Briefly in the news

-- S.J. CAHN

Secretary of State and Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Jones

landed a handful of endorsements from Orange County officials Thursday.

Supervisor Jim Silva, who represents Newport-Mesa, Assembly members

Pat Bates and Ken Maddox, who represents Costa Mesa and a part of West

Newport, and former state Sen. Marian Bergeson all threw their support

behind Jones.

Jones is among three leading candidates to stage a run against Gov.

Gray Davis. The other two are former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan,

who has all but said he will run, and investment banker Bill Simon.

“As a mother and grandmother, I have watched Gray Davis mortgage the

future of California for my children and grandchildren,” Bergeson said.

“As a former state senator, I cannot stand by when I know we have that

leadership we need.

“We have that leadership right here in Bill Jones.”

The Jones endorsements come during the same week that Riordan upset

many in Newport-Mesa by switching stances on the El Toro airport issue.

While mayor, Riordan supported plans for an international airport at

the closed Marine base. But this week he said he has changed his mind and

is not convinced the airport needs to be built.