REAL Newport Beach

The college admissions scandal has been a big headline.  Experts are saying there is much more to this story - not only in more chapters to come, but also in what is says about our society and parenting.  Newport Beach is sadly part of this story.  The topic works its way into many conversations locally, so I decided to talk with a couple parents to hear their opinions.  Jennifer Mehditash and John Ward have children in the local schools.  Listen in as they talk about their opinions, experiences and self-reflection about one of the biggest academic scandals in our history.

An innovative application to help protect against home break-ins recently appeared on Amazon Alexa devices. It’s called, “Chaos 911”  It seems pretty simple - using police radio chatter to scare away someone breaking into your home - so we reached out to noted crime expert, Mark Baughman for his opinion. Mark is a retired federal law enforcement agent and television personality on crimes in Florida.  Listen in as Mark talks about how the innovation of Chaos Alarms is it’s pure simplicity powered by your voice. 

She was doing some distance swimming a couple hundred yards off shore in Corona del Mar, CA when she was severely attacked by a great white shark.  Maria Korcsmaros was saved by Newport Beach lifeguards and remarkable surgeons.  She takes us back to the attack, shares her journey to recover and talks about her mission to stop shark harvesting.  It’s an amazing commitment from an extraordinary woman.  

When families move to a new town or new school, your children face fresh challenges meeting new friends and gaining acceptance.  Author Louie Lawent can relate. “Haley’s Friendship Challenge,” is a story about a little girl’s experience being the “new kid” in the neighborhood.  Haley starts off reluctant and nervous, but, with the help of a special new friend, she makes a happy transition to the new phase in her life.  I met with Louie at a coffee shop in Westcliff on a beautiful sunny morning. 

Mars is in our future.  In his book, "Life on Mars, what to know before we go," Dr. David Weintraub tells us all what to expect when we get there.  Listen in as he talks about what we know about life forms, the challenges of getting home, other planets that should also capture our attention and even a glowing  critique of the popular Matt Damon movie, "The Martian," plus much more.  It's a fascinating interview with Joe and one of his oldest friends who now teaches at Vanderbilt and is one of the go-to experts on the universe.  Enjoy.

The Marathon Show produced an encore broadcast at the 2017 GEICO Rock 'n' Roll Marathon and Half Marathon in Las Vegas on November 12.  Joe was at the expo, on the course and having fun covering the race and running along with more than 40,000 runners on the Las Vegas strip.

Along with 22,000 other people, Sonia Magee was in the audience for the Route 91 Harvest Concert in Las Vegas when gun fire started raining down.  Here’s her account of the night, what she saw, her escape and two very, very somber closing thoughts that make us all realize how precious life is.

The advent of an SRO (school resource officer) means police departments have closer relationships with schools across the country.  Officer Gary Clemente of the Newport Beach Police department is in his second year of being on campus, full time, at Corona del Mar high school and middle school.  Although he is a seasoned police officer, Officer Clemente went through additional extensive training when he accepted this position.  He's completely in touch with the daily lives of our children.  While many of their challenges are a function of the "times", you'll hear him advise parents that their experiences as kids weren't much different than what students face in 2017

Every high school in America has to contend with substance abuse by its student population and students everywhere face a range of challenges in addition to substance abuse.  Forward-thinking Corona del Mar High School took steps in 2015 to help students get back on track when they made poor choice.  ONE Recovery comes on campus each week and runs a program where kids can voluntarily get involved and earn a second chance at making good choices.  Parents are involved also, so ONE Recovery is helping families with their amazing program. Lynne Pedersen is the founder of ONE Recovery which operates in a few high schools in southern California. She's proud of the difference the program is making by helping students to achieve their full potential.

The high school rivalry between Corona del Mar and Newport Harbor produced a hard-fought, entertaining football game on a beautiful September night.  Before, during and after the game, more than a few students were violating the district policy on alcohol and controlled substances.  In her message about punishment, CDM principal Kathy Scott cited parental culpability.  Licensed child psychologist, Dr. Cynthia Baker, has some insights on the effects of teen alcohol abuse, mistakes parents are making and things parents need to evaluate in their own alcohol use.  The Battle of the Bay has started a conversation that every parent should have with their children.  

