Hello Back Bay Boos, happy Friday!

This week Mother Nature couldn’t pick a lane. We baked through triple-digit temps (Santa Ana hit 106 — in October), and now forecasters say we might get showers by Sunday. Somewhere between the heat wave and the rain, El Niño started rearranging our sand, the stingrays moved in, and the city brought out the chainsaws. Grab an iced coffee and an umbrella, shuffle your feet at the shoreline, and let’s get into what’s buzzing around the Back Bay this weekend.

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:

— Jon Dougher, Publisher, Back Bay Buzz

Join us for a delicious meal that makes a difference. When you dine at Descanso Restaurant from Monday, October 12th – Thursday, October 15th, the restaurant will donate 20% of your total bill directly to the German Shepherd Rescue of OC.

How to participate: Simply show a photo of the flyer above to your server when you pay, and Descanso will contribute 20% of your check to the rescue!

The big storms haven’t arrived yet, but El Niño is already showing up along our coastline, in our trees, and at a few of our intersections. Here’s what’s going on and why:

🦈 Shuffle, don’t stomp. If it seems like there are a lot more stingrays in the Back Bay, you’re not imagining it. Newport’s city manager says the warmer water is bringing more stingrays to our beaches. Do the stingray shuffle: slide your feet through the sand as you wade in, so they scoot away before you step on one.

🏖️ Sand on the move. All that heavy equipment near the river mouth isn’t for a sandcastle contest. Newport is preparing to move sand from the mouth of the Santa Ana River down to the West Jetties to help shore up beaches before the winter swells hit. Bids are open now, and the project is expected to cost $1 million to $1.5 million. If you have opinions on erosion, City Council takes a broader look at sand management at a study session on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 4 p.m. in Council Chambers.

🌳 Why the tree crews showed up early. Newport moved up its tree-trimming schedule to cut down on fallen trees and branches when the strong winds arrive. The city is also bringing in extra pumping equipment for potential flooding and stocking up on sandbags for residents. You can pick up free sandbags at the City Corporation Yard, 592 Superior Ave.

🚦 That new flashing sign in Costa Mesa. Costa Mesa installed a flood detection system at one of its most flood-prone intersections. When water reaches a certain level, a sensor turns on a flashing “Road May Flood” sign. If the water keeps rising, a second sensor alerts city crews so they can close the road before anyone gets stuck. The city’s reminder: if water is covering the road, don’t drive through it.

The bottom line: forecasters are calling this one of the strongest El Niños on record, and both cities are clearly getting ready. Grab your sandbags, clean your gutters, and keep shuffling those feet. ⛱️

🌊 Water temp = 73º
Suit Rec: Shorty

Thanks! Please ignore any typos, our editor hurt his foot doing the stingray shuffle…

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