Briefly in the news

-- Paul Clinton

During another free-for-all session about redistricting, the Orange

County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to keep things status quo. As a

result, Newport Coast will stay in Tom Wilson’s 5th District.

After several failed motions and deadlocked votes, the board agreed to

go with the map approved last week on the redrawing of the county’s

district lines.

Tuesday’s move represents the end of the line for community leaders in

Newport Coast who had hoped to join Newport Beach in moving to Jim

Silva’s 2nd District. The districts were redrawn after the 2000 census.

The city is set to annex the unincorporated community of more than

2,600 in January. Leaders in both camps said they wanted to be

represented by the same supervisor.