NOTABLE QUOTABLES

“All the dogs that tested were good dogs that were trained for police

work. But there was something about this dog. Something special. There

was this spark between us from the get-go.”

-- Det. Paul Dondero of the Costa Mesa Police Department, on his

canine partner Nero II, a Belgian Malinois who is retiring after 10

years.

“It’s all about breaking down the cultural barrier that isolates

science and technology. As long as people think science is something

different, we have a problem.”

-- David Gardiner, a UC Irvine biologist, on participating in Costa

Mesa High School’s Ask-a-Scientist night. Gardiner’sdaughter Sara attends

Costa Mesa High.

“It appears to me that they are intolerant of my different views to

the point that they don’t want me in a leadership position.”

-- Wendy Leece, Newport-Mesa school board member, on why she has not

been elected president once in her seven years on the board. Leece took

her campaign public before the board’s vote on Tuesday. The board

unanimously elected Judy Franco.

“You’ve made this decision into a circus. You are putting your

personal needs ahead of our children’s educational needs.”

-- Cyndie Borcoman, a parent, commenting at the school board meeting

Tuesday on Wendy Leece’s public appeals to become board president.

“It has been an honor to serve as mayor.”

-- Gary Adams, Newport Beach mayor, on stepping down after his

year-long term. The Newport Beach City Council selected Tod Ridgeway for

the position.

“They ruined the reputation of a professor, and now they want to play

nice and think it’s all over. This is only the beginning.”

-- Thor Halvorssen, executive director of the Foundation for

Individual Rights in Education, on Orange Coast College’s handling of

claims against political science professor Kenneth Hearlson. The

professor was exonerated Tuesday after being accused of harassing Muslim

students in September.

“I think a balance of communication, civil liberty and freedom of

speech was achieved.”

-- Ra’id Faraj, a representative of the Southern California chapter

of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, on the Orange Coast

College’s handling of the claims against political science professor

Kenneth Hearlson. Faraj sat in on the meetings when Muslim students were

apprised of the college’s decision to exonerate Hearlson.