INSIDE SCOOP

-- compiled by the Daily Pilot staff

Believe you us -- just because we’re working here doesn’t mean we

can’t think of anything more fun than a tight race between two

growth-control measures.

That’s why those jingle advertisements in the newspaper and on Newport

Beach’s streets immediately piqued the interest of your INSIDE SCOOP

reporters.

“‘Expand we must’/Developers cry/Who should decide that?/YOU and I!”

is just one of the catchy phrases we’ve seen recently.

Well, we’ve done some scooping and can tell you that the clever little

verses are the work of city watchdogs Allan Beek and Tom Hyans, who both

support Measure S.

“The other side has so much money,” Beek said when asked why he had

turned to such wacky campaign methods. “We can’t beat them if we just

play the conventional game.”

The inspiration came from the Burma-Shave signs that lined the

country’s highways in the 1930s, Beek said.

“It was the most successful advertising campaign in history,” he said.

“They sold their shaving cream like crazy.”

Want a taste of the shaving ads?

“We’ve made grandpa/look so trim/the local draft board’s/after him.”

Beats us how that could get people to buy that stuff, but apparently

it worked.

Beek assured us that he’s not going to turn his newfound rhyming

talents into a career once the election’s over. But we’re always up for

having some fun.

The jingles “give some entertainment,” Beek said. “And put some sugar

in the campaign, which badly needs it.”

Off to the right

Tired of being the lone voice of contention on the school board, Wendy

Leece has taken to walking precincts in support of school board candidate

Ila Johnson.

Johnson, who is running against incumbent Martha Fluor, stands a

little right of center, making her the perfect ally for Leece.