Week in Review

POLITICS

City leaders have till May to discuss annexation

Newport Beach and Costa Mesa leaders will have until May 2007 to try to iron out their differences over four unincorporated areas that border the two cities. The Orange County Local Agency Formation Commission, which decides annexation requests, agreed Wednesday to postpone discussion of Newport’s request to annex West Santa Ana Heights.

Three other areas — Banning Ranch, the Santa Ana Country Club and a neighborhood south of Mesa Drive — are tied to the decision on West Santa Ana Heights because the two cities have tried to find a satisfactory way to divvy them all up.

Mayors of both cities requested the postponement because their councils will get new members following Tuesday’s election, and they want another chance to try to work things out before they come to the commission again.

COSTA MESA

Mansoor, Leece win City Council elections

Mayor Allan Mansoor was the top vote getter in Tuesday’s election, with parks commissioner Wendy Leece winning the other of two council seats. Four other candidates went away disappointed — Bruce Garlich, Mike Scheafer, Mirna Burciaga and Chris Bunyan.

Although the Orange County Registrar of Voters will be counting absentee and provisional ballots probably through this week, Garlich said he doesn’t expect to close the gap of close to 900 votes between him and Leece. The mayor’s reelection victory means the city will likely move forward with a controversial immigration enforcement plan.

EDUCATION

School and college boards to see new members

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District board is set to gain three new members next month — the largest turnover in 12 years. Voters chose former Corona del Mar High School PTA President Karen Yelsey over incumbent Serene Stokes. And College Park Elementary School PTA President Michael Collier defeated nurse and therapist Kimberly Clark for an open seat. Walt Davenport, a former Costa Mesa planning commissioner, won another open seat unopposed.

The three new trustees are due to be sworn in at the board’s Dec. 12 meeting.

In the Coast Community College District, incumbent Mary Hornbuckle narrowly defended her seat against challenger David Boyd, the president of William Howard Taft University in Santa Ana. Jim Moreno, a retired budget administrator and former candidate for the Huntington Beach City Council, defeated three challengers for an open seat.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Suspect in murder trial gives gruesome testimony

Friends and family of Newport Beach couple Tom and Jackie Hawks heard a vivid account last week from a defendant who told in detail how he said the Hawkses were killed.

A judge and jury heard more testimony in the trial of Jennifer Henderson-Deleon, one of four people accused of killing the couple. She’s the first to stand trial.

Alonso Machain, who has also been charged with murder of the Hawkses, laid out step-by-step how he, Skylar Deleon and others overtook the couple, throwing them overboard. He explained Wednesday the month of planning before the alleged killing — buying stun guns and handcuffs and watching the couple to assess how much manpower they’d need to kill them. Machain said Skylar Deleon enticed him by telling him he’d make millions of dollars.

The trial resumes Monday.

The credit information, used to loot accounts between Oct. 26 and 30 at ATMs in Nevada, was apparently taken during machine purchases between Oct. 6 and 9 in Costa Mesa. Police have found similarities with those occurring in Costa Mesa to credit information taken in Westminster.

According to police, the men were found inside the car belonging to Evelio Aguilar Gomez, the man suspected to have stabbed Daniel Martinez Rios on Oct. 31, police said.

The suspect is still at large, and the victim’s family fears he may have fled to Mexico. The family is offering a $5,000 reward for information regarding Evelio Gomez’s whereabouts.

NEWPORT BEACH

Balboa Market closes with uncertain future

The Balboa Market, which hasn’t closed for more than a day or two since it opened in 1938, shut its doors Nov. 3 without a clear date when it would reopen, if ever. Bob St John, whose family bought the market 4 1/2 years ago, said last week he’s decided to close up and if possible sell the store because his efforts haven’t pepped up flagging sales.

While he ran the store, St John delivered groceries around the Balboa Peninsula in a distinctive yellow cart and made friends with many residents. He plans to retire but will continue working as a handyman. Leo Gugasian, who owns the Balboa Boulevard property where the market sits, said although he has mentioned turning it into a parking lot someday, he has not decided what he’ll do with the lot.

The change to the general plan is its first major overhaul since 1988. City officials say it cuts the potential future number of daily car trips in the city and reduces the square footage of nonresidential buildings that can be built, and it allows new homes in various parts of the city, namely near John Wayne Airport.

Critics of the plan, many of whom backed Measure X, say it will increase traffic and allow a detrimental amount of development in Newport. Measure X would have let voters continue to have a say in how the city looks in the future, its supporters said.

Michael Henn beat three opponents for the District 1 seat; Mayor Don Webb was reelected unopposed in District 3; District 4 Councilwoman Leslie Daigle won her first attempt at election, and likewise with Councilman Ed Selich in District 5 and Councilman Keith Curry in District 7; and Nancy Gardner beat incumbent Councilman Dick Nichols in District 6.

NOTABLE QUOTABLES

“Shocked the heck out of me!”

— Debra Allen of Newport Beach when she heard the first election returns Tuesday that showed Measure X losing; she opposed the measure but expected it to pass.

“Anything I can do to slow down Nancy Pelosi and the left-wingers from taking over — that’s why I’m here. I have to vote always, even though in California mine are sometimes called the throwaway votes, but I still think it’s important.”

— Bryce Harvey of Costa Mesa who waited in line at St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church on 20th Street to cast his ballot Tuesday.

“I asked him [the mayor] point-blank questions … and he answered them. Politics are dirty these days and candidates coming to my house may change my mind. Talking face-to-face rather than just seeing all the negative information is helpful.”

— Alan Manwarren, an undecided voter in Costa Mesa, who appreciated efforts by City Council candidates Mayor Allan Mansoor and Wendy Leece, who came to his house to distribute fliers.

“Hopefully this election cycle is the last one that develops negative comments about the area that are counterproductive to future progress. You trash an area that you’re supposedly trying to improve, it’s kind of hypocritical.”

— John Hawley, owner of a metalworking business in Costa Mesa, on feeling that his and other Westside businesses were used as a political football in the election.

“Today was the toughest day, and I don’t think it’ll be any tougher. That’s when someone who physically murdered my parents was 20 feet in front of my eyes and was specifically going through every detail of how they were murdered … so I can’t imagine anything being any worse than that.”

— Ryan Hawks, son of Newport Beach couple Tom and Jackie Hawks, after hearing testimony by one of four people charged with murdering his father and step-mother by chaining them to the anchor of their yacht and throwing them overboard into the ocean.