POLITICS
Newport-Mesa's state legislators submit bills
Newport-Mesa's three state legislators unveiled their slates of
legislation Monday.
Assemblyman John Campbell, who represents Newport Beach, has
floated a constitutional amendment that would fundamentally alter the
state budget process. If it passes, state funding could grow no
faster than population and inflation.
State Sen. Ross Johnson, who represents Newport-Mesa, has proposed
two bills that would have the state give schools one lump sum instead
of the categorical funding now in place.
None of the more than 20 bills floated by Assemblyman Ken Maddox
deal with the state's No. 1 issue, the budget crisis.
* PAUL CLINTON covers the environment, business and politics. He
may be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at
paul.clinton@latimes.com.
NEWPORT BEACH
Voters will have final
say on Marinapark
A 110-room luxury resort will have to win the favor of voters if
it is to be built at the Marinapark mobile home park on Balboa
Peninsula. The City Council decided Tuesday that the matter will go
on the November 2004 ballot and that an environmental report must be
prepared before the project is approved.
An affordable senior housing project has moved forward, though
some Villa Point residents worry that it will have inadequate parking
and will affect their views. The 150-unit senior apartment complex
will be built near the intersection of Jamboree Road and Coast
Highway.
City Councilman Dick Nichols found himself in a battle with
colleagues when he suggested that the city make sure the lineup of
speakers at the Distinguished Speaker Lecture Series is more
conservative. Mayor Steve Bromberg and Councilman Tod Ridgeway said
it was not the city's place to censor the privately funded series.
* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport.
She may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at
june.casagrande@latimes.com.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Arrests made in South Coast Plaza purse snatchings
Costa Mesa Police arrested two men and a woman from Santa Ana on
Tuesday in connection with two armed robberies in South Coast Plaza.
Christopher Shannon Martinez, 36, Adam Avical LeBlanc, 30 and
Robbyn Mae Rickard, 33, are suspected of snatching purses from two
victims in the South Coast Plaza parking lot in the 3300 block of
Bristol Street on Feb. 21 and 22, police said. In each incident, a
handgun was displayed.
All three suspects are being held in Orange County jail in lieu of
$50,000 bail.
