EDUCATION UCI names new school after Irvine...

EDUCATION

UCI names new school

after Irvine Co. Chairman

UC Irvine announced this week that its nationally-ranked School of

Information and Computer Science will be named for Irvine Co.

Chairman Donald Bren.

Bren made a $20-million donation in December, which matched the

largest-ever donation, given by Broadcom Corp. co-founder Henri

Samueli and his wife, Susan. The university will break ground next

week on a building that will house the Donald Bren School of

Information and Computer Sciences.

* An Orange County Grand Jury report found that Newport-Mesa

Unified School District’s truancy levels are improving, but officials

need to better explain the absentee policy to parents.

The report examined truancy problems in the county and how each

district deals with them, offering recommendations. Newport-Mesa

officials said they plan to better explain the district’s truancy

policy on its website, as suggested by the report.

* Orange Coast Middle College High School held its sixth

graduation this week.

Thirty students donned caps and gowns and listened to the address

given by Coast Community College District’s chancellor, William Vega,

who is retiring June 30. The school offers a regular high school

curriculum and requires students to take college courses at Orange

Coast College.

* Frank Albers, who transformed the Santa Ana Army Air Base into

Orange Coast College in breakneck speed died Sunday. Albers, a

61-year Costa Mesa resident, was 84.

NEWPORT BEACH

Ready for a new route to Newport Coast Elementary

The city of Newport Beach and the school district are planning to

build a road to increase access and alleviate traffic problems at

Newport Coast Elementary School.

Some parents and city officials say it will ease traffic problems

on Ridge Park Road and Newport Coast Drive and lessen the dangers for

children who are now dropped off across the street. Others fear it

will exacerbate the problem and create excessive traffic and noise

for the community behind the school.

* City officials are one step closer to wooing a long-sought-after

Lexus dealership to the city and will consider on Tuesday a proposal

to split sales-tax revenue with the car dealer.

The City Council will review a plan on Tuesday to share 50% of the

sales-tax revenue generated from a Lexus dealership that David Wilson

plans to build on eight acres off Jamboree Road, providing he gets

the proper permits.

Wilson finally found a spot that would work for his high-end

dealership but will have to front the $55 million to make it happen.

He hopes the sales-tax split with the city will pay off for him,

helping to offset the costs of purchasing the property, razing the

buildings and developing the dealership.

Mayor Tod Ridgeway said his preliminary review of the proposal

showed it was a great way to acquire a revenue generating business

for the city, while helping Wilson make it successful. Ridgeway, who

has long wanted to attract more car dealerships to the city, said he

hopes the proposal gains support from the council.

BUSINESS

Local women win

national business honors

Local businesswomen Adriana Spitzer, who owns the Corona del Mar

clothing store Bellissima, and Lucy Santana, executive director of

Costa Mesa’s Girls Inc., were honored Thursday by the National

Hispanic Business Women Assn. As Business Women of the Year at the

group’s fourth annual awards and scholarship luncheon in Garden

Grove.

Spitzer was named a business woman of the year for contributing to

the community by donating clothes to Women Helping Women and Human

Options, both Costa Mesa groups that assists abused women and their

families. For nearly seven years, Santana has run Girls Inc., a

nonprofit organization that serves 25 Orange County schools with

programs on subjects such as financial literacy and health and

sexuality.

COSTA MESA

Making preparations for November election

Mike Scheafer will be running for City Council in November to hold

on to the seat he was appointed to last year. Westside activist Mike

Berry has decided he will not run because one of the companies he and

his wife own has clients that they don’t want to disclose for

confidentiality purposes.

And Councilman Allan Mansoor said he will not support Councilman

Chris Steel, if Steel decides to run for reelection because he

doesn’t believe he has the necessary leadership skills to be on the

council.

* Mayor Gary Monahan is imploring the speaker of the state

Assembly to oppose a bill that would limit local control over second

units in residential areas. Monahan sees the bill as more unwanted

interference from the state.