A last minute scheduling change is what kept Phil Sieg from being in his office next to the World Trade Center on 9/11.  That change, however, meant he ended up with a clear view of the second plane striking the south tower at 9:03 a.m.  On the 15 year anniversary of 9/11, Phil shares his account of the day, his attempts to sort out what he saw in real time, what things were like in New York after 9/11 and his fond memories of friends he lost and the solemn reminder of how precious life can be.

Apparently, most pediatricians are now recommending the HPV vaccination for children.  The vaccine has gone mainstream in the last 8 years and now part of the routine physical for girls and boys ages 11-16.  So with so many doctors recommending it, do you really need to consider whether or not to have your children vaccinated?  Pediatrician, Dr. Allyson Berkey, is not so quick to support the vaccine.  The combination of side effects, new treatments and preventative measures has this mother of 3 standing on the sidelines.  Dr. Berkey shares her thoughts, some statistics and facts you don't often hear at your child's annual physical.

On Sunday, May 29, Triathlete, Maria Korcsmaros went for a 1 1/2 mile open water training swim at Big Corona in Corona del Mar, CA.  She had done this swim many times before, as Corona del Mar had been her favorite training area.  Shortly into her swim, about 200 yards from shore, Maria was attacked by, what is now estimated to be, a 10 foot, male Great White shark.  With 2 quick bites, Maria suffered traumatic, life threatening injuries.  Here's Maria's account of what happened with her thoughts about her amazing good fortune that a Newport Beach lifeguard patrol boat was only 30 yards away.  It's a remarkable story of survival, outstanding first aid and trauma treatment and the indomitable spirit of an athlete who will not give up. 

The tragedy in Orlando was one of the worst in American history.  Law enforcement reacted immediately.  Within hours, stories surfaced with questions about how law enforcement performed.  Mark Baughman is a former Federal agent, sheriff and police officer who lives in Florida.  He is the go-to personality for Florida television and he was on-site after the event.  Mark talks with Joe about what he heard in the days after.  They'll also discuss what law enforcement is now saying about things you can and should do if you're ever in an active shooter situation. 

There's no getting around it, the 2016 presidential election is a topic everyone is talking about.  Joe went out to three polling places on "primary" election day and conducted interviews with people that were willing to speak with him. Rather than asking someone whom they support, Joe chose to start off each interview asking which positions motivated them to be voting in the primaries.  Each interview generally ends up with an opinion about a candidate and if you thought Newport Beach with lock-step with the Republican party...think again.  You'll hear that both candidates have some work to do.   The weather was perfect so no reason for people to stay home on this election day.  Listen in as Joe goes to polling places at City Hall, then to a church and finishing off at an elementary school.

The Cincinnati Zoo was faced with a horrible, life and death situation.  Risk the life of a little boy who fell in the enclosure or shoot and kill Harambe, the 450 pound silver back gorilla.  By now everyone knows the outcome, but what was the process zoo officials went through to shoot and kill Harambe?  The protocol was planned, rehearsed and carefully thought out in advance.  Director of the Santa Ana zoo, Kent Yamaguchi, talks about the precautions all zoo officials must take, his insights on the emotional dilemma faced by the zoo officials and the silly things some parents do at zoos.  Joe sat down with Kent, under a big shade tree, just outside the enclosures of about 60 monkeys, just a few minutes before all the student field trips came into the zoo.  

Donald Trump made a campaign stop in Anaheim so I showed up with my microphone and camera to interview the people in attendance.  Much is said of his supporters, so you’ll get to hear from about 50 people in a series of short, quit-hitting interviews on topics ranging from: the wall, immigration, women, things he said that offended people, minorities and a whole host of other topics.  There is an extraordinary moment that both Hillary and Trump supporters will love.  All in all the event was safe and the people were pleasant.  No matter your view or your candidate, every campaign stop is part of history.  For a few hours I had a front row seat and documented the proceedings with great interest. 

If you know Laguna Beach, you've visited some of its many art galleries. With more than 80 galleries in Laguna, visitors and residents can take in some of the great artists and works from around the world in just a few city blocks next to the ocean.  Townley Gallery International is unique because it rotates exhibits each month.  I visited with Townley representative Meghan Hula. We talked about what goes into choosing artists to display, what experienced collectors look for when shopping and how to bring the subject of "how much?" Townley Gallery is right in the middle downtown Laguna, so it's a bustling street with galleries as far as the eye can see.

