NEWPORT BEACH Ridgeway eyeing a return mayor’s...

NEWPORT BEACH

Ridgeway eyeing a return mayor’s post

Vice Mayor and former Mayor Tod Ridgeway could be in line for his

old job. Ridgeway said he has asked council colleagues to vote for

him when they select a new mayor on Tuesday.

* Mayor Steve Bromberg announced that he will seek a second term

on the City Council. Councilman Steve Rosansky had already said he

intends to run for re-election in November. The only seat that

remains uncertain is John Heffernan’s. The councilman has said he’ll

will decide this summer whether to run for reelection in November.

* 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.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Police believe thief did more than steal

Costa Mesa police are looking for a man who reportedly exposed

himself twice and tried to steal women’s underwear from a home -- all

on the same day.

Detectives believe the same man was involved in all three

incidents, which were reported on Nov. 22 between 3:40 and 7 p.m. At

about 3:40 p.m., the man, said to be between 20 and 30 years of age,

walked into the laundry room of an apartment complex in the 700 block

of Shalimar Drive, nude. He confronted a girl there, police said.

Police said the same man also accosted another girl less than an

hour later, again in a laundry room of an apartment complex in the

700 block of West 18th Street, and exposed himself to her. The third

incident happened at about 7 p.m. in the 1700 block of Newport

Boulevard, when he was seen inside a home stealing women’s underwear

from the bedroom.

* Newport Beach police are looking for the person who fired a

flare gun at a police helicopter on Nov. 28, officials said.

Someone fired a flare at a Huntington Beach police helicopter as

it was responding to a brush fire call near Newport Ridge Drive and

White Cap Lane at about 1:15 a.m., officials said.

The projectile missed the left side of the helicopter by about 100

feet and went above it. No one was hurt. Investigators later detected

that the initial brush fire was caused by a similar flare.

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

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

ENVIRONMENT

Los Trancos named to list of dirtiest creeks

Los Trancos Creek in Newport Beach was named among the dirtiest

waterways in the county in a recent study by coastal monitoring

groups including Orange County CoastKeeper. The report was based on

data collected on May 17 at points along the coast statewide.

Los Trancos Creek and Talbert Channel in Huntington Beach showed

high levels of phosphates and nitrates, which can cause explosive

plant growth and kill fish, CoastKeeper project coordinator Ray

Hiemstra said. Los Trancos also contained high levels of E. coli

bacteria.

Hiemstra said at 31 of the 36 sites studied exceeded at least one

of the standards measured.

* ALICIA ROBINSON covers business, politics and the environment.

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

alicia.robinson@latimes.com.

COSTA MESA

Monahan reappointed

mayor by City Council

Gary Monahan did such a good job as mayor after replacing Karen

Robinson that his colleagues unanimously reappointed him as mayor,

although Councilman Chris Steel expressed reservations about the

choice, touting himself as the only choice for change.

* There will be a new face on the Parks and Recreation Commission,

come Jan. 1 when Mirna Burciaga replaces Kelly Feldman. Feldman is

moving to Laguna Niguel where her fiancee lives. Burciaga was

appointed by Councilwoman Libby Cowan.

* Planning Commissioners will pocket more dough this month, as the

council upgraded their salary from $300 to $400 a month. The

commissioners will get paid by the month now, instead of by the

meeting.

* The council cemented its support of an underground route for the

CenterLine light rail system by approving a second preferred route

that it got the county to consider in October. This route will run

from Bristol Street to Sunflower Avenue to Avenue of the Arts, with a

short underground section on Avenue of the Arts. The county will

choose its preferred route in January.

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

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