Week in review

The Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce honored the top 30 academic

all-stars from the city’s two high schools on Thursday. The students

received kudos from community and business leaders.

Newport-Mesa Unified School District canceled two upcoming community

meetings with residents who live near Newport Harbor High School about a

proposed parking structure that would be jointly operated with St.

Andrew’s Church on the school’s campus. Many of the residents who had

attended three meetings this week said they didn’t have enough

information about the church’s expansion plans. The district stopped any

more discussion of the issue until the church completes its plans and

shares them with residents, said Mike Fine, the district’s assistant

superintendent.Students from Newport Harbor High School bonded in person

with seniors from the Oasis Senior Center whom they had been

corresponding with by e-mail for the past few weeks. They met at a

luncheon Friday at the Newport Beach Central Library.

The school board agreed to add a portable building to Whittier

Elementary School next year to accommodate growth.

It also granted an easement to the Orange County Sanitation District

to build a sewer line on the property of Costa Mesa High School. The line

will eventually be turned over to the Costa Mesa Sanitary District.

* Deirdre Newman covers education. She may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at o7 deirdre.newman@latimes.comf7 .

Altered investigation continues

Autopsy results released by the Orange County coroner on Monday

revealed that the in-line skater who died a week ago after suffering a

head injury on Back Bay Drive was not struck by paint balls.

Officials said they are no longer sure what caused 54-year-old Gary

Holdren to lose his balance when he was skating down Back Bay Drive on

March 24.

Police said they are still looking for the three young men or boys who

were seen wielding paint-ball guns in the area before the incident,

according to witnesses. The autopsy reports also stated that the eye

injury Holdren suffered was caused “internally” -- not by an external

object.

Another witness also told police the paint-ball strike marks found on

Back Bay Drive near the site where Holdren reportedly fell were there

before the incident took place.

Police are still investigating the case and are looking for any

witnesses who may have actually seen the incident take place.

* Deepa Bharath covers public safety and courts. She may be reached at

(949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at o7 deepa.bharath@latimes.comf7 .

Heading to the learning annex

Santa Ana Heights and Bay Knolls residents got a surprise Tuesday when

Newport Beach City Council members said they wanted to rethink annexation

of the two unincorporated areas. The residents and the city have long

seen annexation as a way to protect against airport expansion, but now

both sides are rethinking the matter.

A private dog park could be in the future for Newport Coast residents,

along with a $7-million community center. Members of the Newport Coast

Advisory Committee last week have picked a former landfill as a location

for a dog park that could be owned by homeowners associations and

accessible only to Newport Coast residents.

Mayor Tod Ridgeway dropped a bombshell Tuesday night when he announced

that City Manager Homer Bludau had been instructed to start talks with

the city of Costa Mesa to build a joint-use skateboard park. In another

win for skateboarders, signs in city parks prohibiting the sport were

replaced with signs explaining exactly where skateboards are prohibited.

Four local environmentalists were honored by the City Council by

having a fund for dredging named after them: $3.8 million entrusted to

the city by a local water body is now named the Robinson-Skinner annuity.

* June Casagrande covers Newport Beach. She may be reached at (949)

574-4232 or by e-mail at o7 june.casagrande@latimes.comf7 .

Fish Fry heads to court

The lawsuit that brought an end to the traditional Costa Mesa Fish Fry

will finally get its day in court, officials said last week.

A squabble over who should be held liable for an Irvine’s woman’s

ankle injury in 2000 is at the center of the debate.

Arlene Wolff, 53, sued Orange Coast Community College for her injury

after she tripped over an allegedly “faulty” curb. The 57th annual Fish

Fry, hosted by the local Lions Club, was held on campus that year because

the usual Lions Park location was closed for construction.

Wolff filed a verified claim that she visited both a computer exhibit

and the Fish Fry before tripping over the curb. Coast Community College

officials feel the Lions Club should pay for the $80,000 suit because the

contract allowing the club to use the property clearly stipulates

responsibility of injuries.

Lions Club officials, on the other hand, said there was nothing the

club could have done to prevent a “faulty” curb and therefore will wait

for a court to decide liability.

* Lolita Harper covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at o7 lolita.harper@latimes.comf7 .

Battle priorities shift from El Toro

Supporters of an airport at the closed El Toro Marine Air Station lost

a longtime supporter last week when a frustrated Rep. Dana Rohrabacher

announced he’s through focusing on the battle.

Rohrabacher, who represents Costa Mesa, said last week he’s turned his

attention to the war in Afghanistan.

“I am sick of the issue,” the congressman said.

Airport supporters were nonplused, saying that they understand that

priorities change.

Rohrabacher also blasted the Navy’s announcement, the day after the

March 5 election on Measure W that rezones the base from airport to park

use, that it would sell the base off piece by piece at an auction.

* Daily Pilot staff. To contact the newsroom, call (949) 642-5680 or

by e-mail at o7 dailypilot@latimes.comf7 .