A time to Remember

We drove up to the Century Plaza last night for the LA area ALS/Lou Gerhig's Disease Gala.  We don't always attend, but it would have been my mom's 86th birthday. My dear mother, Helen Brooks, had ALS and passed away in 2003.  It was a great event to raise awareness and money for a disease that has no cure and for which the cause is unknown.  The cure is out there--it just hasn't been discovered yet!

Our family loves history--and my mom was particularly interested in grave sites--I remember as a child going to Abraham Lincoln's tomb in Springfield, Ill., Louisa May Alcott's grave--and others---so today I am going to push my Sunday nap back a little and go to our Historical Society's Open House with speaker Michael Barry.  He will speak at 2 pm. about "Orange County's Dead and Famous."  Collections can be viewed from 1-3 p.m.  Hope to see you there.  (1870 Anaheim, Costa Mesa).

Costa Mesa has a rich heritage and our Costa Mesa Historical Society does a great  job of preserving it and sharing it with our residents.

Surprise!

Katrina, Gary and Allan Roeder will travel to Sacramento early tomorrow to meet with the Governor's representatives at 11 a.m. to present the offer from Facilities Management West to buy the Fairgrounds. Am I surprised? Yes. Between the two proposers, American Fairs and Festivals had the most details, but there must have been a deal breaker for the negotiating "Team" to get to this monumental decision.  We still have miles to go before we sleep (and promises to keep), but let's hope we get a favorable response from the officials in Sacramento. I can honestly say we have done our very best because that's just the kind of people we are in this great city.  We do our very best. If things don't go our way, we know we tried.
THANK YOU KATRINA, GARY, ALLAN R., BECKY & KATHY!

May 19, 2010

Costa Mesa, California – CITY OPENS NEGOTIATIONS FOR FAIRGOUNDS OPERATOR

The City of Costa Mesa announced late today that it had selected the firm of Facilities

Management West to enter into an exclusive negotiating agreement for operation of the

Orange County Fair and Event Center. News of the agreement was released by City Manager

Allan L. Roeder following marathon negotiating sessions between the City and the two top

rated proposers for operation of the site. The City is scheduled to meet Thursday with

Governor Schwarzenegger’s Office to review the status of the City’s efforts to select an

operator and arrange financing to acquire the 150 site from the State of California.

The City Manager noted that Facilities Management West has agreed to public ownership of

the property, fulfilling one of the key principles guiding the City’s effort to preserve the

fairgrounds. The exclusive negotiating agreement is one of many steps remaining in the

negotiations and subject to a final decision by the State to sell the property to the City.

***30***

Great Event for Kids!

It was great to see so many families and kids get a glimpse of history today. I enjoyed visiting the tents and listening to participants share their stories.

Civil War Re-enactment at Fairview Park

It was a great day in Costa Mesa! Took a break from thinking about the Budget and the Fairgrounds to watch the Civil War Re-enactment. Pictured here with Parks Commissioner Terry Shaw, nearby Swan Drive residents Susan and David Kinkade, Eloise Ott and friend Beth.