The NBPLF is excited to announce the 28th season of The Witte Lectures, running from January to April 2025. This highly regarded lecture series will commence in January, bringing a new wave of thought-provoking discussions. With an impressive lineup of nationally recognized speakers, this season promises to ignite community conversations on the most pressing and relevant topics. Attendees are invited to engage in live, dynamic, and compelling dialogues within the award-winning library.
BRET STEPHENS
Here and Now: Where We Are and Where We Are Going in the Post-Election
Friday, January 24, 7:00 PM
Saturday, January 25, 2:00 PM
Bret Stephens, a distinguished American journalist and columnist, is celebrated for his incisive and often provocative commentary on political and social issues. His career began at The Wall Street Journal, where he served as deputy editorial page editor and foreign-affairs columnist before joining The New York Times in 2017 as an op-ed columnist. Stephens is the author of America in Retreat: The New Isolationism and the Coming Global Disorder and has received numerous accolades, including the Pulitzer Prize for commentary and three honorary doctorates.
CHRISTINE BRENNAN
Today is the Greatest Day for Women in Sports – Until Tomorrow: The Story of Title IX and the Empowerment of Women in Sports
Friday, February 21, 7:00 PM
Saturday, February 22, 2:00 PM
Christine Brennan, a renowned sports columnist for USA Today and commentator for CNN, ABC News, PBS NewsHour, and NPR, is acclaimed for her reporting on the impact of Title IX. Her extensive coverage of the Olympic Games and her insightful commentary highlight the advancements and ongoing challenges in women's sports. Brennan’s work underscores the transformative effect of Title IX in promoting equality and opportunity for female athletes.
JULIETTE KAYYEM
National Security, Climate Migration & Pandemics: Managing Risks in a Borderless World
Friday, March 28, 7:00 PM
Saturday, March 29, 2:00 PM
Professor Juliette Kayyem, a leading expert in crisis management and homeland security, is the faculty chair of the Homeland Security and Global Health Projects at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. With a background that includes serving as Assistant Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security and as Homeland Security Advisor to the Governor of Massachusetts, Kayyem is also a CNN Senior National Security Analyst and author of The Devil Never Sleeps: Learning to Live in an Age of Disasters.
M. CHRIS FABRICANT
Junk Science and the American Criminal Justice System
Friday, April 18, 7:00 PM
Saturday, April 19, 2:00 PM
Chris Fabricant, a prominent attorney and advocate for criminal justice reform, addresses the critical issue of flawed forensic science in his book Junk Science and the American Criminal Justice System. Fabricant’s research and analysis expose the dangerous impact of pseudo-scientific evidence on wrongful convictions, underscoring the urgent need for reform to ensure justice and accuracy in the legal system.
Newport Beach Public Library Foundation
1000 Avocado Avenue, Newport Beach. (949) 717-3892
The Latest from greer's oc
Diamonds by Day at South Coast Plaza
Jessica McCormack, the London-based jewelry house known for its vintage-meets-modern aesthetic, has opened its first West Coast boutique at South Coast Plaza. The 1,600-square-foot space brings the brand’s signature style to Costa Mesa with antique furniture, contemporary art and…
Cult Gaia Brings Its Bold Style to South Coast Plaza
Orange County just got a new place to shop for statement pieces. Los Angeles-based Cult Gaia has opened a boutique at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, with ready-to-wear, handbags, shoes and accessories all under one roof.
The brand started…
Spooky Sips and Pumpkin Pancakes at Outpost Kitchen
Outpost Kitchen is getting into the Halloween spirit with three new seasonal items: the Frankenstein Cocktail, the Spooky Spice Iced Latte and Pumpkin Spice Gluten-Free Pancakes.
The Frankenstein is a craft cocktail made with Midori, pineapple juice, lime, Hendry’s Vodka,…
Barnes & Noble Returned to Costa Mesa
In case you missed it, Barnes & Noble opened a new flagship store at South Coast Plaza in August, bringing the bookseller back to Costa Mesa.
