Featured Articles from the Daily Pilot

NEWPORT BEACH — For the first time in decades, doctors believe that early diagnosis may help delay the onset of Alzheimer's Disease in some patients, local health experts said. The change was brought on by this week's announcement that the National Institutes of Health and the Alzheimer's Assn. have published new guidelines for diagnosing the disease — the first revised set in 27 years. The new guidelines recognize an earlier stage, a change in the memory called mild cognitive impairment, which in many patients is linked to the later development of dementia that occurs 7 to 22 years earlier than previously recognized, said Dr. William Shankle, program director for Memory & Cognitive Disorders at Hoag Hospital's Neurosciences Institute.

After hearing from the victim's daughter and the prosecutor on the case, on Wednesday the state denied parole for a Costa Mesa woman who killed her husband and then froze, cooked and tasted portions of his body over Thanksgiving weekend in 1991. Omaima Aree Nelson, 43, has served about 20 years of her 27-years-to-life sentence for killing William Nelson, 56. According to court testimony in her trial, she ate portions of his ribs and other remains. The original prosecutor on the case, Orange County Senior Deputy District Attorney Randy Pawloski, and the victim's daughter, Margaret Nelson, attended the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation hearing to urge the board not to release Nelson, according to the D.A.'s office.

NEWPORT BEACH - If home furnishings could speak, newly opened Magnolia Mews Consignments would be a place to tell their stories. Tucked into what owner Hillary Niblo described as a "small but mighty space" at 314 Old Newport Blvd., the 750-square-foot consignment shop is a stage for paintings, baubles, home decor and furnishings bursting with intimate stories of times gone by. "I've always felt like old things have a soul," said Niblo, 45,...

A relative of Syrian PresidentBashar al-Assad, who has been an outspoken critic of the regime's brutal crackdown on protesters, is scheduled to speak this weekend in Irvine. Majd Jadaan, the sister-in-law of al-Assad's brother, Maher al-Assad, left the country before the uprising began March 15, said Rashad Al-Dabbagh, communication director of the Syrian American Council (SAC). Jadaan will address participants during a fundraising event to support the victims of al-Assad's attacks.

IRVINE - It has become almost a tradition for the Newport Harbor High girls' water polo team every year. Finish the Irvine Southern California Championships tournament, then sprint off the pool deck to prepare for the winter formal dance that night. Few times have the Sailors been as happy making that exit as they were Saturday. It was easy to understand why their smiles were so big as they prepared to head over to Knott's Berry Farm. Montezuma wasn't the only one who got revenge on this day. Newport Harbor used a strong defensive effort to top rival Corona del Mar, 6-5, in the championship match at Woollett Aquatics Center.

IRVINE - Stanford University is known for its unofficial tree mascot. But it was host UC Irvine that went "tim-ber," after an opening-set collapse in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation men's volleyball match Friday at Bren Events Center. The No. 2-ranked Anteaters, who had won five straight matches coming in, took control early, seizing Game 1 leads of 13-9, 17-12 and 22-16. But the No. 4-ranked Cardinal, which also came in on a five-match win streak, survived eight set points for a 32-30 triumph.

Can't some of your readers get enough of bashing and trashing Muslim Americans? You have a seemingly innocuous columnist writing about her experience as a Muslim (Mona Shadia) and getting a full onslaught of hate mail from narrow-minded bigots, of which Newport Beach has its fair share, and it just keeps coming. Not all observant Muslims are radical subversives trying to bring down America. Many, including two members of the U.S. House of Representatives, are just as American as the rest of us. Islam has been with us in America since the first Africans were shipped here — under deplorable conditions, I might add — and then enslaved by God-fearing Christians.

What a difference a year makes. That's what the Costa Mesa Aquatics Club must've been thinking with regard to its 10-and-under water polo team. The CMAC squad had its dream come true this past weekend. The team, coached by twin brothers Cody and Dustin Serrano, won its first big tournament title for CMAC, the club that was created just a little more than a year ago. Last year, the CMAC 10U team finished dead last in the Winterfest tournament, losing all of its games.

Amy R. Spurgeon COSTA MESA -- Costa Mesa Police Chief Dave Snowden participated in a different type of civic duty this weekend as emcee of the Miss Costa Mesa 2000 pageant. Summer Lee Kerr, a 19-year-old OCC student and member of the Los Angeles Clippers Spirit dance team, was crowned this year's Miss Costa Mesa at the 55th annual Costa Mesa-Newport Harbor Lions Club Fish Fry at OCC this past weekend. Kerr, of Fountain Valley, received a $500 scholarship in addition to the crown, a trophy and a sash.

President Obama was greeted with cheers of "Four more years!" as he entered Jeff and Nancy Stack's beige-colored stone home situated on a small hill overlooking the ocean. Many of the 170 supporters, seated at tables under a white tent in the backyard took photos as the president arrived about 10 a.m. Thursday. "We're proving that Orange County is Obama country," Janet Keller said as she introduced Obama, comparing his visit to Corona del Mar to a trip President Franklin Roosevelt took through the town 74 years ago after another well-known fiscal crisis.

Re. "Newport Beach council may OK heavily increased fines," Feb. 14: I find it interesting that the Newport Beach City Council may finally impose stiff fines to reel in the noisy bars and restaurants in some areas of the city, even though the number of residents affected by this problem is relatively small. Wouldn't it be great if the council would finally step up to the plate to do something meaningful about a noise problem that affects thousands of Newport Beach residents every day?

Dolores Otting, a former Newport Beach City Council candidate and outspoken government critic, has died. She was 59. Otting succumbed to a long-term illness at Hoag Hospital on Feb. 1, her husband, Tony Otting, said. He declined to publicly disclose the exact cause of death. A persistent advocate for open government and prudent city spending, Otting spoke at council meetings over the past 20 years. She ran for the council four times, and once nearly won the District 7 seat representing Spyglass Hill, Harbor Ridge and parts of Newport Coast.

Angel Stadium on Thursday will host a job fair featuring more than 10,000 local position openings, according to a press release. The event at the Big "A" in Anaheim, hosted by Best Jobs magazine and the National Employment Council, is slated to be the largest job fair organized in Southern California, according to the release. Attendees will have an opportunity to meet with prospective employers, apply for openings and attend job search workshops. To attend one of the two sessions, running from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 5:00 p.m., attendees must register at http://www.

Tucked away on a Westside Costa Mesa side street lined with warehouses, a small art scene is taking root. Artist Geoffrey Doolittle has carved an art gallery, dubbed Eyetorrent Artspace, out of a vacant jujitsu dojo off of Superior Avenue. The walls of the bathroom are lined with AstroTurf, and one hallway is covered in chicken wire. Next door, artist Neight Adamson just began publishing Find art magazine, which promotes the work of emerging local artists ranging from classically trained painters and graphic artists for surf wear companies to a homeless oil painter.