What do you hear about drugs in CDM and Newport Harbor high school?  There's a battle in our schools, just like every school, where our children are tempted with access to alcohol, marijuana, prescription and street drugs.  If you're tolerant of occasional alcohol or marijuana use, then you've opened the gateway to harder drugs, lower grades and negative social skills.  Lynne Pedersen is the CEO of One Recovery. She runs programs at CDM, Newport Harbor and other schools in southern California to help children fight back, stay clean and get their life back together.  Winning starts with positive choices and positive choices start with parents.

Did you ever wonder why you feel differently when you drive across the bridge onto Balboa Island?  Over the last 100 years people have flocked to Balboa Island for an amazing, heart healthy walk, shopping or dining on a street that makes you feel like you're on vacation or to take a ferry ride that never seems to get old.  CEO Gary Sherwin and his team at Newport Beach and Company are the architects of the Newport Beach brand which is bigger around the world than you may have guessed.  Gary sat down and talked with Joe about the Balboa Island centennial, some fun history about the island and what he and his firm are doing to make, both, visitors and residents proud of our amazing city.  

Why do 70% of people put off estate planning?  It's probably some combination of: expense, revealing personal information, busy work that most people don't like to do or maybe just confronting death.  Who wants to do that?!  There are very few people that don't need an estate plan, but if you've saved a few dollars or if you have dependent children, you will not like what your state plans to do if you die without proper planning.  Laura Meier is an estate planning lawyer here in Newport Beach.  She won't make you feel guilty and she will help guide you to achieving a milestone that will make you feel awesome.   

Corona del Mar high school is a source of pride for our community.  The Newport Mesa school board and the high school want to build an improved, multi-purpose athletic field and track.  That's great...right?  Well, it's a bit harder for residents near the school to gleefully embrace the new field/stadium. If you lived nearby you'd be thinking about traffic, noise, impact on home values, and parking, just to name a few.  Then there's the 80' light polls, a PA system and an uncertain number of night events that can go as late as 10:00 pm.  How much influence can local homeowners have on the process? You'll be surprised!  Ryan O'Grady and I talk about what we know, what we think we know and how we feel about the process.

How did you do when you had "the talk" with your children? The fact is that most parents don't have the talk about hygiene, puberty and changing bodies, which means they probably won't have "the talk" about, well, sex. Annette Dunn is a registered nurse who counsels parents and children on their bodies and growing up. She'll give you plenty of motivation on how to do it, advice on when and where to have the talk and she'll share her insights as the school nurse at Corona del Mar high school for over 10 years. If that's not motivation enough, wait until you hear her talk about the statistics of STD's right here in Newport Beach. Do you think we are at, above or below the national average? We cover a lot of ground so listen in to learn and get smarter for the benefit of your children.

If you're not monitoring your children's online activity there is a 90% chance they have been exposed to questionable or offensive images or information.  Children and teens use SnapChat or Kik to keep parents from knowing what's going on.  Safety expert Scott Burnett offers advice and some tough love for parents who are not currently monitoring their children online.  You need to listen, you need to take action and you need to develop a regular routine of keeping tabs on your children.

How much do you need to know about what’s going on in your children’s lives once they start to be independent?  Jr. and Sr. high school is a time when our kids get confronted by a myriad of social challenges - relationships, new social circles, alcohol, drugs - there’s a long list - but what should we be watching?  Licensed child psychologist Dr. Cynthia Baker has seen it all and she has some advice for us.  There’s a fine balance we need to strike to let our kids grow up, but still keep our finger on the pulse.  You’ll find this interview very useful.  I met with Dr. Baker at her offices in Newport Beach.

Everyone loves discovering new places, especially places that inspire learning while having fun.  The Sea and Sage Audubon Society is wildlife and plant sanctuary just across from UC Irvine.  Sure you'll find countless birds and "birders" from around the world there, but you'll also discover it's home to coyotes, fox, bobcats and many other species of wildlife.  The trail around the 300 acre park makes you feel like you're in a lost world because the trees and bushes are so tall.  The park is open 365 days a year, it's free and and it's amazing. We visited with Debbie Brin, an old friend, who is a member of the staff there.  Joe didn't find one plant or animal that Debbie couldn't identify. It's a fun interview that reveals one of Orange County's treasures.

If you know about the world of eSports, then you already know it's got a huge following.  The University of California Irvine is the first public university in America to launch an eSports initiative and it won't be long before many follow.  eSports has tens of millions of active players around the world, professional teams and now, one really cool University, with brilliant students - about 72% of whom identify as gamers.  Welcome to League of Legends. Joe sat down with Jesse Wang, president of the Association of Gamers at UC Irvine to talk about gaming, the new initiative and the future.

