with a soda pop. They were fun, spirited and memorable times. We also attended professional tennis matches and competed annually in the Orange County Press Club tennis tournament at Newport Beach Tennis Club.

Tennis was a part of a low-cost, entertaining and physical fitness-based pastime.

But following our nuptials, and subsequently raising two children, our tennis dates ended as fast as a Taylor Dent power serve.

However, our return to the local hard courts has been filled with steady improvement, a good feeling of getting back into “tennis shape” and the joy of shared activity.

We began our reentry into the game by rallying back and forth in an effort to reclaim the groove and swing, while realizing we aren’t as nimble, athletic or flexible as we used to be, and chasing down balls and lunging for shoestring shots continue to be a point of strenuous objection.

These days, we are back to playing games and keeping score, and fortunately we’re equal opponents. Our next goal is to finish a full set. We’re taking baby steps.

We play at public courts in Newport Beach — Bonita Canyon Sports Park, Irvine Terrace Park, Grant Howald Park, West Newport Park and San Joaquin Hills Park, which is our favorite because of its court availability (there are four courts and the facility doesn’t seem as busy as the others). Grant Howald and West Newport are the most popular. At West Newport, we complete our tennis with a short stroll to the beach and cool off in the ocean.

It has been a blissful rekindling of our tennis relationship, and with the tremendous history of the game in our backyard, it feels like love 40 forever.

Many fine tennis players and coaches come from Newport Beach and Laguna Beach, where legendary former USC men’s tennis coach Dick Leach lived and raised his family, including sons, Rick and Jon, both of whom played on the Association of Tennis Professionals Tour. Rick Leach was the world’s No. 1-ranked doubles player in 1990 for nine weeks.

Former ATP standout Dent (Corona del Mar High) is the top junior player to come out of Newport Beach, winning four ATP championships and once walloping the fastest serve ever recorded in ATP Tour history at 144 mph.

With pro exhibitions, World Team Tennis, two U.S. Davis Cup events and a long, storied background, many of the game’s marquee players have grazed courts in Newport Beach.

Pete Sampras, Michael Chang, Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe and Boris Becker, as well as old-school titans Roy Emerson, Pancho Segura, Alex Olmedo, Bobby Riggs, Pancho Gonzalez and Rod Laver, have smashed volleys and serves on these local courts. Among those on the women’s side who’ve played here are stars such as Lindsay Davenport, Billie Jean King, Tracey Austin, Martina Navratilova, Martina Hingis and Chris Evert.

There might be more private tennis clubs in Newport Beach than anywhere in the world in such a tiny region, with the likes of Lido Isle Tennis Club, Beacon Bay Tennis Club, Big Canyon Country Club, Balboa Bay Resort Tennis Club, The Tennis and Pickleball Club at Newport Beach, Newport Beach Tennis Club and Palisades Tennis Club, all seven within just a few miles of each other.

One longtime and renowned Newport Beach resident, silver screen icon John Wayne, helped turn a gulch in the Upper Newport Bay into a private tennis club, initially called the John Wayne Tennis Club, now known as Palisades Tennis Club. The Duke set the groundwork for the club, which opened in 1974. The John Wayne Club changed its name to Palisades in 1995.

Richard Dunn, a longtime sportswriter, writes the Dunn Deal column regularly for The Orange County Register’s weekly, The Coastal Current North.

LASD deputies David Anthony Rodriguez, a 43-year-old from La Verne who pleaded guilty, and Christopher Michael Cadman, a 33-year-old from Fullerton who agreed to plead guilty, used to work for crypto-businessman Adam Iza, 24, who lived in Beverly Hills and Newport Beach, as personal bodyguards and/or advisors, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release.

The two were hired through another LASD deputy, 42-year-old Eric Chase Saavedra of Chino, or through his private-security company that often employed active duty LASD deputies and other law enforcement officers, according to court records.

Earlier in the year Saavedra agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy and tax crimes.

In August 2021, Cadman and another law enforcement officer identified in court records as “LASD Deputy 6” intimidated and threatened one of Iza’s adversaries, according to the DOJ news release.

During a meeting at Iza’s office inside his Bel Air mansion, the unnamed LASD deputy held the victim at gunpoint, according to the news release.

In response, the victim sent about $25,000 from his bank account to Iza’s.

A month later, Cadman and other law enforcement officers pulled over and arrested the same victim in Paramount. In his plea agreement, Cadman admitted to assisting in the traffic stop and arrest for Iza. He also admitted to receiving cash payments while working for the crypto-businessman.

