Swimming with the sharks

Paul Clinton

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher made a splash in Long Beach last week, as

the congressman introduced himself to the city by taking a dive in

the shark tank at the Aquarium of the Pacific.

Rohrabacher, during the Friday morning event, donned his scuba

gear and submerged himself in the aquarium’s 350,000-gallon tank

featuring a South Pacific exhibit, which includes black tip reef

sharks and more than 2,000 other animals.

Brushing up against the sharks had a note of familiarity for the

six-term congressman, who represents Costa Mesa.

“I felt right at home working in Washington D.C.,” Rohrabacher

said. “The only difference is that the sharks in Washington are

always hungry.”

After congressional districts were realigned in 2001, the Long

Beach shoreline that includes the aquarium was added to what will

become the new 46th District. Rohrabacher now represents the 45th

District.

Prior to the dive, Rohrabacher hooked a microphone to his wetsuit,

so he could answer live questions from aquarium managers.

Rohrabacher, who also represents Huntington Beach, is an avid

surfer and scuba diver. He said he likes to dive off the Surf City

shoreline near the oil rigs.

A new headquarters in Newport

With no shortage of campaign fervor, the Newport Harbor Republican

Women are setting up a campaign headquarters in Newport Beach.

The group will take over a 4,000 square foot space once occupied

by the Travel Connection, a travel agency that has gone out of

business.

Campaign headquarters for Republicans, in the Newport-Mesa area,

will be at 901 Dover Drive, #100.

A grand opening ceremony has been set for Tuesday. Cindy Simon,

the wife of gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon, has said she will pop

in at the headquarters around 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Volunteers hope to assist Republican candidates with any of the

heavy-lifting labor needed to win elected office, said Jo Miller, the

headquarters co-chairwoman. Miller, a Costa Mesa resident, and Sue

Sprenger, who lives in Newport Beach, will run the show.

“We do folding and stuffing and anything we can to help any

Republican candidate,” Miller said.

The travel agency has even loaned the campaign its office

furniture. The office has “tons of outlets” for phone banks, Miller

said.

Campbell’s budget fight comes to an end

Assemblyman John Campbell’s 63-day dogfight with Democrats over

the state budget ended Tuesday, when the Legislature and Gov. Gray

Davis ended a more than two-month stalemate.

As part of the agreement, Davis agreed to slash more than the $750

million from a $99-billion budget that once included a string of tax

hikes.

But after Campbell, the vice-chairman of the budget committee, and

other Assembly Republicans drew a line in the sand, Davis agreed to

cut another $300 million, in a blue-pencil veto.

“I’m pleased with what we achieved,” Campbell said. “We got the

major tax increases all eliminated.”

Davis had proposed increases to smokers, drivers, satellite

television owners and small business owners, among others.

No local programs will be impacted by the spending cuts, including

the $9.2 million for the restoration of the cottages in Crystal Cove

State Park.

Attorneys announce endorsements

Orange County’s top attorneys trade group has released its ratings

for candidates in the three remaining races for superior court

judgeships.

The Orange County Bar Assn., on Wednesday, handed Costa Mesa trial

attorney Gay Sandoval a “qualified” rating. Sandoval’s opponent, Dana

Point attorney John Adams, declined to participate in the rating

process. The two are running for Office No. 21.

The group also reiterated its ratings for candidates in the other

two races.

On Feb. 25, the group handed Deputy Dist. Atty. Kelly MacEachern a

“qualified” rating. Her opponent, Vickie Bridgman, also a deputy

district attorney, was rated as “not recommended.”

Both woman live in Newport Beach and are running for Office No.

22.

In the race for Office No. 27, the association gave Newport Beach

trial attorney Glenda Sanders a “highly qualified” rating in her race

against David Brent, who was deemed to be “qualified.”

Brent, who lives in Irvine, is also a deputy district attorney.