COSTA MESA Mansoor and Monahan win...

COSTA MESA

Mansoor and Monahan

win City Council seats

The city’s “improvers” proved their staying power this week as

they elected their second City Council candidate in two election

years.

Political newcomer Allan Mansoor knocked out incumbent Mayor Linda

Dixon in a race that shattered previous fund-raising efforts and

people’s expectations.

Mansoor, who raised only a fraction of the money his four

competitors did, will join incumbent Councilman Gary Monahan on the

dais for the next four years. The councilman-elect campaigned to “get

back to basics” in City Hall and encourages better street

improvements, lower crime and quiet neighborhoods.

His win marks a shift in the City Council, as it moves from what

was considered a liberal majority to a conservative one. Some issues

of concern could be the Job Center, vending trucks and city-aided

charities.

* LOLITA HARPER covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

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

NEWPORT BEACH

One Greenlight candidate victorious in council election

Greenlight’s ambitions yielded to a pro-status quo sentiment among

voters, who sent only one of four Greenlight City Council candidates

into office. Dick Nichols -- Greenlight’s successful candidate -- Don

Webb and incumbents Tod Ridgeway and Gary Adams were voted to the

council.

Last-minute tricks just before the election drew anger and

allegations from all sides. In addition to a fraudulent voice mail

message that claimed that Ron Winship was a Greenlight candidate,

many council contenders complained of stolen signs and other fouls.

Hoag Hospital has collected $50 million in donations to help build

its $180 million women’s pavilion. The new facility is expected to

open in autumn 2005.

Increasing airplane noise over Newport Coast could be coming from

Long Beach-bound flights, experts say. Private planes might be adding

to the problem.

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport.

She may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

june.casagrande@latimes.com.

EDUCATION

Westside activist

wins school board seat

A Westside community activist was the only challenger to knock off

a school board incumbent Tuesday. Tom Egan, who touted his

problem-solving skills from his business experience as an engineer,

beat Wendy Leece. Board President Judy Franco and Serene Stokes

easily won reelection in their zones. During his campaign, Egan

pledged to include all stakeholders in any major school board

decisions.

The school district as a whole also won Tuesday with the passage

of Proposition 47, which will enable it to procure about $61 million

in matching funds for its facilities improvement program.

The Coast Community College District also scored big with the

victory of its $370-million bond, which will allow it to start a

20-year facilities improvement program at its three colleges.

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers education. She may be reached at (949)

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

POLITICS

Republicans dominate

in Newport-Mesa

Local Republicans rolled up landslide victories in their bids to

return to state and federal offices.

Reps. Chris Cox and Dana Rohrabacher seemed to punctuate a

Republican tide sweeping the mid-term elections Tuesday, when they

spanked their Democratic opponents.

Cox beat UC Irvine graduate professor John Graham by nearly 40

points, securing 68% of the vote.

Rohrabacher defeated the latest Democratic challenger, Long Beach

nurse and attorney Gerrie Schipske, by 27 points. He pinned down 64%

of the vote.

State Assembly members from Newport-Mesa also sailed to easy

victories.

John Campbell, who represents most of Newport Beach, won 66% of

the ballots, while Democrat John Kane held only 31%. Ken Maddox

stepped in to represent Costa Mesa for the first time -- since the

districts were redrawn -- by securing 65% to Democrat Al Snook’s 30%.

No Libertarian candidate secured more than 5%. Costa Mesa resident

Doug Scribner led his party’s charge, coming in just under that

benchmark.

* PAUL CLINTON covers the environment and politics. He may be

reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at paul.clinton@latimes.com.