Cadman failed to report at least $40,500 on his 2021 federal tax return, which he signed and filed with the IRS in February 2022, according to court records. He admitted to owing about $11,000 in federal taxes that year.

Rodriguez admitted to lying to a judge to receive a court-authorized search warrant in order to obtain GPS location information associated with another victim’s cellphone for another client, other than Iza, according to the news release. Once Rodriguez obtained the GPS information, he shared the location with fellow conspirators, including Saavedra.

Saavedra is out on a $50,000 bond, and is expected to be sentenced in the coming months.

Rodriguez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy against rights. Cadman agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy against rights and subscribing to a false tax return.

Cadman faces up to 13 years in prison and Rodriguez up to 10 years.

Iza has been in federal custody since September 2024. In January, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy against rights, wire fraud and tax evasion.

The Flight of Newport, put on by the Commodores Club, will get underway on Sunday, July 13. One of the region’s longest-running boat races, it will mark 89 years.

“It’s a race for all levels, it’s a community event that has been going on for 89 years,” said Lawrence Jones, chair of the 2025 race. “It’s something that is really a community event that Newport Beach should be proud of.

“There’s not many races out there that can say they’ve been in existence for 89 years,” he added.

The race, held in conjunction with the Balboa Yacht Club, was once known as the “Flight of the Snowbirds,” named for the wooden boats that would race the event in the early years.

In 1975, it was renamed the “Flight of the Lasers,” after the fiberglass boats, known as lasers, that replaced the wooden ones.

In 2020, the race was once again renamed the “Flight of Newport” to be more inclusive by opening entries to different kinds of vessels, including Harbor 20 and Tera RS boats.

The race starts at 1 p.m. near the Balboa Pavilion, with racers typically taking about 90 minutes to finish the course, which runs throughout the entire bay.

The first-place winner in the ILCA fleet will receive the Albert Soiland Trophy, named after the first commodore of the Newport Harbor Yacht Club, along with a new sail provided by Vela LA.

The Albert Soiland Trophy is engraved with the names of past winners and has frequently been awarded to sailors who have gone on to participate in bigger races, including the America’s Cup.

Other racers crossing the finish line in categories such as youngest and oldest and first married couple will also receive awards.

There is typically anywhere from 60 to 100  boats that register.

The forecast looks ideal for a day on the bay, Jones said. “We’re hoping for good wind and sunny weather.”

For more information, visit newportbeach.com

This summer, six Orange County cities from Laguna Beach to San Clemente, have again launched their free trolleys to shuttle residents to beaches, popular shopping and dining areas and community events.

The Dana Point trolley serves more than 80,000 people each summer and connects to four other neighboring cities’ trolley routes. Summer trolleys can also be found in Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Newport Beach on the Balboa Peninsula, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano.

You can use the network of trolleys to get between several coastal South Orange County cities without needing a car.

Dana Point City Manager Mike Killebrew said he makes use of the city’s transportation service at least twice a week, and is even licensed to drive the trolleys for special events.

The trolleys help reduce traffic and parking congestion by simply getting people out of cars, Killebrew said. They also provide chances for tourists to explore the city and for local residents to get around town during the popular season.

One recent rider, Lena Karlsmyr, who was visiting from Sweden, hopped aboard with her three granddaughters. Stopping for lunch at a local restaurant, she said it was the perfect activity for the day.

Local middle and high school students, who can’t yet drive, also use the trolley to get around in the summer. Some load their surfboards into racks on the back to head to Dana Point’s famous surf spots on the route.

One local high school student said he rides the trolley three times a week from his home to Salt Creek Beach to surf with his friends. Usually, he straps his surfboard to the back of the trolley, but recently, he has been bringing his blue-and-white-checkered Boogie Board onboard with him.

Visitors such as Flor Reyes also use the shuttles to get around the beaches. Reyes drives in from Riverside on the weekends, parks and then rides the trolley. This past week, she rode the whole route with her sister and four friends, she said.

Reyes appreciates the sightseeing on the trolleys, and said she can “actually look around” because she’s not focused on driving. The atmosphere of the trolley, with its music, open windows and sea breeze sparks a connection among riders, she said.

“On a bus, everyone is doing their own thing. But people on the trolley are open to having a conversation,” she said.” You get to meet a lot of people from all over.”

This year, Dana Point added four new stops to serve additional areas, going past Sunset Park to reach more neighborhoods. And, Killebrew said the news stops are now some of the busiest, bringing more residents into the city center.

The city also introduced a new app, Passio Go, which riders can use to track the trolleys.

The cities’ trolleys are mostly funded by the Orange County Transportation Authority, which supports local community-based transportation projects with grants. Last year, the OCTA recorded more than 400,000 boardings throughout the summer on all the summer routes.

