PUBLIC SAFETY Woman, 25, dies after jumping...

PUBLIC SAFETY

Woman, 25, dies after jumping from moving limo

An Irvine woman died on the San Diego Freeway (405) in an apparent

suicide when she jumped out the window of a limousine and was struck

by several vehicles Wednesday morning.

Jessica Lynne Rowe, 25, was later identified by her fingerprints,

authorities said.

The Hummer limo was traveling southbound on the 405 between the

Harbor Boulevard and Fairview Road exits shortly after 5 a.m.

Wednesday when Rowe jumped out the window of the moving limo.

Rowe and five friends were returning to Irvine after attending

parties in Orange County and Los Angeles; according to police, the

group had been drinking.

The incident backed up traffic for miles in both directions,

disrupting the morning commute of thousands of people.

In the southbound lanes of the 405, traffic was channeled to one

lane.

* Testimony began Friday in a hearing held in Orange County

Superior Court to decide whether four men and one woman will stand

trial in the alleged killing of a Newport Beach couple.

Skylar DeLeon, 26, of Long Beach, solicited a co-worker’s help,

asking how to dispose of bodies at sea, Det. Sgt. David Byington

testified Friday.

DeLeon and the other four suspects appeared in court on charges of

murdering Tom and Jackie Hawks, who went missing in November after

allegedly selling their yacht.

Judge John Conley approved a motion to try two of the defendants

-- Myron Gardner, 42, of Long Beach and Alonso Machain, 21, of Pico

Rivera -- separately.

DeLeon and his wife, Jennifer Henderson-DeLeon, 24, and John

Fitzgerald Kennedy, 40, were present in court throughout the hearing.

Testimony will continue Tuesday.

NEWPORT BEACH

Court dismisses lawsuit filed against St. James Church

An Orange County judge issued a tentative ruling Thursday to

dismiss a lawsuit filed against St. James Church in Newport Beach.

The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles filed the case last year and

claimed the Newport congregation’s church building and other property

actually belongs to the national Episcopal Church.

The tentative ruling could be upheld or reversed as early as

Monday when the case returns to court. The tentative ruling was

issued to help lawyers on both sides craft their arguments, St. James

lead attorney Eric Sohlgren said.

St. James left the diocese last year in protest of its liberal

positions on doctrinal issues and homosexual marriage. Sohlgren

argued the diocese’s case was not about property as much as an

attempt to clamp down on the church’s free speech rights.

In his tentative ruling, Velasquez wrote St. James’ exit from the

diocese was an exercise of free speech. He also wrote the diocese’s

claim did not demonstrate a likelihood of winning based on the merits

of the case. The judge wrote the diocese’s case relies on church law,

not California law.

* The City Council on Friday approved an expansion of St. Andrew’s

Presbyterian Church but likely didn’t end the more than 2 1/2 years

of agony for church officials, who wanted a larger addition, and

neighbors, who wanted a smaller one. After a seven-hour meeting, the

council voted, 5-2, to allow the church to add 15,000 square feet --

the church wanted 21,741 square feet -- and to limit evening visitors

and to require more parking on church grounds for Newport Harbor High

School students.

Church officials said they’ll decide by mid-September whether it’s

cost-effective to build the planned youth and family center within

the council’s parameters. Neighbors, who complained that the addition

will worsen problems with traffic and noise, are still mulling a

challenge to the council’s decision, either in court or at the ballot

box.

* A possible new city hall could cost more, if the City Council

agrees to $5.8 million in upgrades to make the facility bigger and

more attractive. The council on Tuesday heard suggestions for what

could be added to a city hall project that’s now estimated at $41.5

million and includes a parking garage and a new fire station.

Some residents have questioned the expense and have asked for a

public vote on the project, but few voiced concerns last week.

They’ll have other chances, however -- the council will hear more on

the project at its Aug. 23 and Sept. 13 meetings, before making a

final decision Oct. 11 on whether to spend the money.

EDUCATION

Roy Disney donates racing yacht to OCC sailing school

Orange Coast College administrators announced that Roy Disney,

nephew of Walt Disney and a longtime skipper, had donated his racing

yacht, Pyewacket, to the School of Sailing and Seamanship. The gift

added a new asset to OCC’s heralded sailing program, which earlier

this year received Kialoa III from Marina del Rey businessman Jim

Kilroy.

As OCC made the announcement, Disney’s crew was busy sailing the

86-foot vessel from Hawaii to California. Pyewacket, which won the

First Team Real Estate Invitational Regatta in May in Newport Beach,

will be used for the college’s advanced and intermediate sailing

classes.

* At a special board meeting Wednesday, the Newport-Mesa Unified

School District voted unanimously to place a measure on the November

ballot seeking $282 million in bonds to pay for more school

renovations. Five years ago, voters passed Measure A, a $110-million

bond measure to clean and repair the district’s schools; the new

proposal seeks to create new facilities altogether.

Among the preliminary plans listed in the new bond measure are

constructing athletic facilities at Costa Mesa and Estancia high

schools, establishing theaters at all four high school sites and

demolishing some of the aged buildings at Newport Harbor High School.

BUSINESS

Irvine Co. announces step into hotel, resort business

The Irvine Co. announced Thursday that it would assume management

of the Four Seasons Hotel Newport Beach. The Newport Beach-based real

estate firm is set to take direct control of the hotel on Oct. 31.

Plans call for the Irvine Co. to give the hotel a new name and to

bring in Hans Maissen as the hotel’s next general manager. Maissen’s

latest job with the Irvine Co. was his stint as general manager of

golf properties, during which he oversaw Pelican Hill Golf Club.

In July, the Irvine Co. stated it would manage the planned Pelican

Hill at Newport Coast resort. The resort is expected to open in 2008.

NOTABLE QUOTABLES

o7”Obviously, one thing led to another, and on the way home she

decided to get out of the car, one way or another.”f7

-- Tommy Wetzel, owner and chief executive of Exotic Limousine,

which was carrying a woman who jumped to her death early Wednesday

morning on the San Diego Freeway (405)

o7”We’re going full-bore. We will be more than financially

competitive with the car dealer.”f7

-- Harvey Englander, a campaign consultant for former

Assemblywoman Marilyn Brewer, who is running to replace Rep. Chris

Cox

o7”The most significant thing was the number of people who came

to the center, many possibly for the first time. The performances,

the scenery, everything about it was of extraordinary quality.”f7

-- Judith O’Dea Morr, Orange County Performing Arts Center’s

interim president, on the 150,000 people who came to see “The Lion

King”

o7”I think that is important to the extreme -- that the consumer

can understand and associate with the culture that’s at the core

heritage.”f7

-- Marie Case, a board-sports industry analyst, on the importance

of Costa Mesa-based Volcom’s image, even after it has gone corporate

o7”The fact is you’re not moving the church. You’ve got to get

along. Shame on you for not having made a deal, no matter how good

your mission.”f7

-- John Heffernan, Newport Beach mayor, to leaders of St. Andrew’s

Presbyterian Church

o7”I’m not asking for selfish reasons that this facility be

built. It’s for our community and for youth.”f7

-- Meredith Cox, a St. Andrew’s church member from Cerritos, on

the expansion

o7”This church is mature; it’s huge; they’ve serviced this

community well. If they want to get bigger, it’s time to move to a

new site.”f7

-- Bill Dunlap, Cliff Haven resident, on the church