Inside scoop

Eron Ben-Yehuda, Ellen McCarty and Andrew Wainer

Jim Silva knows the importance of public safety. The county supervisor

and Huntington Beach resident also seems to have a knack for scaring

people.

At the Huntington Beach mayor’s breakfast Oct. 28, Silva recalled one

night when he went to grab a bite at a Marie Callender’s restaurant after

a long day at his Santa Ana office. After seeing him in the parking lot,

a woman who had walked out of the restaurant jumped into her car and

quickly locked the doors, he said. Silva tapped on her car window.

“Ma’m, I know you’re in a hurry,” he said.

“How do you know that?,” she asked.

“Because your pie is sitting on your roof,” he replied.

Above and beyond normal use

As a $123-million high school repair bond comes to the voters on Nov. 9,

Edison High School Principal Brian Garland graphically illustrated the

need for repairs at Edison in the school’s last newsletter.

“Just think for a moment what would happen if 2,300 people went in and

out of your front door several times every day, walked on your carpet,

used your bathroom and sat on your furniture.”

A sentiment any homeowner could understand.

No song and dance

Former Sen. Paul Simon (D-Ill.) showed up on “Saturday Night Live” a few

years ago with the singer who shares his name to battle out the rights to

host the comedy show.

The next morning, the senator had a serious interview on “This Week with

David Brinkley.” While hosting a discussion at the Orange County Water

District in Fountain Valley on Oct. 27, Simon remembered his dance with

mass media, which caused some not-so-surpising results.

“For weeks, people would come up to me and say, ‘I saw you on Saturday

Night Live!’ Never once did anyone mention seeing me on David Brinkley,”

he said.

Fortunately, he added, no one ever asked him to sing.