“It’s a great way to connect people even from our regular OC bus routes or Metrolink train services, to fill in that last-mile gap,” OCTA spokesperson Megan Abba said.

Laguna Beach Councilmember Mark Orgill said the trolleys help manage traffic and the influx of visitors who come to see Laguna Beach’s natural sites. He called them a symbol of the city’s commitment to the environment.

“We have our tide pools and our rock formations on the cliffs. We have our open space and the marine protected area, and we’re committed to nurturing and taking care of those elements,” Orgill said. “There’s a big picture here, and we’re always trying to find ways to manage the people who come into town, and look at ways to protect our environmental resources.”

He said the city is also looking into an electric vehicle fleet for its trolleys and buses.

Hazel Aguilar has been a bus driver for more than 30 years, but this summer is her first time driving the Dana Point trolleys. She said she enjoys handing out the toy trolleys to kids who get excited to ride the shuttle. One parent said the trolley is her son’s favorite toy.

Aguilar said the atmosphere of the open-air and beach-viewing trolley is a change from her previous bus routes and she loves it. She often runs into regulars, she said, and hopes to drive the route again next summer.

“Sometimes I have like a party bus in here,” she said.

The trolleys allow tourists and residents alike to better experience the city, Killebrew added. When he and his wife take the trolley to visit Salt Creek Beach, he said he often finds himself asking fellow riders, “Where you from?”

“It’s like a community table at a restaurant. Everybody is enjoying an experience together,” Killebrew said. “People stay longer than if you just had your car right there next to you. They tend to walk around more and enjoy what we have to offer.”

Trolleys arrive around every 15 to 20 minutes and each city runs routes for special events such as free concerts and movie screenings. Most have service on holidays such as Labor Day.

“Honestly, I’ve never seen someone on a trolley upset. They’re always happy and enjoying life. I don’t know what it is, there’s some magic to them that people just enjoy the ride,” Killebrew said. “And it doesn’t hurt that they’re free.”

Four to six feet surf with sets up to seven feet are expected; and those entering the water should keep an eye out for rip currents. Anyone trapped in a rip current should swim parallel to shore to escape, and then swim back to the beach, experts say.

“Rip currents are sort of the opposite of waves in that waves are energy going into the beach, and since there has to be an opposite reaction, rip currents are the energy going back out of the beach,” said Chandler Price, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s San Diego office.

The stronger and larger waves are, the stronger the rip currents will be, Price added.

Rip currents should be avoided. They are generally characterized by smaller waves or a lack of them.

“So, you know, that nice area of the ocean that looks calmer than the rest of them is not a good place to swim necessarily because that’s generally where the rip currents are going to be,” Price said.

Rip currents may also be a different color from the rest of the ocean, especially if they drag up sediment and sand.

The National Weather Service issued Beach Hazard Statements for Ventura, Los Angeles,  Orange and San Diego counties  that will remain in effect through Sunday evening.

The increased hazardous beach conditions are due to an increased southerly swell, and this one is being caused by a hurricane that developed off Mexico’s western coast.

The good news is that the storm is now gone, but the dangerous ripple effect remains for beach-goers in the Southern California until Monday morning, according to Kristan Lund, a meteorologist with the NWS. Southerly facing beaches and beaches near jetties will see an increase in stronger rip currents.

Newport Beach Lifeguards on social media reported rescuing 10 swimmers from “monster rip currents” on the Fourth of July, a small fraction of the 350+ rescues made in Newport Beach that Friday.

Huntington Beach lifeguards rescued 152 people on the Fourth of July.

“The powerful surf produced rip currents that were pulling hundreds of yards offshore into deeper water,” Huntington Beach Fire Department Marine Safety Division Chief Trevor McDonald said in a news release. “It was common to see large wave sets roll through, followed by multiple monster rip currents forming at once and pulling water — and swimmers — rapidly out to sea.”

Brad Herzog, captain at OC Lifeguards, recommended people check lifeguard station flags. A green flag indicates the lowest threat level, whereas the red flag, indicative of the highest threat level, means only experts, such as lifeguards, can go into the water.

Here are other recommendations from experts on how beach-goers can keep themselves safe amid the presence of dangerous rip currents:

• Swim near a lifeguard
• Keep an eye on everyone in your group
• Stay hydrated
• Know what rip currents look like and avoid them
• Know how to get out of a rip current

If you do find yourself caught in a rip current, don’t try to swim back to shore because you’ll likely tire yourself out. Experts recommend swimming parallel to shore until you’re out of the rip current. Once you’re out, it’s then time to swim back to shore.

