“Draconian cuts are needed. I’m all for...

“Draconian cuts are needed. I’m all for the poor people and the

downtrodden and all that kind of stuff, but we just have to make

draconian cuts.”

-- Newport Beach Mayor Tod Ridgeway on Gov. Arnold

Schwarzenegger’s plans to make deep cuts in the state budget.

“But I love the rain. My teacher at school used to let us go out

in the rain and play.”

-- Environmental Nature Center camper Yun Seo about sitting inside

making jewelry, when there were puddles to jump in.

“Normally, it starts at noon, but here, it’s at 10 a.m. But they still have beer.”

-- Green Bay Packers fan Brian Jojade on watching his hometown

team in California.

“A simple apology is just not enough after your whole emotional

life has been stolen from you. Jail would be nice, but it’s not

possible. All these people have left is a civil remedy.”

-- Attorney John Manly, who is representing 80 victims of alleged

abuse in the Catholic Church, eight of who are from Newport-Mesa.

“It was apropos of my Dad -- totally in control, totally making it

happen as he wanted it. He did it, he held on.”

-- Carol Wilt on her father Bob Wilson’s Christmas dream to spend

the day with four generations of his family, before passing away.

“We need an explanation. We need to make sure this garbage doesn’t

happen again. We need to make sure our senior management is protected

from whatever the feeling of the moment is by the council. It’s flat

out wrong, and it’s not in Costa Mesa’s best interest.”

-- Costa Mesa resident Doug Sutton on the city’s second settlement

with former City Atty. Jerry Scheer.