Weeks in Review

Corona del Mar juniors and seniors received a graphic look at the

deadly results of drunk driving on Thursday, when an emergency personnel

team responded to a mock DUI traffic collision. Three of the four

students involved in the crash “died.” The program, called “Every 15

Minutes,” was organized by senior Rachel Colgate to help deter her peers

from drinking and driving at this weekend’s prom.

Middle College High School graduated 41 seniors on Thursday. The

ceremony was dedicated to Principal Joe Fox, who will retire at the end

of the month.

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

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

Newport Beach leaves leash laws untouched

Dog lovers this week cheered a Newport Beach City Council decision to

leave beach leash laws as they are instead of adding restrictions

suggested by staffers. Changes to the ordinance would have added ocean

waters to the list of places where dogs must be on a leash at all times

with the owner holding on.

Santa Ana Heights and Bay Knolls annexation moved forward when the

city adopted a resolution regarding some details. They also added the

nine-parcel Emerson/Tustin tract to the areas the city plans to annex.

A duck roundup could be in the works. A city staff member said

officials are talking with an agency that might collect ducks on the

Grand Canal to relocate them someplace where their droppings won’t create

health and aesthetic problems.

A plan that would have roughly doubled rents for residents of the

Marinapark mobile home park was replaced with a rent increase schedule

residents say is more fair. The city renewed their lease for one year

with two one-year renewal options.

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

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

Lions Club Fish Fry falls by wayside again

The aroma of fried Icelandic cod did not waft through the Costa Mesa

air this weekend, as the city mourned the loss of the traditional Fish

Fry for the second year in a row.

The Costa Mesa Newport Harbor Lions Club announced last week it would

not hold its customary event because of a previous lawsuit, filed by an

Irvine woman who said she sprained her ankle at Orange Coast College

after attending a computer show and the Fish Fry in 2000.

Mike Scheafer, president of the local chapter, expressed his grief

that the annual tradition was again shelved because of the pending

lawsuit. He said club members wanted to wait until the case was settled

before they planned another Fish Fry.

The civil lawsuit was recently settled out of court, and the insurance

carrier for Lions Club International paid Arlene Wolff half of her

$30,000 settlement. The remainder was paid by the computer show’s

insurance provider, lawyers said.

Scheafer said plans are in the works to bring the event back.

“This lawsuit almost killed the Fish Fry,” he said. “But that won’t

happen as long as I have anything to say about it.”

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

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

Police link suicide to 2 area murders

Costa Mesa police last week found a link between a man found dead in a

motel room May 26 and a Newport Beach woman who killed herself May 24

after posting bond on a murder charge.

Newport Beach police had arrested Karen Mandilk, 41, on suspicion of

killing 42-year-old Paul Strazicich of Anaheim on May 16 after she called

911 dispatchers and reported that she had shot a “house guest” when he

tried to attack her with a knife.

Mandilk was held in Orange County Jail until she was released May 18,

after posting a $250,000 bail. On May 24, Mandilk reportedly went to a

public shooting range in Huntington Beach, rented a gun and shot herself

to death.

On May 26, Costa Mesa police found 42-year-old Neal Daniel Sheldon

lying dead in a room at Countryside Inn & Suites in Costa Mesa. Police

said on Tuesday that they discovered Sheldon and Mandilk had been living

together.

Officials said they are trying to figure out if Mandilk was involved

in Sheldon’s death. Sheldon is believed to have died May 23 or May 24.

The coroner is performing more tests to pin down an exact time of death,

officials said.

In other news, a jury will continue deliberation Monday in the trial

of Ramadan Dokovic, the man accused of publicly shooting and killing a

49-year-old Newport Beach man a year ago.

The trial began May 21. The prosecution alleges 42-year-old Dokovic, a

Downey resident, killed Miroslav Maric because he was disappointed he did

not get a few stolen Rolex watches he was looking for. The defense argued

that the two men were struggling over the gun and that Dokovic shot Maric

in self-defense.

The attorneys for both sides made their closing arguments Thursday.

* 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 .