NOTABLE QUOTABLES

“I never dreamed it would be this big. It began as an open house for

the neighborhood, as kind of a big neighborhood party when people would

put lights and poinsettias all around.”

-- Luvena Hayton, 80, of Corona del Mar, on the Corona del Mar

Christmas Walk Festival, which she founded in 1978 when she was president

of the Corona del Mar Chamber of Commerce.

“They sent guys to the moon. Now they like to do plumbing.”

-- Kevin Ingersolm, Habitat for Humanity site supervisor, on the group

of retired engineers affectionately named “Geezer Gang” who are helping

to build two homes in Costa Mesa.

“Sometimes it feels like the Twilight Zone because it is so far beyond

comprehension.”

-- Anthony Blake, father of two, on his homeless and jobless status.

Blake and his family moved here in August with a job offer that

disappeared. Blake’s two sons will be among the recipients of toys from

the Someone Cares Soup Kitchen’s Toys for Tots drive.

“A lot of them just don’t want to accept they’re doing something

wrong. They’re like your toddler -- they cry and kick and scream. They

don’t want to go to jail or get arrested. They want to go home.”

-- Stephanie Mattiaccia, of the Costa Mesa Police Department, on the

people who argue with her after being stopped for driving under the

influence. Mattiaccia and her partner Joyce LaPointe are part of the

city’s DUI team.

“Two days before Thanksgiving, I had customers who wanted to come

here, who wanted to buy turkeys and other things, calling me saying, ‘How

do I get in there?’ ”

-- Maggie Allison, co-owner of Balboa Market, on the problems recent

improvement work on Balboa Boulevard have caused for her business. Her

store is at the intersection of Balboa Boulevard and Washington Street,

where a new storm drain and water main are being installed.

“Any construction project is going to cause some problems.”

-- Tod Ridgeway, Newport Beach councilman whose district includes

Balboa Village, on the problems merchants have faced since road and other

improvements began in Balboa. City officials have been meeting with area

merchants to find ways to help the businesses deal with the parking,

access, etc.

“A Polish girl from Chicago the mayor of Costa Mesa.”

-- Linda Dixon, Costa Mesa councilwoman, on being named mayor Monday

night. Dixon is in her first term as a council member.