BUZZ
SAVE THE FERRY
An effort has started to save the Balboa Island Ferry , which is in trouble of closing due to the state ’ s continued push toward sustainable energy . The California Air Resources Board has said that all short-run ferries that travel less than 3 miles per trip must be zero emission , or all-electric , vehicles by the end of 2025 . Seymour Beek , the president of Balboa Island Ferry , said in a released statement that the cost this would require — an estimated $ 5 million to convert all three boats into electric vehicles with charging stations — makes the effort nearly impossible . A change . org petition was launched and already has more than 18,000 signatures requesting an exemption from CARB , due to the fact that the ferry ’ s emissions are minor and that the use of the ferry as a shortcut for cars reduces air pollution in Newport Beach . Currently , the Balboa Island Ferry , which first launched in 1919 , takes vehicles , cyclists and pedestrians between Balboa Island and Balboa Peninsula every day of the year . ( balboaislandferry . com ) — A . R .
Artist Marco Sassone
Frosty ( right ), an orca with a pigmentation condition
A petition aims to save the Balboa Island Ferry .
Caption
Collection drives at Segerstrom Center for the Arts benefited groups including Clothing the Homeless .
A KILLER SIGHT
On any whale watching excursion , the hopes of seeing an orca , also referred to as the killer whale , are high — but , in Orange County , it ’ s a rather rare sight . However , locals were in luck in late April when Newport Coastal Adventure , a small boat whale watching business that leaves out of Newport Harbor , got a tip from a Long Beach company that there were orcas in the area . After heading out toward their last known location , NAC ’ s boats were able to track the whales down , discovering a pod of seven orcas . One of these cetaceans was Frosty , a 3-year-old calf with a condition that gives him a different pigmentation than other orcas . With a mostly white body , Frosty does have black on his face and fin as well . These rare whales stuck around along the local coastline for a couple of hours before taking off north ; the same pod has previously been spotted as far north as British Columbia , Canada . ( 949-922- 8784 ; newportcoastaladventure . com ) — A . R .
COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS
Broadway shows bring fun and flair to the stage with vibrant costumes , captivating music and , often , a little bit of humor — but throughout the most recent season , they also brought important benefits to the community thanks to Segerstrom Center for the Arts . The famed arts complex teamed up with a number of nonprofits during the 2022-2023 season as it held collection drives in its lobby . The effort started last August during “ Hadestown ,” when a food drive gathered canned goods for Grandma ’ s House of Hope — followed by another collection event during “ Moulin Rouge ! The Musical ” in honor of the Orange County Food Bank . Then , at the end of the year , SCFTA hosted a book drive for patients at Children ’ s Hospital of Orange County during the run of the play “ To Kill a Mockingbird .” This year , the center collected jackets for One Warm Coat during Disney ’ s “ Frozen ,” a school supplies drive benefiting Families Forward during “ Mean Girls ” and a toiletries drive for Share Our Selves during “ Hairspray .” The center plans to arrange collaborations during the upcoming shows “ Six ” in June and “ Tina — The Tina Turner Musical ” in July to finish out the season as well . ( 714-556-2787 ; scfta . org ) — A . R .
TOP : NEWPORT COASTAL ADVENTURE / PACIFIC OFFSHORE ; BOTTOM : COURTESY OF SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS
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