Governor

S.J. CAHN Last week, Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce president Richard Luehrs had this to say about California's governor: "I've been going to Sacramento once or twice a year for the last 20 years, and I've never seen it as focused on one individual, specifically the governor. Both sides of the aisle are just in awe of his tenacity, his ability to draw people together and his focus on fixing the California economy." There is little doubt about it: Like him or not, Arnold Schwarzenegger is the most remarkable politician (and I mean politician, not legislator, lawmaker, governor or even actor)

When we're kids, we're taught that in America, anyone can grow up to be president. As we get older, though, we realize that although anyone can be president, these days, it takes someone very special. These days, it takes someone who is willing to accept money for favors, someone who can stretch the truth -- even lie -- and still sleep at night, someone who can't think past the next poll results and someone who will compromise their core beliefs in the pursuit of power.

Alicia Robinson Happy birthday, Mr. Governor. He didn't have time to eat an elephant ear or ride the Ferris wheel, but Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger did get a heaping dose of adoration and birthday greetings from Orange County fairgoers on Friday. The governor stopped by the Orange County Fair to thank voters for urging their legislators to approve his budget, which they finally did this week, a month into the new fiscal year. The sweaty and enthusiastic crowd of several hundred was full of applause, took plenty of pictures and even sang "Happy Birthday" to Schwarzenegger, who turned 57 on Friday.

It came and went almost as fast as the races themselves. But this year's Governor's Cup, the 36th installment of the youth race at the Balboa Yacht Club, was bigger and better than before. Just as planned. This year, race officials decided they wanted to build up the race, make it more of an event, bring it more notoriety and prestige. We'd say they did so famously. And we'd say it was a solid first run, a perfect platform on which to build future races.

Jessica Garrison Today, the people of Newport-Mesa know Earl Craig as the dynamic, caring pastor of Grace Fellowship Church. Forty yeas ago, the people in Craig's hometown of Midland, Texas, knew him as the playmate of George and Barbara Bush's younger son, Jeb, who is now the governor of Florida. "What a great family," Craig remembered. "I used to go home and take naps at their house after first grade." Not, he quickly explained, because his own family was dysfunctional, but because Jeb was his schoolmate, his playmate and his partner in crime when it came to catching frogs in the park and doing whatever it is that 6-year-old boys like to do with frogs.

The Balboa Yacht Club’s 43rd annual Governor’s Cup International Junior Match Racing Championship will feature yachts from New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom and two from the Newport-Mesa area, Tuesday through July 19. Racing will take place in the ocean near the Newport Pier Wednesday through July 19 in the afternoons. This year, 13 yachts will race against each other in a round robin tournament style. Newport Harbor Yacht Club is seeking its third straight Governor’s Cup. For additional information, go to www.govcupracing.

Australia and New Zealand again dominated this year's Governor's Cup invitee list for international teams, as the Selection Committee for the 47th Annual Governor's Cup International Junior Match Race Championship has completed work on selection of the 12 international and U.S. teams. Those teams will compete in this year's regatta which will be held at Balboa Yacht Club July 16¿21 in Newport Beach. The Governor's Cup is the oldest junior match race event in the world and is known as the "Pathway for Champions" with many alumni going on to America's Cup and other worldwide sailing success including, most recently, James Spithill and John Kostecki the helmsman and tactician respectively for Oracle's 2010 America's Cup win. All competitors must be under the age of 21. The Committee chose six international teams as well as U.S. competitor AJ Reiter from the San Diego Yacht Club based on their sailing resumes.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he doesn’t plan to try to raise taxes to cover the projected $14-billion deficit, but that did little to calm some local lawmakers. “My fear is there’s going to be no reform and enormous pressure from the spending lobby up here to raise taxes,” Assemblyman Chuck DeVore said, reacting to the governor’s State of the State address Tuesday. “He said he’s not thinking of raising taxes, and I certainly am not supportive of any tax increase,” state Sen. Tom Harman said.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger still has 18 days to persuade Republicans in the California legislature to sign on to his proposed temporary increase in the sales tax and about $4.5 billion in spending cuts. Tuesday afternoon, Schwarzenegger called the second meeting of the “Big Five” — a bipartisan group of Democratic and Republican legislative leaders from the Assembly and Senate — to continue negotiations. Local Republican Assemblymen Chuck DeVore and Van Tran, and Sen. Tom Harman — like most legislators — are not directly involved in the negotiating, but they get frequent reports from the minority party leaders about new developments.

The Royal Zealand Yacht Squadron defended its title this weekend, winning the 44th annual Governor's Cup race at the Balboa Yacht Club in Newport Beach. The Kiwis bested a field of 13 teams in the annual junior racing regatta. William Tiller, Harry Thurston and Shaun Mason won the final two races for the title on behalf of Royal New Zealand. A round-robin format decided the winners. The New Zealand team was followed by the Newport Harbor Yacht Club, which finished second with a team made up of Chris Segerblom, Connor Bathen and Kieran Chung from Newport Harbor Yacht Club.