Apology

Barry Faulkner COSTA MESA - Costa Mesa High football coach Dave Perkins said Friday he regrets and apologizes for his assertion Thursday night that Northwood ran an illegal play to run up the score during Northwood's 31-6 victory at Irvine High. "I got mad and I believe any coach would have been upset," Perkins said. "I don't think it was a planned play and I don't think they were trying to deceive us. I will apologize for that." Perkins said he also told his players Thursday night that his postgame conduct was wrong.

Marisa O'Neil A Newport-Mesa Unified School District trustee is accusing his colleagues of possibly violating board policy and the state's open-meeting law. Trustee Tom Egan read a written statement at the end of Tuesday night's otherwise routine school board meeting. The statement, which referred to an e-mail sent by a fellow trustee, was greeted with a stunned silence in the board chambers. "In the district's five-year strategic plan, we commit ourselves to: 'Hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards of performance and service, which improve and support student learning,'" Egan read during his trustee report.

I read with great interest the Daily Pilot article dated Oct. 31 regarding Noeline Frederiksen's plight with her parking citation for parking at a blue meter and subsequent fine of $36. According to the article, finally, City Manager Homer Bludau took it upon himself to get involved, admitting "She was right and we were wrong," adding that the city would send Frederiksen a letter of apology, rescinding the fine....

CBS Radio and MSNBC fired Don Imus this week after he referred to Rutgers University's women's basketball team as "nappy-headed hos." Initially, the companies agreed to suspend Imus for two weeks after he apologized but calls for his ouster escalated. Have we established a higher standard for forgiveness with public figures and, if so, do you think that's fair? In our culture of apology, everyone must take his turn on the rack of regret and walk the gauntlet of shame. The "sorry" business is a growth industry, a communal syndrome.

Paul Clinton A local congressman is fighting for reparations for World War II veterans who were mistreated and exploited for slave labor in the factories of several Japanese companies. Hearings were held Wednesday on a bill sponsored by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher that would allow the veterans to file claims against the companies that enslaved them. Several of the veterans spoke before a House Judiciary sub-committee urging lawmakers to adopt the measure.

UC Irvine Chancellor Michael Drake’s apology Thursday appeared to placate faculty, who backed off a no-confidence vote. But the educators are still demanding to know why Drake, in just two weeks, hired, fired and then rehired Erwin Chemerinsky as the university’s founding dean of law. “In life, lessons learned most painfully are often those we learn best. I learned a painful lesson this week,” Drake said as he faced more than 200 faculty assembled for an academic senate meeting.

Paul Clinton The House on Wednesday passed a bill introduced by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher that would give World War II veterans who were used in Japanese slave labor camps the ability to sue corporations in that country. The bill, H.R. 2799, passed the lower legislative body 400 to 21. Some American servicemen who survived the Bataan Death March, for example, were shipped to Japan and used as unpaid workers. "We must stand up today and send a message that this kind of behavior is not acceptable," Rohrabacher said Tuesday.

Jessica Garrison COSTA MESA -- Mayor Gary Monahan this week broke with his own Planning Commission and filed an appeal with the City Council on behalf of a school for emotionally disturbed children. Last week, the planning commission voted to allow South Coast Children's Society to open a school for emotionally disturbed children at Harbor Christian Fellowship Church but limited enrollment to a maximum of 25 students, instead of the proposed 50. Commissioners expected school director Richard Sewell to appeal the decision to the City Council -- and pay the $350 fee. Instead, Monahan stepped in and filed the appeal for them, thus waiving the fee. "We're delighted that the mayor believes in our project and our organization, and we're confident that when the council hears the facts, they will support the mayor's decision," Sewell said.