Federal screeners begin work at John...

Federal screeners begin work at John Wayne

U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta today will formally

introduce the federally appointed baggage screeners who will

immediately begin manning security checkpoints at John Wayne Airport.

This brings the total number of airports with these screeners to

161.

The federal screeners are employed by the Transportation Security

Administration, which is in the process of transitioning federal

security operations in the nation’s commercial airports as required

by the Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001.

John Wayne Airport Director Alan Murphy and Federal Security

Director Skip Williams will also attend.

Costa Mesa receives efficiency award

Costa Mesa was awarded the Excellence in Procurement Award for the

second consecutive year, a measure of the city’s dedication to

getting the most for the taxpayers’ money.

The national award recognizes organizational and operational

excellence by government and nonprofit agencies. Finance director

Marc Puckett, Purchasing Supervisor Cyndy West, Buyer Debbie Dobrott,

Storekeeper Rick Rolsheim and Accounting Specialist Amanda Koh are

responsible for bringing the prize to the city by using the city’s

money in the most efficient way possible.

The California Assn. of Public Purchasing Officers, the National

Assn. of Purchasing Management and the National Purchasing Institute

sponsor the procurement award program.

Costa Mesa competed against 33 cities in the United States and

Canada; including two from Orange County.

Cisco talent joins Samueli School

A former technical leader of the Wireless Access Business Unit of

Cisco Systems Inc., Ender Ayanoglu, just joined the team at the Henry

Samueli School of Engineering at UCI. Ayanoglu will serve as a

professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering as

well as the interim director of one of the university’s well-funded

research centers .

Ayanoglu is another of the big name engineers to have joined the

Samueli School. He holds a doctorate in electrical engineering from

Stanford University and holds more than a dozen patents on the new

technology, enabling Internet access without any need for cable or

DSL lines.

Conexant was one of the major contributors to UCI’s Center for

Pervasive Communications. Dwight Decker, chief executive of Conexant,

predicts that with the addition of Ayanoglu the center “will create a

large pool of students well trained in communications and networking

technologies, as well as become recognized as a breeding ground for

breakthrough technological advancements.

Pink House owner wins Mayor’s Award

It was more than your average home remodel.

It required 45 dumpsters to haul out tons of trash left by the

previous owner, hundreds of thousands of dollars in authentic

accessories and an eye for detail that few possess.

The extensive renovation of the craftsman style home on Orange

Avenue, formally known as the Old Pink House, has garnered Costa Mesa

resident Chad Ware the Mayor’s Award.

The only things that remain of the once-dilapidated parcel on the

corner of Orange Avenue and Camellia Lane are the frame, cherrywood

panels, chimney and an 80-year-old pepper tree in the backyard.

Everything else, from the walls to bathroom fixtures, was renovated

by local businessman Ware, who took a thorn in the city’s side and

cultivated a budding landmark.

Mayor Linda Dixon said she selected Ware for the Mayor’s Award

based on his vision, efforts and resources to transform the

once-blighted Costa Mesa home into a beautiful residence. The

restoration not only resulted in a major improvement to the property,

but also to the surrounding neighborhood. He kept the traditional

design of the home intact while bringing it up to code and allowing

Costa Mesa residents to keep a piece of the city’s history, she said.

Ware will be honored for his outstanding service to the community

at 6:30 p.m. Monday during the Costa Mesa City Council meeting at

City Hall, 77 Fair Drive.