Dr. Carol Barash is the founder of Story 2 College. She trains students how to write amazing essays for their college applications.  In this interview Carol talks about the process of choosing college or other pursuits, the importance of community involvement in the application process and why telling an amazing story is the first step in writing an amazing essay.  There are lessons here for students as young as 7th grade - good grades are just the price of getting in the game, but developing as a citizen is one of the keys to winning admission to the college of your choice.  College admissions officers are looking for the whole package - a scholar, a citizen and someone who is expressive.  Dr. Barash wrote the book on how to do it and in this interview she will share her secrets.

How is your focus on diet and fitness?  Most people tend to wander in and out good habits on both unless they develop a lifestyle that makes each a priority.  Over the last 20 years Dr. Tim Ramirez has trained professional athletes and people like us.  His approach is refreshing, supportive and extremely effective.  Listen in as we talk about why your core is so important, how to get and stay motivated and why it’s so hard to maintain a good diet.  

Adult coloring books are all the rage.  There is nothing simple about these coloring books since you can purchase books focusing on landscapes, the classics, pop art, animals and many others.  Stacie Wendland uses adult coloring books as one of her many creative outlets.  She talks about which books appeal to her, she cites studies about the benefits of coloring and she gives plenty of ideas for people who might want to jump in and give it a try.  It promises to be a fun, creative hobby, so listen in and find out how you can explore your inner Van Gogh.

Get as close to Hollywood and the music industry as possible with a make-up artist who goes to their homes, travels on location and fights off the paparazzi when needed.  Beth Carter has been working with A-Listers for 20 years and she shares stories that will prove some tabloids right and others wrong.  What does Cher know about her appearance that every woman should know?  How many outfits can Janet Jackson fit into a semi tractor trailer?  What is Award week like?  Beth talks about all the names you know so well: Kardashians, Ozborns, Jane Fonda, Angelina and many others.  It's a fascinating discussion, so you can put your favorite magazine aside and be entertained by a woman who has been in the middle of the action long enough to what's true about the lives of Hollywood's stars.

If you have children in your home you probably encourage them to make healthy choices with food, exercise and social interactions.  Dr. Patricia Riba is a pediatrician who specializes in nutrition and healthy lifestyles for children.  She offers advice on how parents can make positive changes, how to avoid dysfunctional associations with food and why diets and talk of diets around children is something to be avoided.  There is plenty of positive reinforcement in this interview from a pediatrician who treats children and helps families improve their lives everyday.  Dr. Riba is the co-author of the book, "Fit Kids Revolution - diet-free guide to raising healthy children."  You'll hear her offer advice to parents who can do a bit more, parents who need to dial it back a bit, how "screen time" influences behaviors and the role of a schedule in children's lives.  

It's 125 miles as the crow flies from Newport Beach, CA to Ensenada, Mexico.  The 69th running of the Newport to Ensenada International Yacht race will host over 250 boats in the largest international yacht race on the West coast.  Commodore Dave Shockley shares stories about the history of the event and talks about the entrants - some of whom are very serious professional sailors and others whom participate annually to enjoy sailing at its best.  It's a point to point race so Dave talks about the celebration that awaits in Ensenada, how the boats get home and where some go after they finish.  It's a great conversation with a sailor who is friend to many and a host of an event known around the world.

The harbor in Newport Beach is made more beautiful by the array of magnificent boats and yachts.  Host, Joe Taricani, interviews Tom Unvert who was the captain of two large yachts early in his career.  Tom is on to talk about his experiences, what catches his eye today, owning real estate with a dock, a hair raising story in Dana Point as captain and much more.  Enjoy.

The 2016 season of World Team Tennis will take center stage in Newport Beach. The Orange County Breakers are based at the Newport Beach Tennis Club.  The Breakers are one of 6 six teams in the league this year including Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Springfield, MO and San Diego.  The world's great players use World Team Tennis as a way to keep their game sharp between Wimbledon and the US Open, so this year's rosters will be full of big names and exciting matches. We sit down with Allen Hardison, general manager of the Breakers, to talk about the league, the upcoming season and a range of other topics including which of the world's great tennis players call Orange County home.  Welcome to REAL Newport Beach

Roger's Gardens makes homes more beautiful, so an art gallery is a natural extention of the decor options you'll choose from when you come to the store.  Theresa Marino has been the art gallery director at Roger's Gardens since its debut in 2008.  Listen is as Theresa talks about how to choose art that complements living spaces, how she selects artists and works to display in the gallery and events Roger's Gardens hosts to allow customers to meet and interact with the artists.  On the lighter side, you'll hear Theresa talk about how surprised long-time customers are when they finally discover the gallery and its works for the first time. Theresa has worked in southern California's art industry for nearly 30 years.  She has worked with the Laguna Art Museum, Laguna College of Art & Design and Joan Irvine Smith, along with hundreds of noted artists of this period.

