Debate and drinks

S.J. Cahn

All you Republicans might want to avoid the Karl Strauss Brewery in

Metro Pointe on Oct. 26.

Dean folks promise to be there.

The Orange County for Dean group, which supports the presidential

aspirations of former Democratic Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, is holding

a debate party at the pub from 5 until 7:30 p.m.

Dean, as political followers well know, is among the leading

Democratic contenders. He has raised about $15 million in recent

months.

More information is available at https://www.ocfordean.org.

A saving grace that may make the debate go down as easily as a

pint for Republicans: It’s being broadcast live on FOX News.

Back Bay gets federal help

The House of Representatives approved a plan to design a natural

treatment system within the San Diego Creek watershed that drains to

the Back Bay, Rep. Chris Cox announced Wednesday.

“I am pleased that my colleagues in the House recognized the

tremendous positive impact the natural treatment system will have on

Orange County’s water quality,” Cox said in a statement. “This

federal investment in our local clean water will remove unwanted

sediment and nutrients that could pollute and clog up the Upper

Newport Bay.”

The total cost of designing the system, which will consist of

man-made wetlands that clean the surface runoff, will be $41 million.

The legislation provides for 25% of it from the federal government.

Annual costs will be covered by local groups, including the Irvine

Ranch Water District, the county and cities including Newport Beach.

Environmental groups Orange County Coastkeepers and the Newport

Bay Naturalists and Friends backed the plan.

“Protecting the Back Bay wildlife and recreation is vital to our

quality of life in Newport Beach,” Newport Beach Councilman Tod

Ridgeway said.

Cox seeks to aid emergency workers

Cox also is keeping busy with his duties as Homeland Security

Committee chairman.

Cox announced last week the introduction of a bill titled “The

Faster and Smarter Funding For First Responders Act.” The bill would

reduce the steps “first responders,” those men and women on the front

lines of emergency response, have to go through to get grants.

“This legislation is the result of listening to first responders

across the country expressing their homeland security needs,” Cox

said. “We must meet homeland security objectives, therefore we must

ensure first responders receive funding quickly, and we must

incorporate threat analysis into the equation,”

The grants would be administered by the Department of Homeland

Security’s Office of State and Local Coordination.

The Select Committee on Homeland Security is scheduled to mark up

the bill by the end of the month. The grants could be used for the

purchase or upgrading of equipment, exercises to strengthen emergency

response, and training in the use of equipment.

We really missed it

If you kept your eyes closed long enough, you might have missed

the transformation.

But one day, the building on the corner of Bay Street and Newport

Boulevard was all about Arnold.

The next, all about John?

Yes, indeed, the brief Orange County headquarters for Arnold

Schwarzenegger’s county campaign is now the home of Assemblyman John

Campbell’s race for the state Senate.

A relatively quiet kick-off happened Tuesday night, with a few

fellow candidates making appearances. Expect the office to get more

and more crazy as we approach March, though.