WEEK IN REVIEW

NEWPORT BEACH

Newport City Council approves budget for 2007-08

The City Council on Tuesday approved a $208.9-million budget for 2007-08, along with a list of extras that totaled $1.8 million. The balanced budget is only slightly bigger than last year’s. Items the council added include a disaster warning system, Sunday hours at Mariner’s library and remodeling the police station lobby.

Meanwhile, those who want to build city hall on the park land say the 12.8-acre parcel is big enough to share. They’re gathering signatures to put a measure on the February ballot, allowing voters to decide whether the city hall should go on the park land.

PUBLIC SAFETY

McDonell retires after 14 years with department

Newport Beach Police Chief Bob McDonell retired from his post. His last day in command was on Saturday, but the city gave McDonell a grand send-off with a retirement party on Friday at the Balboa Bay Club and Resort.

McDonell had been with the department for 14 years, and had a total of 38 years involvement in law enforcement. Capt. John Klein will take over today as chief.

BUSINESS

As expected, iPhone creates major stir with shoppers

The iPhone, Apple’s latest long-awaited technological breakthrough, debuted Friday evening, as hopeful customers lined up all day outside Apple and AT&T; stores to purchase the item.

South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island, both of which have Apple Stores, allowed customers to queue outside the shops beginning at 5 a.m. Friday. Some patrons arrived even earlier than that, lingering on the street in the wee hours of the morning to secure their places in line.

The phone, which offers Internet, movies, music, weather updates and other features, goes for a starting price of $499.

The chamber, which rents the parcel where it resides, has operated from a two-story office building in the heart of the city’s commercial district since 1976.

President Richard Luehrs said he predicted that the property would sell for upwards of $4 million.

RELIGION

Local church one of three affected by court ruling

A California Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that three Southern California churches — including Newport Beach’s St. James — have no rights to their respective properties after dissolving their affiliation with the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.

In 2004, the churches left the diocese to join an Anglican diocese in Uganda, perceiving the Episcopal church as too liberal. Tuesday’s decision reversed a 2005 ruling by the Orange County Superior Court that St. James was the rightful owner of the property it bought and maintained. The higher court supported the diocese’s claim that it holds the parish property in trust, based on internal rules.