We went on location this day to Roger's Gardens in Corona del Mar, CA.  Roger's Gardens is a destination home and garden store for those seeking creative ideas and unique products for outdoor and indoor living.  Tracy Wankner is a Horticulturist and Team Leader at Roger's Gardens with a degree in Landscape Architecture.  She's an LEED certified professional with a passion for California Friendly and low water-use landscapes.  Tracy shares ideas on updating your outdoors, how to plan your garden, low water plant solutions, plus much more including some advice for Joe. 

Elizabeth and her husband considered selling their house, but then decided to remodel and stay put.  Her kitchen was her focus because her kitchen remodel years earliers had become tired.  She visualized her new kitchen using Pinterest then called in a designer who used all her ideas to craft a plan.  This is a success story where a designer helped make the process fast, creative and perfect.  Elizabeth talks about her trip to the slab yard to pick out her countertop, the speedy construction turn-around and a little extra painting that they hadn't planned on doing.  All in all it's a great story about staying in a home you love and updating the kitchen to make it more fun.

We're off to the San Diego area to speak with Rudy about remodeling his two bathrooms.  He remodeled both bathrooms a few years ago, but he made a budget choice with a 2nd tier contractor.  He'll talk about what went wrong and his leap into a top to botttom remodel including selecting countertops at a local stone yard.  Selecting stone can be overwhelming, but with the help of one of the professionals at the yard he ended up with a beautiful piece.  Rudy talks about the selection process, what he took with him and the rationale for his final choice.  During installation his contractor actually created a small crack which they ultimately showed to him and replaced.  It wasn't before, however, the contractor first thought they could cover it up, but they came back after a short time and disclosed their damage.  

We go on location with Julia in southern California.  She and her husband bought their dream home and have undertaken some renovations before moving in.  The timeframe is tight and things were going really well until she bought some special bathroom sink fixtures that didn't work with the fittings in place.  The special stone floor she bought required a scattered pattern design, but the flooring contractor placed the stones in a symetrical pattern.  It creates moments of high stress, but she got it all worked out.  You'll hear her wisdom in this interview - know what your contractor is doing each day and save yourself some anxiety.

Fran and her husband of northern California are experienced DIY homeowners.  They've had good success with many projects.  When it came time to put in new hardwood flooring, they selected a system, attended training and set out to change the look of their living room.  Projects like this work well when something odd does not occur, but as it is, something odd always occurs.  You'll hear Fran talk about getting half way into the project, realizing they had a problem, then deciding it's good medicine to call in a professional.  There is a lot of wisdom in this show.  All is well that ends well and Fran and her husband are very happy with their new flooring and they way it all turned out.

Nancy and Barry of Washington planned to remodel their kitchen, but flooring led the living area which led to painting and ultimately new furnishings.  This is a great story a family that used a general contractor and a designer to help imagine, plan and execute their renovation project.  If you're looking at countertops you'll hear about quartz, if you're thinking about designs you'll hear about some bold choices and if you're thinking about using a general contractor, you'll hear about the luxury of having a professional manage the job.  The story is not without a glitch, so you'll also hear about a sub that made a mess that needed to be fixed.  In the end it's a great project with two very happy homeowners.

David in Georgia decided to remodel the master bathroom.  To save money, he acted as his own general contractor and ended up managing 5 subs.  As soon as work began he noticed his other bathroom was in need of a facelift also.  Cabinets in the bath led to an evaluation of the cabinets in the kitchen, then he added some other improvements also. He'll talk about sources of his ideas, in particular Pinterest.  His project was a success and he's happy with his performance as a general contractor.  He kept things on budget and on time.  If you're getting started on a single project in your home, but you think there may be some other things you should consider, you'll like this show because you'll hear David talk about "project crawl."  Enjoy.