Ring around the maypole

-- Mathis Winkler

Weaving colorful ribbons around a 17-foot maypole, about 60 friends

and family members celebrated Jan Webb’s 60th birthday Tuesday night.

Webb’s husband, Don, Newport Beach’s public works director, first

surprised his wife with the ritual on her 40th birthday and repeated the

spectacle a decade later. And while Jan was crowned May queen as in

previous years, Newport Beach Councilman Tod Ridgeway, whose birthday is

today, settled for a May prince title.

In Bohemia -- now the Czech Republic -- where Jan’s ancestors come

from, the poles remain standing throughout the year. Don Webb said he’ll

take his down today, adding that he didn’t need a city permit to put up

the pole.

“It’s not in a public right of way,” he said and laughed. “So it

doesn’t require an encroachment permit.”