According to Lund, if another hurricane forms off Mexico’s western coast this week, Southern Californians could expect to see another round of increased beach hazards by Friday.

From Jim Kelleher, the oldest living Mr. Irrelevant from 1977, to Kobee Minor, the 257th and last pick in the 2025 NFL draft by the New England Patriots, this year’s Irrelevant Week was highlighted by the Lowsman Trophy banquet at the Balboa Bay Resort, where all 20 toasted together on stage to conclude the event.

Earlier in the evening, with Minor sitting on stage as Lakers broadcaster John Ireland emceed the banquet, Tae Crowder, the 2020 honoree who never had a banquet or other Irrelevant activities in his honor because of the pandemic, joined Minor on stage in a poignant exhibit of fraternity.

“We call him COVID Crowder, because he never had an Irrelevant Week celebration,” said Irrelevant Week CEO Melanie Fitch, daughter of Irrelevant Week founder Paul Salata. “We never got to meet Tae in person. This is the first time – this week – that we got to meet him.”

A linebacker, Crowder was a rare Mr. Irrelevant who became an immediate contributor, starting 31 games for the New York Giants. Crowder was the first defensive Mr. Irrelevant to score an NFL touchdown.

Minor, a cornerback out of the University of Memphis, is hopeful of making the team with the Patriots and enjoying a successful career in professional football.

“There’s been a lot of media attention since I became (Mr. Irrelevant),” said Minor, who has a quiet demeanor. “I don’t really care for all the attention like that. I play football with a lot of passion, because I love this game and (playing in the NFL) is something I can do for my family.”

Minor participated in myriad activities, including visiting the Newport Beach Junior Lifeguards, attending a VIP luncheon at The Cannery with local dignitaries and restaurant host Ron Salisbury, taking surfing lessons and “getting up” on his second try, touring a series of Saturday night “eateries” near Newport Pier, going to Disneyland, being interviewed for a Fox Sports show and receiving the Lowsman Trophy in a jam-packed ballroom on Friday.

The Lowsman Trophy is the so-called cousin to the Heisman Trophy, awarded to the best player in college football. The Lowsman bronze figurine, however, depicts a player fumbling the ball.

“It’s much better to be the last pick than being the second-to-last pick,” Newport Beach Mayor Joe Stapleton said to Minor.

Minor, who spells his first name with two “e’s” at the end, is named after legendary Lakers star Kobe Bryant, a favorite player of his father, Darryl, and mother, Zsa Zsa. “That’s a great name to have in Newport Beach – Kobee,” Ireland said to Minor, before awarding him the Lowsman Trophy.

In addition to Minor, Kelleher and Crowder, Mr. Irrelevant attendees included Bill Kenney (1978), Kevin Scanlon (1980), Mike Travis (1986), Matt Elliott (1992), Marty Moore (1994) and Sam Manuel (1996), along with his identical twin brother, Sean, who was drafted just ahead of him.

The twins enjoyed confusing people during their visit almost three decades ago, wearing name tags that read “S. Manuel.”

Other past Irrelevant recipients at the 50-year anniversary banquet were Tevita Ofahengaue (2001), Ryan Hoag (2003), Andy Stokes (2005), Kevin McMahan (2006), Tim Toone (2010), Justice Cunningham (2013), Gerald Christian (2015), Caleb Wilson (2019), Desjuan Johnson (2023) and Jaylen Key (2024).

“Thanks for putting on this event,” Minor said. “You really didn’t have to. I’ll keep working hard. Thank you.”

Richard Dunn, a longtime sportswriter, writes the Dunn Deal column regularly for The Orange County Register’s weekly, The Coastal Current North.

Last Fourth of July,  a boater offshore from the Santa Ana River mouth appears to have scared off nesting California least terns by setting off fireworks from their vessel, Orange County Coastkeeper officials said. The endangered seabird species nests along the coast each summer.

“The Santa Ana River mouth is a critical breeding site for California least terns, western snowy plovers, and other shorebirds,” said Ray Hiemstra, associate director of policy and projects at Orange County Coastkeeper. “But these birds are incredibly vulnerable to human activity, especially loud noises, dogs off-leash and fireworks. Even well-meaning recreation can have devastating consequences.”

A few days after the holiday, surveyors confirmed that the colony was abandoned, “jeopardizing the immediate and long-term population growth of this species,” Coastkeeper officials said.

This year, there is a planned increase in the presence of government and nonprofit partners who will monitor the areas near the river mouth, which sits between Newport Beach and Huntington Beach, to protect the sensitive shorebirds.

