Red County/OC Blog News Roundup -- May 15, 2007

Today's top stories from behind the Orange Curtain:

Battle Between Little Saigon Rivals Goes On -- OCR and LAT
T. Nguyen loses emergency appeal; file complaint against J. Nguyen over legal fund.

Republicans Offer 'Tours' Of Spitzer's Tiny Office -- OCR
Caucus members crowd reassigned Orange Assemblyman's small quarters.

Lennar's Charitable Fundraising Opposed -- OCR
Irvine Planning Commissioner Adam Probolsky plans to ban the homebuilder from charging a fee on current and future home sales to support programs to help the homeless, the commissioner says.

Mission Viejo Submits Zoning Changes -- OCR
The city needs its housing element to be in compliance with state law by July.

Greening Of The 22 -- OCR
A $12-million landscape project will add thousands of trees, shrubs to the freeway expansion.

UCI To Attempt Therapeutic Cloning -- OCR
Controversial work meant to produce patient-specific stem cells.

More Business, Housing, Roads, parks In Irvine's Five-Year Plan -- OCR
The City Council is preparing for expansion by improving streets and bridges, creating more open space.

Global Warfare In Laguna Woods Village -- OCR
Some residents of Laguna Woods Village want to preserve the community's nearly 45-year-old icon.

Newport's Propsed Budget Surpasses $200 Million -- DP
Newport Beach's proposed spending in 2007-08 will break the $200-million mark, and while revenue will be down slightly since last year, it will cover the outlays, according to the preliminary budget.

Islamic Head Blasts U.S. Ties To Israel -- DP
A national Islamic leader criticized America's support of Israel in a fiery speech on campus Monday but stressed that opposition to the Israeli government did not equal anti-Semitism.

Hurtful Words -- OCR
Neighborhood is stunned by anti-gay graffiti.

Church Changes Expansion Plan -- DP
The reconstruction of two buildings at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church is expected to start in June, closing a contentious chapter in the history of the church and the surrounding community.

Keep Boats Sea-Lion Proof Instead Of Calling Police -- DP
Sea lions are back for the third year, and boat owners have begun calling the city to complain, Newport Beach harbor resources supervisor Chris Miller said Monday.

Council To Vote On Adding Two Lighted Sports Fields -- DP
Costa Mesa will have two more lighted sports fields if the City Council tonight votes to approve plans to light fields 3 and 4 at the Farm Sports Complex and to hire McKenzie Electric Inc., of Highland, to install the lights.

Little Arabia 'Mayor' Eases Tensions -- LAT
Anaheim Police Officer Omar Adham is establishing trust between the department and Arab Americans in the area.

$4 Million Gift Will Help Build YMCA In Santa Ana -- LAT
The donation, by a Newport Beach couple, puts the project back on track, although more needs to be raised.

$1.2 Million Set For South OC Traffic Study -- LAT
Transit agency approves funding to find ways to ease Santa Ana Freeway congestion.

Comments

[One Who Knows]

Regardless of what one thinks about Senator Correa's bill to prohibit some contractural agreements between a buyer and seller(sometimes vociferously decried as being "anti property rights"), Commissioner Probolsky should be commended for bringing the issue to the forefront in the City of Irvine.

Of course the Mayor and the members of the City Council will probably suggest that policy decisions such as that should be the exclusive province of elected officials, and not appointed bureaucrats. But electeds are almost always humorless on that subject.

[Meddlesome Nobody]

Thank you Adam! It's bad enough that the government taxes transfers, we don't need the builders to have their hands in our pockets a second time when we sell our homes. They got paid when we bought the house. Forced giving is NOT the answer.

[Pat]

I see Anaheim is trying the Cherry Hill, New Jersey approach to policing. It worked so well there!

But what can you expect from a city whose manager, when asked why APD didn't cite people who stole shopping carts, replied, "Well, they don't think it's a crime."