Editor’s Note: These are the top five stories to look forward to in 2010, as chosen by the Daily Pilot staff.
1 Costa Mesa officials say they will continue fighting to preserve the Orange County Fairgrounds for use as a fair and exposition center, after the state put the 150-acre property up for sale in October.
Along with preparing a joint bid with the county for a fairgrounds purchase, in case the state goes through with the sale, the city is taking a step to lock-in the property’s land-use.
Costa Mesa is moving to place a measure on the June ballot regarding the fairgrounds’ uses. In the next few weeks, the council will take a look at the final version of what residents will be voting on. If approved by the council, the city staff will begin preparing the ballot measure.
Although most people in Costa Mesa are united on how the fairgrounds should be used, voter turnout and the ballot’s results remain to be seen.
The deadline for the council to authorize placing a measure on the June ballot is in February.
2 Early polls are showing good numbers for Assemblyman Chuck DeVore in his race to unseat Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.). So far, he has raised more than $1 million with most of it coming from individual donors who make small donations. DeVore has collected about 17,000 donations, each totaling about $50.
Unseating Boxer is not DeVore’s only battle on the road to the U.S. Senate. He must first face former Hewlett-Packard executive Carly Fiorina in the June Republican primary. Fiorina, whose name recognition and personal wealth are widespread, is considered to be the favorite in the primaries.
DeVore has used his Twitter account to gather support for his race. His senate campaign even won a Shorty Award for its innovative uses of Twitter. DeVore’s battle to win over voters against Fiorina in the primaries will be something to watch. How much more he will raise also remains to be seen.
3 Assemblyman Van Tran is also hoping to unseat a Democrat in 2010. Tran is running against Rep. Loretta Sanchez of the 47th district.
Tran said he believes that 2010 is going to be a good year for any candidate with new messages and new ideas to improve residents’ lives.
Tran’s main goal is to bring economic incentives and economic opportunities back to his district.
He said that in 2010 Sanchez will have to answer to her constituents as to what she’s done for her people in more than 14 years.
