Laws

A Costa Mesa employee was awarded for her years of service in law enforcement and named the 2012 Property Officer of the Year, the city announced Friday. Barbara Carpenter, who works as a property and evidence supervisor for the police department, received the award from the Orange County chapter of the California Assn. for Property & Evidence. Carpenter was awarded for her 26 years in law enforcement, her support of C.A.P.E. and "the superior job she does for the Costa Mesa Police Department," the city said.

A state appellate court has denied the Banning Ranch Conservancy's appeal for the city of Newport Beach to cancel its environmental approval of Sunset Ridge Park, court documents show. The conservancy alleged that the proposed West Newport park's environmental impact report was wrong not to include the adjacent Banning Ranch, a proposed mixed-use development that includes residential and commercial space. Banning Ranch and Sunset Ridge Park are interrelated, the conservancy contended, and should not have been subject to a "piecemeal" environmental review.

A group opposed to Newport Beach's proposed residential pier rent increases took a new tack in protesting the fee hikes Friday, alleging that a committee of council members has been meeting to discuss the rents in violation of California's open meetings law. In a letter sent on behalf of the Newport Beach Dock Owners Assn. Friday, attorney and state Republican Party Vice Chairman Steve Baric argues that an ad hoc committee of council members formed in July of 2010 continued to meet after its mandate had expired, thus making it a standing committee subject to rules found in the Ralph M. Brown Act. That committee, which initially consisted of Councilman Mike Henn (who was mayor at the time)

UC Irvine School of Law's first graduating class is already competing with elite law schools, judging by one state standard. In the 2012 class, 46 of 51 students - 90% - passed the California bar exam on their first try in July, the university announced. That percentage is significantly higher than average. "I was thrilled, but of course, that's been our goal from the very beginning," said founding UCI Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky. He went into the program intent on building a top-20 law school.

New curriculum at Whittier Law School in Costa Mesa is beginning to pay off with significantly more students passing California's bar exam, school officials announced Thursday. In July 2012, 99 out of 141 first-time test takers from Whittier passed. That 70% is compared to 56% in 2011 and 54% in 2010. This year represented the highest passage rate since 2008. According to the State Bar of California, the average pass rate for first-time test takers who graduated from American Bar Assn.-approved schools like Whittier was 77%. The overall pass rate was 55%. Whittier improved by analyzing where its students needed help on the test, said Tina Schindler, director of bar preparation at Whittier.

The years of hard work, long hours and relentless dedication came together this week for Newport Beach senior Olivia Laws. The 17-year-old signed her college letter of intent to attend and play tennis at Queens University of Charlotte in North Carolina Wednesday at her school, Capistrano Connections Academy in Aliso Viejo. Olivia received a $13,000 athletic scholarship - half of her tuition costs - to play tennis for the university. "It was just such a happy day for me," she said.

Voting in the Newport-Mesa area Tuesday? Here's some information you might need: Newport Beach residents will vote on Measure EE, which would make 38 amendments to the city's charter, ranging from a ban on class-action lawsuits to correcting typos. They can also vote for City Council members in districts 2, 5 and 7. Although the city is divided into districts, Newport has an at-large voting system, wherein any resident can vote for any candidate - regardless of whether or not they live in the candidate's district.

Discussion of a proposed ban on the sale of tobacco and smoking products at the Orange County Fairgrounds took a philosophical turn Thursday at the Fair Board's monthly meeting, where the idea was voted down. Speakers and, later, board members questioned the logic behind banning cigars and hookahs at a place where visitors can drink beer and eat deep-fried Twinkies. "Why not ban sales of beef jerky?" asked Theresa Sears, a member of the Orange County Fairgrounds Preservation Society.

Re. " State report: Newport rates high in bike accidents," (Sept. 22): As a motorist, I would like to make a few comments. Since one of the cyclists killed last week was my beloved doctor of 30 years, this is a subject near to my heart, but in no way is meant to imply that she was anything but an innocent victim. However, cyclists in general need to take some of the responsibility for the increased amount of accidents. The very long article on this subject had but one very brief mention of cyclists having some training before getting a license.

Several local high school students gathered last week to share their summer experience gaining first-hand knowledge of the political system. American Legion Newport Harbor Post 291, and its ladies auxiliary unit, hosted a Boys and Girls State Dinner Friday to recognize the students and hear about their experiences spending a week in summer creating and running their own city, county and state governments. "It was really fun and interesting hearing other's stories and perspectives and what they got out of it," said Estancia High School senior Hayden Swift, 17. "It sounded like everyone got a lot out of it. " Post and Auxiliary Unit 291 sponsored 25 boys and nine girls from Sage Hill, Newport-Mesa Unified, Irvine Unified and other school districts to attend the American Legion's Boys State and Girls State programs at Cal State Sacramento for the boys and Claremont McKenna College for the girls.