The 27,000-square-foot space sits on the upper level of the mall and revives bookselling in…
Follow Greer on Pinterest
from the blog
- 10.22.26 – Diamonds by Day at South Coast Plaza
- 10.22.26 – Cult Gaia Brings Its Bold Style to South Coast Plaza
- 10.22.26 – Spooky Sips and Pumpkin Pancakes at Outpost Kitchen
- 10.22.26 – Barnes & Noble Returned to Costa Mesa
- 10.21.26 – Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage: How to Think About the Choice
- 10.20.26 – BUILD Brings the Heavy Lifting to Newport Beach
- 10.20.26 – Sushi Ii Enters a New Chapter as Sushi Suhama in Newport Beach
- 10.20.26 – Sushi-Ten USA opens Sushi Blissba in Cypress
- 10.13.26 – Foodie Heaven at The CAMP in Costa Mesa this Fall
- 10.13.26 – Gaby Moreno Brings Her Bilingual Sound to Musco Center
- 10.12.26 – Treehouse on PCH Casts A Halloween Spell
- 10.12.26 – Jerry Douglas Brings His Band’s Genre-Bending Sound to Musco Center
- 10.12.26 – Howl-o-ween Pup Pop-Up Comes to The LAB Anti-Mall
- 10.11.26 – Where to Eat Around the Newport Beach Film Festival
- 10.07.26 – Pups & Pours Pairs Premium Pours With Senior Dogs
- 10.04.26 – Ben Bliss and Christopher Allen Bring an Evening of Song to Musco Center
- 10.04.26 – Microbiome Scientist, AI Author Headline Library Lectures
- 09.28.26 – Surfing Heritage & Culture Center Opens New Laguna Beach Home
- 09.28.26 – Levain Bakery Brings Peanut Butter Cookie to Fashion Island
- 09.28.26 – Puesto Pours a Wellness-Minded Margarita With Cymbiotika
More Daily Doses
- 10.21.26 – Tiffany & Co. Opens Blue Box Café at South Coast Plaza
- 10.20.26 – Ambitious Ales Brings Its Award-Winning Craft Beer to Costa Mesa
- 10.20.26 – FARM Rio Brings Brazilian Style to Fashion Island
- 10.14.26 – Russ Bendel and Partners Open Creekside in Rancho Mission Viejo
- 10.12.26 – Tony Gilroy’s ‘Behemoth!’ to Close Newport Beach Film Festival
- 10.10.26 – Wild Strawberry Cafe’s Monster Cookies for National Cookie Month
- 10.06.26 – Newport Beach Film Festival Opens With ‘Frampton’
- 10.04.26 – Honda Center Serves Up New Eats and Big Shows
- 10.04.26 – StyleWeekOC Returns to Fashion Island Oct. 14-18
- 09.28.26 – NBFF International Spotlight Films Announced
- 09.28.26 – Pacific Airshow Celebrates 10 Years in Huntington Beach
- 09.18.26 – Roger’s Gardens Unveils Moonlight Masquerade for Halloween
- 09.18.26 – Get RELISH Ready: OC’s Premier Food and Wine Weekend Returns to Newport Beach
- 09.16.26 – Newport Beach Film Festival Turns 27, and the Lineup Is Stacked
- 09.15.26 – Purrs in Paradise Opens Its Doors at The CAMP
- 09.14.26 – Katella Commons Adds Five More Reasons to Get Hungry at OCVIBE
- 09.13.26 – Musco Center Celebrates 10th Anniversary Jubilee! With a Decade of Its Own Talent
- 09.09.26 – Maleza Brings Modern Mexican Flavor and Mezcal to The CAMP in Costa Mesa
- 08.30.26 – Zov’s Mediterranean Restaurant Set to Open on 17th Street in Costa Mesa
- 08.29.26 – Sweet Arrival: Levain Bakery Opens First Orange County Location at Fashion Island