Orange County Coastkeeper, OC Habitats, Huntington Beach Wetlands Conservancy, Sea and Sage Audubon Society and California State Parks will help with increased enforcement, public education and on-the-ground monitoring aimed at preventing similar disturbances and ensuring the protection of nesting birds.

While the boat incident put a spotlight on the area’s sensitive habitat, coastal advocates are also reminding people that fireworks are banned not just offshore, but also at Huntington State Beach, throughout all of Newport Beach, and along the coast of Huntington Beach.

Already, the holiday weekend draws the largest crowds of the year, with tens of thousands of people cramming into the coast from early-morning hours into the night.

While the least tern preserve is fenced off, other nesting areas for species such as the snowy plover are found around the sandy areas.

California least terns are listed as endangered at both the state and federal levels. Western snowy plovers are federally threatened and considered a “species of special concern” in California. Even brief human disturbance can cause them to flee, abandoning eggs or chicks in the process, according to Coastkeeper officials.

The area has been on the radar for environmentalists for years, concerned about the impacts of off-leash dog activity in the Santa Ana River mouth.

“This is about coexisting,” said Stacey Chartier-Grable, executive director at OC Habitats. “We all love our beaches. Taking small, respectful actions ensures that future generations of people and birds can continue to enjoy them.”

There are typically 300 nests in the area each season, though numbers in recent years have been dwindling, said State Parks Environmental Scientist Lana Nguyen.

Last year was the lowest number since 2008, with only 229 nests counted.

“This year, we’re looking at an even lower number,” she said. “We’re still hatching chicks and trying to fledge birds, but overall their numbers are on decline, and that’s consistent across California, it seems.”

Food supply is an issue, but disturbances are consistently a problem, Nguyen said. Around snowy plover nests, there will be temporary enclosures and fencing and volunteers standing guard, along with signage to warn the public about the sensitive habitat.

“We are entering a critical time, our visitations are busy and the Fourth of July is the busiest time of the year,” Nguyen said. “That many people on the beach usually means the plovers are hunkered down and can’t forage.”

The goal is to find the right balance between recreation and conservation.

“Give birds their space, respect fences and try to make sure activities are causing the least disturbance to both plowers and terns,” Nguyen urged, “so we can live harmoniously.”

Kirby joins former NFL player Chris Kluwe and Huntington Beach Councilmember Gracey Van Der Mark, who have already declared their candidacies for the open seat in 2026.

Kirby grew up in Riverside County and spent 12 years as a U.S. Coast Guard petty officer. After leaving the Coast Guard in 2023, he founded Krieger Gaming, a veteran and first responders nonprofit that aims to connect people experiencing mental health problems or facing isolation to come together through video games.

“One of my deep passions is mental health and actually getting people the help they need,” Kirby, a Huntington Beach resident, said.

Kirby recently earned a bachelor’s degree in science and environmental science from the American Military University. But in mid-June — after watching the military intervention during the protests in L.A. and growing unhappy with what he called the Trump administration’s “misuse of power” — Kirby said he decided to run for office.

“Prior to that, I had no interest in being a politician,” Kirby said. “But I feel like this is going to be the best way for me to actually push forward ideas that I believe are going to benefit all Californians, not just picking sides or playing party politics.”

Kirby, who is running as a Democrat, said he has always been unaffiliated with a political party, but running as an independent would pit him against both parties. He said his voting behavior and platform mostly align with the Democratic Party.

His priority focus is protecting individual and constitutional rights, especially the freedom of speech and the importance of giving everyday citizens a voice, he said. Kirby also wants to improve the problem of homelessness in the 72nd Assembly District.

“We have all of these things that we’re not actually solving, we’re just moving them around from place to place,” Kirby said.

In addition to focusing on mental health and protecting the coastlines and water systems, Kirby said he wants to invite the people affected by state legislation into the lawmaking process itself.

“I want to start a program that I want to push forward to the state of California, where we peer review all of our documents,” Kirby said. “It should be peer reviewed by people that it affects.”

The 72nd Assembly District spans from Seal Beach to Laguna Beach and juts inland to include  Aliso Viejo, Lake Forest and Laguna Woods. Assemblymember Diane Dixon, R-Newport Beach, is running for a spot on the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

Like Kirby, Kluwe — a former player for the Minnesota Vikings — is also a first-time candidate. He announced his bid for election after his recent arrest during a Huntington Beach City Council meeting regarding the installation of a plaque with a MAGA acrostic outside the city library.

Van Der Mark was the first to announce her campaign for the open Assembly seat. She sits on the Huntington Beach City Council and previously served one year as the city’s mayor.