COSTA MESA Mesa Consolidated Water will raise...

COSTA MESA

Mesa Consolidated Water will raise its rates by 6%

Water gets more expensive Tuesday after the Mesa Consolidated

Water District approved a 6% rate increase. The rate hike is due to

increased water costs.

In other news:

* The American Youth Soccer Organization has filed a lawsuit

against a youth soccer leader who allegedly misappropriated more than

$100,000 by spending it on his company, his landlord and tickets to a

professional soccer team. On June 20, AYSO filed the lawsuit with the

Superior Court of Orange County against Anthony Anish, the former

Regional Commissioner of AYSO Region 97, which is made up of Newport

Beach and part of Costa Mesa.

* And Tel Phil Enterprises, which has been running the Orange

County Marketplace for 34 years, may still face competition in the

bidding process for the weekend swap meets at the Orange County

Fairgrounds. On Tuesday, the board will discuss a recommendation from

the state Department of General Services, which suggested the board

consider a bid from American Park N’ Swap even though it was missing

a mandatory document.

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers Costa Mesa and may be reached at (949)

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

BUSINESS

Familiar Newport surf shop goes on the market

Well-frequented West Newport surf shop The Green Room made news as

its owner acknowledged that the property had been put on the market.

The move, by Hawaii residents and owners Jeffrey and Lorraine

Kennard, has caused some friction between the two, since they

disagree about the value of it.

The Kennards, on April 15, put the property on the market with a

list price of $995,000. Steiner views its value as much less.

In other news:

* Gloomy June weather has hurt some beach-rental and boating

businesses in Newport Harbor and along Balboa Peninsula. Bob Black,

who runs daily charter boats to Catalina on the Catalina Flyer, said

his business was off about 10% for the month. He has seen some

pickup, as the clouds have begun to lift.

* PAUL CLINTON covers the environment, business and politics. He

may be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at

paul.clinton@latimes.com.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Corona del Mar Woman attacked in her own garage

A 40-year-old Corona del Mar woman was attacked in broad daylight

Wednesday after she pulled into her garage. The woman fought off her

attacker and prevented what could have been a robbery, police said.

This is the third incident in a string of similar attacks in the

city. On June 10, an 85-year-old woman was pushed to the ground and

robbed in the garage of her Dover Shores home and another 55-year-old

Lido Isle woman was hit on the head and robbed in the driveway.

Officials said what was common to all three incidents was that all

women were wearing expensive jewelry. No arrests have been made in

any of the cases yet.

Police are describing the alleged attacker as a black male, about

30 years old, 5-foot-9, weighing about 160 pounds with black hair,

brown eyes and wearing a black jacket and same color shirt and hat.

In other news:

* A new Supreme Court ruling made Thursday could force the

district attorney to drop a case accusing a former Costa Mesa priest

of molesting a local boy about 25 years ago.

The high court’s 5-4 decision struck down a California law that

allows prosecution of old sex crimes. The ruling means that the

government cannot retroactively erase statute of limitations.

Denis Lyons, the 68-year-old Catholic priest, served as pastor of

St. John the Baptist Church on Baker Street for 18 years. He was arrested by Costa Mesa police on April 25 at his Seal Beach home and

charged with one count of performing a lewd and lascivious act

against a child younger than 16 and four counts of oral copulation --

all felonies.

Police said the investigation began in spring of 2002 when a

38-year-old Costa Mesa man complained that he had been abused by

Lyons between 1979 and 1981 during one-on-one counseling sessions.

* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be

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