Briefly in the news

-- Paul Clinton

Orange County Registrar of Voters Rosalyn Lever has validated 71,206

signatures submitted by supporters of an initiative to build a park at

the closed El Toro Marine base.

Lever said the names, fewer than half of the 162,886 submitted, enable

supporters of the central park to put the initiative on the county’s

March 5 ballot.

The measure seeks to change zoning at the closed El Toro Marine Corps

Air Station so a Great Park could be built instead of an airport.

Before the measure can face a vote, it must clear a state appellate

judge’s ruling on whether the initiative’s title and summary are

misleading. That ruling is expected Nov. 16.